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One of the biggest problems facing dental practice owners is staffing. While this problem is not new, applicant pools have become even smaller since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eric S. Studley, DDS, and Ivy Peltz, DDS, MSED, PhD, MAGD, talk about how to keep your dental staff members on board.

Scientific knowledge and technical skill are not the only qualities dental professionals need to do their jobs well. Narrative medicine is an emerging competence that encourages providers to appreciate empathy and its role in patient care.

AGD2021 is just around the corner — are you aware of all the offerings the AGD Foundation will have in Austin? The AGD Foundation will host free oral cancer screenings, New Dentist Lounge activities and the AGD Foundation Silent Auction.

Fear of the dentist is among the top reasons adults cite for avoiding the dentist. Every patient is unique, and individual dentists may develop their own strategies to help fearful patients, but there are several best practices to help put these patients at ease. (One Self-Instruction CE credit available.)

While the popularity of e-cigarettes continues to rise, the evidence against these products as a healthy alternative to tobacco smoking — or a safe tobacco cessation tool — continues to mount. The latest installment of General Dentistry’s literature review series outlines current and concerning research on the effects of e-cigarette use.

If you’re a new graduate, you’ve hopefully already enrolled in the complimentary malpractice coverage from our Exclusive Benefits provider Dentist’s Advantage. So why not take the next step and recommend it to your fellow graduates? The coverage lasts from the day of enrollment through April 30, 2022.

AGD is working to address the most pressing issues faced by our members as we advocate to government entities for general dentists. AGD joined the American Association for Dental Research May 5 along with other dental and healthcare stakeholders in releasing a letter of support to Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, urging the prompt release of the 2020 Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health.

New legislation will help families pay for health care

The report is essential in documenting the progress of oral health

The AGD sent a letter of support to the sponsors of the Responsible Additions and Increases to Sustain Employee (RAISE) Health Benefits Act on May 10.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has sent its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review, a step before the ETS is made public.

AGD, along with allies from organized dentistry and other health stakeholders, sent a letter that was spearheaded by the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D. on May 5, requesting a quick release of the pending 2020 Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health.

On May 5, AGD signed on to a letter along with a coalition of organizations and businesses representing millions of employees urging President Biden and his administration to support the bipartisan Healthy Workplaces Tax Credit Act (S.537/H.R.1944) to protect the safety of workers, customers and the public. The bipartisan bill would create a tax credit for qualified expenses that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has announced a new program covering costs of administering COVID-19 vaccines to patients enrolled in health plans that either do not cover vaccination fees or cover them with patient cost-sharing.

The Daily Grind’s most recent blogger, Michael R. Gradeless, DDS, FACD, survived a sudden cardiac arrest and spent much of his recovery reading and thinking about retirement, work, family and our purpose in life.

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the next generation of dentists and the educational institutions responsible for training them. The dental school application process, graduation and everything in between have been forced to adapt to the reality of the pandemic. While some changes might fade once the pandemic is over, others might be here to stay.

Sheila M. Samaddar, DDS, took a roundabout journey to becoming a dentist, but, along the way, she picked up a unique set of skills that benefit her as a general practitioner, president of the Washington, D.C., AGD chapter and a national AGD spokesperson.

We’re making a webinar available for free to nonmembers on May 20 as a chance to try out AGD before joining. Share this webinar with your colleagues, and you’ll both earn $50 in Referral Rewards once they join.

Irreversible pulpitis is an acute, brief and painful condition that may prompt stress responses — namely, the release of oxytocin, cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A. A new study in General Dentistry evaluates the effects of these stress responses as a potential risk factor during pregnancy.

Legislation would protect workers, customers, and public