Medical Malpractice Insurance News

From humble beginnings in Mumbai, India, to leadership roles at every level of organized dentistry, Dr. Chad Gehani is the epitome of a heartwarming success story and a man with a full personal and professional life. Serving as president of the ADA through October 2020, Dr. Gehani led the charge to keep dentists apprised of ever-changing information as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and provided guidelines and strategies as dental practices began to reopen. We asked Dr. Gehani to share some of his experiences, as well as his thoughts on why membership is important to both the individual dentist and the profession.

The use of radiology modalities in dentistry can be viewed from both a clinical and legal perspective. As a dentist, it’s important to continually update your knowledge of radiology modalities, guidelines, standard of care and malpractice.

This year, dentists have navigated many unforeseen challenges and transitions, showing how vital it is for dental practices to discuss their emergency preparedness plans and make improvements where necessary. We take you through some of the steps you should follow to make sure you and your practice are ready for anything.

A recent American Dental Association (ADA) teledentistry policy update addresses the virtual service at a crucial moment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ADA asserts that care via teledentistry can be an effective way of expanding dental reach and should be consistent with in-person care.

Nearly all dental practices have resumed service, taking extra precautions due to the continued threat of COVID-19 and the emerging flu season. As patients returned, dentists saw the toll the pandemic was taking on teeth through an increase in stress-related oral health conditions.

Dental amalgam is “durable, safe and effective” despite containing mercury, the American Dental Association reaffirmed, responding to a recent statement by the Food and Drug Administration.

The American Dental Association emphasized that dentists, as essential health care workers, should be among those groups allowed early access to the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that people delay dental care. However, as stated in a recent statement, the American Dental Association (ADA) “respectfully yet strongly disagrees.”

To help dentists plan for recovery, the ADA in March began projecting the effects of the pandemic. In its most recent iteration of the data, the ADA foresees four likely scenarios, barring another shutdown.

When dental practices return to more standard care, they’ll have to do so while mitigating the spread of the virus. The ADA’s Interim Mask and Face Shield Guidelines are available to help them prioritize the safety of patients, dentists and staff as long as COVID-19 infection remains a risk.