This Week at AGD

There’s no denying that AI could transform dental marketing, but it will never change what matters most: trust, expertise, authenticity and patient connection. The latest AGD Impact Marketing column provides expert insights to help members be strategic about this new frontier of web search.

Dental Card Services, an AGD Exclusive Benefits provider, analyzed the 500 most recent merchant statements submitted by dental practices. The study found that practices paid an average effective processing rate of 3.37%, with nearly 20% paying 4% or more.

Join AGD on December 4 for the Virtual Advocacy Conference and earn 4.5 free CE credits. Stay ahead of key legislative and regulatory changes affecting general dentistry, learn directly from AGD leaders, and get the insights you need to safeguard your practice.

If your student loan payments are changing, consider AGD Exclusive Benefits provider Juno, a student loan refinancing platform offering group-negotiated rates and cash back bonuses up to $1,000.

Finding time for quality training is tough, but the AGD Online Learning Center makes it simple. Explore a constantly updated catalog covering key specialties like periodontics, prosthodontics and pediatric dentistry. Work through on-demand webinars, or complete Self-Instruction exercises whenever you have a break in your day.

In the past decade, technology has forever changed the landscape of dentistry. Five simple technologies have been adopted into both the assessment and treatment phases of the dental hygiene process of care and are having major impacts on the patient experience.

The AGD Foundation is hosting a course Oct. 22 called “What Happens After Cancer? A Conversation Dentists Need to Hear.” This one-hour virtual webinar on supporting patients after oral, head and neck cancer treatment will feature Dr. Mai-Ly Duong.

Caries management has long relied on restoration and preventive remineralization, with fluoride playing a fundamental role. Contemporary cariology is increasingly embracing the ecologic plaque hypothesis, highlighting microenvironmental factors in disease progression and the use of arginine as a promising prebiotic strategy.

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

To earn Fellowship, Mastership or LLSR honors at AGD2027, complete all requirements and submit an application by Dec. 31, 2026. From transcript tracking to numerous CE opportunities, AGD has the resources to help make your goal a reality.

Master cutting-edge AI integration, apply essential CDT coding updates to protect revenue, understand clinical links to Alzheimer's prevention, and shield your practice from legal risks. Gain actionable skills to enhance patient care and safeguard your professional livelihood.

Offered for the third time this year, the Fellowship Review Course brings an exclusive on-site testing opportunity to the Greater New York Dental Meeting, Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at the Javits Center. Complete 16 CE credits and then take the Fellowship Exam in one location.

Connecting with people we know casually can lead to new opportunities. You might be an AGD connection for colleagues you see between patients or at meetings. From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, if they join for 2027, you’ll both earn $50 in Referral Rewards, and they’ll get the rest of 2026 free.

Congenital granular cell epulis (CGCE) is a rare benign tumor affecting newborns. If the mass impedes the infant’s feeding or respiration, surgical excision is the treatment of choice. However, CGCE usually stabilizes, and clinical monitoring may be appropriate.

Coverage this month includes an examination of how AI is reshaping judgment, trust and accountability in dentistry; ways to maximize your hygiene department for practice growth; what dentists need to understand about treating survivors of sexual assault; a look at the kaizen approach to mindfulness; and columns on dental school external rotations, AI and dental marketing, the ethics of AI use, and tips to grow your practice.

AGD is heading to the ADA Scientific Session, Oct. 8-10! Visit booth #208 to connect with our team and learn how membership supports your practice.

Whether you’ve already completed the requirements or are nearing the finish line, your hard work deserves national recognition. Plan your final steps and submit an FAGD, MAGD or LLSR application by Dec. 31 to walk the stage at AGD2027 in Chicago.

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

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released new webpages emphasizing the importance of professional supervision and in-person evaluation for prescription clear aligner treatment, resources that AGD supports. The new materials underscore key patient-safety principles that AGD has long advocated.

For the first time, the AGD Fellowship Review Course and Exam will take place at the Greater New York Dental Meeting. Join us Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 at the Javits Convention Center for 16 CE hours, comprehensive exam prep and testing.