Controversy Over Proposed Dental Legislation in N.C.

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 05 June 2012 15:34



Legislation has been proposed in North Carolina that will revamp the regulations for dental treatment. Many people are divided on how the impact will be felt.

The purpose of the bill, according to legislators, is to regulate companies in the way billing is handled between dental management companies and the dentist. This issue came to the forefront because some of the dental management companies allegedly profited from some treatment in recent years instead of performing only necessary dental work that was in the best interest of the patient. If these allegations are true, the taxpayers end up paying more money than they should be paying.

There are laws in North Carolina and many other states that prohibit corporate dentistry for that reason. Changes have been made in other states already, like Texas.

Many dentists associated with the North Carolina Dental Society are in favor of the bill because they feel the state dental board should pay closer attention to billing to make sure dentists only bill for necessary treatment.

Many other people, including some of the investors of the dental companies, are doing everything to prevent the bill from passing. They held a news conference outside of the Legislative Building to oppose the bill and have raised money for a campaign against the bill.

Both sides have sponsored commercials about the issue.

The bill has not yet taken effect and the issue is still ongoing.

Laser Treatment May Significantly Aid Gum Disease Patients

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 06 June 2012 15:29



People with gum disease may not have to deal with all of the headaches associated with the condition.

A new treatment the utilized water and laser technology may be on the way. The treatment includes spraying a combination of water and air through a handpiece while the lasers are directed toward the mouth.

The lasers generate an explosion from the water molecules, which demolishes the diseased tissue. That tissue is then removed. The lasers don't come into any contact with the body, making the process painless. There is also no anesthetic involved.

This type of treatment may also be used for teeth whitening, removal of decayed tooth tissue and extractions.

Gum disease impacts roughly 90 percent of people at some point in their lives, with many cases being minor. The other 10 percent of people would be considered susceptible to the disease.

The current treatment for gum disease is generally complex and requires many visits. In some cases, surgery is necessary.

Debate About Dental Therapists’ Qualifications Rages On

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 07 June 2012 14:52



More people are starting to visit dental therapists for dental treatment as opposed to seeing a dentist. But is that a good thing?

Since roughly 17 million people don’t see a dentist each year—according to the Pew Charitable Trust—the market for dental therapists has opened. They can’t perform all of the procedures that dentists can, but the cost could be significantly lower in some cases.

Alaska was the first state to set up a dental therapy program, having done so in 2005. Minnesota passed legislation in 2008 that opened up the possibility for dental therapists to treat patients. California, Oregon, Connecticut and New Hampshire are looking at similar legislation.

Evidence doesn’t suggest that an influx of dental therapists causes dentists to lose business based on the fact that there is a wide array of procedures that dental therapists cannot perform.

According to the American Dental Association, however, flooding the market with more people that can provide basic dental care isn’t the answer to helping more people receive treatment. Informing people about the importance of maintaining good oral health is the answer.

Still, dental therapists have an important role to fill in remote areas where there is a lack of dentists or no dentists at all. It’s too be determined, however, how the roles of dentists and dental therapists will impact each other and dental patients in the future.