People with poor oral hygiene or gum disease may be at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a new study led by The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) School of Medicine and Dentistry suggests. The research, which has received international collaboration, and led by Professor Stjohn Crean and Dr Sim Singhrao from UCLan, examined … Read more
A report published as the lead article in the International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants shows that dental implants offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatments for tooth replacement. The report, which is also cited on PubMed, the US National Library of Medicine located at the National Institutes of Health, is based on a … Read more
Over the past few columns of The Digital Dentist, we have examined some of the technologies that are part of the digital office, specifically looking at data backup, virus protection, an overview of digital radiography, and monitors. There is no doubt that of all these technologies, digital radiography appears to be generating the most interest … Read more
The use of email is a great way to communicate with your patients and more software companies are jumping on the bandwagon to make the process of email communication more convenient and effective. Ever since e-mail was introduced, it has become a regular means of communication. It is typically more conversational than traditional paper-based media … Read more
Research led by Priyanshi Ritwik, DDS, MS, LSUHSC Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, reports important findings about side effects and how long they linger after discharge of common oral drugs used to sedate some children during dental procedures. The results of the study, published in the current issue … Read more
Many health care professionals believe that the possibility of a pandemic occurring is not an ‘if’ but a ‘when’. The SARS epidemic brought to light the very distinct reality that it can occur without warning and have a dramatic effect on health care offices. During a public health care crisis, you still need to continue … Read more
As healthcare reforms promote more preventive care and associated healthy-seeking behaviour, some controversies emerge. I notice, for example, that American employers in their efforts to control healthcare costs, are taking a look at the extra-burden of an employee who smokes. One study shows that this behaviour imposes an additional $5,800 per year on the employer … Read more
Parkinson’s is one of those growing issues in an aging community. The incidence of this disease rises from 17.4 per 100,000 between ages 50 and 59 to 93.1 in 100,000 between ages 70 and 79. Unlike other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers, Parkinson’s patients remain in the community for a long period. The typical onset … Read more
In 2008, a national research firm reported that the oldest Canadians reduced their visits to the dentist significantly (Chart 1). About 1 in 4 stopped going to the dentist past the age of 70, and fewer than 5 in 100 visited frequently. Much of this is explained by a loss of dental insurance for older … Read more
As dentists transition towards a modern dental practice, many of them realize the value and benefits of placing computers in the operatory. Many practices now have computers in the treatment rooms. One of the issues that has created resistance is the confusion over proper positioning of the monitors. In this issue of The Digital Dentist, … Read more
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Dental professionals, especially hygienists, will be familiar with the acronym APIE in their approach to clinical care. APIE stands for Assess, Plan, Implement and Evaluate. When implementing a Health and Safety Program in your office, using this method will assist your office in meeting the requirements of the Ministry of Labour. Assess- Perform a risk … Read more
Surveys of adult patients in the waiting rooms of UK and Ontario dental practices show that almost half are age 50+. That means that 1 in 4 patients are women entering or experiencing menopause. In the current issue of the Australian Dental Journal, a study shows that women in menopause produce significantly less saliva when … Read more
I have just returned from the Speaking Consulting Network (SCN) meeting, held June 6th to 9th 2013, in Loveland, Colorado and what an amazing experience! Approximately 200 + dynamic, high energy and enthusiastic individuals gathered to mix, mingle, share, learn and laugh, focusing on building skills as speakers, consultants, authors and contributors. SCN was founded … Read more
I have been following and contributing to a group discussion on Linked In called “what’s your new patient routine?” And I was impressed with one of the following contributions: “I always go out to the reception area and greet the new patient. My assistant does a cone beam survey, we show the 3D images of … Read more
Counseling the patient on eating habits and smoking are standard procedures for managing adult dental decay. Or at least they should be. A recent Swedish study reports that older patients did not receive the same level of counselling on eating or smoking, as younger patients (Chart 1) (Chart 2). Chart 1 Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23230808 Chart 2 … Read more
In a slow growth economy, many dentists found that although revenue targets did not perform as well as expected, they made more money. Running an efficient practice, especially during times of economic stress is the only way to create sustainable growth in your income. Here are ten simple strategies to help your practice run efficiently … Read more
In a recent crowdsourcing of ideas to improve the American healthcare system, The Regenstrief Institute, an informatics and healthcare research foundation affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine, found that affordability was top of mind and prevention versus treatment was the most common path to affordability. How does this canvas of ideas and opinion … Read more
Dental research has customarily focused on another anxiety – the fear of the needle and the drill. We know, for example from the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey in the UK, that 1 in 3 adults sitting in the waiting room are anxious about dental procedures. But surely, in the context of The Atlantic’s survey, … Read more
Everyone knows that infection control is the responsibility of all dental office staff. Patients and employees are only safe from infectious processes when everyone consistently follows good infection control techniques. The purpose of the Infection Control Program is not to reduce the individual responsibility that each healthcare provider has, but to provide leadership for all … Read more