Regrouping after Superstorm Sandy; dental anesthesiology falls short in specialty bid

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

One week after Superstorm Sandy slammed into the Atlantic seaboard, residents and dental professionals along the New Jersey shore and in low-lying areas of New York are still struggling to get power restored, begin the long clean-up process, and get their lives and livelihoods back on track.

In New Jersey, coastal communities such as Sea Bright and Seaside Heights were particularly hard hit; in New York, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the south shore of Long Island fared the worst, according to the state dental association. Click here to read more, including links to recovery assistance programs for victims of the storm.

In other news, dental anesthesiology came close to becoming the 10th ADA recognized specialty but fell short last month when a majority of the House of Delegates voted against approving Resolution 16 during the 2012 ADA Annual Session. But supporters have vowed to continue the fight, with or without the ADA's support. Read more.

And with the U.S. presidential election less than 24 hours away, Dr. William Brown wants the dental community to know about the unique role unions have played in support of the Affordable Care Act -- aka "Obamacare" -- and what this could mean for dentistry going forward.

Finally, Sandy Shapiro, RDH, asks: Is it time to add fluoride varnish to your bag of tricks?