According to the National Business Group on Health, here seems to be a disconnect between employees and employers regarding the value and application of health benefits.
Recent reports have illustrated a lack of knowledge and confidence employees have in understanding their health benefits, how to navigate their health plans, and how to identify the best value for their particular plan. Two-thirds of employees polled were not confident about shopping for their own health benefits in lieu of employer-provided plans. And a large number of employees currently choose to utilize their health plans when it's absolutely necessary (read: when there is an emergent health problem), as opposed to routine wellness or preventive care visits.
Regardless of who institutes a health plan, it's important to recognize there are some effects this lack of knowledge has on the health care industry. It has an impact on the cost of healthcare for patients. It has an impact on the cost of insurance plans for employers. And it has an impact on the healthcare providers and what they charge patients for procedures.
The basic laws of supply and demand come into play as more patients and policyholders understand the mechanics of their particular plans. One factor that could change the cost of health plans, and ultimately the overall costs for care, is how a patient utilizes their plan for preventive care. More utilization of healthcare drives costs down, especially when you can see a direct relationship between the number of preventive visits accomplished by patients, and a reduced number of co-morbid diseases in those patients.
Dentistry works in essentially the same way that medicine does from the patients' perspective. If a patient treats a health problem when it becomes symptomatic, it places a greater burden on the patient's pocketbook to treat their problem, because it's likely the solution becomes more complex, and will require more follow-up care. But practicing prevention strategies (daily brushing, daily flossing, watching acid and sugar intake, and attending professional dental hygiene visits) reduces overall patient costs for dental care.
If 30% of my patients practiced more routine preventive self-care and had routine hygiene/prevention visits to my office, starting today, three things would start to happen: 1)my patients would spend less money on overall care in the next 5 years, 2) I would have greater volumes of patient visits, which would lead to a progressive reduction in costs per procedure for patients, and 3) insurers would ultimately reduce premiums for employer- or employee- purchased dental plans.
Even if you don't have an insurance plan, you can still keep your costs down over time. You can subscribe to a flexible health spending account or health savings account privately or through corporate channels that can accrue interest over time if funded correctly. Or you can finance routine care with Care Credit through our office.
Call our office today to answer questions about how to best use your plan, or let us help you sign up for financing to keep your long-term costs for care as low as possible.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Kids Who Grind Teeth Are At Risk for Sleep Disordered Breathing
A recent study illustrates the need for children to be evaluated for sleep disordered breathing according to patterns of tooth grinding and tooth wear.
It takes a lot for kids to grind their teeth. Throughout my career, I have seen kids with tooth wear in one year that equals adults with tooth wear accrued over 10 or 20 years. So that tells me something significant is happening to these kids.
What it all comes down to is airway patency. If the breathing hole for a kid is too small or obstructed, it will trigger a pathological grinding of teeth.
Dentists are usually the care providers that will first diagnose an airway problem for your kids. So it's best you have a dentist with a substantial medical background and training in airway management. And wouldn't you know it? I am one of those dentists. I am a member of the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and regularly attend grand rounds with the pulmonary and sleep medicine physicians at North Puget Sound Sleep Center.
The rule of thumb for all practitioners is: "treat adults realistically, and kids ideally." Which means that if there is any evidence your child has a breathing obstruction, I will recommend a referral to a pediatric ear-nose-throat specialist or a pediatric sleep medicine specialist. I will do this to thoroughly investigate and properly treat any of the underlying problems causing the breathing disorder.We have all of them in our community, located at the Everett Clinic group and North Puget Sound Sleep Center.
So call us to schedule your children for their routine dental checkups--we make airway examinations and medical health reviews a routine part of dental visits for your kids.
It takes a lot for kids to grind their teeth. Throughout my career, I have seen kids with tooth wear in one year that equals adults with tooth wear accrued over 10 or 20 years. So that tells me something significant is happening to these kids.
What it all comes down to is airway patency. If the breathing hole for a kid is too small or obstructed, it will trigger a pathological grinding of teeth.
Dentists are usually the care providers that will first diagnose an airway problem for your kids. So it's best you have a dentist with a substantial medical background and training in airway management. And wouldn't you know it? I am one of those dentists. I am a member of the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and regularly attend grand rounds with the pulmonary and sleep medicine physicians at North Puget Sound Sleep Center.
The rule of thumb for all practitioners is: "treat adults realistically, and kids ideally." Which means that if there is any evidence your child has a breathing obstruction, I will recommend a referral to a pediatric ear-nose-throat specialist or a pediatric sleep medicine specialist. I will do this to thoroughly investigate and properly treat any of the underlying problems causing the breathing disorder.We have all of them in our community, located at the Everett Clinic group and North Puget Sound Sleep Center.
So call us to schedule your children for their routine dental checkups--we make airway examinations and medical health reviews a routine part of dental visits for your kids.
Raising Awareness About Apnea
Sleep Disordered Breathing is a significant disease.
17% of the population has some form of it, and that includes snoring AND obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
80% of sufferers are undiagnosed.
The chances a person with the following diseases will have OSA:
Obesity: 77%
Congestive Heart DIsease: 49%
Type 2 Diabetes: 49%
High Blood Pressure: 37%
Sleep Disordered Breathing TRIPLES your risk for mortality.
OSA increases your risk for:
Heart Attack
Congestive Heart Failure
Stroke
Auto Accidents
Neurologic deficits and poor cognitive function, and mental performance.
17% of the population has some form of it, and that includes snoring AND obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
80% of sufferers are undiagnosed.
The chances a person with the following diseases will have OSA:
Obesity: 77%
Congestive Heart DIsease: 49%
Type 2 Diabetes: 49%
High Blood Pressure: 37%
Sleep Disordered Breathing TRIPLES your risk for mortality.
OSA increases your risk for:
Heart Attack
Congestive Heart Failure
Stroke
Auto Accidents
Neurologic deficits and poor cognitive function, and mental performance.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
August's Tooth Fairy Army
My son, August, is 6 years old. He lost his second tooth over the weekend. Well, let's give him more credit than that--he extracted his own tooth!
The ante is a little higher this time around. Instead of marveling over the anatomy of said tooth, or grabbing a magnifying glass and pinpointing the blood and guts hanging off the shard, he decided to go another direction.
Building a Tooth Fairy Army.
As you can see, August has recruited knights, orcs, and police officers charged with the responsibility of safely handing over the bounty to the Tooth Fairy. The 'mailbox" contains the precious parcel.
This impregnable host of defenders will go to any length to ensure delivery of teeth and secure Gus' reward.
I had to leave the room and come back in when I saw this layout on the bedroom floor. I was laughing too hard. And bursting with pride for my creative kid.
The ante is a little higher this time around. Instead of marveling over the anatomy of said tooth, or grabbing a magnifying glass and pinpointing the blood and guts hanging off the shard, he decided to go another direction.
Building a Tooth Fairy Army.
As you can see, August has recruited knights, orcs, and police officers charged with the responsibility of safely handing over the bounty to the Tooth Fairy. The 'mailbox" contains the precious parcel.
This impregnable host of defenders will go to any length to ensure delivery of teeth and secure Gus' reward.
I had to leave the room and come back in when I saw this layout on the bedroom floor. I was laughing too hard. And bursting with pride for my creative kid.
Monday, July 23, 2012
BPA and Toxic Plastics in Dentistry--Current Information
BPA, also known as Bisphenol-A, is a chemical that may be found in some plastics. BPA is also a component of select dental filling materials used to repair tooth decay. BPA has come under scrutiny in the past several years because of its potential to leach out of plastics and cause harmful physical effects.
A study from a pediatric medicine journal, Pediatrics, was released last week. It links the presence of BPA-containing dental fillings to an increased risk for behavioral problems in kids.
An article was released yesterday on the Science News site that I applaud, because it offers a well-thought-out perspective regarding the research and its outcomes, and how the public should consider digesting the Pediatrics article.
BPA may not be going away anytime soon, but the exposure can be reduced for you and your family if you are willing to thoughtfully plan what you buy and/or consume. Same goes for dentistry. There are alternatives to BPA-containing materials.
Any of the articles released recently recognize the best solution for any tooth is to prevent decay before it happens. I absolutely agree. There is a MASSIVE potential for improvement in how parents and kids can prevent decay in kids' teeth. Four things to do: 1) Use a mechanical brush, and supervise or participate in brushing. 2) Make teeth resistant with periodic exposure to TOPICAL fluoride. 3) Be thoughtful about your kids' diets. Sugars and sodas are frowned upon with good reason. I feel there is no reason to include soda or sugar in regular life for kids. Disneyland, Christmas, and Halloween don't happen very often, and that's about the same for sugars and sodas. 4) Medical health and dental health are connected, so you need to consult a dentist with a sound knowledge of the connections for your kids, and keep your kids going to that dentist no less than twice a year for review and prevention. And if you recall the name of my blog, you'll know I am one of these dentists.
As a dentist, it is tough to offer a perfect solution for any patients' maladies. Tooth decay happens, and I have to treat decay thoughtfully. Dental professionals and researchers have not created the perfect material that is effective at replacing decayed tooth structure, look like real teeth, and can withstand rigorous daily chewing without chemical or physical breakdown.
There are, however, a couple of materials that I offer to my patients that get close to a perfect solution.
Amalgam, or silver filling, is the least expensive material available for decay. Amalgam works well to repair small to large decay defects, has appealing longevity in pediatric teeth, has excellent wear and tear resistance. Decades of research has failed to prove harmful physical effects of any of the components in amalgam. But there are countless anecdotal pieces that describe autoimmune diseases linked to amalgam, mercury poisoning, the list goes on. And the majority of families and patients that I talk to don't want that material used for health reasons as well as esthetic reasons in their kids. But it does look like crap, and requires a liberal amount of cutting away tooth in many cases, because I can't predictably bond amalgam to tooth, unlike composite or other tooth-colored materials. And I do not use this material in adult teeth, as amalgam increases the chances of cracked or fractured teeth.
Compomers are a relatively new type of tooth-colored filler that doesn't contain BPA. It is moderately wear-resistant. But it it not meant for long-term use in areas of heavy function and not meant for long-term use in adult teeth. In my experience, as well as the various literature reviews, compomers work well in pediatric teeth with small to moderately sized decay lesions. I can be more conservative about the cutting I do on teeth when I use compomers--I remove decay, and bond them to the tooth. They also release low levels of fluoride when in contact with saliva, and that can be a helpful feature in kids who are at high risk for repeated decay problems.
Come talk to my team, and we will help you navigate BPA issues, or the thousands of other dental questions you may have to keep your kids in great health. Make your visit today!
A study from a pediatric medicine journal, Pediatrics, was released last week. It links the presence of BPA-containing dental fillings to an increased risk for behavioral problems in kids.
An article was released yesterday on the Science News site that I applaud, because it offers a well-thought-out perspective regarding the research and its outcomes, and how the public should consider digesting the Pediatrics article.
BPA may not be going away anytime soon, but the exposure can be reduced for you and your family if you are willing to thoughtfully plan what you buy and/or consume. Same goes for dentistry. There are alternatives to BPA-containing materials.
Any of the articles released recently recognize the best solution for any tooth is to prevent decay before it happens. I absolutely agree. There is a MASSIVE potential for improvement in how parents and kids can prevent decay in kids' teeth. Four things to do: 1) Use a mechanical brush, and supervise or participate in brushing. 2) Make teeth resistant with periodic exposure to TOPICAL fluoride. 3) Be thoughtful about your kids' diets. Sugars and sodas are frowned upon with good reason. I feel there is no reason to include soda or sugar in regular life for kids. Disneyland, Christmas, and Halloween don't happen very often, and that's about the same for sugars and sodas. 4) Medical health and dental health are connected, so you need to consult a dentist with a sound knowledge of the connections for your kids, and keep your kids going to that dentist no less than twice a year for review and prevention. And if you recall the name of my blog, you'll know I am one of these dentists.
As a dentist, it is tough to offer a perfect solution for any patients' maladies. Tooth decay happens, and I have to treat decay thoughtfully. Dental professionals and researchers have not created the perfect material that is effective at replacing decayed tooth structure, look like real teeth, and can withstand rigorous daily chewing without chemical or physical breakdown.
There are, however, a couple of materials that I offer to my patients that get close to a perfect solution.
Amalgam, or silver filling, is the least expensive material available for decay. Amalgam works well to repair small to large decay defects, has appealing longevity in pediatric teeth, has excellent wear and tear resistance. Decades of research has failed to prove harmful physical effects of any of the components in amalgam. But there are countless anecdotal pieces that describe autoimmune diseases linked to amalgam, mercury poisoning, the list goes on. And the majority of families and patients that I talk to don't want that material used for health reasons as well as esthetic reasons in their kids. But it does look like crap, and requires a liberal amount of cutting away tooth in many cases, because I can't predictably bond amalgam to tooth, unlike composite or other tooth-colored materials. And I do not use this material in adult teeth, as amalgam increases the chances of cracked or fractured teeth.
Compomers are a relatively new type of tooth-colored filler that doesn't contain BPA. It is moderately wear-resistant. But it it not meant for long-term use in areas of heavy function and not meant for long-term use in adult teeth. In my experience, as well as the various literature reviews, compomers work well in pediatric teeth with small to moderately sized decay lesions. I can be more conservative about the cutting I do on teeth when I use compomers--I remove decay, and bond them to the tooth. They also release low levels of fluoride when in contact with saliva, and that can be a helpful feature in kids who are at high risk for repeated decay problems.
Come talk to my team, and we will help you navigate BPA issues, or the thousands of other dental questions you may have to keep your kids in great health. Make your visit today!
Health Information in Your Hands
iTriage is a trusted health information site that is a great resource for you when you are using your smartphone. It gives you immediate access to symptoms, diseases, treatment choices, as well as medical and dental providers.
iTriage provides address and contact information for our office. iTriage gives you a direct resource for understanding your dental problems and getting in touch with us easily.
Download iTriage through this link.
iTriage provides address and contact information for our office. iTriage gives you a direct resource for understanding your dental problems and getting in touch with us easily.
Download iTriage through this link.
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