Ever heard the phrase, “you’ve gotta be cruel to be kind?” It has never been truer than when referring to gum disease treatments. Periodontal disease affects as much as 80% of US adults, but the way dental practitioners handle periodontal treatments may be part of the problem. Patients avoid periodontal treatment due to lack of treatment urgency, not fully understanding necessary treatments, and money. Many dentists hesitate to fully explain and recommend periodontal therapy because they fear patients will simply cancel appointments due to the added cost. Instead, dentists tend to try the “nice” approach – recommending periodontal appointments every three months but billing them as regular dental cleanings during six month checkups. However, by changing the focus of periodontal disease treatment to communicating clearly, emphasizing assessment and prevention, and working with patients to maximize insurance benefits, dentists can better equip patients to receive the dental care they need.
Continue reading Do Nice Dentists Finish Last? – Do Dentists Have to be Cruel to be Kind?
Tag: general dentist
During April, Let’s Focus on Oral Cancer Prevention
April is National Cancer Control Month, and you might not be aware of the fact that incidences of oral cancer are on the rise. Few people think about oral cancer, but it kills more people every year than brain cancer, cervical 
cancer, and testicular cancer put together. But the more you learn about oral cancer and its signs and symptoms, the better able you’ll be to get an early diagnosis and more effective treatment should oral cancer happen to you. Oral cancer responds very well to treatment in the earliest stages.
What are the risk factors for oral cancer?
The risk factors for oral cancer include smoking and chewing tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and human papillomavirus (HPV), although some people develop oral cancer despite having none of these risk factors. It is believed that genetics, too, plays a role in the development of cancers, including oral cancer, as well as dietary factors. Because there are so many various contributing factors, everyone should get checked by their dentist for oral cancer at their dental checkups. Continue reading During April, Let’s Focus on Oral Cancer Prevention
10 Dental Tips for Healthy Smiles after Halloween
News Bulletin: Halloween Candy Strikes Fear in Parents across the Nation!
The apples of your eye, your precious children, are about to dress up in scary costumes, take candy from strangers, and throw themselves into sugar overload. It’s a tradition! As an all-American parent, you just need to grin and bear it. Right?
Good news. You don’t have to ruin your kids’ fun. These tips will help you transform the potentially haunting experience into a positive and rewarding memory.
In addition to the rules for costume safety, traffic safety, and trick-or-treating with a responsible adult…1. Check all candy before your children consume it. Open packages, homemade treats, and (for everyone, but particularly for kids with braces, fillings, or crowns) extremely sticky delicacies should be thrown out.
- Before Halloween comes, ask your dentist to place dental sealants on your child’s teeth. This will help reduce the potential for tooth decay.
- Check all candy before your children consume it. Open packages, homemade treats, and (for everyone, but particularly for kids with braces, fillings, or crowns) extremely sticky delicacies should be thrown out. Continue reading 10 Dental Tips for Healthy Smiles after Halloween