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A Semiannual Publication of the Massachusetts Dental Society

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A Semiannual Publication of the Massachusetts Dental Society ® wo rd of mo uth Summer-Fall 2009 A Semiannual Publication of the Massachusetts Dental Society got dentist? ® got dentist? word of mouth The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) is pleased to make this publication available to our member dentists as a way of commu- nicating important oral health information to their patients. Information in WORD OF MOUTH articles comes from dental health care profession- als of the MDS and other leading professional dental organizations, including the American We know that many of you already have a dentist whom you Dental Association. If you have any questions visit twice a year for regular dental checkups and treatment. But about specifi c content that may affect your surprisingly enough, nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) do oral health, please contact your dentist. For not have a general dentist, according to the Academy of General timely news regarding oral health, visit the Dentistry. And for those of you who move to a new city or town, “For the Public” section of the MDS Web site at www.massdental.org. or whose dentist retires, finding a new dentist can be a difficult task, especially if you are living in a community where you don’t Your comments and suggestions regarding know many people. Asking for referrals is a good place to start, but WORD OF MOUTH are always welcome. ultimately you will have to decide which dentist is best suited to your All correspondence and requests for individual needs and situation. A variety of factors can come into additional copies may be forwarded to play when choosing a dentist, ranging from the office’s location to Melissa Carman, Managing Editor, c/o the practice’s hours to the level of care you require to the languages Massachusetts Dental Society, Two Willow spoken to whether the practice is accepting new patients. Street, Suite 200, Southborough, MA 01745- 1027, or email [email protected]. There are many ways you can find a dentist. The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) and the American Dental Association (ADA) Robert E. Boose, EdD offer these suggestions to get you started: Executive Director Scott G. Davis • Ask family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers for Chief Communications Offi cer recommendations. Melissa Carman • Ask your primary care physician, other health care Managing Editor, Publications providers, or your local pharmacist. and Web Site • If you’re moving to another town, ask your current Jeanne M. Burdette dentist to make a recommendation. Manager, Graphic Design • Use the MDS’s Find a Dentist Web site Shelley Padgett (www.massdental.org/find-a-dentist) to search Graphic Designer for dentists in Massachusetts or the ADA Member Bethann Dacey Directory (www.ada.org) to search for dentists Community Relations Coordinator out of state based on a variety of criteria. Jessica Robinson Communications Assistant FIND AN MDS DENTIST Bill Donnelly Contributing Writer To find an MDS dentist, contact the Massachusetts Dental Society Copyright © 2009 at (800) 342-8747 or visit www.massdental.org/find-a-dentist. 2 word of mouth Consider this . You may have specific considerations when choosing a dentist; these criteria should reflect your own needs and priorities. The following questions can help you define what is most important for you: 1. Where is the practice located? Will it be easy for you to get there? Is it accessible by public transportation? After you’ve gathered Is there ample parking? Is it handicapped accessible your research, you’ll want (e.g., elevators, ramps)? to evaluate your options and consider what the most im- 2. Which dental procedures are completed in-office portant attributes are for you. Once you have and which procedures will be referred out? selected the dentist who meets your needs, set up an appointment for a general exam, 3. How long will you wait for an appointment after which consists of a cleaning, X-rays, and you call? medical health history, to see if the dentist meets your expectations. This visit is your 4. Does the office keep open appointment times opportunity to give the dentist a test run. for emergencies? Bring any questions you have regarding the dental practice and your treatment, and don’t 5. What are the covering arrangements when your be afraid to ask them. dentist is unavailable or on vacation? Whom should you call if you have a problem after-hours? If the One other thing you’ll want to know is if dentist works in a group practice, are you comfortable the dentist you decide on is a member of with being seen by one of the practice associates? both the MDS and the ADA (MDS members are required to be members of the ADA). The 6. Is the office staff friendly and courteous? MDS and ADA help members stay current with the latest information affecting dentistry and 7. If you call with a question about your care, does a clinical information to provide the best possible dentist or dental assistant return your call promptly? patient care. Additionally, MDS/ADA members voluntarily agree to adhere to high ethical 8. Does the dentist speak your language fluently, standards of conduct, as described in the ADA or would he/she require an interpreter or other Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional translation services? Conduct. 9. What is the educational background of the dentist, and is he/she board certified in a specialty? You may want to call or visit more than one dentist before making your decision. Dental care is a very personalized service that requires a 10. Does the dentist accept your dental benefit plan? Does the office process insurance claims, or will you good relationship between the dentist and the be required to pay up front for services and file the patient, so you’ll want to make sure you find the claims yourself? best fit for you. o word of mouth 3 DEN AL DEN AL Have you ever asked a question, only to discover several differing—and contradicting—answers? When it comes to your oral health, misconceptions can also be all too common. But if taken as sound advice, some of these can jeopardize your oral and overall health, since the two are closely related. That’s why the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) wants to make sure that you are not in “dental denial” about issues related to your oral health. Misconception: Smokeless tobacco is safer than cigarettes. This is one common oral health misconception with deadly consequences. It’s a well-known fact that cigarette smoking is bad for your health. In fact, cigarette manufacturers have been required by law since 1965 to include a statement on each package that cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health. People may think that smokeless tobacco is safer than smoking tobacco, but they would be wrong. But don’t take it from us. When it comes to smokeless Also known as spit, snuff, or chewing tobacco, smokeless tobacco, look no further than the package. In October tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking. In fact, according 1986, the Federal Trade Commission issued regulations to the National Spit Tobacco Education Program, the nicotine that require smokeless tobacco packages to feature the content in a can of smokeless tobacco is approximately following warning labels, rotated on a quarterly basis: 144 milligrams, which is equal to about 80 cigarettes. In other words, one can of smokeless tobacco is equal to four WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MAY CAUSE packs of cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco is absorbed quickly MOUTH CANCER. and directly through the inside of the mouth, making it very dangerous. WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MAY CAUSE According to the American Heart Association, smokeless GUM DISEASE AND TOOTH LOSS. tobacco has been directly linked to cancer of the mouth, pharynx (throat), and larynx (voice box). It can also cause WARNING: THIS PRODUCT IS NOT cancer of the esophagus, as well as gum disease and tooth A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES. loss. Research has shown that more than half of all smokeless tobacco users have noncancerous or precancerous lesions in For more information on oral cancer and smokeless their mouth, with the chance of their getting oral cancer tobacco, contact the Massachusetts Dental Society 400 percent greater than for nonusers. at (800) 342-8747 or visit www.massdental.org. o One Time It’s Good to Be a Quitter The third Thursday in November is designated as the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, and there’s no reason that smokeless tobacco users can’t join in. So on November 19, 2009, kick that smokeless tobacco can to the curb and give your health a chance. Better yet, why wait for November? Why not start now? For more information on overcoming a nicotine addiction, visit the Web sites of the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), or call (800) QUIT-NOW, a free service from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help people stop using tobacco. Also, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has a Web site (www.trytostop.org) devoted to making smoking history. 4 wordrd ofof mouthuth A Healthy Mouth Starts with Good Vision Oral Health/ Access to Overall Health Care Prevention Imagine a world where: The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) imagines such a world, and that’s why we have spent more than a year developing the Call to ACTION, a comprehensive vision plan • Everyone recognizes the importance of good oral health as it relates to total health and well-being. to improve the oral health of all residents in the Commonwealth by the year 2013. The Call to ACTION, which was offi cially released in February, focuses on three targeted • Every adult and child in Massachusetts has access goals: Oral Health/Overall Health, Access to Care, and Prevention.
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