In this edition:

• 🖥️ FBI warns of cyber threat to dentists

• 😖 Managing hygiene pain

• 💰 Labor Dept. expands overtime

• 🏪 Walmart closes all health clinics

• 👮‍♀️ Conn. dentist convicted in Medicaid fraud

• 🗺️ Heartland dental enters 39th state

• And more!

FBI warns of cyber threat

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons targeted while all practices should be vigilant. While the current threat is focused on oral and maxillofacial surgeons, they are concerned that the practices of general dentists and other specialists could also be of target.

The FBI provided a scenario in which the threat actor poses as a new patient or says they want to become a patient at the practice to obtain new patient forms online. Once the forms are received, the threat actor will then contact the practice to report they are having trouble submitting them online and ask if they can scan the forms and email them instead. The threat actor then emails the “forms” as an attachment. When the attachment is opened, malware is deployed.

The FBI said that as of publication date, there were no known cyberattack victims, but that the agency is working proactively to raise awareness to help prevent victimization.

Visit the ADA, CISA, and Homeland Security for tips to stay safe.

Pain management during hygiene proceudres

Dental hygiene professionals provide their patients with valuable services that improve both their oral and systemic health. While most of these procedures are described as preventive, many patients experience varying degrees of pain or discomfort while receiving them.

Despite a clinician’s skill, instrument selection, or best intentions, sometimes there’s no getting around pain. This is especially true in situations involving gingival inflammation or exposed dentin. In recognizing this, RDHs need to come prepared with multiple options for chairside pain relief with every patient, for every procedure.

Diving into Periodontics and Oral Hygiene

Recent findings show that a patient's oral health has a direct affect on systemic health, particularly when it comes to the cardiovascular, endocrine, and rheumatic systems. Periodontist Sasha Ross, DMD, joins the Cleveland Clinic’s podcast to discuss