Industry Info
Dental technicians are important members of the oral health care team, but the profession is not highly regulated.
Group Highlights Lack of Standards For Dental Technicians
Dental technicians are important members of the oral health care team, but the profession is not highly regulated. According to research from the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL), the United States is the only first-world country that doesn’t set requirements for dental technicians and laboratories. This is cause for concern, as ill-fitting or improperly made restorations and/or appliances create undue stress and cost for patients and clinicians.
To bring attention to this issue, the NADL has created the “What’s in Your Mouth?” campaign. The website—whatsinyourmouth.us—provides clinicians with a link to find certified dental technicians, as well as updates on legislation being introduced to provide the field with additional oversight.
Managing Localized Aggressive Periodontitis
While the prevalence of localized aggressive periodontitis is low, clinicians should remain aware of its hallmark characteristics due to its rapid disease process and high risk of tooth loss. In fact, early diagnosis of localized aggressive periodontitis, effective treatment, and patient compliance are integral to successful management of this serious oral disease.
Developed in partnership with the American Academy of Periodontology and sponsored by Colgate, the continuing education article “Localized Aggressive Periodontitis” explains the underlying pathogenesis of the disease, discusses its clinical presentation, and identifies current treatment modalities and preventive measures. The article is written by Soo-Woo Kim, DMD, DMSc, MS, the program director of pre-doctoral periodontology at Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. February 2016;14(02):18.
