While establishing a “unified system” may not be the most feasible approach to solving issues related to dental eligibility and benefits verification, the ADA could provide significant value in driving improvement in that area, according to a July study completed by Change Healthcare, a Nashville-based health care technology company. The company offered four recommendations on
People don’t become dentists to spend their time navigating the insurance claims process. They do it to take care of people. Unfortunately, the reality of dealing with insurance carriers and their varying claims policies can create headaches not only for dentists and their front-office staff, but for patients as well. Dr. Watson “It can
Life is returning to normal. But where dental health is concerned, normal may not be good enough. According to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even BEFORE the pandemic, one-third of American adults under 65 hadn’t had a dental exam or cleaning in more than a year. That is a
Like many Kentuckians, we are eager for a summer of “back-to-normal” activities – backyard BBQs with neighbors, family trips to our favorite state parks and evenings at the county fair. One big “back-to-normal” activity for families across the commonwealth this summer is reviewing that ever-growing back-to-school checklist. As a dentist and dental hygienist and committed members
In the last decade, most debate and discussion on reforms related to healthcare have focused on Americans’ general health insurance plans and costs. And for good reason. And though our health system is convoluted and complicated, it gets even more complex when we examine what is happening with dental care. The intersection of hefty insurance
Dental floss is important not only to keep dentists happy, but also to prevent cognitive decline, according to a new analysis led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College. Good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and dental floss may prevent cognitive impairment and dementia. “Given a tremendous number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease
The ADA is asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to prioritize several oral health issues. In a June 9 letter to the new CMS administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, ADA President Daniel J. Klemmedson, D.D.S., M.D., and Executive Director Kathleen T. O'Loughlin, D.M.D., said that under her leadership, the new administration is “well-positioned to tackle
Studies have shown that teeth grinding has increased during the pandemic; we can help protect your smile. Now that we’re more than a year into a global pandemic, we are learning more about the variety of indirect effects that COVID-19 has had on the population. We have seen it affect our mental health, our emotional
Beyond its psychological toll, the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on our bodies: Many people have put on pounds, picked at their skin, broken their toes — and, according to dentists, damaged their teeth. As more Americans return to dental offices, practitioners say they’re seeing a significant rise in tooth-grinding and jaw-clenching probably brought on by
Cosmetic dentist Kourosh Maddahi noticed a trend among his patients in Beverly Hills, California, beginning around March: Demand for treatments, everything from teeth whitening to full smile-makeovers, was higher than pre-pandemic levels. Even international virtual consultations restarted as people again consider traveling to the United States for cosmetic dentistry work. Why now? Maddahi said the
