Not long ago I went to a dental CE course in Austin, Texas. I found myself sitting beside a young dental assistant. To be cordial I asked her where she worked and with whom. She told me and then asked me where I practiced. “Fort Worth” I told her. When she asked me how long … Continue reading A Dentist’s New Year’s Resolutions: 2016 Edition
There is no doubt that being a dentist brings you into contact with new people and experiences each day. Mrs. Gump would have appreciated the variety ("life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get..."). For the child tasting her first few chocolates, as for the new dentist and her first few patients, … Continue reading Your First Day in Practice: Patient #3
In this series, we are looking at a number of different patients that any new dentist could encounter on their very first day in practice. As there is another class of recent graduates in 2015, it's always exciting to think about beginning to practice in the real world. The first patient had a number of … Continue reading Your First Day In Practice: Patient #2
Imagine the 32 year female in your office on a typical morning. My patient was new and was referred because of medical history issues that included a seizure disorder. No sooner had I entered the room to visit with the patient and her mother then indeed she had a seizure. Her mother assured me that … Continue reading Patient emergencies in the dental office: They happen. Be ready.
In our practices we all encounter special needs patients and their families. Many dentists excel in managing the challenges present in caring for special needs patients, but what about their families? This is the second installment (if you missed it, read Part 1 here) of a few tips I have learned in more than thirty years of … Continue reading Caring for Special Needs Patients and their Families: The Examination and After Care
An important new study indicates that dentists may be able to screen patients for diabetes during an appointment. According to the WHO nearly 347 million people suffer from Diabetes and by the year 2030 it will be the seventh leading cause of death. Dentists are certainly comfortable working in the oral cavity and no one expects to have … Continue reading Diabetes screening by your Dentist?
Let’s just admit that periodontal charting is not the most fun thing to do. Here’s a short list of why: It soaks up valuable clinical time It is done as much for legal reasons as clinical reasons The clinical use of the data is limited Many clinicians only chart pocket depth (PD). But, unless one notes both … Continue reading Dental Office Time Management and Patient Care Series: Ultra Fast Periodontal Charting
Here is an interesting article illuminating the challenges for dentists who treat special needs patients. In these tough, yet important cases, use of IV sedation is a great tool, as Dr. Foleck is aware. In the right hands it is reasonably safe and effective. However, it requires full knowledge of the medical history and pharmacology … Continue reading Challenges in Special Care Dentistry: IV Sedation
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