Picture this: A temp dental hygienist walks into an unfamiliar practice, feeling nervous yet determined to do their best. They are given minimal instructions, a quick overview, and shown to an operatory they have never worked in before. With barely 20 minutes to prepare, they catch their breath just as their first patient arrives. Is … Read more
First impressions are critical in dental practices across both the U.S. and Canada. The reception area sets the tone for a patient’s entire experience. Patients often form lasting opinions about your practice before they even meet the dental staff, basing these judgments on the environment they encounter. In fact, according to industry data, 20% of … Read more
A sialolith is a yellowish-white, hard, concretion of organic and inorganic matter formed within any of the major or minor oral salivary glands or their excretory ducts.1 They are also referred to as salivary stones. Sialoliths are usually detected when they grow to a sufficient size whereby they start occluding a duct causing post prandial swelling … Read more
The increasing incidence of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) requires vigilance on the part of dental practitioners in the identification of at-risk mucosal lesions and patients.1 OPMDs are defined as oral mucosal abnormalities that are associated with a statistically increased risk of developing oral cancer.2 The World Health Organization anticipates an increase in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) associated with increased … Read more
Case report An 8-year-old boy was referred to an ENT specialist with acute pain in the right ear. The patient had initially been treated conservatively by a general practitioner, but upon further inspection with an otoscope, a “tooth” was found lodged deep in the auditory canal. The parents explained that the child had left the … Read more
Sommaire Les malpositions dentaires, telles que les béances antérieures et les crossbites latéraux, ainsi que les troubles fonctionnels, tels que les schémas de déglutition infantile persistants, sont courants chez les jeunes enfants. Ces conditions sont souvent causées ou aggravées par des habitudes comme la succions du pouce ou l’utilisation de biberons. Cette série de cas … Read more
Summary Dental malpositioning, such as anterior open bites, posterior crossbites, and functional disruptions, such as persistent infantile swallowing patterns, are common in young children. These conditions are often caused or exacerbated by habits like thumb sucking or the use of baby bottles. This case series aims to demonstrate the effects of a new type of … Read more
Summary Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by various systemic manifestations, including pancreatic insufficiency, bone marrow dysfunction, and skeletal abnormalities. The dental management of patients with SDS is an emerging area of interest and this narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SDS, its symptoms, and the implications for … Read more
Abstract Stainless steel crowns or preformed metal crowns have become the standard for the restoration of primary teeth with extensive caries; however, they remain underutilized on permanent teeth. In this paper, we review the literature on the use of these crowns on permanent molars, and with the help of a case, discuss the indications, efficacy, … Read more
Oral Health is thrilled to introduce the first look at our Data Driven Dentistry series for 2025. After surveying dentists themselves over the past few years, we decided to return to surveying Canadian dental patients, which we have only ever done once before back in 2019. Our goal with the collected data is to start a … Read more
Many dentists do not see or treat preschoolers and infants for various reasons, from being uncomfortable to lacking the essential experience. All these factors result in pediatric patients being a neglected population. If you do not feel comfortable treating this population, do not neglect these patients, but refer them to a practitioner who will be … Read more
![iStock-167593112_[Converted] alternate text for this image](https://uat.oralhealthgroup.com/uploads/2025/01/iStock-167593112_Converted-e1735837877430.png)
I usually write about cybersecurity, phishing attacks, ransomware, and network vulnerabilities—but January is Privacy Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to review the challenges of privacy in the dental office. As a Certified Information Privacy & Security Professional working in dentistry for over 20 years, I know you’re often overwhelmed by different types of … Read more
There’s a huge difference between delegation and what I call real leverage, and if you don’t get this right, it’ll cost you. Traditional delegation? It’s a trap—flawed, weak, and it leaves you cleaning up messes you never should’ve had to deal with in the first place. Let’s dive into why delegation is failing you and … Read more
The why: Background story In Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Le 32 Clinique Dentaire stands as a testament to Dr. Jennifer Seidler’s passion and vision for practice excellence. Her path to dentistry took an adventurous route where during her CEGEP post-secondary education she was initially exploring veterinary medicine. She quickly discovered that it wasn’t fully her calling but still … Read more
As another year draws to a close, it’s a natural time to reflect on how far you’ve come in your dental practice and think about where you’d like to go next. Goal setting is essential in any business, but for dental professionals, it’s particularly important to regularly check in on practice goals to ensure continued … Read more
Hygiene Spotlight features an exceptional dental hygienist every month. This month, we are showcasing Kirsten Fisher, who always knew she wanted to work in the dental field. She uses her position as a Swiss Dental Academy trainer and her online social platforms to educate fellow hygienists. Why did you decide to pursue dental hygiene as a … Read more
Tobacco cessation is an incredibly complex topic for dental professionals. In the most recent years, the focus on tobacco transitioned into the focus of marijuana and e-vape use. This transition quickly suppressed the topic, making it more and more difficult to have this conversation in a clinical setting with fellow colleagues and patients. As dental … Read more
Natasha Pelley, owner of the mobile clinic SnuggleTooth Smile Mobile, recently appeared in a Hygiene Spotlight Q&A. As someone who travels to rural areas providing dental care with her mobile clinic, she provided some advice for other dental hygienists hoping to start their own mobile clinic, or clinic in general. Do your research: Reach out to … Read more
The Cellerant Best of Class Technology Awards were created by Dr. Lou Shuman in 2009 to recognize innovative products that set a standard of quality in their respective categories. The awards are presented at the American Dental Association’s Annual Meeting and aim to create awareness of how practices will operate now and in the future. … Read more
Oral dysbiosis, a key driver of many oral diseases that impact over three billion people worldwide, is the shift away from health-associated homeostatic microbial populations that inhabit the oral cavity.1-3 Indeed, the oral microbial consortia associated with dental health is characteristic of having high diversity, both in genetic composition and in metabolic capability.4-7 Antibiotics, chronic antiseptic exposure, … Read more