Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Today, August 8, is absolutely one of my favorite days of the entire year because of something that happened in the past.
All day today, 8/8/88 will be in the back of my mind. That's the night when so many of my family members gathered around the television to watch the first-ever night game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The debate about lights inside the historic ballpark had raged for months, but a night home game was finally going to happen for the Chicago Cubs. This was big news!
Mother Nature, however, had alternate plans. With the Cubs leading 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, the heavens opened up and what was supposed to be the first-ever night game at Wrigley Field turned into just another rainout. All of the hoopla and plans for 8/8/88 had to be moved to 8/9/88. It wasn't as perfect, but it worked, nonetheless.
That's how this year has felt so far in our industry, hasn't it? We all had so many plans -- and then COVID-19 hit. Now we're all having to adjust and move things that we were looking forward to. It's not perfect, but it doesn't mean that it can't work and be successful.
That's one of the main messages I took away from reading an article by my friend Bassim Michael, CPA, CVA, that appeared on our site earlier this week. He described "the three Cs" to thriving in the days ahead, and I think it's a good read for every dental practice. We have to plan for success and adjust our sails to move forward in the days and weeks ahead, and I think this article gives some good tips and thoughts to do just that.
Have you wondered if now is the right time to talk to your patients about their periodontal health? If you needed a reason to have that talk, a new study provides the perfect introduction. Patients with inflammation caused by periodontitis may experience more severe COVID-19 complications, according to the study authors.
Speaking of gum disease, dementia and mild cognitive impairment may be linked to periodontal disease, specifically the type of gum damage that results in tooth loss, according to a study recently published online. Our coverage was one of the most-read articles of the week.
Periodontal disease is, of course, one of the things that interests hygienists the most. We're also wondering what else currently interests RDHs. With that in mind, DrBicuspid.com launched "RDHs in the real world," a look into what dental hygienists are really thinking right now. We're asking hygienists for their thoughts and opinions on current events as well as what they see for the future of their profession. You will learn about their answers in future articles.
Finally, let's stay on the theme of dental hygiene. In a recent one-on-one interview, renowned lecturer Dr. Sam Low chatted with me about a number of topics, including the future of dental hygiene as well as how dentistry has changed since the COVID-19 disruption.
As always, thank you for reading DrBicuspid.com. My team and I continue to wish you and your family health and safety in the coming days.