ADA splits on midlevel providers; a better way to assess third molars?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

The divide over what role midlevel providers should play in dentistry is taking on new dimensions at the national level.

In a meeting held July 18 at ADA headquarters in Chicago, two confederations of state dental leaders -- the so-called Austin Group and the Boston Group -- attempted to hash out contrasting positions about midlevel providers in preparation for a debate expected to take place at the ADA House of Delegates during the annual meeting in October. Will they be able to bridge the gap in time to develop a consensus opinion? Read more.

In Imaging & CAD/CAM Community news, despite the availability of numerous diagnostic tools, dental practitioners continue to face challenges when determining whether or not a third-molar extraction is warranted. Can finite element analysis -- a software algorithm designed to enhance cone-beam CT images -- help? Read more.

In clinical news, assessing older patients' oral health before they undergo surgery of any kind is a must to ensure they don't suffer potentially life-threatening complications, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Read more.

And children with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue should receive the same treatment as adult patients, researchers suggest in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Read more.