ADA names executive director; FTC takes a stand in Louisiana

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

For many in the dental community, the big news this week was the appointment of Kathleen O'Loughlin, D.M.D., M.P.H., as executive director and chief operating officer of the ADA, effective June 1. Dr. O'Loughlin brings management experience and a background in theorizing about questions of access to care to the post. Read more.

For others, word that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is coming to the defense of Louisiana dentists who are taking their services into elementary schools brought out some strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Read the article here, and check out the Forum comments here.

In clinical news, it's not often a dentist gets to raise something from the dead. But the resurrection -- or rather, revitalization -- of nonvital teeth is becoming a possibility, thanks to regenerative endodontic techniques. Read more.

And research presented at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting last month concluded that a 1:200,000 concentration of epinephrine anesthetizes patients just as well as a 1:100,000 concentration when used with articaine (Septocaine).

In our Imaging Community, other research presented at the IADR meeting found that commercially available fluorescence-based imaging tools can help dentists monitor caries progression even in teeth that have been treated with a sealant. Read more.

On the practice management front, several dentists share their experiences with search engine optimization and the positive impact it has had on practice growth. You may have a Web site, they contend, but does anybody know about it? Read more.

Finally, Sheri Doniger, D.D.S., asks: As a woman dentist running your own practice, is it better to be a boss or a friend? Read more.