HEATING PAD ON BACK

Now this isn’t some new crazy discovery or invention, but for those of you that haven’t tried a heating pad, I would recommend you try one ASAP. 

I had never used heating pads before and one time my mother-in-law had one out so I decided to try it in bed and ever since then I use it almost every night. After a long day at work it really helps loosen up my muscles and just overall relax. 

Even if you don’t have back pain its just a great way to relax and unwind.

I also like that you can get these for relatively cheap and they’re easy to use anywhere. 

HYPERICE HYPERVOLT MASSAGE GUN 

I absolutely love the Hypervolt Massage Gun. It feels so amazing and if you’re looking for something a strong to help with muscle pain/soreness or knots this machine works wonders. 

Now with that being said this is definitely on the pricey side(> $200)

I know they have other brands that are cheaper, but I can’t really speak to their quality. 

Also another thing to consider is that if you don’t have someone to actually use the massage gun on you, its really hard to reach the back so you do kind of need a partner for this.

So usually after work my husband and I have to take turns doing it on each other. 

He does try to get longer times with it so I do have to set a timer so its fair 🙂 . . . 

FOAM ROLLER FOR BACK PAIN

This is another relatively cheap item that can make a huge difference. We have a large medicine ball as well as a foam roller that I sometimes use after work.

I literally just put the ball on my back and do a little backbend over it and just being able to do that stretch makes a big difference in my back stiffness.

The foam roller is also really nice on the back, but I personally prefer the medicine ball because I feel like I can get a bigger stretch. 

YOGA MAT FOR BACK PAIN

Now I know yoga may not be everyone cup of tea, but just doing some basic stretches on a yoga mat in the morning or at night can make a world of difference.

I know its not easy to always go to a yoga class, but this is something anyone can do in their living room there are lots of free video classes online.

I try to do a little yoga stretching at least once a week; I really should do it more often. And even just doing a 15-20 min session makes me feel a lot better after work. 

JACUZZI FOR BACK PAIN

I absolutely the jets on the jacuzzi or hot tub. I use it a couple times a week; however, I understand this might not be an option for everyone. 

Taking a hot bath can help loosen up those back muscles and overall help you relax. 

I hope this gave you guys some ideas on how to help with back soreness at home. If you guys watching have any other products or advice please share down below. And thanks for watching! 

Full disclosure: I receive a commission if you purchase the dental products through my referral links. This helps me run this blog & I appreciate the support.

THREE DENTAL BUSINESS BOOKS I 100% RECOMMEND

INTRAORAL CAMERA IN DENTISTRY

The intraoral camera is one of my favorite tools for communicating with my patients clearly. . .  The most important things I illustrate are listed below: 

• Deep Cracks 
• Tooth Decay 
• Oral Pathology 

Deep Cracks 

One of the most difficult things to communicate to patients involves cracks around existing restorations including large amalgam fillings or deep cracks on virgin teeth.

Superficial cracks can sometimes be asymptomatic which makes it difficult for patients to understand the potential consequences of leaving these cracks untreated.

Fortunately, the intraoral camera allows us to show these cracks visibly to our patients. 

Tooth Decay 

This is by far my favorite reasons to use intraoral cameras. Radiographs give our patients an idea of the extent of tooth decay; however, it is more impactful to show a picture illustrating how large decay extends.

Sometimes, I do this during the treatment planning step; however, it can be impactful to take multiple photos throughout the caries excavation process.

This allows the patient to understand the extent of the decay if it turns into more extensive treatment processes like root canal therapy or extraction. This is also a powerful documentation tool if needed after the procedure is complete. 

Oral Pathology  

During our clinical examinations, we are sometimes presented with lesions that present themselves on the soft tissue of the mouth including areas under the ventral surface of the tongue, the cheek or the palate.

If the lesions look unfavorable, I refer out to the oral pathologist or oral surgeon for biopsy; however, a quick dental photograph allows us to investigate the lesions further with our colleagues. I always take a photo of any lesion that looks suspicious. 

 INTRAORAL CAMERA BENEFITS 

So should you buy an intraoral camera or a dental photography camera . . . . 

In my practice, both tools have completely different purposes. The dental photography camera allows me to take beautiful high quality before / after images of cosmetic cases as well as clearly communicate to my dental laboratory when performing indirect restorations.

However, a true professional camera can take a little bit extra time to setup and has a stepper learning curve than an intraoral camera. 

The intraoral camera in dentistry allows me to take quick photos during my preparations or during the treatment planning process. The team can quickly learn how to take photos fast and it can clearly communicate treatment to patients by being immediately illustrated on a monitor in front of our patients. 

INTRAORAL CAMERA PRICE

Amazon Best Intraoral Camera 

MOUTHWATCH INTRAORAL CAMERA

MouthWatch Intraoral Camera Reviews 

The MouthWatch Intraoral Camera is the most popular camera reviewed by dentists on forums that I've seen through on facebook & other dental forums. This camera has been recommended due to its low price point and high quality of images.

Similar to the Daryou, MouthWatch claims a high quality image with a fixed focus lens & usb compatibility. It is lightweight & has a capture button that is compatible with most dental software.

From my research, I believe the MouthWatch and the Darylou can be combined in the same category as budget friendly intraoral cameras. Personally, I prefer the Darylou as once again I value affordability since I believe these cameras will be replaced multiple times throughout my career.

The most important factor is going to be diagnostic quality & from what I have seen both deliver diagnostic capabilities.

I have listed the top features of the MouthWatch Intraoral Camera Below: 

DEXIS INTRAORAL CAMERA

Dexis Intraoral Camera 

The Dexis Intraoral Camera is a premium device for those that want the highest quality regardless of price. The newest Dexis camera is called the DEXIS™ DEXcam 4 HD & can be priced at over $1000. However, there are some qualities that make this camera rise above many of the budget devices. 

We must first note the elevation of image quality in a premium product like the Dexis Intraoral Camera. It has a 1.3 million pixel CMOS sensor that delivers high resolution images that can be critically important when treatment planning. 

This premium intraoral camera also offers 5 different field of view levels that can be toggled with the click of a button. This allows dentists to deliver narrowly focused images or wider images if needed to present different treatments. 

I do believe the price is a bit high for an intraoral camera; however, if crystal clear images are needed in your practice then I would consider purchasing this device. 

That's it! 

I hope you enjoyed this brief blog about intraoral cameras. Wishing the best! 

Full disclosure: I receive a commission if you purchase the dental products through my referral links. This helps me run this blog & I appreciate the support.

THREE DENTAL BUSINESS BOOKS I 100% RECOMMEND

RUBBER DAM ISOLATION BENEFITS

All restorative dentists need to learn how to apply the rubber dam for a number of reasons. I’ve listed my top 4 benefits below: 

Visibility- If the rubber dam is applied correctly, you will automatically have increased visibility on the teeth that need to be restored. A tight cheek, large tongue & over-active salivary gland immediately vanish behind the rubber dam sheet which allows you to focus intently on the task at hand. Your work becomes easier when your focus in on teeth & teeth alone. 

Retraction- Your assistant will thank you for helping them retract the tongue in lower quadrant cases where a curious tongue tends to drift towards the high speed drill. This can be incredibly tiring especially if you have a long appointment scheduled with your patient. 

Aspiration- You haven’t felt fear until you have seen a crown or implant screw swimming around the back of the patients throat. A “throat pack” does not give you necessary protection from aspiration.

A properly placed rubber dam gives you a much higher probability of protection from liquids or dental objects being displaced in the lungs of your patients. 

Bonding- If you are practicing biomimetic dentistry then you should be concerning yourself with obtaining the highest degree of bonding in your restorative work. Rubber dam placement prevents moisture contamination much better than a cotton roll or dry angle will ever do. 

RUBBER DAM CLAMP SELECTION

Let’s dive into how each clamp helps. 

The 12A/13A rubber dam clamps are used as the master clamps on posterior teeth. It holds the rubber dam & is attached to the anchor tooth. The serrations give you more grip on the tooth and the smaller width side is applied to the lingual surface of the teeth. This is a general rule and should be considered for quadrant dentistry. 

The B1,B2,B3 wingless rubber dam clamps are used for prepped molars, partially erupted molars or small molars. Consider using some of the clamps if you need to deliver a posterior ceramic restoration & require adequate isolation. 

The B4 clamp is useful to isolate anterior teeth or premolars during delivery of ceramic veneers & crowns. 

The B5 or B6 clamps are used when margins are deep ad stronger force is required to reposition the gingival tissue. Dr. Calin Pop shows a technique in one of his lessons where he cuts the clamp into two in order to deliver 2 units at the same time. 

The “No 2” clamp from the hygienic fiesta kit can be used as an anchor clamp to provide more visibility & access as your work. It is typically positioned on the contralateral premolar w/out perforating the rubber dam. 

Once again, thank you to Dr. Calin Pop for organizing & reassembling my rubber dam clamps in a way that makes sense. His course can be found here.

RUBBER DAM TEMPLATE

RUBBER DAM CROWN PREPARATION

Believe it or not, it is possible to prepare a crown with the rubber dam on. The same principles apply as mentioned above with a slight modification. The majority of the crown preparation can be complete using occlusal reduction burs and creating a circumferential margin with your preferred diamond bur. 

However, if you need to perform sub / equigingival margins to mask discoloration on a tooth or to remove a deep cavity, the rubber dam can get in the way as you prep the tooth.

At this point you can create a split dam or you can remove the entire apparatus to finish the preparation including the cord placement and margin refinement. 

To be honest, I do not do this often but I plan on implementing crown preparation under rubber dam isolation in the near future. 

I will continue to update this blog post as I have more information regarding rubber dam placement. Thanks for reading!

Full disclosure: I receive a commission if you purchase the dental products through my referral links. This helps me run this blog & I appreciate the support. 

THREE DENTAL BUSINESS BOOKS I 100% RECOMMEND

HOW TO FIND A JOB AT A DENTAL OFFICE ?

The three most common ways to find a job as a dentist include job listings, dental societies & word of mouth.

Dental Job listings can be found on sites like craigslist & indeed. These sites store listings from dental practice owners all over the country. Simply input the location you want to work / job position to have access to a list of dental practices. When you click submit, there will be a variety of potential job opportunities at your fingertips. . . 

Each of these listings will tell you what they consider to be the "ideal" candidate. Some may require a minimum of 5 years experience while other are willing to accept new graduates immediately.

Typically, each listing will provide a description of services they look for in their candidate . . .

Some offices may want you to be adept in the full scope of dental services including molar root canals, surgical extractions, implant therapy & much more. . .

It's important for you to decide whether you are comfortable providing the full spectrum of services or if you want to solely stick to restorative dentistry.

Tip1: Don't be afraid to send out an application even if you do not match all the criteria listed in the job application. 

SALARY AT CORPORATE OFFICE VS PRIVATE PRACTICE?

Base Pay  

The three most basic salary models include percentage of production/collection, base salary & a combination of the two. 

Immediately out of dental school, you can expect a base salary between $500-$700 a day (According to anecdotal data from colleagues in Southern California). I've found that this pay is pretty standard for private practices hiring a new grad. 

A base salary is beneficial because it offers stable pay every day whether or not patients walk through the door. . . However, if you are performing more complex restorative work then you should consider a percentage of production. 

Percentage of Production/Collection

I've seen percentages that range from 24% - 33%.

These percentages vary depending on the expertise of the doctor & the complexity of treatment being offered. It's typically offered at corporate offices that have daily production goals. 

This model is beneficial to those that plan on working at a busy dental office or those that perform more complex procedures including wisdom tooth extraction, molar root canals & implant therapy. 

Combination

The last model involves some combination of base salary and percentage of production.

The dental practice owner will give you a minimum base salary; however, if your percentage of production exceeds the minimum then your compensation will be adjusted accordingly.

This model is unique because it gives new dentists a bit of financial security while still compensating them for the work they put in every single day. 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORPORATE DENTAL OFFICE & PRIVATE PRACTICE?

Choosing a dental practice  can be an incredibly difficult decision. In this section, I want to go over some of the differences between working at a corporate office vs a private practice. 

DENTAL MENTORSHIP

I believe that finding an incredible mentor should be a goal for any dental graduate. Dentistry can break you down as it challenges your technical, interpersonal & leadership skills every single day.

It's one of the most challenging professions & having a great mentor will make your life easier during the most trying of times. 

I've been very fortunate to have mentors that have shaped my outlook on the type of dentistry I plan on practicing in the future. These relationship were fostered in private practices I worked for immediately after dental school.

There is nothing more powerful then watching how a dentist runs their practice & keeps their business productive. 

During my time at a corporate office, I was not able to find a mentor to lean on. Most dentists (including myself) were incredibly busy treating patients.

So, I definitely encourage new grads to consider working a few days at private dental office to gain that incredible mentorship immediately out of dental school.    

TYPES OF PROCEDURES

One of the most important things I considered when choosing a dental office was the types of dental procedures the office allowed me to do. You would think that all offices give you the autonomy to perform any dental procedure but that is simply not the case. 

Some corporate offices have specialists that perform extractions, orthodontics, gum surgeries & root canals. This ultimately leaves you with purely restorative work. Accordingly, if you are looking to expand your set of skills, this practice would not be for you. This is not limited to corporate as I've worked at some private practices that prefer I stick to basic restorative work. 

You have to decide what dentistry you are comfortable with & whether you want to do more complicated cases. If the answer is "yes", then you need to actively search for practices that allow you to do these procedures. 

PATIENT POPULATION

What is the patient population that you care to serve? Are you comfortable working in a low income community. Are you comfortable working for patients that are highly demanding? 

These are questions that you will have to find answers to as you discover what type of dentistry you wish to practice in the next 5 years. I have found that offices in low income communities have a much higher daily patient volume than dental practices in high income communities. 

This can be cumbersome; however, I have found that these patients are incredibly grateful, compassionate & loving.

On the other hand, you may work for a dental practice with an owner doc that has been there for over 20 years. Existing patient may feel; uncomfortable or even annoyed that they have to see "the new doc". 

These are problems that you may come across as you choose the right practice for you. 

OFFICE MANAGERS

Office managers can make your life miserable or wonderful so make sure that you choose an office that has an OM that works for you. The role of the office manager is to keep the practice productive & manage the entire team. 

As you work at dental practices, you may notice that the office manager will push certain treatment plans. They may question the types of procedures that you do.

This can be a very uncomfortable experience & you may have to make the decision to leave the office if you are unable to control the situation. 

I would recommend trying to work through differences with your office manager. Always place your ethics & moral responsibility to the care of you patients first. 

Well, I hope this blog cleared up any questions you may have about finding a job as a dentist. As always, I appreciate your time and make sure to check out my youtube channel down below!

THREE DENTAL BUSINESS BOOKS I 100% RECOMMEND