More M.D.s doing dentistry; new ADA president speaks out

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Over the past few weeks, the DrBicuspid.com Forums have been buzzing with debate over what some are calling a "turf war" between dentists and hygienists: the role of midlevel providers in improving access to oral care for underserved populations.

Now it looks like the dental community has another competitor to worry about: M.D.s.

In the article "Where dentists are lacking, M.D.s dive in," Contributing Editor Rochelle Sharpe looks at the growing trend of patients who can't afford dental care turning to their family physicians for some treatments. Should you be worried about losing patients to the medical community? Read more.

Newly installed ADA President John Findley, D.D.S., says he will make access to oral care a top priority for the ADA over the next 12 months. In an exclusive interview with DrBicuspid.com, Dr. Findley tells Senior Editor Laird Harrison, "We've got to do more than we've done in the past, and it's got to be better." Read more.

On the practice management front, with the number of psychotropic drugs being prescribed and used in the U.S. growing at an alarming rate, keeping track of their potential side effects and adverse interactions can be a full-time job. Here are some tips to help busy dentists stay on top of the latest antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants.

Over on the Word of Mouth page, Dr. Edwin Parks discusses the need for attention to detail in creating good digital images, while Dr. Allan Farman shares his impressions of the 7th Asian Congress of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology in Tokyo.

Finally, in clinical news, a new study has found that people with gingivitis have worse mental function than their peers whose gums are in better shape. The findings raise the possibility that system-wide inflammation due to gum disease could have harmful effects on brain function.