Doctors

Will Dental School Debt Lead to Future Counseling?

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Future dentists these days are being subjected to large amount of loans that are necessary as a part of dental school. This topic has been covered a bit before on this site, see for example https://blog.teethremoval.com/medical-school-student-costs-in-the-u-s-are-affecting-mental-health/ and https://blog.teethremoval.com/medical-students-are-at-risk-for-suicide/. This topic has also been recently discussed on the American Dental Association (ADA) Viewpoint and Letters to the Editor. In an April 18, 2016, letter titled “Dental student loan debt” Dr. Sparkman from Texas said If most dental students today are borrowing over $200,000 to get out of dental school then I have part of the solution in three words. Get a job. Dr. LeMert a 2009 dental school graduate from the state of Washington took issue with this position and found Dr. Sparkman’s position laughable.  He said in a May 16, 2016 letter titled “Dental school reality” Dental school itself was a 60 hour/week … Read more

Your Dentist Can Help Protect You From Diabetes

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Diabetes is a condition affecting up to 100 million Americans, making it one of the biggest health concerns facing the U.S.. While it can be managed with a change in diet and prescription medication, there is also a role for your dental practitioner. They will be able to tell from examining your mouth whether you are at risk and can perform procedures to stabilize blood sugar levels. Poor dental health can tell you so much more about your health than just the condition of your teeth and has been linked not just to physical conditions but also to poor mental health. Don’t be afraid to ask your dentist if they see any other health concerns during a dental checkup, particularly having to do with diabetes. The Link Between Diabetes and Dental Diseases Even if a doctor hasn’t diagnosed you with diabetes, you … Read more

Medical Students Are At Risk For Suicide

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Medical students have the difficult task of learning through science and rigorous academic training to take care of others. Med students can suffer from many ailments including anxiety, stress or migraines or even worse. Being a doctor of any kind is quite simply about learning to make other people feel better, and it’s possible to heal your patient that’s the goal. Unfortunately, there are times when a patient doesn’t make it and that can feel devastating to a med student who is undergoing training, such as a resident. You are just learning and have a sense of optimism about the field. You want to help people, genuinely and seeing your patient die is a tragedy and can leave you feeling depressed. According to The American Medical Student Association, med students are three times as likely to die by suicide than … Read more

How To Manage Dental Anxiety in Elderly Patients

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It is not uncommon for someone to have a fear related to seeing a dentist. However, left unchecked those phobias can develop to the point where a dental office is a place to avoid at all costs. When the fear involves an elderly patient, it can have a strong impact on their oral health. By not seeing a dentist, regular check-ups are missed which could have otherwise identified a potential dental problem early enough to begin preventative care. This is why it is important to discuss these fears with your dentist or the front office staff at your dental office. Understanding The Source of Anxiety If you are afraid to visit your dentist, rest assured that you are not the first person to experience this. Even if you cannot pinpoint precisely where the fear started, the dental office you visit … Read more

The Rise of Foreign Trained Dentists in the U.S.

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An interesting article titled “Will we see more foreign-trained dentists in the United States?” appears in the July 2017, issue of JADA written by Marko Vujicic (issue 7, pp. 538-540). The article explores the H-1B program with a focus on dentistry. The article presents a figure which shows the number of dentists practicing in the U.S. who received a foreign degree is rising. The article states “Across all US dental schools, there were 896 foreign nationals admitted in 2016, representing approximately 14% of total admissions. “ The article later says that around 1,165 H-1B applications for dentists were received in 2016 which is up from 414 H-1B applications in 2011. The article states “The top 3 companies applying for H-1B visas for dentists were Jefferson Dental Clinics, Western Dental, and Kool Smiles. Combined, these 3 companies account for 12% of total … Read more