Week in Review: Pneumonia and dental visits; new dental app; and orthodontics ruling

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Did you know that a million Americans are diagnosed with pneumonia each year and that 50,000 die from it? However, patients with regularly scheduled dental visits are less likely to come down with pneumonia, according to a new study using data from more than 26,000 patients. Read more here.

At the junction of clinical practice and technology, this week, a new smartphone app enables patients to share crucial information with their provider when they have a dental emergency, which can help dentists make educated decisions about what the next treatment steps should be. Read more here.

Don't forget, there is still time to make your nominations for the 2016 Dental Excellence Awards. Make your nominations in eight categories here.

Legal issues are among the most read articles on DrBicuspid.com. We strive to bring you the most comprehensive coverage of legal issues that affect your practice. On Wednesday, a U.S. district court ruled that Propel Orthodontics has "disseminated false and misleading advertisements throughout its participation in the marketplace," while granting a preliminary injunction against the company in favor of OrthoAccel Technologies. Read more here.

And in their latest Legal Cases study, William S. Spiegel and Dr. Marc R. Leffler bring you the case of a 61-year-old man who presented to a large group practice where a prosthodontist proposed a treatment plan of four implants. As they write, having a plan of action isn't enough -- it has to be written in the patient's chart. Read more here.

Finally, on Friday, October 21, many of the largest websites in the U.S. were effectively offline for hours because of an organized attack. This attack used computers and also connected devices such as digital video recorders and thermostats. Bryan Currier, president of a technology integration company, offers practical insight into how to protect your practice from such an attack. Read his column here.