Week in Review: Cannabis and your patients | Disposable gown issues | Prehistoric shark teeth

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

As we enter into a season of thanks here in the U.S., we can all certainly sit back for a moment and count our blessings, even in the midst of a pandemic. Even though I'll have family members absent from the table this Thursday because of underlying medical conditions and efforts to protect them, I'm still thankful they are healthy and we have the technology to at least see each other across the miles on Thanksgiving.

Speaking of technology, we had a pair of fascinating articles this week on DrBicuspid.com dealing with sharks that lived in prehistoric times and the technology being used to learn more about them.

First, researchers used 3D printing and computed tomography (CT) imaging to get a better understanding of a prehistoric shark and its unusual jaw. The symmoriiform shark Ferromirum oukherbouchi roamed the waters during the late Devonian Period, and the picture of it is certainly something to see.

Second, could a tooth found on a South Carolina beach be from that shark's much larger cousin, the prehistoric megalodon shark? Judging by the size of the tooth, "Jaws" had nothing on this creature. After all, the megalodon sharks were up to 50 ft long and weighed 30 times more than a great white shark.

If you see a shark like that, you might need something to calm you down, so let's talk about cannabis and its effects on your dental patients. Dental pharmacology expert Tom Viola, RPh, joined me for another podcast this week, and he revealed some surprising findings about the impact of cannabis on your patients before they sit in your chair. At just under 13 minutes, it's worth a listen and could help you better prepare for a potential issue.

Let's turn to the topic of infection control and some alarming news that we published earlier this week. Approximately 50% of disposable isolation gowns made outside the U.S. or by nontraditional manufacturers have failed to meet required protection standards, according to tests performed by the nonprofit medical device evaluator ECRI. Do you know if your gowns are truly protecting you?

Finally, if the topic of politics comes up at the Thanksgiving dinner table, you might want to change the subject, just like many of you are trying to do within your dental practice as well. If political narratives are being divisive in your business (or home), Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH, offered some words of advice earlier this week that could be very helpful.

As always, thank you for reading DrBicuspid.com. We wish you a wonderful, peaceful, and safe Thanksgiving.