The DMD Check-Up: Maintaining Patients' Trust

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

• 5 Signs Your Dentist Is Ripping You Off (Cheat Sheet)

“While there are a number of good dentists out there, Americans have to wade through a lot of scary stuff to find one they can trust,” says this consumer affairs website. In an op-ed in ADA News, pediatric dentist Jeffrey Camm brought to light a disturbing new trend in dentistry he calls “creative diagnosis.”

• 4 Dentists Elected to US Congress (Dr.Bicuspid.com)

Beyond the thunder of the President Trump news, four dentists were elected or re-elected to the US House of Representatives on November 8. They are Drs. Drew Ferguson, Mike Simpson, Paul Gosar, and Brian Babin—all are Republicans.

• 5 Key Traits of the Ideal Dentist (Village News)

“There are five key traits a dentist must possess in order to achieve excellence in the profession. In other words, not all dentists are created equal,” according to this respected California dentist. “Strong communication skills are by far one of the most important skills a dentist can have—educating patients well is a cornerstone of his practice.”

• Leading Prison Dentist Charged in Larceny Scheme (Time Union)

“The dentist who leads the state program that cares for the dental health of New York's incarcerated youth was arrested on charges he billed taxpayers nearly $75,000 for hours during which he was allegedly treating private patients.” Dr. Neil Schachter faces several felony counts. Read more on Dentist’s Money Digest here.

• New Opiate Prescribing Guidelines for Dentists (Satellite Press Releases)

“In response to the worsening opioid abuse epidemic in New Jersey, the state’s largest dental organization, the New Jersey Dental Association, has released guidelines to its members on safe prescribing and dosing of opiate medications.” Read more on Dentist’s Money Digest here.

• Nation’s Hospitals Improving on Safety (Consumer Affairs)

Not all hospitals are alike and some have much better safety records than others. In the latest Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, which judged 2,633 hospitals and assigned letter grades, 844 earned an "A," 658 earned a "B," 954 earned a "C," 157 earned a "D" and 20 earned an "F."

• Americans Spending More on Pets’ Healthcare (Washington Post)

It’s not just people. “Pets—they’re just like us! Or, at least, we Americans try mighty hard to make them so. Another aspect of life we share with our animals? Rising spending on health care, according to a recent working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.”

• Take Care of Children's Teeth (US News & World Report)

A troubling report from a major media outlet about a serious national concern: “We are not taking care of our children's teeth, and it is hurting them in school and later in life. According to the CDC, tooth decay is among the most common chronic conditions of childhood.”

• Dentists Uniquely Positioned to Deal with Childhood Obesity (ADA.org)

"Dentists have a remarkable opportunity to bring the topic of sugar consumption into a team based conversation of disease prevention and overall health," says the director of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention. More than 75% of “patients are willing to have their height and weight documented by their dentist.”

• Are British Dentists Over Charging? (Daily Mail)

“Patients are being charged five times more for a routine check-up at a private dentist compared with other clinics, an investigation has found,” according to this report on dental care in the UK. “The average cost of a routine visit has soared by 40% in three years.