1. Reimbursement rates are too low (especially for adult coverage).  And in some cases, reimbursement doesn’t even cover the cost of doing business.  So in essence, the dentist is being asked to reach into his or her own pocket to pay the patient’s bill.  That’s ridiculous. 2. The no show rate is crazy high.  In…

Have you only used standard saliva ejectors?  If so, then you and your patients are missing out on some cool saliva ejector technology.  Two of my favorite saliva ejectors are the Total Comfort saliva ejectors and the Comfort Plus saliva ejectors.  What are the primary benefits of these saliva ejectors?  One, they significantly reduce “tissue…

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.…

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…

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…

Is the market for dental hygienists over-saturated?  I’ve been asked that question from potential dental hygiene students many times over the last 7 years or so on social media and here’s my answer.  It’s the wrong question.  Dentistry, and healthcare in general, is a relatively stable part of the economy.  Ample opportunities for dental hygienists…

I’m sure most of you have heard by now, as recently reported by the media, that the effectiveness of flossing is not, and has never been, proven by science.  We’ve been lied to by Big Floss people!  When I first read those media reports, I thought to myself, “Oh boy, here we go again, another…

  Introduction I was listening to the Adam and Drew Podcast the other day, as I often do, and during that episode Adam brought to light an important economic concept.  I’m not sure if it was intentional or not on his part, but the concept he alluded to is something that would apply to many…