At the onset of COVID-19, we saw our once busy and hectic lives come to an indefinite and rather abrupt halt. With the infection risk inherent in travel, in-person CE programs also took a hiatus. Companies began operating with employees sheltering in place. As for dentists, their comfort with working during the pandemic varied greatly.  

Throughout the crisis, the convenience and cost-effectiveness of remote learning became undeniable. Dental professionals needed to keep up on training and education from home but required a more interactive approach than prerecorded teaching. With the introduction of interactive, livestreaming education, the student and teacher can now interact in real time, the lectures are live, and the audience can ask questions and engage with peers and instructors. 

As we have seen technology allow for meaningful interactions from the comfort of home, could interactive, livestreaming education transform how we view and conduct CE programs? 

WHAT IS INTERACTIVE LIVESTREAMING?

Interactive livestreaming (ILS) allows the learners to increase their subject knowledge from their chosen locations. This interactive, proactive course design enables the learner to meet educational requirements through live interactions. ILS is the future of remote online education, saving participants time and money on travel expenses. ILS accomplishes this through interactive, 2-way video conferencing; innovative polling; immediate-response Q and A technology; participant-focused “office hours” with faculty or regulatory counsel; and the ability to interact with fellow participants via customized live chat. 

Here’s an example of how ILS courses are broken down: 

• Fifty percent to 80% of ILS lectures include real-time polling and live, interactive Q and A sessions with peers and instructors.
• Two-way lectures stream from an actual video studio at HD quality and have video switchers similar to broadcast news for the most professional and effective presentation.
• Online video content is available prior to the start of the live course for elevated preparation.
• Prescheduled live office hours with instructors that correspond to the online video modules are available.
• An extensive participant manual that follows each lecture, slide by slide, with additional information for continued study is provided.

STANDARD OF CARE

In order for a practice to be competent in providing safe and effective minimal or moderate oral sedation, the standard is to obtain training in a multitude of areas, including but not limited to:

• Airway management
• Pharmacology
• Patient assessment
• Monitoring
• Protocols
• Drug-drug interactions

Dentists should plan on investing several days of time to study and absorb all the materials. Additionally, proficient skills and the highest standard of care for patient safety should require training for the entire clinical staff.  

AS GOOD AS BEING THERE IN PERSON

Most regulatory dental bodies require participation in live course studies to qualify and renew permits, licenses, and certificates. ILS education fulfills these requirements when the program includes 2-way interaction capabilities and verification of attentiveness.

Through ILS learning, it’s possible to qualify or recertify permits, licenses, and certificates from anywhere. In many ways, ILS learning is superior to being there in person.

HISTORY OF DISTANCE LEARNING

Distance learning is nothing new; in fact, it’s been around since the 18th century. One of the first people to offer remote education was a teacher named Caleb Phillips, who, in 1728, provided shorthand lessons by mail. Thanks to human ingenuity and expanding technology, distance learning has transformed since then. With capabilities for an interactive, live experience, learners and teachers can now communicate in real-time and even immerse themselves in skilled, technical procedures capable of blending the physical and digital worlds together.

With the pandemic, streaming education in dental schools has been utilized with the aid of technology to further communication while in-person learning wasn’t possible. 

BENEFITS OF ILS EDUCATION

Streaming technology takes remote learning a step further by delivering content directly to computers and mobile devices anywhere an internet connection is available. Travel isn’t required, offsetting the need to take time off. ILS technology provides cutting-edge education in dentistry directly to you, wherever you are.

ILS education enjoys the following benefits:

• Cost-effectiveness. The ex-pense of CE can be considerable. With ILS, there is no need to miss work, leave home or the office, or incur additional costs from travel. Programs that utilize ILS can help one save a significant amount of money throughout a professional career. 
• Time management. Traveling for training and educational courses can interrupt patient scheduling and, thus, decrease revenue. Time-efficient ILS learning requires little to no time away from your dental practice, allowing for continued productivity with limited interruptions.
• Learning retention. ILS learners can, after the training is completed, revisit the presentation and materials, including interactions and questions from participants, for better retention. Through ILS learning, participants interact with the instructor and their peers in real-time, which previously was only possible through in-person learning.

INCREASED ENGAGEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

With ILS technology, remote learning is enhanced with the use of real-time dialogue, allowing for:

• Immediate feedback. With instant feedback capabilities, the instructor can respond to the needs of the participants and modify the presentation in real-time. 
• Maximum engagement. Intermittent polling increases the focus and attention of the participants throughout the course. Immediate feedback and audience engagement ensure participants understand the current topic before the instructor moves to the next topic.
• Effective teacher/student engagement. Participants can submit questions during the session while behind-the-scenes faculty moderates questions for the instructor. The moderators can answer common questions immediately or have them presented to the instructor during Q and A time or during scheduled “office hours” with the instructor.
• Peer engagement. Using the chat features of ILS technology, participants can interact with their peers and learn from each other’s questions. Icebreaker questions posed at the beginning of the course and during breaks encourage discussion and camaraderie.

STATE MODIFICATIONS FOR CE REQUIREMENTS DUE TO COVID-19

Most state regulations have long considered interactive webinars equivalent to live education for mandatory CE purposes. However, there was often confusion surrounding live webinars with prerecorded online learning by dentists.

For example, in Pennsylvania, the Dental Board issued a temporary waiver allowing distance learning, or online education, to fulfill CE requirements due to the unavailability of in-person CE events. 

Many other states also temporarily adjusted the requirements for in-person learning. Now they are becoming aware of the value of ILS education and are making simple requirements to ensure the value. For instance, Washington state proposed that online learning platforms that include active questioning count as full credit toward license renewal.  

CONCLUSION

Continuing dental education has a significant impact on dentists’ skills, thereby influencing their overall productivity, success, and revenue. With ILS education, more dentists can obtain advanced training in various aspects of dental care and deliver an elevated level of care to their patients.

As dental professionals, we are seeing technology play an expanding role in the success of our professional careers. As these technologies become better understood and utilized, interactive coursework and training will become more vital than ever to maintain and expand a business. While the age gap can factor into one’s comfort with technology, the ability of ILS learning to increase productivity and revenue with little up-front cost appeals to multiple generations. 

With many of us now returning to our pre-pandemic schedules, ILS education, by offering more time at home with fewer expenses, shows real staying power and is transforming remote education as we know it. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Silverman is a globally recognized lecturer, educator, author, and patient rights advocate and the founder and president of DOCS Education. He has appeared in front of 28 dental boards to advocate for the right of dentists to provide sedation in an environment of safe and reasonable regulations. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and believer in lifelong continuing education, Dr. Silverman continues to champion for safe and effective minimal and moderate dental sedation. He can be reached via email at dr.silverman@docseducation.com or at the website docseducation.com. 

Disclosure: Dr. Silverman is an owner of Strategic Dentistry LLC, which does business as DOCS Education, but received no compensation for writing this article.

IQ Dental Supply recently hosted the Fourth Annual Tee for the ToothFairy Charity Golf Tournament to benefit America’s ToothFairy and resources for children’s oral health programs.

Held at the Crystal Springs Resort & Spa in Hamburg, New Jersey, the event featured an appearance by Ken Daneyko, formerly of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.

Funds raised through the event will provide educational resources to help 3,500 children in disadvantages communities learn to prevent dental disease, America’s ToothFairy said.

“This is an event we look forward to every year. The golfers had a wonderful time while also helping kids stay healthy,”  said IQ Dental Supply president Sergey Kunin.

“As a board member of America’s ToothFairy, I see firsthand all the great work they do. It is an organization that I am proud to support,” said Kunin.

“After a year of lockdowns, it was great to get together with the wonderful people who support our mission to improve the oral health of our nation’s most vulnerable kids,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy.

“We are incredibly grateful for everyone who participated and of course for our thoughtful host and generous sponsors who made the event possible,” said Malmgren.

Proceeds will fund educational initiatives that help families in underserved communities avoid the consequences of poor dental hygiene habits, America’s ToothFairy said.

Since its founding in 2006, America’s ToothFairy has helped more than 8.8 million children and their caregivers learn how to keep their smiles healthy, the nonprofit said.

Other sponsors of the event included 3M, KaVo Kerr, DMG, GC America, Coltene, and Vatech.

The next Tee for the ToothFairy outing will be at Pine Island Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 12, 2021. Opportunities to participate are available.

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Machine learning can help identify patients who are at the greatest risk of tooth loss so they could be referred for further assessment to avert or delay negative outcomes, according to the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM).

HSDM researchers compared five algorithms using a different combination of variables to screen for risk. The algorithms that factored medical characteristics and socioeconomic variables such as race, education, arthritis, and diabetes outperformed algorithms that relied on dental clinical indicators alone.

“Our analysis showed that while all machine-learning models can be useful predictors of risk, those that incorporate socioeconomic variables can be especially powerful screening tools to identify those at heightened risk for tooth loss,” said lead investigator Dr. Hawazin Elani, assistant professor for oral health policy and epidemiology.

The approach could be used to screen people globally and in a variety of healthcare settings even by non-dental professionals, Elani said.

Tooth loss can be physically and psychologically debilitating, HSDM said, affecting quality of life, well-being, nutrition, and social interactions. But the process can be delayed and even prevented if the earliest signs of dental disease are identified and the condition treated promptly, HSDM continued.

However, HSDM said, many people with dental disease may not see a dentist until the process has advanced far beyond the point of saving a tooth, which is precisely where screening tools could help identify those at highest risk and refer them for further assessment.

The researchers used data from nearly 12,000 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to design and test the five machine-learning algorithms and assess how well they predicted both complete and incremental tooth loss among adults based on socioeconomic, health, and medical characteristics.

Notably, HSDM said, the algorithms were designed to assess risk without a dental exam. But anyone deemed at high risk for tooth loss would still have to undergo an actual exam, the researchers said. Also, the results of the analysis point to the importance of socioeconomic factors that shape risk beyond traditional clinical indicators.

“Our findings suggest that the machine-learning algorithm models incorporating socioeconomic characteristics were better at predicting tooth loss than those relying on routine clinical dental indicators alone,” Elani said.

“This work highlights the importance of social determinants of health. Knowing the patient’s education level, employment status, and income is just as relevant for predicting tooth loss as assessing their clinical dental status,” Elani continued.

The researchers noted that it has long been known that low-income and marginalized populations experience a disproportionate share of the burden of tooth loss, likely due to lack of regular access to dental care, among other reasons.

“As oral health professionals, we know how critical early identification and prompt care are in preventing tooth loss, and these new findings point to an important new tool in achieving that,” said Dr. Jane Barrow, associate dean for global and community health and executive director of the Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine at HSDM.

“Dr. Elani and her research team shed new light on how we can most effectively target our prevention efforts and improve quality of life for our patients,” Barrow said.

The research was done in collaboration with researchers at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the University of São Paolo in Brazil, and the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry in New Zealand.

The study, “Predictors of Tooth Loss: A Machine Learning Approach,” was published by PLOS ONE.

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America’s ToothFairy has launched a new opportunity for children to win prizes while learning about the importance of flossing. Kids between the ages of 6 and 13 can sign up for the HERO Challenge, a superhero-themed education initiative, for the chance to win the grand prize, a Nintendo Switch gaming console or a $300 Nintendo or PlayStation gift card.

“Last year’s HERO Challenge was so much fun. We are thrilled to partner with DentaQuest once again to continue the campaign this summer,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy.

“Prevention of dental disease through education is a major component of our mission. The HERO Challenge is a fun way for kids to learn while being creative, and the videos they create help spread awareness about the importance of healthy dental hygiene habits,” Malmgren said.

Made possible by a donation from DentaQuest, the campaign originally was developed last summer after COVID-19 lockdowns brought most in-person group instruction and educational projects to a halt. But since the HERO Challenge could be completed by kids at home, learning about the consequences of tooth decay could continue, America’s ToothFairy said.

By accepting the challenge, children donned superhero costumes, completed oral health lessons, and submitted videos telling what they learned about defeating the villain “Bio-Film” and his gang of bacteria.

“Participation in last year’s challenge was such a success that we knew we wanted to do this again and reach even more children,” said Steve Pollack, chief executive officer of DentaQuest.

“Throughout the pandemic, DentaQuest has been committed to our mission of meeting oral health needs across the country. This campaign provides a kid-specific opportunity to learn lessons they can carry with them, and live a healthy lifestyle well into adulthood,” Pollack said.

This summer’s participants will learn about gum disease caused by a new villain, “Ginger Vitis,” and how it can be prevented by daily flossing. To qualify for prizes, participants must submit a video telling what they learned through the challenges. The grand prize winner will be determined by online voting.

Scout troops also may participate as a group to earn free Oral Health Action HERO patches. Participants must register online by July 16, 2021, to receive their mission instructions.

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The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), and the Dental Advancement through Learning and Education (DALE) Foundation have published the OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation Code of Professional Conduct for the Dental Infection Control Education and Certification initiative established by these organizations.

All participants in OSAP-DALE Foundation education and OSAP-DANB certification programs must abide by the Code of Professional Conduct and are expected to maintain high standards of ethics and excellence in all areas of professional endeavor. The code focuses on seven areas:

• Individual autonomy of and respect for others
• The health and well-being of others
• Fair treatment of others
• Truth
• Confidentiality
• Duty and responsibility to the profession, community, and society
• Duty and responsibility to OSAP, DANB, and the DALE Foundation

The OSAP, DANB, and Dale Foundation Dental Infection Control Education and Certification initiative includes an educational certificate program and two professional certifications:

• OSAP-DALE Foundation Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate Program
• OSAP-DANB Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC)
• OSAP-DANB Dental Industry Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control (DISIPC)

The initiative also includes ongoing development of new continuing education modules:

• COVID-19 Respiratory Droplet and Aerosol Protection
• General Aspects of Instrument Processing
• Understanding CDC’s Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings

The OSAP-DALE Foundation Certificate Program launched in March 2020. OSAP and DANB will begin pretesting qualified CDIPC and DISPC exam candidates in summer 2021.

“The OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation Code of Professional Conduct is an essential element of our joint education and certification initiative, developed to promote quality and ethical practice and advance safety in the workplace,” said DANB and DALE Foundation executive director Cynthia C. Durley, MEd, MBA.

Additionally, because the OSAP-DANB CDIPC and DISIPC certification programs offer the first infection control certifications for the dental industry and professions, the OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation Code of Professional Conduct serves to unify and elevate the healthcare professionals who will earn these professional distinctions, the groups said.

“The dental infection control professional is a critical occupation that has gained prominence, particularly in light of COVID-19 precautions. This Code of Professional Conduct not only distinguishes this career path, but also outlines the ethical expectations of those who perform this work that is so essential to patient and provider safety,” said OSAP executive director Michelle Lee, CPC.

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The Dental Pride Alliance at the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry focuses on providing an inclusive support system where dental students who are members of the LGBTQ+ community can connect, discuss concerns, and engage in an educational environment that fosters a safe learning experience.

The organization was founded in 2019 when students recognized a need for education and training in the current curriculum to help better work with and meet the treatment needs of LGBTQ+ patients. It is currently talking with the faculty about incorporating LGBTQ+ themes into the curriculum. 

“By incorporating LGBTQ+ content into our courses, it will help to normalize these discussions,” said Lucia Santos, co-president of the organization. “It will also give students and faculty the knowledge to help ensure patients feel welcome in our clinics, regardless of their gender or sexuality.”

“One of our goals is to help all students, graduates, and alumni provide an inclusive environment so patients can access the care they need without barriers or judgement,” said co-president Evan Benak.

“We often find there is a lack of awareness and education on how to be better allies for the LGBTQ+ community. We want to give people the tools they need to take care of themselves, their queer and transgender patients, and help advocate for the community,” Benak said.

Education is one of the three pillars that Benak and Santos are focused on, along with advocacy and community. It has hosted speakers who have discussed working with queer and transgender patients, updating patient intake forms, and increasing awareness of different identities and pronouns.

Also, the organization has hosted joint in-person events with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Faculty of Law, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as virtual events. While the Toronto Pride Parade has been cancelled due to COVID-19, the Dental Pride Alliance aims to participate in 2022.

“We want people to know the Alliance exists,” said Benak. “It helps to build and find our community and show that the Faculty of Dentistry is a safe and welcoming space.”

All Alliance events are public, and staff, faculty, students, and alumni are encouraged to attend and build their knowledge to help provide better patient care. It said that feedback from past attendees has been incredibly positive.

“Students in particular have been so grateful for their experience with us,” said Santos. “By offering training, education, and open conversations, we are creating space for allies and an environment for continued learning. This will ultimately help make dental offices safe, inclusive, and respectful for a better patient experience.”

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So many of us grew up playing sports, including me. As a child and young adult, I enjoyed participating in sports for the competition as well as the camaraderie. Sports taught me to push myself to achieve my goals. I have some great memories, and I also learned some excellent lessons that I have carried with me through to adulthood and into my career. The biggest lesson I learned from playing sports is how important it is to be a real team player.

Playing sports as a kid is an opportunity to make friends, learn strategy, and, of course, stay healthy. But one of the best lessons that sports teaches us is that good teamwork can make the difference between being number one and being on the bottom of the heap. As children, we may not fully understand this. But as adults, we can look back on our experiences and realize how they really prepared us for the future.

When you are part of a team, you learn to put the needs and goals of the team ahead of yours. At the same time, you learn that pursuing the team’s goals often helps you in achieving your own. For instance, you can be the best player on the team. But if you don’t work with your teammates and respect the skills they bring to the table, you jeopardize the win, and you certainly won’t be nominated for MVP.

This same lesson applies to the workplace, especially when you own a business. Some business owners can be inflexible and have a tendency to micromanage, which is understandable given the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into running a company. But the most successful entrepreneurs are those who trust their partners, collaborators, and employees, having faith in their abilities and the roles they play in achieving the company’s goals.

Another thing that successful team players understand is that you can always learn from those around you. Each team member has a special set of skills that makes them good at what they do and an important contributor. This same way of thinking applies to achieving business goals as well. I learn from my partner and the My Dental Agency (MDA) team every day. We work in harmony, and everyone respects the skills and knowledge of their coworkers. We couldn’t be the successful and growing company we are today without every single person’s contribution.

I also see these lessons carry over to client relationships. Over the years, I have had the pleasure to work with many dental practices, each one unique in its own right and with something special to offer. Not surprisingly, the practices that typically benefit the most from their relationship with us are the ones that think of MDA as a part of their team rather than just another vendor. The practices that open up to us and allow us to work with them on a more personal level end up seeing the best results because they realize that success is a team effort.

When the dentist understands that to take their practice to the next level they need to help us help them, it can make all the difference. If the dentist is truly engaged when we are consulting with them, providing insight into their aspirations, it gives us so much more to work with and greatly increases the odds that our ideas and strategies will hit the mark. We are happy to take the ball and run with it, but we have a much better chance of scoring when we work together on the game plan first.

Working together as a team makes each player better, whether it results in a W or it doesn’t quite go as planned. Communication and planning are essential to increase the chances for success. In essence, when we work as a team, within the company and with our clients, we all win. Successes are sweeter and failures are a lot less bitter when they are shared.

With more than a decade of experience in corporate dental laboratory marketing and brand development, Ms. Ulasewich–Cullen decided to take her passion for the dental business and marketing to the next level by founding My Dental Agency. Since starting her company, she and her team have helped a wide variety of practices all over the nation focus their message, reach their target audience, and increase their sales through effective marketing campaigns. She can be reached at (800) 689-6434 or via email at jackie@mydentalagency.com.

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Leading a dental practice usually means having to juggle between staff and patient satisfaction. If you have a dental practice, or maybe manage one, this issue will definitely hit close to home.

How can you keep patient experience on a high level and manage your workforce while scaling and growing your dental office at the same time?

Luckily, today’s technology advances allow for a more streamlined and automated process, taking trivial day-to-day tasks off your staff’s hands and letting tools take care of them. This way you give your staff time to focus on what matters most—your patients.

Let’s see how 2021 is developing for dentistry and what you can do to scale your dental practice this year.

Strong Company Culture and Patient-Centric Values

A shout out to all dental practice owners out there—the success of your dental practice business directly correlates with your ability to make both your staff and clients happy.

The best way to do that is to lead by example. And not just you. Your entire team should be on board and share the same values regarding workplace etiquette and dealing with patients. Doing this will create a feeling of belonging in a company, which is crucial to decreasing employee turnover.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot in workforce management. Most notably, it unraveled a need to give more power to your staff. Employers are becoming aware that they’re not paying for seat warmers, but a job well done.

More than 66% of workers think flexibility is the top benefit of shift working! As a dental practice owner, this should give you a clear picture of the importance of incorporating flexible schedules.

Automated and Digitized Daily Operations

On the subject of keeping your staff happy, our first tip is to keep up with the latest workforce management technologies. There are quite a few tools out there that can simplify repetitive administrative tasks and let your staff focus on patient care.

The idea behind automation and digitalization in workforce management is to reduce the possibility of human error and create a more agile and efficient dental practice where your staff can provide outstanding patient care instead of doing paperwork.

Next, instead of filling out patient registration forms in person, you can introduce digital forms that your patients can fill out and submit through your website before coming in for their appointment. Doing so will reduce reception waiting time and prevent an overcrowded waiting room.

Another area you can automate is appointment reminders and follow-up emails or text messages. These reminders will help you avoid no-shows, but sending them out is a time-consuming task that’s better left to technology.

A Centralized and Streamlined Workflow

Having a centralized communication channel is crucial for ensuring everyone is up to date. It doesn’t matter if your staff members are in the office, on the go, or temporarily in isolation. They should always stay connected.

Apart from organized internal communication, you’ll also need to have structured job roles and responsibilities. Each staff member has to know:

• What their function and position is in the company
• Where they are in the organizational hierarchy: who their superior/subordinate is
• How to access data or files necessary for their daily work
• What channels to use for internal versus external communication
• Who their contact person is for questions in different areas, such as HR or finances

Finally, you’ll need a centralized storage location to access patient records and other documentation, with designated staff access. Preferably, upload and keep your files in a cloud instead of the usual file cabinets or local devices. It will help you prevent unauthorized access and accidental file loss or misplacement.

Enhance Patient Experience and Convenience

Expanding your service range to fit different patient needs will significantly improve your patient experience. But, be realistic when it comes to skills and capacity. Try not to spread yourself too thin, and don’t exhaust your staff. The bulletproof way to expand your service range is by asking your patients what they need and checking out what your competitors offer.

Next, try to improve the ease of communication and appointment-setting. Make it possible to book an appointment via a text message instead of by calling. Text messages (SMS) have an incredible 95% open rate, while emails have only 18%. Plus, an SMS from your dentist feels so much more personal than an email.

Or, why not provide online booking on your website? It will be more convenient for your patients, decreasing the workload of your staff at the same time.

Lastly, offer different payment methods such as paying in installments and the possibility to pay with a card, cash, or check. In dentistry, money can be a genuine concern, so offering various financing options will immensely help your patients. Think of it this way. Your patients definitely won’t come back if they cannot afford your treatment.

Continuous Staff and Patient Education

Don’t underestimate the power of continuous education. Investing in your employees through different seminars or training will increase staff satisfaction and reduce employee turnover. That, in turn, will decrease recruiting and onboarding costs, saving you money in the long run.

Quality employees will want to advance, not just vertically within your dental practice, but also in their skills and future possibilities. So, give them the chance to do that.

However, it’s not just staff education that matters. Educating patients in a language that’s approachable and easy to understand is also vital for your dental practice. Patient education is one of the best ways to take the fear out of the entire “going to the dentist” moment. The best way to give value to your patients is by creating helpful content.

Being consistent in sharing valuable content will help you acquire new and retain current patients. For example, write blog posts on different topics, share them on your social media accounts, and create brochures, infographics, or even short, bite-sized educational videos.

Up Your Digital Marketing Game

Having an established online presence is of utmost importance if you wish to keep up with dentistry trends in 2021. Remember that your voice and branding should be consistent throughout all social media channels. You have to stay recognizable.

First, develop your unique selling proposition (USP). What value do you give to your patients? What makes you different from the rest? Why should they come to you?

Once you can elevator-pitch your practice, it’s time to check if your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Ensure you have a section with patient reviews since “social proof” is a powerful marketing weapon.

The next thing you can try is email marketing to improve the doctor-patient relationship. But don’t spam your patients. Instead, send them content that will be of value. Doing this will create trust and make your patients see you as an authority in the dental world.

And finally, always give value to your patients. As we’ve mentioned above, you can start a blog to educate your patients about common dental problems and concerns. Helpful content is the best way to gain your patients’ trust and loyalty.

Conclusion

Given these points, we feel it’s obligatory to mention patient and staff safety as an area that’s not new, but should be reinforced now more than ever.

From following COVID-19 protocols to sterilization and correct patient histories, the health and safety of your patients and staff should always remain your priority.

In this area, your goal should be to minimize the possibility of any adverse occurrence. You can do that by setting clear quality and safety standards that you and your staff will maintain consistently. You’ll notice that this will also make patients feel safer coming into your dental practice.

Hopefully, now you can find that golden middle ground and organize your dental practice in a way that provides the both of best worlds—happy staff and satisfied customers.

Mr. Press is a content marketing manager at Deputy, a robust scheduling software that can be used to manage your workforce in a wide variety of different industries. Aside from helping businesses reach operational efficiency, he keeps up to date with the latest trends in SaaS, B2B, and technology in general. He can be reached at linkedin.com/in/seosydney/.

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“Gum diseases are preventable” is the slogan for Gum Health Day 2021, a worldwide initiative on May 12 promoted by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP). The event aims to educate the public about detecting and preventing gum diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and peri-implantitis and explain why continuing to visit the dentist during the pandemic is important to overall health.

In addition to causing tooth loss and other oral problems, gum diseases are linked to major systemic health issues including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, some cancers, pregnancy complications, and erectile dysfunction, the EFP said.

Recent research also has linked gum diseases COVID-19 transmission as well as severe COVID-19 complications and outcomes, suggesting that establishing and maintaining gum and oral health may become an important part of patient care, the EFP said.

“Gum Health Day 2021 aims to remind people that gum health is a key factor for health and well-bring even if, unfortunately, it’s still sometimes overlooked,” said Henrik Dommisch, coordinator of Gum Health Day 2021.

“Gum diseases that could be effectively prevented and treated still affect hundreds of millions of adults worldwide. It’s time to take decisive action against gum diseases. We can beat them just by keeping a good oral hygiene and going regularly to visit our dentist, periodontitis, or hygienist,” said Dommisch.

The awareness initiative will be celebrated in more than 40 countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australasia by EFP-affiliated societies of periodontology and by other scientific societies, dental organizations, hospitals, dental practices, universities, and companies.

Among the Gum Health Day 2021 materials that the EFP has produced are four short animated videos showing how among other factors bad breath, sensitive or loose teeth, and smoking can either trigger or be a sign of gum disease.

Most adults in developed countries are affected by gum disease at some point in their lives, the EFP said, even if they are not aware of it because gum diseases are usually painless and often go unnoticed for a time.

The EFP is inviting all members of the dental community to join this awareness day by disseminating Gum Health Day 2021 messages and materials, particularly on social media, and by signing the EFP Manifesto “Perio & General Health,” an international call to dentists and medical professionals to be more proactive in terms of the prevention, early detection, and treatment of gum disease and to acknowledge it as a major public health issue.

Besides activities organized at the national level, the EFP is holding a Gum Health Day 2021 Perio Talks live session at the EFP’s Instagram page, @perioeurope, on May 12 at 7 pm CET. It will be open to everyone and led by Dommisch with representatives from some EFP-affiliated societies.

The speakers will exchange ideas and experiences during the session and answer questions and suggestions from participants about how to educate the population to prevent and tackle the threat posed by gum diseases.

“Gum Health Day 2021 is a major EFP global initiative to get the public informed every year of the value of healthy gums as an integral part of a healthy life. Prevention of diseases is the best approach to a healthy life, and Gum Health Day 2021 will greatly get closer to our vision of periodontal health for a better life for everybody,” said Lior Shapira, EFP president.

“New associations between gum disease and COVID-19 are now being identified,” said Shapira.

“A new paper published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology has found that the dental biofilm of symptomatic coronavirus patients can harbor ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and might act as a potential reservoir with an essential role in the transmission of COVID-19,” said Shapira.

“This reveals a previously unknown and unexplored human habitat of the viral RNA and could open a door to further research in developing COVID-19 containment strategies,” Shapira said.

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When Charles Dickens wrote “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” I’m certain he was talking about my dental school experience in the ’90s.

The best parts included being immersed in the study of dentistry, the pride that accompanied completed clinical requirements, and developing lifelong relationships with classmates, five of whom are part of a daily text thread that keeps us amused 25 years later.

The worst parts? Occlusion class, setting denture teeth, and realizing how much loan money I owed after graduation. Yet over the span of my career, commiserating with dentists from various alma maters has revealed that most dental school education lacks offerings in areas that would have served us well. Perhaps that is truly the worst part.

How to Run a Business

My plan was always to own a private practice. I was in the thick of it when I realized what I had was not a “private practice” but a “small business.” Unlike public health dentistry or the dental service organization (DSO) model, the bulk of business leadership and decision-making falls on the practice owner.

Given that most dental students will not end up in public health or DSOs, why don’t dental schools offer comprehensive business training that spans four years? New graduates have a hard enough time completing a simple occlusal filling in a timely manner. They don’t need the added stress of improperly coded procedures and deciphering employment law while in the midst of conflict resolution between the front-office and back-office staff.

While employment laws vary from state to state, business principles (especially as they relate to running a dental practice) are relatively standard. For example, it would have been nice to learn that dental insurance won’t pay for a permanent restoration if you’ve previously submitted a claim for a flipper.

Surely, we were exposed to conflict resolution and behavior management. But the abundance of dental practice consultants indicates there is a knowledge gap when it comes to the nuances of managing people and running a dental practice. A built-in, ongoing business curriculum would have allowed us to dive deeper, equipping us from the get-go.

How to Handle Stress

Stress and dentistry go hand in hand. For the doctor, stress results from difficult patients, procedures with unforeseen circumstances, or financial requirements to keep the office open, just to name a few. For the patient, well, that goes without saying!

Given that our profession is infamous for having a high suicide rate, it would befit dental programs to offer ongoing mental health and wellness education with exposure to a variety of stress management modalities. After all, what works for one person may not work for another. Including such techniques in our armamentarium might even contribute to a better patient experience.

Reverend Maureen Killoran famously said “Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response to what happens. And response is something we can choose.” When I first read that, I thought it was a bunch of malarkey, suggesting I had control over my stress levels. Clearly, Ms. Killoran was not a dentist and didn’t get it.

But the more I pondered the quote, the more I saw she was right. While life in dentistry seemed to attract stressful situations, how I responded either amplified or reduced my stress. If equipped, we can mindfully respond and create a life we truly enjoy.

How to Care for Our Physical Body

You can typically spot a dentist from a mile away. They’re the hunchback mulling around the nearest caffeine dispensary, holding a double espresso in one hand and sporting a wrist brace on the other. We’re an intelligent bunch. We know what it takes to be healthy: diet and exercise. Yet here we are with bad posture, a raging coffee addiction, and a Velcroed reminder that we are overdoing it.

Newer dentists may think their bodies will “get used to” the contortions involved in providing dental care. But the truth is, muscles don’t get used to it. They learn to compensate, leading to imbalances. An in-depth course on ergonomics and musculoskeletal issues inherent to dentistry seems reasonable, if not necessary, to teach us how to “undo” what dentistry does to our bodies daily.

We could prevent some issues and learn to address others by studying and implementing exercise and wellness techniques that address the needs of dental professionals. Contrary to popular belief, it is not as simple as working out at the gym, as some exercises will actually exacerbate musculoskeletal problems instead of helping. We are a special breed of healthcare providers. Lifestyle suggestions that help “regular people” likely will not meet our specific needs.

There’s More to Life than Dentistry

There’s no question that dentistry is a calling to which we dedicate our lives. We commit to being lifelong students and to serving our communities with integrity. But being a dentist is just part of who we are. We have other talents, hobbies, and relationships that complete our lives. If not nurtured, they can languish, leaving us unhappy and alone.

If dentistry has taken over and “real life” is passing you by, you’re probably doing it wrong. If you’re not spending time with the people and activities you relish outside of dentistry, it’s time to make changes and manifest the life you desire. After all, what is the point of working yourself to the bone if you don’t have the time, energy, or bandwidth to enjoy the fruits of your labor?

The purpose of dental school, of course, is to make a dentist out of you. Because it’s a human being receiving that title on graduation day, it would behoove our profession to have a well-rounded education that prepares dentists for what their futures actually hold, which, it turns out, is more than addressing problems in the oral cavity.

In Great Expectations, Dickens wrote “The office is one thing, and private life is another.” May dental schools evolve to better equip us for both.

Dr. Dovidio graduated in 1997 from Northwestern University Dental School with honors from the Academy of General Dentistry. She completed advanced training at the VA Medical Center in North Hills, California, where she served as chief dental resident. A certified yoga teacher, Dr. Dovidio lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons and runs Yoga for Dentists, an online community of dental professionals who are interested in healthy living. She offers free content on the Yoga for Dentists YouTube Channel and podcast as well as in a private Facebook group and on Instagram. For a free End of Workday Meditation you can download to your device, click here or visit yogafordentists.net. She can also be reached at josie@yogafordentists.net.

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