SCIENCE NEWS AND RESOURCES
New Form Helps Dentist/Patient Communication Regardless of Language Barriers
A health history form is now available in 21 languages to address today's communication needs between women dentists and their patients. The form uses languages that account for 87.7 percent of the languages spoken in the United States. MetLife and the University of the Pacific, School of Dentistry, made the Multi-Language Health History form available at no cost as a PDF file at www.dental.uop.edu under Dental Professionals.
Model Manual and Ideal Operatories Online
Go online to find a comprehensive, free office manual for starting a clinic or adapting for your practice. The online, practical reference helps link you to tools like clinic policies, professional standards, supply lists, floor plans, design tips, and budget worksheets. Check out ideal operatories at http://www.dentalclinicmanual.com/ menu.html.
Not Providing Medicaid Dental Benefit Challenged in U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court has received a class action suit filed by parents on behalf of their underserved children who could not access health care under the Texas Medicaid Early Periodic/Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program. With potential national implications, the plaintiffs stated that "despite improvements — including increased rates of dental screens — more than one million children still get no dental care at all." They noted preventable health complications of oral infections, such as dehydration, fever, and malnourishment, stemming from the inability to eat.
Web site Offers Ways to Cope With Dental Fear and Phobia
Dr. Jack Bynes, president of dentalfear.com, recently made a plea to the medical community and public to address dental fears and phobias sensitively with patients, especially those with a possible history of childhood sexual abuse. Some common signs of past sexual abuse could include resistance to being placed in a horizontal position, fear of having objects placed over the face, sudden outbursts of crying without apparent reason, difficulty in opening wide, severe gagging, an involuntary turning of the head away from the dentist as she approaches the mouth, and even flashbacks. Dentalfear.com offers resources for phobic dental patients and practitioners to address this issue sensitively. Utilizing correct language and communication is important. For more information, visit www.dentalfear.com. Contact Dr. Jack Bynes at (860) 742-5206 or [email protected].
New CDC Dental Infection-Control Guidelines Recently Released
The new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dental infection-control guidelines were released on Dec. 18, 2003, in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of Dec. 19, 2003. Go to cdc.gov for more details. Several new issues are addressed, including:
- Use of standard precautions
- Work restrictions for health-care personnel exposed to or infected with infectious diseases
- Management of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens
- Latex hypersensitivity
- Flash sterilization limitations
- Dental water quality, including use of sterile water for surgical procedures
- When to utilize a boil water advisory
- Preprocedural mouth rinsing for patients
- Tuberculosis
- Prions and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
- Aseptic techniques for parenteral medications
- Your infection-control program evaluation
GENERAL AND WOMEN'S HEALTH
State Cancer Statistics Now Available
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health and CDC have just released state and regional specific cancer data. About 2 to 4 percent of all cancers are oral cancers, with only about half of the people diagnosed alive five years after diagnosis. The report — U.S. Cancer Statistics: 2000 Incidence — is available at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/uscs/2000/index.htm.
Pentagon Stresses Need for Female Military To Receive Chlamydia Testing
Nearly half of female military personnel who should be tested for chlamydia are not receiving the required exam upon entry. Female recruits into the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy are not receiving testing, which is recommended for women age 25 and younger as part of routine annual exams. Data are not tracked, despite the availability of new urine testing. According to Navy Capt. Katherine Surman, director of women's health policy for the Pentagon Health Affairs office, "We do need to do [a] better job of getting the word out to troops about sexually transmitted diseases and how to protect yourself." A new computerized medical and dental tracking system won't be available for three years.
Breast Cancer Risk Cut By Half Among Survivors
Citing dramatic reductions in recurrence among breast cancer survivors who have completed a five-year course of tamoxifen, new data were released that another drug, letrozole, cuts new cancer risk by half. Tamoxifen is usually taken for five years after breast cancer treatment, but the new drug further reduces risk after the recommended five years of tamoxifen therapy after diagnosis. The November 6 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine released the results of a trial of 5,187 women. The study showed that there was a 43 percent additional reduction among the women taking letrozole, compared to women taking placebo. Share this information with your female cancer survivor patients.
Telling the Truth on Women's Heart Disease in Your Community
The Red Dress Project is the focal point for the message, "Heart disease doesn't care what you wear. It's the #1 killer of women. It's not just a man's disease." Sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Heart Truth campaign includes 19 red dresses from leading fashion designers. These may be traveling to your community, so go see them! You can also buy a Red Dress pin. The pin focuses on building awareness about heart disease risk for women, educates them to address their risk for heart disease, and provides a message with a call for action. The pin is based on the limited edition version designed exclusively for The Heart Truth by Angela Cummings, internationally renowned accessory designer. Email the NHLBI Health Information Network at [email protected] or call (301) 592-8573 (9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST, M-F) to take part in the program.
WOMEN'S BUSINESS RESOURCES
Launch of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce!
The U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) is the preeminent national women's chamber of commerce network, whose mission is to develop leaders, accelerate economic growth, and provide a community voice for women. Affiliates are being established in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, and Alabama. At the end of 2003, affiliates were launched in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, Delaware, and Colorado. The USWCC, a not-for-profit 501(c)6 organization founded in 2001, is growing through regional affiliates and chapters. Contact the USWCC at 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004, www.uswomenschamber.com, or (888) 41-USWCC.
Women-Owned Business Assistance
Women dentists are part of America's 9.1 million women-owned businesses which employ 27.5 million people and contribute $3.6 trillion to the economy — yet women continue to face unique obstacles in establishing and maintaining business. The U.S. Small Business Administration is helping women dentists to level the playing field for female entrepreneurs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO). They help women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance. Contact them at Office of Women's Business Ownership, Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20416, (202) 205-6673, [email protected].
KUDOS!
- to Dr. Joy Jordan, who was inaugurated as president of the National Dental Association in December 2003. Congratulations, Dr. Jordan!
- to The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) for sponsoring its second women's luncheon program at the AAO's annual meeting April 30-May 4, 2004, in Orlando, Fla.
- to Dr. Donna Rumberger of New York City for being cited as a "moral exemplar" for her work in founding Smiles for Success, AAWD's foundation. Dr. Rumberger organized the women's symposiums at the Greater New York Dental Meeting. Way to go, Dr. Rumberger!
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Yankee Dental Congress 2004 Annual Meeting — Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2004; Hynes Convention Center; Boston, Mass.; www.massdental.org; (800) 342-8747 (in state) or (800) 943-9200 (national)
CDS (Chicago Dental Society) 2004 Midwinter Meeting — Feb. 19-22, 2004; McCormick Place Convention Center; Chicago, Ill.; www.cds.org; [email protected]; (312) 836-7300
ALD (Academy of Laser Dentistry) SOURCE 2004: Lasers in Dentistry — March 3-6, 2004; Renaissance Esmeralda Resort; Indian Wells ~ Palm Springs, Calif.; www.laserdentistry.org; [email protected]; (877) 527-3776
RDH Under One Roof Conference (sponsored by RDH Magazine/PennWell) — March 4-6, 2004; Hilton Costa Mesa; Costa Mesa, Calif.; www.rdhmag.com; [email protected]; (888) 299-8016
CDA (California Dental Association) Spring 2004 Scientific Session — April 16-18, 2004; Anaheim Hilton; Anaheim, Calif.; www.cda.org; (916) 443-3382
Greater Long Island Dental Meeting First Annual Women's Day Conference — April 20, 2004; Long Island Marriott Hotel; Uniondale, N.Y.; www.glidm.org; (631) 244-0722
Adhesive Dentistry Bermuda Style Symposium — April 22-25, 2004; Southampton Princess Resort; Hamilton, Bermuda; www.clinicianschoice.com; (800) 265-3444, Ext. 223
