Category: Opinion & Editorial

“… now old friends are acting strange they shake their heads, they say I’ve changed, … But something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day …” - “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell, popularized by Judy Collins The Health Policy Institute of the American Dental Association ... [continue reading]

WOW, OUTSTANDING, GREAT, EXCEPTIONAL, these are just a few of the adjectives that I could use to describe the 2018 ODA Annual Session. This year’s line-up of speakers, programs and events are superlative. There is something for the ENTIRE dental team. The complete line-up of speakers can be found in the Annual Session Program or online at ... [continue reading]

For more than 20 years, I have been doing interviews about the ADA Seal of Acceptance. I’ve been telling reporters and, through them, the public that the Seal is the mark that affirms that a product says what it does and does what it says. It is the emblem placed by the profession that allows people to be confident in their purchase, stating ... [continue reading]

I’m not sure why the second time is so much different from the first, but it is! I’m talking about children, and more specifically my grandchildren. All of you that are blessed to have grandchildren know what I mean. Perhaps the primary difference is due to the fact that these grandchildren are not totally my or my wife’s ... [continue reading]

At the 2017 ODA House of Delegates I formed a Task Force to investigate how the ODA could benefit our members by offering products and services to improve our dental practices. The DSO Task Force is chaired by Dr. Tom Paumier, a past president of the ODA. Other members include Dr. Dale Ann Featheringham, Dr. John Kramer and myself. We also receive ... [continue reading]

This is the season of graduation. All across the country, high school and college students (and their families) are celebrating the end of their academic careers and awaiting what comes next. We call these Commencement Exercises. But, “a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on graduating students” is only the second ... [continue reading]

Congratulations, Class of 2018! You made it! Here are some tips to help you continue your success as you enter a new territory – the real world. 1. Invest in yourself. Why: Dental school gives a broad foundation of all facets of dentistry, but in only four years it’s impossible to learn the nuances. There is an exponential growth ... [continue reading]

I am amazed when I hear that a dentist is not a member of the Ohio Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Studies have shown that the most common concerns for not being a member are, “What does the ODA/ADA do for me?” or “It costs too much.” The first excuse is regarding the question, “What does the ... [continue reading]

After years of extolling the powers of positive thinking, this month I’ll take a walk on the dark side and look at the world upside down.  Many of my high school classmates are teachers.  As we approach the 39th anniversary of my graduation from Mentor High School, a significant number of my closest friends have either already ... [continue reading]

Back in November, I attended the New York Dental Meeting, a mammoth conference rivaling the ADA’s Annual Session. The meeting was well-attended, which may have accounted for the wealth of exhibitors, filling a large hall, as far as the eye could see. Several trends in that mass of dental products and services caught my attention – an ... [continue reading]