Alford on challenges for dentistry; Levin on elective procedures; cephalometric imaging

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In the latest installment of Leaders in Dentistry, we spoke with Maritza Alford, national sales director for Henry Schein Dental Surgical Solutions, about the challenges and opportunities dentistry faces in 2015 and beyond. Read her insights on the future of your practice here.

Patients want to look their best even in a down economy. After all, weddings and other life events continue to occur, and it's even more important for people to have confidence in their smiles during job interviews. Moreover, elective dentistry can help boost production with the patients you already have, Dr. Roger P. Levin advises.

In this column, cephX President Daniel Abraham introduces cephalometric imaging and gives an overview of the technique. He discusses the uses of extraoral x-rays in a dental practice and the advantages of the imaging technique over other strategies. Read more here.

A new survey by Tufts University researchers in Boston has found that adults with developmental disabilities continue to have "significant dental disease," despite a recent focus on expanding access to care for these patients. Read more about this important study here.

Oral health advocates are lauding California's new law expanding the Virtual Dental Home, a program that uses telehealth technology to bring dental services directly to patients in community settings, such as schools and nursing homes. Read more here.

The stories above are just a sampling of the news and key opinion leader content we bring you every week. DrBicuspid's next Letter from the Editor will be sent Thursday afternoon, as we start our coverage of the ADA annual meeting from San Antonio.