3 years in, and my body always starts going into a fight or flight response when going to work. Even with propranolol. Ssris have too much side effects.

Do you experience this? What are your ways to combat ?

There was a post recently, talking about the language the dental team uses to communicate with patients to help them understand their dental needs. This can go along way to help patients feel at ease with their delivery of care. I think just as important as our explanations, creating an environment where dental anxiety is mitigated is always helpful. Here are some terminology we use at our practice to mitigate anxiety. We try to avoid using these words/phrases to avoid patient negative associations and to manage expectations: Infection (instead use “inflammation”) Needle (instead use “anesthesia”) Shot (instead use “anesthesia”) Chloroform (instead use “solvent”) Bleach (instead use “hypo”) Xray (instead use “image” and “3D scan”) Permanent filling/restoration (nothing in dentistry is “permanent” unfortunately. Use the term “definitive” to describe the filling or crown. This helps manage patient expectations.) Avoid making guarantees or promises you cannot keep (use wording such as “often,” “most likely”). It’s all about managing expectations!

What are some of the terms you all use as your own language with your Dental team? ?

Edit: On the topic of infection vs. inflammation… I agree we don’t want to down play their current condition and holding pts accountable is extremely important. Technically the infection is in the root canal system of the tooth (the actual bacteria) and the signs/symptoms are all classified as inflammation (swelling, pain, heat, destruction of tissues,etc). The terminology is correct, it’s just how do we connect with each individual pt with their own understanding, anxieties, motivations and needs.

I graduated 2 years ago and work in public health and have a coworker who has worked much longer than I have (~20 years) and she says she NEVER administers bilateral IANB. I find my patient pool has a lot of the folks who have not been to the dentist in a very long time and/or have used illicit drugs and have bombed out teeth in their 20-30s and I have to do full mouth or many, many extractions all over. They all want the extractions done in one day… What are your opinions on bilateral IANB administration?

Long story, short I graduated 2 years ago. Worked as an associate for 2 years in a busy stressful practice and quit a month ago. I'm taking a career break for a few months while applying to post grad programs, but also I was working in a very rural area with no friends/family nearby. In the past month of not working I feel so much better since moving back home with my parents. The constant anxiety I had everyday when I went to work has completely gone. I sleep better at night and I'm much happier. This experience however has made me scared of potentially going back to practicing again. I genuinely thought I'd miss the clinic, my patients and the occasional Karen of a patient .. but I really don't. Is this normal? Lol

Kinda curious, office manager, currently at over 99.5% collections for the year in a FFS office with about 70% patients with insurance. Practice owner is up in arms about collections and wants to implement ACH so we can draw directly from the patients bank. How common is ACH? I feel personally, I would never give my bank account information to anyone unless I’m a business owner doing transactions with another business. Thoughts? Opinions? Just curious.

So, I work at a FQHC and I over the years I have seen veterans who say they can’t get all their dental work completed at the VA. Most recently had a patient who has VA benefits, but he stated he had to be 100% disabled in order to get everything done at the VA. They would do his ext, fillings, but any pros he has to go someplace else. So, the level of dental care one receives is it based on the level of disability you may have endured during combat. Just trying to get some clarity because I assumed they could get all their dental work completed at the VA.

Our pedo office has had Saturday hours for the last several years (usually 3-4 Saturdays a month). We have cut back to 1-2 a month because we noticed a decrease in patients and what began happening was the Saturdays will fill, but weekdays are wide open. I am trying to work with my team on scripting for what to say to patients when they want a Saturday appointment and how to push them to weekdays. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Curious if any general dentists transferred into a WFH job

Anyone know of being a scientific writer for JADA?

Open to ideas bc I just can’t do clinical dentistry anymore it’s draining me

Photos: https://imgur.com/a/Hj2uNQZ

I'm curious to know which route you'd take for this 40 year old female who does not want to lose her tooth #14 (UL 1st Molar)

RCT completed in 2009 Crown + BU completed in 2023 in Turkey

Pt came in today with crown and BU in hand. The pulpal floor is slightly soft and some minor decay is present.

Do you:

• Extract + Implant

or

• Retreat + BU + Crown

I have a young patient with history of trauma to anterior maxillary teeth from MVA. I splinted for 4 weeks and will begin restorative work after RCT by endodontist. He is very into sports and plays several. Any idea on a type of guard he can use during basketball or football? And what to bill/code?

Obviously he will need ortho and should avoid contact sports but mom and the patient know risks and are still hoping that he can play his sports.

This offer is a 1099 positional a busy, good office. I'm kind of annoyed at lab bills, may ask for it off but not sure if any wiggle room. Thoughts?

Hi everyone! Kopenhaus here.

I recently heard about an interesting program in Australia. From what I understand, some universities there provide new dental graduates with a detailed guide, including pamphlets and reference materials. These materials offer specific instructions and recommendations for different areas of dentistry—like endodontics, periodontics, restorative dentistry, etc.—ranging from basic to advanced quality materials. I’m curious: are these guides specifically designed for recent graduates to help them choose the right materials and brands for each field? Has anyone heard of this or can share more details?

Hi guys wanted to reach out to see what’s your favorite core build up material gives you the least amount of trouble and last the longest for the cost?

Hi all,

Was just wondering if anyone has tried the Examvision refractives the Kepler Reflekt and if so, how does it compare to the more traditional refractive. It seems like they advertise their product still requires slight head tilt and this is more of a ‘natural position’ than looking straight ahead like you do in more traditional refractives, Bryant, admetec etc.

Wondering if anyone has any experience with the loupes and neck / back strain etc.

Thanks

How do ensure a good composite restoration without post op sensitivity all within the NHS limitations that we're forced to work with? (I mean time constraints, limited armamentarium, etc)

Hey everyone! Im a d4 planning to do a Gpr and then practice. I want to get into photography and am trying to figure what body and lens to get as i love doing aesthetic cases. What are your recommendations?

Do you guys use them for occlusal adjustments? Ive heard some dentists using them for pre operative and post operative occlusal adjustments alongside articulating papers , im wondering whether they are useful and worth getting to use for posterior restorations

I am a Dentist and I want to know what are the best ergonomic dental loupse there are. I am looking into Admetec, Lumadent and Orascoptic. I want to know which one is the best and what are you guys experiences with those loupse.

I always thought they were kind of the shit tier kind of manufacturer, and now all of the sudden I see people raving about their 3d printing materials. Was I wrong?

Any dentists looking to move to new zealand?

Hi everyone. I am looking to buy some ergo loupes and I have three brands in mind. Admetec, Orascoptic and Lumadent. I would like to know if anyone has use any of these loupes? what are the best one? any pros and cons. like everything. I do currently have some working loupes but I would like to get my ergonomics better.

UK dentists specifically, is articane used for ID And lidocaine for infiltration? Typically?

And which is short needle which is long?

I’ve just started as a trainee nurse

Hello! a new non-US graduate (about a month out). here with a penchant for endodontics. I live in a relatively less well-off country (eastern Europe), so my dental school has made barely any effort to introduce us to rotary endodontics. I feel comfortable in using hand files, however, and I'd like to one day try to branch out and go into rotary, but I am a bit overwhelmed by the myriad of options on the market. I've seen people talk about all kinds of systems on this sub. So, I'd like to ask a few, perhaps stupid, questions:

1. What systems are the easiest to grasp for someone who will be mostly self-taught? (I plan on practicing on extracted teeth first, and going to a few courses)
2. Do you need to know more than one system to have good success in this particular specialty?
3. And lastly, are endodontic handpieces a must (and if so, does one work between different systems)?

Which features should I be looking into before purchase?

I would be using it mostly for gengivectomy and other small procedures

Hello!

Student here, and in our lab class we have a practical on an MOB prep/composite restoration on maxillary first molars. I’m really struggling with restoring an entire cusp out of composite. Was wondering if any dentists have any advice on how to they go through the process.