Wash. dentist seeks Medicaid patients; nanodiamonds make implants stronger

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

While parents in many parts of the U.S. complain they can't find enough Medicaid dental providers to treat their children, and providers say the reimbursement rates aren't enough to justify taking Medicaid patients, a pediatric dental provider in Washington state is facing an entirely different scenario: too few Medicaid patients.

Tyrone Rodriguez, DDS, who owns Selah's Smiles Dental in Selah and SmileSonrisas Dental in Moses Lake, is frustrated that only about half of the eligible children in his area seek treatment. Click here to read what he believes is behind the trend, and what he and others feel needs to happen to reverse it.

Over in the Restoratives Community, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have discovered that nanodiamonds -- typically used in mining and refining applications, not jewelry -- can help promote bone growth and the durability of dental implants. They see nanodiamonds as versatile platforms that have the potential to impact several facets of oral, maxillofacial, and orthopedic surgery and regenerative medicine. Read more.

And in Imaging and CAD/CAM Community news, the VELscope is a popular fluorescence imaging device used by dental professionals to help detect oral cancer and other suspicious lesions in the oral cavity. Now a new study has found another potential application for this light-based technology: as an aid in the surgical treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw induced by bisphosphonates.

Finally, have you thought about retirement lately and what you should be doing now in terms of financial planning that could benefit you when the time comes? Click here to read how and why qualified retirement plans might be a good option to consider.