Smokers: The dentist’s dirty little secret

Is the number one preventable cause of death in the USA a real concern to the dental profession, or are we all just posturing?

When our patients light up that cigarette, the oral cavity takes the initial assault, but … Read More

What can gratitude and faith do for your business?

It’s Good Friday, a time to reflect on the meaning of Easter Sunday. I grew up in the deep south – the bible belt – in a good Southern Baptist family. I now live in the state of Washington – … Read More

An Educated Response to the Cochrane Report on Xylitol

There is another recent news report concerning the role of xylitol in preventing dental caries. This follows the big news coverage from January 2013, detailing the results of the XACT clinical trial. That study was published in JADA and set … Read More

Comparing CRA Forms: A Hygienist’s Perspective

Like many hygienists, I was first introduced to the concept of risk assessment in hygiene school.  It wasn’t until some time later that I really learned to appreciate the value of performing caries risk assessment, or CAMBRA.  It’s not only … Read More

Hedonic adaptation and the happiness treadmill

A sign in a window read: “Right now someone with less than you, is happy.”

I’ll admit, for bumper-sticker psychology this ranks pretty high. From a young age, we’re conditioned to compare our happiness to the assumed happiness of … Read More

65% of dentists are wrong about their dental lab…are you one of them?

Police in Springfield, OH, responded to a call about a man who had been shooting a gun repeatedly. After apprehending the man, they searched his home and made an unlikely discovery in the basement: what looked to be an illegal dental laboratory. … Read More

When to let a patient walk out, even if you need the money

Dental school prepared us to manage things like gum disease, caries, and prepare teeth for crowns and bridges, but what it didn’t teach us was the hard stuff.

Like when to let a patient walk out the door even … Read More

A Caries Researcher’s Response to the Big Sugar Scandal

I’ve read the current news reports in the last two days about the influence of the Big Sugar Lobby’s influence on government policy and research during the 1950’s and 60’s. The uncovered documents provide a paper trail that I find … Read More

6 Things the Dental Team Expects From Their Leader

Human beings are complex, and leading a group of people is not for the faint of heart, the spineless, the heartless or the unkind. With the multiplicity of the human personality, how does one navigate the needs of their team while … Read More

Increase Profits Without Raising Fees

Billing is the process of submitting and following up on claims to insurance companies in order to receive payment for services rendered by a provider at your dental practice. That definition may seem obvious, but your dental office may be … Read More