OSAP launches disinfection mall

OSAP launches disinfection mall

Humana is now offering individual dental insurance and vision insurance products online under the umbrella of its HumanaOne health plan. Visitors to the company's Web site can check prices, compare plans, and purchase HumanaOne individual dental and vision products.

HumanaOne's individual dental insurance and vision insurance products are available regardless of a person's health condition. Rates in some areas start as low as $10.14 per month for dental insurance or $5.95 per month for a dental discount plan that is not insurance.

The Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) has created an online "mall" for dental professionals to find solutions to their infection control and safety challenges, OSAP announced.

The OSAP Dental Safety Mall features storefronts such as a bookstore, travel agency, novelty store, even an outlet, in addition to a Consultants Plaza, Educators Plaza, and Patient Depot. The Mall can be accessed directly at safetymall.osap.org.

The OSAP Dental Safety Mall provides a shopping cart function and allows online payment for purchases. Shoppers can choose from training tools such as the popular "If Saliva Were Red" DVD, hand-washing and latex allergy charts, continuing education programs, materials for educators and trainers, patient educational materials, and even novelties such as a tie with dental plaque motif.

In addition to academic texts, the bookstore offers member favorites such as The Andromeda Strain and Guns, Germs & Steel. OSAP is seeking additional recommendations; visitors can suggest a book using an e-mail link in the bookstore.

OSAP is a nonprofit organization that provides dental infection control and safety information supported by science and research.

ke new plan.

Many currently available therapies perform to avoid further cuboid reduction but are not able to increase cuboid bulk. Dr. Wang's research results support the idea that a new medication that stops the action of NF-kB in tissues may signify a significant healing advance.

"Although it has been known for some time that swelling stops cuboid growth, the innovative perform by Dr. Wang and his co-workers elucidates the crucial part of NF-kB in the procedure that underlies this trend," said David p Stashenko, D.M.D., Ph.D., a lecturer at the Stanford University of Dental Medication and chief executive and CEO of the Forsyth Institution. "Many drugs that prevent NF-kB are in growth, and these results recommend that new therapies to protect cuboid in periodontitis, brittle bones, and related cuboid illnesses are upcoming."

Expert proteins could change perio brittle bones treatments

Expert proteins could change perio brittle bones treatments

Researchers at the University of Florida, Los Angeles (UCLA) University of Dental care, working with scientists at the University of Mich and the University of Florida, San Paul, have determined a potential new concentrate of therapies for brittle bones, periodontitis, and similar diseases: an expert proteins that manages genetics associated with swelling and resistance.

In a document released May 17 in the online version of the publication Characteristics Medication, Cun-Yu Wang, D.D.S., Ph.D., seat of the UCLA dental college's department of dental chemistry and medicine, and co-workers recommend that suppressing atomic factor-kB (NF-kB) can avoid limiting cuboid reduction by keeping cuboid growth.

The NF-kB proteins, a root cause in inflamation related and defense conditions, performs a big part in both brittle bones and periodontitis, interfering with the stability of cuboid devastation and growth. It is this stability that Dr. Wang and his other scientists try to recover, and perhaps even improve upon, by finding new ways to advertise net cuboid build up.

"Most research concentrate on the part that NF-kB performs in the control of osteoclasts. For the past five years, we seemed carefully at the effect of NF-kB on osteoblasts," Dr. Wang said. "We realized that NF-kB marketed resorption. What we found in our in vitro and in vivo research is that this proteins also stops new cuboid growth, giving us a bigger image of its part in swelling and defense reactions."

"This milestone document by Dr. Wang and his co-workers is not only top-notch molecular technology, but it also maintains guarantee for doctors trying to provide the most educated treatment of women with postmenopausal brittle bones," said David Adams, a UCLA lecturer of memory foam surgery treatment. "The document reveals how the molecular adjustment of a formerly unsuspected proinflammatory road in the bone-forming mobile, the osteoblast, can control the potential of that mobile to make new cuboid."

Many currently available therapies perform to avoid further cuboid reduction but are not able to increase cuboid bulk. Dr. Wang's research results support the idea that a new medication that stops the action of NF-kB in tissues may signify a significant healing advance.

"Although it has been known for some time that swelling stops cuboid growth, the innovative perform by Dr. Wang and his co-workers elucidates the crucial part of NF-kB in the procedure that underlies this trend," said David p Stashenko, D.M.D., Ph.D., a lecturer at the Stanford University of Dental Medication and chief executive and CEO of the Forsyth Institution. "Many drugs that prevent NF-kB are in growth, and these results recommend that new therapies to protect cuboid in periodontitis, brittle bones, and related cuboid illnesses are upcoming."

Gum illness can lead to gestational diabetes

Gum illness can lead to gestational diabetes

Pregnant females with gum illness may be in danger of creating gestational diabetic issues even if they don't smoking or consume, according to an continuous analysis at New You are able to School.

Results of the analysis were provided last month at the Worldwide Organization for Oral Research (IADR) conference in Las vegas.

Previous analysis has revealed that expectant mothers with gum illness are more likely to develop gestational diabetic issues than expectant mothers with healthy gum area (Journal of Oral Research, Apr 2008, Vol. 87, pp. 328-333).

"Periodontal illness improves the stages of inflamation related mediators such as TNFa [tissue necrosis factor-alpha] and IL_6 [interleukin-6]. These elements are known blood insulin antagonists, significance they will contend for the blood insulin receptor on mobile tissue layer," said analysis writer Ananda Dasanayake, B.D.S., a lecturer of epidemiology and health marketing at New You are able to School College of Dental care, in an meeting with DrBicuspid.com. "If these stages are high in the expectant mother, perhaps due to her gum illness, they can combine to the blood insulin receptor on the mobile tissue layer and even if she has enough blood insulin, she will now not be able to allow sugar to be transferred in to the mobile. This can outcome in gestational diabetic issues."

This continuous analysis, which is expected to be complete by July, was performed together with the school of dental sciences at the School of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. It included 190 expectant mothers in Sri Lanka who did not smoking, consume, or use illegal drugs. In fact, one of the study's improvements is that it is only such as nonsmokers.

"Smoking is a major confounder in studies looking at gum illness and pregnancy-related events," Dr. Dasanayake described.

Seventy percent of the example population had not seen a dental professional in the last two decades, and 36% self-reported having gum illness. The mean age of the topics was 28.1 decades.

Researchers measured the population's mean oral plaque, pocket detail, blood reduction on searching, and medical connection reduction stages. The females were also given a sugar task analyze, which is used specifically to screen for gestational diabetic issues.

The scientists found a good and important connection between the example population's regular blood reduction on searching ratings and sugar task analyze principles.

"As the analysis is continuous, it is still too early to sketch significant results. However, one-third of this nonsmoking, nonalcohol- and nonillicit drug-using Sri Lankan females who are around 30 decades of age have self-reported 'gum illness,' but their actual regular medical connection reduction was less than 1 mm," the writers mentioned. "Whether that amount of medical gum illness will actually increase the chance of GDM [gestational diabetic issues mellitus] continues to be to be analyzed upon realization the analysis. Positive and important connection between regular blood reduction on searching ratings and GCT [glucose task test] principles offer reliability to the recommended association."

Dr. Dasanayake verified that this analysis is one of many that features the oral wide spread link, and recommended dental practitioners use this proof to motivate expectant mothers to get regular dental examinations.

"It is sensible to recommend expectant mothers to seek necessary dental treatment during maternity," Dr. Dasanayake determined. "Periodontal treatment during maternity has been proven to be safe and effective."

Dentist and reviewer battle it out in court

Dentist and reviewer battle it out in court

Yvonne Wong, D.D.S., sued the parents of a young patient after the father posted a negative review on Yelp.com. Dr. Wong contends that the review defames her by implying that she didn't inform the boy's parents about alternatives to the use of amalgam and nitrous oxide and didn't spot other cavities needing treatment.

The key issue in this case is whether the review stepped over the line from discussing a topic of public interest to defamation.

Dr. Wong's lawyer, John Ter Beek, thinks it does.

He argued that the review did not serve public interest on the topics of amalgam or nitrous oxide use and only defamed Dr. Wong.

He called the use of amalgam fillings a "supposed controversy" and noted that even the ADA approves its use.

Reviewer Tai Jing's lawyer, Mark Goldowitz, argued that his client's review merely informed people that it is unnecessary to use mercury or nitrous oxide for dental procedures. It is a matter of public interest because his clients did not know other options were available until they went to another dentist, he stated.

In an interview with DrBicuspid.com following his court appearance, Ter Beek said that in fact Dr. Wong provided Jing's wife with a dental material fact sheet containing information about mercury fillings. The law requires dentists to discuss such matters, he added.

"Now they are saying that they were not told," said Ter Beek. "This is defamation. If people are allowed to do this, you might as well throw away the defamation law."

Goldowitz reiterated that his client's review did not cross the line.

His purpose as a parent through that post was to tell other people that some dentists don't use amalgam fillings or nitrous oxide at all, he told DrBicuspid.com.

Defamation is when provably false statements are made, and that is not the case here, he added.

There is a controversy surrounding amalgam fillings, and new cavities were found by the child's new dentist, he said. It's all true.

With regard to the issue of defamation, Judge William Elfving asked Goldowitz to clarify exactly who wrote the review, since both Tai Jing and his wife Jia Ma are named in Dr. Wong's lawsuit. Goldowitz stated that Jing wrote the review and that his wife had no part in it whatsoever.

However, Ter Beek noted that Jia Ma accompanied the child to most of the dental appointments and that when she came home she had told Jing what happened, which means they worked together to defame the dentist.

Goldowitz dismissed any charges of conspiracy.

Jing was the one who was present at the appointment when Dr. Wong administered the nitrous oxide and mercury fillings, and there is no reason to believe that just because they are married she was involved in a conspiracy, he said.

Jing ultimately removed the review from Yelp.com -- leave a one star rating up to indicate his dissatisfaction with the dentist -- when he found out that someone had complained because he did not want to be mixed up in a controversy, his lawyer told DrBicuspid.com.

Goldowitz said this case violates free speech.

"That you can get sued just for putting up your opinion has a chilling effect," he said.

Judge Elfving is now considering the arguments. If he doesn't grant the original anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) motion, Dr. Wong's attorney will have a right to appeal. If he does approve it, Jing's attorney will have the same right.

Syneron to create new dental laser

Syneron to create new dental laser

Syneron Dental has finalized an OEM contract with a Western organization to produce and spread a dental laser system using Syneron's Laser-in-Handpiece technological innovation, according to the organization. Details of the contract have not yet been revealed.

The Laser-in-Handpiece idea is already integrated into the Syneron LiteTouch erbium dental laser system, which was presented in 2006. It is the first dental laser system with the laser system device in the dental handpiece, rather than in an nearby unit linked by a roughage optic wire, according to the organization.

"We welcome this opportunity to integrate Syneron's dental laser system technological innovation according to the demand of a well known Western dental laser system device producer who desired to provide our unique technological innovation to their set up base," said Syneron Dental Chief executive Eyal Cohen in an argument. "We believe that having our technological innovation used and marketed by their dental customers will increase its exposure worldwide."

Ronald J. Search, D.D.S., M.S., dean of the Va Earth School (VCU) School of Dental care, was set up as obama of the United states Dental Education Organization (ADEA) on April 18 at this year's ADEA Yearly Period in Arizona.

Dr. Search invested the past year providing as ADEA president-elect and has provided on other ADEA committees and with other dental companies, according to confident ADEA Chief executive Charles Bertolami, D.D.S., DMedSc.

Dr. Search has been dean of the VCU School of Dental care for nine years, and was previously the dean of academic matters at the School of Northern Carolina at Church Mountain School of Dental care. He has released more than 40 peer-reviewed articles about epidemiological reviews, medical analysis, health services analysis, and academic analysis. Dr. Search also has been active in the United states Organization for Dental Research (AADR) and was area official in geriatric dental analysis.

My epiphany with Mrs. Z

My epiphany with Mrs. Z

Removable prosthetics have always been a thorn in my part. Why do some of these situations come returning for improvements when I see no signs for it using PIP? I verify the closure and it looks excellent. I see no noticeable platter sores on the mucosa. The storage looks excellent. We run through the figures 60-70 and the affected person recites them like she is the celebrity student in the category. Yet, she requirements that they need modifying.

This issue is enough of a hassle that I choose to try compressing detachable prosthetics out of my exercise. I increase the fee from $800 to $1,200 per device. But still I stay active with veneers and sufferers that I cannot convert away.

But one day I realized it out, thanks to Mrs. Z. She was my "road to Damascus" encounter. I created her the most ideal CD over RPD, but she ongoing to come in for improvements. I examined for sores but could not look for the damaging. Lastly, as I was going over her situation for the umpteenth time, I kept in mind she had a cat. Out of disappointment, I requested her how Waffles was.

A large grin came over her encounter. The overflow gateways started out, and I discovered out more about that cat than any individual should know. I was prepared to take it and get into it in the Bob Letterman ridiculous pet techniques section. I also discovered out that her daughter was premed. I observed a lot about her hammer toes and arthritis joint parts too.

With a little laugh on my encounter -- not enough for her to get noticable -- I modified the nonexistent painful identify she had been stressing about. She smiled again and said it sensed much better.

I have a whole new strategy to veneers now. I still dislike them, but I allow endless "Waffles the cat" modification sessions. I even put notices in the individual's chart: pet's name, granddaughter's name, in premed, etc. to help keep factors going along. Sometimes it's been a task, like when Mrs. Z is sandwiched between only one top and an anterior veneer situation. But that's when I take a take a phase returning and calm out for a few additional moments with her.

This market of our individual platform is very alone. They look ahead to their oral sessions. They look ahead to capturing up with my front part workplace ladies. Mrs. Z was so thrilled the day she was able to tell me that her daughter approved the MCAT with traveling shades. Even the seniors men like arriving in just to discuss the old car they're repairing or discussion a little state policies. These sessions have become as essential to them as their mid-day link activities with buddies.

Mrs. Z approved away lately, but it's awesome ... she was a satisfied woman, and her veneers were relaxed.

What about non-certified equipment

What about non-certified equipment

Q. Why are leakage current tests performed and how often are they performed?

A. We perform electrical safety inspections (ESIs) routinely as part of an Equipment Management Program. Whether it is on a scheduled device, loaner, rental, patient- or physician-owned, or post-repair, it is common that our technicians perform this test daily, along with other tests. Each day, equipment fails these tests.

Q. What kind of test failures do biomedical technicians see, and what are the causes?

A. There are a variety of reasons for the excessive leakage current: Degradation of components, which over time one can demonstrate the relation of leakage to wear as the power supply or other components age or stress; damage abuse where a variety of neglect or accidents including missing or broken ground pins, spillage from fluids that egress and evaporate leaving excessive current leakage, and defective power cords; instances where beds or other equipment may have damaged the conductors and cords. We see good systems connected by bad or inappropriate power strips, and we see inappropriate equipment for the patient care setting. All too often IT equipment intended for office or business finds its way into the clinical areas. These conditions can only be avoided by regular testing and inspection.

Q. Do hospital IT departments bring in equipment not suitable for patient areas?

A. Unfortunately it is a common practice for doctors, purchasing agents, equipment representatives and IT departments to try to bring ordinary computer equipment into healthcare facilities and patient areas. Sometimes it’s merely due to lack of knowledge of codes and standards. Sometimes the equipment brought in is certified but not certified for patient area use—there is a big difference between medical devices and all other equipment. Since some of this non-certified and inappropriate equipment makes it into these facilities, we get a chance to inspect this equipment. What are the differences? Only an expert with the right background and tools can answer that question. OSHA and many states realize this and this is why codes and laws are in place.

Q. What about non-certified equipment?

A. The situation is the same with non-certified equipment. Most hospital administration departments and purchasing agents don’t know the inherent dangers associated with unknown and untested devices. The types of equipment vary from EEG devices to neuro-stimulation devices, computers, printers—the list is extensive. Many of these companies know better and continue to sell uncertified equipment. I can tell you that most of the non-certified equipment I’ve seen required modification to be made safe. Grounding is a big problem in non-certified equipment, and grounding problems lead to leakage current exposure.

Q. What is the perception of product safety in the healthcare environment?

A. I live and work in Florida where state code requires NRTL certification to the appropriate intended use. When we point this out, there are a variety of responses. The responses I receive vary from concern for patients and staff to denial. Some worry about the legal aspects, others are genuinely concerned about the compliance to state codes, but many others see no problems and will address problems IF they occur. I hear a lot of comments such as, “Everybody else uses it,” or “We had one at the last hospital I worked at and our biomed there never said anything.” Of course, there are also many who will have any non-certified device inspected and tested; and although this can be a challenge, it is a wise and prudent choice and the only way to really protect patients and healthcare staff.

Many deaths due to electrical shock and current have occurred since the widespread use of electricity. In the 1960s, the issue of leakage current came to the forefront, resulting in the increased level of safety we now have in place. Many articles were written on the subject.11 There are many ways electrical shock can occur in a healthcare facility; for example, humidity in the plugs of blood and fluid heaters causing device failure,12 accidental toppling of a fluid container causing spillage onto a blood pressure monitor,13 electric shocks to anaesthetists after touching a faulty device and the chassis of another device simultaneously,14 an anaesthetised patient was connected to an ECG device that had been wired wrongly with the earth and neutral connections transposed. 15

How widespread are cases of death by exposure to leakage current? This information is difficult to obtain due to several factors. Patients simply die of “heart failure” with no further detail provided. Many of these patients are high-risk, and are exposed to electrical equipment in regions of the country where hospitals may not have biomedical engineering departments and equipment. Many deaths go unreported or are incorrectly reported, but may actually be caused by leakage current.

U.S. safety NRTL system and the CE mark and SDoC threats. A U.S. nationally recognized testing laboratory is a third party agency that ensures the highest level of safety and security needed for electrical products. Conversely, SDoC and CE mark are not product safety programs. A current issue of serious consequence for healthcare facilities (and also consumers) is the repeated attempts by special interest domestic and foreign computer manufacturing groups to gain acceptance of supplier declaration of conformity (SDoC). This special interest group is again pressuring OSHA to allow these products to be sold on the market as equivalent of a U.S. listed product (UL or equivalent). SDoC is a self-declaration program similar to the CE mark self-declaration.

This means that a company from anywhere in the world can simply declare their product meets the international electrical safety standards. In the testing laboratory business, we see these self-declared products come in for evaluation and certification for North America on a regular basis. Some of these products are so far away from being compliant that they represent an immediate hazard, especially for fire and electric shock. Recently, the EU has considered an additional product safety mark because of faulty, counterfeit and misrepresented products coming in from Asia. For the U.S., this SDoC program would mean that these cheaply made, non-tested products like computers will end up in our homes and in our healthcare facilities.16

Fortunately, we still have the OSHA federal law for the workplace, 29CFR1910.303 and related sections which requires all electrical equipment in the workplace to be certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.17 In addition to reputable and knowledgeable manufacturers, biomedical departments and firms, our NRTL engineers and inspectors are daily maintaining and improving the levels of safety with their work in the testing laboratory, and in the workplace with onsite testing and labeling.

Central Florida Division and State Chapter Board of Directors

Central Florida Division and State Chapter Board of Directors

Robert Stickels has worked in electrical product safety for 20 years, including as a regulatory design engineer for NCR. He is currently the director of field evaluations for TUV Rheinland, and has personally inspected a great deal of medical equipment at numerous healthcare facilities. Robert is an inspector member of the IAEI, and is on the Central Florida Division and State Chapter Board of Directors.

Q. When you are inspecting a non-certified piece of medical equipment, do you find test failures for leakage current? What kind of failures are you seeing?

A. Yes, I find test failures during leakage measurements. The equipment’s components may or may not be certified. Many times I find components are certified and when combined into the end-use product, the product as a whole does not meet the leakage current requirement set forth in the medical standard. I see many failures between a few μA (microampere) to 4 mA. (milliampere).

Q. What kind of equipment have you found these failures in? Patient area? Operating Room? Emergency?

A. This equipment is found in all areas. Case in point, Heart Cathlab A/V integrated system failed leakage current tests. The problem was with power supplies. The power supplies were not rated for use with medical equipment, instead they were certified/listed to the ITE standard. Due to the current requirement of the monitor, a replacement power supply was not available. To fix the problem, a medical grade isolation transformer was used to reduce the leakage current to acceptable levels. Other systems of concern are patient beds, luminaires, and types of new procedure equipment, and others.

Q. What do the manufacturers of this equipment say about these test failures?

A. Sometimes not much or nothing, often the manufacturer simply states, “We have never run into this before” or “The equipment meets the NRTL requirements for the intended use.” System integrators use what is cost effective and meets the immediate need. Unless designed for medical area use, A/V equipment for use in a medical area typically may not be available; therefore, testing and evaluation is necessary by an NRTL.

Q. What do the owners of the equipment say about the failures? Did they know they were buying non-certified equipment?

A. It is buyer beware. Typically, the hospital and doctors do not have a clue; they only know what the equipment does as far as the procedure it’s intended for. The equipment is tagged for evaluation only when compliance is required by a local AHJ, The Joint Commission, state agency or an internal hospital equipment acceptance procedure. Keep in mind that non-compliant equipment may range from as small as a relocatable power tap to OR equipment to as large as a DI water chiller system used for Dialysis patients.

This fact remains: Equipment that is not suitable for medical use can put patients and healthcare providers at risk for electric shock and death. In the Product Safety Consensus Standards writing process, there are two considerations for writing specific sections and values for exposure to electrical current and voltage. The first is a list with names of people who have died because of this hazard. The second is the scientific proof that without a particular requirement there would be an additional list of people who have died. To suggest that critical testing, such as leakage current, should be stopped is like arguing that since cars have airbags we can save money by removing seat belts. This is why the ASHE position on leakage current testing is especially troubling and dangerous. In their proposal to cut sections of NFPA 99, they state that these requirements are being cut in order to “…manage risks while bringing efficiencies to the regulatory compliance burden faced by healthcare providers.” In other words, this is being done simply to cut costs. Any “re-engineering” of NFPA 99 should absolutely consider the existing U.S. product safety standards, (e.g., UL 60601) and their scientific basis.

When an electrical product or system loses its ground, patients and staff are immediately exposed to leakage current. As research has shown, AC leakage current can cause complete cardiac arrest at low levels. Portable listed medical products employ heavy duty cords and plugs to help avoid the loss of ground; however, this condition is inevitable, especially when a piece of equipment is kept in service for many years. No one questions the physicist coming in to check the viability and correct operation of equipment that uses radiation. Conversely, since our track record with electrical incident and deaths has improved because of the correct application of U.S. standards such as UL 60601 and NFPA 99, electricity has indeed become “invisible” and because of this success the practices of electrical safety are questioned.

With counterfeit products from Asia and special interests pushing things like the SDoC program, now is the time for increased vigilance, not for softening or the elimination of time-tested safety standards and product testing. The ASHE attempt to influence JCHAO and dilute NFPA 99 should be closely scrutinized and their vested interest and motivations identified and monitored.

Politics + Electricity = Death

Politics + Electricity = Death

The laws of physics cannot be changed to suit a particular purpose. Lives saved by accomplishments of product safety and hospital biomedical professionals are in the tens of thousands and possibly more. The science behind prevention of death from electricity has guided the requirements of national and international safety standards. The history of electrical safety for medical equipment is the history of U.S. industry, engineering, government and testing laboratory professionals developing consensus safety standards. These requirements cannot be sacrificed to suit the plans of any special interest group. It’s a formula for disaster: Politics + Electricity = Death. Where electrical safety is concerned it’s better to abandon politics and just do the right thing. In the case of medical equipment and electrical safety testing, we need to be allowed and encouraged to keep doing the right thing to protect our families, friends and communities.

References

1 Swerdlow, C.D., and W. H. Olson, M. E. O’Connor, D. M. Gallik, R. A. Malkin, and M. Laks. “Cardiovascular Collapse Caused by Electrocardiographically Silent 60-Hz. Intracardiac Leakage Current: Implications for Electrical Safety.” Journal of the American Heart Association, (1999) 99: 2559–2564.

2 UL 544: Medical and Dental Equipment, 4th ed., (Northbrook, IL, Underwriters Laboratories,1998).

3 Eisner L, R. M. Brown, and D. Modi: “Leakage Current Standards Simplified.” Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry Regulatory Outlook, (2004).

4 ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1:2005, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, (2006).

5 UL 60601-1, Medical Electrical Equipment, Part 1: General Requirements for Safety. (Northbrook, IL, Underwriters Laboratories, 2003).

6 UL 1950. Safety of information technology equipment, including electrical business equipment, 2nd ed. (Northbrook, IL, Underwriters Laboratories, 1993).

7 American National Standards Institute, ANSI C101-1992: American National Standard for Leakage Current for Appliances. (Northbrook, IL, Underwriters Laboratories, 1992).

8 “The FDA’s Deadly Gamble with the Safety of Medical Devices,” Project on Government Oversight, (February 19, 2009).

9 S-540: Medical Device Safety Act of 2009, (HR 1346), 111th Congress of the United States.
10 Mundy, Alicia. “FDA Chief Eyes Device Group.” The Wall Street Journal, (June 17, 2009).
11 Bruner, J. M. R., MD. “Hazards of Electrical Apparatus.” Anesthesiology 28 (Mar.-Apr. 1967):396–425.

12 Linko, K. “Testing a New In-Line Blood Warmer.” Anesthesiology 52 (1980):445-456.

13 Singleton, R. J., G. L. Ludbrook, R. K.Webb, and M. A. Fox. “Accidental Toppling of a Fluid Container Causing Spillage onto a Blood Pressure Monitor.” Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, (1993).

14 Singleton, R. J., G. L. Ludbrook, R. K. Webb, and M. A. Fox. “Electric Shocks to Anaesthetists after Touching a Faulty Device and the Chassis of Another Device Simultaneously.” Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, (1993).

15 Atkin, D. H. and L. R. Orkin. “An anaesthetised patient was connected to an ECG device that had been wired wrongly with the earth and neutral connections transposed.” Anaesthesiology, (1973).

16 Federal Register (at www.osha.gov). For more information on SDoC, go to www.osha.gov and type “SDoC” into the search box.

How to Choose Your Best Dentist

How to Choose Your Best Dentist

In our insurance-driven world today, many people simply choose their dentist off a list. They assume that a dental cleaning is the same no matter where they go and the cheaper the visit, the better deal they’re getting. With the new packages available from Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. (IDA), dentists can choose whether or not they want to include information about dental financing on their dental marketing websites. IDA’s pre-written articles make lead generation easy for dentists who already know their market needs dental financing options.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a dentist. First and foremost, you should take into account where the dental practice is located, and if the office is convenient to your home or workplace. Also, don’t forget to check into the business hours to make sure they fit with your schedule. Is the dentist’s office open five days a week? Do they have early morning or lunchtime hours so that you can make dental instruments treatment appointments around your work schedule?

Each dental practice follows its own clinical philosophy – that drives all their patient care decisions. Frontline and The Center for Public Integrity have recently published two articles regarding Wall Street-owned dental practices that have a questionable approach that suggests the “buyer beware”. Often, people see ‘free exam’ or ‘free x-rays’ and believe they will receive great value for their hard-earned dollar. If the promotion focuses on steep discounts, then the buyer must assume this income will be earned in other ways. Dentists following a more conservative clinical philosophy often promote their success with prevention (No Decay Clubs and long term healthy patients) and quality care.

The next step is to schedule a consultation with the two to three dentists you have identified as the best candidates. It is important that any dental practice you choose be focused on preventative care. The main reason to have regular dentist appointments is to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and to keep any significant problems at bay. If your dentist tells you the only option is to pull all your teeth and get dentures, seek a second opinion. Rarely is this the only option available. Even for teeth that look badly broken down or discolored, often the bone support is strong – and these are teeth that can be saved.

During this initial visit, check out the facilities and meet the dental hygienist(s) as well as any of the other office staff. Ask lots of questions, including how many years the dentist(s) in the practice has been in business. You may even wish to know where he or she went to dental school. Do they offer any cosmetic dentistry procedures? Finally, are the dentists members of the American Dental Association? The ADA is known as “Americas leading advocate for oral health care.”

Dentists that want to provide treatment that meets patient needs usually offer treatment options, so you can choose the treatment that best fits your lifestyle and health. Another factor to consider is the cost of the dental practice’s services. Don’t be afraid to ask for some sort of price list. Though this is not the most important part of your decision making process, it is certainly something to take into account when shopping for dentists with dental micro motor treatment. Also, along these same lines, find out what dental insurance policies they accept and how their filing process works. Both of these items will be quite helpful when comparing dental practices.

One final point that may not be top of mind, but is crucial information nonetheless, is to find out the dental practice’s emergency procedures. What happens if you break a tooth or have severe oral pain in the middle of the night or over the weekend? Does the office you are considering have an on-call dentist? Perhaps they even share call rotation with another dental handpiece practice. This is good information to know in the event you should ever need after hours care. This is in stark contrast to the community dentist who lives and works in the same city as his patients, running into patients at the local grocery store and serving in volunteer organizations together. The stronger relationships the dentist has in the community, help the dentist to see his patients as friends – rather than an income source. This increases trust and communication for both dentists and patients.

For most of us, going to the dentist does not top our list of favorite activities, but it is a crucial part of your overall health. For this reason, you want to pick a dental practice where you and your family will feel comfortable for years to come.