Deadly supplements; killer cases; sage advice

Dear DrBicuspid.com member:

We are bombarded every day with pitches for various forms of alternative medicine, from acupuncture to vitamin supplements to psychic healing. Some of this stuff stands up to scrutiny, and some of it is flimflam.

The problem, of course, is when your patient starts self-medicating with some nutraceutical without telling you. Whether it is herbs or minerals, ginkgo or chondroitin, your patient may think that if it is "natural," it cannot possibly do any harm. But while some nutraceuticals actually benefit oral health, others can be downright deadly.

How deadly? And what can you do about it? Click here to read Senior Editor Laird Harrison's investigation.

Get on the case

What do readers really dig on DrB? Along with all our various features (recent hotties: "Furor over no-drill technique" and "Goodbye Lidocaine!"), perhaps the most popular item is the Case of the Week. (Click the image in the upper right corner of the home page.) In five or six screens, we have quizzed readers on everything from eosinophilic granuloma to problems caused by bisphosphonates. And more cases are on the way, that will test your diagnostic skills, prod your memory, and sometimes, drive you batty.

But don't just be a quiz taker. Be a quiz maker. If you've got a knotty case you'd like to share, don't be shy. Fame, fortune, and reader gratitude await, and creating a case is pretty straightforward. Drop me an email at [email protected] or go here for details.

Chairmen (and women) of the board

When the editors at DrB face a tough clinical conundrum, need a real world view, or just have a dumb question, who do they turn to? Why the sage experts on our advisory board. This kitchen cabinet has been a boon to DrB since day one, providing advice, commentary (thank you Kim Gowey), Cases of the Week (thank you, Dr. Ines Velez), and much more. Check out the bios of this group -- from seasoned clinicians to second year dental student -- and you will be impressed. I was!

Refer a friend, win a prize

Want to share the good news about DrB? Surf over to tellafriend.drbicuspid.com and enter the name and email address of colleagues you'd like to introduce to DrB. (Don't worry -- this info won't be shared with anyone else.) One big plus: the more folks you refer, the greater your chance to win a XM Satellite radio from Delphi.