May 1, 2022 C.O.D.N.

• CONTENTS OF NEWSLETTER:
  • Upcoming Central Oregon Meetings & Events
  • Central Oregon Dental News
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Classified Ads
  • Regional CE Calendar
  • More Info.
  • Annual April Fools News Article
  • Editorials
  • Dear Dr. Rupert

UPCOMING  CENTRAL  OREGON  MEETINGS  &   EVENTS

(Please email or send any dental related events or courses that you would like posted on this calendar.)

May 19, 2022 (Thurs.) Central Oregon Dental Society Business / Dinner Meeting

• 6:00 p.m.
• Riverhouse Convention Center (Bend, Oregon)
• Speaker: Dr. Shannon Woods will present on the “Top 7 Reasons For Early Orthodontic Intervention”
• An evite RSVP email has already gone out for this meeting. If you have not received an RSVP email, please contact Dr. Henderson at drjessicahenderson@gmail.com to RSVP.

June 11-12, 2022 OHSU School of Dentistry Sunriver Resort Continuing Education Weekend

• 14 Total CE Credits
• This course is designed for dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental specialists
• Cost for Full Program: $397 for Dentists and $297 for Staff
• Speakers: Dr. Jason H. Goodchild, Dr. Mark Donaldson & Dr. Scott C. Dickinson,
• For more information about the courses or to register:
  • https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0046-0020-f2abe2803ea14a90b80f4b6977db11e2

September 15, 2022 (Thurs.) Central Oregon Dental Society Business / Dinner Meeting

• 6:00 p.m.
• Riverhouse Convention Center (Bend, Oregon)
• Speaker: TBD

December 9, 2022 (Fri.) Central Oregon Dental Society Holiday Party

• 6:00 p.m.
• Riverhouse Convention Center (Bend, Oregon)

CENTRAL  OREGON  DENTAL NEWS

Dr. Alex Smith Serving as Point of Contact for Lifeguard Anesthesia Group in Central Oregon

Dear Central Oregon Dental Practitioners,

I have included a flier for Lifeguard Anesthesia group. Lifeguard Anesthesia is a group of CRNAs that you can contract to provide all forms of anesthesia services. They are based out of Arizona and after working with them first hand through Implant Pathways (Continuing Education courses) I have been blown away by their services. I have performed multiple surgeries with them in Arizona and they have an unmatched level of vigilance, safety and professionalism.

Our practice will have our first surgical session with them May 23^rd  – May 27^th. I would be more than happy to be the local POC or reference in terms of their services. They provide a mobile in office anesthesia service. This is all copacetic with the Oregon Dental Board, Medical Board and Nursing Board State Laws. The Oregon Dental Board requires that you notify in writing within one year of having a qualified provider (in this case CRNA group – which the Board defines as a qualified provider) who is administering the anesthesia service.

Lifeguard Anesthesia provides all forms of sedation/anesthesia: conscious sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia. Please let me know if you have any questions or want to chat about it more! We are utilizing their services for more complex surgeries such as full mouth extractions/rehabilitation, sinus augmentation, GBR, implant placement, 3rd molar extractions and All on X cases. If you have any interest in their services or observing the surgeries we are performing I can be reached via email (drsmith@dentureartistry.com) or cell phone (541-729-2946). 

Respectfully, 

Alexander J.S. Smith DDS, PC Denture Artistry Implants-Crowns-Veneers

Do You Have an Autoclave to Donate?

Dr. Jessica Henderson is wondering if anyone has an autoclave of any size that they would be willing to donate to Street Dog Hero, a charity organization that rescues dogs. If so, please email Jessica at drjessicahenderson@gmail.com.

News From the ADA / ODA

Message from the ADA President: Cybersecurity Incident Update

Dear Colleagues:

By now, you’re likely aware of the cybersecurity incident that impacted the American Dental Association last week. It has been a very challenging few days for our community, especially for those of you who have needed to access our online services and resources. I want to assure you that the ADA’s IT personnel, with additional guidance from third-party cybersecurity specialists, have been working tirelessly to restore our systems safely. We are making progress, and I thank you for your patience and understanding.

As valued members, your questions and concerns are important to us. It is also important that we provide timely and accurate updates as the situation evolves. However, because the incident is under an active investigation, we are limited in the information we can share at this time. Know that we hear you, and we will provide answers as we are able in the near future.

There is reasonable expectation that our system’s information is intact, but our investigation continues. In the meantime, if you’re looking for information on protecting your own computer systems, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA.gov) offers tips and resources.

As a precautionary measure, the ADA is reviewing service providers that can offer privacy protection and credit monitoring support for members. We will share more information as soon as it is available. In the meantime, please remain vigilant and know that the ADA will never contact you for your username and password information.

If there’s one thing I can say for certain, it’s that our ADA community is resilient. We have navigated the difficulties of a pandemic together, and I know that we will make it through the current situation as well.

If you have any questions, please send them to us at questionsada@gmail.com.  

Sincerely,

Cesar R. Sabates, D.D.S.
President, American Dental Association

Healthy Beginnings Program Update & Request for Volunteers

Partnering with parents for those important first five years.

WHAT IS HEALTHY BEGINNINGS? Healthy Beginnings is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides free wellness and developmental screenings for children, ages 0-5. It was created in 1994 by early childhood experts who saw the need to establish a way for families to identify concerns before their children entered school. Over the past 27 years the organization has served over 11,000 children throughout Central Oregon and is recognized statewide and nationally for the innovative service provided to young children and their parents.

WHO DO WE SERVE? Healthy Beginnings provides its screening, referral and follow-up services to every child between the ages of 0-5 years, residing in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Our services are always FREE to ALL CHILDREN. There are no income requirements, and no need for insurance or a referral. We are free for everyone – every time.

WHAT SERVICE DO WE PROVIDE? Healthy Beginnings provides the most comprehensive screening assessment program and referral service for the health and development of every child under six years old in Deschutes County. Covering 12 key areas of health and development, the free screenings determine whether a child is developing appropriately for their age, identifying problems that can easily be overlooked at regular check-ups.

WHY ARE THESE SCREENINGS IMPORTANT? The early years are the best opportunity for a child’s brain to develop the connections they need to become healthy, capable, successful adults. In fact, 90% of brain growth happens before kindergarten. A child’s development should be assessed regularly and completely – several times before entering kindergarten.

The Healthy Beginnings screening program helps detect potential issues early, when intervention and treatment are most likely to be successful.  Parents are provided with assessment results, appropriate professional referrals, and follow-up consultation and guidance.

MORE INFORMATION: Call the Healthy Beginnings office at 541.383.6357 or www.myhb.org

2022 SCREENINGS

• May  5            Madras
• May 14           Prineville
• May 24           Bend

If able to help or volunteer your services, please reach out to Healthy Beginnings at:

Phone:  541-383-6457 Email:  admin@myhb.org Website:  www.myhb.org

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Please go to the ‘VOLUNTEER‘ page on the menu bar for contact and additional information about the following Central Oregon organizations seeking dental volunteers:
  • Central Oregon Community College Friday Clinic
  • Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Van
  • Donated Dental Service (DDS) Program
  • Healthy Beginnings  
  • Smile Central Oregon
  • Central Oregon Community College Dental Assisting Program
  • Volunteers in Medicine Clinic

 REGIONAL  CE  CALENDAR

Washington Academy of General Dentistry offering Dental Assistant in 30 days in Person Training! Washington AGD’s Dental Assisting School Information provided by Dr. Phillippe Freeman

Doctors, Do you have a working assistant that needs additional training, returning to the field or just entering the field of dentistry? This program is what you have been looking for!

Washington Academy of General Dentistry Dental Assistant School offers a state-of-the-art dental assisting program that will allow students to complete the program with the skills and education that is required to become a successful and competent dental assistant in just thirty days. Students will have 160 hours of didactic and clinical hours upon completion of the thirty-day program.

Pick from One of the Following Start Dates:

*May 2, 2022

*June 1st, 2022

Time & Days: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday-Friday

Tuition: $5000 (4 weeks/30 days)

Didactic & Clinical Hours: 160

The program is appropriately cost effective for students, therefore allowing them to graduate without overwhelming student loan debt and join the workforce earning a livable and increasing wage. 

Students will have access to state-of-the-art dental equipment as well as expert doctors, hygienists and other dental assistants. This program will prepare the students with the training to be able to work alongside dentists and dental specialists.

This includes the knowledge of infection control and instrument processing, professionalism, basic dental procedures, equipment, dental radiology techniques and safety, dental terminology, preparation of dental materials, dental specialties, and chairside assisting.

After completion of the program, the students can apply to the Washington Dental Board to become a registered dental assistant.

Please check with the CE Provider, to make sure the Course has not been cancelled due to COVID-19 measures.

CLASSIFIED ADS

For Sale Dental Training Equipment

My name is Cathy Taylor my background is in dental education. I owned a business that traveled around the state of Oregon on the weekends to teach and prepare assistants to take their board exams.

The following equipment has been well taken care of and is for sale:

• Columbia Dentoform Manikins with SM-PVR 860 Model Assembled on M-1R-3 Chair Mount.  with extra prepped teeth. Quantity =9 (Photo shown).

Please contact me for pricing and specific questions, also please feel free to share with anyone that you feel might be interested.

Contact Information:

• Cathy Taylor
• 541-905-3010
• cathydevillers518@gmail.com

MORE    INFO

Searching for a Dental Hygienist?

You might want to email the High Desert Dental Hygienists’ Association (CODHAinfo@gmail.com) and tell them about your need. They are very helpful and have a great database of Central Oregon Dental Hygienists and will email information about your opening to their members.

Announcements, Articles or Classifieds for the Newsletter

Article submissions for the Central Oregon Dental Community are encouraged and welcomed.  You can email your content to Dr. Mehdi Salari (bendsalari@gmail.com). The deadline to contribute articles or request the posting of information in the Newsletter is 5:00 pm PST on the last day of each month.  The Newsletter is typically sent out on the first or second day of each month. 

Advertising or Content for Future Newsletters

Please contact Dr. Mehdi Salari (bendsalari@gmail.com) if you would like to post a classified or advertisement in future issues of the Central Oregon Dental Newsletter.  The Central Oregon Dental Newsletter is available & sent to all practicing and retired Dentists, Specialists in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sisters, La Pine, Sunriver, Warm Springs & Powell Butte & Mitchell. The deadline to update or post an advertisement in the Newsletter is 5:00 pm PST on the last day of the each month.

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Everything above the Red Line is put together as a service to the Central Oregon Dental Community and is the nonpartisan news and events of this Newsletter.

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The Red Line

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The Red Line

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Everything below the Red Line is either for entertainment purposes or to stimulate conversation or debate. It’s personal, opinion based, has a conservative slant and is not meant to offend or upset … only to stimulate discussion. Reader discretion is advised.

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EDITORIALS

DISCLAIMER / WARNING: The opinions expressed ARE NOT those of the Central Oregon Dental Society, Oregon Dental Association, American Dental Association or any of the Advertisers or Business Partners. Editorials are OPINIONS ONLY and are meant to encourage discussion or dialogue. Readers are welcome and encouraged to contribute editorials or comments for inclusion in future issues.

Please Consider Contributing an Editorial or Column For Future Newsletters

This Newsletter is a forum for the Central Oregon Dental Community to stay in touch and connected and a place to have your voice heard. Your opinion columns, thoughts and feedback are encouraged and welcome.

Political Endorsements . Mehdi Salari

The May Primary Elections are coming up and we all have our 88-page Voters’ Pamphlets on our desks, full of information presented to us by the candidates themselves. Hmmm? That’s really reliable information. We all know how truthful politicians are and how they stick to their word once they are elected.

How do we decipher through all these candidates and select the ones that will represent us the best? That’s a tough question. Unless you have personally known a candidate for many years, it’s almost impossible to know what they stand for, their character or how they will represent you once they’re making policies and laws.

There’s a lot we don’t know when it comes to our elections, but here are some things that we do know. The past 18 months have been awful, ridiculous, terrible, unbearable and the worst in recent memory. Let me list a few of the things that have made the past 18 months the worst in my memory:

• Although a small percentage of our kids made amazing progress with the distant or hybrid learning, the vast majority of our public-school children are way behind in the core subjects and benchmarks for their age.
• So many people were mandated or forced to do things they didn’t want to do.
• Businesses were crippled with regulation after regulation.
• The price of every essential from milk, cheese, bread, meat, apples, gas, dog food, cars, paint, building supplies, diapers, rent, homes, you name it … went UP. It didn’t just go up the usual 2 – 3 percent, but a whopping 30 – 40 percent!
• Despite every community having spent more money than ever before on this problem, there are more people homeless on our streets. Parts of our city sidewalks, parks, on-ramps and street corners are covered with debris, garbage, tents, tarps, urine, etc.
• There is more mental illness, depression, drug or alcohol dependency and cell phone addiction. There is less community involvement and social interaction and more loneliness.
• Despite what the politicians and liberal newspapers like to claim or print, crime has gone up considerably. They simply aren’t reporting it, unless it’s a crime committed by a white Police Officer against a minority.
• America and its allies are less safe and secure than ever before, with the aggression of the Russians and the ambitions of the Chinese.

So, here’s the bottom line for me … our lives and economy have gotten worse and every branch of government from our School Board, City Councilors, State Representatives, State Senators, US Representatives, US Senate, Governors, Vice President & President is controlled by the Democratic Party majority.

I would personally not endorse any Democratic candidate. Not because they are all bad or mean people, but because the policies of the Democratic Party are not improving our lives. Things are worse than ever before and not showing any signs of improving soon. Not a single Democrat in office stood up or represented their constituents during the time that the President or Governor invoked Emergency Executive Powers. Our lawmakers and legislatures simply sat on their hands while the President, Governor and Democratic Party controlled every facet of our lives, our schools, businesses and economy.

I’m not saying all Republicans are good either. They aren’t much better at solving our problems. What I am saying is that gridlock and a 50-50 split in government is the best and safest thing for the American People. Whenever one party has dominated every branch of the government, things have gone to hell. We need balance, compromise and individuals who can convince us why their approach is better or more practical. What we have now is total control by one party and no discussion or debate. They don’t compromise, because they have a majority and simply continue doing whatever they want … that’s not how government is supposed to operate. Unfortunately, the Democratic plan for America is not working or solving our problems … it’s making our lives worse. Their plans are not good for our cities, state or country.

Throw out the career politicians and incumbents who sat on their hands while the Governor ran the state into the ground. Those who are financially backed by money outside our communities should not be representing us either. Those who have served faithfully under those currently in power, should not be allowed to continue the same policies either. Those who are loyal to their party, before their communities should not be representing us. Hmmm … that doesn’t leave us with much!

Dear Dr. Rupert

May 2022

Dear Dr. Rupert,

We have a patient who complains the whole time about her cleaning appointments, yet continues to come in every six months for her cleanings.  She says she doesn’t like the feel of the scalers and curettes on her teeth.  She hates the sound the instruments make against her teeth.  She doesn’t like the grit feeling or taste of the prophy paste.  She doesn’t like how her gums sometimes bleed during the cleaning.  She doesn’t like the temperature of the water from our air-water syringe.  She doesn’t like how powerful the suction is.  She doesn’t like how far back we lean her back in the chair.  She doesn’t like the gag feeling when we take x-rays.  And the complaints go on and on and on!

Frankly, I wish she would stop having her teeth cleaned and go elsewhere; but I can’t quite bring myself to dismiss her from our practice, because the rest of her family is wonderful and are great patients.

What would you do?

Signed, Patient Hates Everything About a Cleaning

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Dear Patient Hates Everything About a Cleaning,

Yep … we used to have a bunch of those patients in our office too.  Don’t they just make you cringe when you see their name on the schedule?  We all give them extra time on the schedule, do our best to baby and coddle them, bend over backwards for them and despite all that … all they do is complain and put us down.

What you need to do with a chronically complaining patient like that is to turn the negative criticism around and personally attack the patient.  Be passive aggressive.  The best defense is often times a good offense.  Here are a few things that my Hygienists and I use on our patients who chronically complain.  When you are attacking the patients, they will be forced to defend themselves and will not have the time or energy to complain or criticize you.  Here are some examples of things you can say to put your patients on the defensive when they sit down in your chair:

• “Geez!  They really butchered your hair!  What happened?”
• “Have you gained a lot of weight since you were last here?”
• “You sure have lost a lot of hair since you were here last time!  A little more gray too!”
• “Holy Moly!  That’s a lot of plaque and tartar on these molars!  You still brushing?”
• “I love your blouse.  I saw one just like it at Good Will for $3.”
• “Whoa!  I can’t continue the cleaning!  Would you mind swishing with some mouthwash so I can finish my exam?”

The key is to not let the complainer start complaining.  Before the patient can sit down and complain about the temperature in the room or arm rests on the chair, throw a passive aggressive bomb their way and put them on defense from the start.  Odds are, they will sulk quietly for the remainder of the appointment.

You and your staff don’t need the anxiety of being criticized for things you can’t control for an entire appointment.  Turn the anxiety around and put it squarely on the patient, so you can instead focus your thoughts and energy on the service you are providing. 

Glad I could help,

Dr. Rupert