The ADEA Competencies for the New General Dentist contain a significant number of practice management-related competencies. To date, these have been taught primarily in a lecture format in the third and fourth years of the dental curriculum. Presenting information in this way only satisfies the lower level learning skills, not the skills needed to become a competent general dentist. This articl...

General dentists may announce fellowships or other credentials earned in the area of general dentistry so long as they avoid any communications that express or imply specialization and the announcement includes the disclaimer that the dentist is a general dentist. The use of abbreviations to designate credentials shall be avoided when such use would lead the reasonable person to believe that th...

On arrival at the dental surgery, the daughter requested the receptionist to inform the dentist and dental assistant that her mother was currently taking anti-coagulant drugs. Unfortunately the receptionist omitted to convey this message and neither did the patient when she entered the surgery. The daughter remained in the waiting room. The dentist extracted four teeth under local anesthesia an...

General anesthesia can help the dental professional provide treatment to individuals who otherwise would be unable to receive dental care. State-mandated training, current anesthesia techniques, and adequate planning by the dentist make general anesthesia safe and effective in the private dental office. This article discusses the multiple benefits general anesthesia offers both the dentist and ...

BACKGROUND The majority of treatment room configurations typically revolve around the dentist. However, a design based on the relationships among the dentist, patient, staff members and dental equipment results in a more functionally appropriate design. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS As the dental practice's primary production space, the treatment room should be designed as efficiently as possible. Id...