Instagram: Who is Being Judged?

iStock-1311955502_[Converted]1 alternate text for this image

You know those folks on Instagram. The ones always posting picture-perfect lives. Working out their perfect bodies at the gym. Decked out with friends eating Michelin star meals. Perfect holiday family photos. Pristine vacationing pics. Cocktail boomerangs at the newest bar. Even posting provocative photos that don’t leave much for the imagination. They’re the Instagram … Read more

Do You Need a “Hygiene Whisperer” Who Can Bridge the Gap Between Clinical Excellence and Effective Communication?

Happy Dentist With Patient alternate text for this image

Change for the Better: Don’t let flawed processes hold your team back from experiencing better efficiency, healthier clients, happier employees, and continued practice growth. Challenge My hygiene team has not embraced nonsurgical periodontal therapy, and as a result, a significant number of my clients still face active periodontal disease, even after years of coming to our … Read more

Guilt and Growth: A Hygienist’s Journey

Smiling woman dentist with mock-up of human jaws on white background. Banner for dental theme. Concept of modern equipment for tooth treatment, professional clinic. Photo with free copy space alternate text for this image

Dental hygienists play a pivotal role in fostering oral health. Yet, the challenge lies in the stark contrast between the brief encounters in the dental hygiene operatory and the year-round responsibility patients bear for oral care. This article explores the complexities surrounding the guilt dental hygienists often feel when appointments extend beyond a single appointment … Read more

Let’s Invest: Dental Real-Estate Guide

Mortgage Graph with Ascending Price Arrow alternate text for this image

Talking to new dentists or even dental students, the vast majority will bring up income properties as one of their goals. To start 2023, in the first quarter alone, investors made up 30% of home purchases according to the Bank of Canada. Despite higher interest rates there remains a lot of interest around real estate … Read more

An Incredible Tale of Mentorship: Tribute to Dr. Belfor

Interview with Dr. Ted Belfor alternate text for this image

Embarking on a dental career after graduating from two dental schools, I was puzzled by persistent questions that seemed to be missed during my education. Why do so many children and adults need braces now? Was the answer simply genetics? Why did individuals with impeccable oral hygiene habits still suffer from bleeding gums in the … Read more

Efforts by the Noma Action Group at the University of Toronto

University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry’s NAG team pictured front to back, left to right: Andrew Seto, Riya George, Hartirath Brar, Ocarina Zheng, Athena Zhao, Hellen Huang, Ken He, Zoha Anjum, Camryn Rohringer, Ifeanyichukwu Ezeliorah, Cassandra Collins, Shirin Esfahani, Joel Rosenbloom. Absent: Sharon Yoon (Photo credit: James Long)

Noma is a rapidly progressing, severe gangrenous condition that targets oral and facial tissues. Originating as a gingival lesion, it can quickly evolve into an ulcerative, necrotizing gingivitis, causing extensive destruction of both soft and hard tissues in the oral-maxillofacial region. Most commonly affecting children aged 2-6 who experience malnutrition, immunocompromise, and poverty, noma is … Read more

Digital Defense: Cybersecurity Essentials for New Dental Professionals

Safety and security of personal data concept alternate text for this image

Congratulations on choosing dentistry. It is an exciting time for the industry with the explosion of technology designed to aid diagnostics, treatment planning, case acceptance, and more. Although there’s abundant technology to advance your practice, it’s also important to recognize that with connectivity comes risk, especially when dealing with sensitive personal health information (PHI). While … Read more

Next Gen of the Month: Dr. Brandon Linaksita

brandon5 alternate text for this image

Next Gen of the Month is a monthly Q&A with a dental student or new dentist where we ask them about their experiences and accomplishments thus far in their dentistry journey. Why did you decide to pursue dentistry? From an early age, I knew I wanted to pursue a healthcare-related occupation. Most people I connect … Read more

It’s Hard. But It’s Simple.

Success Transformation alternate text for this image

Life can be unexpected, and that’s not always a bad thing. I have always wondered: Am I in the right career? Did I make the right choice? What do I want for the future, and what’s best for me? I still think about these an awful lot. I always wanted to be in the medical/ … Read more

Cyber Criminals Love Dental Practices

Hacker in a hoodie – ASCII art alternate text for this image

While it may not be accurate to say that cybercriminals specifically “love” dental practices, it is true that dental practices, like many other businesses in the healthcare sector, can be attractive targets for cybercriminals. It’s also inaccurate to say that all dental practice owners do not believe in cybersecurity, as opinions and beliefs can vary … Read more

CDCP is Here: Oral Health Professionals.

Dentist appointment. alternate text for this image

Are you in or out? It has been a “rocky road” between the federal government and the dental profession since 2022. With the media announcements, lack of collaboration and consultancy with dentists, and the unknowns and mystery of what the NDP free dental insurance program really meant??? The 2022 public announcement and the 2023 application … Read more

23 Guidelines for Happiness & Success: A Professional’s Playbook

Business people jumping celebrating victory isolated image on a white background. Happy and joyful people cartoon character. Teamwork and cooperation concept. Vector illustration of a flat design alternate text for this image

At some point, dental professionals question why they do what they do and wonder if the grass is greener on the other side. Higher interest rates, shortage of staff, more competition and daily stress take their toll. Dentists sometimes need a compass. The guide below may help dentists when they get to the fork in … Read more

Office Space: Kids Corner – Medical and Dental

OS-Above_Text alternate text for this image

THE WHY: Background Story This month marks a jubilant celebration for Kids Corner, a vibrant pediatric medical and dental clinic in the heart of Oakville, Ontario. At the helm of this thriving practice stand two remarkable pediatric dentists, Dr. Laura Vertullo and Dr. Yili Wang. Their journey began as student acquaintances at the University of Toronto, … Read more

Lead Aprons Don’t Work: It’s Time to Retire Them

Teeth X-ray alternate text for this image

Updated March 1, 2024: Health Canada’s Safety Code 30 (Radiation Protection in Dentistry – Recommended Safety Procedures for the Use of Dental X-Ray Equipment – Safety Code 30 (2022)) now states that lead aprons are not required during routine dental x-rays, with the exception of CBCT procedures. We should stop using lead aprons. That’s what the American … Read more

Dementia and Oral Health: What You Need to Know

Old And Young Support alternate text for this image

Dementia is a complex condition that affects over 733,000 people in Canada. It is caused by a decline in a person’s cognitive abilities and can severely impact their memory, behaviour, language and reasoning. While many people recognize that dementia can affect the brain’s ability to function, what is not so commonly known is that it … Read more

Hygiene Spotlight: Kellie Watson

Kellie 2 alternate text for this image

Hygiene Spotlight features an exceptional dental hygienist every month. This month we are showcasing Kellie Watson and her extraordinary work in Saskatchewan’s oral health community. Why did you decide to pursue dental hygiene as a career? I have always had a passion for health and wellness, and I love helping people. As a child, I looked … Read more

Grin and Share It: Unmasking the Reality Behind Social Media and Dentistry

oral-health-feb-2024 alternate text for this image

Afew weeks ago, I was delivering a continuing education session to a group of lovely general dentists, and following my lecture I opened the floor to questions. I found myself in an intriguing situation: a dentist in attendance asked if I had heard about patients taking several Tums before receiving local anesthesia to enhance its … Read more

An Implant Osteotomy Paradigm Shift – Benefits of Minimally Invasive Implant Osteotomy Creation Utilizing a Simple 2-Step Process

Birdi-Fig-35 alternate text for this image

The field of implant dentistry has seen rapid innovation since Per-Ingvar Brånemark1 placed the first screw-retained dental implant in 1965. Yet, the approach to osteotomy creation has remained largely unchanged. Even with the advent of guided implant surgery and drilling innovations,2 patients are still expected to wait anywhere from three to six months for delivery of the … Read more

Hospital Dentistry: Willingness to Treat Individuals Living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Under General Anaesthesia

Lipinski-fig2 alternate text for this image

In addition to financial and physical barriers in accessing care, people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are on a spectrum for their ability to tolerate dental procedures (Fig. 1).3 Oral Health Care Provider’s ability and willingness to treat are factors determining the delivery of oral health care. Many oral health care providers feel they … Read more