Skip to main content

Spear Digest Dental Articles

Three Things to Say to a Patient Who Only Wants a Cleaning

Three Things to Say to a Patient Who Only Wants a Cleaning

It's the common request of patients (and prospective patients) who don't value dentistry highly: I only want a cleaning. I've spoken many times...

| 11 years ago
An Unlikely Material That Can Save Your Practice Money

An Unlikely Material That Can Save Your Practice Money

So I went into my local hardware store and asked for plumber's tape, commonly known as the brand name Teflon. The guy behind the counter says to me, 'So...

| 11 years ago
Making Patients Feel at Home

Making Patients Feel at Home

When you have a guest over who is visiting your home for the first time, do you give them a tour of the house? It's sort of a traditional thing for a...

| 11 years ago
Response to "Dollars and Dentists"
1

Response to "Dollars and Dentists"

'Dollars and Dentists' by FRONTLINE in association with the Center for Public Integrity, premiered last night on PBS. The investigative program focused...

| 11 years ago
How to Diagnose a Gummy Smile with Crown-Length Problems

How to Diagnose a Gummy Smile with Crown-Length Problems

In a recent article, we revealed the seven possible etiologies that can cause a gummy smile. In patients with short anterior teeth, only three of those...

| 11 years ago
When Doing Your Job is Not Good Enough

When Doing Your Job is Not Good Enough

Our friend at Cerec Doctors, Dr. Armen Mirzayan, posted an interesting update on Facebook a while ago about his visit to a doctor's office: 'I walk...

| 11 years ago
When a Diamond Strip Works Best
1

When a Diamond Strip Works Best

One of the most common procedures in clinical dentistry is a Class II direct restoration. Most of us are using resin or composite as our material of...

| 11 years ago
Attack of the Collagen Eaters
1

Attack of the Collagen Eaters

The COLLAGEN EATERS have been released! When you prep a tooth, actually, when you create injury to any bodily tissue, some stuff called matrix metalloproteinases...

| 11 years ago
Recognize Complications With a Shift

Recognize Complications With a Shift

It's essential to have confidence in your examination skills to predictably and effectively treat occlusal problems. Most of our patients will exhibit...

| 11 years ago
The New Value Roles: The Provider

The New Value Roles: The Provider

This is where our week-long discussion of value roles ends, and it's appropriate that we finish with the Provider. This is where all the effort comes...

| 11 years ago
How Psychological Factors Affect Oral Health

How Psychological Factors Affect Oral Health

What can psychologists teach us about dental health? Psychologists from the New York University College of Dentistry, Richard Heyman and Amy Smith Slep,...

| 11 years ago
The New Value Roles: The Treatment Coordinator

The New Value Roles: The Treatment Coordinator

When my late wife, Shahinool, was undergoing cancer treatment at the Mayo Clinic we got an up-close look at how their legendary interdisciplinary care...

| 11 years ago