U.S. State CE Requirements in Oral Health: A National Discrepancy?

Continuing Education in the dental industry is required for professionals in almost every state within the U.S., according to the guidelines set forth by the American Dental Association (ADA). Despite being mandatory in order to retain a license, it is interesting to note that there is quite a discrepancy in the number of credits required by each state among the major dental professions—including: Dentists (or General Practitioners), Dental Hygienists, and Dental Assistants.

For instance, Kansas currently mandates the highest number of credits (for Dentists in particular) within a specific time period, which is 60 credits in two years.[1] On the other hand, states such as Connecticut or Indiana only require 25 and 20 credits (respectively), within a two-year time frame for General Practitioners, and less than 10 credits per year for Dental Hygienists. What’s more is that Assistants are not required to earn CE whatsoever in over 70% of U.S. states.

The chart below compares the number of credits required in each state from highest to lowest for Dentists/General Practitioners within the United States:

(click for larger view of image)

As you can see, there is a substantial difference in the amount of time that Dentists need to commit to CE according to the state that he or she practices in. Is this okay, should each state be able to dictate their own number of credits, or should the entire U.S. share some type of congruity in the continuation of educating oral health professionals? Would it affect the state of oral health among the public as a whole?

For more on this topic, visit the ADA website and their resources related to CE at: http://www.ada.org/98.aspx

ER Doctors Provide Care Via Webcam: Will Dentistry be Next?

In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, healthcare has taken the next big step in using modern technology to provide rural communities with more immediate services and better access to care. This all came about when Avera Health Network created the first long-distance critical care center in the U.S. (and possibly the world) to use high-definition, two-way video consulting to give physicians a 24-hour window of availability from almost anywhere in the central US.

So, you may be asking yourself, how does a doctor in another state help care for a patient using just a webcam? Fred Slunecka, the CEO of Avera Health, helped to explain this question.

“If you think about it, there’s an awful lot of medicine that is just done throughvisualization of X-rays, looking at the chart, talking to the patient, making assessments, and writing prescriptions…”.

Jay Weems, executive director of eCare, adds to this comment by stating, “The magic is being able to see the room, but the bigger magic, we think, is the people that are on both ends—in the rural community and in the hub—that support each other and work together as a team, as medicine is meant to be practiced.”

As the demand for high-quality care increases, more forms of this “telemedical” practice are sure to follow. What’s more is that in emergency situations—where life and death is determined by a matter of seconds—long-distance doctors can be available to the operating room an average of 14 minutes sooner than a local physician. They can also help monitor ICU patients, which the team in South Dakota does for over 60% of them, in addition to tracking medical histories and keeping on top of the latest guidelines, recommendations, and standards of care.

Since October of this year, the town of Sioux Falls has already reported an 18% decrease in ambulance/helicopter transfers to major hospitals, which has already saved them a staggering $6.6 million in total costs, which translates into the local economy.

So, is dentistry the next industry to take on this new form of care? With the amount of related-ER visits these days, some may think it could be possible. Specialists—for example, oral/maxillofacial surgeons—may be some of the top contenders for introducing this type of collaborative environment. Regardless, access to care in this country is growing in demand almost everyday, so only the future can tell if it will be a good fit for the field of oral health.

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Information in this article was obtained by The Atlantic, “Where ER Doctors Work Entirely Via Webcam”. To view this post, visit: http://theatlantic.com/health/print/2012/12/where-er-doctors-work-entirely-via-webcam/265935/

The Influence of Stress on Poor Oral Health

As many in the dental profession are aware, the oral-systemic link has been drawing more attention than ever lately with the abundance of research being conducted throughout the industry. One aspect of this dynamic that affects nearly every single one of us at some point or another (if not on a continual basis…), is the relationship between stress and oral health.

Having good oral health, of course, involves many other factors aside from just how often you brush your teeth, but in essence, how often do you find yourself sitting there with your teeth grinding back and forth because you have 8,500 things to do that day? Not only is it unpleasant to hear, but the damage you’re doing to your teeth can be profound if the stress continues to grow.

Here are some other ways that stress can play a role in the condition of oral health:[1]

• Canker Sores: small ulcers on the inside of the mouth that are believed to  emerge with the onset of a stress.

• Cold Sores: fever blisters that appear on the outside of the lip that thrive and/or multiply during conditions of incremental stress.

• Bruxism: The act of teeth grinding or clenching your teeth subconsciously due to a high level of stress or worry.

• Poor Diet/Enamel Erosion: Stress can cause individuals to change their eating habits, which comprehensively affects oral health as more snack/junk type food is typically consumed (more sugar –> greater acidity/overall erosion) and salivary flow rates are altered/diminished.

• Poor Oral Hygiene: Stress can cause people to re-arrange priorities and skip out on preventive measures  that affect the state of their oral hygiene.

• Caries/Periodontal Disease: Stress has been known to correlate to an increased level of plaque in the oral cavity, and aid in the development of common oral diseases.

Antioxidant Effects on the State of Oral Health

There are many factors to good oral health that we often don’t think of, and one of them is the influential presence of simple antioxidants. Consumed with our regular diet, the effects of antioxidants are vast—extending beyond the oral cavity and into the realm of systemic health. DentistryIQ discusses how factors like pollutants, alcohol, nicotine, and more can disturb the oxidative balance of oral tissues…[READ ARTICLE]

Best & Worst U.S. States by Public Oral Health Trends

Earlier this summer, The Kaiser Commission released a report titled, “Oral Health in the US: Key Facts” which discussed the many issues our country currently faces in terms of delivering and maintaining quality oral health care among the general public. Unfortunately, these issues emerge because the resources needed to obtain good oral health are simply not available—typically because the cost is too high, or because more and more people are living in regions which are now being labeled as “Health Professional Shortage Areas” (HPSA). The report also went on to compare each state by several indicators that often reflect their status of oral health, including:

• % of adults who have visited the dentist within the past year

• % of seniors who have extracted all their natural teeth

• % of populations living in a dental HPSA

Overall, the statistics were ranked to determine the top 5 (and bottom 5) states throughout the U.S. under each category (above), and compared to acknowledge any potential trends or correlations among them. The following represents the best and worst states by each category:

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Oral Manifestations: Common Systemic Diseases

Interested in learning more about the connections between oral and systemic health? If so, check out this table that identifies some of the most common conditions/diseases known today and the associated number of symptoms that manifest within the oral cavity. To view/share this chart, [CLICK HERE]

Patient Education: 50% Don’t Get the Message

Think you’re getting through to your patients? Think again…studies show that up to 50% of them walk out of the office not knowing what they were told and/or what they’re supposed to do. Overall, that percentage is far too high, especially when it’s referring to information that can be vital to their health and the health of those around them. To view this infographic, [CLICK HERE]

New ADA Survey on Kids, Candy, and Halloween

A survey was recently conducted by the ADA and PopCap Games to gauge the perception of Halloween among kids ages 5 to 13 throughout the U.S. Overall, they found some very interesting results, which are as follows:

• 94% participate in trick-or-treating

• 65% think Halloween is the best holiday of the year

• 66% agree that they eat too much candy during Halloween

• 89% said they would still like the holiday if it was not “candy-focused”

• 93% would prefer a video game instead of candy while trick-or-treating

• 71% think dressing up is one of the best parts about Halloween

• 66% also think “getting lots of candy” is another great part about Halloween

• 78% agree with the statement that “too much candy is bad for me”

• 67% report that they eat too much candy throughout the Halloween season

• 42% worry they’ll get cavities from eating too much candy on Halloween

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To view the article on this survey, visit: http://medicalnewstoday.com/articles/252019.php

U.S. Sugar Statistics: A Not-So-Sweet Reality

Feel like getting spooked for Halloween? Check out this infographic on the consumption of sugar throughout the U.S….from how much we ingest each year (which is growing at an alarming rate), to the many diseases that stem from excessive consumption, this infographic is a great way to increase awareness about the dangers of this deceivingly sweet ingredient. To view and/or share, [CLICK HERE]

New Research Explains the True Evolution of Teeth

Today, it is known that all living vertebrates with jaws possess teeth, but until recently, it was believed that the first jawed vertebrates instead had “scissor-like” jaw bones to capture their prey. However, research from the University of Bristol has debunked that belief to show that the earliest known vertebrates (with jaws) did indeed possess teeth—indicating that the evolution of both jaws and teeth either occurred simultaneously, or sequentially within a very short period of time of each other…..[READ ARTICLE].