By: Dr. Brooke Fukuoka A beautiful ninety-year-old woman was brought into our dental office. Her hair neatly combed, her outfit elegant, her nails painted and her lipstick perfect. However, when she opened her mouth, I could smell her breath and saw an impressive amount of debris. After gently wiping away debris, a minefield of inflamed gingiva, rampant caries and root tips were revealed. Sadly, this story had become too familiar

By: Mr. Josh Austin Current Colorado Non-Compete LawsUnder current Colorado law, non-compete agreements are generally void for all employees unless they fall within specific exceptions. For dental practices, the most relevant exceptions are non-compete agreements given (1) in connection with the sale of the practice and (2) by “highly compensated workers” for the protection of trade secrets. The threshold for “highly compensated workers” is currently $123,750, but this amount is

Dr. Nichole Schiro & Dr. Ashlynn Mazurek Highlands Ranch Orthodontics Orthodontics Let’s start with the family connection – how did growing up in a dental family shape your decision to pursue orthodontics? Oral health was a part of our everyday lives growing up. Whether we were visiting our dad’s oral surgery office or listening to him talk about cases over dinner, we were immersed in the dental world from a

Vinicius Lima, DMD & Maria Petroche, DMD, MSDSynergy Aesthetic & Implant DentistryLakewood, CO Dr. Vinicius Lima and Dr. Maria Petroche met in dental school and bonded over their passion for community outreach and their love of music and soccer. Like many dentists, they fell in love with the Centennial State and moved here after completing dental school and their respective residencies. In 2022, they took their partnership to the next

By: Amisha Singh, DDS, EdD MDDS Co-Editor Three years ago, I had just finished teaching a course on business plans at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. After the lecture, a group of bright, ambitious students approached me. They were high-performing, curious, and intelligent, and we often met after class and discussed topics such as public health, access to care and the ethical responsibility of a doctor. This

By: Dr. Karen Tindall & Dr. Laura Schwindt In dentistry, the pursuit of well-being is starting to take center stage. As stress and burnout rates among dental professionals continue to rise, prioritizing mental and emotional health has become a critical component of sustaining job satisfaction and delivering high-quality patient care. The science of well-being, grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and health sciences, offers a holistic understanding of human health beyond the

By: Mr. Gary Pickard Eight in 10 of the leading causes of death in the U.S. are linked to inflammation that can begin in the mouth. This statistic should compel us toward more proactive, preventive care that integrates oral health into overall health care, yet the current system is not designed to support this. Oral health and whole-body health continue to operate in separate silos, and preventive care remains undervalued

Ryan Cooper, DDS, MS Suncreek Dental Group Littleton, CO Can you tell us about the moment you first realized you wanted to pursue a career in dentistry? It was during a visit to my orthodontist. I remember being fascinated by the way they transformed smiles and boosted confidence. Watching the intricate process of working on patients and seeing the joy on patients’ faces as they completed their treatment really inspired

By: Ms. Katherine Eitel Belt We’ve all done it. We avoid conversations we need to have because we’re afraid. Afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. Afraid we might make things worse. We stuff down the words we want to say. We feel like a victim of the person, behavior, or circumstance when all along it’s actually us who lack the courage or skills to have these necessary conversations. Why do so

By: Bryan Savage, DDS Cheers to a productive, engaging and fun 2026 Rocky Mountain Dental Convention (RMDC). Once again, the incredible MDDS professional team and volunteer dentists put together a premier convention. Approximately 6,500 attendees were treated to some of the best dental speakers in the country, covering a wide range of topics. Between lectures, the Expo Hall was electric and full of opportunities to learn about new products while

By: Lindsay Compton, DDS DAY 1 – APRIL 7, 2024Good morning, DC! ADA Lobby Day started by assembling all states including more than 1,200 dentists and dental students. This record attendance number created palpable energy in our sessions and around the Capitol. Our day began by choosing one of two lectures to attend. One discussed grassroots advocacy and why it matters on Capitol Hill. The other was a panel discussion

By: Allen Vean, DMD It is hard to believe it has been over seven years since I have had the distinct honor of being co-editor of our publication. One of my first Reflections discussed some reasons why the top companies in the world are rated number one. The fact is they not only have outstanding products, but their customer service is beyond reproach. Among these companies areAmazon, Lexus and Ritz-Carlton.