Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Screening of every dental patient older than 18 for oral and oropharyngeal cancer is a must, writes Jo-Anne Jones, RDH. Taking the time to screen each patient can make an impact on oral cancer survival rates. However, dentists and oral healthcare professionals have a few common misconceptions about these cancers. Learn more here.
Also this week on DrBicuspid.com, dental care is out of reach for many U.S. senior citizens. Often, the inability to get to a clinic coupled with high out-of-pocket expenses are insurmountable barriers for adults age 65 and older, many of whom are struggling just to get by. Dr. Karen Becerra wants to fix that, and she describes the challenges and rewards of being a geriatric dentist in the latest installment of our Leaders in Dentistry series. Read more here.
Patients with a history of addiction and mental illness sometimes experience being stigmatized by dental practitioners and staff, which can include being labeled, stereotyped, and discriminated against. A new study explored this issue and offered suggestions for improving dental care for this population. Read more here.
In industry news, new products ranging from a topical anesthetic gel to dentures and scalers were introduced during spring 2017. Here is our roundup of new products from Vita North America, Komet USA, Premier Dental Products, and other companies. See the products here.
On Monday, be sure to look for the next column in our Legal Cases series by William S. Spiegel and Dr. Marc R. Leffler.
