A new review of dental studies found that traditional risk factors for caries in adults are wanting in terms of accuracy. The best conventional predictors are recent experience with this disease and salivary concentrations of Streptococcus mutans; but even these, when used singularly are not robust. Because major payers of dental services are starting to … Read more
Are you getting the sense like me, that the expectations for family dental care are changing? It seems every week we learn from good scientific studies that good oral health is an independent factor in good overall health. Today, for example, a Korean study found that poor gums were associated with hypertension, irregardless of other … Read more
Could it happen in your practice? A common topic for our speakers is what dentists misunderstand about embezzlement. Here is our list: MYTH #1 — Embezzlers only steal cash, and it is difficult for thieves to monetize other forms of payment. FACT — It is simple for a thief to turn a check, credit card … Read more
“People today are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 1980s, even if they follow the exact same diet and exercise plans.” This was a disturbing conclusion of a recent study of American adults, which has also been reported in The Atlantic. What might be the reasons? First, people are exposed to more … Read more
Two reports crossed my desk recently, which raised some possible serious concerns about how we go about delivering dental care. First, a report suggests that anaesthetics are linked to permanent tooth failure in younger patients. The study authors concluded that it is possible for local anesthetics to inhibit pulp cell growth for still-developing permanent teeth. … Read more
Surpassing the “been there, done that” dental visit … Numerous studies have shown that the way patients rate their level of satisfaction with services provided is largely based on the depth of emotional connection they have received. Patients rate connection and care as “very important” on the scale of what they expect. Visiting the dentist … Read more
More studies are showing that a small segment of the community needs medical care on an ongoing basis. This pattern is called persistent care and it seems to be associated to those with more than one chronic condition. It may well apply to the chronic diseases in the mouth too. Our surveys report that 1 in … Read more
Turning inquiries into appointments.. Dental administration team members are truly the “Directors of the First Impression” for new patients, and they have approximately 17 seconds to “make it or break it.” Many new patient phone calls start with the patient asking: “Do you take my insurance?” While your first instinct is to provide an immediate … Read more
Dental plaque (the biofilm) is remarkably stable in its composition of microbes despite mechanical abrasion (tooth cleaning and flossing) and dental cleanings by the hygiene team. But once it becomes unstable (a process called dysbiosis), dental disease (dental decay or gum disease) can commence. And dysbiosis is also remarkably resistant to brushing and flossing and … Read more
A new, 3-year prospective Japanese study involving over 2500 university students (mean age of 18 years at baseline) examined various risk factors for the emergence of high blood pressure (hypertension). The study found that amongst a group of students who had elevated (or prehypertensive) blood pressure at baseline, 3 factors which led to high blood … Read more
Search ranking algorithms of leading search engines such as Google and Bing have become highly sophisticated in recent years. It is no longer a wise move to indulge in negative SEO tactics in the hope of pushing up search rankings for your website by manipulating the search algorithms. Such a move is most likely to … Read more
“British Columbia’s population now has 31 people 65 years old or over for every 100 working-age persons. In a decade, the ratio will be 41 to 100. Ten years later, in 2035, the ratio will be 48 to 100, according to a recent paper from the Business Council of British Columbia. Put another way, the … Read more
As gum disease originates from an unbalanced film of bacteria under the gum line, why don’t we use local or systemic antibiotics to treat this chronic disease? Turns out that is what the studies are starting to suggest. Besides mechanical debridement (called scaling and root planing) of the “wound” (the inflamed gum pockets), the scientific … Read more
Drugs to relieve mood disorders (depression, anxiety) are the most prescribed medications for Canadians in their 30s, 40s and 50s, according to data published by Green Shield Canada. An American study published in 2005 showed that adults taking antidepressants had significantly more fillings and crowns than healthy controls — as much as 60% more when … Read more
When I was surveying adults in the waiting rooms of dental practices in the UK some time ago, I wondered if these patients wanted to participate in the assessment of their future oral health. So I added a question to the survey which posed the major risk factors for poor oral health, and then asked … Read more
Modern vector template for your business project
Do you have positive influencers in your practice? We continue from last week by considering the strategic type of decision making when implementing change into your practice. Decision Style – Core Team decision making: The leader trusts and depends on a select group of members of the practice (with representation from each department) who are … Read more