How the ACA will change dental insurance; a better way to ID perio pathogens

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Much of the discussion surrounding the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on dentistry has centered on whether the existing workforce will be able to handle the expected influx of several million new pediatric patients.

But what about their parents? While 5.3 million children will gain dental coverage in 2014 through the ACA, up to 11 million adults could drop their own dental coverage when their children are covered separately, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. And those who switch to dental coverage under their medical insurance plan may have to switch dentists too.

Read more in this latest Practice Management Community feature.

Meanwhile, in Hygiene Community news, a team of German researchers has developed a compact device that streamlines the ability to collect and analyze DNA from teeth and identify the 11 most relevant periodontitis pathogens -- all in less than 30 minutes, and without having to send the sample out to a lab. Click here to read more about the ParoChip, which is currently available in prototype form.

And one of the most frustrating things for any dental professional is patient compliance -- or rather, lack thereof. Monica Spannbauer, RDH, MBA, manager of professional education for Philips, shares her thoughts on how to improve patient compliance -- and her suggestions may surprise you.