Levin on patient communication; Nash on pumice prophies; malpractice insurance primer

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

When dentists think about recommending treatment, it's natural to focus on the technical aspects. When presenting recommendations to patients, however, it's important to consciously shift the focus from clinical details to benefits, Dr. Roger P. Levin notes in his latest Practice Success tip.

In this Second Opinion, Dr. David A. Nash urges the profession of dentistry to stop the use of pumice and rubber cup prophylaxis when treating children. He cites many studies in the literature and experience as to why the treatment should be discontinued.

In this new three-part series, Jennifer Gibson of Medical Protective covers the important details of different types of malpractice insurance and which is the best fit for your practice. As this insurance can be complicated and expensive, knowing the details matters. Part one covers tail and occurrence coverage.

The ADA and other health professional associations have filed a friend-of-the-court, or amicus, brief with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding an upcoming case that asserts the right to sue the government to enforce federal Medicaid law in the states. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's report here.

We're wishing the best of luck to those of you on the East Coast today, as the weather reports look ominous. As Dr. Sheri Doniger wrote for us last February, "[i]n reality, the office is never closed. ... We can't abandon patients in the middle of treatment or in case they have an emergency." Be safe.