Panacea to offer banking services to AAP members

Panacea Financial has partnered with the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) to offer banking services to the organization’s 7,500 members. Panacea is a financial services company created for doctors by doctors that provides tailored product offerings and service delivery designed specifically for physicians, dentists, and veterinarians throughout their careers, according to the company. AAP is the largest professional society of periodontists in the nation.

Legal Case: Not every patient can have every procedure

A 57-year-old, postmenopausal woman presented to her regular restorative dentist, Dr. E, whom she had seen for a number of years, and in whom she had trust and confidence. The patient, Ms. P, had lost her four upper incisors in a bicycle accident about five to seven years prior but was no longer cosmetically satisfied with the removable partial denture she had been wearing, despite the fact that she had

What’s the best way to help patients with sleep apnea?

Patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) saw greater improvement in their condition when they wore mouthguards set at a mandibular advancement of 50%, according to a study published recently in Clinical and Experimental Dental Research. None of the patients experienced side effects, including temporomandibular pain, while wearing the guards at night for a few months, the authors wrote. The apnea-hypopnea index scores and apnea index scores improved

5 back-to-school tips from a dental hygienist

It’s that time of year again: Supplies are bought, backpacks are donned, and kids are returning for yet another school year. Lindsey Dalley, RDH, lists five messages your practice can share with parents and children to ensure oral health isn’t forgotten in the back-to-school shuffle. 1. Get back into the routine. Lindsey Dalley. In the summer, everyone’s schedule is off with sleeping in and vacations, and it’s really easy to

USOSM enters Ill. market with new partnership

U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) has signed Erickson Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Carol Stream, IL, as a new partner practice. The new partner — USOSM’s first in Illinois — primarily serves Carol Stream and its surrounding areas: Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Winfield, Bloomingdale, Glendale Heights, and West Chicago, according to the company.

Orthobrain launches clear aligner

Orthodontic services developer Orthobrain has launched a new clear aligner system called SimplyClear. The system is the first one designed by orthodontists for dental practices, according to the firm. SimplyClear can help dentists treat orthodontic cases in-house rather than referring them to specialists. In addition, Orthobrain offers case management support through its Orthobrain Core program, the company said.

Woman develops rare eating condition after jaw surgery

After having jaw surgery, a 30-year-old woman developed a very rare neural eating disorder that led her to lose consciousness and experience amnesia while consuming food, according to a case report published in Advances in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The case suggests that late presentation of swallowing syncope, which is associated with severe transient heart disorders, may be a postsurgical complication of jaw surgery, the authors wrote. “It is possible

How to pay for dental work in Mexico

When searching for affordable dental work you’ll probably stumble upon many articles stating that Mexico is one of the most popular destinations for dental tourists, and it is a reality. Americans can save up to 70% on dental work when coming to Mexico. There are many reasons why people from all over the world choose Mexico to get dental work done; not only do we have warm, welcoming people, but

Week in Review: What to know about pregnancy, x-rays, gum disease, and more | Teledentistry in practice | Creative use for support stool

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Patients can safely undergo necessary dental x-rays at any stage of pregnancy if proper safety equipment is used appropriately, according to a recent narrative review. Our top story of the week explains why the review authors say dental x-rays pose little risk of fetal abnormalities. More pregnancy-related news While dental x-rays may not be cause for alarm, pregnant patients should worry about their gum health. More than

Retrace cites study on deep fake tech helping predict disease

A study by Retrace found that deep fake technology improves the diagnostic accuracy of artificial intelligence algorithms in identifying periodontal disease, the results of which were published in the August issue of the Journal of Dentistry. Periodontal disease simulation using generative adversarial networks. Image and video courtesy of Retrace AI. The blinded study looked at 10,687 radiographs, with independent validation from clinicians and research scientists at the University of California,

Ignorance isn’t bliss when it leads to delays in dental care

Ignorance isn’t bliss and can lead to delays in getting dental care, according to a study of more than 300 patients in Tanzania. Ignorance was one of three reasons people with caries cited for delaying seeking treatment in the study, which was published on August 25 in the International Dental Journal. Dental caries is a global oral health problem, affecting nearly all adults regardless of their sociocultural background. Often, patients

Why patients aren’t coming back to the dentist

About two years have gone by since COVID-19-related restrictions were lifted, allowing practices to reopen, yet about 40% of patients continue to postpone appointments, according to a survey released on August 23 from DentalInsurance.com. In the survey of 1,214 adults in the U.S., patients reported high out-of-pocket costs, fear of dental pain, and other factors that led them to delay dental visits. For the survey, which was conducted in May