Search Results for: quality – Page 5

The Opioid Crisis: An Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that there were a record number of American opioid deaths (47,600) in 2017 (Newman, Jan 28, 2019). Per the CDC, the ten hardest-hit states of opioid deaths from 2013-2017, in order, were New Mexico, Maine, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio, New Hampshire, and the hardest hit state of West Virginia (Newman, Jan 28, 2019). To create a plan for reversing this trend, experts from numerous hospitals met at the U.S. News & World Report “Healthcare of Tomorrow Conference” in Washington, D.C., on November 18, 2019. These hospitals and the

Limiting Opioid Usage for Dental Pain: Better Alternatives

As we all know, opioids are a concern. They are so addicting. Further, overdosing or usage with alcohol or some other depressant may lead to a change in breathing, which can result in death. There have been way too many deaths as a result of opioids. Certainly, opioids are helpful in certain situations. However, opioids also have side effects, which include nausea, vomiting, and constipation. We cannot forget that they should be stored securely and your inventory of these opioids must be monitored. As we can see, these opioids are problematic. For most dental pain, an over-the-counter (OTC) medications will

The Best Dentists in Dallas: Difficulties in Finding One

Finding the best dentist is becoming more difficult for patients because the ownership of dental practices by the practicing dentist has been going down since 2005. As a result, more and more dental practices have different dentists staffing them. With this, when a dental practice is reviewed online, it may be difficult for patients to determine what dentist is associated with the reviews. This is not necessarily a new phenomenon. This has been more prevalent among physicians. I have noticed this myself, as several of my doctors no longer have such a large ownership stake in their practices. As a

Depression in Teens: An Escalating Problem

Depression among teens in the United States has increased considerably since 2007, according to a reputable Pew Research Center’s report, published in July 2019. Per this report, 13% of U. S. teens “experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year.” Further, compared to 2007, the total number of teens in 2017 who “recently experienced depression” increased 59%. To build on this, 29% of teens feel “tense or nervous” about their day, at least as often as almost every day. Also, 61% of teens felt “a lot of pressure to get good grades.” Similarly, 30% of teens reported

CBD and Medical Marijuana: Is it Safe?

We have all seen the CBD stores opening up near our homes. They are in fact becoming quite prevalent. This creates some interest following the state’s allowance for these CBD products in June 2019. As a result, I decided to research this. Here is what I have found, thus far. CBD is the second most prevalent ingredient within marijuana; this is second to THC, which is the ingredient known for creating the condition for being “high.” CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, and is derived from the hemp plant, which is a cousin to the marijuana plant. At

Dental Insurance and Saving Money on Dentistry

Many patients think that going to a dental office that is listed on their dental insurance plan is going to save them money. This is understandable. These listed dental offices, in exchange for being listed and “preferred,” accept a significant hit to their profit margins due to fee contracts they sign with the insurance companies. Do you think this hit to their profit margins benefits you, and saves you money? We have had too many patients who have come to our office wanting a second opinion, because they were told they needed a “deep cleaning” for the first time ever,

Is Your Bottled Water Too Acidic?

With the Dallas weather heating up, our water consumption is increasing. Many of us think that water is healthy, and that most all water is the same. We may tend to select our bottled water based upon taste more than anything else. Perhaps, we may select our bottled water more by price. With whatever means we use to select our bottled drinking water, may I invite you to consider the acidity of the water? You see, there is much variability in the measured acidity (the pH) of bottled waters. The ideal pH of water is 7.0. However, many brands of

Redeeming Your Special Deal

Welcome to our website and to the follow up for your clicking on our special deal for you. Yes, you obtain up to a complete set of x-rays, a complete oral examination, and a consultation for 67% off, or $194 off. This is an honest, high quality initial visit, with no “bait and switch” attached. We thank you for your interest in this patient-centered, quality-oriented, value-conscious, and family-owned north Dallas dental practice. We have provided you with this financial incentive to meet the kind, humble, and award-winning dentist, Dr. Mark Venincasa, as well as his friendly team of dental professionals.

Opioid Use: More Dangerous than Being in a Car

Posted today on WebMD.com [1], the latest statistics show that the use of opioids is now considered more dangerous than being in a car. This was reported by the National Safety Council on January 14, 2019. Along this line, physicians and dentists are being urged to limit the use of opioids. Modern research suggests that there are other analgesics that are either more effective or just as effective as opioids for pain management. Within my dental practice, we have almost totally eliminated the use of opioid drugs. We have recommended the regimens which research has shown to be at least