2 states, 2 access-to-care proposals; plastic model enhances anesthesia training

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In a white paper released in June, the Georgia Dental Association (GDA) questions the use of midlevel providers as a universal solution to access-to-care issues, stating that "Any solution that compromises the welfare and safety of the patient should not be considered, even in the spirit of 'any care is better than no care.' "

Meanwhile, in a report issued last week, the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) takes the position that while midlevel providers might expand access to care for certain populations, the idea remains "untested."

Is there a single best approach to improving access to care for underserved populations, or will the issue continue to be addressed on a state-by-state basis? Click here to learn more about the GDA and MDA perspectives, or go to the Practice Management Community to read all of our articles on this increasingly critical topic.

In clinical news, a sophisticated plastic model of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity can help dental students learn to give local anesthesia injections with less pain and greater success, according to a study in the Journal of Dental Education. Read more in our latest Restoratives Community update.

And over in the Imaging & CAD/CAM Community, endodontic images can significantly enhance forensic IDs, according to a report in the Australian Endodontic Journal. But the quality of the IDs depends in large part on the quality of the ante-mortem radiographs obtained by general dentists, forensic experts say. Read more.