Many dentists have experienced prolonged shutdowns due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. With operations shut down, dentists need to turn to their insurance coverage, specifically their business interruption coverage.

Asheville dentist Dr. Rebekkah A. Merrell describes how she and other general dentists in the North Carolina region are dealing with the devastation from Hurricane Helene. She provides a personal example of the importance of having business interruption insurance.

On November 15, AGD will host a hands-on course at its Chicago headquarters, focusing on the dentist’s role in diagnosing and treating TMJ conditions related to occlusion. Learn vital delivery and adjustment protocols to enhance conservative TMD treatment. Don’t miss this opportunity—only 25 spots available.

Knowing more about patients and relating to them on a universal level can open a window into understanding why they get sick and how dentists’ proposed treatments can best be presented. In this month’s cover story, AGD Impact Wellness columnist Dr. Maggie Augustyn encourages dentists to understand the impact of the human connection they have with each other and their patients.

As digital technology and 3D intraoral scanners become more prevalent, effective digital communication of the relationships between the teeth and the face becomes essential. But expensive intraoral scanners and additional face scanners are not a feasible investment for many. Learn techniques for meshing smartphone-based facial data with intraoral scans in a new article in General Dentistry.

Thank you to all members who provided input on the Project Governance models and attended one of the town hall meetings. The responses from the membership survey regarding the restructuring of AGD’s governance consultants are being analyzed.

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

Experience the honor of walking before family and peers at the AGD2025 Convocation Ceremony in Montréal, Quebec. To receive AGD’s highest honors, complete all requirements and submit your application by Dec. 31, 2024. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be recognized for your hard work!

This year, 24 impressive participants presented at AGD2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Winners were recognized in three distinct categories, with first and second place awarded in each. Congratulations to these remarkable contributors who have set the standard for excellence in dental research!

Join us at AGD headquarters in Chicago Nov. 15 for a hands-on course focused on diagnosing and treating temporomandibular joint conditions related to occlusion. Learn delivery and adjustment protocols to improve conservative temporomandibular disorder treatment and earn 6 CE credits.

Commit to exceptional oral care by pursuing the Fellowship and Mastership awards or LLSR designation. To be recognized at AGD2025 in Montréal, Quebec, complete all requirements and submit your application by Dec. 31, 2024.

Dr. Sam Asthana, Houston AGD president, is committed to advancing the profession through organized dentistry, but there is another major quality that differentiates him from his colleagues. Trained as a classical musician before entering dentistry, Asthana now takes a special interest in musicians’ oral health issues.

Frena — tissues that connect lips to gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth — support both the lips and the tongue. But if frena interfere with function and the tongue’s range of motion, is a frenectomy warranted?

Calling all students, residents and new dentists! Join AGD Oct. 21 for “Dental Defense: Mastering Insurance, Malpractice and Student Loan Strategies for New Dentists,” where AGD benefit providers will be sharing insurance, malpractice and loan tips that all new dentists should know.

AGD’s “Three for Free” membership offer is back. Invite your colleagues to join for 2025, and they’ll get the rest of 2024 for free — that’s up to three months. Plus, you’ll earn $50 in Referral Rewards for each sign-up, perfect to put toward your renewal.

The October issue of AGD Impact is now live! This month, our cover story explains how compassion and empathy as parts of a modern model of providership can improve patient outcomes and reduce provider burnout. Additional content includes a look at frenectomy treatments, three firsthand accounts from AGD2024, how to convey your practice’s personality in your digital marketing, and a Member Spotlight on Dr. Sam Asthana.

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

While it’s well known that jewelry can cause radiographic artifacts, a report in General Dentistry details a previously unreported type of anomaly produced when jewelry removal left a large soft tissue defect. The atypical radiolucency presented a diagnostic challenge until it was correlated with the piercing defect.

Do you know a talented young dentist who’s doing extraordinary things and deserves some recognition? Nominations are currently open for AGD Impact’s popular cover story, “10 Dentists to Watch.” Nominations for this honor are open to all AGD members and will close this Friday, Oct. 4.

Registration for the 2024 Fall Fellowship Review Course and Exam, taking place Oct. 4–6 at AGD’s headquarters in Chicago, ends tomorrow! Don’t miss this important step to becoming recognized as an AGD Fellow while earning 16 hours of CE during the two-day review course.