The power of volunteering | More oral-systemic connections | Dial in your hiring

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

It's the end of another week, and this week finds me in Seattle speaking at the Pacific Northwest Dental Conference. Next week, I'll be covering the California Dental Association (CDA) meeting in Anaheim for DrBicuspid.com, so I hope our paths will cross there.

While I'm in Seattle today, a portion of my thoughts are back in Denver and a great day of giving back I attended recently. TeamSmile held an event at Coors Field, where 130 dentists and dental team members volunteered their time to help 185 children (most of whom for which English was not their first language), and I was there to watch them receive the treatment they needed and deserved.

Most of my spring and summer nights are spent at Coors Field writing about the Colorado Rockies, but on this absolutely perfect Colorado day, the suite level was turned into a series of operatories, where I fully believe the lives of children were changed thanks to the kindness of a few strangers who became trusted health advocates for those kids that day.

TeamSmile estimates around $70,000 of dental work was donated that day, but I think the impact goes well beyond a financial figure. I know all of the good that is done in the dental industry every day, and seeing it firsthand at this TeamSmile event in Denver reminded me of the power of volunteering and committing to making a difference.

Kudos to TeamSmile for making a difference in Denver and around the country … and to all of you who volunteer or give back to help those who are less fortunate. I thank you for helping make the world a better place.

Speaking of making a difference, that's what researchers are doing every day when they provide the dental industry with further proof of the oral-systemic link. This week, we published articles detailing the link between periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction as well as how poor oral health may be associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. These are key findings I hope you are sharing with your patients. 

Speaking of dementia, I appreciated this article submitted by Dr. Alexis Lee giving advice on how to help patients with dementia have a positive dental experience. This was Dr. Lee's first article, but she is passionate about this topic and decided to share her thoughts with our readers. I'm extremely glad that she did.

Of course, your team is key to keeping patient communication at a high level, and keeping your team together and strong is more important than ever. If you haven't caught our podcast series with Dr. Roger P. Levin on the staffing crisis in dentistry, the latest episode is now available and is well worth your time if you're looking for a new team member right now. 

Finally, are we on the cusp of a game changer with dental implants? Polyester's moment in dentistry may be coming soon, and that means a fabric you never expected to put in a patient's mouth may be a choice in the near future. Check out this article detailing the possibilities. 

As always, thank you for reading DrBicuspid.com. I hope to see you at CDA in Anaheim, and if you're celebrating Mother's Day this weekend, soak up all of the praise. You deserve it.

Kevin Henry
Editor in Chief