Week in Review: CT image shows screw in child's jaw | Dental rankings by state | Dental Exam question milestone

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

As you read this, the DrBicuspid.com Editorial team is scouring the show floor at McCormick Place, looking for more article and video ideas to bring to you as the 2020 Chicago Midwinter Meeting draws to a close. Look for content in the coming days on our site, highlighting some of the things we saw in Chicago.

While in the Windy City, we're also celebrating a milestone here at DrBicuspid.com. Our Dental Exam section has now reached over 200 questions available for your perusal. Dental Exam is a free study tool that features selections of diagnostic images and sample questions that are specifically designed to help dental students study for their review and seasoned dental professionals stay on top of their clinical game.

A big note of thanks to Dr. Juan Yepes of the Indiana University School of Dentistry for all of his help in making this milestone happen and keeping the content fresh and challenging. Be sure to check it out. We think you'll like what you see.

On the news side of things, a mother in Colorado is considering suing after she discovered an old CT image that showed a large screw embedded in the jaw of her 5-year-old daughter. The screw was likely left there during a surgery when she was an infant. It's a story that grabbed a lot of attention from our readers this past week.

We also saw plenty of news from around the country this week when personal finance website WalletHub revealed its latest report on the state of U.S. dental care. Spoiler alert: Louisiana has the fewest dentists per 100,000 residents in the U.S., perhaps suggesting an opportunity for entrepreneurial dentists or dental service organizations.

Speaking of news, a dental assistant in Florida was arrested earlier this month for allegedly sexually assaulting a sedated 18-year-old girl he was prepping for third-molar extractions. The story serves as a good reminder for all dental practices to evaluate their policies regarding patient safety.

On the clinical side, sugar, sweet drinks, and other fermentable carbohydrates may promote the development of both cavities and periodontal disease, according to recent research. Scientists say these diseases may both emerge in response to nutritional imbalances in your patient's mouth.

Finally, how about a glimpse into the future? The promise of artificial intelligence (AI) has long been on the horizon. In the last several years, we've started to see the first AI-powered solutions for dentistry hit the market, but we're told the best is still to come. In this article and podcast, we detail five things that AI will likely bring to dental practices in this decade.

Here's hoping you and your business finish February strong!