Brush Up Blog

"Brush Up" on the latest trends, with simple tips and tricks to grow your dental practice and engage patients.

• Three Questions – and Answers – About Mental Health in Dentistry

  October 12, 2022

  There is no question that we are facing a serious mental health crisis in our country, and dentistry is no exception. Over the last two years, dental providers have been forced to overcome enormous challenges, compounding stress and anxiety. In an effort to help dentists find balance, Dr. Joy Void-Holmes answers three key questions.
   

• What is an occlusal guard?

  July 14, 2022

  The term “occlusal” refers to the surfaces of your teeth that are used for chewing. When you are damaging those surfaces by clenching or grinding your teeth, an occlusal guard may be recommended by your dentist. 
   

• Four steps to choosing the right toothbrush

  July 14, 2022

  When shopping for toothbrushes, do you put much thought into what’s best for you or your children? Here’s why you should: Your toothbrush can be a major factor in helping you brush more effectively and making your oral hygiene routine more pleasant.
   

• Awareness of Oral Health’s Impact Isn’t Improving — Preventistry Can Help

  June 28, 2022

  A lot has changed about how Americans view and access health care over the last two years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic — and oral health is no exception. 
   

• The Unique Mental Health Challenges of the Dentistry Profession

  March 25, 2022

  Even before March 2020, many dentists faced job-related stressors causing poor mental health, but much like other healthcare providers, the pandemic only exacerbated those issues.
   

• Getting the Most Out of the Preventistry Patient Report

  February 24, 2022

  We're kicking off an exciting new era in Preventistry to help providers ensure patients are getting the preventive care they need. Here's everything you need to know about the Preventistry Patient Report and why you should use it in your practice.
   

• 4 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Dental Practice’s Online Presence in 2022

  January 27, 2022

  Need a New Year's resolution? The new year is a great time to try brushing up your practice’s online presence.
   

• Keeping Patients Happy and Healthy Over the Holidays

  November 18, 2021

  The end of the year is synonymous with food, drink, friends, and family. It can also be a busy and stressful time of year for many, scrambling from last minute holiday gift shopping to checking off those end-of-year to-do lists and tasks that have been victims of procrastination – including dentist appointments.
   

• Why Dentists – And Parents – Should Still be Paying Attention to Teen Vaping

  October 20, 2021

  For the better part of the last two years, one public health crisis has rightly dominated the headlines and our attention. But that doesn’t mean other public health crises have gone away — they’ve just receded to the background. The teen vaping epidemic is an important example of this, and one that directly impacts the oral and overall health of teens across Massachusetts and the country.
   

• 3 Things to Know About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Dentistry

  September 28, 2021

  In recent years, corporate America has opened its eyes to an extremely important aspect of training and education: diversity, equity and inclusion. As companies and employees undergo “DEI” training and learn to recognize how that impacts their work, the questions and answers raised can be challenging. The dental industry is no exception.
   

• The Challenges and Opportunities of Quality Measurement in Dentistry

  July 16, 2021

  Dentists would all agree that they are laser-focused on quality. But how do you define it and measure it? That’s a question with a lot more variables.  

• Supporting a New Substance Use Disorder Pilot

  July 16, 2021

  Throughout the pandemic, many people who struggle with substance use disorder have continued to suffer. Delta Dental of Massachusetts recently granted $18,000 to expand the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers Substance Use Disorder Pilot Project, which includes trainings focused on incorporating addiction screening tools in dental practices, along with safe prescribing and prescription monitoring.  

• The Top 3 Things Employers are Demanding in Dental Plans This Year

  June 11, 2021

  As employers look to provide their employees with quality health and dental insurance, understanding what it is they’re looking for can help dental practices better care for and retain patients. In a market where employers and patients are increasingly taking a more consumer-focused approach to health care benefits, dental plans are evolving to meet their needs.
   

• Top Takeaways from 2020 State of America’s Oral Health Report

  June 11, 2021

  Delta Dental’s annual report captures data from consumers' behaviors throughout 2020 and provides new insights into the greater public awareness of the connections between oral health and overall health.
   

• How Artificial Intelligence is Already Changing Dentistry

  May 03, 2021

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to have a profound impact on dentistry.
   

• The Role of Oral Health in Advancing Maternal Health

  May 03, 2021

  As April marks National Minority Health Month – a time in which we also recognize Black Maternal Health Week – it’s important for the oral health community to acknowledge the role that oral health plays in maternal health and reducing health disparities.
   

• Three Industry Shifts Dental Providers Can Expect in 2021

  April 06, 2021

  Every year brings new changes and challenges, none more so than this past year. The COVID-19 pandemic brought some new technologies to the forefront, forced us to adapt and accelerated the pace of change in many areas of dentistry.
  
  Here are the top three trends we’re talking about in 2021.
   

• Top 3 Things Providers Need to Know About Minimally Invasive Dentistry

  December 18, 2020

  Minimally invasive care has become a crucial part of oral care during the pandemic, but as technologies continue to rapidly evolve, many providers believe it is the future of dental care. Here are 3 things providers should know about minimally invasive dentistry.
   

• Supporting Racial Equity as a Community

  October 13, 2020

  The last six months have shown an undeniable fact: racism is a public health crisis.
   

• Supporting the Massachusetts Dental Community Through the COVID Crisis

  July 28, 2020

  The COVID-19 crisis has put the oral health community to the test. And we know that dental practices have been hit particularly hard.
   

• Talking to Patients About Returning to Care

  July 28, 2020

  As dental offices across Massachusetts begin re-opening and accepting patients again, dental professionals are working hard to implement new procedures to ensure that care is provided in the safest way possible for patients and their colleagues. This is especially important since dentists, dental assistants and hygienists are among the professions with the highest risk⁽¹⁾ for exposure to COVID-19.
   

• 3 Things Dentists Can Do to Support Medical-Dental Integration

  March 18, 2020

  Studies from the American Dental Association show that over 90 percent of all systemic diseases have oral manifestations. We know that patients don’t experience their overall health and oral health in isolation, yet the oral health care system has been set up to treat it in isolation. To address this and provide better treatment for patients, health care has begun to move toward a new model of medical-dental integration -- where the treatment and care for oral health and overall health systems are connected.
   

• Where the Industry is Going

  February 24, 2020

  Written by: Dr. Linda Vidone
   
  Healthcare in the United States is changing- dentistry included. Dentistry is constantly evolving and changing as new technology and business structures are introduced.
   

• 2020 Will Be a Big Year in Oral Health – Here’s What We’re Watching

  February 14, 2020

  As we start a new year, and a new decade, there are significant changes on the horizon when it comes to oral health. Many of these changes will address the dental industry’s biggest challenges and fundamentally change the way Americans access oral health care.
   

• Can Teledentistry Transform the Future of Oral Health Access?

  December 18, 2019

  What if there was a simple way to improve the oral health of patients, increase general access to care, encourage regular check ups, and maintain efficiency in the dental office?
   

• 5 ways to help patients feel more comfortable discussing opioid use disorder and pain management

  October 24, 2019

  As the country grapples with a national addiction crisis, dentists and oral health providers have an important role to play in helping their patients feel comfortable asking questions and talking about opioid use disorder and pain management.
   

• What Dentists Need to Know About the Teen Vaping Epidemic

  September 24, 2019

  It’s no secret that the biggest public health concern in the US right now is the teen vaping epidemic. What was originally supposed to be a substitute for adult smokers trying to quit has rapidly become a serious threat among adolescents, as well as adults.  

   

• Why ‘Food is Medicine’?

  August 22, 2019

  Food is Medicine. The idea is not new, as generations of chicken soup and other home cooked remedies can attest. Yet, a doctor giving a prescription for fruits and vegetables as a part of routine health care is basically unheard of - until now.
   

• 3 Places Patients Get Their Info On Oral Health Trends

  July 09, 2019

  The consumer products market in oral health care is always coming up with new products, promising everything from whiter teeth to easier flossing.

• Does Your Dental Practice's Website Need a Checkup?

  May 17, 2019

  Did you know 97% of patients prefer to go to a dentist's website rather than call the office for information? That makes your website the most important tool you have for communicating with patients.

• The Brush Up: 3 Ways Dentists Can Connect With Their Community

  April 01, 2019

  For any dental practice, building a strong connection with your local community is an important way to build your business. Whether you’re sponsoring community events, partnering with local businesses, or just engaging with the broader dental community, all of these activities create stronger relationships with your patients and local community.

• Responding to Online Reviews and Comments

  March 22, 2019

  What is one of the first things you do before purchasing a new product or service? Like many people, you probably check online reviews or social media to see what other people have to say about it. Whether you’re considering a new restaurant, a car, or even a dentist, those comments can make or break your decision.

• Using Instagram Stories To Engage With Patients

  March 04, 2019

  We all know that social media is a great way to engage with an audience. But with so many tools available, it can be difficult to know when and how to use different platforms and features. Instagram, and the Instagram Stories feature in particular, has grown into one of the largest and most effective platforms - with more than 80% of Instagram users following at least one business. With Instagram Stories, users can post a sequence of photos and videos that appear at the top of their feed and vanish after 24 hours.
   

• Three Ways to Effectively Manage Your Dental Practice

  February 18, 2019

  Managing a dental practice is extremely rewarding, but can occasionally come with challenges.