Dental trends to know | Valuing your dental practice | This week's top articles

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Here in the U.S., we are on the cusp of the Memorial Day weekend. As the weekend signifies the unofficial start to summer, it's a good time to take a deep breath and hopefully get outdoors while officially saying goodbye to the chill of winter (and even spring here in Colorado).

While I certainly wish you a wonderful and relaxing weekend, I also hope you'll take a moment to remember the reason for the holiday and all those who gave their lives so we could live in a free society. I am thankful for their sacrifices, this weekend and every weekend.

Part of that freedom includes the ability to make our own choices, and dental patients are certainly doing that when it comes to flossing. While these numbers should come as no surprise to any dental professional, I hope the minority of people who are actually flossing also sounds some alarm bells.

When it comes to your patients, which gender reigns supreme in the quest for the best overall health? These numbers say that women have the upper hand over their male counterparts. Are you finding that in your practice as well?

While periodontal disease is always a concern, one helpful remedy may be a mouthwash containing matcha. You'll have to check out the interesting findings that could change the gum game in the future.

How are your dental assistants impacting your bottom line? As we enter the second half of the year, it's a good time to examine your state's scope of practice so your assistants can see what opportunities there might be to expand their skills, as our friends at the California Dental Association reminded us in this podcast.

Finally, as you're examining that scope of practice, I also hope you're considering what is today's standard of care in dentistry and how that has changed over the years. This article by Estela Vargas is a good reminder that we need to be raising the bar for our patients.

Have a safe and amazing weekend!

Kevin Henry
Editor in Chief