News

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a rule that will require most dental offices to install amalgam separators. The date for compliance for most dentists is July 14, 2020. Most practicing dentists must: Install, maintain and monitor an amalgam separator in their office. Follow best management practices (BMPs) for amalgam ... [continue reading]

The ODA Wellness Trust had a positive open enrollment season, with an increase in participants for 2020 as well as one of the lowest rate increases in the market. The ODA Wellness Trust is a not-for-profit health benefit plan created by ODA members for ODA members. By joining together with ODA members throughout Ohio, the ODA Wellness Trust gains ... [continue reading]

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) recently revised its dental periodicity schedule to recommend that every Medicaid eligible child should have an oral examination at the eruption of the first primary tooth, no later than 12 months of age and semi-annual examinations thereafter. “The periodicity schedule follows professional ... [continue reading]

After graduating from dental school in 1981, I became an associate in a small town. At that point in time, I was the only female dentist in a 50 mile radius. I joined the tripartite and attended meetings with my local component. I have to say that everyone was very nice to me but they would always change the subject when I walked up. At first I ... [continue reading]

Much has been written about the opioid epidemic here in Ohio and across the country. According to the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio has been a focal point for drug overdose deaths in America. In 2009, 1,423 Ohioans died from unintentional drug overdoses, which was 12.7 per 100,000 population. That number has risen steadily and in 2017, 4,162 ... [continue reading]

Over the past few months I have been surprised by a few phone calls centered on patients or patient's representatives filming in the dental office. The conversations have revolved around whether or not the patient has a “right” to film in the office. I wanted to take the time this month to address this because the subject is something ... [continue reading]

Every month, volunteer member dentists who serve on the Ohio Dental Association’s Dental Insurance Working Group consider questions, concerns and complaints that are submitted by ODA member dentists relative to dental insurance. A common theme of many of the submissions involves problems associated with denied claims that could have been ... [continue reading]

This past fall, a study published in “JAMA Internal Medicine” found that interacting with patients who are demeaning toward them is challenging and painful for physicians. Researchers in the U.S. conducted a study involving 13 focus groups of 50 participants, composed of attending hospitalists, internal medicine residents and medical ... [continue reading]

The “Juul” – what a maelstrom! When historians look back on the first quarter of the 21st century, the Juul vaping e-cigarette will be one of the top 10 inventions of that era. In a previous op-ed, I wrote about how “cool” the product was and for immature individuals – America’s teens – it is an ... [continue reading]

Day at the Statehouse, the Ohio Dental Association's most important grassroots advocacy event, will be May 13 in Columbus. Day at the Statehouse gives dentists, dental residents and dental students an opportunity to speak with their legislators about issues important to dentistry and advocate for issues that impact their patients, their dental ... [continue reading]