News + Issues

It’s a jungle out there [or reflections on clinic]

dental student clinicIt’s 8:30am on an otherwise lovely Tuesday morning in Birmingham, AL. I carefully peak my head around the corner . . . It seems so peaceful. So innocent. The calm before the storm.

For in a mere 30 minutes, what I see before me will transform into something quite terrifying. A black hole where chaos reigns and confidence and tranquility go to die.

Papers will be flying. Students will be running. Patients will be grunting. Ohhh the horror.

News + Issues

Medicaid’s exclusion of patients with special needs

predental week bannerImagine for a minute that you have an adult family member who has a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, or an intellectual disability (ND/ID). This individual with special needs must see a dentist to alleviate pain or treat oral disease but you cannot afford care and don’t qualify for Medicaid. What do you do now? How long will your loved one have to suffer?

Now come back to reality. You are a dental student who has the ability to learn, provide care and advocate for patients with special needs. Currently, those with an intellectual disability are the most underserved medical and dental population (MUP).

Predental

How is your school getting involved with Predental Week?

predental week bannerThe University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston (UTSD) ASDA chapter is very excited about the first annual ASDA Predental Week (Feb 17-21)! We would like to share some of the events we have planned to encourage your dental schools to get involved with the predental students and organizations located in your area.

Science + Tech

A quick and inexpensive method to create a land on your master impression

thumbnailEvery dental student knows how much time and energy is spent making a perfect master impression. But for many of us, the job does not end after the impression is made. Improperly boxing and pouring the impression can lead to critical errors. Once you have collected the proper materials, this method of creating a land on any type of impression is simple and cost-effective. Read on for step-by-step instructions and a video how-to.

News + Issues

Dental products that claim to be the “future” of dentistry

Screen Shot 2014-01-23 at 4.40.40 PMGood news! The future of dentistry has arrived! Or… maybe not.
It’s a wonder the basic toothbrush has survived so long with so many exciting advancements in dental care. Check out the four videos below and peer into the future of personal oral hygiene. My personal favorite is the mouth guard with bristles in it. Click “read more” to see the full post with videos.

News + Issues

4 ways the ACA will (and will not) impact dentistry

ACAIt is 2014 and the inaugural year of the Affordable Care Act implementation. Curious if dentistry has etched (primed and bonded) its way into ACA? I can tell you, it has. The watchword in regards to our field is “prevention”—detailed in the 21 oral health provisions of ACA. If you’ve avoided the daunting task of reading the ACA, you may have a few questions. Let me decode those for you here…