Asthma ordinarily begins in childhood/adolescence, and—once established—the ongoing inflammatory process leads to underdevelopment of the lungs, further impeding their function. More than 6 million United States children under the age of 18…

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections are used with increasing frequency to treat a variety of medical conditions.

Advances in technology, demand for decreased consumer costs, and lack of access to care for underserved populations have changed the way dental care is delivered.

The management of patients with cancer before, during, and after treatment presents challenges for oral health professionals. Patients usually present with findings that are either directly related to their cancer (such as leukemia-induced…

Many respiratory infections have been linked to the microbial inhabitants of the oral cavity. Dental procedures that use low- and high-speed handpieces, laser or electrosurgery units, ultrasonic scalers, air polishers, prophy angles, hand…

Dentistry is a people-focused profession, in which good communication skills are essential. Patient care requires effective communication to assess and accurately address a patient’s chief complaint, triage emergencies, establish a common…

Today’s oral health professionals work with a variety of rapidly changing technologies during the delivery of patient care. Understanding how to manage technology in the dental setting requires knowledge and application of infection control…

Administering effective pain management to patients is key to successful dental treatment.

Prescription drug misuse—taking medication originally intended for therapeutic use in a manner other than prescribed—commonly takes the form of opioid, stimulant, and central nervous system depressant misuse. For decades, prescription…

Dental practice acts vary among jurisdictions, as do the scopes of practice. While the dental hygienist may not be able to make a legal diagnosis regarding endodontic disease, he or she can perform endodontic diagnostic testing for review…