COVID-19 (the SARS-CoV-2 virus originating in Wuhan, China) has devastated the world. By July 2020, more than 11 million cases worldwide resulted in over 500,00 deaths. Untold misery, families shattered, businesses shuttered. Canadian dentists have faced practice- and career-threatening disruptions that will continue for many months. Most Canadian dentists were totally shut down by government … Read more
In the 1990s, I initiated a resident exchange between our program at the University of Toronto and the same Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical program at the University of Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (RSA). The registrar (resident) from their university (“Wits” for short) and I would switch posts for 3 months, performing the duties we … Read more
The Oral Health Group has a fantastic resource on its site, curating several helpful news items and “what-comes-next” features all related to COVID-19. A number of the headlines reflect both frustration about the lack of clear reopening guidelines in different areas, as well as anxiety about the cost of reopening before patient capacity is back … Read more
Catherine Wilson was a British serial killer who was hanged for one murder, but was generally thought at the time to have committed six others. She worked as a nurse and poisoned her victims after encouraging them to leave her money in their wills. She was described privately by the sentencing judge as “the greatest … Read more
It’s fair to say that day-to-day life and dentistry as we’ve known it have been turned upside down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, we went from normal, day-to-day dental care to a near medically induced coma with many, if not most, dental offices shutting their doors. Even though these are fluid times, the common … Read more
I never thought the day would come where I would be writing for Oral Health, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. My name is Hunter Soll, daughter of co-chairman of the editorial board of Oral Health, Dr. Jordan Soll. There are many differences between me and my father, one of them being … Read more
As I write this editorial I certainly feel how time has flown by. Sitting in front of my computer, I realized that my 30th anniversary of graduating from dental school is approaching in May. I thought to myself, “Wow that’s a lot of years!” I started wondering, what is it that motivates me to keep … Read more
Remember a few years back, when a new regulation came into effect that required us to ask our patients for a piece of ID when we wanted to prescribe something as common as Tylenol #3? Personally, I thought, “Oh sure, bring on more rules and restrictions!” Actually, it forced me away from prescribing opioids and … Read more
Do you recharge yourself as much as you recharge your phone? While I was home this past weekend visiting my family in the Niagara region, my five-year-old nephew told me that he lost a ‘digital detox contest’ that my brother and sister-in-law challenged him to. I’m not surprised. For his birthday last June, he was … Read more
As I’m writing this editorial, it happens to be the 10th #BellLetsTalk day. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is honouring Bell Canada for its visionary leadership on mental health and is urging everyone across Canada to join this game-changing and important annual conversation. Over the past decade, Bell Let’s Talk has made major … Read more
“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign/Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind/Do this, don’t do that/Can’t you read the sign?” – Signs by The Five Man Electrical Band A repeated discussion that I have with colleagues is that dentistry, as a profession, is over-regulated. While it’s true that we have rules governing everything in our practices … Read more
If you read this month’s Data Driven Dentistry feature, it focuses on the importance of loyalty to help your practice grow. Based on our survey findings, the data tells us that the number one reason your patients trust you is because of the relationship you’ve created with them. This stands true to any workplace environment. … Read more
It is difficult these days to walk down the street and not have a cloud of smoke engulf your face from a nearby electronic vaping device. My first response to this occurrence is to hold my breath or attempt to dodge the cloud altogether. When I am unable to do so, I am always shocked … Read more
Did you set any goals or New Year resolutions? Did you feel that by the time 2020 arrived you would have achieved or accomplished certain things? Have you reflected on why you have or haven’t succeeded? When the New Year rolls around, I always find it’s a time I catch myself reflecting on the year … Read more
“Environment” is a real buzzword in the news today. Pollution, climate, sustainable, maintainable, crisis, emergency. Do we have control or not? One area where we as dental professionals have some control is the oral environment! We are the custodians of our patients’ oral environment. Of course, things can spiral out of control when our patients … Read more
Let’s talk about the month of December. It’s that time of year when my office becomes increasingly empty as the days pass. My fellow employees start to use the rest of their allotted vacation time and I can’t help but worry if every task will be checked off not only my shopping list but my … Read more
Evidence Based Dentistry (EBD) may be defined as a process which combines “the best available scientific evidence and the clinical expertise of dentists with the patient needs and preferences in order to serve as the foundation for clinical dental care”. Therefore, combining the innovative findings of medical and dental research with clinician knowledge is highly … Read more
In early October, Oral Health was graciously invited to attend Dentsply Sirona World in Las Vegas ¬¬– and it did not disappoint. We were given the opportunity to experience three full days of education, networking, and social events in Sin City. The industry’s must-attend event has yet again proven itself as extremely beneficial for attendees … Read more
Over the years our profession has managed to confuse patients by what we call ourselves. Can you tell the difference between dentists with various letters after their names? What is a bona fide (Latin for “in good face”; legal meaning “sincerely, without deception”) specialist and a generalist? Today, I am afraid, we may have confused … Read more
Since Oral Health Office is dedicated to all things business related, I thought this would be the perfect platform to share some exciting (non-dental) news with you, our dedicated readers, about our media company, Newcom Media Inc. If you are not aware, Newcom Media produces magazines, websites, trade shows and events for the dental, automotive, … Read more