Maine rejects dental therapist bill; time to ban BPA?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Early last week it appeared that Maine was on its way to becoming the next U.S. state to adopt a midlevel provider model for dentistry. On June 18 the state House of Representatives approved legislation that would have created the dental hygiene therapist category.

But 24 hours later, the state Senate resoundingly defeated the bill, leaving some dental practitioners cheering and others wondering how the state intends to address its access-to-dental- care problems, especially for underserved populations in rural areas. Read more.

Meanwhile, evidence of the health risks posed by bisphenol A (BPA) -- a chemical found in many consumer items and some dental products -- continues to mount. Three studies presented last week at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco found links between BPA and prostate cancer, testicular hormone defects in newborn males, and obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Over in the Practice Management Community, DentaQuest is working to help insurers partner with dentists in order to meet the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandate for better health outcomes in Medicaid and Medicare patients. At the recent Institute2013 Exchange Conference in Las Vegas, DentaQuest Institute Executive Director Robert Compton discussed how to use data analytics to improve dental patient-provider relations, control costs, and improve oral health through prevention and disease management.

And with the push to add social media to your practice marketing and patient communication strategies comes risk -- particularly with regard to building and maintaining a good online reputation. Consultant Mike Pedersen shares some tips to help ensure you stay positive and competitive.