NEWSROOM

AGD is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Dr. Thaddeus V. Weclew Award. To nominate a deserving colleague or educator, contact education@agd.org, and request a nomination form. The nomination deadline is Dec. 1, 2021.

AGD submitted official comments to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on August 20, responding to certain aspects of OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for Occupational Exposure to COVID–19.

AGD joined Organized Dentistry Coalition (ODC) members in sending letters to the House and Senate sponsors of S.1178/H.R.1854, the Reserve Employers Comprehensive Relief and Uniform Incentives on Taxes (RECRUIT Act).

On August 11, AGD and the AGD Foundation sent a letter in support of H.R.1550, the Promoting Resources to Expand Vaccination, Education and New Treatments for (PREVENT) HPV Cancers Act of 2021, to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives returned to Washington D.C. on August 23 to begin considering the adoption of a budget framework that would set the stage for their $3.5 trillion social spending and tax bill, a multi-year physical infrastructure package, and a voting rights bill.

New Legislation is major step to increasing awareness and prevention

AGD strongly supports H.R. 1550, the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act, and its provisions to promote public awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. This bipartisan legislation would also increase funding at the National Cancer Institute to focus research on HPV-associated cancers.

The AGD Foundation distributed grants in 2021 to the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council to support free dental services — including an oral cancer screening clinic — to underinsured, uninsured and underserved adults in Chatham County, Georgia.

Portable devices and digital imaging are increasingly common in healthcare, with advantages that include the easy exchange of image files and the manipulation of image contrast and size, among others. But can portable devices display radiographic images with a quality comparable to LCD and LED monitors?

Recently, there has been much talk about the rise of overall prices (inflation) for goods and services, and dental care is not exempt from that rise.

If you’re a new dentist, making sure you have the right malpractice insurance to protect your career from financial disaster is a necessity. Luckily, AGD includes it at no extra cost from Dentist’s Advantage as one of your membership benefits.

AGD2022 will be held in Orlando, Florida, July 27–30. Orlando is known as the “Theme Park Capital of the World” and is home to Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld® Orlando and LEGOLAND® Florida Resort.

AGD is working to address the most pressing issues faced by our members as we advocate to government entities for general dentists.

Would you recognize the signs of an adverse reaction to prochlorperazine (Compazine)? A recent case report in General Dentistry describes an extrapyramidal reaction that manifested as sudden, severe muscle spasms, reduced range of motion, facial grimacing and difficulty speaking.

Emerging research is strengthening the oral-systemic link, but how much do we really know? Explore the latest evidence, including implications related to COVID-19, and get expert perspectives on how these findings may shape your patient interactions.

AGD Podcast host Wes Blakeslee, DMD, FAGD, interviews Charles Whitney, MD, a national leader in the concierge/DPC movement since 2007 and founder of Revolutionary Health Services. Whitney talks about the transformation patients experience when a medical team integrates improving oral care as part of overall care.

On July 30, AGD, along with other members of the Organized Dentistry Coalition (ODC) in an effort spearheaded by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, sent letters to the House Ways & Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee calling for the Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act (H.R.1285/S.449) to be passed in any upcoming tax-related legislation.

Democratic members of the Senate Budget Committee released the text, section-by-section summary, and one-page summary of a $3.5 trillion Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 on August 9. The $3.5 trillion framework has the support of Senate Democratic leadership and the President.

The West Virginia University School of Dentistry received an AGD Foundation grant in 2021 to promote oral cancer awareness and prevention through free education and oral screenings to the general public.

Dental hygiene is a major and critical part of the dental profession. Hygienists play various roles — expert clinicians, licensed professionals, practice producers and colleagues. However, once the pandemic arrived and practices shut down, more dental hygienists decided to exit the profession, at least temporarily.