Schedule for Rating Disabilities; Dental and Oral Conditions. Final rule.

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Schedule for Rating Disabilities by revising the portion of the schedule that addresses dental and oral conditions. The effect of this action is to ensure that the rating schedule uses current medical terminology and to provide detailed and updated criteria for evaluation of dental and oral conditions for disability rating purposes.

The Essential Types of Insurance for New Dentists.

Although these insurance options may seem overwhelming and expensive, consider the cost of not having proper coverage in place if something catastrophic happens, such as a disability or lawsuit early in your career. Being a dentist is one of the best occupations there is. The future of dentistry is bright and new dentists can make a great living with a successful career that lasts as long as they want. Part of that successful career is being sure you have the right type of coverage in place so that if something catastrophic happens the insurance company takes the risk rather than your practice, your professional reputation, or your pocket book.

Occupational hazards in dentistry.

Professional risk factors in dentistry may harm the dentist and the dental team. It is essential for the dentist to recognize these risk factors and protect against them. Among the various organs that are vulnerable in the dental situation are (in a nut-shell): The eyes, the ears, the respiratory system, the palm of the hand, and the back and the vertebrae. In addition, the dentist and the dental team must recognizes the potential for Hepatitis (A, B, C, D, E), and for the acquired immune deficiency syndrome due to the HIV virus. The primary means for protecting against these potential hazardous factors is meticulously keeping proper working conditions such as good ventilation of the operating room, using face masks which are capable of blocking even small particles, using eye protection and gloves, and proper seating at the chair. It is reasonable to adopt a routine of taking a vaccine against Influenza and Hepatitis B, and to routinely check the level of antibodies for Hepatitis B. Personal accidents- and severe-diseases-insurances, as well as insurance against losing the ability to work are advised for every dentist.

Cumulative costs for the prosthetic reconstructions and maintenance in young adult patients with birth defects affecting the formation of teeth.

OBJECTIVES: To assess retrospectively the cumulative costs for the long-term oral rehabilitation of patients with birth defects affecting the development of teeth. METHODS: Patients with birth defects who had received fixed reconstructions on teeth and/or implants > or =5 years ago were asked to participate in a comprehensive clinical, radiographic and economic evaluation. RESULTS: From the 45 patients included, 18 were cases with a cleft lip and palate, five had amelogenesis/dentinogenesis imperfecta and 22 were cases with hypodontia/oligodontia. The initial costs for the first oral rehabilitation (before the age of 20) had been covered by the Swiss Insurance for Disability. The costs for the initial rehabilitation of the 45 cases amounted to 407,584 CHF (39% for laboratory fees). Linear regression analyses for the initial treatment costs per replaced tooth revealed the formula 731 CHF+(811 CHF x units) on teeth and 3369 CHF+(1183 CHF x units) for reconstructions on implants (P<.001). Fifty-eight percent of the patients with tooth-supported reconstructions remained free from failures/complications (median observation 15.7 years). Forty-seven percent of the patients with implant-supported reconstructions remained free from failures/complications (median observation 8 years). The long-term cumulative treatment costs for implant cases, however, were not statistically significantly different compared with cases reconstructed with tooth-supported fixed reconstructions. Twenty-seven percent of the initial treatment costs were needed to cover supportive periodontal therapy as well as the treatment of technical/biological complications and failures. CONCLUSION: Insurance companies should accept to cover implant-supported reconstructions because there is no need to prepare healthy teeth, fewer tooth units need to be replaced and the cumulative long-term costs seem to be similar compared with cases restored on teeth.

Insurance: a dynamic process.

From graduation to retirement, insurance plays an important part of a dentist's professional and personal life. The intent of this article is to offer an overview of the needs and solutions for obtaining coverage. This article is not advice for a practitioner's personal choice of insurance purchases but is only a discussion. The framework of the discussion will be the four stages of dentistry: beginning a career, starting a practice, enriching a career, and preparing for retirement.

Securing your financial future.

Securing one's financial future requires dedication and planning. A clear plan must be implemented and continually re-examined to assure an individual remains on track to achieve this security. True success of the plan will be dependent upon taking the appropriate steps to protecting one's assets against unfortunate events along with building assets with a clear end goal in mind. This article will cover the fundamental steps an individual can take to secure their financial future.

Are you ready for that rainy day?

When taking out income protection, always insist that the company providing it will cover you for your 'own' occupation and not just 'any' occupation or a 'suited' one. Be aware of the deferred period or 'waiting time' and try and get some 'Day 1' in place. The younger a dentist decides to take out income protection, the better. Not only will they secure cover at a reasonable price now, but they will also be able to maintain it for their whole career.

Insurance planning for dentists and dental practices.

There are a myriad of insurance products available for the dentist and his dental practice. Care must be taken to ensure that all risks have been reviewed and the appropriate risks covered with an insurance plan. Taking the time to solidify your base helps to ensure a strong financial plan for years to come.

The transition from resident to private practice--important financial decisions.

A newly graduated resident faces many new challenges in the first year of practice. Foremost among these is how to handle the newfound wealth that typically accompanies the transition from residency to a successful practice. The ramifications of these decisions are not insignificant. This article explains the important financial considerations a new practitioner must face in the transition from resident to private practice.