A Higher Standard of Care

Posted on September 4, 2020May 20, 2021 by Stacey Espe RDH

For many years now, research has shown that there is a mouth body connection. In other words, what is happening in the mouth can impact what is happening with the body! In order for someone to have good health, they need to have good oral health. Unfortunately, periodontal disease is silent, as it does not hurt until it is severe. The minimal pain factor as periodontal disease develops may be why 80% of the United States population is suffering from periodontal disease. In the next paragraphs ...

Doctor-Patient Communication: Basic Expectations and Principles

Posted on August 28, 2020May 20, 2021 by Vicki Moto

«The patient will never care how much you know until they know how much you care. » - S.Terry Canale, MD Compassionate and effective doctor-patient communication is a key factor influencing therapeutic relationships. Today’s doctors face numerous challenges that impede patient-doctor relationships. For example, they must maintain clinical productivity while effectively treating their patients. Can they afford less time with each patient while doing so? Effective doctor-patient commu...

MOUTH-COVID CONNECTION

Posted on August 21, 2020May 20, 2021 by Shervin Molayem DDS

Researchers around the world are combining efforts to increase our understanding of SARS- CoV-2, and recent findings point to the potential role of cytokine storms in the severity of this viral infection. High Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels have been linked to significantly higher risk for pulmonary complications and increased need for mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients. As dental professionals try to establish a new normal in their practices, they play a significant role in decreasing t...

Where Do I Start?

Posted on August 14, 2020May 20, 2021 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

When health care professionals finish their schooling, they take a professional oath before beginning the practice of their chosen field. The words in each oath may be different, but the premise is the same. For example, in the dental hygiene oath, there is a pledge to continually improve my professional knowledge and skills and to uphold the highest standards. I worked in private practice dental hygiene for 7 years and through continuing education seminars, I realized I was not stepping ...

Interview with Shira Newman RDH

Posted on August 7, 2020May 20, 2021 by Shira Newman RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Shira Newman RDH: Testing establishes a baseline for every patient's overall oral health. I cannot imagine practicing without it. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things to consider when you select a patient for testing? Shira Newman RDH: Honestly, I would test everyone if they are willing. A person could present looking perfectly healthy: no bleeding on probing, no buildup, nice firm pink gum tissue, but still h...

Interview with Dr. Kusek DDS

Posted on July 31, 2020May 20, 2021 by Edward R Kusek DDS

Dr. McGlennen: Thank you for your continued support of our testing services. You have been a legacy provider since early 2011. Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Edward Kusek DDS: Most of my testing consists of MyPerioID® IL-6 to pre-determine if patients have a susceptibility to periodontal disease and may be at higher risk for implant placement. In the past, MyPerioPath® provided an objective measure to aid in a study I was conducting for the use of laser detoxication o...

COVID-19 RT-PCR testing in dentistry

Posted on July 24, 2020May 20, 2021 by R Bruce Templeton DMD

As a dentist, seeing patients during this pandemic of COVID-19 is a challenge. The measures put forth by the CDC and updated guidelines for infection control have added a sense of security for the entire team, along with present and future patients. Personal protective equipment (PPE) aids in protecting the clinical team. However, we now know that the droplets generated from aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), which are inherent to dentistry, stay in the room for longer than originally thou...

Interview with Tamara Garrett DDS

Posted on July 17, 2020November 3, 2021 by Tamara Garrett DDS

Dr. McGlennen: How are you utilizing OraRisk® COVID-19 PCR testing in your practice? What has been the team response? Tamara Garrett DDS: When my office had to close on March 20th for the COVID pandemic, I was in a complete state of shock. My practice is a second home to me, and my patients and staff are my extended family. I knew I could not stay in a stupor for long and had to put on my “boss” hat to come up with a strategy. I spent hours learning from ZOOM dental seminars, reading j...

3 Pillars of Protection in the COVID 19 Pandemic

Posted on July 10, 2020May 20, 2021 by Gwen Smukowski, RDH, BS, MBA

Flashback: Friday the 13th of March 2020, COVID-19 is sweeping the globe – sickness, death, and economic destruction in its pathway. Educated and concerned dental professionals are stopped in their tracks with little scientific guidance as to how COVID-19 will impact the industry. Anxiously, we wait. The media bombards us with horrific accounts of how the virus has perplexed and overwhelmed the medical community. Fear-ridden, we wait. Dentistry is flooded with webinars, best practice protoco...

Reduce Dental Benefit Hassles and Help Your Patients Say “YES”

Posted on July 3, 2020May 20, 2021 by Tanya Brown, DMD

Wouldn’t it be great if you never had to deal with a denied claim again? One way to help prevent these hassles is by having more diagnostic information from the beginning! The quantitative results that you receive in a salivary diagnostics report gives you a measurable overview of a patient’s bacterial profile as well as risk level—both of which provide crucial evidence for your best chance at insurance coverage. (You’ll also have a great baseline from which you can assess the effi...