Maryanne Ferree, RDH, BS, PHDHP
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March 05, 2023
Suppose you ask dental-phobic patients for the main reasons that the thought of dental visit elicits such fear and loathing.
In that case, most will probably respond with feelings related to the potential for anxiety or pain.
This anxiety can stem from genuine unpleasant past dental experiences or unknown potential for pain.
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December 08, 2022Antibiotic resistance is a global issue that requires the attention of all countries, governments, and health agencies.
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September 30, 2022Although we need more studies to assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and long-term use of teledentistry, the observed strengths, and upcoming opportunities indicate that teledentistry may fill a significant gap in oral health care delivery. But we also need to consider essential aspects of teledentistry when providing this service.
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September 21, 2022The workplace has been evolving over the past few years, and the dental office is no exception. Making sure that employers and employees are on the same page can circumvent a toxic work environment potentially leading to passive-aggressive behaviour such as quiet firing or quitting.
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August 26, 2022
Fluoride continues to be our number one defence in the prevention and progression of dental caries. For those patients who adamantly refuse to use fluoride in any form, we must be knowledgeable in guiding them to alternative methods to increase their resistance to and prevention of caries. Prevention of dental caries involves many aspects. Primary prevention involves the etiology of ...
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June 24, 2022The transfer of these microorganisms must occur in a sequence; this sequence is what epidemiologists call the chain of infection. This chain of infection transmission can be broken by integrating controls or methods that mitigate the pathway of disease spread from person to person. This sequence must be in order for the disease to occur. The way to stop disease transmission is to interrupt this chain at any link. Knowledge of the exit and entry portals and transmission modes provides a basis for determining appropriate control measures.....
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June 17, 2022It's easy for us to open the box of gloves, put them on, do our job, and take them off without giving them a second thought? But when we think about it, are we making infection control mistakes with the gloves we use many times during the day?
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May 05, 2022As oral health professionals, it's our responsibility to keep dental clinical contact surfaces clean and disinfected. At the same time, oral health professionals have a substantial investment in dental office equipment that they don't want to destroy with harsh chemicals. This is why it's important to look for cleaning and disinfecting products that meet or exceed IPAC standards and are also gentle enough to use on equipment. You can definitely have the best of both...
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February 15, 2022
There is a current and robust trend to embrace all-natural products from what we eat, what we put in and, on our bodies, and lately, what we use for oral hygiene home care. We, as consumers, assume that natural products are better for our health and the environment. The vast array of dental products on store shelves along with internet and television advertisements flood our patients with the latest and greatest products....
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February 01, 2022
Dental professionals spend numerous hours a day dental practices reprocessing dental instruments. We open the box of sterilization pouches, fill them with instruments and send them to the heat and pressure of our autoclaves. How much thought do we put into that little plastic and paper bag?
