ADA response to barriers of care; Moody on pediatric sedation; Levin on customer service

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In this response to Dr. Frank Catalanotto's recent Second Opinion on the ADA's barriers to care research brief, Marko Vujicic, PhD, chief economist and vice president of the ADA's Health Policy Institute, presents the reasoning why, while supply-related barriers are an issue, financial-related barriers are a more crucial development. Read the response here.

With sedation of pediatric patients remaining an issue for the larger dental community, DrBicuspid.com invited Dr. Edward H. Moody Jr., the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, to offer some insight on when to sedate and when to refer, as well as other relevant, practical information. Dr. Moody emphasizes the need for communication among all practitioners, patients, and parents and knowing your limits as a practitioner.

In some dental practices, little thought has been given to the question of what amenities to make available to patients in the reception area. Other practices may have paid attention to this issue. Either way, they're falling short on customer service. By welcoming patients to your office with thoughtful little extras, you can strengthen their loyalty to the practice tremendously, according to Dr. Roger P. Levin.

U.S. legislation that requires or encourages young people to get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been unsuccessful in getting more of them vaccinated, according to new research presented at the recent American Public Health Association annual meeting. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's article here.

The debate on barriers to care continues, with both sides working to acknowledge common ground while keeping the focus on patient care on this important issue. As this discussion shows, reasonable people can find a way to bring diverse and legitimate differences of opinion to the table to better serve patients.