Sarah Handzel, BSN, RN

In time for National Children’s Dental Health Month, the 

Journal of the American Dental Association

 (JADA) has released a report showing how dental benefits play a significant role in meeting the dental care needs of children across the country, including regular check-ups and treatments.

, JADA emphasized children who were enrolled in private or public dental care plans were much more likely to receive needed dental care compared to children without such insurance coverage.

The authors of the study used National Health Interview Surveys from 1997 through 2014 to collect data, examining records from more than 65,000 patients. Data was collected on a variety of factors, including dental visits, unmet dental needs, and type of insurance held by children aged two to 17, including private, Medicaid or public, or other and uninsured. Children with unmet dental needs were defined as those who did not receive needed dental care within the past year due to financial reasons.

JADA also showed that the number of children who were uninsured fell by 58 percent during the study period, and that there was a substantial shift in insurance coverage from private to public. The study authors said in the report that “The shift toward use of public insurance along with a significant association between unmet needs and dental visits support the effectiveness of publicly funded programs in facilitating the use of dental services in the United States."

In defining how dental needs are met, the authors of the report looked at the regularity of dental visits and patients having access to dental care. They identified several barriers to receiving dental care, including socioeconomic status, beliefs about dental care, and the accessibility of dental providers.

Factors that enabled children to receive adequate care included level of education, household income, and dental insurance coverage.

"If an imbalance exists between barriers and enabling factors, a patient may have a higher chance of having unmet dental needs because of cost, which leads to delayed diagnosis of issues, more complex treatment, and ultimately increased burden on public health systems," the authors 

Articles

A new study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association highlights how access to dental insurance affects the likelihood of a child receiving dental care. Researchers looked at frequency of dental care visits to determine if a child's oral-health needs were being met. Children with unmet dental needs were defined as those who did not receive needed dental care within the past year due to financial reasons.

New Study Shows Dental Benefits Influence Children's Dental Needs

 was recently rejected by the North Dakota House of Representatives. The bill would have allowed dental therapists to become licensed in the state and treat patients under the supervision of a practicing dentist.

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If the bill had passed, dental therapists would have been required to graduate from an accredited dental therapy education program and pass standard examinations administered by North Dakota’s dental board. Additionally, it would have been necessary for dental therapists to complete at least 500 hours of clinical practice under the supervision of a dentist.

The bill would have granted dental therapists the authority to perform a number of dental procedures under the supervision of a dentist, including but not limited to:

·       Evaluation and assessment of dental disease and formulation of an individualized treatment plan,

·       Administration of non-narcotic pain medications, anti-inflammatory medications, and antibiotics,

·       Preparation and placement of certain types of crowns,

·       Preparation and placement of direct restorations,

·       Suturing and suture removal, and

·       Administration of nitrous oxide analgesia and local anesthetics.

joint policy brief released by The Heartland Institute and the Texas Public Policy Foundation

 emphasized the need for dental therapists in North Dakota. According to the brief, nearly 10% of the state’s population, almost 66,663 people, live in 35 identified areas in which there are shortages of dental health professionals. The brief also noted that 72% of children enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program did not receive any preventative dental care, even though they were eligible. According to the authors of the brief, dental therapists could have helped to alleviate these and other problems facing the state’s dentists.

While the role of dental therapists has expanded in Maine, Minnesota, and Vermont, there is still strong opposition to increasing the scope of practice for these dental professionals. The American Dental Association 

 to dental therapists performing surgical procedures, while still acknowledging the difficulties people in dental professional shortage areas face when trying to obtain needed dental treatments and services.

House Bill 1256 was recently rejected by the North Dakota House of Representatives. The bill would have allowed dental therapists to become licensed in the state and treat patients under the supervision of a practicing dentist.

Dental Therapist Bill Struck Down in North Dakota

Unfortunately, many marketing providers are using their dental clients’ lack of understanding to create demand for services that are ineffective, over-priced, and flat-out unethical. If you’re looking for ways to increase your marketing efforts in the new year, keep these pitfalls in mind as you explore your options.

You probably get a lot of emails about SEO and your website. Most of these emails are autogenerated spam that make it sound like a company has evaluated your website and found it lacking in SEO optimization.

But when you look closer, does the email you received contain any specific information about your website? Does it contain lots of vaguely worded blanket statements, like “Your website is not compatible with all mobile devices,” or, “You have bad back links on your website”?

These types of statements are red flags that you’re being scammed. Often, the email also doesn’t contain any information about the company that supposedly evaluated your website.

Google gives our company special treatment

A company will tell you they have a special relationship with Google. They might claim they can easily get your practice a number one ranking on Google search, or they can get you special pricing on Google pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns.

You might also see companies claiming to be Google partners in this type of scam, which entitles them to charge more, etc. While there is such a thing as being a Google partner, it simply means that a company has become certified with Google in some aspect of SEO or PPC. It doesn’t give them any special privileges or other advantages, and it certainly doesn’t entitle them to charge you more.

If you buy our advertising package, we’ll get your negative reviews removed

This is totally unethical. The company will promise to remove all negative reviews of you and your practice, and they’ll also make your positive reviews show up more in Google search. There’s just one catch…you have to buy their advertising package first.

Any reputable marketing agency will not let revenue gained from advertising influence the quality of the services they offer. If a company makes you choose this type of offer, skip it.

Your domain is set to expire and must be renewed

Many of these types of email scams look official — they might even have the word “domains” in the company name. Often, there will be a form included that asks for information about your domain, requests your approval to renew it, and asks for a form of payment for services.

If you think this is a scam, you can verify the domain registrar by doing a WHOIS lookup. Most domain registrars are included in the 

. Verifying the legitimacy of the company sending you this notification can help you avoid giving your hard-earned dollars to a scammer.

Due to the increased competition within the dental industry, some marketing companies are offering whatever services they think they can get away with—as long as they get a piece of your budget in the process.

4 Dental Marketing Scams to Avoid

Researchers at the University of Alabama (UAB) at Birmingham School of Dentistry are perfecting a new technique that could replace the traditional “drill-and-fill” method of dealing with dental caries. The new treatment, called resin infiltration, is being tested in a clinical trial and is already showing great promise.

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Resin infiltration is already FDA-approved and is commercially available, but it is mainly being used in clinical trials in the United States. Currently, more than 150 patients are enrolled in the ongoing clinical trial at UAB.

The resin infiltration product is applied in the small space between a patient’s teeth as a way to treat small dental caries. First, dentists clean the cavity by pushing a gel between the two tooth surfaces. The gel prepares each surface to accept the resin product, which is applied through the use of a plastic, perforated sheet that is pushed between the affected teeth. The tooth is then filled by pushing liquid resin through the perforated sheet, and a dental curing light is used to cure the resin.

As Nathaniel Lawson, D.M.D., School of Dentistry Division Director of Biomaterials 

, “Since this is a no-shot and no-drill treatment, it is popular with patients. And since no tooth is removed, it is a very conservative procedure.”

Normally, the only way for dentists to treat caries is to inject a numbing agent into the patient’s mouth and then drill at the tooth in order to access the cavity. However, this can be painful and stressful for the patient, and it can damage the surrounding tooth structure.

This new, drill-free treatment option can be completed without anesthesia. Patients must meet certain requirements, however, for the treatment to work. Since the treatment only works in between teeth on smooth surfaces — and only on small caries – it is not an option for patients with cavities that are larger or are located on the top of teeth. 

“The resin has to be liquid to be able to be absorbed into the caries in between teeth. So at this point, the application is pretty specific,” says Augusto Robles, D.D.S., assistant professor and director of Operative Dentistry Curriculum.

Even though the new treatment approach is only being used in a clinical trial, it could change the future of dentistry by replacing the traditional method of dealing with dental caries. As Robles says, “I never thought this would be possible for dentistry. In my 24 years of practicing, this changes everything we’ve done so far. It’s marvelous.”

Discover more Dentist’s Money Digest news here.

University of Alabama researchers are in the process of testing a new cavity treatment option that could mark the end of the drill-and-fill technique. This new method, called resin infiltration, is drill free. Currently, it can only be used on smooth tooth surfaces and for small cavities. Researchers say that may change, however. Augusto Robles, D.D.S., assistant professor and director of Operative Dentistry Curriculum says, In my 24 years of practicing, this changes everything we've done so far.

New Cavity Treatment Could Replace Drilling and Filling

The report from WalletHub also included information about states with the best dental health rankings in the country

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The new ranking explored data from a variety of sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Census Bureau, and the American Dental Association. WalletHub used 23 key indicators of oral health to rank individual states and the District of Columbia, with each indicator assigned a corresponding value.

Each state could accrue up to 100 points — the higher the number, the better the ranking. Metrics were based on a state’s score for various indicators, including “share of adults who visited a dentist in the past year,” “presence of state oral health plan” and “poor or fair oral condition.”

The metrics included in the rankings showed states where oral health care is more widely available, and where the public used dental services the most. It also sheds light on information like the percentage of adolescents who saw a dentist within the past year, and the lowest and highest treatment costs per state.

Click the next page to see the rankings, starting with number 1.

· A score of 82.20 gave the state the best ranking in America, with superior marks given for “Dental Habits and Care” and “Oral Health.”

· The state has the lowest percentage of adults with a poor or fair oral health condition.

· 70.1 percent of adults living in the state reported visiting a dentist within the past year for any oral health reason, 

 also ranks the state as the ninth most charitable in the country.

· The state ranks high on the list for many reasons, including having a very low percentage of adults who experienced pain in the past year due to an oral condition.

 for number of dentists per 100,000 population, coming in at 67.6.

· North Dakota received the highest ranking for the lowest percentage of adults with low life satisfaction due to an oral condition.

· According to WalletHub, the state is also the 

best place in the country to raise a family

· The state ranks first for the percentage of adults who visited a dentist within the past year.

· Connecticut also has the lowest rate of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adolescents in the country.

· The most dentists per capita live in Massachusetts.

More than 67 percent of adults earning at least $25,000 per year made a visit to the dentist within the last year

· The District scored high for lowest percentage of adults who experienced pain in the past year due to an oral condition.

· WalletHub also found that D.C. has one of the lowest percentages of adults with low life satisfaction due to an oral condition.

· The state received high marks for several metrics in “Dental Habits and Care,” including the lowest percentage of adults who experienced pain in the past year due to an oral condition.

· Iowa is also one of the happiest states in the nation, 

· Over 59 percent of adults earning at least $25,000 per year saw a dentist within the past year

A new ranking from WalletHub determines which the overall level of oral health in each state, using 23 indicators. The number-crunching gurus looked at the share of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year, the share of adults who visited a dentist in the past year, and the cost of dental treatments, among other factors. WalletHub collected data to make these determinations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Dental Association.

10 States with the Best Dental Health

Access to oral health care has proven to be a problem in Alaska, contributing to the state's low ranking in this WalletHub analysis.

Want to see where your state stands in terms of dental health? Now you can — 

for 2017, WalletHub has ranked the best states for dental health.

 The report from WalletHub also included information about states with the worst dental health rankings in the country.

WalletHub used 23 key indicators of oral health to rank individual states and the District of Columbia, with each indicator assigned a corresponding value. Data for the rankings was collected from a variety of sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Census Bureau, and the American Dental Association.

The metrics included in the rankings show states where there needs to be significant improvement in the availability and utilization of dental care providers and services. States could accumulate up to 100 points, and the higher the number, the better the ranking the state received. Metrics were based on a state’s score for various indicators, including “share of adults who visited a dentist in the past year,” “presence of state oral health plan” and “poor or fair oral condition.”

Click the next page to see the worst state rankings, starting with number 41.

· The state received low marks for having the fewest dentists per capita.

· Tennessee also has one of the highest percentages of elderly adults with no natural teeth.

· The state has a high percentage of adults who experienced pain in the past year due to an oral condition.

· Florida is included among five states who saw the lowest percentage of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year.

· WalletHub also gave the state poor marks due to its high percentage of adults with a poor or fair oral health condition.

· A high percentage of adults with a poor or fair oral health condition was reported in the state.

· Alaska also has a high percentage of adults who experienced pain in the last year due to an oral health condition.

, there are only 51.9 dentists for every 100,000 people in the state.

· Texas is among five states with the lowest percentage of adults who visited a dentist within the past year.

· There is a high percentage of adults in Louisiana who report low life satisfaction due to an oral condition.

· Louisiana is also included in the five states with the fewest dentists per capita.

Source: Alstarecho via Wikimedia Commons 

Less than 59.8 percent of adults reported visiting a dentist in the past year

, according to America’s Health Rankings.

· WalletHub also reports that adolescents in Mississippi are among the top consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages in the country.

Source: Linda Tanner via Wikimedia Commons

· Adolescents in Arkansas rank at the top of the list for the most sugar-sweetened beverages consumed.

· The state also has one of the highest percentages of adult smokers in the country.

· According to WalletHub, Montana has one of the highest percentages of adults with a poor or fair oral health condition.

· The state also reports high numbers of adults who experienced pain in the last year due to their oral health condition.

There are only 43.8 dentists for every 100,000 people in the state

· The state received the lowest marks for a variety of metrics, including fewest dentists per capita, lowest percentage of adults who visited a dentist within the past year, highest percentage of elderly people with no natural teeth, highest percentage of adult smokers, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adolescents, and highest percentage of adults with low life satisfaction due to an oral health condition.

This WalletHub ranking used 23 indicators to gauge and rank the level of oral health in each state. Some of those indicators included the share of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year, the share of adults who visited a dentist in the past year, and the cost of dental treatments, among others. WalletHub used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Dental Association.

11 States with the Worst Dental Health

Advances in laser technology are driving growth in this market sector.

A new research report has been released by Markets and Markets, forecasting the global surgical laser market to grow to $2.37 billion by 2021. The market’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is expected to be 5.1 percent from 2016 to 2021.

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The growth of this market, which includes laser technology used in dental practices, is being driven by technological advancements in surgical lasers, high prevalence of chronic diseases, and the public’s growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries.

One factor that might limit the growth of the surgical laser market is limited or declining rates of medical and dental reimbursement, in addition to high procedural costs associated with laser surgeries. The laser products included in the 

 were categorized into five segments: carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers, argon lasers, Nd:YAG lasers, diode lasers, and other surgical lasers (fiber lasers, dye lasers, etc.).

The use of lasers in dentistry is a growing trend, with many dentists already using them in practice around the country. A growing number of dentists use lasers in the treatment of periodontitis, and for other procedures like the removal of tooth decay, root canal therapies, tissue biopsies, oral lesion removals, and teeth whitening procedures.

The use of dental lasers can help to reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding at the procedure site, and they can be used by dentists to perform more precise treatments that are more comfortable for the patient. Most types of dental lasers are versatile and can be used for a variety of treatment purposes, along with other dental instruments, without first having to use anesthesia on the patient. Many patients experience reduced healing times and less oral trauma with the use of a laser compared to other, more traditional dental treatment methods.

Discover more Dentist’s Money Digest news here

The global surgical laser market is expected to grow by $2.37 billion by 2021. The growth is largely being fueled by technological advancements in the field. The use of lasers in dentistry continues to expand. Laser dentistry has been shown to produce less bleeding, pain and swelling at the operation site.


Surgical Laser Market Expected to Reach $2.37 Billion by 2021

Forward is building its care model on real-time diagnostic tools and treatment decisions.

Lead by former Google employee Adrian Aoun, a new healthcare startup company has opened in San Francisco that could shape the future of medical and dental practices across the country. The company, named 

, is the first of its kind to incorporate data-driven, real-time healthcare technologies into patient care.

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Aoun previously worked at Google on the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) team. He 

 his new practice model has “reformed the role of doctors to free them from bureaucratic tasks and, in turn, to make healthcare feel comforting and smart to patients.”

The company’s medical care model is built on real-time tools that doctors use to guide diagnostic and treatment decisions, including technology that is used to predict adverse health events.

Forward incorporates several types of medical technologies into a comprehensive patient-care model. So far, patients have access to a body scanner that gives a quick picture of overall health, DNA sequencing that can be used to identify hereditary cancer risks, and 24/7 access to doctors and nurses through an app developed exclusively for the company. Patients can also have real-time blood testing completed to identify problems in as little as 12 minutes.

Even though Aoun’s practice is medically focused, the opening of such a facility has implications for the dental industry. Such technologies could be used to quickly and accurately diagnose oral health problems within minutes of the patient arriving at the office. Treatments could be tailored to fit each patient through the identification of individual biomarkers and other genetic factors that can influence the success or failure of dental treatments.

While it’s exciting to think about AI and other technologies changing the way both dentistry and medicine are practiced, it’s also important to keep in mind that companies are still developing these systems. Even though some of these technologies have been developed to the point of usefulness, they are still expensive, at least at this point.

"Our system is smart, but it's not yet cheap. It's more like a Tesla Model S than like a Model 3. We have a long way to go in making what we do affordable for everyone, not just for the kinds of people who are fortunate enough to be in a position to spend money for better health. Fortunately, the same technologies that make the system smarter also make it cheaper over time,” said Aoun.

Forward, a new healthcare startup, is chaired by Adrian Aoun, a former Google employee who worked on the company's artificial intelligence team. He says this new practice model will change the role of doctors to free them from bureaucratic tasks and, in turn, to make healthcare feel comforting and smart to patients. At the moment, Forward is a bit cost-prohibitive, but Aoun expects that to change.

Startup Medical Practice Offers Glimpse into Dental Future

If you’re like many dentists, you spend a significant portion of your time training and educating not only your patients, but the dental assistants who help you. While they certainly already have specific dental knowledge, there is still a significant amount of on-the-job training that takes place in dental practices around the country.

Until now, much of the training dental assistants receive in the classroom has included the use of the manual “Modern Dental Assisting,” often seen as the profession’s gold standard in education. In addition to the original manual, the American Dental Association (ADA) has recently published “The Essentials of Dental Assisting,” written as an abbreviated version of the original text and designed to meet the needs of dental assistants who are trained in-office.

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The authors of the new book, Doni Bird and Debbie Robinson, stress that it can serve dentists as a valuable resource and training tool. Dentists can use the new book to share knowledge of procedures and techniques with colleagues and employees.

“There are areas covered in ‘The Essentials of Dentist Assisting’ to prepare the dental assistant in chairside assisting, general and specialty practices, infection control procedures, preparation of dental materials, dental radiology and also to prepare for additional credentialing in expanded functions,” 

. “For the administrative side of the office, the dental terminology throughout the manual is helpful as a resource for understanding scheduling, billing and insurance,” she added.

The new text features color photographs and detailed, step-by-step instructions that focus on core knowledge and clinician skills that every practicing dental assistant needs. New editions of the text are published every three years, so that the information contained within is kept up-to-date and current according to ADA guidelines. Throughout the years “The Essentials of Dental Assisting” has been published, updates have included digital imaging, changes in infection control guidelines, and information about new procedures and dental materials.

For ADA members, the new manual is available for purchase for $89.95 ($134.95 retail). Dentists can purchase the new book at 

Discover more Dentist’s Money Digest Practice Management coverage here

The American Dental Association has published The Essentials of Dental Assisting. The text was created as a condensed version of the original manual, Modern Dental Assisting. This abbreviated version may help with your practice's internal continuing education efforts. Dentists can use this new book to share knowledge with all practice team members.

ADA Debuts Dental Assistant Training Resource

National Children’s Dental Health Month

, and if you’re seeing pediatric patients, you know how difficult it can be to connect with them. Many children are frightened and overwhelmed during dental visits, and this is because children process information differently than adults. It’s important to keep in mind that children are not simply smaller versions of adults, something many adults tend to forget.

If you want to give your pediatric patients the best dental care possible, you have to try to make a genuine, meaningful connection with them despite the age difference. So how do you make meaningful connections with children? How do you communicate effectively with them to calm them, get them to trust you, and ensure cooperation as you try to work?

According to an article published in the journal 

, there are two main types of communication needs that dental professionals must be aware of when seeing pediatric patients:

1. Cognitive needs, which are demonstrated by a child’s need to know and understand, and

2. Affective needs, which serve the emotional needs of the child and their desire to feel known and understood.

Addressing a pediatric patient’s cognitive needs starts with answering their questions and providing information in an age-appropriate fashion to the child and their caregiver. To focus on the patient’s affective needs, you should show respect, concern, and compassion for the child. This can include non-verbal communication techniques like gestures, posture, and eye contact, and might also involve reflecting feelings back to the child.

Despite our best efforts to connect in a genuine way with children, there are still certain factors that can prevent meaningful communication from occurring. First, many children mix up reality with fantasy. It’s important to remember this and ask as many follow-up questions as you need to in order to get the most accurate information you can.

Very young children also don’t understand abstract ideas. If you’re trying to perform a short examination and say “this will only take two minutes,” there’s a good chance a young child will not understand what you mean. If the child starts to think what you’re doing has taken too long, they might become fearful and panic, especially if they’ve had negative experiences with dental professionals in the past. The concept of the passage of time is an abstract concept, not easily understood before a certain age. Instead, try saying something like, “this will be over really quickly.” Then, as you work, continue to reassure the patient that things are going smoothly, that they’re behaving well, and that it will be over soon.

Up until a certain point, children — including teenagers – can’t understand serious consequences to their actions. For example, you could try to explain that drinking nothing but soda will eventually cause harm, but unless you put it in concrete terms easily understood by a child, what you say will have no impact. Instead of saying “soda will eventually lead to tooth decay and cavities,” try saying that “soda can really hurt your teeth.”

For older kids, remember that, even though tweens and teens have the cognitive ability to understand that excessive sugar consumption will lead to decay, they usually feel invincible. You might still have trouble getting your message across.

There are many techniques for developing effective communication skills you can put into practice with your pediatric patients, and 

 National Student Speech Language Hearing Association Journal

 is still a great resource you can use. The authors provide several recommendations for developing good communication skills with children:

· Be confident. Your calm, self-assured presence can help to reassure the child and calm any fears they might have.

· Be friendly. You will get farther if you have an open, friendly expression. It also helps if you smile and make it easy for the child to like you.

· Make the dental visit as enjoyable as possible. If you can make the visit to your office as pleasant as you can for the child, you’ll help build trust in your relationship with them.

· Talk to your patient. Don’t just jump into your exam. Instead, take a few minutes before beginning to ask the child about school, hobbies, or other interests to help them relax and be more open with you.

· Encourage the child. If your patient is answering your questions and cooperating while you perform an exam, express your thanks and verbally support their actions.

· Adapt your approach. You can’t expect every child to react to you in the same way. Make yourself adaptable to every patient situation in order to match whichever chairside manner is best for your pediatric patient.

· See your patient often. If you can, be sure that every time the child comes to your office, you’re the dentist they see. This will make the child more likely to feel comfortable around you.

· Use toys or other distractions. You might find your exam or procedure is completed more easily if the child is distracted by a toy, television, or music. Taking the focus off what you’re trying to do can help make a potentially scary situation less so for the child. 

February marks National Children's Dental Health Month, according to the American Dental Association. If you want to improve your communication skills with pediatric dental patients, you need to put yourself in the child's shoes, and understand that the way they see dentistry and the dental experience is not the way you see it. How you explain treatment and the manner in which you explain it speak volumes. What follows are some tips to improve your communication strategy.