“The greatest smile in the world comes from a child.” True enough. Nothing can compare to the innocent smile of a child. It reflects purity, happiness, and calmness… something important in the frantic world we live today. Coming home to a sweet smile can erase all anxiety, stress, and pressure of a hard day’s work. But of course, good care is needed to retain those charming smiles. After all, how can a charming smile be charming if the teeth and mouth are not properly cared for? The teeth are the reason why these smiles are created, so a good dentist such as a dentist is important to preserve and prevent them from decay.
It’s no secret that children are fond of eating sweet candies and chocolate, but most of the time they forget to brush their teeth. Teaching a kid to brush is a task dreaded by many parents. It’s not always easy asking a child to brush. Their teeth are their least of worries compared to toys, games, and television. One thing parents should know is that teeth care is important. And finding a good dentist can help a lot in keeping that healthy, bright smile. Here are simple steps for you to follow in finding the dentist right for your child’s need:
Step 1: Recommendation:
It is best if you can ask your relatives or friends to recommend a dentist. It’s likely that they have established a rapport with a dentist they trust. If you are moving, and your family dentist would be far from your new home, ask if he/she can recommend another dentist to you. That way, it would not be difficult for you to go back and forth to your previous dentist.
Step 2: Research:
Do your own research when considering a new dentist. Know his dental history, his education, and experience. For instance, when visiting a prospective dentist see the seminars he has attended, his postgraduate education, and better yet interview his current patients. Take note: be wary of those dentists that do not have license because you will regret it at the end if something happens to your child’s teeth.
Step 3: Schedule an appointment:
After all the research you’ve made, try to have an appointment with the dentist. You must talk about taking care of your child’s dental health. Find out if he/she has rules and regulations to follow and what are the assurance that your child’s teeth will be taken good care. Sometimes a child has dental phobias because of what they have previously experienced with a dentist. Find out what kind of relaxation techniques he offers; for example, nitrous oxide or dental sedation to help calm a child.
Step 5: The Appointment:
When you come to the office, be observant at all times. Check if the procedures are comfortable for your child. If you are already talking to a dentist, show some respect and build connection with him. Don’t be boastful to the dentist; always remember that he/she will be handling your child’s oral health. Tell the dentist what you expect from him. Try saying “I trust my child’s dental health to you.” This will let him know how much you expect from him to keep your child’s teeth healthy.” Also, don’t forget to say thank you to all his help.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction, Possible Complications Post-Surgery
This may come as a surprise to you, but the practice of dentistry is just like any other industry that is in need of metrics to ensure profit and efficient management. Thus, there is a need to implement the appropriate dental BSC or dental balanced scorecard with the proper metrics towards the achievement of corporate goals and objectives.
To manage operations more effectively, there is then the need to implement the right KPIs or key performance indicators. However, you should be careful when choosing which KPIs to use. Do not make the common mistake of just going with the format developed by the renowned team efforts of Norton and Kaplan because there really is so much more to KPIs for a dental balanced scorecard aside from the financial aspect. A holistic approach has to be implemented so that there would be ample improvement in the whole system. Another reason behind the need to take on a holistic approach is the fact that dental practice is based on service, and not on products. It would be easier for the typical manufacturing firm to have the ordinary balanced scorecard because it would deal with just products. There would then be a lot of quantifiable aspects that you can use for the implementation of the BSC. This, however, is not really something that you can say about the industry of dentistry. But with the implementation of the proper metrics, operations will definitely be done at a faster pace and patients will succeed in having better and more reliable services.
Moreover, the formulation of the KPIs should be done only after the job is thoroughly analyzed. Aside from the nature of the job, it is also important to analyze the industry itself as well as the external aspects that are at play in the environment of dentistry. There are areas or directions that you can make use of when implementing metrics. The first is the Financial Perspective, which of course, would pertain to the revenue aspect of the industry. The metrics to be included here are percentage increase in operating expenses, practice accounts receivable, and the collection percentage as well.
Next on the list is the Customer Perspective, which is pertains to anything that concerns the customer. Commonly used metrics include the number of new patients, the number of patient referrals, and the number of customer complaints. The Internal Perspective comes next, with focus on the internal processes that take place in the industry. Commonly used metrics include the number of clinician hours scheduled and the cancellation percentage at hand. Lastly, Operational Efficiency pertains to the operations of the clinic itself, with commonly used metrics including new patient conversion rate, case acceptance ratio, and many more.
With the implementation of the dental BSC, there will certainly be more effective utilization of the resources in the clinic. With better insights into the very nature of the job itself, you can certainly expect more revenue. Thus, you should definitely be in touch with the appropriate metrics to use when developing your own dental balanced scorecard.
5 Things You Need to Know to Prepare for Tooth Implants
Dental extractions, or tooth pulling, are among the most straightforward and best ways to get relief from a toothache. An extraction, as the name implies, involves removing the tooth. If the tooth has become severely infected, or your pulp has died, extraction may be the only option. Depending on the tooth and situation, the extraction may be simple or more complicated - either way, the dentist will make the process as pain-free as possible.
Simple extractions, also known as pulling, don't take long to complete. The dentist will numb you with local anesthesia before he starts, so you won't feel a thing. Depending on the tooth, pulling it will normally take just a few minutes once you have been numbed. Once completed, the dentist will place gauze in your mouth to bite on and you will be free to go.
These types of extractions, the simple extractions, are the most common in the world of dentistry. During a simple extraction, the dentist loosens the gums around the socket so as to be able to remove the tooth. He will grasp the tooth with forceps and move it from side to side until he can get it to break free of the socket. Once free of the socket it is easy to remove the tooth.
A thin piece of soft tissue holds teeth to the bone. This soft tissue is known as the periodontal ligament. The dentist removes the tooth by breaking this tissue. The best way to remove a tooth by pulling is to rock the tooth from side to side, enlarging the socket in the bone and breaking the ligament that helps hold the tooth in place.
Unfortunately, not all teeth can be pulled. The tooth may have become so decayed or broken off that the dentist has nothing to grasp above the gum line. In this case, the dentist will need to perform a more complicated extraction, to get the tooth out below the gum line, as he won't be able to use the standard method of pulling and rocking.
This type of extraction involves making an incision in the gums around the tooth, and raising the flap cut to expose the bone. Once the bone is exposed, there may be enough of the tooth exposed for the dentist to grab and remove it using the pulling method. In many cases however, the tooth will be embedded in the bone, meaning that the dentist will not be able to pull the tooth out.
With teeth that are imbedded in the bone, the dentist will need to use a drill and chip away at the bone to get to the tooth. This is known as cutting the tooth out, and is quite a common procedure with impacted teeth or teeth that are severely decayed. Once the dentist has cut his way to the tooth and removed it, he will sew back the flap of skin that he cut to get to the tooth. The flap of skin and the socket will heal over time - provided you take care of it.
Dental extractions are a very common procedure for dentists who perform them on a daily basis. Oral surgeons are the best for extractions, as extractions are all they do. All types of extractions, not just the most complex, will take time to heal. As long as you take care of your extraction site, you'll avoid common pitfalls such as dry sockets and other mishaps. They can be a bit painful immediately after the procedure - after a little while you'll start to feel a lot better for having had the tooth or teeth removed.