How many times can I use a single DryShield mouthpiece? According to the manufacturer the answer is about 50 times, which equates to 50 cents per use ($25/50 = $0.50). Well, I wanted to test that number, so I went beyond 50 times to see what would happen. The photos below show two medium DryShield…
Many years ago, a friend of mine moved half way across the country, and because it involved a long drive, he wanted to have a CB radio in his truck (this was back when almost no one had a cell phone). He bought the CB radio from Wal-Mart because they had a “no questions asked”…
Introduction Cherie R. Dillon is currently serving a 5 year sentence in a federal prison for healthcare fraud and identity theft. The only public information about her case (besides my previous blog post) comes from the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release and some media reports that seem to be primarily based on that press release.…
What is it? It’s a wristband that attaches your ultrasonic scaler cord to your wrist. This allows your wrist/arm, as opposed to your fingers, to take on the weight of your ultrasonic scaler’s cord, which is relatively heavy. The Good 1. It actually works. The cord feels VERY light when your wrist is taking on…
Why is dental hygiene school so expensive? Dental hygiene school is expensive because it is a one size fits all path that is dictated from the top down. If people are not free to come up innovative ways to achieve the same end (a comprehensive dental hygiene education), then we will continue to have what…
We all have our share of patients who’s periodontal health never improves, or improves very little, year after year. In other words, they are in a chronic state of active disease. And too often, we hygienists blame ourselves for failing to help these patients improve their periodontal health. What could I have said to persuade…
Introduction Cherie R. Dillon, a hygienist from Idaho, is going to prison for five years for practicing beyond her license (e.g. fillings, extractions, etc.), illegally billing Medicaid and other insurances, and using the identity of a disabled, non-practicing dentist to make it happen. She also has to pay over $500k in restitution and has to…
Introduction Let me guess. When you first saw the photo you thought, “What the hell happened to Vin Diesel”. Wrong guy. That’s actually Carlos Rodriguez. Carlos is a dental hygienist, speaker and stand-up comic. He combines his dental knowledge with his comedic skills to create CE courses that will make you laugh. Check out what…
As a practical joke, I sent the text message pictured below to my boss on Thursday morning. I didn’t expect the response I received. He was very understanding and compassionate. I was expecting something more like, “Really?” or “Huh?” or “Ok” or “Are you messing with me bro?” We do have two chickens (and 1…
What is it? It’s a hands free dental suction system that is primarily designed for dental hygienists. The green part, which is shaped like a leaf (hence the name), is disposable. The remaining parts come in a few sections. The hard, clear plastic part, where the leaf attaches, is curved 180 degrees so it can…