Dentalcompare
Clinical Director
Times are definitely different than they were even five years ago. As the economy changed the dynamics of our country, disposable income shrank and there was less money for elective procedures such as whitening or veneers. Massive home equity lines were no longer accessible to have that $45,000 oral remodel. In the meantime, more and more research emerged about the link between oral health, and systemic health. Its not that our practice hasn't focused on oral health before cosmetic procedures, but the message is finally getting out to the general public.
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal posted an article about this very topic. It is one of the better summaries I have read, and puts it all out there in plain english.
It presents a great way to brush up on the facts as a dentist, and a great tool to present to patients to better understand how important it is to keep their oral health in check. There is also a great little graphic that puts it all together in an easy to read way.
2012 will most definitely prove to expand our understanding of the oral/systemic link. As a dentist, it is important to understand the role we play in the overall health of our patients, no matter how many veneers we do.