⬇️ Below the Gumline
Living with the Fear of Lawsuits
Let’s talk about the quiet fear almost every dentist carries: the fear of being sued. You can be the most careful clinician in the world, and still, one complication, one misunderstanding, or one bad day can snowball into something that haunts your sleep. It’s easy to let that fear make you smaller — to do fewer extractions, refer more often, avoid complex cases, or practice defensively instead of confidently. But here’s the truth: hiding from fear never makes you safer. Mastery does. Build your systems, sharpen your skills, communicate clearly, and stop letting fear dictate your practice. This week, ask yourself: Are you living like someone running from fear… or someone trained to face it?
🔥 High-Speed Chatter
⚠️ Florida dentist faces state complaint after a patient death — a reminder that documentation and consent are not optional decorative paperwork.
Read More >💼 Minnesota AG files suit against Woodbury Dental — a cautionary tale in what happens when patient communication and refund policies go nuclear.
Read More >📉 Oregon struggles to find dentists willing to treat low-income kids — not a shocker, but the reasons behind it are worth a read if you’ve ever dipped your toes into Medicaid.
Read More >👮 Pullman dentist sentenced for Medicaid fraud — consider this your monthly reminder to know exactly what’s being billed under your NPI.
Read More >⚖️ Houston-area dentist faces wrongful death lawsuit — Castle Dental is in the spotlight again, and the details are… not pretty.
Read More >📘 CDT 2026 updates are here — and if you don’t want denied claims in January, now is the time to skim the new codes.
Read More >🧪 ADA begins discussions on future of licensure exams — because apparently the board exam drama never ends.
Read More >
🧪 The Research Says
⁇ The Question: Is Warm Vertical Compaction truly superior to Single Cone bioceramic obturation, or is this just leftover endodontic tradition?
📚 The Evidence:
Across multiple RCTs from 2024–2025 — including a brand-new 5-year JOE study — modern bioceramic single-cone obturation performs equally to warm vertical in healing, long-term success, and post-op pain. The only consistent difference? Warm vertical looks prettier on micro-CT… but doesn’t translate to better patient outcomes.
“Five-year success rates showed no statistical difference between single-cone bioceramic and continuous wave obturation.”
“Single cone required significantly less time with no increase in post-operative pain.”
✅ The Answer:
For routine cases, Warm Vertical is not clinically superior to Single Cone with high-quality bioceramic sealer. Outcomes are equivalent. Efficiency is not “lazy endo” — it’s supported by data.
🪥 The Application:
Use a Single Cone technique with bioceramic sealer for ~90% of everyday canals. Switch to Warm Vertical only for:
C-shaped molars
Large ribbon-shaped canals
Internal resorption
Highly irregular anatomy
A simple Anatomy-Based Protocol gives you the best of both worlds.
💰 Business Bites
Stop Letting Adjustments Quietly Eat Your Profit
Take 20 minutes today to dig through your adjustments report — line by line. You’ll be shocked how many write-offs are self-inflicted: incorrect PPO fee schedules, sloppy coding, team members trying to “help” patients, or outdated insurance tables. Tightening this up can raise your effective production overnight. If you want a fast way to increase profit, start by eliminating the money you’re accidentally giving away.
🤯 Productive Pearls
Pre-Plan Your Movements Before the Day Starts
Take 10 intentional minutes each morning and map your physical flow for the day. Decide in advance where you’ll stand, what order you’ll perform steps in, and what you’ll do in every pocket of downtime. The key efficiency move: pre-deciding instead of mid-procedure thinking. It reduces stress, saves minutes per patient, and compounds into hours saved per week.
💉 Mental Anesthesia
This week’s laugh comes from a perfectly stupid YouTube clip that somehow gets funnier the longer you watch it. If you’ve ever felt like dentistry is one long series of “what just happened?” moments… this one’s for you.
🤝 Got a Question? Got a Friend? 🤝
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