SYDNEY, Australia: For some women, hormonal changes that occur owing to pregnancy can lead to oral health problems such as dental caries and periodontal disease. A newly published study out of Australia has sought to investigate whether the treatment of gingivitis in expectant mothers can affect pregnancy outcomes. The researchers found that it could help to reduce the likelihood of preterm birth.
Danes’ oral health has improved significantly but social inequalities persist, study says
COPENHAGEN, Denmark: In a recent study, researchers examined the dentate status and the frequency of preventive dental visits of Danish adults over a period of 30 years. Additionally, they assessed whether the patients’ oral health had been influenced by social determinants. The study found that, although Danes now show a significant improvement in their oral health behaviours, there are still social inequalities in dental health across the population. In light of the findings, the researchers highlighted the need for sociopolitical actions to help improve the dental health of Danes across various social backgrounds.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=366
Pandemic headwinds batter SmileDirectClub
NASHVILLE, Tenn., U.S.: SmileDirectClub (SDC) is a leading provider of remote clear aligner therapy, but the company has missed out on the economic immunity to COVID-19 that seems to have been afforded to some other clear aligner manufacturers. The company’s results slumped in the third quarter and, according to its CEO, the difficulties can be attributed to the financial effects of the pandemic on its target demographic.
Business side of dentistry: 7 things to consider for when opening your first practice
Editor’s note: This is the 12th article in a series exploring the business aspects of the dental profession, from starting a practice and marketing to hiring staff and finances.
Decided to do a start up? Here’s a few pointers that may make you a little more successful in this venture:
Dr. Deshpande
1. A thorough demographic analysis. Although, I’ve seen extremely successful startup practices in unfavorable dentist to patient population ratios, for the most part you need a ratio of at least 1:3000 to support your startup dream. Starting a practice in a very competitive area could make life difficult for you.
2. Finding a location that is easily accessible, offers plenty of parking for your patients and staff, and that gets as many eyeballs on it in a day is key. If you find a location at an intersection with a traffic light that has at least $20,000 cars crossing by, nothing like it. Be wary of those locations though; they are hard to find in urban markets, and are usually bought by giant retail spaces. Finding a great tenant representative to help you discover spaces, and negotiate on your behalf, will serve you well in this case.
3. Some banks max out with a loan of $550,000 for general dentistry startups. Specialists can get a little more from a bank. Some new dentists will be unable to find a bank willing to fully finance them, especially if they are new graduates. Many of you might need to consider getting a traditional SBA loan to fund your startup dream. Consider having a financial mentor to help you understand which route makes most sense for you.
4. Supporting yourself with a busy part time associateship while running your startup might be helpful. It’ll help reduce financial pressure, while also providing you with the income to put into your startup for marketing.
5. Surrounding yourself with other dentists who can help you in the process is vital. One of my favorite resources is the Facebook group called ‘the making of a dental startup’, started by a podcaster with a show of the same name. There is a group exclusively for dentists and another with company representatives. The group with dentists has honest discussions, references of which companies to work with, lots of advice and people willing to let you learn from their mistakes. I sometimes find myself spending hours just perusing a single topic.
6. Podcasts to listen to? Fee for service dentistry, the Making of a Startup and the Dental Marketer are all great places to listen to a variety of startup experiences.
7. Lastly, make sure to surround yourself with mentors, coaches, friends and confidantes. Doing a startup can be a very overwhelming and lonely journey. You will often feel like the weight of the world is on your tiny dentist shoulders- you never went to school to learn the business side of dentistry, after all. You went to school to learn clinical dentistry and impact your community. It is important to remember that there are many people who have done this before you and done it well. Associating with the right people will help you reach your goals faster. The journey becomes easier. Find your tribe!
All the best! Here’s to an amazing 2022!
Dr. Sampada Deshpande is a general dentist based in San Francisco. A foreign trained dentist from India, Sampada earned her DDS from the University of Washington in 2018 and is a 2020-2021 UW-LEND fellow. Outside of clinical dentistry, she enjoys teaching at the New Dentist Business Club and improving access to technology in healthcare via her involvement in Samsotech. You can reach her directly at @dr.deshpande on Instagram or visit her website www.sampadadeshpandedds.com for more information.
Editor’s note: We know that finding the right practice can be overwhelming and time consuming. That’s why the ADA created ADA Practice Transitions (ADAPT), a service that matches you with practices that fit your practice approach and lifestyle. We provide customized resources to ensure you feel confident in your decisions and an ADA Advisor supports you during each step of the journey. Learn more at ADAPracticeTransitions.com.
Interview: “We feel that people want to come to the ADF congress to meet up”
PARIS, France: After the cancellation of the French Dental Association (ADF) congress in 2020, a new edition of this event, which dental professionals look forward to every year, is about to take place. From 23 to 27 November, the dental world will meet at the Palais des Congrès in Paris to learn, discover innovations and, perhaps, challenge themselves. Drs Julien Laupie and Joël Trouillet, dentists and secretary generals of the ADF, were kind enough to share their feelings, explain what motivates them and give details of this new edition of the congress.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=348
UK medical organisations team up to raise awareness of antibiotic overprescription
LONDON, UK: Antibiotic resistance is one of the key challenges that dental and medical professionals will face over the coming decades, yet its causes and significance remain relatively unknown. To raise public interest in this issue, a number of UK-based medical organisations, spearheaded by the British Dental Association (BDA), joined forces to highlight the message that “Antibiotics do not cure toothache”. The campaign was launched to coincide with the World Health Organization’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which takes place from 18 to 24 November each year.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=340
Dentistry learns to live with COVID-19 as incidence and earnings bifurcate
LEIPZIG, Germany: COVID-19 infections have increased dramatically in many countries—particularly in Europe—as the northern hemisphere inches towards its second pandemic winter. Third-quarter results of major dental manufacturers, however, suggest that dental markets have learned to live with the disease. Patient volumes may not have reached pre-pandemic levels, but sales have, and they no longer seem to hinge on low rates of infection.
Nexa3D partners with 3D DDS to distribute 3D-printing technology to dentists and laboratories
VENTURA, Calif., U.S.: Dental professionals can now make the most of Nexa3D’s portfolio of ultrafast polymer 3D printers owing to a new reseller partnership between the company and 3D DDS. The latter is a leading dental distributor of digital and 3D-printing technologies and supplies and a provider of technical services and training to dental professionals. The two companies say that the development will make ultrafast 3D printing a reality for more dentists and dental technicians.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=324
Exocad releases ChairsideCAD 3.0 Galway software for single-visit dentistry in North America
WOBURN, MASS., U.S./DARMSTADT, Germany: Exocad, an Align Technology company, recently announced the availability of ChairsideCAD 3.0 Galway in the U.S. and Canada. The next-generation CAD software for single-visit dentistry is being showcased by exocad at the 2021 Greater New York Dental Meeting in New York City, being held until Dec. 1.
Looking for ways to increase access to care? Consider GKAS
The ADA’s Give Kids A Smile program has been my gateway into public health as well as an avenue to leadership within the ADA. Like many others, I first learned about GKAS during dental school, where the event was held annually.
Dr. Smeenge
It was a fun-filled day of free pediatric dentistry, identifying and addressing treatment needs for children who otherwise were not receiving care. As a University of Michigan dental student, it gave me a chance to learn more about pediatrics, while giving back to the community. During my D2, D3, and D4 years, I joined the dental school leadership team to help plan the event. Then as a pediatric resident, I oversaw patient care and enjoyed teaching the dental students.
In 2015, as a D3 student, I had the opportunity to attend the ADA’s GKAS Community Leadership Development Institute. Selected GKAS program coordinators from across the U.S. shared their experiences, learned from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and ended the program by participating in the St Louis GKAS clinic event — the one that started it all.
Dr. Jeff Dalin and his team are truly inspirational, educating and treating hundreds of children who otherwise would not get dental care due to a variety of health disparities. In 2017, I had the opportunity to join other GKAS Ambassadors in Chicago at the ADA headquarters to once again join forces and find creative solutions to barriers to care and challenges to running a GKAS program.
This led to the opportunity to become the new dentist representative on the ADA’s GKAS National Advisory Committee. Through this position, I am able to share my perspective as a recent graduate and as a pediatric specialist. We develop promotional campaigns and problem solve at the national level. I am grateful to be part of an amazing group of people, who all share a passion for helping children establish a dental home and for equipping general dentists with the knowledge and resources to comfortably screen and treat children.
Some of you may have experience with leadership positions in undergrad or even in dental school, but once you graduate, it can feel like there is so much on your plate, especially in the midst of a pandemic. Can, or rather, should, you add one more thing?
Being on the ADA’s GKAS National Advisory Committee easily fits into my schedule. It gives me a chance to hear other perspectives across the country, and to make a difference at a national level. As someone just starting my career, I appreciate being able to learn from people who have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
I highly recommend getting involved at some level, whether that is as a state dental association representative or within one of the many ADA councils or committees. Not only will you be making sure that new voices are being heard, but you will also learn a valuable perspective on how organized dentistry operates. It can feel overwhelming, trying to tackle access to care issues on your own, but organized dentistry allows individuals to come together and make a greater impact.
Most recently, I have been working on Tiny Smiles, a subset of GKAS focused on establishing a dental home for children under age 5. The recommendation for a child’s first dental visit is age 1, due to the increased incidence in caries at a younger age.
However, many dentists may feel ill-equipped to complete a knee-to-knee exam or address active carious lesions on such young patients. We are creating continuing education opportunities to increase comfort levels on this topic. Connecting with your neighborhood pediatricians and getting a child in the door for an exam is the first step. You can then educate parents on hygiene and diet recommendations. If they have treatment needs: refer! Parents who feel comfortable with you for their young child, will recommend you to their friends and family members, it’s a great patient builder!
If you have any questions about GKAS, Tiny Smiles, or getting involved in the ADA at a national level, please don’t hesitate to ask! Information on GKAS and Tiny Smiles can be found on ADA.org/GKAS.
Dr. Betsey Baumann-Smeenge is a pediatric dentist at a Federally Qualified Health Center in White Cloud, Michigan. She earned her dental degree and her masters in pediatric dentistry from the University of Michigan. She is the “New Dentist” representative on the ADA’s Give Kids A Smile National Advisory Committee and is a GKAS Ambassador. She is passionate about making dental care accessible for all children. Feel free to reach out with any questions or comments: [email protected]