The DMD Check-Up: Americans Want to See their Dentists More, Survey Says

This week's list of must-read news stories for dentists includes:

• Dental Visits Top America’s List of Health Needs (PR Newswire)

“Americans want to see their dentists more often. A new Delta Dental survey finds that dentists lead the pack of health practitioners adults want to see more.” About 40 percent of Americans do not get to the dentist as often as they'd like, followed by dermatologists at 28 percent.

• Dentists Call to End ‘Workplace Cake Culture’ (BBC)

Dentistry leadership in Britain “says that the sharing of sweet treats in the office is contributing to health problems.” What’s needed is “a culture change in offices and other workplaces that encourages healthy eating and helps workers avoid caving in to sweet temptations.”

• The Innovative Dentist's Office (Forbes)

“An inspiration to small business owners” lies in Brooklyn: “In a year of searching for a good dentist in New York City, I happened upon a pretty amazing one, in a class by herself when it comes to design sensibility and customer touchpoint innovation, and unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

• The Caveman’s Toothpick Discovered (R&D Magazine)

“Researchers may have uncovered one of the oral hygiene habits of the ancient human that would be sure to please modern dentists. A new study in the Science of Nature shows that humans approximately 1.2 million years ago used their own homemade tooth picks, which has led to new theories on the dietary habits of ancient humans.”

• Illinois Struggling to Attract Dentists (WQAD 8)

“Many communities in Illinois are in desperate need of dentists, especially to serve low-income patients. Despite the demand, state health officials are having trouble recruiting more young dentists. They cite “advantages to working in a rural, high-need area” for interested young dentists.

• The Teaching Toothbrush (1 Red Drop)

Artificial intelligence “is going everywhere — into space, inside the human body and now, into your mouth. Ara, the world’s first AI-capable toothbrush will actually teach you how to brush your teeth better.” The Kolibree product will be available at an “introductory price” of $129 in March.

• Dentists Can Help Patients Who Bite Their Nails (DrBicuspid.com)

“We have to help our patients understand that anytime they use their hands, they risk being exposed to different kinds of bacteria. Biting their nails inevitably passes the germs from their hands to their teeth, tongue, and gums, leading to problems in the mouth. A New York dentist offers worthwhile tips to help patients break the habit.

• ‘The Silent Epidemic of Oral Diseases’ (Washington Post)

A compelling essay about the state of dental care in America as seen through the eyes of a dentistry professor: “When oral health is treated as if it were unrelated to overall health — as is the case in this country, where there is ‘medical’ insurance and then there is ‘dental’ insurance – the consequences can be dire.”

• Human Brains and Teeth Did Not Evolve in Lock Step (Science Daily)

“A new study from the George Washington University's Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology has found that whereas brain size evolved at different rates for different species, especially during the evolution of Homo, the genus that includes humans, chewing teeth tended to evolve at more similar rates."