Healthcare: the battle for survival
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
As the end of a very unusual year comes to a close I have been looking at what changes this has brought to the small business community. Like many independent dental practices I am a small businesswoman. My industry is a bit different however than many other small businesses, in that we have no mechanism to raise our fees when the costs of...
How dental offices are working to keep you safe
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
It’s been a complicated year for everyone. In the dental world we have faced full business shutdowns, treating only emergency patients while scrambling for overpriced and undelivered PPE and taking care of our patients during a time of overall uncertainty. Dentists and dental employees alike were weighing the pros and cons of returning to work. ...
A new spin on an old idea can give you a better smile, quick
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
A more beautiful smile can be yours today, yes really.
Sometimes we need to revisit the past to find something new. How about a nicer whiter smile today. Years ago people got their teeth “bonded”. It was the new tooth colored materials that allowed dentists to hand sculpt a better looking tooth in just one visit. Bonding went by the...
Best way to fight COVID-19? Don’t be stupid
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
When contemplating my column for this month, I looked over the columns of years past and thought about how different things are now. As I write this I am sitting in my office with the sound of the newly installed localized negative pressure units humming away as my hygienist is working with a patient. It sounds more like I am in a vacuum cleaner...
When a tooth can’t be repaired
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
Sometimes it just can’t be fixed. In today’s modern age of dentistry the “save it no matter what” attitude has been replaced by a more measured response. Sometimes it makes more sense to remove a tooth and place an implant than to do tons of work to “save” an already compromised tooth.
There are a lot of reasons to replace a lost...
The winds of change in dentistry
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
Each fall dentists from around our nation gather to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Dental Association. Most years the meeting centers around improving the quality of our care. Hundreds of continuing education seminars along with tremendous displays of new products, equipment and techniques keep the average dentist busy for the...
If it sounds too good to be true….
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
Spend time on Facebook or any other website for that matter and you will see advertisements for do-it-yourself dentistry. Just today I was solicited for mail-order orthodontics and do-it-yourself veneers. No dentist needed. These might seem like a great way to save money and get a nicer smile – but there are plenty of pitfalls.
Some of the...
Business before pleasure
New bill limits insurance companies ability to take back benefits
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
When trying to decide what to name this month’s column I was stumped for awhile. Yet it seems that we are going to spend a small time talking about the current state of healthcare legislation and then laughing at the lastest fad.
The truth is that what I am going to share with...
Was your dentist there?
Continuing education allows your dentist and their staff to stay up to date
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
Two weeks ago I attended the 30th annual Greater Philadelphia Valley Forge Dental Conference. This annual meeting of the dental community is primarily focused on continuing education. As a member of the organizing committee I had a chance to speak with dentists, vendors...
Porcelain laminate veneers – something to smile about
You can create an entirely new smile in just a few visits
By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
What is a veneer? For more than 20 years dentists have had the technology to create lifelike appearing veneers to give teeth a flawless appearance. Also known as laminates, veneers are usually custom made from porcelain. Porcelain veneers can make uneven or crooked teeth appear straight....
