The American Dentist


Book Description

A "historical-sociological account intended to introduce the reader to major components of a dentist's career and how it grew out of American society."







Dental Education at the Crossroads


Book Description

Six dental schools have closed in the last decade and others are in jeopardy. Facing this uncertainty about the status of dental education and the continued tension between educators and practitioners, leaders in the profession have recognized the need for purpose and direction. This comprehensive volumeâ€"the first to cover the education, research, and patient care missions of dental schoolsâ€"offers specific recommendations on oral health assessment, access to dental care, dental school curricula, financing for education, research priorities, examinations and licensing, workforce planning, and other key areas. Well organized and accessible, the book: Recaps the evolution of dental practice and education. Reviews key indicators of oral health status, outlines oral health goals, and discusses implications for education. Addresses major curriculum concerns. Examines health services that dental schools provide to patients and communities. Looks at faculty and student involvement in research. Explores the relationship of dental education to the university, the dental profession, and society at large. Accreditation, the dental workforce, and other critical policy issues are highlighted as well. Of greatest interest to deans, faculty, administrators, and students at dental schools, as well as to academic health centers and universities, this book also will be informative for health policymakers, dental professionals, and dental researchers.




Teeth


Book Description

An NPR Best Book of 2017 "[Teeth is] . . . more than an exploration of a two-tiered system—it is a call for sweeping, radical change." —New York Times Book Review "Show me your teeth," the great naturalist Georges Cuvier is credited with saying, "and I will tell you who you are." In this shattering new work, veteran health journalist Mary Otto looks inside America's mouth, revealing unsettling truths about our unequal society. Teeth takes readers on a disturbing journey into America's silent epidemic of oral disease, exposing the hidden connections between tooth decay and stunted job prospects, low educational achievement, social mobility, and the troubling state of our public health. Otto's subjects include the pioneering dentist who made Shirley Temple and Judy Garland's teeth sparkle on the silver screen and helped create the all-American image of "pearly whites"; Deamonte Driver, the young Maryland boy whose tragic death from an abscessed tooth sparked congressional hearings; and a marketing guru who offers advice to dentists on how to push new and expensive treatments and how to keep Medicaid patients at bay. In one of its most disturbing findings, Teeth reveals that toothaches are not an occasional inconvenience, but rather a chronic reality for millions of people, including disproportionate numbers of the elderly and people of color. Many people, Otto reveals, resort to prayer to counteract the uniquely devastating effects of dental pain. Otto also goes back in time to understand the roots of our predicament in the history of dentistry, showing how it became separated from mainstream medicine, despite a century of growing evidence that oral health and general bodily health are closely related. Muckraking and paradigm-shifting, Teeth exposes for the first time the extent and meaning of our oral health crisis. It joins the small shelf of books that change the way we view society and ourselves—and will spark an urgent conversation about why our teeth matter.










Infection Control in the Dental Office


Book Description

This book reviews the principles of infection control and the guidelines and standards of care in multiple countries, discussing them within the context of the practice of dentistry. The aim is to enable dental practitioners to ensure that the appropriate measures are adopted for each patient contact, thereby minimizing the risk of transmission of infection – a goal that is becoming ever more important given the threats posed by new or re-emerging infectious diseases and drug-resistant infections. Readers will find information and guidance on all aspects of infection control within the dental office: hand and respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe handling of sharps and safe injection practices, management of occupational exposures, maintenance of dental unit water quality, surface disinfection, and the cleaning and sterilization of dental instruments. Infection Control in the Dental Office will be an invaluable asset for all dental practitioners, including dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants.




Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Dentistry - E-Book


Book Description

Use your knowledge of pharmacology to enhance oral care! Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Dentistry, 6th Edition describes how to evaluate a patient's health and optimize dental treatment by factoring in the drugs they take. It explores the basic fundamentals of pharmacology, special topics such as pain control, fear and anxiety, and oral complications of cancer therapy, and most importantly, the actions of specific drug groups on the human body. Whether you're concerned about the drugs a patient is already taking or the drugs you prescribe for treatment, this book helps you reduce risk and provide effective dental care. - An emphasis on the dental applications of pharmacology relates drugs to dental considerations in clinical practice. - Dental aspects of many drug classes are expanded to include antibiotics, analgesics, and anesthetics. - The Alternative Medicine in Dentistry chapter discusses chemicals used as alternative medicines and assesses their potential benefits and risks. - The Nonopioid Analgesics chapter groups together non-opioid analgesics, nonsterioidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antirheumatic and antigout drugs, making these easier to locate and study. - Coverage of the endocrine system includes four separate chapters for the most comprehensive coverage. - Drug Interactions in Clinical Dentistry appendix lists potential interactions between drugs a patient is taking for nondental conditions and drugs that may be used or prescribed during dental treatment, including effects and recommendations. - Glossary of Abbreviations appendix includes the most common abbreviations used for drugs or conditions. - New Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics chapter covers the effects of genetic traits of patients on their responses to drugs. - A NEW introductory section offers tips for the study of dental pharmacology and relates pharmacology to dental considerations. - An updated discussion of drug-drug interactions covers the harmful effects of mixing medications. - Coverage of adverse effects and mechanisms of COX-2 inhibitors, antibiotic prophylaxis, and antiplaque agents explains the dental risks relating to common drug treatments.




Pit and Fissure Sealants


Book Description

This book provides wide-ranging information on current clinical and scientific knowledge on the various aspects of fissure sealing. Trends in the epidemiology of caries are first examined, followed by thorough description of the morphology of pits and fissures and types of sealant. The role of sealants in the prevention of caries is discussed. Diagnostic parameters are presented, along with step-by-step descriptions of clinical procedures for fissure sealing. Chapters are also included on alternative techniques of fissure sealing, sealing of carious fissures, and therapeutic fissure sealing. The final chapter in the book focuses on the cost effectiveness of the procedure. Tooth surfaces with pits and fissures are particularly vulnerable to caries development. Sealants were developed to help manage these sites of the tooth and safeguard the surfaces from decay. This book has been written by acknowledged experts in the field. It will be of value for all dental professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of current knowledge on the science and the clinical application of pit and fissure sealants.