Breaking Bad was incredible. Who knew Bryan Cranston was one of the greatest actors of our time? I’ve never seen a TV show or movie where such complex emotions were delivered so convincingly. Following the fall of Walter White was an intense whirlwind experience. Shakespeare would be proud. As anyone who has seen the first…
I love numbers. Whether it’s analyzing finances or some kind of SABR advanced fielding metrics for baseball, I can sit around and look at spreadsheets for hours. Numbers are the universal language. Numbers can help us communicate and can capture our imagination. Here are five of my favorite numbers right now in dentistry. 1. Seven….
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. The City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District develops strategies to meet the dental needs for underserved and at-risk dental patients in our city. The organization also monitors access to care barriers so that we can learn how to better serve these patients. For January and February, the…
Failing a test. It can be a good thing. Seriously, go with me on this for a minute. Wherever you came from, you were one of the best. Chances are, you could have made any career choice you wanted, and you chose dentistry. Now you’re here in dental school, and it’s tougher than you thought…
This section of my blog is devoted to providing pointers and advice for dental students. I’ve always enjoyed teaching. I started teaching dental students back when I was a second year dental student, passing along whatever I could to first year students at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. After being in private practice…
Twenty five percent of all children in the United States have had a cavity before entering kindergarten. Unfortunately, many of these cavities remain untreated! In response to this alarming rate of cavities in children, the American Dental Association has updated the recommendations to parents regarding fluoride in toothpaste. No longer should you use a fluoride…
“It doesn’t matter if baby teeth get cavities, they’re going to fall out anyway.” Unfortunately for many children, this is a very popular myth among parents. Primary teeth are critical for many reasons. If a child has deep decay in a primary tooth, it could lead to extreme pain and a potential life threatening infection….
Sure you stopped smoking and drinking. But are you taking care of your teeth? Actually dental health during pregnancy is a big deal. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently published a report saying that gingivitis, cavities, and periodontitis can all adversely affect your baby. What is Gingivitis? This is bacteria which causes…
I was speaking to a patient the other day about electric toothbrushes. He told me, “I used to have one of those battery powered ones, I didn’t like it,”. I didn’t blame him. I never liked those things, either! I picked up a Sonicare DiamondClean, handed it to him, and had him turn it on….
Parents frequently ask me, “When should my child have his/her first dental visit?” When I tell them I like to have the first visit at 6 months of age, the typical response is a look of shock! The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests that the year one dental visit can actually save money. A…
