Joe Hannan

A dentist is accused of performing a tooth extraction while standing on a hoverboard and videotaping the stunt to share with his friends. A few travel websites have announced last-minute deals for summer vacationers. And taxpayers in these states aren't getting much in return of the money they pay. Find out what other stories were among our five most popular last week.

The Texas dental board has cleared Michael Melanson, D.M.D., of any wrongdoing in the death of 14-month-old Daisy Torress, who died while under anesthesia in the doctor's practice. A wrongful death lawsuit, filed by Daisy's parents, is still pending. In the lawsuit, the parents allege that Daisy was given treatment that was excessive and unnecessary, which ultimately led to her death.

A poll of Dentist's Money Digest readers revealed that 77 percent of dentists held negative views of dental service organizations, saying that DSOs hurt dentistry. The news comes at a time when the business of dentistry is at a crossroads, with dentists having to choose between the traditional, small-business model of dentistry and the new, corporate approach of DSOs. DSO proponents say they allow dentists to worry less about the business side of running a practice and focus more on dentistry. Detractors say they are too profit-driven and do not have the patients' best interest at heart.

Two brothers from the U.K. who grew tired of dealing with coffee stains on their teeth have developed a clear variety. This new coffee tastes like the real deal, with the duo comparing it to a strong cup of cold brew. In other dental news, another fluoride battle is raging in Virginia and Texas is looking to further regulate dental anesthesia.

Your IT service provider might be ripping you off, doctor. But it doesn't have to be like that. Steve McEvoy, CEO of MME Consulting, described four common IT rip-offs that he's seen hurt dentists, in his continuing education session, titled The Love/Hate Relationship with our Computers: Come Get Some Love, at the American Association of Orthodontists 2017 Annual Session on Saturday, April 21 in San Diego. For each of these four common rip-offs, there's a way to defend yourself. Here's how.

Armor Dental chose the American Association of Orthodontists 2017 Annual Session to launch its new product, Mouth-Mate. The company says Mouth-Mate will help orthodontic patients retract their cheeks and lips, helping them reach those hard-to-brush places. This will lead to fewer white spots and cavities, as well as plaque and biofilm reduction.

Saying the new rectangular wire will shorten treatment time and reduce forces applied to teeth, Smarter Alloys unveiled its new SmartArch VariTorque Archwire on Saturday, April 22 at the American Association of Orthodontists Annual Session in San Diego, California. The new wires, the company says, express the biomechanically optimized force at each tooth.

Yes, you read that right. An anchorage, Alaska dentist is accused of performing a tooth extraction while standing on a hoverboard. If you're going to do something like that, naturally, you would film it and share it with all your friends, as this dentist is accused of doing. The dentist also allegedly billed Medicaid for about $2 million in unnecessary sedation.

A dental filthy public dental in Russia turned our heads, and possibly your stomachs, last week. In orthodontic news, the days of metal braces may be numbered. Finally, it seems like dentists are making two major retirement planning mistakes, according to one of our experts. Find out what other two stories were among our five most popular this week.

A bill passed by the Georgia legislature would expand the scope of practice for hygienists. It now goes to the governor for final approval. If signed, the bill will allow hygienists to perform typical hygiene work as well as some basic preventative procedures without direct oversight of a dentist. The measure had been opposed by the dental lobby for years, but the Georgia Dental Association announced its support for the measure this year.

VITA has created a new wireless shade scanner that interfaces with the Dental Wings 3D printing equipment suite. Dentists already using VITA Assist PC software will be pleased. The Easyshade V Scanner also comes with the added advantage of being Bluetooth enabled, which allows for wireless integration with VITA Assist PC software.

Our travel writer guides you toward summer-vacation savings north of the border. An illegal dentist got arrested for allegedly making meth in his practice. And a luxury car company is offering a service that gives you a new ride each month. Find out what other DMD stories made our Top 5 this week.

Shocking pictures snapped in a Russian dental clinic caught our attention this week, as did a Tennessee dentist's epic save of a one-year-old's birthday cake. Among more serious dental matters, a New York dentist has been charged in a $12,000 crown-billing scheme. And a University of Buffalo study shows that children with Type 2 Diabetes tend of have poor oral health.

The FBI says that hackers are attacking unsecure file transfer protocol systems in dental practices. Many of these servers, the FBI says, also contain sensitive patient information. The hackers are then using this information to blackmail dental practice owners, authorities say, noting that this type of breach can also lead to malware and viral cyberattacks.

EnvisionTEC has announced the creation of a new dental 3D printing material. The material, called E-IDB, will allow orthodontists to print flexible, custom trays. EnvisionTec says the trays will help orthodontists shorten treatment time with more accurate bracket placement. The company made the announcement at the International Dental Show in Cologne, Germany.

Find out which airport topped the list of the best airports in the world. Here's a couple of hints: It features nap pods and a beer garden. The Environmental Protection Agency's ruling against a fluoridation ban also proved popular among Dentist Money Digest readers this week. So did a story that outlined advice for reducing no-shows in your dental practice. Read on to find out what other stories made our top-five.

What keeps dentists from making the big-ticket tech purchases they need to make their practices thrive? Fear. But they needn't be afraid. They just need to ask the right questions. This was the message that Marty Jablow, D.M.D., delivered to attendees of his 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting lecture, titled What's New in High Tech Dentistry.

Authorities have charged a 42-year-old California man with practicing dentistry illegally and using his illegal dental practice to manufacture meth. The suspect was charged after a three-month investigation. Authorities have been unable to determine whether anyone was harmed by the suspect's alleged treatments.

Have you ever wondered what it would take to become financially independent within the next decade? In his continuing education session, Achieving Financial Independence, John K. McGill provided dentists with the guidance they need to achieve that goal. His session was one of the first at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting on Thursday, March 23.

For the car-loving dentist, there's a new service that lets you drive a brand new, fully-loaded Cadillac each month. With the push of a button on a smartphone app, Cadillac's BOOK program will hand deliver a new car to the location of your choosing and a concierge will drive the old car away. The service will cost you$1,500 per month.

Tired of tripping over the cord for your intraoral scanner? 3Shape has a new solution for you. The company has unveiled a wireless version of its popular Trios 3, which is Wi-Fi enabled. It's equipped with many of the same well-liked features of its previous versions.

What continuing education sessions will you be taking at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting? If you haven't made your choices yet, this year's Hinman features many promising sessions on practice management and personal finance. These are the sessions where you'll find the Dentist's Money Digest® editorial team this year.

Still looking for a summer vacation idea? We've got you covered. Our travel writer provided readers this week with an overview of the most popular vacation destinations for Americans. Do enough digging, and you'll be sure to find some deals, too. Also featured in our most popular stories this week: The right way to respond to negative practice reviews, giving booze to nervous dental patients, and putting your practice's finances in good hands.

A four-year-old boy has died after undergoing anesthesia at a dental practice in Vancouver, Washington. Authorities said they have filed no charges and are not investigating the incident. USA Today asks the somewhat rhetorical question of what would happen if a person didn't brush their teeth for a year. Our sister publication Contagion® reports on a study that establishes a potential link between dental plaque and infections acquired while on ventilators.

The Federal Reserve announced its decision to increase interest rates by a quarter of a point on Wednesday, putting an end to weeks of speculation. On the minds of many investors and consumers was the question, how does this affect me? Credit card and equity lines of credit will bear the immediate impact of the decision. Other effects, however, will play out more gradually. Here's what experts say we can expect.

If you picked this specialty, you're in luck. The American Dental Association recently released its ranking of which dental specialties make the most. Plus, if you're looking to book a cruise this year or next, we've got the latest ranking of the best lines. And finally, are you taking advantage of this low- or no-cost marketing method in your dental practice? These are among the most popular stories on our website this week.

Would you ever offer patients at your practice booze to settle their nerves? The Texas legislature is weighing a bill that would ban all healthcare providers from doing so in the state. Apparently, dentists are offering patients booze elsewhere, too. Additionally, in a rather bizarre story, a Washington state-based dentist is accused of drawing a gun on a man in his practice's parking lot.

Are dental service organizations good or bad for dentistry? How are DSOs changing the business of dentistry? The editorial staff at Dentist's Money Digest® wants your opinions. Please take this brief survey to weigh in.

Looking for some summer vacation destination ideas? The DMD Top 5 has got you covered. Check out our overview of the best cities to visit in the U.S. Plus, does dentistry have an image problem? A new survey finds that dentists trail other healthcare professionals in perceived honesty. Also, dentistry as a profession faces a looming threat: cyber security breaches. Find out what other stories were the most popular on our website this week.

The parents of a 14-month-old girl who died while under anesthesia last year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Austin, Texas-based dentist. The parents suspect they were tricked into agreeing to unnecessary dental work for their daughter, a local news station reports. Other industry stories that made national headlines this week include a celebrity dentist who was booted from a flight over an alleged joke about president Donald Trump, and more controversy over the dental therapist role.