I Was Sued. Now What?

It’s late Friday afternoon, and after a long week, you’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Your last patient of the day is just leaving, but holds the door for a uniformed officer holding an envelope. The officer walks up to your receptionist, Lisa, and asks for Dr. Miller. Lisa looks expectantly at you and the man asks, “Are you Dr. Miller?” After a hesitant “yes,” you suddenly find the envelope in your hands as the sheriff turns and disappears through the door. You’ve been served with a lawsuit – what do you do now?

President’s Message: California, Here We Come

I can see the Golden Gate Bridge in my mind’s eye and am looking forward to AAE16 with anticipation! I’m excited for so many reasons – to witness a year of planning come to fruition, to share the culmination of a challenging year as president, to connect with friends from all over the world, to celebrate our successes and to have the opportunity to talk to the membership about the issues facing our specialty. AAE16 has all the makings of one of the top meetings in our history. It is difficult to keep the annual meeting fresh and innovative, but this year’s planning committee rose to the challenge and developed an event that’s as dynamic and vibrant as the city of San Francisco.

7 Essentials for Internal Practice Communication

In larger organizations that employ hundreds or thousands of people, no one assumes that effective internal communication will occur naturally. At business schools as well as in the real world, executives learn that interactions between staff members have a direct bearing on a company’s ultimate success. How well leaders communicate with their teams and how well team members communicate with each other are equally important in smaller organizations, such as endodontic practices. Effective communications result in greater motivation, improved coordination, higher efficiency and increased productivity. As a team leader, you can take steps to upgrade internal communications in your practice.

Federal Court Decision Casts Doubt on ADA Specialty Recognition Process

A recent federal court decision in Texas, AAID v. Parker, caused undue concern among AAE members that general dentists will be able to advertise as specialists. The opinion in AAID v. Parker does not in any way permit such advertising. However, it will likely have a significant impact on the ADA’s process for recognizing specialties.

Corporate Q&A: Treloar & Heisel, Inc.

Treloar & Heisel, Inc., is a longtime partner of the AAE and supporter of the endodontic specialty. As one of the AAE’s endorsed vendors, Treloar & Heisel provides members with specialized financial services and advice to guide them through every stage of their careers and into retirement. The Communiqué spoke with Ms. Amy Carbone, marketing director, to learn more about the company and its commitment to endodontists.

Dispelling Myths of Root Canals Through Education

Despite state-of-the-art advancements in endodontic treatment, Americans still fear the procedure. According to a recent AAE survey, 67 percent of Americans say fear of pain most concerns them about having root canal treatment.

The AAE hopes to dispel these fears during the 10th anniversary celebration of Root Canal Awareness Week, March 27-April 2.