	Another year is almost at an end and you know what that means-it’s time for my annual list of my Top 5 Test Drives. Every year in the November/December time frame, I take time to review the products that I’ve had an opportunity to use or test over the past 12 months. The best five of this list make it into this article.

These products have received hands-on usage by myself and my team, and have been the highest rated of the things we’ve gotten to use and try to break. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the best products I’ve seen in 2016.

Look back: Dr. Flucke's top 5 test drives of 2015

	This is part of our annual Top 100 issue. Every year we take a look back at the Top 100 

	Up next: Take a look at the best test drives of 2016

 is a device dripping with innovation. Even the packaging is an “experience,” as the materials and fabrication of the box and the component packaging have the feeling of an Apple-type product that has been well thought out from beginning to end.

	Gemini is the industry’s first dual wavelength laser featuring the ability to use 810nm, 980nm or both wavelengths simultaneously. In addition to these unique features, the device also allows for super peak pulsing, which is a feature one usually expects to find in lasers with a much higher cost. It can develop as high as 20 Watts with the super peak pulses, which means the device cuts incredibly quickly but with minimal tissue tagging or collateral thermal interaction.

Learn more: Top 3 laser procedures you can put into your practice right now

	In addition to its clinical advantages, the Gemini also features an onboard rechargeable battery, cordless Bluetooth foot control and an extensive list of preset clinical procedures that can be edited to fit the user’s preferences. The tips are uni-dose and come in 5mm pre-initiated and 7mm uninitiated lengths.

	The esthetics of the Gemini are sleek and breathtaking. The device is smooth and black for easy disinfection and features an attention grabbing heads-up display that never fails to impress the moment a patient lays eyes on it. Ultradent has taken the laser from utilitarian clinical hardware to operatory art. Put all of these features together with a competitive price and you have a true “raise the bar” product.

	For years, I’ve had patients say something like “I wish there was a way I could watch what you are doing”. That is now a reality thanks to 

. However, the company’s focus is not on providing a way for patient’s to watch their treatment. No, Futudent is all about using their camera for education and co-diagnosis.

	The Futudent HD Camera can be mounted in a variety of places. It can be attached to your glasses, worn on a headband or even on a hat (for the record, I work every day wearing a Kansas City Royals baseball hat and I clip my Futudent to the bill).

Related: Tips and tricks on digital photography for case presentation

	The great thing about this product is that it functions as a point-of-view device. By that I mean once you have it setup properly, it shows everything you see. This makes it ideal for being able to image things that are difficult or impossible to see using an intraoral camera. You can even see images intraorally using the dental mirror. The camera’s field of view is exactly your point of view, so that everywhere you look, the camera looks as well. This allows you to do a live tour of the mouth if you have an over the patient monitor, record the video for later review or take still photos of whatever you happen to be looking at.

	The camera is very small and light (16 grams) so it doesn’t interfere with your comfort or your field of view while using it. A foot pedal controls the stop and start function of recording as well as taking the still photos. This allows it to function in a truly “hands free” mode which streamlines its use and doesn’t interrupt what you are doing with your hands. The video is captured at 25 frames per second, which is very smooth.

	The recording software allows you to save the data anywhere you like, including the company’s HIPAA-compliant secure cloud server. The cloud storage also allows you to securely share the data with whomever you’d like: other doctors, the patient, etc.

Related: 8 steps for a successful HIPAA compliance plan

	It has been specifically designed for dentistry so its focal length is ideal, pretty much matching the focal length of your magnification. The depth of field was created with the mouth in mind. This means you don’t have to worry about keeping the image in focus or fighting the aggravating problems that come with cameras that auto focus and cannot produce crisp images much past the canines.

	Patients have been very impressed with the camera and what we can do with it. This is truly proof of the old adage “good things come in small packages”.

	Digital scanners are making incredible inroads into our profession. My office moved over to the world of digital impressions about six years ago. Now we are down to about one analog (traditional) impression per month, and that is normally a crown under an existing partial denture. We started out with the original iTero scanner all those years ago and it quickly became a standard in our crown and bridge procedures.

	We beta tested the next iTero version and while there were improvements over 1.0 we didn’t feel they were enough to justify the expense of purchasing the new unit. However, when the company shared confidential information with me on the 

r while it was in development, I knew then and there I’d be the first in line for ordering.

Read more: 17 technologies to embrace in 2017

	We received the Element Scanner in the spring of this year and I held onto our original scanner in case of workflow issues in our two-doctor practice. I envisioned a situation of each doctor doing a crown prep at the same time and one patient having to wait because the scanner was in use.

	I could not have been more wrong. The new iTero Element is so fast and so easy to use that our original iTero machine has sat gathering dust since the day the new one arrived.

	The Element Scanner is considerably smaller than the previous iTero systems. Previous versions used a PC running Windows to power acquisition. This made the devices bulky, heavy and hard to move. The Element is a tablet that runs the acquisition software. It can be placed on a countertop or on a portable wheeled stand. If anything goes wrong with the system, rather than waiting for a service technician to come and repair the unit, a new unit is shipped to the office and the defective one is sent back. This means minimal downtime for problems. I find that aspect of tech support to be genius.

Technology in action: How embracing digital dentistry opens up possibilities

	The camera/wand that is used intraorally is now 40 percent smaller and lighter. While we rarely had problems or complaints with the original system, we are finding the new wand even easier to work with. It also captures images at an astounding 6,000 frames per second. Scanning a case in our office is a minimum of 50 percent faster than before. That is the reason we have never had a problem with two crown preps being performed simultaneously. Scanning can frequently be done in less time than a traditional impression can be performed.

	Overall, iTero has created a system that accomplishes much more than previous versions with less effort. Factor in that the price has not increased substantially, and you can see why this device is a complete winner.

	As I’ve said previously, we need more innovation from our dental R&D partners! There has been a noticeable decrease in the number of new and exciting technologies and the industry is hungry for them. With that being said, I’m proud of Ultradent for having two winners in the Top 5 Test Drives. The very, very smart folks in South Jordan, Utah have been on a roll this year!

 debuted in 2009 and the LED market turned on its collective ear. Here was a curing light that was smaller than a SoniCare toothbrush and yet was capable of delivering the highest photon density the market had ever seen. Fast-forward to 2016 and Ultradent has once again proven they are a force to be reckoned with with the release of the 

. Simply put, this device raises the bar for every curing light on the market.

Don't make mistakes: The top overlooked technologies your practice should be thinking about

	It is CNC-milled out of a solid piece of aerospace aluminum to make it incredibly strong and virtually indestructible in the dental environment. It is painted with a scratch-resistant sapphire-hard coating that is then covered with a Teflon seal for easy cleaning. This construction makes it remarkably strong and durable. It is powered by two lithium iron phosphate batteries that deliver consistently high-energy. Add to that the fact the batteries are inexpensive and available from a variety of sources (not just Ultradent).

	However, the feature that truly sets this apart is the lens. The Grand has a curing surface of 12mm, which is 50 percent larger than other VALO lights. That means it can easily cover the entire occlusal surface of a 10mm more with room to spare. And it means no more multiple cures just to ensure the occlusal surface is properly photopolymerized.

	It has proved itself in our practice, and if you are looking for a new curing light, I feel it should be on your short list to evaluate.

	If you are looking for a place to store all of your digital data, look no further than 

. The Drobo company has been making products for several years, but in 2016 they decided to enter the dental industry.

	Drobo makes a variety of external hard drives for backing up and/or storing your data. However, they do it with a unique twist. Drobo devices contain multiple hard drives and store your information redundantly on all of the drives (like a server). Drobo solves the problem of a failed hard drive-if one of your hard drives fails, it can easily be replaced.

Related article: Imaging in a HIPAA world

	A light on the front of the device will indicate which drive has failed. You then simply open a door on the front, remove the failed drive (it simply slides out) and slide in a new hard drive. The Drobo device will then format the drive and begin using it-all done automatically. It is an amazingly simple process. The other great advantage is that Drobo uses a proprietary format so the hard drives can only be read in another Drobo device. This helps with security. Also, the hard drives used are the same standard hard drives found in PCs so getting a new one, if needed, is easy and inexpensive. The Drobo 5N that I am currently using has room for five drives. I chose to fill those slots with three Terabyte Western Digital hard drives, which means I now have 15 Terabytes of storage. That is an insane amount of space.

	The other great thing about this particular model is the letter “N” in the name. It stands for “network” and means that the device is a “NAS” (network attached storage) which can be accessed by any computer on my network. The Drobo 5N has a gigabit Ethernet connection which allows it to deliver and receive data at the maximum speed of my network. They have also recently developed apps that allow you to access the device from your phone or tablet.

	The past year has been a fun one for me. I love staying on the leading edge, and testing (and sometimes breaking) gear is something that I love to do. I hope that this list of my Top 5 for the year will help you as well. Happy Holidays! 

Articles

Dr. Flucke, Chief Dental Editor and Technology Editor at DPR, shares his personal choice for top 5 products based on the products he had the opportunity to test drive this year.

Top 5 test drives of 2016

Here at DPR we're always looking for ways to learn and innovate. The articles, videos, e-books, webinars and newsletters we put out are designed to make sure you have all the knowledge you need to be the best healthcare professional you can be.

Here we present the top how-to articles of 2016. These how-tos included techniques, webinars and videos, and they were chosen because they were the most viewed this year. Every year we take a look back at the Top 100 products, videos, E-books, webinars and articles that made this year great. We hope you enjoy looking back at what helped you learn and grow this year, and we look forward to bringing you great new content in 2017!  

Fusion Universal Light-Cured Nano-ORMOCER

’s Admira Fusion Universal Light-Cured Nano-ORMOCER. The material is said to set new standards in restorative dentistry with respect to materials science. Clear photographs make this how-to easy to follow. In this case study, the patient presents with a mandibular right first premolar with an open contact and a defective composite restoration. Through this scenario, you will see how easy it is to use this bonding agent, and learn everything you need to know to apply it in your practice. 

Close diastema using time-tested materials

Dr. Marcos Vargas uses 3M materials and a cutting-edge polishing system for highly esthetic results. Using The Sof-Lex™ Diamond Polishing System and the Filtek™ Supreme Ultra Universal Restorative delivered excellent results while maintaining the integrity and anatomy of the restoration. This how-to will show you how he achieved beautiful esthetic results with a high-gloss shine that greatly impressed a patient who presented with a small interior diastema.

How to create simple direct resin restorations

In these cases from Dr. Gregori M. Kurtzman, the author uses products from 

 for direct resin restorations. Advancement in both the adhesives and composites has improved the long-term success of these treatments. Additionally, these advancements allow for an easier, more simplified treatment while improving the esthetic results with fewer steps than with previous materials available.

How to create an esthetic smile with smile design principles

In this article, Dr. Ross Nash demonstrates smile design principles that can help in achieving esthetics in a smile. The patient was a young woman who had benefitted from porcelain veneer placement to achieve a better smile.

How to color match with porcelain laminates

In this Clinical Insights technique by Dr. Ross Nash, he uses team treatment to achieve a superb color match with ceramic veneers that mimicked the appearance of the surrounding neighbors.

We share what you thought were the best how-tos of 2016 as part of our Top 100 issue.

Top 5 How-Tos of 2016

	As 2016 draws to a close, we’re looking back at the year, but we’re also looking forward at what’s to come. What are the top 10 trends that will define 2017? Here’s what I see making a big impact next year:

	CEREC was invented in the late 1980s (how they ever managed to pull that off with the technology at the time still amazes me). The product category made baby steps of progress until the late 1990s and early 2000s when the combination of an incredible drop in computer prices and a tremendous growth of processing power coupled to drive innovation. Soon the E4D unit came along, followed by several companies with digital impression systems. Today, more than 20 percent of offices are using some type of digital acquisition technology and the number continues to grow. 

This is no longer a “should I buy,” but is now a “when I buy” tech

	In the last year we have seen several high profile data breaches in the healthcare industry. We’ve become used to seeing this type of thing occur in the retail industry (

), but suddenly our industry appears to be in the cross hairs of hackers as well. Of course when a retailer is hacked, they only have the negative publicity and restitution to customers. When the same situation happens to us, we have another entity to appease: the government. Fines for HIPAA violations can be severe, so it behooves all of us in healthcare to give 

. However, we shouldn’t do it just because of threats of a fine-it’s also the right thing to do! 

Read more: 8 steps for a successful HIPAA compliance plan

	Up next: 8 more tech trends that will define the new year

	There is no debate that technology and instantaneous information have changed our lives. Americans are now completely dependent on their smartphones for all kinds of things. With that in mind, if you want to stay in touch with patients, the best way to do so is through their smartphone. There are a number of companies in the dental space that can provide these types of services for a practice. Whether it is satisfaction surveys, Facebook likes or appointment confirmation, it is necessary for a practice to utilize 

 to keep in contact with their patients. Nearly half of all Americans no longer have a landline phone, making the smartphone the ideal way to keep in touch.

	In the time that I have been in practice, I’ve seen implants go from a procedure that was exciting but hardly predictable, to 

being state of the art. Implants are my number one recommendation for patients looking to replace missing teeth. Every year brings more advancements to the field, and 2017 will be no exception. In my mind implants encompass not only the actual implant but everything that makes them possible, including procedures like grafting and scanning, as well as all of the technologies that make implants possible. I believe these technologies will continue to grow as well.

Read more: Implanting success: the state of dental implants

 were bulky and expensive. Now it is routine to see a laser device that can literally be picked up with one hand and moved around the office. Add to that the fact that the price has dropped about 75 percent over the last 20 years and it’s fairly easy to see why lasers have become such an 

	Of course lasers are a pretty broad topic, and what I’ve described above pertains to diode lasers which remove soft tissue. However, there has also been tremendous advancement in the Er:YAG category: the laser that cuts tooth structure and bone. The last year saw one of these lasers come into the market with a price under $50,000, which was previously unheard of in dentistry. This has caused a bit of a shake-up in the industry. While hard tissue lasers will never approach the price of diodes, they are now more affordable than ever.

	This product category has seen tremendous advancements in the past five years and will continue to do so. We have seen decreases in exposure, better collimation and software improvements. Now CBCT is moving into more of an 

. The ability to do 3D treatment planning for implants, CAD/CAM and more is bringing this technology into more and greater usefulness.

	While this subject could also fall into the HIPAA category previously listed, I have decided to break this out into a separate category because it is so important. Being totally digital, we often make requests of other offices to send patient data via email, and I’m stunned how often we simply receive a normal email with all types of 

 either in the body of the email or in the attachments.

	Ever since secure encrypted email became a necessity, we’ve been using 

, and I sleep better knowing that any confidential information we send is encrypted and safe. Aspida makes this process quick and easy. There really is no excuse not to use it. The service is highly recommended.

	There are several good options that are now available in this category. In my opinion, the only thing that is holding back a mass migration is practices that are either only partially digital or, like mine, have very large amounts of data. It’s only a matter to time before the 

 in dentistry. If I were a newer graduate and was starting a new practice from scratch, I would definitely give the 

	This is a category long overdue for deep market penetration. The electric handpieces of the past were bulky and not nearly as dependable as the ones available today. I began to migrate to electrics about five years ago when I began beta testing some models for manufacturers. What I discovered so impressed me that I made the investment to move myself to totally electric handpieces.

, which is an iPod controlled system (very cool!), and the 

. Both brands are very reliable and deliver incredible amounts of torque. My preps are better, smoother and cleaner. I don’t have to use them at full speed, due to their efficiency. As we continue to use more and stronger esthetic materials for crowns, the electric handpiece is a great advantage for the removal of these prosthetics or for endo access. There has been an incredible amount of innovation in this product category, and I look for that to continue.

	If you are a geek like me, you’re aware of a concept called “

.” It’s basically a fancy term for the concept of everyday devices that are connected to the internet 24/7. Many homes are now installing connected thermostats that allow 

the user to adjust them using an app on their smartphone and many alarm companies are putting doorbell connected cameras at the front door so that people can see who is at the door even when they are not home.

	The same concept is being brought to the dental office. The devices we use every day are being given a way to communicate with the manufacturer and service technician. The idea is that before these devices actually fail, they can call for help and be repaired. It should save downtime and also allow the service tech to bring the proper parts to the office. I can see lots of applications for this technology, and I imagine that in 10 to 20 years we will be as dependent on this type of tech as we are on our smartphones today. Look for explosive growth in this category in the not too distant future.  

Dr. John Flucke shares his views on what will be the Top 10 defining dental tech trends of 2017.

Top 10 tech trends that will define 2017

	Here at DPR we're always looking for ways to learn and innovate. The articles, videos, e-books, webinars and newsletters we put out are designed to make sure you have all the knowledge you need to be the best healthcare professional you can be. As we take a look back on the Top 100 in 2016, we're showing you the top articles, videos, e-books, webinars and products that helped you.

 based on the number of views. This year you seemed to be interested in the personal aspects of being a hygienist, and you were really interested in how you might be making infection control mistakes. We found these articles to be engaging and informative, and so did you! We look forward to reading and learning more with you in 2017!

	Up next: The Top 5 Modern Hygienist articles of 2016

	5 reasons being a dental hygienist is harder than you might think

	“Oh, you’re a dental hygienist?! Don’t you just scrape on teeth? What an easy job you have!” Not so fast there!

	Dental hygienists are often discounted in their role as healthcare professions by the public. Nor is the public aware of the schooling it takes to become a dental hygienist. Even further, many don’t understand how physically demanding dentistry is, despite the fact it looks like we are just sitting there.

Related article: Professionalism in the dental practice: Are you acting the part?

	Is the public entirely in the wrong for not knowing? To be fair, many of us don’t know what education it takes to be an electrician and what it takes to wire a house to code so it doesn’t burn down. So we shouldn’t expect everyone know all about the dental hygiene profession either. However, I’d like to help with that. Here are five reasons being a dental hygienist is harder than you might think.

	7 reasons to date or marry a dental hygienist

	Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or another day during the year, I’m here to show you some good reasons why a dental hygienist makes a perfect partner. Now, I may be biased because I’m a hygienist myself, but I think we make wonderful people to date and marry. Here are seven reasons why dating or marrying a dental hygienist means you’re with somebody who’s a step above!

	5 infection control mistakes you may be making and not even realize

 protocols and required infection control training?

	Just because you or your office has always done something a certain way doesn’t necessarily make it correct. Protocols and best practices are constantly changing. For the safety of our patients, and even ourselves as clinicians, reviewing infection control protocols needs to be at the forefront of our priorities. Here are five infection control mistakes you might be making without even realizing.

	5 more infection control mistakes you might not realize you’re making

	When it comes to dentistry, it’s easy to think what you are doing is current protocol because it’s the way your office has always done it.

	Thinking this way can be a slippery slope, since protocols and best practices change as new research emerges. Infection control is no different. We take infection control seriously to keep ourselves and our patients safe, but are you taking all necessary precautions?

	After writing the first article on infection control mistakes, I had an influx of more mistakes hygienists wanted me to address. So here are five more infection control mistakes you may be making and not even realize.

	2016 Annual State of Dental Hygiene survey: Part I

	With any profession, there are awesome aspects to the job, but also downfalls and points of concern. So what are hygienists thinking about the dental hygiene profession? To find out, and as a way to evaluate the state of the dental hygiene profession, Modern Hygienist conducted its first Annual State of Dental Hygiene survey.

More for Hygienists: Hygienist burnout? Ways to make sure you sizzle rather than fizzle

	This non-scientific, anonymous survey covered topics from the basics of hours worked per week and pay structure to factors that contribute to on-the-job stress, burn out and how often hygienists are allowed to replace their instruments. In this three-part series, we explore the survey results.

We take a look at the most popular Modern Hygienist articles from 2016.

Top 50 Products of 2016: Part IV

	To find out more about each product, simply click on the company name and you'll be taken right to that product's website, or call the number provided. This product review is part of our Top 100 in 2016, and we hope you'll enjoy seeing the top products, web articles, E-books, webinars and videos we thought really made this year great.

	Up next: See more of this year's best products

	The Midmark ClearVision® CR Dental Reader is a dental imaging solution designed to rapidly deliver high-quality digital images. The ClearVision CR Dental Reader features a small footprint that enables it to fit into any size dental office and exam room. The automated, magnetized feeding tray offers push and go functionality. The ClearVision is low maintenance with no brushes. The reader follows the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard, making it compatible with existing systems.

 you can manage, market and grow your practice thanks to a single sign-in to one powerful dashboard. The practice management software’s features include sections and tools for local SEO optimization, reviews and ratings, negative review management, social media, appointment reminders and online scheduling, email marketing, call recording and call analysis, and an ROI tracker so you know what marketing spends are working.

	Cefla Medical Solutions’ MyRay Hyperion X5 has cleared the FDA approval process, making it available to dental customers in the United States. The Hyperion X5 is said to be the first-ever wall-mounted panoramic imaging system and reportedly has the distinction of being the smallest pan unit ever available in the market. With an ultra-simple user interface, the X5 reportedly achieves up to 15 high-definition 2D projections in just a few simple steps. Installation is designed to be astonishingly quick with minimal time and cost.

 anchor in zygomatic bone and provide an option for treating severe maxillary resorption without bone grafts. They have an unthreaded implant body designed to interface with soft tissue. Parts of the implant body can be located outside of the maxillary sinus. It offers a broad choice of prosthetic options and reportedly dramatically shortens time-to-teeth, and allows patients with severely resorbed maxillae to return to a normal quality of life. The procedure avoids complex bone grafting and the implants are said to deliver optimal survival rates.

	Power toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity

	Designed to help patients brush their very best, the Oral-B® GENIUS™ Professional Exclusive Power® Toothbrush with Bluetooth Connectivity features the world’s first Position Detection technology, available in the Oral-B® app. This combines cutting-edge motion sensor technology located in the brush, and video recognition using the smartphone’s camera to read patients’ brushing position and track areas that patients brush so that no zone is missed. Patients receive instant feedback on their brushing of each zone of their mouth via the app and a brushing score to keep them motivated. Personalize the brushing experience for your patients, helping them brush for the recommended two minutes and encouraging them to focus brushing on the most important areas.

	Orascoptic™ introduced EyeZoom™ Mini, a loupe that employs two-step variable magnification technology between 2.5x and 3.5x power. The second loupe launched under the EyeZoom moniker, EyeZoom Mini invites the user to zoom in to view finer details and zoom out for a wider field of view. By bringing the operating site closer and into focus, the loupe is designed to help improve one’s speed and efficiency in the operatory, while reducing interruptions in the flow of patient care. With a consistent working distance at each magnification level, the loupe helps reduce the need to reposition when switching between magnification levels. This patent-pending design was co-engineered by Orascoptic and Konica Minolta®. The EyeZoom Mini is available on Orascoptic’s Legend™, Rave™, Rydon™ and Victory™ frames. The loupe is available in a through-the-lens (TTL) configuration.

	Planmeca unveiled its new PlanScan with optional color capability and optimized scanning speed in the latest software update: PlanCAD 5.7. When activated for color, PlanScan reportedly gives dental professionals a new tool to accurately capture and visualize the oral environment in full color and boasts increased speed for the ultimate in chairside productivity.

Read more: Are digital impressions REALLY the better choice?

	CEREC Zirconia, an all-ceramic substitute for the traditional PFM (porcelain fused to metal), and the CEREC SpeedFire furnace have joined the family of Sirona products and technology. CEREC now provides a completely new process in the dental practice: Combining the new CEREC SpeedFire furnace and CEREC Zirconia material, dentists can now deliver full contour crowns and small bridges made of the full-strength, high-quality zirconium oxide in a single visit.

, the silicone bur block that grips all burs securely in place, eliminating the risk of spilling. To meet varied clinicians’ and laboratory technicians’ preferences, BurButler now includes a five-, 10- and 25-hole base configuration. The 25-hole base features the option of a standard or a tall clear lid. Mix and match FG, CA, HP (tall lid only) and short shank burs to suit your clinical or laboratory needs.

The third part in a series where the editors of DPR pick the top 50 products of 2016 that impressed them.

Top 50 products of 2016: Part III

Here we look at the Top 10 articles of 2016. These were chosen based on the number of views. This year, you were interested in new things like the Affordable Care Act, CDT codes, fresh product innovations and more.You were also interested in the personal side of the business: we loved hearing about your grossest, freakiest, most embarrassing stories,  and you loved reading about them. We hope you enjoyed these articles as much as we did, and we look forward to bringing you great new articles in 2017! 

	9 of the scariest medical conditions with links to oral health

	There’s been a lot of buzz about oral systemic health in the news lately, and for good reason: A whole host of new discoveries have pinpointed that poor oral health is linked to some very serious medical conditions-and that treating oral health conditions could potentially serve as a preventative measure. 

	A game changer: 2017 will bring a new CDT code for gingivitis

	By Patti DiGangi RDH BS, Kara Vavrosky RDH

	Your patient presents with inflamed, hemorrhagic gingiva, light to moderate subgingival calculus, light supragingival calculus on the mandibular lingual anteriors and generalized pseudo-pocketing. For all of the history of Current Dental Terminology (CDT) coding, there have been no truly accurate codes that can be used for the treatment this patient needs. In 2017, that story will change.

	From 1 to 50, the best and worst states to work in a dental practice

	For many of us, we’re pretty partial to where we live and work. But is where you are right now a great place to work in a dental practice? Have you ever thought about that? We did, and we used a set of 10 “measuring sticks” to help us build our inaugural list of the best and worst states to work in a dental practice.

	Is the Associated Press right? Response to the AP regarding the benefits of flossing

 stating there are no proven benefits to flossing. Working in dentistry, we know how important cleaning in interproximally is, not only for oral health, but for overall health.

	The top 13 freakiest dental horror stories

	We polled our readers for their most outrageous stories ... and the responses did not disappoint. Ghosts are scary. Ghouls are scary. But these creepy apparitions have nothing on some of the terrifying things that happen in the dental practice.

	The latest fee data for 18 popular procedure codes

	Keeping your fee schedules up-to-date is imperative to keeping your practice healthy. There are many important factors to take into account including geography, your patients, how you practice and data from other practices in your area. However, quality data on fees in your zip code can be challenging to find. Here’s some help.	 

	Some of the worst infection control mistakes we’ve heard ... and why 2016 is the year to stop making them

	Tija Hunter looks back on 2015: “I think about some of the people I’ve met, the places I’ve visited, and the things I’ve learned. Some of the things I’ve learned weren’t so good. In this day and age of OSHA, CDC and proper infection control procedures, I am appalled at some of the things dental assistants have shared with me.”	 

	10 ways to handle parents of your pediatric patients

	Parents trust your office with their most prized possessions, and can often cause far more drama than the patients themselves. Your team should go to great lengths to connect with both the patients and their parents. A successful practice will take a parent’s perspective into consideration at every step of the treatment process. Here’s how you can make sure you’re ready.

	Demystifying pain among women in dentistry

	The percentage of women pulling up chairside in the operatory is increasing. And studies show that women in dentistry experience a higher frequency and severity of pain than their male counterparts, with the thumbs, hands, hips, neck and shoulder being particularly problematic.

	The top 8 most embarrassing dentist/patient situations

	There is tremendous pressure in running a successful practice. You have to have both business acumen as well as clinical expertise. This isn’t always so easy. Being the person ultimately responsible for everything going on in the practice, “the buck” has to stop somewhere. At times, some embarrassing issues have cropped up. We have stockpiled a few of them that some of our dentists have shared with us.

DPR presents a list of the top 10 most popular articles from 2016.

Dental Products Report December 2016

Top 5 test drives of 2016

Top 5 How-Tos of 2016

Top 10 tech trends that will define 2017

Top 5 Modern Hygienist articles of 2016

Top 5 Videos of 2016

Top 50 Products of 2016: Part IV

Top 50 products of 2016: Part III

Top 10 DPR Web articles of 2016

Top 50 products of 2016: Part II

Top 5 Webinars of 2016

Top 50 products of 2016: Part I