Levin on presenting ideal treatment; Delta VP on prevention; Butler on foundations

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Many dentists have learned to perform comprehensive exams and create equally comprehensive treatment plans for new patients. However, such thoroughness is often absent in relationships with existing patients. You should present ideal treatment to every patient, according Dr. Roger P. Levin.

In the first part of his series, Jeff Album, a Delta Dental vice president, responded to questions to insurance companies previously posed by Dr. Jason P. Hirsch. Album continues in part 2, focusing on prevention and the number of plans available under the Affordable Care Act.

Would you locate your practice in a building without a foundation? Would you run your practice without a foundation in excellent patient care? As stress management expert Jen Butler writes, it is the same with stress management. Three foundations can help you become more in control of your own destiny.

A panel of six experts gathered at the recent California Dental Association's CDA Presents 2015 meeting to debate the merits and drawbacks of implant and endodontic procedures. The conversation gave way to a consensus -- general dentists should determine which procedure is best on a patient-by-patient basis. Read Assistant Editor Theresa Pablos' article here.

If you haven't read them yet, I fully recommend the ongoing, in-depth columns by Dr. Jason P. Hirsch and Jeff Album of Delta Dental that address your questions about preventive coverage, the Affordable Care Act, and more.