Almost all dentists go through a lot of training to be where they are now. But just how successful are they in their chosen career? Every dentist must possess some important quality traits to be TRULY successful.

3 Important Quality Traits Every Dentist Must Possess

1. Integrity

Every good dentist should have a noble purpose and maintain integrity. This ‘two-rolled-into-one’ attribute is the most important character trait every good dentist should possess.

Purpose simply means to have a vision, mission and goal – a plan or mental picture of what you want to do with your career. The more noble and genuine your purpose is, the more known and successful you will be in the long run. Integrity, on the other hand, is the difference that sets one apart from the rest. Integrity denotes doing your job to the best even in the absence of praise or evaluation. Integrity always indicates quality. If you have a noble purpose, coupled with integrity in your work, success is not far off from where you are.

2. Good People Skills

A good dentist should be open to communication and care. Being a dentist requires you to have constant correspondence with your patients. To succeed in this career, the lines of communication between you and your patients should be clear. You have to develop the skill to let your patients know and understand why they need such procedures in a humble, respectful way. Similarly, you must have the same attitude when hearing out your patients’ needs. Doing so will also transmit that trait to your staff and the people you work with.

Aside from this, you should have the caring touch or the passion to serve. Without this, you may be simply treating your patients as a means to get by everyday life, not as a giver of care to them.

3. Punctual

A good dentist should be punctual. Nothing spells more disrespect to your patients than to continually have them wait for you over long periods of time. Being habitually late brings a bad reputation to your name and a negative message to your clients that you do not value their time. If something comes up, communicate. A good quote to remember comes from W. Mathews. He says, “Nothing inspires confidence in a business man sooner than punctuality, nor is there any habit which sooner saps his reputation than that of being always behind time.”

Final Thoughts

Practice all these three character traits and you will most likely never run out of clients. Remember that the best way to promote yourself is not by what you say about yourself, but by what your patients tell their friends about you.

What should we add to this list?

If you have a trait or traits that you would like to add to this list please leave a comment below.

Dentists Are Not Master Marketers

Dentists are not just people who take care of people’s teeth. In the business standpoint, they are also managers, leaders and motivators. But although they have a number of roles to fulfill, dentists need to realize that they are not the best advertisers and marketers. A person can try to learn the ropes but, at the end, it is the experts who will most likely dominate this field. Most of the time, dental ads consist of faces of dentists plastered on walls with write-ups that sing their praises.

Patients Care About Their Own Needs First

But the fact is that patients do not care about you. They do not care about the image that you project. On the other hand, they care about themselves. The reason they choose to have treatments done on them is because they care about themselves. They go to you because they want to feel or look better, not because they think of how wonderful you are. This is why you need to think twice before commissioning an ad with your face all over it.

Your Practice’s Name Is NOT Your Brand

The first lesson that dentists need to know about marketing is branding. You know that you have successfully branded your practice when people recognize it as soon as they hear your practice’s name. The problem with some dentists is that they believe that their name is synonymous to their practice’s brand. But this isn’t the case. Most companies which have effectively branded themselves do not use the owner’s name as the brand name. It’s time for dentists to come up with a good brand name and then use this in their external marketing campaign.

Understanding Your Customers Needs Is Critical

The second lesson that dentists must know is to identify with those individuals who they are advertising their practice to. Because the patients have self-serving reasons for going into our dental clinic, you need to know exactly what their wants and needs are in order to appeal to them better. You can talk about how your practice offers treatments which are minimally invasive and painless in order to appeal to those who may be scared of going to the dentist.

Your Thoughts

What additional “Truths” about dental marketing would you add to the list?

Below is a brief overview of ten critical numbers every dentist should know, monitor and graph every year. The goal is to see them grow over the course of your career as you measure your overall progress and profitability as a practice.

Know These Numbers

1. Current Market Value of Your Practice.
As a general rule of thumb we recommend using 65% of last year’s collections to set the value.

2. Annual Gross Revenues.

3. Annual Reinvestment in Practice.
How much did you reinvest in your practice last year? This number should always be considered part of your overall practice value.

4. Annual Debt Reduction.
All debt reduction payments should always be considered a form of profitability. For example, if you had $1 million in debt and paid off $100,000 last year and earned a net profit of $200,000, you actually earned $300,000. Debt reduction always increases your net worth.

5. Annual Net Revenues.

6. Current Debt and Liabilities.

7. Annual Charitable Contributions.
As your practice grows through the years, it is important to track what you are giving back.

8. Annual Tax Liability.
You will want to continually measure your tax liability to see if it is increasing or decreasing.

9. Current Cash on Hand.
This number is included in your practice’s value.

10. Current Total Net Worth.
You should analyze this number annually.

What numbers do you track?

What numbers do you find important to track and improve or reduce? What, if anything, would you add to the list?

The attitude and overall feeling of a client can be greatly influenced by the attitude and enthusiasm shown by a dentist or member of the dental team. These qualities are contagious and can lead to much more enjoyable dental experience. After all, there aren’t too many people who really look forward to or feel passionate about a visit to their dentist!

Enthusiasm is Contagious

However, if when they do visit they are met by an enthusiastic team, lead by a dentist who shows passion and pride in what they do, it is more than likely they will be swept along and adopt the very same levels of enthusiasm.

In our practice we feel that the solution is to not bombard all of our clients by telling them constantly how passionate we are, but to demonstrate it each and every day so that it is obvious and almost a pre-requisite for those that visit our website or call into our practice. This is achieved by building a team that cares about the services they offer, a team that is genuine in how they feel about their work and a team that takes pride in helping each and every client. Many clients tell us that this is something that they feel from the moment they first walk in.

Don’t Try to Fake It

Above all, we know that our clients are not stupid and are capable of seeing through any false actions or any of our team pretending to be something that they are not. We speak to all clients using natural language and let our passion for what we do come through naturally – we know that this is something that is impossible to fake.
If passion and enthusiasm is there, it will be impossible for others to not notice it and pick up on it. It will come through in how clients are treated, how the whole team cares for the needs of each and every client and most of all, when they talk about your business. If it isn’t there, it won’t matter how many times you or your team say otherwise, it can’t be faked.

Evaluate Your Passion Level

Now is the time to evaluate your passion and enthusiasm, as well as your teams for the services you provide and for what you do. Go through the pain of asking what your clients think, this will provide actionable feedback you can use to ensure that they next time they visit, they will be leaving feeling as enthusiastic about your business as you and your team are!

Do you care too much?

If you have a voracious appetite for new patients, you don’t enjoy the repeat visits, and patient referrals you think you deserve, it may be because you care too much.

As a professional caregiver, being a dentist requires that you care—but not care too much.

This often comes as a surprise by many in dentistry who boast about how much they care on their website and other marketing overtures. Turns out, few patients are specifically looking for a dentist who cares! They simply assume that dentists and doctors of all types, care.

Find the “Sweet Spot”

As a healing arts professional, setting appropriate boundaries around being emotionally engaged in what patients do and don’t do is a key responsibility. Care too little and your emotional distance and mechanical detachment prevents appropriate patient bonding. Care too much and patients feel an obligation or a “duty” that can actually work against you. When you find the sweet spot between these two extremes, notice improved patient retention and an uptick in new patient referrals.

As a dentist, you probably don’t realize that searching out a new dentist is an unpleasant task. They contemplate the dreadful paperwork, the new practice environment, new procedures, new personalities and not to mention the general fear of the unknown of finding someone new. In fact, changing dentists is so distasteful, their old dentist (you) would have to inflict a lot of psychological pain to prompt them to start over with a new one.

By caring too much, you impose a type of obligation to follow through with certain home care procedures designed to improve their dental hygiene. Which is the point, right? However, to patients it often comes off as “this is what good patients do.” Even if you see it as merely a reminder about regular flossing, some patients interpret their subsequent failure to live up to your recommendations as, well, failure. Rather than face you and your disappointment, they seek care in another dentist’s office.

Of course, each patient, not you, determines if your recommendations are an obligation, or merely a friendly reminder. It may have nothing to do with what you actually say, but the tone of your voice and countless other subtle cues.

That’s why it’s critical that you care, but not to care too much.

One way to make sure your spoken recommendations are not perceived as a burdensome duty is to move from the first person, as in, “It’s my opinion that you…” or “I think you should…” or “If it were me, I’d…” to the third person: “Many of our patients find…” or “Over the years patients have reported…” Patients are likely to see this as less threatening and obligatory than first person recommendations.

Do you care too much? One way to know if patients perceive that you’ve crossed this invisible line is to take an inventory of how many patients in typical month are first timers as a ratio to total patient visits. The higher the number, the more likely you are of making this common mistake.

Your Thoughts

Do you agree with Mr. Esteb? Can you care too much?

As a dental consultant/coach, I have the opportunity to talk with dental practice owners every day. I also review and analyze dental practices on a weekly basis using my extensive dental knowledge to educate practitioners on how they can improve their practice bottom line.

What I hear consistently are dental practices which on average, see 30 new patients each month. Most dental practices have an average of 2,500 active patients. Most of our clients have been in practice for a minimum of 12 years and examine about 30 new patients every month. You may wonder why most of these practices have a mere active patient base of only 2,500 patients.

If all of these patients continued to return to the office the dental practice should have an active patient base of at approximately 3,500 patients. I am accounting for some attrition and being very forgiving with the accounting of these patient numbers.

In the United States, 78% of general dentists are solo practitioners. Why is there only enough work to keep one dentist busy? The answer is simple, dentists are losing more patients out the back door than are coming in the front door. Most practices I review have only 6 days of hygiene patients each week. With this point arises the question: why are these practices only seeing 6 days of hygiene patients each week?

First of all, I want to address the reason behind why patients may not be coming back to your office. The lack of a “personal relationship” with your patients could be to blame. By building a personal relationship with each patient, you will establish trust and give them a reason to choose your office over another one down the street.

One of the most common questions that I hear on a daily basis is, “why do we need to change? We have always done things this way.” This statement signals a major breakdown and is a silent killer for any dental practice. Dental practitioners should also keep in mind that the field of dentistry changes constantly and dental management skills that worked five to ten years ago probably do not work in today’s world.
There are many reasons why a practice might lose patients.

The “New Patient”

Your first impression is a lasting impression. I always ask doctors to periodically call their own office so they will understand how the phone is being answered. The dental practice owner and all team members need to be aware of how a client may feel when calling in to make an appointment. Do you get the feeling that the phone is answered with someone who has a smile on their face?

Offer good “Customer Service”

How long does your new patient need to wait until they are able to get an appointment in your office? If you have blocked times for new patients you are more likely to successfully accommodate them in a timely manner. If you heard something good about someone and are anxious to meet them, do you want to wait a month to meet them? Neither do your patients!

I have called many offices and an answer machine let me know the office staff was busy with another patient and was not able to answer my call. If I were a new patient calling to schedule my first appointment and I was greeted by a recorded message. I would be discouraged by this not so warm welcome.

What types of information do you send your patients home with? Do they have written oral hygiene instructions or post op instructions? Do you send out a new patient package prior to the first appointment? This can easily be done if you have a website that patients can download information from. If it is not possible to distribute the information through your website, think about emailing a package of information to save the cost of postage.

Do you make post – op calls? Do you call even after the scaling and root planning appointments? If you have a difficult or a fearful patient, think about the impact you would make if you called after hours to make certain they were feeling okay about their dental appointment that day. My niece just had her 3rd molars extracted and it was so comforting when the oral surgeon called to check on her much later that night.

How long does it take you to return patient calls? Do your patients leave with a written treatment plan for any future treatment? Are they able to send emails to confirm their appointments? What type of payment plans do you offer? These are only a few questions you should take into consideration when trying to improve upon your dental practice.

Team Hiring and Training

How do you know what type of personality fits into your practice? There are various models for testing temperaments. You need to know what type of personality fits each job description in your dental practice. You need to know if hiring another person with a strong personality will interfere with any other strong personalities that currently work in the office now.

Your Thoughts

Are you already implementing some of Debbie’s suggestions in your practice? What have been your results?

Imagine if you could create an experience that turns a patient into a raving fan, and the people she refers to the practice ask for the same experience. Now, you are creating a culture. The beauty of creating a culture of raving fans is that it is completely in your control, and for the most part – FREE!

Earn the Referral

I’ve always been kind of curious about the sign in dental offices that says something like, “We appreciate referrals.” I often wonder if a patient feels a disconnect between the sign and the experience. I’m usually asking myself, “What does this office do to earn the referral?” People typically are not out raving about their visit to the dentist over lunch with girlfriends, and if they are, it’s probably not positive. People are more
likely to complain than they are to brag. You may have heard that people don’t like going to the dentist, so to earn a patient referral, you have to be amazing.

Create Promoters

I did a little research into customer loyalty and a customer’s willingness to refer people to your practice. I found out about Net Promoter Scores (NPS) from Harvard Business Review. To get an NPS number for your office you would ask your patients one simple question, “From 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this office to your friends and family?” NPS measures the difference between the percentage of customers who give high responses (“promoters”) and those who give low ones (“detractors”). Promoters are defined as customers who give the company 9 or 10, while detractors hand out “0″ through 6. Customers who log 7 or 8 are deemed “passively satisfied” and aren’t calculated in the final score.

More Promoters = More Revenue

For most of you, I would expect the majority of your patients to be in the 7-8 group. The article suggested there is a major connection between a company’s NPS score and revenue growth. A follow-up article debunks the hype around NPS because of people’s passiveness to brag or rave. Believers in the system argue there is a direct link. Once they started focusing on the scores, revenue grew. Why? It wasn’t the scores they were focused on; it was the customer. If they got anything less than a 9 on the review, they wanted to know why. Revenues grew because customer interaction improved, systems improved, and services were added. It was a new personal touch that made the difference.

How it’s Done

The big question is, how can we do this? I’ve spent some time on my blog talking about the first phone call. It’s critical to note that every member of your team has an impact on the culture of your practice, but it begins with you. I think creating a culture of raving fans starts with a mission statement, and a vision statement. To come up with these statements, think about who you are, and what you want to be. Once you are clear on your vision for the practice, focus on the patient’s experience. Make sure that these two parts are always in sync and up to date. If you are always looking for ways to get your 7′s and 8′s up to 9′s and 10′s, you will have a culture of raving fans.

Bonus: 5 points if you know what movie the title is from.

Your Thoughts

Are you creating a culture of raving fans within your dental practice? If yes, please elaborate in a comment below. Thanks.

Don’t Employ the “Wait & See” Approach

Most dentists take the “wait-and-see” approach. That is, they develop a website, publish it to the web, and wait…and wait…and wait for new patients to line up outside their doors. Sadly, new patients never come. Why? Because your website is nowhere to be found in the search engine results pages (SERPS).

Thankfully, there are many techniques that you can employ to increase your position in the SERPS, and be found by patients seeking a new dentist.

Local Business Directories Are Effective

One highly effective technique for generating traffic, and the focus of this post, is submitting your dental practice website to local business directories. Submitting your site to local business directories requires very little time, but has significant upside potential.

Why? Because many of the local business directories that I’ve listed below appear on the first page of the SERPS for local searches.

Here’s Proof

To see what I mean, give this a try: go to Google.com. Once there, search using the following query: “saint louis dentists”(minus quotes). You’ll notice on the first page of the SERPS that several business directories came up, such as: Google local business, Superpages and Citysearch. You can see how a listing in any of these directories would improve your visibility with potential new patients.

I compiled a list below of my 10 favorite FREE local business directories that you should submit your site to in order to increase your online visibility and capture new patients. Without further ado, here’s the list…

Top 3

1. Google Local Business Center

Listing your website in the Google Local Business Center is a must. Your local business listing can include: your business address, website url, maps, location photos, business description, directions, business categories, etc. Your local search listing appears before regular(organic) search listings in the SERPS.

2. Yahoo Local

Submitting your site to Yahoo Local is also very important. Your listing options with Yahoo Local are similar to those in the Google Local Business Center. You shouldn’t expect as much traffic from Yahoo Local as with the Google Local Business Center, but it can be substantial nonetheless.

3. Bing Local Listing Center

Rounding out my top 3 recommendations is the Bing Local Listing Center. Although the Bing Local Listing Center is still in its infancy, people are already receiving significant traffic from it.

Also Recommended

4. Superpages.com

5. YellowPages.com

6. YellowBook.com

7. Yelp

8. Localeze

9. Local.com

10. Hotfrog.com

Stay tuned for future posts highlighting additional powerful tips for positioning your website in the search engines to capture new patients.

Add to the List

Have you found a great free business directory that’s not in my list? Please leave it in a comment below for everyone’s benefit

Top 5 Stories of the Week

1) Five Steps You Need to Follow To Protect Your Practice From a Network Disaster Technology fanatic, Lorne Lavine, DMD, discusses in this post three primary reasons dentists do not back up their data, and five simple steps for hopping aboard the backup train.

2) I dated a patient Renee Knight, Senior Editor of DentalProductsReport.com, explores in this steamy post the right way to date a patient. Yes, apparently there is a right way…

3) Linda Miles & Dr. Rhonda Savage on Dental Benefit Plans This informative post over at Dentalblogs.com explores the frustration that both staff and doctors share with regards to dental benefit plans. However, the authors also provide a template for minimizing some of this frustration when dealing with insurance patients.

4) Dentists Want a Dental License That’s National The Wealthy Dentist Blog reports in this post that 86% of survey respondents indicated that they are in favor of “universal licensure” for dentists. Read on to see what respondents cited as their reasons for promoting a national dental license…

5) Understanding “Return on Investment” The Azimuth Dental Blog tackles the confusion surrounding the acronym, ROI, or Return on Investment. Think you know exactly what that means, read this post to make sure…

…and there you have it. There’s a look at the top stories coming out of the Dental Blog Community this week. Look for a brand new list next week!

Are we missing anything?

Did you read an interesting dental-related blog post this past week? I certainly can’t hit on them all, so please share what you found in a comment below.

What do these numbers mean?

The numbers above mean that Dental Heroes is good, but not great. To make it great, I need your help. I developed a short survey to discover what you want to see in the next version of the Dental Heroes Blog. Your responses will play a big role in shaping Dental Heroes for the future – so don’t hold back. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to help out the Dental Heroes Community.

Start the Survey

Thanks so much for your help!

Top 5 Stories of the Week

1) Dentists Ready for a Dental Union The Wealthy Dentist Blog recently surveyed a number of dentists to determine whether now is the right time to form a dental union. You may be surprised that 49% of respondents said, “Yes”. Watch the video recap for an analysis of the results.

2) Dentistry’s new magic wand With amazing resolution and applications for almost every facet of dentistry, optical coherence tomography imaging could be a technology that changes everything…

3) Curve Dental Wants to Change Dental Software In this post, dental technology guru, John Flucke, explains how Curve Dental plans to revolutionize the dental software market with web-based software solutions…

4) Gratitude as a Marketing Tool Joseph J. Portale, DMD, MAGD, discusses a number of tips for establishing lasting, loyal relationships with your patients. Robotic dentists are out,. Real, personable, relationship-minded dentists are in…

5) Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Performs First MOOKP Procedure in USA Sharron “Kay” Thornton has just regained her sight in first-in-the-U.S. procedure known as Modified Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (MOOKP). Put simply, the procedure involved implanting the woman’s eyetooth in her eye as a base for a prosthetic lens. Read more in this recent DentalBlogs.com post…

…and there you have it. There’s a look at the top stories coming out of the Dental Blog Community this week. Look for a brand new list next week!

Are we missing anything?

Did you read an interesting dental-related blog post this past week? I certainly can’t hit on them all, so please share what you found in a comment below.

Top 5 Stories of the Week

1) Is the ADA more interested in Dental Specialists than General Dentists? The Wealthy Dentist Blog asked dentists this question in a recent survey. You may be surprised by the results…

2) Marketing your dental practice without taking a bite out of your budget Dr. Gary Solomon suggests ways to market your practice that require thought and creativity, not money.

3) The hole truth about tooth worms Richard Palmer discusses how the Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM) has shed new light on these mysterious figures.

4) Why you should stop trying to sell to your patients Read why the Azimuth Dental team recommends that you stop trying to sell to your patients. This is sure to be controversial, but thought-provoking as well.

5) 10 factors that contribute to staff satisfaction Rebecca Boartfield and Tim Twigg share with us the results of numerous employee satisfaction surveys. Is your practice focusing on these factors to attract and retain your employees? If not, start immediately.

…and there you have it. There’s a look at the top stories coming out of the Dental Blog Community this week. Look for a brand new list next week!

Are we missing anything?

Did you read an interesting dental-related blog post this past week? I certainly can’t hit on them all, so please share what you found in a comment below.

Whatever the reason may be, Twitter’s reach is undeniable. Some companies have replaced their corporate website address with their Twitter address on advertising materials. Major news networks are engaging with viewers via Twitter live on the air. I’ve even had a number of people provide their Twitter username in their e-mail signatures. I could go on and on.

If you have not yet taken the leap to join Twitter, I would caution you to evaluate whether doing so will be beneficial for you. Many people reluctantly sign up because everyone else is doing it. That’s not a good reason to get involved. You’ll just end up frustrated and abandon the service within a couple of days. Why waste your time?

However, for those of you who are already actively engaging with other people on Twitter, I’ve compiled a list(in no particular order) of 30 great dental pros I’m following on Twitter (You should too).

30 Great Dental Pros I Follow on Twitter

1. drbicuspid
2. SteffanyMohan
3. OralHealthcare
4. jablow
5. AnastasiaRDH
6. DentalProducts
7. DentistryIQ
8. Dentrix
9. practiceworks
10. DPRlive
11. Identalhub
12. TheAACD
13. nicedentist
14. webdental
15. Dentra
16. GetDentistJobs
17. markoborn
18. dentalcompare
19. therabreath
20. Dentistnet
21. dentalinsider
22. AboutDentistry
23. DenTek
24. teresaduncan
25. PERI_Educates
26. top3dentists
27. jflucke
28. kgh23
29. 1800DENTIST
30. dentaladvisor
31. Oh yeah, don’t forget to follow Dental Heroes as well. dentalheroes

Add to the List

I know there are many more dental pros out there using Twitter. Please leave the Twitter username of any dental pros not on this list that you think should be in a comment below.

The List

1) Sonicare To Launch Flexcare+ @ ADA Meeting In Hawaii – Teresa Duncan, of The Dental Implant Blog, announced the launch of Philips Sonicare FlexCare Plus electric toothbrush at this year’s annual session of the American Dental Association in Hawaii. Clinical studies have shown some promising results…

2) ADA Membership? Not for One in Four Dentists Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey, of TheWealthyDentist.com recently conducted a survey asking dentists about their ADA membership status. You’ll see in the video recap of the study results that dentists across the country have very different opinions regarding the ADA’s usefulness and agenda…

3) Dental Practice Transition Planning Learn the numerous factors that must be taken into account when planning a practice transition, and why its more important than ever do your due diligence.

4) Reality in this appropriately titled post, John Gammichia, DMD, FAGD, author of The Daily Grind and general dentist offers his “real” take on the toll this economy is having on his practice. Many of you can empathize with Dr. Gammichia, I’m sure…

5) Marty Jablow, DMD, and author of the Dental News and Technology Blog provides us with a nice summary of the new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) data security requirements…

…and there you have it. There’s a look at the top stories coming out of the Dental Blog Community this week. Look for a brand new list next week!

Are we missing anything?

Did you read an interesting dental-related blog post this past week? I certainly can’t hit on them all, so please share what you found in a comment below.

For those of you who aren’t sure what a podcast is, have a look at Wikipedia’s definition to get up to speed.

Note: The easiest way to download the following podcasts is to subscribe to them on itunes. If you don’t have iTunes installed, you can download it for free on the Apple Website. If you’re not sure how to proceed after downloading iTunes, check out this Youtube Video illustrating the process.

1. The Wealthy Dentist Podcast

Jim Du Molin, of The Wealthy Dentist, is known for his powerful, yet pragmatic methods of increasing dentists’ profitability. Jim has tapped into the power of podcasts to spread his message.

The Wealthy Dentist podcasts are free, and cover topics such as: dental practice management, dental continuing education, dental care issues, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, dental marketing and several others.

Download The Wealthy Dentist Podcasts

2. American Dental Association(ADA) Podcast

The ADA has been developing podcasts since 2006. Since then, they’ve churned out 19 episodes focusing on topics ranging from reducing stress within your practice to identifying emerging trends in dental care.

Download ADA Podcasts

3. Dental Insider Podcast

DI and Associate Q(Speakers) boast 40+ years in the dental care industry and have worked in every facet of the industry from sales (wholesale and retail), marketing, dental equipment repair and consulting. Unfortunately, the pair made the tough decision to discontinue regular updates on The Dental Insider Blog, but don’t let that discourage you from checking out their timeless podcast episodes.

Download Dental Insider Podcasts

4. Henry Schein Podcast

Henry Schein podcasts feature “leading industry consultants and experts discussing the latest dental trends, clinical techniques and technologies. Current and future podcasts available through the Dental Podcast Center include Practice Design, Practice Marketing, Operatory Ergonomics, Cone Beam 3D Imaging, Laser Dentistry, Digital Radiography and more(dentalpodcastcenter.com).”

Download The Henry Schein Podcasts

5. DentalCast Podcast

The DentalCast Podcast strives to bring dental professionals the latest information about dental technology and clinical techniques.

Download The DentalCast Podcasts

Any Others We Should Know About?

I know there are a number of dental care podcasts out there that are not on this list, but the majority seem to be heavily promotional in nature and not as broadly applicable as those in this list.

However, if you know of a podcast that should be on this list, please leave the name and url where people can download episodes in a comment below.

While I received some positive feedback for those posts, I’ve decided to take a slightly different direction with them. From this point forward, I’ll be focusing a weekly post(such as this one) on recapping interesting posts from around the Dental Blog Community for that week. This is just another way that Dental Heroes is keeping you connected with the larger Dental Care Community.

So, without further ado, here’s my weekly roundup of interesting blog posts from around the Dental Blog Community for the week of August 2-8, 2009.

The List

1) Top 10: Best Dental Schools in the US and Canada(Ranking) – The Top Ten Blog reviews their top 10 picks for top dental schools in the US and Canada as of 2008. As you’ll see in the post comments, this post struck a chord with a number of readers.

2) Dentists Can Survive and Thrive in Economic Downturn – Poor economic times like this require dentists to re-evaluate their priorities and be more focused on managing their business. This post by DentalBlogs.com provides some good tips for doing just this.

3) Dentistry “Cash for Amalgam”: Now Declared Safe by FDA – Jim Du Molin, of The Wealth Dentist, posted a good roundup of the hotly debated dental amalgam issue. You can see by the comments to this post, that the FDA decision is largely unpopular and by most accounts strictly political in nature.

4) A Pictorial History of Dentistry This post from the Dental Assistant Blog chronicles the major events in the history of Dentistry – with pictures. We love pictures, right?

5) Join the Tribe Linda Zdanowicz, of the Exceptional Dental Practice Management blog discusses the practical application of legendary marketer, Seth Godin’s concept of “Tribes”(Free 228 page PDF) to dental practice management.

6) Red Flag Rule Not Such a Bad Idea: Mistress Allegedly Steals Wife’s ID for Dental Work – Teresa Duncan, of the Implant Blog, points to a real-world example that highlights the importance of the November 1st implementation of the Red Flag Rule.

7) Fake Dentist Reviews Going Around DoctorBase discusses the disturbing trend circulating the dentist/doctor review sites: fake reviews. My advice: look up your name on Google, Yahoo, and Bing and look for reviews of any kind. If you can determine that a number of dentists have nearly identical reviews to your own – too identical to be a coincidence – get in touch with the company running the site. Collect as much evidence as you can, in particular you’ll want to provide them with the urls(website address) on which the identical reviews reside, and the text of the review. If the company running the website has any integrity and desires to stay in business, they’d be smart to address your concerns. At this point they can locate the ip of the offender’s computer and hopefully pull down the ads after they’ve determined them to be fraudulent.

…and there you have it. There’s a look at the top stories coming out of the Dental Blog Community this week. Look for a brand new list next week!

Are we missing anything?

Did you read an interesting dental-related blog post this past week? I certainly can’t hit on them all, so please share what you found in a comment below.

In fact, the reason I chose that title is because I found it rather fitting for a piece written by Reader’s Digest in the July issue. In that article, Reader’s Digest collected candid thoughts from 22 dentists around the country regarding what they truly think about when they examine your teeth. Some of their comments were really pretty surprising.

Here’s a few that I found especially interesting:

If your breath is bad, we won’t tell you unless you ask.
– Gary Herskovits, DDS, family dentist, Brooklyn, New York

Kids with dental problems often struggle in school. They’re distracted and easily agitated. Teachers will say they have behavior problems, but they really have toothaches.
– Winifred J. Booker, DDS

If you want to reduce the bad bacteria in your mouth, you should be all over xylitol [a sugar substitute found in chewing gum]. It changes the chemistry of your mouth. Six or seven pieces of xylitol gum every day will help keep cavities away.
– Chris Kammer, DDS

For a lot more of these dentist “confessions” you can find the original article entitled, “50 Dentist Secrets: DDMs Share Hygiene Advice on Teeth, Gums, & More,” on the Readers Digest website.

If I asked you what the number one chronic childhood disease is, what would you say? Asthma? Diabetes? Heart murmur? Sleep disorders? Hay fever? No. The correct answer is – tooth decay. In fact, tooth decay in children is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever (http://www.ada.org/public/manage/you/working_access_fact.pdf).

Our junk food culture, coupled with holidays that glorify sugar-filled candy(ie. Easter & Halloween) certainly contribute to the high incidence rate of childhood tooth decay. However, the public’s general lack of childhood oral care know-how is also to blame. Outside of the dentist’s office, where can you find preventative oral care advice geared towards children? The internet? Sure, but there is a relatively small number of reputable health information sites online, and even then the majority of the population can not identify them. School? Fat chance. Friends? Probably not. So, where should a person look for credible childhood oral care information?

Enter Oral-B Stages.

Oral-B Stages is a new childhood oral care initiative by Oral-B that:

…seeks to teach parents how to properly care for their child’s teeth right from the start, and ensure a lifetime of healthy, happy smiles(oralb.com).

The Stages

What’s unique about Oral-B Stages – just as the name implies – is its staging system. The stages are broken down according to a child’s age. The stages are as follows:

• 4 to 24 months
• 2 to 4 years
• 5 to 7 years
• 8+ years

For each stage, Oral-B has incorporated years of research into a number of helpful recommendations for optimally caring for your children’s teeth. For example, in stage 1(4 to 24 months), Oral-B recommends that you begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth comes in. At stage 2(2 to 4 years), it is recommended that you watch your children while they brush your teeth so you can help when their dexterity is limited – and so on.

Oral-B Stages Products

Beyond providing helpful information, Oral-B has also developed a dedicated product line for the Oral-B Stages initiative. These products are specifically designed to accommodate the unique needs of children in each stage. This includes special soft bristles, ergonomically-tailored handles, and age-appropriate themes. To learn more about Oral-B Stages products, visit the Oral-B website.

More Information

For more information about Oral-B stages please visit the Oral-B Kids Care Center. Finally,
I’ll leave you with a video featuring Dr. Laura Jana, M.D., author and founder of Practical Parenting Consulting, LLC, as she discusses with a group of bloggers the Stages program.

Your Thoughts

Has your family tried Oral-B stages products? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Please share.

10 Tips for Treating Toothaches

1. Take two Aspirin, Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen
Ibuprofin is best since it does a good job of reducing painful inflammation. However, be sure to read the instructions on the bottle for proper usage whichever you choose.

2. Use Antiseptic Rinse Regularly
Using Antiseptic rinse regularly and brushing 2-3 times per day will help to prevent future toothaches, and relieve minor toothaches in the process.

3. Chew a Clove of Garlic Every Morning
If you try this and loved ones suddenly begin avoiding you – don’t blame me.

4. Apply garlic and salt to the tooth
Mash a clove of garlic together with a pinch of rock salt and apply the paste to the site of the toothache. Garlic has allicin, a powerful antibacterial compound. This is thought to help stop the bacteria which cause toothache. (tip courtesty of ehow.com)

5. Put cold compress on side of cheek

6. Numb the affected tooth/teeth with a desensitizing agent
Orajel is perhaps the best known tooth-desensitizing agent. However, this remedy will not eliminate a toothache, just numb the area for temporary relief.

7. Chew on a Piece of Onion
Yes, I know this sounds almost as unpleasant, or perhaps more unpleasant to some of you than chewing on garlic cloves. However, onions are bactericidal, so they can kill off the bacteria causing your toothache.

8. Rinse your mouth with water
This can help to remove any food debris that may be aggravating your toothache.

9. Plug the tooth with gauze or wax
Plugging the affected tooth with gauze or wax can reduce it’s sensitivity to air or debris in your mouth. Again, not a cure, but it will help to reduce painful irritation.

10. Elevate your head
Elevating your head can reduce the pressure to the affected tooth and its surrounding area – thus reducing the pain you’re experiencing.

When to go to the dentist

If none of these remedies effectively eliminate your toothache, then it’s time to visit your dentist. A good rule of thumb is if the toothache is causing you to lose sleep or consume your attention throughout the day it’s time to see your dentist. Don’t assume that your toothache is no big deal and let it worsen. What you have could be a tooth abscess which needs to be treated right away to avoid the infection from spreading.

Your Top Toothache Remedies

How do you relieve your toothaches?

Additional Resources

The Doctors Book of Remedies

Toothache Tails

If you’re not sure how to answer this question, that’s OK. In fact, most of us don’t have a clue what our mouth says about us. However, WebMD.com has created a cool widget that tries to help you answer this question. They cleverly call this widget “Tooth or Consequences“.

How it Works

The concept is actually rather simple. You’re asked to respond to questions about a series of factors that may affect the healthiness of your mouth. For instance, they’ll ask you if you smoke, how often you go to the dentist, if you eat sweets, and so on. With each question, you’re visually reminded of the damage that’s being done to your teeth as a result of your habits on a big pair of virtual chompers.

Results

I was surprised to see that according to this widget my teeth should be pretty yellow based on my habits. Well, they aren’t thankfully. That goes to show that you should not rely on this little widget to assess your oral health condition. Only a trained dentist can do that. So, have fun, but don’t get bent out of shape if the big chompers turn brown on you.

Your Results

Were you surprised by your results?

1. 1800Dentist.com

1800dentist.com is probably the most well-known dental directory on the web. You’ve probably even seen a few of their commercials. I particularly like their service because they pre-screen dentists prior to placing them in their directory. This isn’t foolproof, but it is an added layer of protection that certainly doesn’t hurt.

2. Dentists.com

I was impressed by the number of results I received for dentists near me. In fact, Dentists.com returned 15 results for dentists within 10 miles of me. They’re not pre-screened, however.

3. Americasmiles.com

Americasmiles.com is not pretty, and not nearly as comprehensive as 1800dentist.com or Dentists.com, but I do like that it allows you to select a search radius. Not pre-screened.

4. Everydentist.com

Everydentist.com is on par with dentists.com in terms of the volume of search results you can expect. I particularly like that Everydentist.com allows searches by zip(with search radius), city, or dentist’s last name. Not pre-screened.

5. DentistDirectory.com

A search at DentistDirectory.com returned fairly comprehensive results – on par with Dentists.com and EveryDentist.com. I’m particularly impressed with how this dentist search engine tries to help you located dentists in your are that accept online appointment booking. Unfortunately, there were no dentists in my area currently doing this, but it’s a neat feature for the future. Not Pre-screened.

Google Test

Once you have found a handful of dentists in your area, I would first Google each of their names. This is a great way to filter out the “bad apples” right off the bat. If a particular dentist has some dirty laundry, it’s likely that someone has taken the time to write about it on the web. A quick Google search will uncover their dirty deeds.

Questions to Ask a New Dentist

For those dentists that have passed the Google check, there are a number of questions that I would ask each of them prior to making a selection. Tammy Davenport has put together a comprehensive list of questions to ask prior to selecting a new dentist. Of course, you will have to determine whether the prospective dentist answered the questions to your satisfaction, but this list will provide you with a great starting point in finding a great dentist near you.

How did you find your dentist?

Obviously searching online is not the only way to find a new dentist. I’m curious how you found yours? Please leave a comment and share with the rest of us.

The Links

1. The current condition of the U.S. Economy is hitting everyone hard, not just those of us living in the United States – as confirmed by the antics of a German dentist recently. According to telegraph.co.uk, a German dentist recently broke into a woman’s house, tied her hands, and forcibly removed bridges from her mouth that her insurance company refused to pay for. Read the full story.

2. A new handheld 3D-imaging technology, called iTero, is allowing Prosthodontists to offer virtual molding to their patients in lieu of the messy, bad-tasting mold material we’re used to. The 3-D technology is currently available in a number of states and is expected to expand in the near future.

3. Colgate has recently warned consumers of counterfeit toothpaste distributed under their name. The counterfeit toothpaste has been imported from South Africa, and contains a harmful ingredient known as diethylene glycol, a chemical found in antifreeze. Read more about Colgate’s warning.

1. DrChetan.com

Dr. Chetan’s blog is on my list because it’s a great starting point for anyone interested in learning more about dentistry as a science. Want to know what a “spillway space” is? How about a “permanent detention”? If you’re shaking your head “yes,” then you can find these answers and more at drchetan.com.

2. Blog.Teethremoval.com

Wisdom, the guy behind Blog.teethremoval.com has become a regular contributor at Dental Heroes, and we’re happy to add his blog to our list. I particularly like Wisdom’s blog because he has an uncanny ability to find great news stories that affect all of us. For example, he recently posted about the high levels of mercury in dental chairs. Who knew, right? I’m often left wondering where the heck he find all this great stuff. Visit him at blog.teethremoval.com

3. Dmdstudent.com

dmdstudent.com is a blog detailing the trials and tribulations of a dental student at the Temple University School of Dentistry. He’s quite verbose(in this case a good thing), so be sure you have some time to devote to reading. Check him out at dmdstudent.com

4. Wealthydentist.com

The Wealthy Dentist Blog provides a no BS perspective on successfully marketing your dental practice. This includes both online and offline marketing. You’ll learn how to develop strategic partnerships, how to properly layout a phone book ad, designing signage, website design, how to quadruple your patient referral rate, etc. A real wealth of information from a wealthy dentist. If you own a practice, you owe it to yourself to visit wealthydentist.com

5. Dentalinsider.wordpress.com

If you’re a dentist or just enjoy a blunt look at the world of dentistry, you’ll love this blog. DI, the guy behind dentalinsider provides a unique perspective on the “behind-the-scenes” dentistry news. For example, he’ll often discuss industry group meetings, corporate takeovers within the dental industry, product recalls, etc. I find dentalinsider to be a great way to stay up-to-date with the less publicized dental news. If you’d like to check it out, visit dentalinsider.wordpress.com

Your Favorite Dental Blogs

What would you add to my list? Give us the url and a description of the blog if you can.

Do-It-Yourself Dentistry, Al Bundy Style

If you’ve followed Dental Heroes for awhile now, you’ll probably remember the posts I wrote some time ago regarding do-it-yourself(DIY) dentistry. There was the post highlighting the DIY dentistry epidemic in Britain, and a disturbing video of a Serbian man having a tooth pulled out by one of his friends with a pair of pliers. In both cases, I concluded that DIY dentistry is not a good idea. In this video, Al Bundy, and his wife Peggy display the place DIY dentistry has in their household(good part starts about 3:30 in). Enjoy.

Your Take

Have you ever substituted a dental visit for the opinion of a friend or family member?

Those of you who selected a dentist based solely on your proximity to them, or based on who sent you the prettiest postcard in the mail can especially benefit from this post.

Positive Signs

The following are signs that the dentist you chose is a good one. Please note that these are generalizations, no a litmus test for determining the quality of a particular dentist.

• They are prevention-oriented
• Chart their findings in detail
• Clearly outlines maintenance and recall schedule
• Takes their time – paying close attention to detail – as opposed to a Henry Ford-style assembly line approach
• Clearly outlines treatment options and risks and benefits associated with each

Negative Signs

The following are signs that you may want to find another dentist – or forever hold your peace.

• Distributes flashy or flamboyant advertising
• Routinely use risky intravenous sedation
• Sell vitamins or other dietary supplements
• Automatically recommend replacement of amalgam fillings or removal of teeth that have root canals
• “Specialize” in treating headaches, backaches, myofascial pain, or TMJ problems
• Practice “holistic” or “biological” dentistry
• Attempt to diagnose diseases other than those of the mouth, gums, teeth, and associated tissues

Additional Selection Criteria

The Consumers Research Council of America has listed a number of tips for choosing the right dentist. Their first recommendation is ensuring that your dentist is properly qualified to be practicing dentistry:

…Make sure your new family dentist has completed the necessary requirements to be a dentist. For instance, dentists must be state licensed and recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). Also, their training must include three or more years of undergraduate school and an additional four years of dental training at a dental school.

These are the minimum requirements needed to obtain a dental degree. Make sure your dentist has completed these requirements, or begin looking elsewhere.

Ask Yourself These Questions

The Consumers Research Council of America has also assembled a series of questions to ask yourself after being treated by a dentist to judge their quality level.

• How does your bite feel?
• Is any of the dental work irritating your gum?
• Does the treated tooth look like a tooth?
• Does dental floss or your tongue catch on the tooth?
• Did the dentist take time to polish your fillings?
• Do you feel pain when drinking hot or cold liquids?
• Was any debris left in your mouth after treatment?
• Does the dentist use a water spray to cool your teeth while drilling?

Sources: Quack Watch

Your Thoughts

What are your measures for determining the quality of a dentist?

Just when I thought fluoride’s reputation couldn’t possibly take another hit, it gets hit with what could be a knockout blow. What sent fluoride possibly down for the count was the discovery by a Canadian Toxocologist that fluoride may indeed lower a person’s IQ! The Toxicologist, Dr. Vyvyan Howard was so convinced by the results of his study that he has joined the growing movement calling for an end to fluoride use in areas where it has been strategically introduced into the water supply.

The fluoride debate has picked up in recent years, as more and more evidence suggests that fluoride is toxic, and could be hurting us more than it helps. I think the mounting evidence is beginning to convince me. If you’ll remember back to the video I posted back in June(See video below) which featured a dentist speaking out against the use of fluoride, you’ll hear several compelling arguments.

Fluoride is Toxic

For example, the dentist in the video points out the fact that under the “drug facts” heading on the back of a tube of toothpaste you’ll probably notice fluoride is there. That’s not news. We know fluoride is a drug. What is interesting is that the tube of toothpaste probably also says to “contact poison control” if a large amount of toothpaste is swallowed. Hmmm. If the only drug in most toothpastes is fluoride, and we have to call poison control if swallowed, doesn’t that mean that the manufacturers of toothpaste are admitting that fluoride is a toxic substance?

Ok, so you’ve heard some of the other arguments made against fluoride in this video, but let’s get back to the IQ lowering properties of fluoride. In the study conducted by Dr. Howard, he found that:

Children’s IQ are likely to be lower in high natural water fluoride areas, said Howard. These studies are plausible because fluoride is known to affect the thyroid hormone which affects intelligence and fluoride is also a neurotoxicant.

Additionally, In 2006, the U.S. National Research Council’s (NRC) expert fluoride panel reviewed recent fluoride toxicology and concluded, “It’s apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain.”

Sadly, recent surveys have confirmed that most dental professionals are unaware of the negative effects that fluoride can have on the brain. Apparently, the anti-fluoride campaign has some work to do yet, but it appears as if the mounting evidence may begin to convince even the most stubborn dentists that fluoride has to go.

Source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080814_flouride_lower_iq_study.htm

To Fluoride or Not to Fluoride?

What do you think of fluoride? Should it stay, or should it go?

Study Results

The study, conducted between 2004 and 2006, determined that Australians from poorer suburbs were twice as likely to have 21 teeth or fewer. Twenty-one teeth is considered the bare minimum necessary. The study also found that those utilizing concession cards(Australian version of food stamps) were 4 times more likely to have fewer than 21 teeth.

Who’s to blame

Experts fault the inefficiencies in the Australian Public Health System for the problem. Specifically, they point to the out-of-control waiting lists many poor people are stuck on to see a public dentist.

Just to put into perspective how bad the waiting lists are for poor Australians, check out what the acting Health Minister, Jay Wetherill, had to say:

… we’ve reduced waiting lists from 49 months for treatment in 2002 to 19 months now. And we aim to reduce that to 11 months next year,” he said.

Solution: More Funding

This problem, as you probably know, is not unique to Australia. Britain is also experiencing widespread oral health issues due to the inefficiencies of their public health system. The solution many have proposed to remedy the situation is typical: just throw more money at it. Well, I’m a firm believer that throwing money at a problem time and time again will not produce different results than the first time you threw money at it. Therefore, the system needs to be overhauled. It’s pretty apparent to me that socialized medicine is not working in the majority of the places it’s operating. Privatization has to be an option on the table.

Question of the Day

What solution would you propose for improving the oral health of the poor?

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24139795-421,00.html

At least that’s the claim made by Brooklyn dentist, Mohinder Mayell. The superhuman dentist even claimed to accomplish this feat in one dental visit – between 1 and 2 hours in fact.

There’s only a couple problems with Mayell’s story. The first problem is that it’s virtually impossible for any dentist to complete 52 fillings in “an hour or two,” says an unidentified dental professor at the University of Buffalo. Further casting doubt on Mayell’s claim is the fact that the typical human mouth only has about 32 teeth in it. So, the idea that a dentist could fill 52 teeth is pretty hard to swallow.

“In addition to uncovering the 52-filling claim, auditors found 96 other instances in which Mayell claimed to have provided Medicaid recipients with 24 or more fillings in a single visit, said New York state Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli. In all, DiNapoli believes Mayell has defrauded the Medicaid Program of more than $124,000.

DiNapoli’s office recommended that $46,000 in pending reimbursements not be paid, $78,000 in prior reimbursements be recovered from the doctor, his other claims not reviewed during the audit be examined and that he be kicked out of the Medicaid program.

Sadly, the health department didn’t initially catch the absurd charges – suggesting that Medicaid fraud may be more prevalent than we think. However, I think they’re is already plenty of evidence to suggest that.

Give us your thoughts

This Medicaid fraud story is pretty bad, but some of you have probably heard of worse. If you have, please share it with us.

-Source: Cosmo’s Blog

Free Axis Dental Samples

This week, the professional dental product samples are provided by Axis Dental. They’re actually offering dental professionals some really cool samples. Axis is currently allowing you to choose a sample from the following: NTI® Diamonds, CeraGlaze® Polishers, NTI® T&F Carbides, Universal Cutters and NTI® Diamond Discs.

To request your free sample of Axis Dental Products, visit their free samples page.

Why have gold prices risen so much

Why? Well, that has been debated by economists because it really transcends the law of supply and demand. The demand for gold has actually dropped as the U.S. economy has slowed in recent months. According to Slate.com, the reason for the increase in price of gold is primarily the result of speculation.

While consumers are reacting to expensive gold by demanding less of it and recycling more, investors are reacting by bidding up the price further…

What do rising gold prices mean at the dentist’s office

This is probably pretty office, but you can expect your fees for fillings, crowns, or other dental work requiring precious metals to take a sizable bite out of your pocketbook. For example, in an article I read in the Houston Chronicle, Dr. Frank Incrapera said, “A gold crown that would have cost $600 three years ago can cost as much as $1,000 today, said Houston dentist Dr. Frank Incrapera.” Ouch! It’s important to note that dentists aren’t inflating the prices of these precious metals, they’re simply passing on the increase in acquisition costs to you, the consumer.

How to avoid paying top dollar for gold dental work

Simple. Don’t buy gold crowns or fillings if you want to avoid paying an arm and a leg. You can opt for porcelain materials, but most dentists will still use some gold underneath the porcelain crowns. So, it’ll be tough to completely avoid gold, but you can reduce your cost significantly by using other materials.

How do you reduce expenses at the dentist

Do you have any specific methods for reducing expenses at your dentist?

Every Monday, I’ll be posting a dental-related video to get the week started on the right foot. My goal is not to make us thing too hard by reading a long article. Hey, it’s Monday! Anyway, the video topics will range from dental procedures to dental care tips, and even some funny clips to lighten the mood a little.

Bohemian Rhapsody Parody

Tonight’s video is a hilarious parody of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Many of you are familiar with the Queen song, but a parody crew by the name of The Madow Group has produces a hilarious look at the life of a dentist in a little video they call “Bohemian Dental Rhapsody”. Enjoy.

What did you think?

As I was watching this video, I was wondering if some people watching it, mainly dentists or other dental professionals, would find it offensive. However, I think we’re all intelligent enough to see the parody. Am I wrong?

If you’ve been following the Dental Heroes blog for a while now, you’ve probably noticed my freestyle approach to topic selection. Up to this point, I’ve been writing about anything related to dental care that’s on my mind at the time – with little direction. To be honest, I hate that I haven’t been more organized with my articles-writing. Unfortunately, this will only become more important as this blog continues to grow.

So, what am I going to do about it? Well, I’ve decided to begin writing a series each day of the week, with the next part in the series falling on the corresponding day each following week. For example, Tuesdays are going to be “Site of the week” days. Each Tuesday hereafter will also be “Site of the week” days. This way, you’ll hopefully continue to come back for the next part of each series. In any event, I think this new method of organization(hopefully not madness) will become clear within the coming weeks. If it ends up not working out, then I’ll just go back to the freestyle approach.

Site of the Week

So, without further ado, let’s get to the first new series: “Site of the week,” which will appear each Tuesday. The “Site of the week” Series is meant to highlight one dental-related site each week that I find will be of particular interest to you. The sky is the limit here. One week I might feature a specific dental organization website, and the Ripley’s Believe it or Not wacky dental facts website the next.

Week 1: Dental Watch

The inaugural site of the week honor goes to a really cool site called “Dental Watch“. I would liken Dental Watch to the watchdog of the Dental Industry. Dental Watch’s mission is to monitor the Dental Industry with regards to the following areas:

• Investigating questionable claims
• Answering inquiries about products and services
• Advising quackery victims
• Distributing reliable publications
• Debunking pseudoscientific claims
• Reporting illegal marketing
• Assisting or generating consumer-protection lawsuits
• Improving the quality of dental health information on the Internet
• Attacking misleading advertising on the Internet

As you can imagine, doing all of these things is no small task, so Dental Watch has assigned three dentists, Stephen Barrett, MD; Robert Baratz, MD, DDS; and John Dodes, DDS, the duty of operating the site.

Answers Important Dental Questions

Dental Watch is dedicated to providing consumers with the tools they need to make intelligent, informed decisions when it comes to dental care. One way Dental Watch does this is by providing factual information about such topics as: finding a dentist, caring for your teeth, and fighting gum disease.

Questionable Practices

Have a question about a particular dental practice, or trend within the Dental Industry? Dental Watch provides information about practices they consider questionable – meaning they can’t validate the effectiveness or safety of that particular practice. If you’re unsure of a practice you’ve hear about, check here first.

Disciplinary Actions

Want to know about disgraced dentists and their misdeeds? Of course you do. We all love gossip, right? Check out the “disciplinary actions” section for all the dirt you can feast your eyes on.

Stay Informed About Heated Issues

Probably my favorite feature on the Dental Watch website is their collection of links dedicated to providing factual information about issues that are hotly contested within the dental industry, such as: amalgam and fluoridation. This is a great aggregation of relevant information regarding these issues and others as well. Can’t decide which side of a debate you fall on? This is a great place to become educated, and make a decision.

Consumer Protection

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the general ignorance consumers have when it comes to their rights. This transcends dental care as well. Most people simply don’t know where to turn if they have a complaint they want to file against a particular dentist, or dental organization. Good News! Dental Watch discussed the proper way to file complaints, and provides links to state licensing boards where you can validate the legitimacy of your dentists license.

Final Thoughts

As with any industry, not everyone has your best interests in mind. The Dental Industry is no exception. To avoid these bad apples, arming yourself with the consumer-conscious information provided by Dental Watch is a great start!

With the Little League baseball season in full-swing, I thought it would be prudent to provide you with some tips for handling knocked out teeth – God forbid this should happen to your child. But, really these tips apply to anyone with freshly knocked-out teeth.

The Essentials

If you take away anything from this post, it’s this: the longer a permanent tooth is out of the tooth socket, the less chance that tooth will survive. Experts predict that you have approximately 15-30 minutes before the tooth begins to slowly die. So, the idea is to place the knocked-out permanent tooth back into the tooth socket and call a dentist as soon as possible for the best possible chances of saving the tooth. According to Colgate.com:

When a tooth has been knocked out, the nerves, blood vessels and supporting tissues are damaged, too. The nerves and blood vessels can’t be repaired, but if your dentist can put the tooth back in place within an hour after it was knocked out, there’s a good chance that the supporting tissues will reattach and hold the tooth in place.

First Aid for Permanent Teeth

• Handle the tooth by the crown not the root.
• Gently rinse the tooth in milk or normal saline solution if it has debris on it.
• Replace the tooth in its socket, make sure it is facing the right way around.
• Once the tooth is in the socket, try to keep it as moist as possible -Saliva is best.
• Hold the tooth in place with some foil or by getting the injured to gently bite on a handkerchief.
• Contact your dentist immediately.

What if you can’t put the tooth back into the tooth socket

• Wrap it in glad wrap or store it in milk or normal saline solution.
• Contact your dentist immediately.

What not to do

• Do not try to clean the tooth with vigorous scrubbing or cleaning agents.
• Do not wait to contact a dentist. This is critical.

Special Thanks

Thanks goes to Better Health Channel for these great tips for treating a knocked-out tooth. For additional tips, please visit their website.

Before we get to Tammy’s list, it’s important to define just what a cavity is. In simple terms, a cavity is the erosion of tooth enamel due to the synergistic effects of sugars/starches combining with the plaque covering our teeth. It is the acids that are produced by this synergistic effect that erodes our tooth enamel.

So, how do we prevent these nasty cavities from forming?

1. Brush your Teeth

Brush your teeth at least twice daily with a toothpaste containing flouride. You may be saying, “Duh”. However, it still amazes me how many people simply don’t brush their teeth twice per day.

2. Floss Daily

I hate it. Many of you hate it. However, flossing, or using another type of interdental cleaners is a must for cleaning out food particles stuck between your teeth. If these food particles are not removed, the sugars and starches from these particles combine with your plaque to create cavities.

3. Eat Healthy

I know, I know. This is no fun. However, eating foods low in starch and sugar is helpful in the counterattack against cavities. Besides, eating healthy has obvious benefits beyond the prevention of cavities, so it’s just a good idea.

4. Visit your Dentist

Many experts recommend visiting your dentist twice per year assuming you have good oral health. If your oral health is less than good you may have to visit the dentist more often. The important thing to note here is that dentists have specialized equipment such as x-rays that can help to indicate problems with your teeth prior to an actual cavity developing. Additionally, regular cleanings at the dentist are an important cavity prevention measure as well.

5. Place Sealants

Have dentists apply sealants to the protect your teeth from bacteria and plaque. Sealants are most often applied to newly growing permenant teeth in children, but Davenport advocates sealants for adults as well.

Diligently follow these 5 cavity-reducing tips and kiss the thought of future fillings goodbye.

What do you think?

Do you have any additional suggestions for reducing the occurrence of cavities?

Brushing your teeth is an important part of keeping your mouth healthy, right? Well, it depends.
It’s generally accepted within the dental community that brushing 2-3 times each day is the optimal amount of toothbrushing for reducing plaque, keeping gums healthy, etc. However, more and more dentists across the United States and several other countries are noticing a disturbing trend appropriately known as “over-brushing”.

Signs of Over-Brushing

According to a Huffington Post article, by Suzette Standring, the trend has been present for the past few decades, and is now at an all-time high. Dr. Valdemar Welz, a Boston dentist who has run his own practice for over 30 years, says “Everybody is seeing it in their practice.” The signs of over rushing are not difficult to spot. Dr. Welz says that the 2 most common indicators of over-brushing are: heightened tooth sensitivity and tooth enamel damage.

It’s Not the Toothbrushes’ Fault

You may be wondering what causes the nasty effects produced by over brushing. Well, contrary to what some of you may be thinking, it’s not the toothbrush causing the heightened sensitivity and reduction in tooth enamel. Blame it on the toothpaste. Dentists speculate that the tooth-whitening craze in recent years has spawned a great number of abrasive toothpastes on the market. Dental product companies are engaged in a cutthroat battle for tooth whitening toothpaste supremacy. As a result, some harsh and unsafe products are flooding the market. The effects of harsh toothpaste are compounded by the excessive amount of toothpaste and vigorous brushing habits of the average brusher.

Don’t be a Victim of Over Brushing

Thankfully, avoiding over-brushing is not difficult. A little common sense goes a long way in this case. The first recommendation I have is to heed your dentist’s advice first and foremost. If your dentist recommends you brush 3 times per day, brush 3 times per day. Secondly, do not use excessive amounts of toothpaste. Most dental professionals recommend using only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with each brushing. That’s all that’s needed to do the trick. Finally, for all you powerbrushers out there, slow down and be gentle(but not too gentle). Too much pressure is never good, but you also want to make sure you’re really brushing the teeth, gums, and tongue adequately.

While it seems counter-intuitive when dentists preach moderation when it comes to brushing your teeth, the disturbing trend of over brushing is very real. The consequences can be a nuisance at best: heightened sensitivity and eroded tooth enamel. Not fun at all – and could potentially lead to further oral problems. So, if you’re experiencing either of these conditions, check with your dentist as soon as possible to rule out more serious oral health problems.

Further Over-Brushing Resources

For further information regarding “over-brushing”, you may want to check out Suzette Standrings article in the Huffington Post, “Too Much Toothpaste Damages Teeth“. CBS5.com also published an informative news segment on “over brushing“. Finally, if you have more questions about brushing, we advise that you ask a professional dentist in Toronto for more information!

The result is something that you might find in a horror movie. One man interviewed by the New York Times described seeing several people nursing bleeding gums while they waited in line to enlist with a public dentist. What’s truly horrifying is that their bleeding gums was the result of DIY tooth extractions!

“I snapped it out myself,” said William Kelly, 43, describing his most recent dental procedure, the autoextraction of one of his upper teeth.

The New York Times also reports that the number of public dentists operating in Britain is declining at an astonishing rate due to what they call “the assembly-line nature of the job and by a new contract that pays them to perform a set number of “units of dental activity” per year.”

Ok, but British citizens can still go to private dentist, right? Yes, and no. Sure people have the option of attending a private dentist, but many people can’t afford to. Therefore, they either must travel abroad to countries with less expensive dental care, or perform DIY dentistry.

I can’t help but wonder how the socialized healthcare systems proposed by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would compare?

By the way, if you haven’t watched the MadTV comedy sketch I posted last week, Dentist-In-A-Box, be sure to check it out. Sounds like the British could use a product like this.

David Jackman, of the Bishop’s Stortford Citizen, reports:

“Smile and Wellbeing Dental Care, in South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, is claiming a first’ for the area after patient Leslie Mason had two teeth and roots removed, without any pain-killing drugs.”

Dr. Bhavin Bhatt, the dentist present during this hypnosis session claims that hypnosis is a great solution for people who are nervous about having pain-killing drugs administered to them. I have to wonder how a nervous person would fair any better under hypnosis – a phenomenon that still has a great deal of skeptics – me included.

However, doctor Bhatt claims that hypnotic therapy is gaining momentum in the dental world, and based on what I’ve read for some time now, he’s right. As with many areas of our lives these days, people are seeking alternatives to traditional ways of thinking – this includes the use of drug treatments.

The vast majority of patients who have undergone hypnosis at the dentist’s office are reporting little or no pain at all. Just a slight “twinge,” says one patient. The results are undeniably positive, but you won’t see me undergoing hypnosis the next time I need some dental work done. I’m opting for the more tried-and-true methods.

- Source: http://www.guardian-series.co.uk

For an inside look at hypnotherapy at the dentist’s office, this video provides a great first-hand account:

What about you? Will you give hypnotic therapy a try the next time you have dental work done?

Nitrous oxide is a disassociative drug that can cause analgesia, depersonalization, dizziness, euphoria, sound distortion, and slight hallucinations

Aside from the euphoric capabilities, this sounds like nasty stuff right? Well, don’t tell that to these dental students who show us in these Youtube videos how they spend their time in dental school.

• Ask family, friends, neighbors or co-workers for recommendations.
• Ask your family physician or local pharmacist.
• If you’re moving, your current dentist may be able to make a recommendation.
• Call or write your local or state dental society. Your local and state dental societies also may be listed in the telephone directory under “dentists” or “associations.”
• Use ADA.org’s ADA Member Directory to search for dentists in your area.

Questions to Ask Prospective Dentist
Once you have found a dentist you believe you can trust and develop a good relationship with, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the appointment schedule convenient for you?
• Is the office easy to get to from your home or job?
• Does the office appear to be clean, neat and orderly?
• Does the dentist explain techniques that will help you prevent dental health problems? Is dental health instruction provided?

For the remainder of the list please visit the ADA Website.

Some of these questions can’t be answered before visiting the prospective dentist for a check-up, Consider it a trial run, then answer the questions. If your answers are not satisfactory to you, keep looking for another dentist until they are satisfactory. Remember that your dentist is your partner in helping to maintain great oral health, so choose wisely.

Disclaimer
I probably should have created a category entitled “Really Funny, But Don’t Try This at Home” for this video. But, for obvious reasons I refrained. That being said, kids(and certain adults) please don’t take this video too seriously or try anything you see here at home.

I think Bill portrays his dismay with this very thing quite well as the dentist asks Bill about his vacation plans:

Dentist:”So where do you u usual go?”
Cosby: (GARGLE)
Dentist:”Yes, ive been there many times myself”

How many times have you had this happen to you? My guess is just about every time you visit the dentist if you’re anything like me.

So, without further ado, let’s watch “Bill Cosby at the Dentist”