Category: Opinion & Editorial

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]

I recently returned from my third or fourth favorite dental meeting, the Mid-winter Meeting in Chicago. The exhibit hall was very large with hundreds of vendors. The selection of dental products ranged from the simple to the most extravagant. From supplies that cost very little to equipment that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Amazingly, ... [continue reading]

It’s time to have frank discussion about pain management.  In fact, it’s long past time.  In 2016, opioids (prescription opioids, as well as the street drugs heroin and fentanyl) killed more than 42,000 people. That’s the population of Warren, or Fairfield, or Dublin, or Findlay dead in a year.  That’s the ... [continue reading]

This past winter I had the pleasure of attending the installation of the officers of the Cincinnati Dental Society. Living in central Kentucky makes an event such as this a trip and not a jaunt. During the social hour prior to the dinner and ceremonies, I was privileged to be a listener, not a participant, in what basically was a discussion about ... [continue reading]

Advocacy is possibly the most important benefit the ODA provides our members. Support of ODPAC (Ohio Dental Political Action Committee) and ADPAC (American Dental Political Action Committee) is crucial to maintain our wonderful profession. A unified voice makes for a strong voice! Dentistry is ranked as one of the most trusted and admired ... [continue reading]