Weight-loss medications; dental insurance industry growth; and 'The King and I'?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

A recent report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggested that an additional 30 million Americans will be obese in 16 years (costing an additional $549.5 billion on medical expenditures), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that 35% of U.S. adults are obese today. So it follows that some percentage of your patients may well be taking some sort of weight-loss medication or supplement, such as Belviq (lorcaserin) or Xenical (orlistat), or a supplement. In an interview with DrBicuspid.com, researcher Mark Donaldson, BSP, PharmD, details what you need to ask and prepare for when treating these patients. Read more here.

In 1901, Dr. Paul T. Carrington traveled 1,200 miles by steamboat from Bangkok to Phnom Penh following an urgent plea from Cambodian King Noradom I who was "suffering immensely from aching molars." Dr. Carrington's story encompasses early 20th century dentistry, two sets of false molars, and the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam, based on the memoirs of English governess Anna Leonowens and which later inspired the Broadway play and Hollywood movie "The King and I." Read more of Daniel Demers' profile here.

What do you know about the dental insurance industry? According to IBISWorld, it is poised for growth. The company has just released its first market research report on the U.S. dental insurance industry. The report noted that the industry will benefit from an improving economic environment and favorable demographic trends, while a consistent, five-year increase in healthcare expenditure boosted industry premiums and drove revenue growth to date. Read Associate Editor Rob Goszkowski's article here.

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