The team here at Dental Economics® has put together another great issue for you. All the people on my team are such great contributors to every magazine we produce every month. I certainly could not do it without them.
The cover story for this issue is on emergency medicine for the dental office by Dr. Stanley F. Malamed. Dr. Malamed is recognized as the foremost expert on this subject. He describes in very clear and concise language how you should prepare your team for when that emergency arises. It will happen to all of us sometime, and the outcome will be better if you and your staff are prepared.
Dr. Malamed goes on to describe how to diagnose and treat your patient during the emergency. Your ability to act quickly can be a matter of life or death for your patient. He continues by describing the drug kit that you need to have on hand and when, why, and how much to use to treat the patient. Everyone in the office should be trained on a yearly basis. In my office, we use part of that day to update our CPR training, and the rest of it to review our emergency plan, which I urge all of you to have.
This article on emergency medicine was taken from a longer piece that was done for the continuing–education department of Dental Economics®, “INeedCE.” You can read the rest of the story which contains much more information, including what to do in specific medical emergencies that may occur in your office, such as hypoglycemia, a conscious or unconscious diabetic, epilepsy, asthma, anaphylaxis, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrest.
You will receive all of this information plus you can obtain a complete set of references and CE credits by going to www.ineedce.com. Open the Emergency Medicine course by Dr. Stanley F. Malamed. If you don't want the CE credits, just open it as a pdf and print the information.
I am starting a new column titled “Hygiene Pearls for Your Practice,” which will run quarterly in DE. I am doing this because I came across an ADA statistic that shows one–third of dental offices do not have a hygienist.
The Chicago Midwinter Meeting is making history this month by moving to the McCormick Place West Building. For the first time, it will be a three–day meeting starting on Thursday, Feb. 25, and ending on Saturday evening, Feb. 27.
All three days will feature continuing–education courses and an open exhibit hall. I speak on Thursday, and will present two provisional workshops. On Saturday, I will address dental assistants.
I have put together a list of 28 new products to see at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. This would be a good list to tear out of the magazine and take with you to the meeting. If you want an advanced look before the mailman delivers your copy, go to www.dentistryiq.com and open the digital edition of DE. While you are there, check out all the other great information on our new Web site.
Look for articles on the advantages of using resin–modified glass ionomers as restorative materials by Dr. Gordon Christensen, patient risk factors for periodontal disease by Dr. Richard Nagelberg, some great tips for doing a “face lift” on your dental practice by Dr. Louis Malcmacher, the new innovative technology business group over at 3M by Dr. Paul Feuerstein, and how to teach your patients what they need to do to keep the tissue around their implants healthy by Dr. Joe Massad.
Be sure to see provocative columns on transitions by Dr. Max Wilson, case acceptance by Dr. Nate Booth, the attire of the health–care provider and how patient perception is a large part of the overall profitability and success of any dental practice by Dianne Glasscoe–Watterson, how large a dental treatment room should be by Dr. Jeff and Pat Carter, and great financial columns by Brian Hufford and John McGill.
Don't miss a terrific story by Dr. Jeff Dalin about Facebook and Twitter and how to become involved with them, including the advantages and disadvantages of social communities. Susan Gunn (the expert on QuickBooks in dentistry) writes about enhancements to QuickBooks Pro 2010, and Dr. Paul Homoly (a communications expert) writes on “Leading the Complex Care Patient to Health.”
Enrich yourself and your team in 2010 with some CE that will lead to a very happy and harmonious atmosphere in your office. Remember, your patients can feel any tension in your office. Start a “happy” campaign!
Joe Blaes, DDS, Editor — e–mail: [email protected]
Toll–free phone number: (866) 274–4500
