dentist

The Single Operator Model of Sedation Leads to Caleb’s Law

by

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons who practice in the United States provide anesthesia differently than do others in the medical profession. This has been discussed before on this site in posts such as Updated Sedation Guidelines in Dentistry for Children. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are allowed to provide anesthesia using what is known as a single operator model. The single operator model allows for one trained and certified operator in anesthesia to administer both the sedation and/or anesthesia and perform the dental work. In many of these cases with a single operator model a dental assistant with no medical training monitors the patient’s vital signs. All other doctors in medicine provide anesthesia using a dual operator model where there are at least two individuals who have training and up-to-date certification in patient rescue. Some patients and doctors/doctor groups in medicine do … Read more

Five Benefits of a regular dental visit

by

There’s nothing better in this world than a healthy body, yet many people overlook medical checkups which are important. There are many medical checkups which an individual must undergo every year, and a dental checkup is one of them. Teeth are a prominent part of the face and have a direct impact on the personality of an individual. There are many benefits of a regular dental checkup, however in this article you will be guided through some of them. In most countries, doctors recommend patients visit a dentist at least once every 6 months. Some benefits of a regular dental visit are: 1.      Early detection of problems Most people are unaware of their dental problems for a long time. A regular visit to the dentist can help a person getting to know about any chronic issues present. The doctor will … Read more

Quality Data Registry in Dentistry

by

Recently on this site there was a discussion of using an outcomes data registry for dentistry to help assess surgical outcomes, complications, and possible gaps in treatment.  The goal with such a data registry is to better monitor what is going on in clinical practice to help improve the quality of care that patients receive. Such efforts have been limited in dentistry although present in other aspects of healthcare for many years. According to the “Quality Measurement in Dentistry A Guidebook” produced by the Dental Quality Alliance in June 2019, retrospective claims data are the only data currently collected in dentistry. In an article titled “Swedish Quality Registry for Caries and Periodontal Diseases – a framework for quality development in dentistry,” by Bultzingslowen et al. appearing in the International Dental Journal in 2019, the authors discuss an automatic data retrieval … Read more

5 Tips to Maximize Your Dental Insurance Coverage

by

While it is a somewhat common fear for people, going to the dentist is one of the most important things you can do for your health and well-being. Not getting your teeth cleaned and checked up on frequently can lead to plenty of unsightly, harmful and painful symptoms or issues. Unfortunately, many Americans see a dentist much less frequently than they would like. A big reason for this is cost. Paying for dental visits out of pocket can be expensive. As a result, most people will have some type of dental insurance coverage to save them money on these important visits.  However, simply having coverage isn’t always good enough. In order to truly get the most out of your plan, you need to be sure to maximize your coverage. If you are curious about how you can go about doing … Read more

Dentist Who Groped Patients Sentenced to Jail

by

A Melbourne Australian dentist who groped his patients was sentenced to jail for seven years in late 2018. The 60 year old dentist plead guilty to indecent assault of eight patients and one staff member over a period of nearly 20 years. He must serve at least four and a half years before being eligible for parole. The dentist had actually had his registration suspended due to a patient who died after having wisdom teeth removed in August 2017. The dentist had been prevented from treating women since November 2016 as complaints from women began to come in 2014. He first denied three complaints but then as additional complaints came in he was forced to go to trial. In one case the dentist ran his hands against a woman’s hips and breast and mouthed “I love you” to her. In … Read more