Are salary surveys accurate? And, Maine law would help hygienists

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

With all the question marks surrounding the current economy, it's no wonder there are discrepancies between what some dentists think they are earning these days and what their accountants say.

An ADA survey finds that many dentists are pessimistic about their current economic prospects, with a majority reporting a drop in income over the past year. But data from a group of dentists' accountants paint a very different picture. Read more.

In other practice management news, at first glance, you might be put off by the title of Fred Joyal's new book, Everything Is Marketing. But after 20 years at the helm of 1-800-Dentist, he has developed some insights about patients and dentists -- and what each of them really wants -- that might surprise you. Read more.

On the legislative front, dental hygienists in Maine are already allowed to practice independently. Now the state Legislature is considering a new law that would ensure they are reimbursed by insurance carriers for their services. Read more.

In clinical news, speaking at a recent dental meeting in Toronto, a team of pathology experts offered several tips they say will boost your diagnostic acumen for characterizing oral lesions. And researchers from Canada and China have developed a new material using human bile acids that they hope will one day replace dental amalgam and other restoration materials.

And don't forget to read the latest installments from our Second Opinion columnists -- Dr. Helaine Smith, Dr. Allan Farman, Dr. Ted Parks, Richard Geller, and Jimmy Earll -- and up-to-date news tidbits from around the world in News in Brief.