Work less, earn more; ACP: the new fluoride?

Dear DrBicuspid.com member,

Dentistry is an unusual combination of art, science, and...commerce. Every dentist I've talked to is consistent on these points. They're dedicated healers, they'll argue vehemently about the ethics of advertising, they'll go on (and on) about the esthetics of teeth, and yep, they want to make a healthy living. And why not? As Bob Dylan once told an up and coming musician (Michael Nesmith of "The Monkees"), you're a fool if you don't watch your money.

This dichotomy is evident this week on DrBicuspid. On the healing side, we have the latest update on calcium phosphate and its seeming powers to remineralize enamel. There's been a lot of debate over the years, a variety of concoctions, and not enough studies. "The early research was shaky," notes Gordon Christensen. "We need more clinical observation, but I'm feeling good about these products overall." To find out what products are hitting the market, their inner chemical workings, and how effective they might be, check out Senior Editor Laird Harrison's story.

On the business side, we continue our reports on business tips, tricks, and traps culled from the recent ADA show in San Francisco. Correspondent Vanessa Richardson lays bare an enticing premise--work less and earn more. You'll find some hard choices (and potentially huge benefits) on the road to riches. Check out the story for more.

Plus: Peeved about the recent New York Times piece, "Boom Times for U.S. Dentists, But Not for Americans' Teeth"? One dentist aims to set the record straight. Check out Dr. Kim Gowey's take in our pages.