Start the New Year off with a bang! Attend Dental Economics' Cosmetic Dentistry 2002 in Las Vegas on February 14-15. This conference is designed to help you bring this exciting new dentistry into your practice. You will learn to manage your practice better, and you will learn all of the new techniques and materials in a choice of eight different hands-on workshops.
Learn from a wonderful selection of lecturers, including Dr. Bill Dickerson, Dr. Gary Radz, Dr. Tom Orent, Linda Miles, Dr. Debra Gray King, Dr. Steve Poss, Dr. Mitch Conditt, Tricia Osuna, RDH, Kristine Hodsdon, RDH, Sandy Roth, Kristy Menage Bernie, RDH, Bobbi Anthony, RDH, Dr. Ken Koch, Dr. Dennis Brave, and many more.
At CD2002, you can choose from a doctor track, a hygiene track, an assistant track and a workshop track all at the same meeting. This will be a great learning experience for the entire dental office. Call (888) 299-8062 today for more information or to register.
Dr. Charles Blair asked me to pass along this important tax information: The Tax Court has denied the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) credit for intraoral camera purchase (Fan v. Commissioner, 117 T.C. No 3, July 24, 2001). This decision is the latest in a string of doctor defeats in this area. The IRS previously ruled that neither digital radiography equipment (IRS Letter Ruling 9716009) nor wheelchair accessible X-ray machines (IRS Field Service Advice 2000024048) qualified for the credit.
Accordingly, availability of the ADA tax credit will be largely limited to modifications made to office buildings in existence on the date of enactment (Nov. 5, 1990) that are required to meet ADA requirements
As I write this month's notes, I am attending a board meeting of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration. We are putting the finishing touches on the program for our annual meeting in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 27-March 2. It is a terrific program that will provide a tremendous learning experience for the entire dental team! For more information, contact Kathy Uebel at www.aadpa.org or call her at (847) 934-4404.
Here's another first for my speaking career. I am pleased to be on the program at the Southwest Dental Conference in Dallas on January 10-12. This meeting is loaded with great speakers. Y'all come!
Shame on us! Every year, more than 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer. Because of late detection, oral cancer causes nearly 8,000 deaths annually and the survival rate has not improved in decades, with 50 percent dying within five years. Early detection could improve survival rates by as much as 80 percent. We simply have not been doing our part in early detection of this disease. Only a small percentage of dental offices do routine oral cancer exams on their patients.
One problem that we have always had is a quick and easy way to screen the sores that we see in patients' mouths. Now, with the recent availability of new painless screening tests (OralCDx from OralScan Laboratories distributed by Sullivan-Schein Dental), we can differentiate benign appearing white or red sores in our patient's mouths that could be pre-cancerous.
See my Pearl on OralCDx in the January 2000 issue of Dental Economics.
In addition, the American Dental Association (ADA) has started a national public service campaign to boost public awareness of oral cancer and to spotlight the dentist's role in early detection of this potentially deadly disease. Both JADA and the ADA News will have special oral cancer supplements.
Be sure to read the latest issue of the ADA News for up to date information on the September 11th tragedy and how it has changed our dental world. Our prayers continue for the victims and the survivors.
Joe Blaes
DDS, Editor
e-mail: [email protected]
