Has the time come for dental month to die?February 7, 2023Could 2023 be the year dental discounts die? When National Pet Dental Health Month began in February two decades ago, its goal was to educate pet owners and fill seasonal downturns for practices. Deliberate discounts have mutated into marketing monsters for hospitals. Many practices have jampacked dental schedules from January to March to accommodate the demand.
SPONSORED CONTENTAre Your Patients Fully Protected?Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites—dogs face multiple threats. See how a multi-parasite approach can offer your patients a broad range of protection. + Learn More
A 'mini' new technology for jaw fracturesJanuary 13, 2023Bioresorbable miniplates to repair maxillofacial fractures has been available in human maxillofacial surgery for a long time, but as is often the case, it takes a while for new techniques and equipment to “trickle down” to our veterinary patients.
A brief history of veterinary specialtiesDecember 20, 2022The Veterinary Dental Forum (VDF) provides educational opportunities for people who are at various levels of their dental journey, including fundamental, intermediate, advanced, research, anesthesia, and technician lecture tracks.
Deciphering an odd dental imageDecember 1, 2022One of Dr. John Lewis's favorite parts of writing the monthly column for Veterinary Practice News is presenting cases that are rarely seen, so when you come across them in practice, you will have the answers. These dental “zebras” are rare findings or conditions that you will not see every day, but you will likely see during your career.
One vet's tips for safer dental proceduresOctober 20, 2022Diagnostic testing continues to be a great tool to procure as much information as possible about a patient’s health—even mitigating serious risk in certain situations. Testing prior to dental procedures can be particularly important, as oral health evaluation and treatment require use of anesthesia.
How a vet tech found her niche in dentistryOctober 20, 2022No longer is a veterinary technician merely responsible for restraint and drawing up vaccines. There are specialization opportunities, academic opportunities, lab animal medicine, authorship opportunities, and leadership roles within every practice.
What can cause pet tooth resorption?September 23, 2022The cause of tooth resorption likely resides in an environmental change or aspect of domestication that 1) has increased in popularity since the 1960s, and 2) is capable of causing changes to the entire periodontium of multiple, if not all, permanent teeth.
How to organize your dental scheduleSeptember 6, 2022Talk with your team about ways to streamline admissions, budget procedure time, and set clear expectations for clients. You and your clients deserve smooth, efficient check-ins.
Diagnosing tooth resorption in cats and dogsAugust 11, 2022Cats almost never get cavities, but they are prone to get cavity-like tooth defects called tooth resorption. Tooth resorption has had many different names through the years, including cervical line lesions, neck lesions, feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORL) and “feline odontolysis.” Recent studies have helped clarify this disease starts on the root surface and not specifically at the cervical portion of the tooth, so we now simply call it “tooth resorption” (TR).
Nutrition's role in dental healthAugust 3, 2022Nutrition can play a role in proper formation of the immature teeth. During amelogenesis (development of the organic enamel matrix and its subsequent mineralization), lack of proper nutrition can result in enamel hypoplasia or hypomineralization.
