Dental Links and Things, 2-14-2012. Carestream at the Olympics and FDA Probes Handheld X-Ray Units

Dental Phobia: 7 Common Fears, and How to Conquer Them

We're all well aware that patient apprehension plays a major role in the practice of dentistry.  Here's how to beat 7 causes of that apprehension.

1. Fear of the unknown 2. Fear of the dental equipment 3. Sensitive gag reflex 4. The Dentist seems ominous 5.  Fear of loud noises 6.  Feeling uncomfortable lying back in a dentist's chair 7.  Unable to breathe through the nose

Since I started working with dental equipment I can certainly say the familiarity has all but eliminated #2 for me.  What do you do to help your patients control their anxiety?

Pennsylvania Dental Association Provides Pointers on What to Do in a Dental Emergency

A good list of pointers from Dentistry IQ.  Unfortunately I've had to deal with more than a couple of these injuries myself  so I can vouch for the importance of being prepared.

Carestream Dental to Provide Dental Equipment for Olympic Games

Carestream will reportedly supply their R4 Practice Management Software and digital imaging technology for use in the London games.

FDA Probes Illegal Sale of Handheld Dental X-Ray Devices

I've seen this discussion pop up periodically on various forums and dental blogs regarding FDA approval for handheld x-ray devices.  Unfortunately the article doesn't go into the specific models to watch out for.  We do know that the Aribex Nomad is cleared for use in almost every state and the ones you want to watch out for are GenX, PROX and unit made in Korea.  The FDA Recommends:

• Verify the presence of required labels on the device.
• Ask vendors whether the device has been reviewed and cleared by the FDA.
• Access the FDA Medical Device Approvals and Clearances searchable database to verify that the FDA has cleared an X-ray unit.
• Contact their state regulatory agency if they become aware of a device that may be hazardous or does not meet the FDA’s requirements.