Dear DrBicuspid Member,
The California Dental Association (CDA) is recommending a number of ways the state can improve access to oral healthcare services, including studying new workforce models, appointing a state dental director, and expanding the use of federally funded clinics.
Noting in a presentation at the recent CDA fall session that "the future of dentistry should be shaped by those who practice it," CDA Vice President Lindsey Robinson also urged the state's dental professionals to become more involved in the development of oral healthcare policies. Read more.
And in the latest installment in our popular Leaders in Dentistry series, DrBicuspid.com talked with Dr. Rhea Haugseth, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, about the alarming rise in tooth decay among younger children, the potential impact of the new healthcare reform law on pediatric dentistry, and the growing need for more pediatric dentists in the U.S.
Finally, in clinical news, although a number of studies have investigated the link between treating periodontal disease and pregnancy outcomes, the jury is still out on whether scaling and root planing (SRP) actually reduces adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Now a critical analysis in the Journal of the American Dental Association concludes that a December 2010 meta-analysis was correct in its findings that SRP has no significant effect on the incidence of preterm birth. But some experts still disagree, saying there is not enough evidence yet to make a definitive conclusion. Read more.
