Dental Public Health and Education Commons^™

J Mich Dent Assoc August 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The August 2026 (Volume 108, No. 8) issue of the Journal is published in print format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

The August 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association explores clinical, professional, legal, leadership, and public …

J Mich Dent Assoc June 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The June 2026 (Volume 108, No. 6) issue of the Journal is published in digital format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

The June 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association provides association updates, legal advice, and clinical …

Evaluation Of An Audiovisual Educational Tool With Reinforcement Messages For Orthodontic Patients: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial, Laura Restrepo Quijano, Maria Paula Vasco Gomez, Natalia Hurtado Velasquez, Luis Fabian Benitez Moreno

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Background: Orthodontic treatment increases the risk of bacterial plaque accumulation; therefore, oral hygiene education is essential to prevent complications, but its impact is usually limited when it is not reinforced with effective tools. This study aims to evaluate an audiovisual educational tool with reinforcement messages, compared with a verbal explanation about the proper use of the orthodontic oral hygiene kit.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial that included 62 patients randomly assigned to an intervention group: 31 patients who received an educational video plus three reinforcement messages via WhatsApp, and a control group: 31 patients who received …

Healthcare Systems & Policy Implications For Tele-Dentistry Policies On Access To Dental Care For Underserved Populations In The United States, Deeya Bhadresa

Posters - 2026

Access to dental care remains a significant public health challenge for people in rural and low-income communities. Tele dentistry has shown the ability to expand preventive services, improve care coordination, and reduce geographic barriers. However, inconsistent Medicaid coverage, limited infrastructure, and low provider participation restrict its impact. The main recommendation is standardizing Medicaid tele dentistry coverage and reimbursement across states to improve access and equity. Action is needed now to preserve post–COVID-19 telehealth gains and address persistent oral health disparities.

Dental Access And Public Health Policy Gaps, Hafsa Tasneem

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Oral health is a key component of overall well-being, yet it is often overlooked in public health policy and planning. While regular dental care can prevent long-term complications, many individuals delay or forget treatment due to barriers such as cost, lack of insurance, scheduling difficulties, and limited awareness of available resources. I did this study as I came across health disparities in underserved communities and wanted to see if the results would be similar in a university population that is insured and has access to more resources. To investigate challenges that individuals within a university community face in accessing dental …

Visual Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare: A Revolution In Making, Sanjay S. Rao, Punnya. V. Angadi

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Visual artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that teaches robots to understand images and visual information similarly to how humans do. According to the algorithm's development, visual AI allows robots to do more than just perceive; it also allows them to understand and sense the meaning behind images. Because of the enormous progress made in this area, computers are now able to recognize and interpret images more accurately than humans. From managing medical data to enhancing care delivery through AI-assisted diagnosis, visual AI has a broad impact on healthcare. By building devices and tools that can learn, …

Fluoridation Facts, American Dental Association

Fluoridation Facts

Fluoridation Facts is the ADA's premier resource on fluoridation, answering frequently asked questions about community water fluoridation and the latest scientific research. The book assists policy makers and the general public in making informed decisions about fluoridation. With an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that draws on more than 400 references, the book answers queries about fluoridation's effectiveness, safety, practice and cost-effectiveness. 114 pages.

Hold Tightly To The Human Touch, Michelle C. Dziurgot Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In this editorial, Dr. Dziurgot reflects on the diminishing human interaction in various services, from ordering food to medical appointments. The editorial emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal communication in dentistry, arguing that patient care should remain personalized and compassionate. The author reminisces about the personalized service of the past, stressing the need for dentists to engage directly with patients, understand their unique needs, and provide a welcoming environment. The piece calls for a return to human touch in professional practices, despite the convenience of modern technology.

Dentistry And The Law: Taking Records When Leaving A Practice, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

MDA Legal Counsel Dan Schulte advises on departing partner issues: without contracts, disputes arise regarding records, patient ownership, and practice buyout. Employment and shareholder agreements ensure orderly transitions and protect practice interests. Patient records legally belong to the practice, and transferring them without consent violates laws. Patients can request records, but fees apply. Schulte stresses the importance of agreements to avoid costly disputes and ensure continuity of care.

Staying Focused On A Moving Target: Coping With Change, North Shetter Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Amid rapid changes in dentistry, this commentary addresses strategies to manage stress and maintain professional balance. Drawing parallels to Moore's Law in technology, the author emphasizes the need for a balanced life, integrating work, play, love, and worship. The concept, rooted in the Pankey Philosophy, aligns with principles from Stephen Covey's Seven Habits. Core skills, including patient relationships, foundational dental practices, periodontal health, occlusion, and perpetual learning, are deemed essential. The article underscores the importance of personal dental health and advocates for study clubs to share, learn, and mentor, fostering a positive professional environment amid evolving technologies and information overload.

Coaching And Laissez-Faire Leadership Styles, Michelle C. Dziurgot Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Editor Dr. Michelle C. Dziurgot discusses the differences between coaching and laissez-faire leadership styles in dentistry. Coaching leaders motivate and educate their team members, fostering collaboration and improvement. In contrast, laissez-faire leaders take a more hands-off approach, allowing team members to make decisions independently. The author, a dentist, describes how she combines both styles in her practice, emphasizing the importance of educating and coaching team members while allowing them to take ownership of their roles. The editorial highlights the need for patient engagement in oral health care and the importance of coaching patients to take an active role in their …

What Does Professionalism Mean To You? Part I, Michael G. Maihofer Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This commentary explores generational perspectives on professionalism in dentistry, focusing on how younger dentists perceive this concept. It highlights the changing dynamics in dentistry and questions whether professionalism remains relevant in a world where various practice models exist. Insights from young dentists shed light on their commitment to professionalism and its evolving definition, emphasizing the importance of caring for patients and maintaining high-quality care.

Special Needs In Pediatric Dentistry, Emma Kail

Health Sciences Presentations

Over the summer of 2022 I got the chance to work on my internship at a special needs and non special needs focused dentistry. Through this presentation I focus mainly on the pediatric special needs aspect of the dental care given to patients. Throughout the poster I speak about the importance of special needs care within dentistry and the field of dental health itself, where I worked and how they accommodated and worked with those with special needs to give the best care possible, and finally how this experience has changed my goals set for my future, especially within the …

The Effect Direction Should Be Taken Into Account When Assessing Small-Study Effects, Zhuo Meng, Chong Wu, Lifeng Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Studies with statistically significant results are frequently more likely to be published than those with non-significant results. This phenomenon leads to publication bias or small-study effects and can seriously affect the validity of the conclusion from systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Small-study effects typically appear in a specific direction, depending on whether the outcome of interest is beneficial or harmful, but this direction is rarely taken into account in conventional methods.

METHODS: We propose to use directional tests to assess potential small-study effects. The tests are built on a one-sided testing framework based on the existing Egger's regression test. We …

Will The Government Rip Up Employment Contracts?, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial discusses the Federal Trade Commission's proposed rule to eliminate non-compete agreements, tracing their historical origins to the apprentice system in Europe. The author explores dentists' perspectives on this potential change, considering the need for talent acquisition versus workforce preservation. The editorial highlights the FTC's rationale for banning non-compete contracts and their impact on employee wages and innovation. It also addresses issues of boilerplate contract language and excessive leverage in the dental profession. The proposed rule aims to create consistency across states while allowing non-competes in specific cases. Dentist employers are advised to review and revise their agreements in …

Dental Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Patient Perceptions Of Barriers To Dental Care, Covid-19 Safety Precautions, And Administration Of The Covid-19 Vaccine At The Dental Office, Brunilda Lugo, Sheri Denslow, Jill Fromewick, Scott Davis, Katherine Jowers, J. Amadeo Valdez

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Dental Health Center sought to learn how COVID-19 affected dental care attainment and patient perceptions of appropriate safety measures, as well as their acceptance of the dental office as a site for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey of dental patients was performed to inquire about barriers to care, safety precautions, including COVID-19 testing, and the acceptability of vaccination for COVID-19 in the dental office. All adult patients of the MAHEC Dental Health Center with an email address on file and a clinic visit in the past year were randomized for …

J Mich Dent Assoc February 2023

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Every month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members across the state. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists!

In this issue, the reader will find the following original content:

• A feature on the Interfaith Dental Refugee Program of Michigan
• Commentary on what makes membership matter and the ADA marketing shift on the value of membership.
• Complete details on the 2023 MDA Annual Session
• News you need, Editorial, and regular department articles on Dentistry and the Law, Staff Matters, and Advocacy.

From The Neck Up, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial emphasizes integrating behavioral health into dentistry for comprehensive patient care. It highlights evidence-based approaches showing positive outcomes of behavior change techniques in oral hygiene and smoking cessation. However, implementing behavioral change models in clinical dental care faces challenges, such as reimbursement issues and concerns about disrupting the patient-dentist relationship. The editorial suggests enlisting outside resources and fostering collaboration between oral and mental health professionals to address patients' overall health needs. Policy initiatives are seen as a promising avenue for advancing this integration.

Provider Racial Concordance And Medical Mistrust In Pediatric Dentistry, Chinelo Eke

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Studies have drawn varying conclusions on the importance of a racially concordant patient provider relationship. Medical mistrust has continued to garner attention as healthcare enterprises thread equity, diversity and inclusion throughout their organizational policies, practices and systems.

Methods: Parents/caregivers of pediatric patients at VCU Pediatric Dentistry were invited to participate. Surveys included questions about demographics, racial concordance, language preference, and the validated Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale.

Results: A total of 246 guardians completed the survey. For guardians, 40% reported Black or African American, 31% Hispanic, and 19% Caucasian. Seventy-one percent of guardians reported speaking English, 18% Spanish, and 11% …

Ada Executive Director Dr. Ray Cohlmia: "We're Focused On The Future, Not The Past", Debra Peters Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In this interview, Dr. Raymond Cohlmia, the Executive Director of the American Dental Association (ADA), reflects on his first year in office and discusses the challenges of overcoming the decline of membership marketshare. He addresses the importance of strategic forecasting, nimbleness, and the role of the ADA team in shaping the future of dentistry. Dr. Cohlmia also highlights the significance of science and research in dentistry and the ADA's commitment to global presence. The interview offers insights into the ADA's evolving strategies and its dedication to serving its members and the dental community.

Be Bullish About Dentistry — Stop Doom Scrolling!, Christopher J. Smiley Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial encourages readers to stop focusing on negative news feeds and provides a positive outlook on the profession of dentistry, emphasizing the potential for growth and improvement. It highlights the impact of emerging technology, increased public awareness of oral health, and the enthusiasm of new professionals. The author also stresses the need for continuous adaptation and collaboration within the dental community.

Lgbtq+ And Dental Education: Analyzing The Present And Recommendations For The Future, Colin M. Haley, Diana V. Macri, Herminio L. Perez, Scott B. Schwartz

Publications and Research

LGBTQ+ populations constitute increasing proportions of children, adolescents, and adults in the United States. Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, this group suffers from health inequities, including oral health. The report “Oral Health: Advances and Challenges” identified the LGBTQ+ community as an underserved population which faces significant barriers in accessing oral health care. Coverage of LGBTQ+ topics in formal education settings in both dental schools and dental hygiene programs is scarce, which contributes to inequities within this group. Increasing curriculum content related to LGBTQ+ populations is of utmost importance to promote optimal patient-provider interactions while improving oral health outcomes. Ensuring equity …

J Mich Dent Assoc July 2022

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Monthly, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and feature articles to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists! In this July 2022 issue, the reader will find the following original content:

• A cover feature on negotiating reimbursement rates with PPO contracts.
• A cover feature on guarding against employee embezzlement.
• A 10-Minute EBD on rampant caries management and prevention with ADHD patients taking stimulant medications.
• A Back Page look at the 2022 MDA award winners.
• News you need: an Editorial, guidance on dental practice cybersecurity, and regular department …

Penicillin Allergy Assessment And Medical Referral To Promote Antibiotic Stewardship, Elaine Bailey Pharmd, Mackenzie Connell, Marie Fluent Dds, Erinne Kennedy Dds, Mph, Mmsc

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Antibiotic stewardship is an integral practice for the dental team to ensure a safe dental visit for patients. Now, with clinical practice guidelines and state toolkits, more dentists are aware of and actively practicing antibiotic stewardship. With the application of antibiotic stewardship practices, dentists are identifying the need for additional tools to enhance practice. For example, one need that has been identified is a tool for screening patients for true penicillin allergies. The Penicillin Allergy Assessment Tool (PAAT) is a decision-making tool that can be used chairside to screen patients who report an allergy to penicillin. After screening, dentists can …

Financial Implication Of Covid-19: A Story Of Malaysian Dental Practitioner, Nor Faharina Abdul Hamid, Azlan Jaafar, Nurul Haini Najwa Mohamd Mahmod, Raja Nur Nabiha Raja Amir Hamzah

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused series of lockdown in Malaysia which led to the significant financial impact to dental practitioner in Malaysia. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate factors affecting dental practice and its implication to financial situation during the pandemic in Malaysia. Methods: Registered Malaysian dental practitioners were invited to participate in online questionnaire via google form. Descriptive and Pearson’s chi-square test analysis were conducted (p<0.05). Results: 468 of dental practitioners had responded to our survey. More than three-quarter of dental practitioners worked in government sectors while almost a quarter worked in private sectors. 49.2% …

Body Posture Evaluation Of Dental Specialty Groups And Risk Of Developing Musculoskeletal Disorders, Fatemeh Jahanimoghadam, Naimeh Hasheminejad, Naser Hashemi-Nejad

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Objective: Adopting correct body postures is extremely essential in preventing future musculoskeletal disorders in Dentists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the body posture of general and specialist dentists to find awkward body postures, badly postured body parts and the risk of developing future MSDs. Methods: Stratified sampling method was used to recruit 224 dentists in Kerman and Mashhad. The most frequently adopted body posture was selected and based on Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method, scores were given to the angulation of different body parts. T-test and ANOVA test were performed to analyze the data. Results: …

Opioids And Dentistry, Anne E. Wampler

Pacific Journal of Health

Dental professionals are among the leading prescribers of opioids in the United States and play a significant role in the current opioid epidemic. While dental professionals prescribe these potent pain killers to provide relief to patients, the serious implications of their prescription and distribution must be considered. This manuscript covers the science behind opioids, history of the opioid epidemic, the affliction it is currently causing in the U.S., the immense impact dentists have in providing opioid prescriptions along with gross over-prescription practices, and much more. Other topics discussed include alternative pain management, safe prescribing practices, naloxone, and how dentists can …

Oral Manifestations Of Tuberculosis, Diana V. Macri, Sandra Castellanos, Elvir Dincer

Publications and Research

This article will update the reader on tuberculosis and its oral manifestations.

After decades of decreasing incidence, tuberculosis resurgence is being seen in some global regions due to factors that include the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, increased immigration from countries with endemic tuberculosis, transmission of tuberculosis in crowded or unsanitary environments, and poor healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, this review is especially prescient considering the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Powered By Ai, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing dental practice through its ability to process vast amounts of data, enhance diagnosis, and improve patient care. However, AI introduces the challenge of bias and ethical considerations. Dentists and dental benefit providers are utilizing AI for early disease detection and efficient data management, but transparency and fairness in AI algorithms are vital. The Rome Call for AI Ethics emphasizes ethical, non-biased AI development. In the broader context, AI-driven marketing and predictive behavior raise concerns about privacy and ethical data use. The dental community must embrace AI's power while upholding ethical standards and transparency.

Occupational Health Practices Among Dental Care Professionals Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sean Banaee, Denise M. Claiborne, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial burden on dental care professionals. While dentistry is known as one of the most exposed and high-risk professions, dental care professionals are indeed at even greater risk.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, occupational health practices, personal protective equipment usage, and mental stressors during COVID-19 pandemic among dental care professionals.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental care professionals who were subscribers to a dental hygiene journal using a self-administered online survey (n = 1047 respondents). Cross-tabulations were performed to determine differences in the responses to …