I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was in travel mode for a few straight weeks of continuing education courses. This past week I was in Detroit, which I will discuss below. This coming weekend I was scheduled to travel to northern New Jersey. Well, Hurricane Sandy postponed those plans. My heart goes out to those affected by her devastation and I wish them the best as they try to pick up the pieces and return to normalcy.
This week I would like to discuss two other areas of devastation that I encountered on my most recent trip to Detroit. The course itself was a live-patient course utilizing a unique type of… (Read More)
Devastating
November 26, 2012
Six Month Smiles
November 11, 2012
Typically, fall and winter tend to be my heaviest time for continuing education. What is continuing education for a dentist? It is a must. As in any profession, learning never stops. If you stop learning, you halt growth both professionally and personally.
Dentistry offers continuing education in every aspect of the profession. Dentists can learn everything from new techniques in “filling” teeth to using Botox. In the next month I am travelling to Detroit to learn some new surgical techniques, New Jersey to learn a different way to do root canals, and Arizona for a refresher course on treatment planning and communication with patients. Travelling and being away from home is not my favorite… (Read More)
Is Seeing Believing?
October 24, 2012
Last night I heard a commercial for a cholesterol medication in which the person playing the doctor says, “I wish my patients could see what I see.” I believe there are two ways to look at that statement.
The commercial showed an image of animated artery walls clogging with particles of plaque clinging to one another making the opening of the artery smaller and smaller. This is a visual that is easy to understand.
The second, and more subtle way to take this statement, is the doctor wishing that patients could see what happens to patients over time with and without compliance to taking medication or changing their diet. If patients could only… (Read More)
The Soda Ban
October 5, 2012
On Sept. 13, at New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s urging, New York City’s Board of Health approved what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind ban on the sale of supersized sugary beverages. In six months, if there’s no lawsuit filed to block it, containers of Coke, Pepsi and sugar-laden flavored drinks larger than 16 ounces will be outlawed at restaurants, movie theaters, food carts and sports arenas. Business violators would be subject to a $200 fine.
This ban doesn’t stop someone from buying two 16-ounce cups or bottles of soda. Nor does it apply to convenience stores or grocery stores. And, of course, New Yorkers are free to drink however much they want at… (Read More)
Is Your Insurance Expiring?
September 27, 2012
I don’t know how you feel but I think this year is just flying by. I guess I feel like that every year. Only three more months left in 2012. For those of you with dental insurance, only three more months to use your dental benefits before they disappear and go toward the bonuses for the insurance executives. That is kind of a joke and it is kind of not.
As you know, if you have dental insurance, you have a yearly maximum amount of money that can be used for dental care. Although that yearly maximum (typically $1000-1500 per year) has not changed for 40 years in most situations, if you don’t use… (Read More)
Routine Change
September 10, 2012
Summer is unofficially over with the passing of Labor Day. For many, especially those heading back to school, this means a change from the summer routine. One of the routines I changed this past summer is to read more outside of my typical dental journals. The latest book I read was the revised edition of “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to change their routine to make positive improvements in their life.
We all have our own routines. Routines are important for both mental and physical health. Some think my daily routine is crazy, but if you look at them, most people’s daily routines look crazy… (Read More)
Feel Good
September 4, 2012
Last week I was on vacation. There are many definitions of vacation but the first one I found when I looked up the definition is – “a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel.” I think that is a fairly good definition but for me it is missing one key point.
Most of us look forward to vacation. For some it might be a time to relax or “unwind” or maybe sleep in and be lazy. For others, like myself, I look at it as having time to do things I love to do or to put it a different way – things that I… (Read More)
Spleep Apnea – Part 1
August 22, 2012
Why is a dentist writing about sleep problems? More and more dentists are getting training in this area of medicine because they can be of help in the treatment of some of the problems associated with sleep-related issues. There also seems to be a large part of the population who are un-diagnosed or are diagnosed but have issues with treatment modalities they are using.
Sleep problems need to be diagnosed by a trained professional. Although there are many dentists who are providing treatment for sleep apnea, there are certain channels to consider for proper diagnosis. For example, a sleep study is a must in diagnosis and a dentist alone cannot provide this.
What… (Read More)
One Patient’s Story
July 25, 2012
This is the story about a woman I met recently named “Carol”. Carol’s story is the reason I do what I do every day and brings me back the next day. The interesting thing is that it has absolutely nothing to do with performing the actual physical work of dentistry.
Carol is in her 70’s and for most of her life has gone to the dentist infrequently. She presented to my office a couple of months ago for a second opinion. At our first appointment Carol brought her most recent x-rays, a treatment plan from another dentist, and a page-long list of questions. She was well-prepared for the complimentary consultation I was giving her… (Read More)
Media Spin on Dental X-Rays
July 22, 2012
For the past couple of months, every dentist in the United States has had to deal (in some form or another) with the story on the front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper entitled, “Dental X-rays Linked to Brain Tumors in Yale Study”. The story made national headlines, and why wouldn’t it with a title like that?
The reporter did publish excerpts from a meeting with ADA (American Dental Association) spokesperson Matthew J. Messina, DDS to get the dental communities’ perspective; however that was published on page A-4. As Dr. Messina explained, “Like a courtroom trial, the prosecution went first. Page 1 included the first six paragraphs of the article. The ADA’s defense… (Read More)