This statement concluded an e-mail from a manager of dental benefits at a Canadian company. It shows the commitment by patients to reach a state of better oral health. This same sentiment has been revealed in all our patient surveys — indeed, 1 in 5 patients say they will change dentists to get more preventive … Read more
A recent issue of Businessweek contained some important data on what American dental patients want from their dental services. In a phrase, “less dentistry”. We know this from tracking the following since 2007: follow-up dental visits (i.e. recalls) have fallen to levels last seen in 2007 patients are declining procedures other than the routine cleaning … Read more
A lot of dog owners are often surprised when they find out that their cute puppies no longer have the fresh baby breath they used to have. Like people, dogs have relatively fresh breaths when they’re still young because they only drink milk. When they grow up and start eating solid foods, that’s when their … Read more
In a recent meeting with some dental benefit brokers and one insurance company, this thorny question came up: Can Canadian insurers and benefit consultants switch to making money from dental health rather than from making money from dental disease? In our meeting, the insurance company representative feared a world where patients weren’t claiming as much … Read more
This intriguing statement recently appeared on the PBS newsletter for older Americans called Next Avenue. (I recommend you subscribe to Next Avenue to better understand your aging community — it is free.) The article reported there are two different groups of Boomers. The Oldsters (those born between 1946 and 1954) and the Youngsters (born between … Read more
It is not unusual for dentist Dr. Gary Glassman (www.rootcanals.ca/www.drgaryglassman.com) to speak at the Society of Aesthetic Dentistry in Romania, or run a course called Train the Trainer in Prague. He is also involved as a professor in the new dental school in Kingston, Jamaica. The world-renowned oral health expert is founder of the Goodwill … Read more
I recently visited a great dental practice which is symptomatic of where much of Canadian dentistry is headed: most of the patients were over 60 many had root caries all, reportedly, had dental insurance even into retirement. both dentists were part-time, and my guess, so too were the hygienists. We talked about what patients prefer … Read more
Current media coverage of Ebola and EnteroVirus has healthcare professionals inquiring on appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It is important for healthcare providers to obtain information and updates directly from the CDC at CDC. gov. At current the CDC states “use of standard precautions apply”—meaning any healthcare providers encountering Ebola or Marburg hemorrhagic fever or … Read more
Every day we are hearing more about the spread of the Ebola Virus and Enterovirus D-68. You may not think that a pandemic will affect your business, but it is better to hope for the best and prepare for the worst case scenario to maintain the continuity of your business and protect your employees as … Read more
The saying goes “anything catching on in California, comes to Canada sooner or later”. That is just one reason we should pay attention to the Great American Wellness Experiment, most recently described by the Wall Street Journal. Let me summarize some of its key developments, because there are some real lessons and implications for Canadian … Read more
Please join us as we kick off AIDSbeat this year. We will be opening the night at 8pm. Here are a couple of videos from last year: SoSumi – Foo Fighters (Cover) SoSumi (Pearl Jam Cover) Click below for tickets and don’t forget to check off that you are supporting “SoSumi”. For more information, please … Read more
Have you been watching how American drugstore chains like CVS and Walgreens are redefining themselves? They all want to be part of a healthcare network first rather than a convenient general store dispensing prescription medications. In Walgreens’ case, it is now offering to diagnose and treat chronic conditions. Diabetics are responding – they visit their … Read more
Mississauga News Parents of very young children and babies may wonder how early to start tooth brushing and visits to the dentist. The answer is the earlier the better. There are several advantages to starting children off very young with good dental habits. Good home dental care may mean that you can avoid cavities in … Read more
Green Shield Canada announced recently that it was bringing the concept of wellness to Canada. According to this insurer’s announcement: “The company hopes to redefine the concept of wellness by utilizing analytics to target employee populations diagnosed with chronic disease and, even more proactive, reach out to those plan members at the highest risk of … Read more
Next time you avoid exercising just say you were doing it for the benefit of your oral health. Physical exercise is considered to be good for just about all elements of health and well being, however a recent study has suggested that in the long run, it may increase the risk of tooth decay. The … Read more
Sugar = dental decay. Or so, that is a common public and professional perception. But sugar is now being replaced by all sorts of sweeteners, both natural and artificial. So what effect do these sweeteners have on promoting cavities? Two recent studies indicate: – stevia, sucralose, saccharin and aspartame are better than sugar in reducing … Read more
This is the most common comment I get on social media, and it is the focus of a new report on improving the affordability of care to large/growing segments of Canadian society. This report argued rather weakly that more public funds were needed to enable more (uninsured) folks to visit the dentist. I don’t think … Read more
Today’s dental patients are much more sophisticated about how much they know about dentistry and how they make decisions about their dental health. With dental offices popping up practically on every corner, it’s not the billboards, bells and whistles that will attract and retain patients, it’s making a human connection and developing a long term … Read more
A new Swedish study appearing in the Journal of Cancer reports that missing teeth are a significant predictor of cancer. For 24 years, the study followed periodontally-healthy adults who were between ages 30 and 40 at baseline. Using regression statistical techniques, the study evaluated what were significant predictors of cancer over this period. Two factors … Read more
Do you ever wonder why your team isn’t performing at the level you envisioned? No matter what you do it seems as if there’s a missing piece to the ‘perfect team’ formula. With each new hire you’re hopeful, but you quickly realize that it’s the same problem with new people. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. … Read more