Week in Review: Holding your team accountable | A-dec founder dies | Dental insurance changes

Dear DrBicuspid Member, People often think that accountability means holding people responsible. True accountability, Dr. Roger P. Levin writes, is giving people the tools to help them develop as professionals so that they can do their jobs. Unfortunately, most leaders don’t understand how to instill a sense of accountability in their teams. But if you desire to have a great team, accountability is key — starting with you. All of us

The Importance of the CAD/CAM Dental Lab in a Dental Center

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) dentistry enable dentists to create new false teeth like crowns, dentures, bridges, and many more much faster and easier than before. This is especially true because of the emergence of 3D printing technology, wherein any three-dimensional (3D) design that you come up with can be printed out in real time in 3D, as though you have a personal manufacturing factory right inside your

All That You Need to Know About TMJ Disorders

The temporomandibular joint (often shortened to TMJ) connects your jawbone to the skull and acts like the sliding hinge between the two. This joint is found on either side of the jaw and helps the mandible move as you talk, scream, and chew as well as breathe by your mouth and whistle. If you have TMJ disorders—it’s one of several temporomandibular disorders or TMDs—this can cause severe pain on the

Dentists can aid in detecting signs of domestic violence

Up to 75% of head and neck trauma associated with domestic violence includes an oral injury. This means dentists could be the first healthcare providers able to identify and report evidence of domestic assault, according to a recent article. A number of injuries in the oral cavity may offer clues to traumatic brain injury associated with domestic violence, according to researchers from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in

What is the best country for Affordable Quality Dental Work?

Receiving quality dental work can be very expensive, although it is necessary when it comes to ensuring overall patient health. Did you know that thousands of Americans and Europeans choose to travel to another country for affordable quality dental solutions? Because of the high cost of any dental treatment in the U.S or Canada, many people have found that by traveling outside their country there is the potential to save hundreds

All You Should Know About Phillips Zoom Teeth Whitening

If you want your smile to be healthier-looking and brighter than ever before, you should consider having your teeth bleached or whitened. The truth of the matter is that sometimes, brushing and mouthwash simply aren’t enough to wash away years of plaque and film as well as discoloration. If you suffer from those conditions, you should consider using Phillips Zoom Laser Whitening to tackle all of your dental whitening or

New product: Microcopy adds pediatric diamond burs

Microcopy has added six new pediatric diamond burs to its NeoDiamond line. The Pediatric NeoDiamond burs are designed for working on smaller teeth and in tighter margins. The single-patient-use bur comes in a box of 25 presterilized burs, according to Microcopy.

Does periodontal disease cause systemic disease?

Does periodontal disease cause systemic disease? Yes, but … How’s that for an answer that keeps you hanging? Let me explain. Alvin Danenberg, DDS. Yes, in that once periodontal disease is established in the mouth, its pathological byproducts can seep into the bloodstream, lymph fluid, and bone structures to cause the spread of infection and inflammation to all areas of the body. In this way, periodontal disease can cause systemic

Researchers test materials’ hardness, resistance to chipping

Knowing the mechanical properties of CAD/CAM materials allows practitioners to choose the right ones for successful restorations. Researchers put four such materials through their paces to see which were the toughest and most resistant to chipping. Lava Ultimate, a nanofilled resin block, was the material with the best machinability among those they tested, they reported (Brazilian Oral Research, April 4, 2019). “Materials with higher [brittleness index] are more susceptible to

New poster stresses need for more e-cigarette research

Another warning about the potentially harmful effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has been issued. A new poster to be presented at an upcoming European conference details the health effects of e-cigarette use, and the authors urge more research in this area. They explain how an e-cigarette device works and describe some of the potential healthcare consequences in an e-poster from the European Society of Thoracic Imaging meeting in Paris. The

Patient communication improves perio treatment outcomes

Talking with patients about their periodontal disease risk may encourage them to become active participants in their oral care, according to a new study in the Journal of Periodontology. Researchers compared results for patients who were counseled about their risk for periodontal disease with those who were not. The patients who were advised about their oral health had reduced plaque and gum inflammation, they found. “Our study shows that by

CVS plans to expand SmileDirectClub program

Pharmacy giant CVS Health has announced an expansion of its pilot partnership with SmileDirectClub. This year, SmileDirectClub’s SmileShops will be opened in hundreds of existing CVS Pharmacy locations, up from the present number of 13 locations in eight U.S. states. Through the partnership, patients can get 3D scans and teeth-whitening kits at these stores. CVS-owned Aetna Dental also announced that SmileDirectClub will be added as an in-network healthcare option for