Health care reform has been one of the major agendas of the new administration.  Everyone has been wondering how exactly it is going to work and what it means for them – both personally and professionally.  The dental community has specific concerns because  dental care is essential to the overall health of  every individual.  Unfortunately, the general public does not always realize how  oral health can literally be a life and death situation.  Recent tragic reminders, such as the case where a Californian woman’s gingivitis resulted in the stillborn birth of her child or the  12-year-old  boy in Maryland who died of a brain infection caused by a dental abscess, serve to raise awareness about how important oral  health  is and  why dental care needs to be included in the health care reform plan. There are several sides to the debate and it is important to dental professionals to know what the implications of health care reform are for their practice.

First, it is pertinent to know that the American Dental Association has a resolution in with Congress, proposing why access to oral health care is imperative to the overall health of the nation.  Outlining the reasons why such coverage is essential, this resolution speaks of how prevention and maintenance are key factors of dental care and this can be achieved with broader coverage and greater access to dental facilities in areas where these facilities are lacking.  Educating the general public on the relationship of dental health and overall health can help to increase the success of health care reform.  The ADA proposes that those that are in greater need be first in line for care, such as children, elderly and pregnant women.  They also impress that privately  funded care can be beneficial for small employers to provide, since most dental problems can be avoided with proper routine care.

If this resolution is seen into fruition, how will it effect the practice of dentistry?  Concerns have arisen with some dentists about how this will affect their costs .  Will there be tax increases?  Will you feel as if you are being penalized for being successful?  These are some of the questions that are being asked.  The concern is that nationalized dental health care will result in higher bureaucratic costs and a lower standard of care.  Will this necessarily happen?  That seems to be the fear about any kind of national care put into place.  The fact remains that having access to dental health care will result in increased wellness overall.  In order to be part of the solution, the dental community needs to work  with lawmakers to make sure that care does not decrease because of greater access.

Submitted by Grace Cheung, Internet Marketing Manager

Zeroboxes.com – grace@zeroboxes.com

New design introduced at California Dental Association Show

Roselle, Ill.—November 16, 2009–Planmeca’s new dental chair and ambidextrous left/right dental unit offers dentists unprecedented control of instruments while providing a custom fit with exceptional comfort for patients in the new PM 272 dental chair.

“Our new PM 270 Dental Unit and Chair has a unique feature that allows dentists to operate several dynamic instruments, the dental chair trim functions and programming, all from a single dual function  foot control. The PM 270’s dual mode foot control allows dentists to control chair position, turn the water on and off and activate several instruments with the touch of the foot.  Additionally, all chair movement locks in place while instruments are actively in use”, states Bill Kochelek, equipment sales manager for Planmeca.

Dentists will also enjoy the many unique features the custom-molded upholstery provides.  The chair upholstery is constructed of heat sensitive foam which molds to the patient’s body, creating a quick and comfortable experience that enhances the patient’s comfort.

Kochelek said “Planmeca designed the chair with an adjustable arm rest that can be retracted down to the seat upholstery to accommodate virtually any patient, including those with disabilities. Planmeca is committed to providing equipment for dentists who treat those with disabilities too so we made the PM 272 Chair with a retractable armrest system that allows for easy entry and exit of patients who require a wheelchair.”

Other PM 270 features include:

Integrated doctor’s control TFT video monitor to view digital images and active video from a computer. Displays live intra-oral camera feedback. A 270-Degree Design for true right hand and left hand instrument position for both dentist and assistant Integrated fiber optic light control for up to four hand pieces Fully assembled and ready to install Microprocessor controlled unit

For more information, contact your authorized Planmeca dealer or call 1 630-523-2300.  Or visit www.planmecausa.com for more information.

About Planmeca USA

Planmeca USA is the North American Subsidiary of Planmeca OY, Helsinki, Finland. Planmeca OY is one of the largest privately held companies in the dental equipment industry. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Planmeca designs, manufactures, and markets high-tech dental equipment suitable for private clinics and teaching environments. Planmeca’s product lines include dental care units, Triangle Dental Cabinets, dental X-rays, digital imaging and software applications.

The company has been a forerunner in digital imaging and advanced, computer integrated dental care concepts for more than 38 years. Planmeca’s strong commitment to R&D and innovative solutions is evidenced by creating complete dental solutions with integrated high tech devices and software options. Planmeca products are designed and manufactured in Helsinki, Finland, and distributed worldwide via a comprehensive network of dealers operating around the world. More than 98% of Planmeca production is exported to over 100 countries.

The company is well established on high-tech dental markets worldwide. Planmeca has considerable market shares e.g. in the U.S., Japan, and several European countries.

Planmeca, established in 1971, is the parent company of Planmeca Group, a group of companies in the field of health care, with approximately 2,300 employees.

Continuing Education Seminar located in San Diego, CA. – March 5th and 6th, 2010

During this exclusive event, Bill Blatchford DDS, Robert Lowe DDS and Ron Zokol DMD will be sharing proven clinical techniques and sound business rules to enable you to have a quality, profitable practice during any economy.

Not only will you Earn 16 CE Credits but you will gain valuable knowledge and understanding in: New technologies, including dental lasers and digital impressions. Implant procedures for General and Advanced Practitioners New to market materials – and which materials to use for the specific clinical situation Clinical solutions for restorative problems that save chair time Delivery techniques for indirect restorations How you can lower your overhead to 45% – 55% Increase your revenue and have more time off How thousands of dollars are sitting in your patient charts Implementation of new technologies that can help the “bottom line” of your practice Implementing and maintaining the marketing aspect of staying profitable

These topics only scratch the surface. For a full outline of our globally recognized speakers and a complete course description, please visit www.ddsmarketingsolutions.com or download our brochure to register now at http://tinyurl.com/sandiegodentalseminar

Seating is limited so register today to secure seating for you and your team. A pre-registration discount applies through February 5th, 2010. We look forward to seeing you.

Are you going? The 145th Chicago Midwinter Meeting is scheduled for February 25-27, 2010. Along with great courses and special events, 600 exhibitors will show off the latest and greatest products in dentistry today. Visit http://www.cds.org/mwm_2010/ for details!

When Dr. Kevin Brunski of Crown Point, IN saw a news story about a missing child, then pet his dog, he got an idea. The lump in his dog’s back was an identification chip, so if the pet strayed, he could be located by computer.

Dr. Brunski’s idea developed as the I-Denti-Fied chip, and he’s so passionate about the product that he gave up a 20-year career as a general dentist to market it in the US. After finding that a Luxemburg manufacturer created the technology in 2007, Dr. Brunski began his research. Since, he has hooked up with a company that stores health records that can be “unlocked” with a code kept in the chip.

The small computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is implanted into to a prosthetic tooth or onto a tooth, where it’s not felt by the patient or rejected by the body. This particular I-Denti-Fied product is called The Tooth Tag™. It is FDA-approved, HIPPA compliant, and completely safe, according to Dr. Brunksi. A 16-digit patient record code in the chip can only be accessed with a special tool, a gun-style reader. Then, a call center, open 24/7, can access the information and send it to emergency care centers.

A person with the chip is given a keychain USB and a sticker for his driver’s license. This alerts health professionals that the wearer’s health records are accessible immediately. The stored records can include information about the wearer’s medical problems, as well as X-rays, DNR authorization, family members to contact in case of emergency, and more. All this for $150 the first year and a membership fee thereafter.

Learn more, read testimonials, and see a video at www.i-denti-fied.com. Look for the “Fore Healthcare Profesionals” page.

SOURCE: http://www.post-trib.com/news/2021677,chiped-tooth-0201.article