Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Oklahoma health officials are notifying approximately 7,000 patients of a Tulsa oral surgeon about potential exposure to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C after an investigation revealed dozens of health and safety violations, including the use of rusty instruments on patients known to have infectious diseases.
Click here to read more on this developing story, including details from the 17-count complaint filed against the oral surgeon by the state dental board.
And today we unveil the second episode of our new "15 Minutes to Excellence" video chat series, once again featuring practice management consultant Linda Miles. Linda shares her thoughts on how to build a great team, including the traits dentists should focus on when looking for new staff members, where to advertise for new employees, how to create effective ads, and how to ensure staff loyalty and retention.
Meanwhile, over in the Cosmetics Communty, white-spot lesions (WSLs) can be a frustration for many orthodontists and patients. While there are a number of treatment options, are any of them truly effective?
A new systematic review examined the impact one popular treatment approach -- remineralizing agents -- has on WSLs and found a lack of evidence to support its effectiveness. But another researcher says orthodontists should continue to use these agents for a number of reasons, and that more studies of WSL treatments are needed. Read more.
Finally, people who smoke harbor more oral microbes associated with periodontal disease than people who don't smoke, according to a study conducted at Ohio State University and presented at the recent International Association for Dental Research meeting in Seattle. In addition, nonsmokers' mouths contain more microbes related to oral health.
