The holidays have come and gone, we've caught up with family and friends, and most of us have probably overindulged. As the new year begins, hopefully we are refreshed and re-energized. But now that January is here, it's back to business, although this doesn't necessarily mean it has to be "business as usual."
The new year is a good time to consider new ideas and strategies to improve our dental practice. It's an opportunity to re-examine our approaches to how we provide treatment to our patients and run our businesses. This issue of Compendium may help you start your year on the right foot.
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In a continuing education (CE) article we highlight strategies dentists can implement to increase practice production, even in the face of today's challenging economic times. The article discusses methods to enhance both performance and profitability, including tactics to expand the patient base, improve case acceptance, and reduce no-shows. The author also presents tips for maximizing the use and production of dental hygienists, especially in light of staffing shortages.
With all practices looking for competitive advantages these days, now may also be a good time to consider new safety methods. Our other CE article describes a promising solution for improving the safety of nitrous oxide-oxygen administration when providing analgesia and anxiolysis in the dental office. Advances in catalytic cracking technology have been made whereby exhaled nitrous oxide is converted into harmless nitrogen and oxygen thus helping to mitigate occupational exposure to nitrous oxide. This article discusses the effectiveness of this technology in clinical settings.
Another area where dental practitioners can always improve is with regard to patient comfort and outcomes. One of our clinical articles this month compares gingival recession treatment using a minimally invasive surgical technique versus a coronally advanced flap approach with connective tissue graft. The article may provide readers with a new perspective when approaching gingival recession defects.
These are just some of the fresh ideas presented in this first issue of 2025 of Compendium. Be sure to check out all the content, including our "online only" article on the bond strength of 3D-printed ceramic-filled resin. Let's make this your best year yet!
Sincerely,
Markus B. Blatz, DMD, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
markus.blatz@conexiant.com
