Perhaps you've heard the adage, "If it wasn't documented, it wasn't done." It's a sage piece of advice given by practice management gurus like Dr. Leslie Pasco and renowned dental practice management consultant, Barry Levin. But what exactly does documentation encompass? What should be documented? Is documentation primarily to protect yourself from lawsuits? The answers might surprise you. First of all, although great documentation and good notes can indeed serve as the first line of protection against litigation for doctors, nurses, hygienists, and dentists, they serve a much wider purpose than that, and if they're not done correctly, consistently, and professionally, poor notes and documentation can even prove detrimental to a practice.

Ultradent is making many efforts to support local humanitarian initiatives in and around the South Jordan and Salt Lake City area. Though Salt Lake City boasts some of Utah's most majestic beauty and a pristine reputation, the valley continues its struggle to support and assist the homeless population found in many parts of the valley and the downtown area. One of these efforts includes the Fourth Street Clinic, a special practice located downtown that is 100% dedicated to providing health and dental care for the homeless and those who live below the poverty line. One of Ultradent's core values is Care. Care for our coworkers, families, customers, and community plays a part in all that we do. In an effort to put this core value into action, Ultradent started a special holiday tradition a few years ago that brings a lot of joy to our company family, many of whom are grateful for the opportunity to take part in acts of generosity during the holiday season. Each year, the Ultradent's humanitarian division, also known as the Heart of Ultradent, gathers boxes of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other supplies. They then visit places around the Salt Lake Valley, including the Fourth Street Clinic and numerous homeless shelters and road homes, delivering these essential hygiene supplies to those in need.

In the age of selfies, high-definition cameras, and social media, the demand for high-quality esthetic dentistry has never been greater. For dentists, one thing that can make or break their work is the quality of the composite they choose to use on their patients. With so many options out there, here are five attributes that all dentists should demand from their composite to guarantee esthetics, performance, and quality and ensure patient satisfaction. Yes, it IS possible to have all of the following in one composite.

“The thing about handling when it comes to composite is that you just don’t want to have to think about it,” says Dr. Shea Bess, a full-time practicing dentist and country-wide dental lecturer. “It’s one of those things that you really don’t notice or consider until it’s a problem…and then it’s a big problem. The goal is for the composite you’re using to be so seamlessly workable that you don’t need extra products or tricks to get it to go where you want easily, stay put, not slump, not stick, not crumble, and not drag or pull. You shouldn’t have to worry about those things when you’re with your patient.”

Dr. Bill Jordan of Tualatin, Oregon, isn’t your typical dentist. In fact, when a friend of his retired from dentistry and, instead of selling his practice, sent all of his patients to Dr. Jordan’s practice, Dr. Jordan didn’t see it as a chance to amass more wealth. “When we got this huge influx of patients from my dear friend who retired, we saw it as a huge blessing and my wife and I thought, ‘There’s a reason God gave us this and it wasn’t so we could have more money. It was so we could help more people,’” reflected Dr. Jordan. “We always felt it wasn’t our money—but something God put in our hands so we could help others, so that’s what we’ve been doing.”

In celebration of National Dental Hygiene Month, we decided to follow around a dental hygienist and see how her day unfolds. Not only is Kary Buchanan a registered dental hygienist, but she’s also a wife and mom to four girls! To say that she’s busy would be an understatement. Join us as we take a peek at a typical day in the life of dental hygienist, Kary Buchanan: 7:30 a.m. On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday I work for Dr. Jason Skinner. Mondays and Wednesdays I typically get into the office at 7:45 a.m. My high school kids are usually walking out the door at the same time I do, and my husband gets our other two kids to school.

Neil Jessop, Ultradent's Vice President of Research and Development, recently spoke about the evolution of the VALO curing light. "There's a sense of urgency that I constantly feel to keep an eye on what is right and on staying advanced. It's not a free ride." Ever innovating, Ultradent most recently released the VALO® Grand curing light, which offers a 50% larger lens that measures a whopping 12 mm. This larger lens allows clinicians to cover and cure an entire restoration with the light's highly efficient 395 nm–480 nm LEDs. The story behind the VALO light's development, however, started over two decades ago, in 1997.