⬇️ Below the Gumline
There’s a special kind of anxiety that creeps in when a shiny new dental office opens nearby. You start wondering if your patients will wander over for the free whitening special or the fancy espresso machine. But here’s the truth: patients don’t leave practices they love — they leave ones that don’t meet their needs. The best way to compete isn’t price, perks, or panic; it’s consistency. Know your value, communicate it clearly, and double down on the relationships that got you here. Fear is a lousy growth strategy — connection is a great one.
🔥 High-Speed Chatter
🦷 37 States Push Back on Dental Insurers — Over three dozen dental insurance reform laws passed this year, signaling a major shift in leverage back to providers. Read More >
🔒 Court Shuts Down Dentist Over Drug Charges — A Missouri dentist’s office was closed by court order following serious criminal allegations. Wild story. Read More >
🚫 Iowa Dentist Surrenders License for Incompetence — A cautionary tale in professional accountability — this one’s hard to believe. Read More >
🧠 Researchers Link Heart Attacks to Oral Bacteria — Yep, another reminder that dentistry isn’t just about teeth — it’s systemic. Read More >
📉 1 in 4 Dentists Have Dropped Insurers in 2025 — The insurance exodus is real. Dentists are done playing reimbursement roulette. Read More >
⚖️ California Dental Association Loses Delta Lawsuit Appeal — A tough break for CDA in its ongoing battle against Delta Dental. Read More >
🤯 The Most Frequent Dental Mistake Might Surprise You — Hint: it’s not a crown margin. Read More >
💪 Egyptian Strongman Pulls Ship with His Teeth — Finally, a marketing idea for your next community event. Read More >
📚 New Study: Dental Research Gets a Major AI Boost — Machine learning is changing how we predict caries risk and restoration failure. Read More >
🧪 The Research Says
⁇ The Question: How long do dental sealants actually last before they fail or need replacing?
⚖️ The Evidence: Long-term studies show sealant retention drops over time — but good ones last longer than you’d think. Resin-based sealants hold about 80–85% retention at 5 years, while glass ionomer sealants lose roughly half within 2–3 years. Technique matters more than brand: poor isolation kills longevity faster than any material flaw.
Key stat: Light-cured resin sealants show ~83% full retention at 5 years.
The Answer: A well-placed resin sealant can protect a tooth for five years or more, but it’s not forever. Expect wear or partial loss, especially on molars with heavy occlusion.
The Application: Check sealants at every recall. Repair early, don’t wait for total loss. Focus on isolation and clean margins, and remind patients that sealants are a maintained barrier, not a lifetime fix.
💰 Business Bites
💰 Before You Open a Second Location, Read This.
Opening a second dental practice feels like the ultimate milestone — but for most dentists, it’s the biggest financial mistake they’ll ever make. Expansion doesn’t fix stress, burnout, or broken systems; it multiplies them. The “Ego,” “Escape,” “Space,” and “Opportunity” traps lure dentists into premature growth, often sinking both offices. Before expanding, your first practice must pass the three-part stress test: it runs without you, has a true leadership team, and produces massive, predictable profit. Even then, beware of culture drift, patient cannibalization, and cash-flow drain. The only right reason to expand? When your first office runs so well you’re genuinely bored — not desperate for escape.
🤯 Productive Pearls
⏱️ Knowing When to Skip the Heroics Saves You Time (and Headaches).
One of the fastest ways to lose time, money, and sanity is trying to “save” a tooth that was never restorable in the first place. Before you dive into endo, ask: Is there 2mm of ferrule? Subcrestal decay? Deep cracks? Furcation involvement? If yes, extraction wins every time. Always confirm the patient is financially committed to the crown, not just the root canal, or you’re setting up a failure. Build a quick mental checklist: restorability, perio support, patient compliance, long-term value. The best endo you’ll ever do is the one you wisely never start.
💉 Mental Anesthesia
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