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
When you hear the word chlorhexidine it is easy to guess the first things that pop into your mind: stain, poor patient compliance, great bacterial killer, terrible taste, works well but causes calculus, and adds a lot more work. If you speak with a dental professional about chlorhexidine there are usually two camps of thought. … Read more
A vast amount of my career has been spent on defining our powerful role as dental hygienists in the earlier discovery of an abnormal lesion through effective visual and tactile examination of the structures of the head, neck and oral cavity. Frankly, the omission of a thorough and effective extraoral/intraoral examination can cost a life. … Read more
Oral dysbiosis is an imbalance of bacteria in the dental plaque whereby pathogenic bacteria dominate the biofilm and, in turn, initiate destruction of the hard and soft tissues in the mouth. Caries and periodontal diseases result from oral dysbiosis. A new treatment option for oral dysbiosis called Prevora (10% chlorhexidine) is now available for high-risk, … Read more
Is dry mouth a complaint you hear frequently from your patients? Does your mirror ever stick to your patient’s cheek during their dental visit? We can all probably think of those patients – those patients with severe dry mouth. The American Dental Association reports that anywhere from .9-64.8% of patients suffer from dry mouth.1 The … Read more
Q: Has the definition of “localized” and “generalized” changed in reference to describing the extent of periodontal disease? There seems to be a lot of debate among the new grads and seasoned hygienists in our office. A: The new 2018 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Classification changed the definition of these terms when describing extent … Read more
A rainbow has arrived – no more fallow time! For years, dentistry has weathered the pandemic storm (“Hurricane”) of shut-down, isolation, cabin fever, new normal and re-build. It experienced waves of shock, fear, worry, paralysis, confusion, conflict, loss and change. It demanded us to work together, seek help and lead like never before, regardless of … Read more
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
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
In my personal and professional journey throughout of my life, I have discovered that giving back is the ultimate sign of true success. And in today’s world, we need to remember that we are all connected, in many ways. We are a society that makes decisions on how we feel and each individual is dealing … Read more
Q: Can you make a dental hygiene diagnosis based on pocket depths alone? A few of my fellow hygienists insist that a 5mm pocket depth is an indication of periodontitis. A: No, you can not make an accurate Dental Hygiene Diagnosis (DHD) based on pocket depths alone. Pocket depths may assist in making a diagnosis … Read more
A patient emails 20 different dentists her recently taken full mouth series of x-rays, stating, “My previous dentist took these just before I moved to town. The move was sudden (work-related), so my dentist never had a chance to tell me what work I needed done. I’m here for two years on assignment, and I’m … Read more
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” You may have heard this common phrase many times before. Have you thought about this when it comes to your daily interactions with patients? We are trained, educated and taught how to assess, identify and differentiate between healthy and non-healthy, normal and abnormal in terms of teeth, tissue … Read more
Q: Some of my patients resist getting recommended radiographs. What can I do to encourage them to consent? A: If you read my article, “Are you Taking Adequate Radiographs?” (November 2021 issue), you know that most practices aren’t taking the necessary images throughout the process of care, especially considering the recommendation of the new global … Read more
Last week, I had two dentists share with me a similar sentiment, “My team doesn’t support me.” When I asked them for more details, they both indicated that their teams got very upset whenever they decided, spur of the moment, to “squeeze in” more dentistry or more patients than they had originally scheduled. One of … Read more
In the hundreds and hundreds of dental practices we at Jameson have had the opportunity to work with over the past three decades, we have seen high-performing practices and low-performing practices. We have seen teams that work as an aligned group of leaders and we have seen teams that don’t look or behave like a … Read more
Things have changed since March 2020 in many respects. The way we practice, the way we communicate with our clients, and what is expected of us as dental professionals has also changed – are you doing enough to keep up? We need to look at what our clients need and how we can best serve … Read more