NEWSROOM

Our cover story this month tackles dental school student loan debt and the many financing and payback options available to students and dentists. Also in this issue is a feature story on the Air Force’s Maxillofacial Prosthetics Fellowship Program.

Read the latest issue for new research across subject areas. Highlights include a special section on endodontics produced in collaboration with the American Association of Endodontists, a new way to implement CAMBRA in your practice, a study on vital pulp therapy in an American undergraduate dental clinic and much more.

Join us November 21 - 22, 2025 for a free, two half-day virtual event designed to keep you informed on the latest legislative and regulatory developments impacting general dentistry and gain valuable insights into current and emerging issues that could affect your practice.

The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (CHIRA), enacted in January 2021 with overwhelming bipartisan support, marked a major victory for consumer protection. The law repealed a long-standing exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act, which had allowed dental insurance companies to operate unregulated by federal antitrust laws.

On October 22, 2025, the Senate held its twelfth vote on the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) that would extend current government funding levels through November 21.

Master the art of case acceptance with strategies that enhance patient confidence and team performance. AGD’s upcoming Case Acceptance Mastery Series in Chicago will help you streamline communication, increase treatment acceptance and strengthen profitability. Earn 7 CE hours, and develop skills that immediately impact your practice.

"My term as AGD President concludes in November, as we prepare for the installation of Dr. Marc Worob at the AGD Annual Meeting. Looking back since being elected vice president in 2022, this journey has been truly life changing. While it hasn't always been easy, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made as an organization. Our core goal was to evolve the AGD to be more responsive to the needs of our members today, and every strategic choice we made spoke directly to that intention."

All Fellowship, Mastership, and Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition applications are due Dec. 31. Apply today to ensure your achievements are honored at AGD2026’s Convocation Ceremony. This is your opportunity to showcase your commitment to excellence in general dentistry and celebrate your professional milestones on a national stage among peers and leaders.

Have you registered for AGD’s free Virtual Advocacy Conference? Earn 8 CE hours while gaining valuable insight into oral health issues at the state and federal levels. Explore how collaboration drives effective advocacy, and learn about AGD’s critical work to represent and protect members.

Autoimmune blistering diseases such as mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) can present concurrently with malignancies. In the September/October issue of General Dentistry, Turkstani et al. describe how incidental findings during examination of a patient with MMP led to a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma.

At AGD’s free Virtual Advocacy Conference, Nov. 21–22, you’ll earn 8 CE hours while hearing directly from leaders about pressing legislative and regulatory issues affecting dentistry. Discover how collaboration strengthens advocacy and how you can play a role in protecting the profession and those you serve.

AGD members now have exclusive access to Insperity and its Fortune 500–level human resources (HR) solutions, United States–based support and comprehensive benefits. Since 1986, Insperity has helped businesses grow by reducing administrative burdens, lowering liability and enhancing benefits. Simplify your HR, and give your practice the support it deserves.

“Green” and “holistic” are two buzzwords in the health industry in recent years, and they primarily focus on the sourcing and implementation of products that naturally occur or protect nature in some way. While often used interchangeably because there is a significant crossover in these categories, there are important nuances between the two.

AGD will be at ADA SmileCon Oct. 23–25! Stop by booth No. 762 to meet our team, get your questions answered, and discover how AGD supports your career. Existing members can grab exclusive swag, and new members will receive a Crest iO6 bundle.

Learn proven communication and case presentation techniques that turn “maybe” into “yes.” Gain practical tools to reduce cancellations, improve scheduling, and boost your bottom line at AGD’s Case Acceptance Mastery Series in Chicago, March 6, 2026. Earn 7 CE credits, and return ready to elevate every patient conversation.

AGD is working to address the most pressing issues faced by our members as we advocate to government entities for general dentists.

On September 30, 2025, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Health Care Workforce Expansion Act, which seeks to address shortages in the health care workforce, including dentistry.

The government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, continues as Democrats and Republicans remain at an impasse over federal funding. On October 9, 2025, the Senate failed for the seventh time to advance legislation to end the shutdown.

Earn 8 free CE hours at AGD’s free Virtual Advocacy Conference, Nov. 21–22. This two half-day event offers updates on key state and federal oral health issues. Strengthen your advocacy skills, understand how decisions impact your practice, and learn to make your voice heard in dentistry’s future.

Social media is flooded with quick-fix dental tricks — from charcoal toothpaste to do-it-yourself veneers. But, as dentists, we must stress to patients: Shortcuts often lead to permanent damage. Eric G. Jackson, DDS, MAGD, FICOI, FASD, FICD, FADI, breaks down the latest viral hacks and explains why a visit to the dentist is always a safer bet.