Proper procedure coding within your practice is important on many levels, from ensuring accurate payment for dentists to creating a valid record of patient care. Failing to use appropriate procedure codes can lead to all kinds of mischief for dentists as well as poor outcomes for patients. Indeed, accurate procedure coding is a legal requirement … Read more
Q: I just started using the term “nonsurgical periodontal therapy” (NSPT) when speaking to my patients, and they often ask how NSPT is different than a “cleaning.” What is the easiest way to describe the difference without getting too technical? A: Interestingly enough, when I consult and teach, most hygienists insist that NSPT is something … Read more
The opportunity to learn many lessons has been hurled upon us over the last two and a half years. We have seen storms come and go and temperatures rise to new limits. We have also witnessed almost every aspect of our lives be disrupted by an infectious agent so small it cannot be seen by … Read more
Dr. Neil Vora Vivo Dental, Calgary, Alberta What is one thing you know now that you wish you had known at the start of your career? Dental treatment is for the patient, not for me. There have been, and still are, many times that I want to insist or convince someone of an ideal treatment, … Read more
The transition of using more digital platforms to communicate has been happening for years and the pandemic only increased the need for it. Nearly half of surveyed dentists agreed that they have changed the way they’ve been communicating with patients in the last couple of years. Of those dentists, half of them are using text … Read more
The information flowing along a blockchain is like a river that knows no country borders, is as unregulated as nature, and forever carries upstream pollution. Everyone paddling on the water can agree on the river’s depth at any point along the journey, and the river does not run straight because there is no one in … Read more
Dental implants have been the recommended treatment of choice as a conservative approach in replacing missing teeth while preserving adjacent tooth structure when compared to fixed dental prostheses.1 The ability of the implant supported crown to replicate natural tooth like emergence profile provides the advantage of achieving higher aesthetic results in the anterior zone.2 Their … Read more
Implant therapy has become a predictable treatment option for tooth replacement with a 5-year survival rate of 97.1%.1 Despite this high survival rate, implant failure can still happen which would necessitate removal, or better said, explantation of the unsuccessful implant. Approximately 34% of failures occur within the first 5 years after placement and it could … Read more
To achieve a successful aesthetic result and good patient satisfaction, implant placement in the aesthetic zone demands a thorough understanding of anatomic, biologic, surgical and prosthetic principles. The ability to achieve harmonious, indistinguishable restoration from adjacent natural teeth in the aesthetic zone is very often challenging. Placement of dental implants in the aesthetic zone is … Read more
The transcrestal or transalveolar sinus lift procedure was described by Summers in 19941 as an alternative to the “traditional” approach, using the lateral window to reduce the morbidity of the technique. As initially described, the procedure consisted of an approach from the alveolar ridge using progressive caliber osteotomes that are activated using a hammer that … Read more
Amicrofibrillated cellulose platform derived from Norwegian spruce trees is the basis for a revolutionary approach to toothpaste that has the capability to offer superior plaque and biofilm removal. The result is more efficient brushing and better oral health. Founder, Chairman, and Head of R&D Mohamed E. Labib, PhD, and CEO Carmine J. Durham are the … Read more
Who is the beneficiary of your corporate owned life insurance? A rather simple question but one that is often misunderstood. If one were to dust off one’s corporate owned life insurance contract you would see that the owner and beneficiary of the contract is your corporation. Why? Because of tax law rules dealing with taxable … Read more
Lawyers excepted, everyone lost. That’s my conclusion after reading two recent Ontario employment cases involving hygienists and dentists. Shelley Nicholas v. Dr. Edyta Witulska DPC, 2022 ONSC 2984 A dental hygienist (“Nicholas”) was employed part-time until she resigned in 2018. She had been employed from 1991 to 2011 with Dr. Michael Veer without a contract. … Read more
Dentists have few ways to control or manage inflation. A major tool that dentists have to fight inflation is their ability to increase productivity and/or use money to buy tools that increase productivity/efficiencies. Dentists who upgrade and enhance their clinical skills may be able to bill more per hour. Dentists who buy tools such as … Read more
“Agoal without a plan is just a wish.” You have probably heard this famous quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, often mentioned in motivational and self-help texts. However, it is equally applicable to most areas of business, including marketing your dental practice on social media. In fact, we can take it a step further. You need … Read more
In oral healthcare, ingestion or aspiration of foreign objects are significant iatrogenic events. These mishaps are by their very nature unexpected, and successful prevention and management are key to minimizing potential adverse consequences. While relatively rare, dental literature is filled with reports of ingested or aspirated dental burs, implant components, endodontic files, amalgam fragments, crowns, … Read more
THE WHY: Owner’s story 14th Avenue Dentistry is located in the city of Markham, Ont., approximately 30 km northwest of downtown Toronto. Whether you are a resident, visitor or tourist, there is something for everyone to enjoy, see or do in this rapidly growing community. This thriving practice is owned and operated by the extraordinary … Read more
Even the best of us can lose our way in all the noise and hubbub of the day-to-day stresses. Establishing a code of commitments for the practice will help the entire team keep on track – even in stressful situations when the wheels fall off. A code of commitments is about having a preplanned game … Read more
Since the onset of the pandemic, our personal and professional lives have been turned upside down in ways we could never have imagined. In addition to adopting rigorous health and safety protocols and procedures in our practices, we also go above and beyond in our daily interactions with our patients to ensure they feel safe … Read more
Some days, the life of a dental hygienist is like running on a hamster wheel. The race of the clock, running around in circles as you frantically try to stay on time. In hygiene school, we were given three hours to provide comprehensive patient care. When we compare this to the traditional 60 minute-model given … Read more