U.S. senators wrangle over reforms; Louisiana mobile dental bill forges ahead

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Today marks the first-ever Monday edition of the DrBicuspid.com Letter from the Editor. From now on, we'll be bringing you the latest news and information from the dental community twice a week, every Monday and Wednesday. More great stuff from your favorite online resource!

In recent legislative news, U.S. lawmakers in Washington, DC, are wrangling over proposed healthcare reforms that would impact dentistry. In this latest round, Republican senators last week proposed stripping oral health data collection and sealant provisions and an oral health awareness campaign from a Democratic bill designed to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system. Read more.

And on the state level, proposed legislation to regulate school-based dentistry in Louisiana is forging ahead. After being approved two weeks ago by the Louisiana House of Representatives, the bill flew through a Senate committee last week -- albeit with some strong testimony from supporters and opponents alike -- and just as quickly passed the full Senate today. It now goes back before the House for final review before heading to the governor's desk. Read more.

In clinical news, a new study out of the University of California, Los Angeles finds that cone-beam CT is superior to conventional periapical radiographs in locating root canals. And a group of researchers from three U.S. universities has received a $1.3 million government grant to investigate the link between periodontal disease and memory loss. Read more.

Meanwhile, on the practice management front, while an office remodel may not be in your budget right now, even in the current economy you can do simple, inexpensive things to boost morale and keep your patients coming back, says Dr. Sheri Doniger in Dental Diaries.

And don't forget to check out the latest Practice Success tips, courtesy of Dr. Roger Levin and Levin Group!