MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Dr. Elaine Vowell of Your Best Shot, a dental local anesthesia course, will show at the North Carolina Dental Society’s 166th Annual Session May 18th - 20th. The 2023 NCDS Annual Session theme is “Come Together in 2023!". In 2023, we will come together in...

Part 1: The Importance of Topical Anesthetics

Every day you see patients that fear needles.  Fortunately, in many cases, you can get adequate anesthesia from topical anesthetics. This means less anxiety and more focus on the task at hand! Topicals are similar in formula to injectable...

Is local anesthesia safe for pregnant patients?

The link between pregnancy and gum disease is well established in the literature. Untreated periodontal disease is linked to low birth weight. Pregnancy gingivitis and pregnancy granulomas need treatment and that can require local anesthesia. ...

Local anesthesia is most often administered in the hygienist's chair when treating active periodontal disease. Every dental professional is aware of the prevalence of gum disease. We treat it daily and treat it well. But properly charting it seems to still be throwing many of us for a loop. ...

Part 3

We all know what periodontal disease looks like, feels like and smells like. We diagnose, educate, and perform therapeutic procedures daily.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to bottle the distinct odor of untreated periodontal disease and send it to the dentist hired to review...

Part 2: Autonotes and Appeals

My last blog discussed the denial of dental insurance coverage based on the company's standard for indicating periodontal disease. Did you read it? Unfortunately, many dental insurance companies are sighting radiographic bone loss (RBL) instead of calculated...

Part 1: The Disconnect

If you deliver local anesthesia, there’s a good chance you’re treating symptoms and issues that stem from periodontal disease. My students are well informed about gum disease issues, and they should be considering almost half of adults over age 30 have...

The hardest part of my job has nothing to do with teeth or gums. If you want to see me sweat, pull up a 20-page medical history. Poly-pharmacology is commonplace, and I cannot keep up. How can we make quick but smart choices to get our work done and keep our patients safe when providing l...

North Carolina became the 46th state to certify hygienists to administer local anesthesia. In the US, hygienists administering local anesthesia is the norm not the exception. But it is new to us, and warrants discussion of best practices.   However, is dental hygiene...

Are painless injections possible?  I think that depends on the person in the chair.   I give good injections, and I want to share tips and pitfalls to avoid.  

Local anesthesia dental refers to using anesthetic agents to cause temporary loss of sensation or feeling in...

As you can tell by the title of this blog, I have a strong opinion about the importance of taking blood pressure, and with good reason.  

Questions to ask yourself as a provider:

• Do you see any patients over 50 years old?  
• Any patients who are overweight?  
• What about...