Category: ODA Today

The following article is part of a series of reviews encompassing various medical issues relevant to dentistry today. The ODA Dental Education and Licensure Committee (DELC) recruited a handful of experts to write these concise reviews to inform our member dentists about the most current opinions, positions and evidence on the topics. We hope ... [continue reading]

The dental profession began using disposable gloves nearly three decades ago but until recently, the long-term ergonomic effects of prolonged use of gloves were largely unknown. While highly effective in preventing cross-contamination and ensuring clinician and patient safety, the daily use of traditional disposable gloves can contribute to ... [continue reading]

Oral health in America has improved over the last century due to many factors. However, for low socio-economic groups dental health has not seen the increase in improvement of that of the general population. And there are even greater discrepancies in oral health among certain subpopulations. As members of low socio-economic groups, inmates have ... [continue reading]

As you know, the ODA has been celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary throughout 2016. The ODA's founding, however, was not the only significant dental-related event that happened in Ohio in 1866. That same year, Lucy Hobbs became the first American woman to earn a dental degree when she graduated from the Ohio College of Dental ... [continue reading]

Closing a dental practice many times is much more complicated than turning off the lights and locking the door. As dentists contemplate the closure of an office, there are several key points to consider. Announcing the closure of a practice is a critical step in the process that could cause difficulty for the dentist if not handled ... [continue reading]

The Ohio Dental Association has expressed its concerns to MetLife Dental regarding its decision to require dentists to enroll in electronic funds transfer (EFT) and utilize EFT as the only payment method for provider reimbursement. Many dentists have contacted the ODA regarding MetLife’s decision. All indicated that they did not want to be ... [continue reading]

One of my ENT physician colleagues asked me to see a patient for him, since she was having headaches that were refractory to his migraine treatments.  During our interview, she reported that she had “had a root canal done” this past June.  I asked who the dentist was, so that we could get the records to help determine why the ... [continue reading]

This is a different spin from my usual type of Op-Ed. Whether I make your day sweeter smelling depends on you ... the reader. I hope you enjoy this blend of topics. Floss vs. oral irrigation For some reason during the second half of this year, the media decided to question the efficacy of using floss as part of a daily regimen of oral health ... [continue reading]

Famed New York Yankee Hall of Famer, the late and beloved Yogi Berra, once infamously said: “When you come to the fork in the road, TAKE IT!” A brief and personal take on the evolution of “risk” in dentistry Once upon a time there was only the dentist and the patient.  No one came between the doctor and patient, and ... [continue reading]

The Ohio Dental Association seeks members to fill potential upcoming vacant at-large positions on ODA councils. The ODA is seeking nominations for at-large positions on the association’s Council on Access to Care and Public Service, Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice and the Council on Membership Services. Nominations for ... [continue reading]