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Is Drinking Water Destroying Your Patient's Teeth?

Posted by Jamie Bull on September 15, 2009 at 12:58pm
The New York Times just had this eye opening article toxic water supplies and its impact on peoples health. If people have to put on special lotion on their skin aver showering, I can't even imagine the damage that it is doing to their teeth.I have become attached to my Brita water filter over the years, but doubt that it would stand up to all the toxins in the types of water supplies that the article talks about.It makes me wonder what being a dentist is like in areas like this. Have you worked with any patients who had difficulty getting access to clean water? How has it impacted their oral health and what have you been able to do to keep them healthy and safe?Photo Credit:Damon Winter, The New York Times
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"Lip Fillers" and Cosmetic Dentistry

Posted by Cary Feuerman, DMD on September 12, 2009 at 10:00am

One of the newest treatments on the frontier of cosmetic dentistry is Juvederm and Restylane. These are injectable fillers that can create fullness in the lips,as well as to eliminate "smiles lines". We have all been taught that the lips are the frame for the smile, and the teeth represent the "artwork". An increasing number of restorative dentists have embraced these techniques and are incorporating them into their daily esthetic dentistry practices. What are thoughts about this? Any experience?

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ADA Lobbying for Increased Dental Medicaid Funding

Posted by Jamie Bull on September 3, 2009 at 3:37pm
A recent article in the Nation's Journal provided insight into the ADA's lobbying activity around the current proposed heathcare reform legislation. Increasing funding for dental medicaid is a primary focus of the ADA according to the article.The ADA noted that low-income Americans are the ones hit hardest when it comes to access to adequate dental care and they would like to see a larger government role in addressing the problem.The director of the ADA's Washington office noted that having dental Medicaid included to the proposed healthcare legislation and that is a top priority.What do you think. Many are doubtful that the Obama administration will be able to pass any healthcare reform legislation this year. How likely do you think anything that passes will include the kind of dental coverage that the ADA is spending your membership dollars to lobby for?
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Dental Implants Increasingly Preferred for Tooth Restorations

Posted by Cary Feuerman, DMD on September 2, 2009 at 1:30pm

The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) said times have changed and patients should forego prolonged dental heroics to save failing teeth and replace them with long-lasting dental implants.

"There really is no justification for undergoing multiple endodontic or periodontic procedures, and enduring the pain and financial burden, to save a diseased tooth," said John Minichetti, DDS, speaking for the AAID. "The days are over for saving teeth till they fall out. Preserving questionable teeth is not the best option from both oral health and cosmetic perspectives."

This is certainly true in modern dental times. The question for many practitioners is "Where do you draw the line?", or "At what point do you condemn the tooth?" There is definitely a difference in opinion in this regard. Do you typically rely on your own personal judgement, or that of a specialist, or maybe both?

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26% of Dentists Quit ADA

Posted by Jamie Bull on August 27, 2009 at 3:00pm

Okay, so I know I've been blogging a lot about survey data lately, but this one really piqued my interest and I wanted to hear what everyone hear thought of it.The data comes from TheWealthyDentist.com and says that more than 1 in 4 dentists has quit the ADA for one reason or another.What is your take on the ADA? Everyone I've heard from seems to have their own opinion. Whether they join for insurance reasons, events, or the magazine, it seems that the ADA is completely different things to different people.Do you think that they are doing enough to advance the profession?
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Problems with Dental Patients Texting In-Chair

Posted by Jamie Bull on August 27, 2009 at 2:30pm
A survey from the Chicago Dental Society has some pretty interesting stats on exactly how likely patients are to send text messages or take cell phone calls while in the dentists' chair.The survey was taken from a sample of their Facebook fans. Not exactly a scientific sampling, but interesting nonetheless.It found that 46 percent of dentists say in-chair messaging hampers their ability to provide care.I have to admit, during my last visit to my dentist, I pulled out my iPhone to catch up on work emails while she was looking at my x-rays, but I shut it down and opened the 'ol chompers back up nice and wide once she came back in the room.Being a "digital nomad" to the core and always connected, I can empathize with the desire to be reachable at any moment of the day, but is nothing safe from the impact of our connected lives? It still blows my mind how social norms can change so fast.The article also mentions dentists attempting (ineffectively) to enforce no-texting policies in the office. Is this an issue at your practice?What have you done to try and resolve it? Has it worked?
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Chart Auditing article printed in Dental Assisting Digest by Dr. Ron Arndt and Mary Beth Bajornas

Posted by Mary Beth Bajornas on August 25, 2009 at 9:37pm
CHART AUDITINGRonald F. Arndt, DDS, MBA, MAGD, MCCMary Beth Bajornas, CMT,VAHow much dentistry is sitting on your wall? What financial opportunities are you missing with your patients of record? What are you willing to do to “harvest the diamonds in your own back yard?”Chart auditing is the review of charts to determine the status of idle patients. Chart auditing is done by the front desk staff, and should be done minimally on an annual basis. Although this task can be time consuming it can also result in the reactivation of numerous, otherwise lost, patients.Chart auditing should consist of the following: Review of patient’s last appointment How long has it been since they have been in? What did their last appointment consist of? What was their next recommended appointment? Has any contact with the patient been initiated prior to audit?It’s easiest to work chart by chart. After review a personal phone contact should try to be made with the following sample script: “Hello Mrs. Smith, this is Suzie from Dr. Arndt’s office. I am so glad to have finally contacted you personally! How are you doing? We have noticed that you haven’t been to our office in over 18 months, and realize that you are past due for your cleaning. Is there a good day and time for you that we could schedule you with the hygienist?”If the patient for some reason states they are unhappy with treatment, dentistry, etc. you could say the following “ Mrs. Smith, I hope you can give us the opportunity to take care of this – I am sure Dr. Arndt would want me to schedule an appointment for you with him personally for a consultation. Is there a specific day and time that might work for you to come in and speak with Dr. Arndt?”If no personal contact can be made, a reactivation letter can be sent. A reactivation letter should be short and to the point. It should state the patient’s last appointment, what they had done, any treatment that has been recommended, and what they are now due for. At the bottom of the letter a request should be made of the patient to respond to the following: They have moved and wish their records to be forwarded to their new dentist They will not be returning and if they choose to tell why They didn’t realize they were so far behind and wish to schedule an appointment so please call They do wish to schedule but will call when convenient for themA return envelope should be included for the patient’s convenience, and they are more apt to return the request this way.As each request comes in, the patient’s chart should reflect their response. Forwarding records and contacting patient’s for appointments should be done the day the response is received.If after 14 days there is no response, a follow up phone call should be made with this sample script “Hello Mr. George, this is Suzie from Dr. Arndt’s office. How are you?! We haven’t seen you in a while and recently sent out a reactivation letter to you requesting you to advise us of your patient status. We haven’t heard back from you and are touching base to make sure all is ok! We really miss seeing you on your recall visits. Is there a good day and time for you to come in to see Dr. Arndt?”If after multiple attempts there has been no contact, the patient account can be inactivated, with complete and thorough chart notes being added of “no response from patient”. Copies of the reactivation letters should be kept, and any attempts at communication should be recorded as well.By doing chart audits annually, you an ensuring: The patient base you currently have is active. No patient has “slipped through the cracks”. An increase in production by actively working this system. The opportunity to “right” things that may be “wrong”.How long has it been since your charts have been audited? How much production is just lying around in your office, waiting for someone to act upon it? There has to be a consistent method of patient tracking in place and your practice cannot afford to overlook the obvious.To really make your system effective you will want to establish measurables to determine your progress. Below are some of those expectations that you and the team will want to observe every week.1. Establish a goal of 16 calls per day or two per hour.2. How many patients were called?3. How many patients were actually spoken too or contacted?4. How many patients scheduled and what was the value of the treatment scheduled?5. Establish a specific time to review each week.Are you utilizing external marketing but haven’t audited charts? Your practice has many, many internal resources for filling your schedule and your whole team needs to be on board to renew relationships the patients you already have!Remember, your practice is either growing or dying. There’s pretty much nothing in between.Dr. Ron Arndt, The Dental Coach™, works with dentists who want to be in control of their practice rather than the practice controlling them. What that means for them is that they think, act and behave like an ethical CEO because they want to lead more, manage less and be much more profitable in much less time. He is the first and only dentist in the world to hold the coveted designation Master Certified Coach (MCC) awarded by the ICF. He is the author of RIGHT HIRING for the Dental Team and several ThinBooks. He can be reached at www.DrArndt.com or 440‐748‐6161.Mary Beth Bajornas is a Virtual Assistant to dental and business professionals with over 20 years of management, administrative and dental front office experience. Her technique of staff education for the front office to be in “The Perpetual State of Preparedness” is dead on for streamlining front office and patient service functions. She can be reached at www.SuperiorAssisting.com or 330-324-3865
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Have Bad Breath? Here's some tips to share how to remedy it

Posted by Divij Bhatia on August 25, 2009 at 4:30pm
Something that we are all afraid of as people is having bad breath and leaving a poor first impression on anyone, whether its a hot date or your boss. Some of the common symptoms of bad breath include; smoking, not brushing properly, and eating the wrong foods. We all think its as easy as chewing a piece of gum to remedy the situation, but it can be a little more complicated than that.Some of the more common remedies to get rid of bad breath include:1. Drinking plenty of water: If your mouth is dry, drink plenty of water. Try swooshing it around in your mouth for at least twenty seconds to loosen any food particles the bacteria can feed upon.2. Increase Saliva: Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless lozenges to increase the flow of saliva3. Keep it Green:Chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener and is found in leafy green vegetables like parsley(more tips with the article)If you have any bad breath tips that you share with your patients or just tips to think about for daily use, please post them!You can read the rest of the article at Health & Fitness here
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Virtual Assisting for Dentists?

Posted by Mary Beth Bajornas on August 25, 2009 at 10:30am
Virtual Assistants for Dentists?Ronald F. Arndt, DDS, MBA, MAGD, MCCwww.drarndt.comI know. I know. Most of you are probably asking yourself what is a virtual assistant? Is this another one of Dr. Ron’s “new age” ideas? And for those of you who know you are probably asking how on earth can virtual assistants support a dentist? I am here to tell you.I myself have used a VA for over 9 years. She takes care of the things that I don’t want to take care of. Takes care of things that I don’t have time to take care of. This allows me to focus solely on my clients, their wants and needs and to continue to expand my horizons. Instead of listing what my requirements are for a VA you can obtain this list by contacting me directly. Let’s just be safe and say there isn’t much my VA, Donna, doesn’t do for me. From client contact to newsletters, website maintenance, correspondence, blog integrations, webcasts and video streaming; she does it all! If you would like a complete list of my VA requirements, please feel free to contact me. I would love to share it with you.Let me explain exactly what a virtual assistant is. A virtual assistant is an “off-site” employee who offers administrative and office support services “virtually”; meaning through use of the Internet and email, phone, and fax. Virtual assistants are considered self employed contractors therefore there are no payroll taxes to pay, no vacations or sick time to worry about and no internal conflicts to work around. You are truly getting your money’s worth as a virtual assistant is paid by special project, or retained for a specific number of hours to complete a specific task. (Retainer fees usually offer you some type of financial break) Overall a virtual assistant saves you time and money. And here’s the great news. There are dedicated virtual assistants who have actual experience in a dental office and can provide you with unmatched patient service and personal support.Dental Virtual Assistants (DVA’s) offer a wide range of administrative support and services aimed directly at increasing your production and collections and take a sincere interest in helping you grow your business. Most DVA’s utilize remote access software which allows them to work from your computer as if they were actually sitting right in front of it!A DVA’s position would be to act as a direct extension of you; make your job easier and therefore make your life better. Allow you to go to work with a sense of confidence that someone has everything covered. Allow you to go in and do what you do best…. Your dentistry. Sounds good doesn’t it?DVA’s talents can be used in many areas of your office:• Recall – How is yours looking? Do you have more than 100 patients registered as past due on recall? A DVA can make these important contacts with your patients and get them back in your schedule!• Undone treatment list – How much is sitting in your bucket? Let a DVA help move this to your production schedule. Letters, phone calls and emails to patients. Improving your patient contact on many levels.• Confirmation calls – Are yours done in a timely manner beginning at least 2, but desired 3, days prior to the patient’s appointment? Do you have a short call list to fill in for last minute cancels or no-shows?• Insurance submission and follow-up – If you have anything past 30 days in your reports something needs to change. A DVA can provide daily insurance support to get claims processed and paid promptly.• Collections – A well versed DVA can help collect on past due accounts and save you from having to use a collection agency.• New Patient Packages and Input – Do your new patient packages go out the day the patient scheduled? Do you even have a well designed new patient package? The DVA can input new patient information, obtain and input insurance information prior to patient’s appointment to get the most benefit from first appointment, order previous records, obtain pertinent medical information such as premedication, and send out the new patient packages immediately.• Newsletters and direct mail campaigns – Does your office offer patient education in the form of newsletters? Newsletters are a fantastic, economical way to keep in touch with your patients, and advise them of new techniques and products available in your office. Direct mail campaigns can do the same and new patients can be targeted as well.There are many more ways to utilize a DVA but this gives you a general idea. There are many things to consider for your practice:• What does my payroll look like? It is between the 22-27% industry standard?• Do you really need another full time front desk person, or could you hire a DVA to accomplish the “behind the scenes” tasks in a more efficient, cost saving way?• What does your front desk look like? Are you satisfied with the way your schedule looks on a daily basis? Are you scheduling to goal? How about collections? Recall?• Make a list of what you would like to have a DVA be responsible for that would include expectations and time tables.• Try one on for size! If you are unsure of how this whole process works, yet you are intrigued, try just one task as a sample with the DVA to see how the whole process works. You’ll be glad you did!I personally know a DVA, Mary Beth Bajornas, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with over the past 7 years. Mary Beth has over 20 years of administrative, office management and dental office experience that she brings to the table. She has devised a technique for “front office alignments” if you will that she calls The Perpetual State of Preparedness. She can actually work with and counsel your front staff “virtually” to streamline protocols, techniques and tasks for maximum efficiency and outcomes. She offers this service along with the above mentioned support. Check out her website at www.SuperiorAssisting.com.
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Gentle Dental Cedar Hills Welcomes New Periodontist

Posted by mark smith on August 24, 2009 at 5:26am
Gentle Dental announced today that Periodontist Dr. Thomas Eshraghi has joined the staff at their Cedar Hills Office, located in the Cedar Hills neighborhood of Portland in Washington County, Oregon.Dr. Eshraghi specializes in Periodontal gum disease and implants. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State University, and both his Doctor of Dental Medicine and Specialty Certificate in Periodontics from Oregon Health & Science University.Dr. Eshraghi remains affiliated with OHSU as an instructor and actively teaches advanced surgical skills, including implant placement. He believes strongly in the value of his continuing education and knowledge within his specialty. In addition to his own education and teaching others, he routinely volunteers to help dental students.“As a dentist I have the ability to combine elements of art and science as I help people maintain and improve their oral health, appearance, and quality of life,” said Thomas Eshraghi, DMD.The Gentle Dental Cedar Hills Office team of dental professionals consists of:General DentistsDr. Elise BurchDr. Melika KashkouliEndodontistDr. John JohnsonDr. Kathleen Suk Ki LeeDr. Leila TarsaPediatric DentistDr. Jessica BuenjemiaOral SurgeonDr. Normund AuzinsOrthodontistDr. Eric BurginHygienistsMarilyn BeyerTina Lewandowski-ReneauMarina WeinsteinAbout Gentle DentalGentle Dental provides what's important in your search for family dentistry—the personalized care of a neighborhood dentist within a powerful dental network. With more than 130 offices throughout the US, Gentle Dental offers convenient dentistry services including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and specialty dentistry for all your dental needs. If you would like more information about Gentle Dental, call: 1-800-GENTLE1 or visit www.gentle1.com.Please visit our office to know more about Gentle Dental Cedar HillsSource: http://www.gentle1.com
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Study: Redheads Twice As Likely To Avoid Dentist

Posted by Jamie Bull on August 21, 2009 at 1:00pm
I saw a news article this morning about redheads increased likelihood of having anxiety related to going to the dentist. Just from my own experience having dated a redhead for the past six years, I have to say that I am not too surprised. In the years since moving away from home after college, she has found a new primary care physician and eye doctor, but still insists on going to her childhood dentist, knowing that she can trust him to take good care of her.The study in the July edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association found that redheads (only the natural ones obviously) were twice as likely to avoid the dentist as blonds and brunettes because of fear-related anxiety.I have heard about redheads increased sensitivity to pain and bruising, so it makes sense to me that they are more likely to have anxiety about a hygienist poking and prodding around their ultra-sensitive gums.Existing research suggests that redheads may require 20% more of anesthetics for the drugs to be effective, but from my own anecdotal experience, I've seen some prescription medications effect my girlfriend much more than expected.Have you ever had any patients that support what this study found? Do you find yourself working to create a stronger patient-dentist relationship or offering more relaxation techniques when seeing redheads in your practice?
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And the Survey says...

Posted by Lincoln Builds on August 18, 2009 at 11:07pm
Ok, I have been told by many that they are losing clients due to the economy. An I agree, it feels like there are fewer patients because fewer people are covered with basic Dental insurance, or for that matter any Dental plan, even very high deductible ones. So, my question is, are you in favor or opposed to government funded health care? And if so, is your support based purely on business outlook?
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Marketing in a down economy means that you essentially have to be creative in your approach...

Posted by Helen H Cohen on August 17, 2009 at 12:23am
I recently responded to the proverbial question which was how to market your dental practice in a down economy. What the dental professional was asking for was to get some feedback to generate new ideas that were user-friendly, practical and low cost. I had several pragmatic concepts that I shared & this was one of them.Marketing in a down economy means that you essentially have to be creative in your approach to attracting new patients. One easy method to boost your internal marketing efforts to increase referrals to your practice is as follows:Target your satisfied patients to increase referrals. Patients who have experienced positive results from their dental treatment & who trust & like your practice are your best advocates. Train yourself & your staff to be alert & ask for a referral during a "peak" patient visit. One comment I used often was "Mrs. Jones, we wish we had 100 patients like you!" The patient would then ask why that is and I'd tell them what a wonderful patient they were because they were __________ (fill in the blank with a descriptive adjective). They were quite touched by this exchange & the sincerity of the compliment. From this interaction, I was able to plant a "seed" for a future referral. Look to target & focus on the patient if they are the decision maker in the family.They can become your "dental missionaries." Pay attention whenever you have an opportunity to elevate a patient's confidence, trust & satisfaction with any in-office interaction. Patients really do remember these things & you will gain their loyalty. Loyal, enthusiastic patients will bring you more customers.Please feel free to respond. I welcome any comments on this topic. Sharing information together is a wonderful opportunity for all of us on this forum.Helen@e3coaching.com
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Forcing Flossing

Posted by Jamie Bull on August 14, 2009 at 8:00am
Despite my best efforts in hiding my lack of flossing, I received some pretty heavy finger wagging from my hygienist this week. It must have been pretty clear. No amount of Listerine can cover up how hard it is for me to routinely pick up that package of floss before I brush.I knew that I wasn't alone. Besides my friends in the industry or their immediate family, I never see anyone floss unless I point out that there is something stuck in their front teeth. I asked how many of her patients actually floss daily. Her response:"They do exist. And they are ANGELS!"The truth is that while most Americans brush daily, the ADA says that only about 12 percent floss daily, 39 percent floss less than daily, and 49 percent do not floss at all. To be honest, I was surprised that so many flossed daily. I was expecting far less than 12 percent.What is it about brushing that makes it so easy to be a part of our daily routine that flossing lacks? Is this just an American problem? What are some of the ways that you have been successful in helping patients grab for the floss before they brush every day?
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ADA Launches International Volunteer Web Site

Posted by Jamie Bull on August 13, 2009 at 2:41pm

The ADA recently launched a new international volunteer Web site as a resource for dental professionals looking to give back to others around the world. http://internationalvolunteer.ada.orgThe site is focused on sharing volunteer experiences, photos and connecting both seasoned and new international dental volunteers. It helps connect professionals with more than 100 organizations and volunteer opportunities around the world.Do you have some interesting international or local volunteering stories and pictures? We would love to see them here too!
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Academy of General Dentistry Supports FDA Ruling on Dental Amalgam

Posted by Divij Bhatia on August 13, 2009 at 12:06pm

After years of scientific research on the safety of dental amalgam, on July 28th, 2009 the FDA has re-affirmed that dental amalgam is in fact a safe dental restorative material.The FDA has created a classification system for the mercury based material. There are two classes; class I (low risk) and class II (moderate risk). This classification system places dental amalgam in the same category as gold fillings.The AGD has taken a hard stance in support of the use of dental amalgam. According to AGD President David F. Halpern, "The AGD has long supported amalgam as a safe and effective dental restorative material. The choice for restorative material is between the dentist and the prudent patient based on the treatment, needs and wants"Read the rest of the article here byDental economics
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Adult Braces On The Rise

Posted by Divij Bhatia on August 5, 2009 at 10:33am

There has been a slow but steady rising trend of adult braces in the country.As reported by the San Bernardino sun, there are over 1 million adults in the U.S with braces now.Also according to the recent survey taken, there is a 37% increase in adult brace's from 1994 to 2004.Most doctors are finding that the average customer is getting braces primarily for cosmetic purposes and for no other reason. According to Dr. Ricardo Suarez, ""More people are interested in cosmetic procedures,sometimes to get a job, or to just get in the door."Advances in technology have created new options to straighten teeth in less time, with less discomfort and less visibility. Braces are simply not what they used to be."Most of the cases I see are mild," said Suarez. "Many adults have had (the idea of) getting braces on their minds for a long time, and it just takes that spark to go do it."As dentists, have you noticed a steady upward trend in the rise of adult braces? If so, on average how many do you see per year and are they primarily for cosmetic reasons?You can read the full article from theSan Bernardino Sun here
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Defining The Dental Hygienist

Posted by Jamie Bull on July 31, 2009 at 9:30am
I recently came across this old, but really interesting and still quite relevant, article on the role of dental hygienists in the industry.Not only does the author raise questions about the lasting power of the profession, but describes it as the "maternal force" in dentistry and admits the he himself has difficulty describing the role.No matter where you stand, they are most often on the front lines of the twice-annual professional battle against oral pathogens.What do you think? Do hygienists own the "maternal" role in your practice? Do you work with any male hygienists? Have you found any unifying characteristic between all hygienists?
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Experiencing Cutbacks at the best time......

Posted by cherie tschudi on July 24, 2009 at 10:58pm
Today I ended my week with a very grueling few days! I have now decided to cutback to two days a week at my dental job. I have been there ten years so it was a hard, emotional decision, indeed. But transitioning to a business that me and my husband are proud of! Still being able to work with Dentists, Physicians etc in the health care field. I always want to be a part of that aspect. But now most of my week will be with those professional people that make my life brighter and full of potential. I provide them with a way to improve their own business so it is extremely rewarding. I still love the patient contact so I like that I can go to the office still too! Transition time!
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The Role of Dentistry in Healthcare Reform

Posted by Jamie Bull on July 24, 2009 at 9:00am
Recently there has been no lack of public attention to President Obama's push for significant healthcare reform by the end of 2009. The one thing that is significantly lacking is any direct attention of the need for the role of dental insurance in building a more efficient and less expensive healthcare system.We all know the facts about how oral health is tied to overall health, but does the added benefit of including dental coverage in healthcare reform justify the added expense?Delta Dental recently chimed in to the discussion with this blog post in the Asbury Park Press, but what do you think? What role, if any, should dental insurance play in the healthcare reform debate?
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