Dental groups issue swine flu warnings; Minnesota clinics sue Delta Dental

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Growing concerns about the swine flu have prompted government and professional organizations to issue warnings to dental professionals to be on the lookout for patients with flulike symptoms. The ADA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures are all offering resources for dentists and medical professionals who encounter patients they suspect of having the flu. Read more.

Meanwhile, a group of Minnesota dental clinics is suing Delta Dental, claiming that Delta is wrongfully withholding $2.8 million in reimbursement for care the clinics provided to low-income patients. Read more.

On the clinical front, a study in the current Journal of the American Dental Association finds that there's room for improvement in oral cancer exams: Dentists aren't spending enough time counseling patients on risk factors, while physicians lag in conducting exams at all. Read more.

And no one doubts the advantages that 3D imaging devices bring to dental diagnostics. But the technology also raises some medicolegal concerns general dentists should consider before investing in the technology. Find out what they are by clicking here.

In other top news, new teaching opportunities are opening up for dentists as U.S. universities struggle to retain faculty: Faced with a nationwide shortage, many schools are increasingly willing to bend their publish-or-perish rules. Read more.

And don't forget to check out our latest columns and opinion pieces. Health IT veteran Michael Uretz argues that, when it comes to electronic health records, the dental community can learn many lessons from the medical community; practice marketing guru Richard Geller warns that social media Web sites have a dark side we all should be aware of; and dentist/comic Jimmy Earll reminds us that employee contracts can sometimes make all the difference.