How and why politics affect dentistry.

Dental practices are under scrutiny every day. The dynamics of the public, the media, the lawmakers, the regulators, and other special-interest groups create endless possibilities for influence over a practice and continue to challenge a dentist's ability to provide quality dental care to patients. This article describes examples of laws and regulations affecting dentistry and the impetus for them, whether real or perceived.

Proposition 65 in the dental office.

In the mid-1990s, dentistry became included in enforcement activity for Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. This year, 80 dental offices were served with 60-day notices for failing to post Prop. 65 warnings. The California Dental Association has been inundated with inquiries on what dental offices should be doing with regard to Prop. 65 requirements. This article provides a brief history of Prop. 65 and answers the questions most frequently asked of CDA.