There was once a time when TV/radio commercials, billboards, and newspaper ads are your best shots at drawing attention towards your dental practice. But oh how time flies. LED screens now hang in places where billboards used to be. Even seniors in the subway are reading the news off their iPads. The world has moved … Read more
They say that doctors serve a noble profession. Their hard work is truly rewarding when they receive appreciation from a satisfied patient. This is not just a self-fulfilling exercise. If your patient is happy, it also means that they feel healthy. In addition, a review of approval from one healthy patient can influence at least … Read more
Has your “dream team” become a “mean team”? If so, why should you care? Beginning with the obvious, the cohesiveness of your team drives efficiency, staff and patient retention, as well as profitability. If you have a known bully on your team, and you choose to do nothing, you are allowing an insidious cancer to … Read more
When the idea to expand our practice from six operatories to 12 was only a blueprint, designing details according to modern day environmental impacts were favoured. Reducing our carbon footprint while maintaining a fast paced and comfortable clinic for our patients is our main goal. We implemented smaller eco-friendly changes that may not be recognizable … Read more
For years now, the word “paperless” has been an ongoing fad in the entire dental industry. It seems like everyone is “going paperless” and everywhere you read about it, the recommendations are always to do it. Well, it is about time that someone talks about the hard truths of what is so-called “going paperless”. To … Read more
Do you drag yourself to work and find it hard to be motivated once you arrive? Do you become irritable or impatient with employees or patients? Do you lack the energy to remain productive throughout the day? These could be possible signs of work-related stress. And let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. Tradeshow season … Read more
Want to add some variety to your chairside conversations? Would you like to share cutting edge scientific findings with your patients? Would you like to be seen as a person of influence with a broad knowledge of nutrition and healthy living strategies? “Some patients still see us hygienists as teeth cleaners and aren’t aware of … Read more
Many dental hygienists, including myself, say they entered this profession to assist clients in developing and maintaining healthy beautiful smiles. It is widely accepted that whitening gels play a significant role in developing those beautiful smiles. According to research from EKWA Marketing (2018) Trends in Teeth Whitening: $11 billion is spent yearly on products or … Read more
Toxic biofilm is enemy number one when it comes to dental diseases. It lurks in a patient’s mouth above and below the gum line. It clings to natural teeth, restorative work, gingival tissue and the tongue, implants and orthodontic appliances. It is very challenging to remove or debride all of the biofilm from the oral … Read more
Some people look to YouTube for educational videos and others look for entertainment. When you think of YouTube, what is your first instinct? Have you ever thought that YouTube could make you a better clinician? I write articles from a place of experience and I connect with the written word on an emotional level. This … Read more
The influence of social media in modern society is no secret. It’s safe to say that most of us are consumed by it. But is this necessarily a bad thing when it comes to our professional lives? Or are these platforms providing us the opportunity to learn and connect with our peers? By now, we … Read more
The Evolution of Surgical Navigation Transformative technologies are altering the developmental framework in dentistry. Digital imaging, diagnostics and impressions, the use of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) for prosthesis fabrication and lasers for soft and hard tissue alterations can achieve degrees of bio-minimalism that were impossible a few scant years ago.1-5 Nowhere is this more prevalent … Read more
Bridge to Health was founded in 2012 by six passionate health care professionals brought together by a common desire to provide health care to those in tremendous need. In 2013, Bridge to Health set out with their first team and have been changing lives in underserved rural communities in Southwest Uganda and Kenya ever since. … Read more
Introduction Amidst various technologies and treatment options for replacement of one’s tooth, dental implants have become the standard of care in present day practice. No longer are we enamoured by the body’s ability to accept an endosseous implant as its own. The landmark phenomenon of osseointegration by which titanium fuses to bone at a microscopic … Read more
The restoration of endodontically treated teeth (ETT) has been guided historically by anecdotal empiricism rather than biomechanical dynamics. Decisions regarding the configuration of the restoration, the diameter of the post channel and the post and core materials to be used have plagued foundational dentistry for decades.1,2 The loss of coronal tooth structure due to caries,3 … Read more
Introduction Consider a new patient who has come to a dental office and undergoes a screening examination. A quick look at any missing teeth may prompt a dentist to ask, why were these teeth lost? While patient responses may be vague, the answer often involves fractured endodontically treated teeth (ETT). For the most part, teeth … Read more
Introduction One of the most infamous canals we chase in endodontics is the second mesio-buccal (MB2) canal of maxillary molars. It’s often referred to as the “fourth canal” and is one of the most frustrating aspects of maxillary molar root canals. We have known of the presence of the MB2 canal for over a century. … Read more
As a child growing up in the sixties, I was a great fan of the famous “Star Trek” television show starring William Shatner. The original series debuted on September 8, 1966. The show tells the tale of the crew of the starship Enterprise and its five-year mission “to boldly go where no man has gone … Read more
The Pulse To truly feel the current pulse in dentistry, you must listen to what other dentists are thinking and saying. Online message boards are a great place to participate in the conversations that dentists are having. These forums give us a sense of the current trends. Social media is the emerging wave of communication … Read more
Introduction Earlier this year the Canadian Association of Hospital Dentists joined the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign. Choosing Wisely Canada is the national voice on reducing harm to patients. Modeled on the Choosing Wisely campaign in the United States, an initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation, it is a national, clinician-led and … Read more