For a week this past March we were fortunate enough to participate in an outreach mission to Honduras. The mission was lead by pediatrician Dr F. Gorodzinsky and pediatric dentist Dr. C. Friedman, and included pediatric residents, registered nurses and pediatric dentists; this was the first of fifteen years that dental students participated. This has … Read more
For many years, studies have shown that dental decay originates in early life from a cross-infection of bacteria from the mother to the child. In the current issue of the Journal of Dental Research, researchers show that children of mothers with high levels of mutans streptococci in their saliva, have double the level of dental … Read more
An experienced venture capitalist recently identified some major trends which are affecting American health care and presumably your practice too! a shift from fee-for-service to compensation based on better health patients are becoming consumers who want a true retail experience personal medicine (and dentistry) based on risks an aging population which has more need for … Read more
In the US, there has been a surprising level of shopping and switching health care insurance plans during this second season of renewals under Obamacare. Almost 1 in 3 changed plans on the public website for health care insurance (HealthCare.gov). And for those who switched, most saved money. We know that America is the land … Read more
Attached are 2 photos of our recent annual trip in January 2015 to Quesada, Guatemala. This is part of an official Canadian charity (12+ yrs going) called Health Outreach (founded by Dr. Tim Lee, Mississauga), where the volunteers (dentists and support personnel), provide free dental work to needy children. In our 6 days of work, … Read more
You probably have an established online marketing strategy for your dental practice already, including social networking via Facebook, Twitter or other social media. At least a few of your social media members may be commenting, sharing, retweeting or liking some of your social content. However, if you are not responding back to them or acknowledging … Read more
My community newspaper recently featured a story about an overload of patients visiting a non-profit community dental clinic. The irony of this story is that most dentists in my community have fewer and fewer recall patients. Most want and need to get busier. My community’s struggle to access dental care – Partners in Prevention So … Read more
Oral Health Group had the opportunity to participate in the US Pavilion at IDS 2015 which took place in Cologne, Germany. Be sure to look out for the next IDS – the 37th International Dental Show – is scheduled to take place from 21 to 25 March 2017.
A recent NY Times article reported that, in an experiment, Parkinson’s patients said an expensive version of a drug worked better than the cheap version of that same drug. Does the same principle apply to hygiene services? Would patients rate an expensive cleaning more thorough and effective than a cheap cleaning? Perhaps or perhaps not, … Read more
This statement comes from a Canadian dentist who admits he feels uncomfortable communicating with his patients about their oral health prospects. He blames his dental school training for his singular focus on the teeth. And no doubt there is also blame directed to the insurance companies who prefer to pay for surgery rather than prevention … Read more
Social media is a good way of feeling the pulse of the community. Facebook can tell me, for example, how many women over 40 in Canada read Prevention Magazine or Women’s Health Magazine, and who also mention “dentist” or “hygienist” in their social media conversations. (That number is about 1.7 million!) There is a new … Read more
Social capital refers to the value you derive because of your social contacts. In the online world, you need to make conscious efforts to build your online social capital in order to reap dividends from this intangible investment. You may be so busy with your professional life as a dentist that it can get difficult … Read more
American companies are getting tough on disease. Increasingly, they incent their employees to participate in wellness programs by connecting healthy behavior to lower cost healthcare insurance. In some cases, poor health behavior leads to increased premiums. They are following the lead of some German insurers who limit dental coverage for those who skip their hygiene … Read more
The shingles vaccine provides a good model for a new kind of dental care which is emerging to better serve an older, more knowledgeable and sicker population. The shingles vaccine is indicated for those at high risk of this acute infection — those over 60 years of age (older folks have difficulty generating immune cells … Read more
Recently, I received a petition by nurses and hygienists which argued for OHIP payment for hygiene services. It seems the petition was started by nurses who were frustrated with the growing demands of ER patients experiencing dental problems. So, what are the chances that OHIP or any medical system will pay for regular hygiene care? … Read more
That is how some Americans are responding to the high cost of orthodontic care (read Invisalign). As reported by the New York Times, at least 2 new companies are now offering a mail order service for invisible orthodontic brackets — at a fraction of the price of Invisalign. The consumer has responded to the high … Read more
The best endorsement for your dental practice can come not from paid advertising or other forms of promotion, but from your own patients. New patients will typically have a greater trust in the reviews, comments and ratings that other people provide about you. Therefore, one of your dental marketing goals must be to have people … Read more
Supporting and Enforcing Your Cancellation Policy.. One the quickest and easiest way to begin supporting your Cancellation Policy is to STOP accepting appointment changes and cancellations to be left with your service or on your voice message service! Many patients will leave a message after practice hours to avoid facing the music of their last … Read more