Features

Self-Ligation has Significantly Shorter Chair Time Compared to Conventional Ligation with 8 Techniques: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Clinical Outcomes

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Objective: To test if there are significant evidence-based differences in effectiveness between self-ligation (SL) and conventional-ligation (CL) brackets, including observation of eight daily, self-ligation clinical techniques. The clinical SL advantages are: 1) using colour elastomers upper 2-2, but converting to a completely ligature-free appliance when poor oral hygiene develops, 2) simple clip-click for coil spring … Read more

Getting to the Root of the Matter – Indications for Grafting in the Ortho-Perio Patient

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Introduction Orthodontic and periodontal therapy are intimately connected. To ensure a functional and aesthetically pleasing outcome the process begins with clinical assessment of many factors including periodontal probing depths, thickness of the attached gingiva, mobility, occlusion, furcation involvement and bleeding. This will ensure there are no underlying issues that could become aggravated by tooth movements.1,2 … Read more

The Value of an Optimally Sharp Instrument

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Manual and Ultrasonic instrumentation techniques and guidelines for treatment have changed over the past few decades according technological advancements and theoretical interpretation for the literature. Technological advancements in the areas of ergonomics, metallurgy and cryogenic processing have led dental manufacturers to develop instruments that lessen the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder, increase patient comfort, and permit … Read more

The Troublemakers: How to Deal with Difficult Patients

Difficult Patients

Eventually, every dental hygienist will deal with a difficult patient. Despite best efforts, a patient may be angry or upset with the care they have received or something that has been said to them. Sometimes they will be angry for no perceivable reason at all. Regardless of why the patient is being difficult, dental hygienists … Read more

Are You a New Generation Hygienist?

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It has nothing to do with your age – or where or when you graduated – but everything to do with your commitment to excellence. When new procedures and techniques become available, do you update and adapt your clinical strategies to provide superior patient outcomes? If so, you may be a new generation hygienist. These … Read more

Perfectionism: A Blessing and a Curse

Perfectionism

The dental profession often sets extremely high standards for excellence. I recall the pressure I felt to ensure I didn’t miss a thing. We were trained to measure in millimetres, feel specs of grain and see the slightest shade differences; so we can’t help but notice the minute. Even years after retiring from the profession, … Read more

Preparing for the Return to Oral Health Routines

Oral Health Routines

With the end of summer nearing, many Canadians are settling back into a routine with an increased focus on healthy habits. Numerous patients have delayed care for quite some time, and the demand ahead for treatment plans will be significant. As such, dental practices must be ready to support a return to packed patient schedules. … Read more

Money Talk: The Benefits of Health Spending Accounts

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A dentist running a Dentistry Professional Corporation (DPC) is like any other small business owner who is challenged with how to pay for drug, dental and extended healthcare costs. If you do not have access to a group plan through your spouse, you will have to pay for these expenses out of pocket using after … Read more

To App or Not to App

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Technology has made its way to the healthcare industry, changing the way patient care is handled on a variety of levels. Telehealth and teledentistry are two prime examples. Though they were already on the rise, the COVID-19 pandemic created a boom in telehealth, with 46 percent of patients saying they use telehealth for some visits, … Read more

COVID-19: An Opportunity to Discuss Dentists’ Mental Health

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Before he played Walter White, actor Bryan Cranston played the lothario dentist Tim Whatley on NBC’s “Seinfeld”. While little about Whatley is realistic, the character touches on mental health issues in the dental profession; namely, the stereotype that dentists have the “highest suicide rate of any profession.”1 Even though this is an urban legend, “Seinfeld” … Read more

Understanding and Optimizing the Dental Marketing Funnel

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Understandably, most dentists hesitate to think of their patients as customers. Yet, today’s patients take a consumer approach to selecting dental care. They have information, they have options, and they shop around before choosing a provider. Therefore, the sales and marketing funnel, which has long been used to guide retail strategies, can easily be applied … Read more

Office Space: T-Dot Dental

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THE WHY: Clinicians’ story T-Dot Dental opened their doors in mid-February 2020. What followed was an almost complete global shutdown to most sectors of society including their newly opened practice. The pandemic was a true test to everyone on how important robust community relationships and a strong strategic business alliance can be in times of … Read more

Why Do Team Members Disengage?

Team Members

We hire fabulous, superstar team members who are: Happy to come to work and passionate about their career; Connected and loyal to the practice; Excited to learn new things to drive long-term success; Measure their success based on the team and practice success. Sadly, over time, we often start to notice a change in their … Read more

Toothpaste for Two and Under: The Fluoride Fill

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The use of fluoride is normally an easy topic to agree upon for evidence-based dental professionals. However, in the past year, I’ve stumbled upon an aspect of fluoride usage that seems to be rather debated between dental professionals. The issue that leads to a difference of opinions is the age that a child should begin … Read more

Paradigm Shifts

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Dental implants are a standard of care in dentistry but this wasn’t always true. I distinctly remember one of my dental instructors saying I shouldn’t get involved in that “voodoo” dentistry. Perhaps he had heard the ADA say in the late ’70s that dental implants were not recommended for routine clinical practice and was simply … Read more