Category: Opinion & Editorial

It’s not lost on me that the last column I wrote for “ODA Today” was about getting a job in dentistry, and now I sit here unemployed. We are living through a pandemic, hospitals running low on PPE and ventilators, restaurants and dental offices closed for regular business, no definitive end in sight. The rate at which I’m ... [continue reading]

We have now added COVID-19 to the list of acronyms that denote benchmarks in our history. These are times that will be remembered as the guides and bumpers dictating our thoughts and directions for life as we thought we knew it. In several conversations, I have given my perspective on this current epoch as a combination of 9/11, Y2K, and the ... [continue reading]

I never thought that at the very beginning of my career I would be facing one of the greatest challenges of my life as a dentist and a human being: a global pandemic. None of us thought we would have to completely adjust every aspect of our lives in order to combat and live through the first pandemic of the modern age. Writing that sentence just ... [continue reading]

Last month, I helped with the kickoff for the Ohio Give Kids A Smile event, which was held at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.  Besides it being a great event, with lots of children treated, I was heartened to see all of the families involved.  Since this event was held on a weekend instead of during the week, families ... [continue reading]

According to Johns Hopkins, repetitive stress injuries (RSI) are injuries that happen when too much stress is placed on a part of the body, resulting in inflammation (pain and swelling), muscle strain, or tissue damage. The stress generally occurs from repeating the same movements over and over again. RSI are very common, with more than 3 million ... [continue reading]

This last December, my husband and I were invited to speak at a dental symposium in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Though this was my first speaking engagement abroad, we have been attending professional meetings across the pond for about 12 years. I am sure anyone who has attended a foreign dental meeting or even met practitioners from other countries can ... [continue reading]

After graduating from dental school in 1981, I became an associate in a small town. At that point in time, I was the only female dentist in a 50 mile radius. I joined the tripartite and attended meetings with my local component. I have to say that everyone was very nice to me but they would always change the subject when I walked up. At first I ... [continue reading]

This past fall, a study published in “JAMA Internal Medicine” found that interacting with patients who are demeaning toward them is challenging and painful for physicians. Researchers in the U.S. conducted a study involving 13 focus groups of 50 participants, composed of attending hospitalists, internal medicine residents and medical ... [continue reading]

The “Juul” – what a maelstrom! When historians look back on the first quarter of the 21st century, the Juul vaping e-cigarette will be one of the top 10 inventions of that era. In a previous op-ed, I wrote about how “cool” the product was and for immature individuals – America’s teens – it is an ... [continue reading]

For me, January is a time to step back, take stock and attempt to improve. I tend to be more successful at this in areas of office and home as opposed to losing weight and getting in shape. However, I intend to give it my best shot. This made me think about dentistry as a whole. Are we stepping back and taking stock? Are we giving it our best? ... [continue reading]