Category: Opinion & Editorial

Many of you know that for the past one year I have been on a personal transformational path. While the physical is obvious, the mental is what I want to talk about here. Between turning 50 last December and COVID stress eating, I had put myself in an unhealthy place. I avoided mirrors, stopped getting on my scale and hid behind layers of ... [continue reading]

The ADA is considered America’s leading advocate for oral health. My concern is that in setting policies or standards for our profession not based in true science but politicized information of the CDC we will lose our autonomy. Everyone has the personal right to make a choice based on their age, health status and other influences such as ... [continue reading]

For years, I have been telling patients and members of the media that it’s a great time to be a dentist, because there’s almost nothing that we can’t fix. My tenure as the director of dental oncology for Ohio State has tested that long-held belief. I spent time today with a patient. Let’s call him Bill to protect his true identity. ... [continue reading]

As I write this, the wheels are turning in Washington to create a dental benefit in Medicare Part B. There is no doubt that there are access issues regarding dental care for senior citizens in the country. What is open for debate is how to address those issues. Unfortunately, that discussion is currently proceeding in the worst possible place for ... [continue reading]

As I have conversations with many colleagues around the country, one thing is absolutely clear: we have a workforce shortage! As the smoke clears from the carnage of the pandemic and we assess the past two years in our sector of health care, most of us reported being busier than ever coupled with having less than the normal number of qualified ... [continue reading]

The XXXIII Olympiad in Tokyo, Japan has come to an end. The best athletes in the world had to wait an extra year to show off their skills. They did not disappoint. The world watched people run faster, jump higher, lift more weight, and throw objects further than ever before. Elite gymnasts, swimmers, soccer players, volleyball stars and cyclists ... [continue reading]

As I sit down to write this, my final ODA Today President’s Message, I’m struck by how quickly the time passed and how much more work there is to be done. I am also struck and wearied by the seemingly unending assault from all directions on the profession we all love. Every day we are confronted with new regulations, government mandates, ... [continue reading]

I love tomatoes, a lot. Not the ones grown by commercial growers that are harvested green and sprayed with ethylene to turn them red. While it’s true they are voluptuous, deep red, and without blemishes, sadly they have no flavor, no character, no soul. Home grown tomatoes are completely different. They are a labor of love. Each spring ... [continue reading]

As we move into the heat of summer, we are all excited to have life returning to a more normal feel. We are busy doing the things that we were not able to do for more than a year...and it feels great! Dental offices quickly rebounded from the COVID shutdowns, with rapid growth heading toward the pre-pandemic levels. According to data from the ... [continue reading]

When the dental profession talks about improving Medicaid, we lament how low the fees are, but are reluctant to raise that issue with legislators or other decision-makers for fear of seeming to be self-serving. We’ve shied away from addressing this issue forthrightly for fear of bringing attention to our incomes or being seen as mercenary. Only ... [continue reading]