Feds sue dentist over OSHA issues; midlevel providers heat up Mich. meeting

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

A Massachusetts dentist is being sued by the U.S. Department of Labor for allegedly firing an employee for raising concerns about needlestick hazards and filing a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Have you and your team reviewed your OSHA regulations lately? Read more.

In other Hygiene Community news, a number of psychological factors -- including health beliefs, emotional intelligence, and stress -- appear to play a role in a patient's willingness to comply with periodontal therapy maintenance, according to a new study in the Journal of Periodontology.

And a session at the California Dental Association meeting last week provided useful tips for dentists and hygienists who are frustrated with patients who can't seem to break their sugar addictions. Click here to read more.

Meanwhile, in Practice Management Community news, strides have been made in preventing oral disease and improving access to care across the U.S., but the work ahead remains "formidable," according to speakers at an Oral Health America and Dental Trade Alliance event in Washington, DC, last week.

And academics, dentists, hygienists, and representatives of organized dentistry recently gathered at the University of Michigan to explore three potential solutions for improving access to oral care for the underserved. Not surprisingly, the potential role of midlevel providers prompted some of the most spirited discussions. Read more.

Finally, amalgam foes turned out in force at a town hall meeting in California last week to give representatives of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration their two cents' on dental amalgam. Is the regulatory agency considering changing its stance on amalgam safety? Click here to read what one official promised at the meeting.