Are there laws governing whether animals can be present in dental office waiting rooms and operatories?

I work as a temporary dental hygienist in many dental offices. In one practice, the dental assistants bag the dental instruments for sterilization but do not completely close the pouches (leaving their adhesive stickers intact).

I work in a practice that serves a large population of Karen people, who are a small ethnic minority in Burma. I'd like to provide culturally competent care to these patients. Do you have any advice?

Is fluoride varnish contraindicated for patients who have a peanut or tree nut allergy? Some fluoride varnish products list tree rosin as an ingredient.

What are your thoughts regarding the use of antioxidants, such as green tea, to manage periodontal diseases?

I have a number of patients (mostly women) who want to lose weight. Many drink water with seeds, or some type of fiber, and slices of orange, lemon, or lime to aid in their weight loss efforts. I am concerned that these beverages when…

I was recently flipping through my newspaper when a "Dear Abby" headline caught my attention: "Dental Care in Nursing Homes Can Be Difficult to Arrange."

One of my patients takes clonazepam to address her anxiety and prevent panic attacks. She is scheduled to begin four quadrants of scaling and root planing, and I would like to provide anesthesia to make this experience more comfortable.…

I learned during a recent continuing education course that the use of ultrasonic scalers is no longer contraindicated for patients with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Per universal precautions, I understand…

Is the appropriate interval for fluoride varnish application among patients at average or slightly elevated caries risk every 3 months to 6 months? If so, what is the protocol for patients at high risk? Would applying varnish every 72 hours…