This episode’s discussion:

-New approaches to caries assessment and management are available.

-Population studies indicate that old ways to assess caries in populations with DMFT underestimate caries by 45% and above.

-Early caries can be assessed with new methods of assessment.

-Early caries can be reversed with a variety of remineralizing agents.

-Patients are not aware of agents that can reverse early caries.

-Diagnostic codes are new for dentistry since this year. 

-Reimbursement for reversal of early caries is rare, except for fluoride varnish for young children.

-Evidenced based approaches to treat and manage caries using ICCMS are available.

-These can be used to prevent and treat caries in individuals and among populations.

An international lecturer, author, clinician and public health dental leader, Dr. Scarlett is a noted infectious disease and chronic disease expert. As the author of the first infection control guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), she now focuses her career on caries assessment and management for populations. Beginning her career providing oral care to the proud Gullah people of the sea islands below Charleston, she has been a professor and director of dental research at one dental school and head of the hygiene program. Her most recent accomplishment was training over 100 health workers for Ebola Treatment Units infection control last year for the CDC.    

www.scarlettconsulting.com