dentistry for children

I’m a dentist. Even in this pandemic, oral health care is essential, especially for children.



Dental instruments on a tray. So far there have been zero transmissions of Coronavirus between dental offices and patients in San Diego County. ( Omar Bárcena)

© ( Omar Bárcena)
Dental instruments on a tray. So far there have been zero transmissions of Coronavirus between dental offices and patients in San Diego County. ( Omar Bárcena)

I am a parent and dentist whose personal and professional life has been upended by this pandemic. If you’re reading this, and haven’t gone through similar turmoil, I would like to meet you. While most of the country is trying to get a grip on what to do about the upcoming school year, those of us in the dental field are dealing with a debate of our own.

Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) released interim guidance advising routine, non-essential oral health care be postponed because of the coronavirus and transmission risks. Less than two weeks later, the American Dental Association (ADA) released a statement saying that it “respectfully yet strongly disagrees.” The inconsistent recommendations are adding confusion in

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
medicine ball

Stop using term ‘impulsivity’ to describe behavior or personality traits, psychologists say

Stop using term ‘impulsivity’ to describe behavior or personality traits, psychologists say
Johns Hopkins Medicine psychologists suggest that members of their profession stop using the catch-all term “impulsivity” to describe behavioral or personality traits specific to individual mental disorders. Credit: Graphic by M.E. Newman, Johns Hopkins Medicine, using a public domain image of a brain. Credit: Johns Hopkins University

When a word is too frequently used as a catch-all term, its definition becomes too broad and it can stop meaning anything concrete. That’s why Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers suggest that the descriptive term “impulsivity” has become so overgeneralized that it’s no longer useful to describe mental conditions such as substance use disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and others listed in the psychiatry bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

In a new theoretical analysis published on Sept. 24, 2020, in Psychological Review, the researchers say disorders cluster with certain kinds of impulsive behaviors that are individually very distinct

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health informatics

Different Takes: Lessons On Guarding Information About The President’s Health; Reckless Leaders Cost Lives

Editorial pages focus on topics about leadership during the pandemic and other topics, as well.


Stat:
Guarding The President’s Privacy Is Key For A White House Physician 

Before deciding to take a photogenic, early-evening helicopter ride from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center back to the White House, President Trump toyed with an even more dramatic idea. He discussed wearing a Superman T-shirt under his dress clothes, coming out of the hospital looking exhausted, and then tearing off his outer shirt to reveal himself as the ever-strong Superman. Made-for-tweeting publicity stunts that are rejected can still teach us something: In this case, it is about the power of costumes and the narratives they bring with them. (George J. Annas, 10/14)

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health care

Coronavirus lawsuit standards for businesses, health care workers approved in Michigan Senate

LANSING, MI – A slew of guidelines for lawsuits addressing various COVID-19 exposure scenarios was approved during Tuesday and early Wednesday sessions in the Michigan Senate.

A bill guaranteeing immunity for health care workers providing COVID-19 care from civil action was passed 29-8 in the evening hours of the Oct. 13 Senate session. House Bill 6159, sponsored by Rep. Roger Hauck, R-Union Twp., does not hold workers liable for injuries to patients under their care, except in instances of gross negligence.

The bill was sent back to the state House with minor changes in wording before it was approved, 64-37. It will now head to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for potential signature.

The other bill package on the legislature’s docket protects businesses from liability for people who contracted the disease on their premises, except in negligent circumstances. It also protects employees fired for following public health guidelines against the wishes

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
fitness evolution

World first study shows that some microorganisms can bend the rules of evolution

IMAGE

IMAGE: Scientists checked environments without antibiotics, for example, forests or estuaries, and found antibiotic resistance genes could still be detected.
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Credit: no credit

In a world first Monash University scientists have discovered that HGT can bend the rules of evolution.

The discovery is outlined in a study published today in PNAS, which was led by ARC Future Fellow Dr Mike McDonald and PhD candidate Laura Woods, both from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences.

“HGT is very important in microbial evolution, especially for the evolution of antibiotic resistance in human pathogens,” said Dr McDonald.

“Genes for antibiotic resistance in the bacteria that live in hospitals, sewers and farms, are common because there are antibiotics in these places, due to human activities,” he said.

“However, when scientists check environments without antibiotics, for example, forests or estuaries, antibiotic resistance genes can still be detected.”

Dr McDonald and his

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health informatics

New Data Shows Health Care Policy and Costs Top of Mind for Consumers Leading Up to 2020 Presidential Election

Sapphire Digital Survey Reveals Consumers’ View of Health Care Price Transparency and How Health Care Policy Will Influence Their Vote

Sapphire Digital, a leader in empowering consumers to make better choices that deliver health care savings, today announced survey results assessing consumer views on the health care system and health care policy leading up to the 2020 presidential election. The findings reveal health care policy will influence 79% of U.S. adults’ votes in the election, with 50% of those consumers reporting health policy will most influence or heavily influence their votes compared to other policy issues. Additionally, more than one-third (34%) of adults surveyed report they would like to see both presidential candidates prioritize lowering care costs leading up to the election.

For years, health care costs have been on the rise and the recent financial impact of COVID-19 has made cost concerns even more prominent. With consumers looking to

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health professional

Brightline Launches First Covid-19 Behavioral Health Indicator (COBI) to Help Parents Concerned About Children’s Mental Health

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Brightline, the first family-focused behavioral health platform for children and families, announces the launch of a new public health initiative to help parents learn about potential behavioral health impacts of Covid-19 on children’s behavioral health. The Covid-19 Behavioral Health Indicator (“COBI”) will launch online and be available for free, nationwide, on October 13 via www.hellobrightline.com/cobi.

COBI is a 30-question survey that helps parents inform themselves about how their family is doing in four key areas that may be linked to children’s wellness, including pre-existing medical and behavioral health conditions, direct effects of Covid-19, psychological stress, and family resilience. COBI is intended to equip parents with information to facilitate a conversation with a health care provider.

“As a mom of three young kids, these past months there have been so many times I have wondered if my kids are weathering

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health care

Twentyeight Health is a telemedicine company expanding access to women’s health and reproductive care

New York’s Twentyeight Health is taking the wildly telemedicine services for women’s health popularized by companies like Nurx and bringing them to a patient population that previously hadn’t had access. 

The mission to provide women who are Medicaid or underinsured should not be deprived of the same kinds of care that patients who have more income security or better healthcare coverage enjoy, according to the company’s founder, Amy Fan.

The mission, and the company’s technology, have managed to convince a slew of investors who have poured $5.1 million in seed funding into the new startup. Third Prime led the round, which included investments from Town Hall Ventures, SteelSky Ventures, Aglaé Ventures, GingerBread Capital, Rucker Park Capital, Predictive VC, and angel investors like Stu Libby, Zoe Barry, and Wan Li Zhu.

“Women who are on Medicaid, who are underinsured or without health insurance often struggle to find access to reproductive health

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
health professional

Health Systems Join Forces to Launch Specialty Pharmacy Alliance

Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance (HOSP) to Focus on Advocacy and Best Practices for Specialty Pharmacies

Eight of the nation’s leading health systems and other network providers of specialty pharmacy patient care joined together today to form The Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance (HOSP). HOSP will focus on advocating for the interests of integrated specialty pharmacies and promoting best practices that enable them to deliver the best patient care and patient outcomes.

“HOSP will act as the ‘face and voice’ of the integrated specialty pharmacy industry advocating for, and uniting members around, common industry interests and concerns,” said Tanya Menchi, executive director, HOSP. “We believe the integrated health system owned specialty pharmacy model is the best way to deliver exceptional patient care and outcomes. The industry needs its own voice. HOSP’s goal is to help bring the industry together so they have a seat at the table and

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020
dentistry for children

Dentist Fortitude Valley, Precision Dental, Offers General and Cosmetic Dentistry Solutions in a Caring and Friendly Environment in QLD – Press Release

Fortitude Valley, QLD – Not every dentist is the same. There are those that will only be concerned about providing treatment while there are others that will go above and beyond in ensuring that patients are feeling comfortable. Precision Dental is a modern dental practice that is based at the heart of Brisbane servicing Fortitude Valley and is committed to high-quality dental care. The practice provides both general and cosmetic dental treatment for the whole family.

“Our ultra-modern practice is conveniently located in HQ Towers which offer free onsite parking for the duration of treatment. Emergency appointments are available throughout the day and Saturday appointments can be arranged. We are equipped with the latest generation of equipment and pride ourselves in providing thorough dental treatment that is tailored to individual needs and goals.” Said Dr Billy Choi, the spokesperson for the clinic, regarding their unrivalled services.

The dental practice was

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By [email protected]_84 / October 14, 2020