This Week at AGD

If you’ve been trying to fill vacancies on your dental team, AGD’s Career Center is an easy-to-use platform for posting employment listings and searching for eligible candidates. It can also help you manage applications, set search alerts, receive valuable reporting and more.

Gerald (Gerry) J. Botko, DMD, MS, MAGD, LLSR, FACD, FICD, describes himself as a transformational leader. And with the dental industry still recovering from the onset of a global pandemic while adjusting to a new normal, a transformational leader is exactly what the organization needs.

AGD is pleased that legislators acknowledged the concerns of general dentists and eliminated provisions to add a dental benefit to Medicare from the Build Back Better Act passed last week by U.S. House of Representatives.

Make this Black Friday a charitable one and consider donating to the AGD Foundation’s annual appeal. You can make your donation in honor of someone or simply do it for yourself. All donations help fund oral and oropharyngeal cancer awareness and screening programs, which may increase survival rates.

The Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD’s) House of Delegates installed new officers during its annual meeting, Nov. 19–21. Gerald “Gerry” Botko, DMD, MS, MAGD, LLSR, FACD, FICD, a general dentist from Boca Raton, Florida, was named president.

Not only does AGD Exclusive Benefits provider Dentist’s Advantage offer complimentary malpractice insurance to our dental school graduates their first year out of school, but all members also receive 10% premium credits on coverage. AGD Fellows and Masters receive premium credits of 15% and 20%, respectively.

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

General dentistry benefits from the talents of so many people, and AGD leaders were pleased to honor some outstanding members at AGD’s annual meeting, Nov. 19–21. These dedicated individuals helped serve the organization and the oral health community.

Working at the local level, AGD constituencies do tremendous work to advance AGD’s mission and vision. Their outstanding efforts were also recognized during AGD’s annual meeting.

The deadline to apply to join the class of 2022 FAGD, MAGD and LLSR recipients is Dec. 31, 2021. Start your application today to get recognized at AGD2022. AGD is also accepting nominations for the 2023 Dr. Thaddeus V. Weclew Award until Dec. 1, 2021. Make your nomination today.

For decades, organized dentistry has been urging lawmakers to close a loophole in the McCarran-Ferguson Act that exempts insurance companies from federal antitrust oversight. It finally happened in January with the passage of the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (CHIRA). As CHIRA’s first anniversary approaches, general dentists may wonder when they can expect to see real change in the post-CHIRA world. The short answer from experts: It’s hard to say.

Every dollar counts when running your own practice, especially these days. To help your business, AGD’s Exclusive Benefits program includes a variety of offers on practice management tools, insurance options and financial solutions.

AGD fact sheets provide your patients with all the information they need to maintain their oral health. Fact sheets on more than 25 oral health topics are available for downloading online and can be customized to include your name and practice information.

Can you distinguish between pulpal necrosis and the repair of the pulp in a traumatized permanent tooth on a radiograph? The Endodontics column in the latest issue of General Dentistry presents an interesting case of spontaneous pulpal repair with illustrations.

Tooth fragment reattachment is a simple, inexpensive technique that recovers esthetics and can improve the patient’s quality of life. A new case series in General Dentistry illustrates the benefits of this technique and includes long-term follow-up data.

Due to their affordability and portability, dental loupes are the most common form of magnification used in dentistry today. But they do not come without limitations. Now, dental operating microscopes are enjoying expanded interest within the profession for their distinct visual, technologic and ergonomic advantages, which can benefit both dentists and patients.

Let your colleagues know that, if they join now for 2022, they’ll get the rest of 2021 for free and can choose one of two membership plans. Once they join, you’ll both receive $50 in Referral Rewards to use in AGD’s Marketplace.

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

Trent E. Finley, DDS, didn’t follow a traditional path to dentistry. He overcame numerous obstacles from a young age and still found a path to success. In this Member Spotlight, he shares how he’s used the challenges he’s overcome to inspire success for the future.

Check out the latest issue of General Dentistry, now available online. Highlights include giant sialolith associated with Actinomyces infection; one-piece CAD/CAM post and core; atraumatic fixed partial denture removal using an Er,CR:YSGG laser; and a case series on tooth fragment reattachment.