The dentist workforce through the years

What did the dental workforce look like in the beginning of the century? And what will it look like in 20 years or so? There are currently nearly 200,000 practicing dentists in the U.S., which represents about 61 dentists per 100,000 population in 2018. In comparison, in 2001, there were about 163,000 practicing dentists or 57 dentists per… Read More »

Wonder women of dentistry: Female dentists go from rarity to building profession, communities up

Editor’s note: This is the second article in an ADA News series examining the changing demographics and increasing diversity in dentistry. For every dollar a male dentist makes, women, on average, earn 65 cents. While 13 cents of that gap is accounted for by things like differences in experience levels, specialty and hours worked, there still remains 22… Read More »

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 27

The Drug Enforcement Agency’s next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for April 27. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Dentists and their patients are encouraged to return expired or unwanted prescriptions to various… Read More »

Early detection is key for treating aggressive cancers

The importance of having routine dental checkups could never be truer for a young patient in Washington state. Last year, Dr. Harlyn Susarla, was examining 4-year-old Hunter Jones who she noticed had several loose teeth, which was early for her age. After taking bite wing X-rays, Dr. Susarla had a conversation with Hunter’s mother Kara, about doing additional… Read More »

Associateships: What, how and who?

What is a dental associateship? A common form of dental employment is an associateship, where a dentist works as an employee of another dentist, or a group practice, according to the ADA Center for Professional Success. Every associateship is structured a differently, depending on the parties involved. Like any long-term relationship, a successful associateship depends on shared goals and… Read More »

Making a difference through synergy

People frequently ask me why I am so active in my involvement with the state dental association. It’s a good question. I don’t get paid for it, and it takes a lot of time out of my schedule, something that is tough when you are a new dentist. However, the ultimate answer is best told through an experience… Read More »