DrBicuspid.com takes a look back at the most-read news and clinical articles from fall 2017, as measured by page views. The most popular article was our coverage of the newly issued high blood pressure guidelines, followed by a report on antibiotic use by dentists.
- What the new blood pressure guidelines mean for dentists
November 28, 2017 -- The guidelines for evaluating and treating high blood pressure have been updated for the first time in more than a decade. The new recommendations lower the threshold for hypertension and eliminate the prehypertension category. - Antibiotic prescription by dentists linked to serious infection
October 12, 2017 -- Antibiotics prescribed by dentists may be contributing to the growing problem of Clostridium difficile infection, which can cause severe diarrhea and even death. Many prescriptions issued by dentists are unnecessary or not recorded in medical charts, according to researchers presenting at the Infectious Diseases Society of America conference in San Diego. They recommend improved awareness by dentists of antibiotic prescription guidelines and advise better communication between dental and medical communities. - ADA forecasts more DSOs in dentistry's future
November 7, 2017 -- More dentists than ever were associated with dental service/support organizations (DSOs) in 2016, and that number is expected to rise, according to new data from the ADA Health Policy Institute. These organizations were also in more states in 2016 than the previous year. - Adults aren't visiting the dentist -- and no one knows why
November 13, 2017 -- Riddle me this: More adults have dental benefit coverage, and fewer adults report cost as a barrier to dental care, yet dental visits stayed flat in 2015. Marko Vujicic, PhD, chief economist for the ADA Health Policy Institute, recently discussed what could be driving these trends in a November 1 webinar. - Buffered lidocaine appears to have clinical benefits
October 16, 2017 -- A lower dose of buffered lidocaine may be more effective than a higher but nonbuffered dose of the local anesthetic, according to new research presented at the 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) meeting in San Francisco.
