Jared Kaltwasser

Being a dentist is one job you can do anywhere 

— everyone needs a dentist, after all. For many, that wide-openness also brings a challenge: Where should I actually live? 

 recently endeavored to create an exhaustive — and I 

mean exhaustive — ranking of America’s small cities. For their purposes, “small” cities are those with populations of between 25,000 and 100,000. After compiling a list of 1,268 such cities, the site used a total of 22 metrics, ranging from housing costs, to school quality, to coffee shops per capita, in order to rank the cities.

Coming in the very last place was Bell, CA, a city known to many for the corruption scandal that shocked many in California and beyond. In fact, California in general didn’t fare so well. The bottom 23 cities on the list were in California, although that may have a lot to do with the facts that a) California has many small cities; and b) It’s an expensive place to live.

Aside from that, it’s difficult to draw too many trends. If you’re interested in your own city, you can use the chart below to find it. In the meantime, we’ve pulled out the nine “best” cities, according to the list. They’re presented along with the city’s population, median household income, affordability rank, and quality of life rank (the latter two metrics are out of 1,268).

Articles

Dentists have a wide range of geographic freedom. So where's the best place to live and work?

America's Best Small Cities

[<a href="//storify.com/dentistsmoney/the-dmd-top-5-for-the-week-ending-jan-8" target="_blank">View the story "The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Jan. 8" on Storify</a>]

These five stories were DMD's most popular over the past week. 

The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Jan. 8

The US Surgeon General is fighting back against criticism of community water fluoridation, calling the practice one of the most successful — and equitable – public health initiatives in the nation’s history.

In a YouTube video posted late last month 

, Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, said community fluoridation is responsible for a dramatic decline in the prevalence and severity of tooth decay in the United States.

He said one of the virtues of fluoridation is that its benefits cross all socioeconomic lines.

“Water fluoridation is the best method for delivering fluoride to all members of the community regardless of age, education, income level, or access to routine dental care,” he said.

The statement comes as water fluoridation is under fire by some groups who argue the additive is unnecessary and potentially harmful. A recent 

 suggested fluoride might be linked to hypothyroidism, and in April, the US Department of Health and Human Services 

 for how much fluoride should be in drinking water. The new guidelines say the optimal fluoride level is 0.7 parts per million. The previous guideline was 0.7-1.2 ppm. The agency said the change was designed to reduce cases of fluorosis found in areas with higher levels of fluoride.

Still, the government says fluoride’s benefits far outweigh its risks, a position echoed by the dental industry.

In a letter thanking Murthy for his statement, American Dental Association President Carol Gomez Summerhays, DDS, and Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, DMD, MPH, cited studies showing fluoridation prevents 25% of tooth decay cases in children and adults.

“The preponderance of credible scientific evidence supports the continued safety and effectiveness of community water fluoridation,” Summerhays and O’Loughlin wrote. “We are pleased to be working with you and others in the public health community to expand the practice.”

The ADA says about 75% of the US population drinks optimally fluorided water. 

Water fluoridation has become controversial in some communities, but the US Surgeon General says the practice is one of the nation's great public health successes.

Surgeon General Issues Statement on Water Fluoridation

A new orthodontic residency program opening next year says it will offer an “innovative approach” to clinical learning.

The Georgia School of Orthodontics, in Atlanta, anticipates enrolling its first class in the fall of 2016. The three-year residency program is open to dentists from across the US, but one of its goals is addressing the lagging number of minority orthodontic students in the state.

“Along with meeting the critical needs of the underserved population in Georgia, GSO is investing in being part of the solution to the state lagging behind the national average for minority orthodontic students by offering generous scholarships for qualified underrepresented minority residents,” said Pramod Sinha, DDS, MS, the program director for GSO.

The broader goal is to increase access to orthodontic care in the Atlanta region. The school will open a clinic in April 2016 that will provide orthodontic care at approximately half the cost of private practice care. Payment plans will also be available. The plan is to open a number of strategically located clinics throughout the area by the school’s second year.

Officials said in a press release that they expect to have a $25 million impact on the local economy once the school is fully operational. They hope to provide approximately $11.6 million worth of medical cost savings to local residents each year.

“Dental braces provide much more than simply a smile,” said Randy L. Kluender, DDS, the chairman of GSO’s board. “Orthodontic care provides straight teeth, healthier jaws and teeth, improves pronunciation and speech, and enhances one’s self-esteem.”

For more information on the school, visit 

A school of dentistry slated to open next fall will focus on providing care to Atlanta-area residents at roughly half the cost of private practice care. 

New Orthodontics School Aims to Serve Atlanta's Underserved Populations

We may be in the Season of Santa, but a new survey shows the Jolly St. Nick has some steep competition when it comes to childhood characters.

Delta Dental asked 1,325 parents with children age 12 and under about which characters their children still believe in. Santa came in first place, with 66% of parents saying they have a child who still believes in Santa Claus.

Close behind, however, was the Tooth Fairy, with 64% of children maintaining faith in the cash-for-teeth scenario.

The Easter Bunny was back a bit, with only 48% of children believing the bunny story. The survey also asked if children believe in Uncle Sam and found 11% of parents have children who think the patriotic symbol is real.

All of this is good fun, of course. But Delta Dental is using the survey for a decidedly more serious purpose — to raise awareness about the dangers of overdoing it on sugary holiday treats.

“No one wants to be the Grinch about enjoying all the special experiences of the holidays, particularly the tasty treats that are usually around,” said Bill Kohn, DDS, the vice president for dental science and policy at the Delta Dental Plans Association. “Try to enjoy in moderation, and if you find yourself or your children overindulging, perhaps spend some extra time flossing and brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.”

The association also recommends limiting candy canes to one per day, sticking to small servings of sugary drinks like eggnog and hot chocolate, and avoiding — if possible – caramels.

Of course, passing those recommendations along to your patients is one thing. Getting them to actually 

 to those recommendations is another thing entirely. But with the right tone and information, hopefully patient compliance will prove a little more realistic than certain holiday characters.

Poll: Tooth Fairy Ranks Right Up There With Santa

[<a href="//storify.com/dentistsmoney/the-dmd-top-5-for-the-week" target="_blank">View the story "The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Dec. 18" on Storify</a>]

Here's a look at the five most popular stories on PMD for the week ending Dec. 18.

The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Dec. 18

An Internet company that says it can bring price transparency to the dental industry has launched in the Philadelphia market.

, a startup based just outside of Philadelphia, says its service can reduce patients’ dental bills by up to 40% while also helping dentists by bringing in more fee-for-service patients and helping dentists charge higher prices in areas where the practice has specific expertise.

“We believe WhyPayMore Dental will transform the way consumers approach their dental health by empowering them to make educated healthcare decisions and providing a forum for them to choose a dentist that best fits their needs,” said Andy McKinley, the company’s president, in a press release.

The service isn’t the first to leverage online search and rating capabilities to help consumers shop for dental care. However, the company believes its pricing transparency tool could mark a major shift in the industry.

Dentists can sign up to be listed on WhyPayMore’s database. If they do, users can search by ZIP code and procedure to find rates, contact information, and user ratings. Insurers are listed, but dentists’ pages also include pre-negotiated prices for self-pay patients. Would-be patients can also see available appointment times and request appointments.

The service is free for consumers. According to the site, dentists pay a fee when patients express interest in their practice, but pay nothing simply to be listed.

In their press release, the company cited research from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research which showed 20% of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have skipped dental check-ups for the past five years due to a lack of cost awareness.

Dental 'Price Transparency' Website Launches in Philadelphia

[<a href="//storify.com/dentistsmoney/the-dmd-top-5-for-the-week-ending-dec-11" target="_blank">View the story "The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Dec. 11" on Storify</a>]

Here's a look at the five most popular stories on Dentist's Money Digest for the week that ended Dec. 11.

The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending Dec. 11

Halloween gets all the headlines when it comes to seasonal sugar highs, but it turns out the winter holiday season may be just as bad for Americans’ teeth.

A survey from Delta Dental Plans Association finds 72% of American adults consume sugar-laden holiday drinks like the ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte and caramel apple ciders in the weeks leading up to the holidays. A whopping 39% of those sugary-drink-lovers say they have such a beverage at least once a week.

That’s bad news when it comes to sugar.

A tall (12 oz.) Starbucks pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream contains 39 grams of sugar. The latest recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration advise Americans to limit daily sugar intake to 50 grams. That means patrons who upgrade to a grande (16 oz.) PSL would have their fill of sugar in just one drink.

Starbucks’ caramel apple spice drink is even worse. A tall version with whipped cream comes with 53 grams of sugar.

Bill Kohn, DDS, the Delta Denta’s vice president of dental science and policy, warns holiday revelers to remember their teeth when they’re drinking their favorite holiday treats.

“Keep in mind much of the sweet taste does come from sugar and we want to remind people that a few quick steps can help protect their teeth and their oral health,” he said.

He suggests dentists advise patients to consider decreasing the number of “pumps” of flavoring or syrup in their drinks. One pump is about one teaspoon’s worth of sugar.

Patients should also drink sugary drinks with a meal, rather than alone, and follow up their sugary beverages with a glass of water and a brushing of their teeth. Gum can also help stop sugar from clinging to the mouth — provided the gum is sugar-free.

Aside from confirming the popularity of pumpkin spice lattes, the survey also found that many parents might be engaging in a bit of sugar-fueled hypocrisy. While most parents tell their kids to limit candy on Halloween, the survey found parents are much more likely than childless people to drink sugary holiday drinks at least once a week (53% versus 33%).  

Halloween gets all the headlines when it comes to seasonal sugar highs, but it turns out the winter holiday season may be just as bad for Americans' teeth.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes Pose a Sugary Problem for Dentists

A new coalition believes it can make cavities a thing of the past.

The American Public Health Association this month launched the Canada-United States chapter of The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future. The alliance’s goal is that children born in 2026 and beyond will be able to live a life without cavities. The alliance is sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive.

“Too often, we accept the occurrence of cavities as the status quo,” said Margherita Fontana, DDS, PhD, co-chair of the chapter and a professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. “We know caries management is achievable by utilizing evidence-based approaches to reverse, stop, and prevent tooth decay, and by establishing interprofessional partnerships that can help reduce disparities in certain populations of children.”

According to the World Health Organization, 60-90% of school children and virtually all adults have tooth decay. The National Children’s Oral Health Foundation finds that Canadian school children miss 2.26 million school days each year due to dental-related illness, and the National Maternal and Child Health Policy Center says children are five times more likely to visit an emergency department with dental problems than with asthma complications. One major reason for those ER visits, the center found, is a lack of dental insurance and routine dental care.

The Alliance will begin its task by attempting to foster increased inter-professional collaboration, and by asking more providers to hammer home the message that regular brushing and fluoride use can reduce tooth decay.

“Collaboration is essential for comprehensive prevention and management of caries in both Canada and the US,” said Alyssa Hayes, BDen, MSc, FRCD, alliance co-chair and assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan. “We need to commit to developing systems at various jurisdictional levels which encourage the policy makers and all health professionals to work together in addressing this disease.” 

The American Public Health Association this month launched the Canada-United States chapter of The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future. The alliance's goal is that children born in 2026 and beyond will be able to live a life without cavities. 