All Oral & Dental Healthcare Articles
  • Pandemic leads to calls for increased domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing

    Bambi Majumdar Pharmaceutical

    The emergence of the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the glaring truth and danger of how dependent the U.S. is on pharmaceutical imports. Critical shortages of vital pharma and medical resources have hindered the federal government's pandemic response efforts. Experts now say it's time to reduce the reliance on other countries that America has built up over decades in this sector.

  • Dental offices lead healthcare’s job surge in May’s surprising…

    Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied Healthcare

    The U.S. economy witnessed unexpected job growth in May as state and local economies began to reopen from the pandemic shutdown. In particular, medical practices and dental offices were key drivers of this finding that surprised economists. According to the May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) economic report, healthcare — including dentists — added more than 310,000 jobs during the month. Dental offices experienced job rebounds at rates unlike any in the sector.

  • ADA Humanitarian Award deadline extended to September

    Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

    Nominations for the 2021 ADA Humanitarian Award can be made through Sept. 15, 2020. This year’s focus will be on domestic service and will come with $10,000 to be given to the dental charity or project of the recipient's choice. For 2021, the ADA Board of Trustees is modifying the award just a little to highlight volunteer participation in care programs within the U.S., with the change prioritizing sustainable dental health programs that benefit communities stateside, not anywhere in the world.

  • Webinar for new dentists examines what makes humans happy

    Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

    Raise your hand if you want to take a break from the heavy stuff and talk about something happy for just a little while. Right, me too. New dentists who wish to increase their own happiness, especially while living in the days of attempting to build their dental practice during a world health pandemic, can soon log into an American Dental Association webinar about building more productive habits and working through strategies for taking control of their own happiness.

  • Study: Healthcare insurers are missing significant communication opportunities…

    Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied Healthcare

    Despite the continual conversations and protests from payers and some health systems claiming their patients can't understand transparency with insurance plans and pricing, health plans have a member communication problem, a new study says. The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study shows that this communication challenge is growing worse in light of COVID-19. While communication issues may not be mutually exclusive to pricing transparency, it seems there's a much bigger cultural issue.

  • 6 tips for dentists to stay safe and gain new clients after reopening

    Dr. Pat Cassidy Oral & Dental Healthcare

    A recent survey of over 1,000 dental practices conducted by Net32 revealed that dentists across the country were generally very fearful about the prospect of resuming their practices in a COVID-19 world, as state stay-at-home mandates are lifted. Hundreds of comments were related to safety of themselves, their staff, and their patients. In an effort to answer to some of their concerns, I decided to put together a short list of actions that they could take to increase safety as well as increase their ability to attract new patients.

  • Dentists urge aid for dental practices in next round of federal stimulus

    Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

    Dental practices across the nation are just one category of small businesses that have suffered, both economically and logistically, due to the near-national shutdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And as lawmakers are working on the next relief package, the American Dental Association, on behalf of its 163,000 members, is urging Congress to include language to assist the dental industry in the process of recovery. The ADA is making a few key recommendations to legislators.

  • Tips to protect data, devices when conducting remote healthcare services

    Tammy Hinojos Medical & Allied Healthcare

    The global health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has pushed millions of healthcare practices to move into the virtual medicine lane. For some, it will be temporary. Others were already doing it and will continue to offer this convenient, forward-thinking option to patients who prefer to have appointments from the comfort of their own surroundings. Whether a medical practice is just beginning to dip its toes into the telemedicine pool or is a seasoned expert, there are some important data security measures you must have in place for your patients, your practice, and your workers.

  • ADA updates PPE recommendations for dental practices

    Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

    To help assist and guide dentists across the nation who are reopening their practices as state mandates are lifted, the ADA issued an updated statement and interim guidance April 18 on the specific personal protective equipment recommended in order to practice during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as guidance on ways to minimize the risk of virus transmission. The ADA is regularly communicating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other relevant organizations to advocate that dentists should be prioritized for PPE as essential healthcare workers.

  • Making up for lost time

    Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    As the lockdown for COVID-19 enters its second month in most locations, it's becoming apparent there are businesses that are thriving, but many more businesses are suffering. Some of these businesses will recover once the economy begins to breathe again. But some time-based purchases will never be made up. For example, we are not going to go get two haircuts because we missed one. Nor are we going to get two dental checkups at once or attend two meetings of the same association at once to make up for one that was canceled. So, what are we to do? Here are a few ideas.