Dentists rally over midlevel providers; pediatric sedation deaths on the rise?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Frustrated that organized dentistry has not taken a stronger stand against the growing movement to allow midlevel providers to do minor restorative procedures, dentists from 15 states across the U.S. recently met in Texas to develop a strategy to stem the tide. And they are not alone, according to ADA President Ron Tankersley. Read more.

In other news, four children have died in the U.S. in the past 15 months following sedation for dental treatment, a tragic reminder of the need for dental offices to be well-trained in sedation techniques and emergency situations. While organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry maintain that sedation is safe, the rise in the incidence of multiple caries in kids is prompting more of them to need sedation prior to treatment. Read more.

And the first survey of Canadians' oral health conducted in nearly 40 years found that, overall, the country's oral health has improved dramatically since the 1970s. At the same time, however, there are still serious access-to-care issues for some Canadians. Click here to read key findings from the 2007-2009 Canada Health Measures Survey.