Gen. Douglas MacArthur, one of the most distinguished U.S. military leaders, was not a dentist and never led a dental practice. But when consultants who coach dental professionals on how to make practices thrive think about leadership, many think of a quote attributed to MacArthur. “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others,”
Thanks to CAD/CAM, tooth-colored materials, and improved bonding technologies, dentists have more options than ever before for placing minimally invasive posterior restorations, according to Dr. Steven Gold. As a result, dentists can practice more precise dentistry and better save teeth. Gold, who is an assistant professor at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, will address this very topic on May 16 at the California Dental Association’s CDA
Researchers had noticed an increasing trend of dental professionals and dental students reporting burnout. So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, it only exacerbated the phenomenon of burnout among dental professionals and other types of healthcare workers. In an August 2020 survey of 4,000 dental professionals, the ADA Health Policy Institute found that anxiety, financial problems, and reduced quality of sleep were the most commonly reported symptoms associated with
When it comes to the adoption of telehealth in the dental industry, the COVID-19 pandemic served as more of an accelerant than a revolution. Teledentistry has steadily grown over the past decade, and once COVID-19 spread across the world, shutting down dental offices along with everything else, more dental practices jumped on board an already moving train. According to a 2020 report from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 34%
Desktop Health has released Flexcera, a technology platform for creating 3D-printed dental prosthetics. Flexcera comes in two versions: Flexcera Smile for 3D fabrication of denture teeth and Flexcera Base for 3D fabrication of denture bases/gums. Flexcera Smile is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) class I medical device, while Flexcera Base has received FDA 510(k) clearance as a class II medical device. Flexcera is the first major product released
Oral health company Quip will join the crowded on-demand orthodontics space by offering clear aligners. The offering is a departure for the company best known for promoting its toothbrushes on social media. Quip will use telehealth for its direct-to-consumer aligners. A recent survey showed that one-third of its 6 million customers are interested in clear aligners, according to the company.
A woman in Japan can once again feel pain and temperature in her mouth thanks to the immediate repair of her alveolar nerve, which was damaged during jaw surgery. The case report was published on May 10 in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, and Pathology. Clinicians cut her inferior alveolar nerve, which supplies sensation to the lower teeth, while performing a bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy to
RCT Endodontics of Laurel, MD, has formed Trident Save-a-Smile, a nonprofit organization that aims to provide root canal therapy and raise oral health awareness among low-income residents. On May 15, RCT will be hosting its third annual Save-a-Smile Day in conjunction with the American Association of Endodontists’ Save-Your-Tooth Month. The endodontic practice said it continues to partner with Spanish Catholic Charities and will also donate endodontic treatments to select private
A clever use of CAD/CAM technology brought a smile to a patient with primordial dwarfism. Researchers from Texas A&M University described their novel technique for creating implant-supported dentures in a study published on April 28 in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Primordial dwarfism describes a group of disorders in which a person experiences delayed growth, resulting in small body size. People with this condition also experience a number of dental
3Shape plans to host a free online event highlighting digital workflow for dentists and dental labs called 3Shape Unfold. The event will be held June 2-3. The event will offer participants information on 3Shape’s digital workflow offerings through its Trios intraoral scanning software for implant planning and placement, implant bridges, dentures, and clear aligners. 3Shape Unfold will be structured in three tracks: one for professionals just learning about intraoral scanning,
Dental hygienists should consider multiple factors, including positive COVID-19 cases in their communities, before using ultrasonic scalers on patients, according to a webinar hosted by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the ADA on May 4. Though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding the use of scalers during the pandemic, hygienists must weigh the benefits and risks of using them, said JoAnn Gurenlian, RDH, PhD,
The University of Rochester Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) has received a $6 million federal grant to study a topical antimicrobial agent that may prevent new cavities in young children with severe tooth decay. EIOH pediatric dentists treat more than 1,000 young children with severe tooth decay in the operating room each year. Researchers will launch a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of povidone iodine to
