Subject(s)
Asymptomatic Infections/epidemiology , COVID-19 , Communicable Disease Control , Disease Transmission, Infectious/prevention & control , Masks , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Communicable Disease Control/methods , Communicable Disease Control/organization & administration , Contact Tracing/methods , Contact Tracing/statistics & numerical data , Delivery of Health Care/methods , Delivery of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data , Health Surveys , Humans , Incidence , Masks/statistics & numerical data , Masks/supply & distribution , North Carolina/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The dental laboratory industry appears to need immediate change to face many challenges, the four most significant of which are described in this column and in our column in May JADA. The first article on this subject described the current challenges facing the laboratory industry, as determined by conference attendees representing all aspects of the dental industry and related professions. This article reports on the suggestions made by attendees of this conference to solve the identified challenges.
Subject(s)
Laboratories, Dental/organization & administration , Technology, Dental/education , Certification , Curriculum , Dental Technicians/education , Dentists/psychology , Device Approval , Humans , Interdisciplinary Communication , Laboratories, Dental/standards , Public Relations , United States , United States Food and Drug Administration , West IndiesABSTRACT
Undoubtedly, the four challenges facing dental technology we have described in this article are not the only ones, but they are the major ones as identified by the participants in the Dental Technology Summit. The attendees conducted active discussion on all of these points and developed potential solutions. It was gratifying to see the various political and organizational factions agree on the challenges, and the participants felt at the conclusion of the conference that the described challenges are, in fact, those that need immediate attention. We will discuss suggested potential solutions in a column in the June issue of JADA.
Subject(s)
Laboratories, Dental/organization & administration , Technology, Dental/education , Certification , Dental Technicians/education , Dentists , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Outsourced Services , United States , WorkforceABSTRACT
A 31-year-old patient complained of severe crushing chest pain that radiated to his left arm and jaw. After admission to the hospital, tests revealed a normal electrocardiogram, normal treadmill, normal coronary arteriogram, and normal cardiac enzymes. However, the patient continued to have pain, which was relieved by sublingual and intravenous nitroglycerine. He was discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of "musculoskeletal" chest pain, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and narcotics. Two weeks later, the patient returned with worsening symptoms. Cardiac work-up was again negative. Thoracic and cervical spine radiographs were ordered for possible discogenic pain. After abnormalities were found on cervical radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was ordered, and the patient was referred to an orthopedic surgeon. Further work-up revealed a herniated disk at C6-C7, with radicular pain. Surgery on the suspect disk totally relieved the patient's pain.