Steve Diogo

Bryan Couch, DDS, doesn’t mince words when it comes to his experience with digital impressions and in-office CAD/CAM: “It’s the single most important tool I’ve purchased in 29 years of dentistry.”

Orthodontic patients present unique challenges for the general dental practice. And according to Carolyn Friedman, founder of the orthodontic training company, OrthoAssist, these challenges are made more troublesome when dental hygienists, dental assistants and general dentists don’t understand the unique needs of orthodontic patients.

The U.S. House of Representatives late Friday night voted to delay by one year the implementation of the Affordable Care Act-commonly referred to as Obamacare-and repeal the health care law’s medical device tax. Both are measures that would impact dentists as clinicians, employers and purchasers of medical equipment.

New digital impression and CAD/CAM products from 3Shape, Carestream Dental put the focus on ease of use and accuracy. International digital players plan U.S. entry into digital dental market.  

Winter 2013 is shaping up to be one of the worst flu seasons on record, and dentists and dental staff are encouraged to take precautions to protect themselves and their patients from falling victim to the outbreak. By establishing and following proper infection-control guidelines and limiting your exposure to sick staff and patients, you stand a good chance of making it through the season unscathed.

An article today on Salon.com highlights the push for mid-level dental providers in areas of the United States that face a shortage of dentists who serve low income Americans, assessing the situation thus: “Despite its basic importance to health, dentistry has become a luxury item.” The article cites federal government figures that say 49 million Americans live in areas with an official dental shortage and as many as 130 million have no dental insurance.

In case you live in a world without Facebook and where your friends and colleagues don’t email you funny dental stories, then you may not know about the viral phenomenon that has grown up around the release of Practicon’s 2013 calendar.