More patients opt for ER over dentist; how one small town solved its dental crisis

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

More Americans are going to hospital emergency rooms (ERs) rather than the dentist seeking treatment for routine dental problems -- a choice that is putting an additional burden on already-strained state budgets and does not address the underlying issues, according to a new report from the Pew Center on the States.

The number of ER visits nationwide for dental problems increased 16% from 2006 to 2009, according to Pew -- and it appears the trend is continuing. Click here to read more, including Pew's views on what states can do to address the problem.

In other news, when the only dentist in Fayette, IA, announced last year that he was retiring after 30 years, officials in the small farming community knew they would have to come up with a unique incentive to lure a new dentist to town. Their solution offers a model other communities should consider. Read more.

Meanwhile, another study has demonstrated the value of using thyroid collars on patients during cone-beam CT scanning of the oral and maxillofacial region. Researchers from Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology found that using a thyroid collar significantly reduced the effective radiation doses for the thyroid gland and esophagus.

Finally, don't forget to check out our first-ever Special Report, Advances in Periodontal Research, a comprehensive look at the pros and cons of oral bacteria, the causes of periodontal disease, and what lies ahead in the commercial development of salivary diagnostics.