Dear Hygiene Insider,
The Iowa Supreme Court last month reaffirmed its ruling that a dentist acted legally when he fired his female dental assistant because he found her too attractive and was worried her presence in his practice was a threat to his marriage. Read more.
Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has determined that teeth cleaning and x-rays are safe for pregnant women and is urging all obstetricians and gynecologists to recommend routine oral health assessments during a patient's first prenatal visit.
And the New York State Dental Association is applauding the passage of a new law that allows dental hygienists working in certain facilities to work under collaborative agreements with dentists who have a formal relationship with the same facility.
Elsewhere in the Hygiene Community, poor oral hygiene or periodontal disease may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers from the University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine and Dentistry.
In related news, a growing body of research points to a link between chronic periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction, and the common thread appears to be inflammation, according to a new study in the International Journal of Impotence Research.
And assisted hygiene has had its supporters and naysayers over the years, but current economic challenges make a good case for adding this model to your dental practice, according to practice management consultant Dianne Glasscoe Watterson, RDH, MBA. Learn more in this "15 Minutes to Excellence" video.
Finally, Dr. Alfred C. Fones and Dr. Willoughby D. Miller never met, but their parallel careers had a historic impact on dentistry, yielding the first classification of oral bacteria, the first dental hygienist, and the first dental hygiene school in the world. Read more.
