The DMD Top 5 for the Week Ending July 14, 2017

Ancient teeth, geriatric care and positively Medieval dental care: These stories are among the most popular on our website this week. Catch up on what you missed while you were filling cavities.

1. 5 Amazing Things Anthropologists Learned from Teeth. Once upon a time long, long ago, prehistoric man roamed the earth. Thanks to the teeth they left behind, anthropologists have made huge strides in recent years in uncovering their customs and way of life. Teeth are often the only surviving remnants of the prehistoric past, and using modern analysis and DNA extraction methods, researchers’ understanding of human history is becoming more sophisticated. Read on to discover what stories teeth have to tell.

2. Stay Ahead of The Curve by Improving Geriatric Patient Care. In many medical fields, geriatrics make up a large portion of a patient base. Dentistry is no exception. As people age, not only do conditions like dry mouth emerge, but physical ailments like arthritis can make dental care difficult. Now that the elderly represent more than 14 percent of the U.S. population, doctors everywhere need to step up their game to accommodate this growing demographic. Read on to find out how your practice can cater to patients 65 and older.

3. The 7 Things Patients Want in a Dentist. Understanding what motivates consumers in the competitive dental industry is a top concern for practice owners, who rely on new and returning patients to survive. With all the options available in states like California, Texas and New York, practicing dentists in areas with high concentrations of dental care providers would be wise to practice some active listening. Continue below to find out how to be the perfect dentist in the eyes of patients.

4. Weekly Tech Profile: Lasers. Technology is quickly transforming dentistry. From digital record-keeping to machines that seem straight out of a SciFi feature, the 21st century has gifted the medical industry some amazing devices. Dentists are especially proactive about adopting new technology in their practices, so DMD is bringing you a weekly spotlight on some of the best products on the market. Continue below to read about this week's focus, lasers.

5. Horrifying Ways Dentists Used to Treat Patients. Medical science has come a long way in the past 100 years, dentistry included. But prior to regulations, laws and, well, actual peer-reviewed knowledge, what physicians and dentists did to their patients was nothing short of absurd by today’s standards. In fact, a visit to the dentist in bygone eras could often do more harm than good. Continue below to see how dentistry has advanced.

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