September 2013
This article was originally published in the September 2013 issue of Proofs.
From dentistry, hygiene, assisting, and dental office managing, here are the top articles of 2013
If there is one thing that our readership patterns can tell us, it's what is most important to the dental industry at any given moment.
One day, we might have a lot of clicks on insurance-related topics, especially those concerning the Affordable Care Act. The next, we may have most of our clicks on a clinical hygiene article or a Thursday Troubleshooter. Sometimes, our Dental Art feature takes the cake and brings in tons of new viewers. But these top articles for the first half – well, first seven months, actually – of 2013 show us what's important to the industry as a whole. What has strength as a content source, what can answer questions that dental professionals have. These are the articles you turn to when seeking information on your field and the changes occurring within it. These are the articles that enlighten, that entertain, and that keep you coming back to DentistryiQ.com day after day. These are your favorites.
For Dentists
5 Why the dental industry wants exemption from Obamacare
Find out why the Affordable Care Act is viewed as a misnomer by some dentists and how it complicates the affordability of dentistry with the addition of the medical device tax.
4 Making painful sinus lift dental implants a thing of the past
Sinus lift implants compose 20% of all implants, and are particularly unpleasant for patients. Now there's a new implant – the iRaise Sinus Lift Implant – that allows patients to get back to normal much faster. Go to this article for a video demonstration of the iRaise.
3 Some great new dental products from the 2013 Chicago Midwinter Meeting
Kevin Henry takes you on a delightful trip through the 2013 Chicago Midwinter Meeting, without the foot pain that comes from being on the floor for hours. You're welcome.
2 The most common lies dentists tell themselves
Stop lying to yourself! You're costing yourself money, time, and satisfaction. Get your stuff together.
1 Dental health professional shortage areas and inadequate preventive measures to blame for nation's poor oral health
Are there enough dentists, or aren't there? Is care available, but people don't know how to access it? Where does prevention come into play? What about those who are past the prevention stage?
For Hygienists
5 RDH Infection Control columnist: Reassure patients of your safety procedures
Earlier this year, the news of an oral surgeon's office likely being responsible for transmitting diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV got the nation buzzing. Patients started asking more questions and getting even more hesitant to visit the dentist. Here's how to have your plan of action in place when your patients inevitably ask what you do to protect them.
4 No bad dentist jokes allowed. Here are Hollywood's 25 best lines about oral care
Perhaps editor Mark Hartley understood that the hygiene industry needed a little comedic relief after the results of the job benefits survey were published. Here are his 25 favorite lines about oral care, featuring pop culture hits like "Leave It To Beaver," "Forrest Gump," "Seinfeld," and even "House."
3 Pay raises in dental hygiene: A national overview
The most popular hygiene survey article is here: this time, hygienists explain who's to blame for lack of recognition in the dental office. Apparently, it's as much the economy as it is stingy employers. Another informative conversation is taking place here in the reader comments.
2 Why dental hygienists require special exercise
"Because dental hygienists are predisposed to unique muscle imbalances, all exercise is not necessarily good exercise for dental hygienists." Get on your work-out gear and head on over to see what to do to keep your back straight and tummy tight.
1 Fact sheet: Dental calculus
A fascinating and informative read about the calculus that resides in our mouths, how to manage it, and where it came from. What's most interesting about the article, however, may be the reader comments that follow, including one from a dentist and three from people who have excellent oral health and don't brush their teeth. Go check it out.
For Dental Assistants
5 Dental Economics' infection control columnist: Reassure patients about the safety of dental procedures after Tulsa incident
When the news covers the failures of an entire dental team to protect its patients from transmittable disease, your patients will start wondering about their own safety, and hopefully, they'll start asking questions. Here's how to talk to a concerned patient, from an expert.
4 What makes an excellent dental assistant?
More Q&A, but this time, it's from Dr. Gordon Christensen. In this video, he lists the most important characteristics of a dental assistant. An interesting and thoughtful reader comment follows.
3 How the dental assistants at the heart of the Tulsa oral surgeon fiasco affect you and your career
The assistants who worked with Dr. Scott Harrington, the dentist currently under investigation in Oklahoma for putting patients at risk for contracting HIV and hepatitis, were sent to seminars to be trained on IV sedation, though it's illegal for dental assistants to perform the procedure in Oklahoma. Lesson learned: know your responsibilities and don't rely on the dentist to enforce the proper limitations.
2 The latest dental assistant salary figures from the U.S. Department of Labor
Compare your salary to others in the U.S. The highest hourly wage is in New Hampshire, with dental assistants making $22.37 an hour. The lowest is in eastern Kentucky, where dental assistants make $11 an hour. See how you compare.
1 Exclusive interview with Susan Rogers of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry on Dr. Scott Harrington
By now we know how big of a deal the Tulsa investigation was for dental assistants. But do you know the details? Check out this interview with editor Kevin Henry and Susan Rogers to find out just what exactly was going on in that practice, and what you can do to protect yourself from a similar situation.
For Office managers
5 Thursday Troubleshooter: I have to clock out when patients don't show
This hourly employee wonders if anyone else experiences this problem. While it's legal, it's not exactly beneficial to the office as a whole, in terms of morale. See the alternatives to clocking out when patients don't show.
4 Thursday Troubleshooter: Psycho coworker
Ever been in a situation in which a person you work closely with tries to sabotage your productivity and make coming to work a highly unpleasant experience? Here's how to deal.
3 Thursday Troubleshooter: Piercings and tattoos on dental office employees
While facial piercings are becoming more popular, the dental assistant wearing them will have to answer to how safe it is in the office. They'll also have to fight against patients who see the facial piercing or tattoo and wonder how hygienic the person is whose hands are in her mouth.
2 Dentalcodeology: 2013 CDT bottom line changes for insurance and dental hygiene
The new CDT update focuses on new technologies and materials. Interoperable EHRs aren't mandated yet, but many changes in coding are being put into place to ease the transition for the day it will inevitably happen.
1 Why do I have to pay when the doctor didn't do anything?
How many times have you heard a patient ask this question? Regardless of what a doctor is able to do at a patient's appointment, the entire team did something to help the patient and fit them into the schedule, so be careful about uttering the words "The doctor didn't do anything" – your patient may take it the wrong way.
This article was originally published in the September 2013 issue of Proofs.
