We wear many hats in our daily practice – doctor, artist, engineer and therapist to name a few. Under all those hats we are always thinking: how can I make this better? How can I make this faster? How can I make this more comfortable? To answer all of these questions and steer our patients … Read more
If you want the phone to ring more often in your dental office, your waiting room to be full, and your treatment chair occupied all the time, you are not alone. This is precisely what every dentist wants. However, if you are one of several dentists operating in the same area, it may not be … Read more
Because of the special relationship that exists between a healthcare provider and a patient, dental practices must be dedicated to the well-being of their patients. The duty of healthcare providers obligates the entire dental office team to treat patients with dignity. Unlike the transactional relationships that may exist in non-healthcare retail sectors, clinicians and team … Read more
THE WHY: Owner’s story Dr. Wenyi Yuan started his career as a vaccine research scientist. At the age of 29, he decided to follow his heart by shifting career directions and enrolling in dental school at U of T. During dental school he would often envision opening his dream start up practice – a uniquely … Read more
Many are asking great questions about corporate buyers and the effects of the rising interest rates and inflation on practice values. The market continues to expand as corporate buyers, like traditional ones, see the value in healthcare. I may sound like a broken record, especially now that we are two years past those initial dark … Read more
What Does The Science Say? Google has taken some deep dives into what makes for a great team member and has also conducted research into the attributes of effective teams. In 2012, Google conducted a well-known study called Project Aristotle, which sought to understand the characteristics of high-performing teams, and the results were surprising. Teams … Read more
Q: What is the difference between recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis? A: In previous classification systems, recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis were thought to be distinct disease entities that were separated from periodontitis. However, current evidence has never been able to substantiate that, so recurrent periodontitis and refractory periodontitis are excluded from the 2018 AAP … Read more
It is truly an honour to introduce this special technology issue of Oral Health. Throughout my life, technology has guided me on a bullet-train journey of opportunity and discovery. It all started when I left my orthodontic practice in Boston to join a dental Internet company in Washington, DC, at a time when 56K was … Read more
Cyber Security Tips from Canada’s Largest DSO With the rise of technology in healthcare, it is more important than ever to protect your data. Technology is a key enabler and advantage in the delivery of optimal patient care, but the systems we use can introduce additional vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. The convenience of … Read more
Some years ago, a widely read magazine published a writer’s first-hand account of going to 50 dentists and getting almost as many different diagnoses and treatment plans, ranging in cost from under $500 to nearly $30,000. The author’s conclusion, no doubt shared by millions of readers: “Dentistry is a stunningly inexact science.” The kindest interpretation … Read more
At Cellerant, I am privileged to be surrounded by innovative technologies that set a standard of quality over a wide range of categories. Whether I am in conversation about which products will meet Best of Class standards or just meeting with technology manufacturers, I know that innovators will drive the conversation about how dental practices … Read more
By now, most, if not all practices, utilize automation as part of their workflow. However, can automation seek out revenue opportunities beyond what you expect from automated messages? RecallMax™ has identified three gaps in patient engagement that come from not using automation to the fullest extent. Gap 1: Limitations with automated messages Given the recent … Read more
‘‘We’re at the beginning of a golden age of AI. Recent advancements have already led to inventions that previously lived in the realm of science fiction – and we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible.” Jeff Bezos, 2019 Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are permeating all aspects of our daily lives. Everything from … Read more
Thorough disinfection has always been problematic in all areas of healthcare, especially in the oral environment. In endodontics, laser energy has been used in the past in an attempt to aid in the disinfection and/or irrigation of root canal systems with less than desirable results. Some of the various techniques used in the past included … Read more
How social media tactics can help market and grow a dental practice When we think of technology and its impact on the dental industry, we can’t ignore the importance of social media. Has your dental practice already jumped onto the social media bandwagon? Are you looking to steer your office’s presence in a more professional … Read more
Much has been discussed recently about the challenges of finding new team members and retaining current ones. The pandemic has shifted perspectives, and what teams needed in the past has now changed. Among the top stressors reported during the pandemic are finances, social isolation, and the health of family members. In any given year, 1 … Read more
Dr. Tracy Dawes Riverside Dental Centre, Red Deer, Alberta How would you define or summarize your practice philosophy? My practice has always been relationship based. Taking time with my patients has always been very important to me, even if it might put me a little behind at times. I think patients appreciate that they know … Read more
In this month’s Data Driven Dentistry feature, we decided to take a look at your purchasing plans. While many dentists took a financial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, over half of our reader respondents still had plans to purchase new equipment this year. This is great to see. Operatory equipment was the most popular option … Read more
Restorative dentistry and periodontology have always been and forever will be inextricably linked. Integrating all elements of dentistry is an art and the science and is salient to long-term success of dental restorations and patient care. When placing a restoration, one must consider its effect on the entire stomatognathic complex. Case in point, the placement … Read more
Chronic Diseases and Periodontal Health Every 24 hours, 480 Canadian men and women are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D).1 In 2019, 11 million Canadians were diagnosed with T2D or pre-diabetes.2 The high prevalence of this disease equates to a high economic burden. For example, treatment costs in Canada reached approximately $30 billion in 2019.2 … Read more