Virginia Releases December 2008 Smiles For Children Report

Virginia's Smiles For Children December report is out. It appears the enrollment of dentists is up 80%.

In the report it talks about the use or over use of papoose boards;

"The practice of behavior management techniques during necessary dental treatment of children has also been a continual focus of the Smiles For Children program. Inquiries have been received by the media and parents of dental patients regarding behavior management techniques, specifically, protective stabilization through the use of papoose boards. Papoose boards are devices commonly used to immobilize children for dental work. If performed improperly, trauma to a child may result.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, protective stabilization is an approved method of behavior management, and pediatric dentists receive behavior management training during post graduate education. These techniques are allowed under the scope of practice,
as defined by the Virginia Board of Dentistry, for licensed dentists in Virginia."

Here is the sticky part of this, hardly any dentist who work in these dental mills like Kool Smiles, Small Smiles and others are NOT pediatric dentists most are general dentists. I notice Dr. David M. Strange, DDS MS is still listed as one of the Advisory Committee, you may remember him from Kool Smiles.