Dentaltown November 2013 - (Page 22)

second opinion column Role of » TheMedicine Teamwork in the Third Era of Physicians, dentists and hygienists must work together to develop a new standard of care. by Charles Whitney, MD Second opinions are common in health care, whether a doctor is sorting out a difficult case or a patient is not sure what to do next. In the context of our magazine, the first opinion will always belong to the reader. This feature will allow fellow dental professionals to share their opinions on various topics, providing you with a "second opinion." Perhaps some of these observations will change your mind, while others will solidify your position. In the end, our goal is to create discussion and debate to enrich our profession. - Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine The Shortcomings of Neck-down Medical Training It seems every day there's a new study published that further validates the belief that oral health has a great impact on overall health. In a February 2013 study published in Circulation, the Journal of the American Heart Association, it was discovered that up to 50 percent of heart attacks may be caused by oral bacteremia. A physician's effort to reduce our patients' risk of many systemic diseases is incomplete without the assistance of dental professionals. But what good is this research to patients if their physicians and dentists can't connect the dots in clinical practice, to help their patients achieve optimal health? As a physician, I was not always such a strong advocate of working closely with my dentist and hygienist colleagues. In seven years of medical training, my education regarding the oral cavity was exactly one lecture! I did not know how much infected gums could wreak havoc on the overall health of my patients being treated for cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and many others. I did not realize that my young female patients may significantly reduce their risk of miscarriage and pre-term labor by simply creating a healthy oral cavity. My Oral Health Epiphany I have since had a postgraduate oral health epiphany thanks to the teaching of Dr. Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen, LNP, the originators of the Bale/Doneen method of heart attack and stroke prevention. These medical pioneers, who lecture at places such as the Cleveland Clinic, showed me that bacteria in the oral cavity are significant contributors to heart disease, and may often be the trigger for an event such as a heart attack. As an advocate of the third era of medicine, which is focused on the prevention of disease rather than managing illness, this was great news! If I could reduce the bacteria load in my patients' mouths and prevent the passage of bacteria into the bloodstream, I could significantly lower their risk of heart attack and stroke. But I could not do this alone. I needed to work closely with a dentist. Today I work with many dentists and their hygiene teams as I strive to help my patients achieve optimal health. Another pillar of the third era of medicine is collaborating with other health-care providers to provide comprehensive care, with the ultimate goal to empower the patients to create optimal health. In fact, if it were not for the valuable alliances I've forged with my local dental community, I would not be able to confidently offer this guarantee to my patients: "If you suffer a heart attack or stroke while under my care, I will refund fees you've paid in the past year." This is a powerful pact, with great potential financial risk, especially when you consider that I have a direct primary care practice that charges a monthly fee for a highly personalized level of care. Physicians Can be Catalysts for Dental Patient Compliance As a physician, I am now on a personal mission to urge my medical colleagues to update their patient history questionnaires to include the question, "Do you see blood in the sink when you brush or floss your teeth, or when you receive cleaning from your hygienist?" If the answer is yes, the physician should strongly suggest that the patient have the problem addressed by his or her dentist. If the patient does not have a regular dentist, the physician should provide a list of recommended dentists with expecontinued on page 24 22 NOVEMBER 2013 » dentaltown.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown November 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: Not Getting it Done? Hire a Consultant
Professional Courtesy: Painful Advertising
Continuing Education Update
Second Opinion: The Role of Teamwork in the Third Era of Medicine
Deprogrammed Open Bite Can Help with Veneers
Bruxism Worse with Splint
Corporate Profile: Burbank Dental Laboratory
Product Profile: Eaglesoft 17
Debunking the Social Stigma of Stress
The Personal Side of Stress
In Your Face: Facing the Realities of Stress in Dentistry
When Tragedy Strikes: How to Prepare for and Recover from a Natural Disaster
The Latex Problem: It’s More Complicated Than You Think
Why Dentists Require Specific Exercise
How Much Money Can You Make When You’re Dead?
Denture Stabilizations with Small-diameter Implants
You Should Know: CrownMen
Product Profile: Synergy
Product Profile: NuSmiles ZR
Continuing Education: The New Evolution of Chariside CAD/CAM Technology
Ad Index
In This Issue: Dry Brush Inside Bottom Teeth First
Perio Reports
Dentally Incorrect
101 Ways to Reduce Stress
Achieving Goal Congruency

Dentaltown November 2013