Dentistry Expansion Bill Passes in New Jersey

Written by Dentistry TodayMonday, 19 March 2012 07:45



Dental hygienists in New Jersey may soon have the opportunity to increase their workload.

New Jersey Senator and dentist Joe Pennachio led legislation to permit dental hygienists to increase their allowable practices and increase their role in the dental profession. The legislation was passed by the State Senate this week.

The legislation, called S-298, included the following responsibilities that could be added to the hygienists’ role.
Clarifies that any college or school training dental hygienists be approved specifically by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental association.
Allows certified hygienists to expand their practices under supervision of a dentist to any appropriately equipped school, clinic or public or private New Jersey institution, including nursing homes, veterans’ clinics, hospitals, prisons and facilities that treat persons with developmental disabilities.
Specifies that dental hygienists may practice only in facilities having readily available emergency equipment as regulated by the State Board of Dentistry.
Permits dentists to use discretion on when hygienists must practice under direct supervision, or under the physical management of a dentist, and restricts dentists to supervising no more than three licensed hygienists at on time.
Mandates that dental hygienists can only administer local anesthesia, nitrous oxide and other anesthetic procedures designated by the State Board of Dentistry under the direct supervision of a dentist.
Prohibits a dental hygienist from performing intraoral services aside from administering preventative measures, such as the application of fluorides, sealants and other recognized topical agents designed to prevent oral disease or discomfort.
Establishes that only those licensed to practice dentistry in New Jersey may diagnose, treat or operate on another person and bill or receive payment for dental services.

According to current laws, dental hygienists must possess a degree from an approved school or college of dental hygiene and must be supervised by a licensed dentist. There are various procedures that can only be performed when a dentist is supervising, according to the Board of Dentistry. There are no guidelines in regards to the training for cardiac life support.

Before the law gets put into practice, it must be passed by the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee, and later by the full Assembly. If these hurdles are cleared, it can be signed into law by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

Dental School Will Now Teach Life-Threatening Medical Emergencies

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 20 March 2012 07:39



The University of Maryland School of Dentistry will now train future dentists to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies in a dental environment. The school joined forces with the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

To add this information to the curriculum, a simulated, computerized mannequin will be utilized to teach the students. The mannequin, known as Sim Man, responds to various treatments. It has the ability to talk and offers many of the vital signs that an actual person possesses. It weighs roughly 160 pounds.

The faculty will have the ability to change vital signs based on the way the mannequin is treated by the dental student.

The mannequin was recently utilized by dental students who had no advance knowledge they would be working on it. The mannequin went into cardiac arrest and the students had to decide the proper course of action.

The computer inside the mannequin is programmed to respond the way a person would, and reacts to the depth or force used on chest compressions, for example.

With the mannequin, all aspects of emergency situations can be prepared for. The training team comprises a dentist, assistant and additional medical help. This allows the dentist and doctor to work effectively with each other and provides the knowledge to the students of when they should be doing what in these situations. Every aspect in an emergency situation can result in the patient eventually recovering or the patient’s eventual death.

Dental Hygiene Essential for Congenital Heart Disease Patients

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 20 March 2012 11:45



Many congenital heart disease patients are seeing their risk of endocarditis increase. One reason stands out above others: poor dental hygiene.

Teens with congenital heart disease floss and brush less than other people and they visit the dentist less as well. Conversely, they take better care of their health in regards to alcohol consumption, smoking and drug usage.

Adults with single ventricle physiology also have be known to have worse dental hygiene routines when compared to their peers even though their health in other areas is superior.

This information was presented at the Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing in Copenhagen, Denmark.

To compile the data, 429 adolescents with congenital heart disease ages 14 to 19 were studied. Nearly all of them were matched up with a control of the same age and gender that did not have congenital heart disease. They completed questionnaires that asked various health-related questions.

A second study was conducted for people ages 16 to 48 with single ventricle physiology. Among this group, 20 percent didn’t visit a dentist in the last year, 46 percent were not flossing their teeth and 39 percent were not physically active.

One of the conclusions drawn from the research is the idea that daily dental hygiene may be the most important step for preventing endocarditis.
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Controversy Involves Dentists Trying to Write Off Medicare Debts

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 21 March 2012 15:27



Dentists in Australia are looking for Medicare debts to be written off. Nearly 50 dentists, however, have been ordered to pay money back because they didn’t fill out the proper paperwork necessary for Medicare patients.

The total amount dentists have been forced to pay back is now more than $21 million. Roughly $250,000 of that money has been recouped as of now.

An audit uncovered the fact that these dentists neglected to fill out the paperwork properly.

There may soon be legislation involving a private members bill, which would effectively wipe the slate clean. There’s also the idea that the dentists didn’t know about the fact that they had to give patients, and the general practitioners who referred the patients, a treatment plan.

There’s also the opinion that the audit of many of the dentists was done in an unfair fashion.

Many dentists claim that they did not know about these procedures and the possible consequences for not complying. A large amount of these dentists could be losing faith in the way government handles aspects of dentistry based on this situation.