If you grew up in the ’70s and ’80s like me, “The Terminator” movies portrayed artificial intelligence (AI) and robots as something to be feared. We all rooted for Sarah and John Connor in the war for the survival of humanity against the rise of Skynet’s synthetic intelligence. These self-aware military machines, able to learn … Read more
This pandemic assault on us all has turned our world as we’ve known it into a new reality. The anxiety levels can be felt, seen, and measured. The current economic climate further amplifies this undercurrent of constant assault: climbing interest rates, increased inflation, the cost of housing, and wars. In this time of enormous change, … Read more
3D printing has made its mark on nearly every industry in recent years. From automotive to education, almost every sector can find ways to put this technology to use – including dentistry. Today, dentists can 3D print aligners, retainers, and even dental implants at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing methods. That’s something … Read more
Technological developments have transformed how healthcare is performed for as long as healthcare has existed. As digital technologies become more widespread and more sophisticated, they will continue to reshape the world of healthcare. Digitalization is improving productivity and efficiency across all industries – and healthcare can see some of the biggest benefits of digital technology. … Read more
NAP is a marketing acronym, which means name, address, and phone number. The short answer is that NAP consistency is the accuracy and uniformity of your dental practice’s basic information. The long answer revolves around local SEO (search engine optimization), which is what it takes to put your dental practice on the map. The foundation … Read more
THE WHY: The Owner’s Story Oris Dental Clinics is in Richmond Hill, Ontario. It is the first location and the dreamchild of a planned expanding network of practices. The four doctors (Masoud Varshosaz, Behnam Bohluli, Ali Shakib, and Maziar Shahzad Dowlatshahi) are not only proud business partners but also highly experienced practicing clinicians with an … Read more
News flash! There is no such thing as the “perfect” dental practice. Despite our best efforts, “stuff” happens, and these “pop-up” situations can temporarily keep us from having a practice that is fun, fulfilling, and financially successful. Good news? The S.O.A.P. format we learned in dental school to diagnose “patient dental problems” can be used … Read more
Q: This is a constant a debate among the hygienists in our practice. Do you provide nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) for children? A: If they do not fall within the parameters of health, then yes, they need nonsurgical periodontal therapy. The term “child” is defined as a young individual below the age of puberty or, … Read more
Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece novel, Invisible Man, compares and contrasts being black in America in the South and the North. Towards the end of the story, the protagonist asks, “Whence all this passion toward conformity anyway? – diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts and you’ll have no tyrant states.”1 Fast forward … Read more
Dr. Frederic Poirier The CLEAR Institute, Varennes, Québec What have you observed to be the biggest change to the dentistry profession since you began your career? The interest in dental treatments has increased drastically in all population groups in the past ten years. When I started practicing 26 years ago, it was sometimes tricky to … Read more
We are witnessing more and more CE courses becoming available online, despite the pandemic restrictions lessoning, and dentists seem to be torn on their preference between attending in-person or online courses. Nearly half of survey respondents preferred the choice of online courses for the convenience and ability to learn about new topics from anywhere. However, … Read more
Letter to the Editor: As a practitioner, who spends a good deal of time embedded in Implant Dentistry, both chair side, and in the educational realm, I was curious to see the latest findings in the article, entitled, “Dental implant failure and the association with proton pump inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.” There is … Read more
Failed mandibular anaesthesia is a burden on both patients and dental practitioners, as lack of profound anaesthesia can result in pain, apprehension about dental visits, and rescheduling of appointments. When considering factors such as the provider, patient, and techniques used, the incidence of failed mandibular anaesthesia has been reported to be as high as 50%.1 … Read more
Medical emergencies can occur in dental offices. In fact, nearly 60% of dentists participate in the management of one to three medical emergencies annually.1 In North America, studies report syncope as the most frequent event witnessed by dentists.2 However, fatal emergencies are also possible. As a result of an increase in the number of older … Read more
Children of all ages may need dental care for a wide range of symptoms from pain during eruption of teeth, dental caries and infections to application of braces for misaligned teeth and complex repair of the facial bones in children with special needs. Dental procedures in children mandate a calm quiet child with an open … Read more
In Ontario, dentists are the third largest group of opioid prescribers after family physicians and surgeons, and therefore are possible contributors to the opioid crisis.1 The opioids commonly dispensed by Ontario dentists are codeine combination products (76.4%), oxycodone combination products (18.4%), and tramadol (2.8%).2 As recommended by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario … Read more
Dental anxiety is a common phenomenon among Canadians. All clinically active dentists have anxious patients in their rosters. The simplest choices available to you for anxiolysis are nitrous oxide and oxygen or oral benzodiazepines. If your office does not offer nitrous oxide sedation or if nitrous oxide alone is inadequate for patient management, it might … Read more
We are living in a new chapter of human development. Known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it represents a fundamental change in how we live, work and relate to one another.1 This change is enabled by extraordinary technology, which blurs the physical, digital and biological worlds in ways that create both prodigious progress and potential … Read more
Most dentists prefer to avoid lawsuits, regulatory complaints, medical emergencies or, for that matter, any clinical adverse events. Such incidents, at a minimum, cause stress, consume time, and erode profits. At worst, adverse events morph into traumatic career altering experiences. Fortunately, there is a tried-and-true antidote that helps clinicians prevent and mitigate such unfortunate events. … Read more
Introduction: The present study aims to assess the link between the features of the dental follicle and the resorption of the incisors close to the impacted canines using three-dimensional imaging. Methods: The study was conducted on 79 patients with 102 impacted maxillary canines. The age range was 12-48 years, with an average of 20.09 years … Read more