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Dentists spend a lot of time in school to earn their “Doctor of Dental Surgery” degree. (Ever wonder what the DDS meant?) (Some universities call it a DMD, from the Latin for Doctor of Medical Dentistry)

But the point I want to make here is that when all the years in school are finished, the education is just starting! That’s why we say we “Practice” dentistry!

Most states have requirements for doctors to complete a certain number of hours of “continuing education” per year. In Colorado, the liability insurance company requires a minimum of 15 hours of clinical “CE” annually. I personally love getting CE time, and usually exceed this number in January! Last year I accomplished over 156 hours of CE… over ten times the requirement.

I think when choosing a dentist, it is important to see if they value staying current in all the latest procedures, equipment and techniques. People usually don’t ask how much CE I have done so far this year, but maybe they should! There are always new things coming out, and it is important to stay informed! A favorite dental management person has rightly said “You’re either green and growing, or ripe and rotting!”

I prefer the growing part!

“I don’t need to look like a movie star!”

“I’ve had these crooked teeth forever; why change now?”

And then my favorite: “I’m already married – I don’t have to look great!”

There are many lines I hear from people with crowded teeth… often like those above. What many people do not realize is that when teeth are crowded, they move outside the ideal arch form. Then they hit against other teeth in ways they weren’t designed to do, and they wear prematurely. Sometimes worn teeth are more sensitive to hot, cold or sweets. I often see teeth so dramatically worn that they fracture and need to be rebuilt. That obviously involves time and money.

The good news here is that there are now cool options for straightening teeth! Invisalign is a system for straightening teeth without brackets and wires! It really is almost invisible! It is fast and efficient, easy to keep teeth clean and no metal in your mouth to deal with!

So the bottom line is this: there are long term reasons why you should have nice straight teeth. And the icing on the cake – it’s OK to look better too! Even if you’re already married!

The New Year is coming, and with it will be many people resolving to take better care of themselves… exercise more, eat more healthy food, eat less food. In the midst of all this great resolution making, don’t forget the gateway to the body! Healthy gums and strong teeth help us reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many other diseases. A healthy mouth helps us eat better food. And healthy looks so much better… Maybe that will help us do even better in our jobs next year! If you know folks making those sorts of resolutions (maybe even that person in the mirror), make sure they are staying on top of their dental health as well.

Here’s to a great gorgeous healthy new year!

Dr Bruce McArthur, creating gorgeous healthy smiles!

Many people have dental insurance; few admit to understanding it. So I thought I’d mention a few things about how dental insurance works.

Traditional dental insurance began back in the late 50’s or early 60’s. It will typically pay a high percentage (often 100%) of dental treatments deemed to be diagnostic or “preventive”. This usually includes examinations, needed x-rays, and cleaning teeth.

When teeth have cavities, and need to be restored, these insurance plans usually cover about 70 – 80% of the fees. Many plans will only pay for silver fillings in back teeth; if a patient elects to do bonded composite restorations (white fillings) which might cost more, the plan will only pay for what the same filling in silver would have cost.

When a tooth is more badly broken, when it has more filling than tooth structure, or if it is cracked, a crown may be required to properly restore the tooth. To repair damage an infection or abscess has caused, a tooth may require root canal therapy. Often missing teeth should be replaced to restore balance and healthy function. All these procedures are called “major” work and typical insurance plans only cover 50%.

So you have some procedures covered at 100%, some around 80%, and some only 50%. But there are more conditions to know about! Whatever treatments are required, the plan will pay the percentages mentioned only up to a yearly maximum. This amount is often between $1,000 and $2,000. I find it interesting that 50 years ago, when this type of insurance got its start, the yearly maximums were the same as they are now! Back then you could buy a new Volkswagen for that amount! What does a new VW cost today? Why haven’t insurance rates kept up? (OK, I’ll get off my high horse now) (Or high VW)

One more consideration… the percentages mentioned above are sometimes calculated on insurance’s tables of what “usual and customary” fees are. Often these tables are considerably out of date. (like that 60’s VW)

Another whole type of insurance is “managed care”. These are plans where the insurance provider cuts a deal with certain dental offices to provide discounted fees for people on their lists. Usually the dental office tries to make up lost fees by increasing volume of patients seen (Or volume of treatment rendered). Often there are procedures that are not covered or not available with these plans.

The most important thing to know about insurance is that YOU are in control of your health. You and your dentist should decide what makes the most sense for you, both now and for the long term. Don’t let any insurance plan compromise your health and comfort!

Have you ever seen a CEO with a missing tooth? Or perhaps a TV newscaster with a really dark front tooth? Nope, I haven’t either! Image is essential! 

Does this mean that if you have perfect teeth you will be guaranteed a high profile job? Of course not! But it just may mean that if your smile looks unhealthy, many high profile positions will be out of reach! Whether we like it or not, people make assumptions about us based on our appearance. 

Many things work together to enhance our appearance… diet, exercise, good grooming habits, and how we dress. But beyond those basics, the component with the most impact is our smile! We all realize that missing teeth, discolored teeth, unsightly old fillings or even crooked teeth can really impact our smiles. But are they impacting our lives in other ways too? Are we uncomfortable smiling when we are with clients or customers? Do potential sales get lost because the consumer thought we were grumpy or unhappy? Are we passed up for promotions because someone else fits a “corporate look” better?

Comfortable contemporary cosmetic dentistry offers solutions to any problems that are compromising your smile! (Is that enough c’s in one sentence?) Don’t let a compromised countenance cripple your capability!