Dentists

A former Washington dentist pleaded not guilty to four counts of distributing a controlled substance.

A former Oregon dentist pleaded guilty Sept. 13 to stealing nearly $11.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for personal use. 

Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine began a clinical trial Sept. 7 to test the ability of a chewing gum to trap COVID-19 in saliva.  

Dentist confidence is mixed on the economic recovery of the dental industry, their dental practices and the U.S. economy, according to an August poll by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.  

Twelve dentists who discussed how private equity effects dentistry and four others who made headlines last week:

Dental office appointment schedules were 86.2 percent full in August, continuing a pattern of steadiness since practice schedules began increasing in February, according to an August poll by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.  

Supplies, staff wages and rent are a few expenses with a higher price tag this year for dental practices, according to an August poll by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute. 

The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry received a $2 million federal grant to launch a special care dental clinic. 

Although private equity has the ability to encourage growth and innovation in the dental industry, many dentists still believe there could be disadvantages to the field. 

While private equity has the potential to uplift dental practices and drive growth, there are several ways it can hurt the profession, according to one dentist owner.