Week in Review: Opioid use by household income; gum disease and CVD; and offering cosmetic dentistry

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Household income may determine whether a patient uses an opioid or nonopioid analgesic for dental pain, a new study has found. Participants from households making less than $15,000 per year were nearly twice as likely to take opioids than those from the highest income bracket. Read more here.

Also this week on DrBicuspid.com, periodontist Dr. Alvin Danenberg asks if gum disease can cause cardiovascular disease (CVD)? He looks at three peer-reviewed medical studies and offers his clinical perspective on this crucial issue for your patients' health. Learn more here.

Spring and summer are great times to promote cosmetic dentistry. Most people will be attending graduations, weddings, reunions, and family gatherings. They want to look their best, especially if it's an important event. Read Dr. Roger P. Levin's latest Practice Success tip on how to promote your cosmetic dentistry services.

If you have a few minutes this weekend, try the DrBicuspid-Snapshot. It'll give you a quick idea of how much your practice is worth. Try it for yourself here.

As Memorial Day reminds us, we all want to see better healthcare and oral healthcare for all veterans. One action we can all take is to hold our elected representatives accountable and let them know that those who served should never be neglected or forgotten.