My name is Mohammed Hammoud. I was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan by two immigrant parents who raised me and my four siblings. After graduating high school, I pursued a bachelor’s in public health sciences from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. It was then that I had a few opportunities to travel abroad and learn more about myself, my passions, and my purpose. I always had the dream of becoming a dentist and it was during the summer of my senior year that I applied and was admitted to LECOM, where I am now a second-year dental student.
Dentistry as Public Health
By: Mohammed Hammoud I’m Mohammed Hammoud, a third-year student at the LECOM School of Dentistry with a…
Fall Forward
By: Mohammed Hammoud There is only one way to know if your purpose aligns with your…
What is your why?
By: Mohammed Hammoud Many of us are confronted with hopeless situations in which we no longer feel…
The Link Between Periodontal Disease and Heart Failure
By: Kevin Henry A new study has given dental professionals yet another reason to talk to their patients about the importance of maintaining their oral health in order to maintain and even improve their overall health. This study was released at the start of July in one of the Journals of the American College of…
Scalloped Tongue, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA A scalloped tongue is characterized by wavy or rippled edges along its sides. Scalloped tongues are usually not a cause of concern, but if left untreated, they can cause additional complications and symptoms that can harm your dental health. Identifying bad oral habits and diagnosing certain medical…
Professional Identity Formation
By: Savannah Craig Professional Identity Formation is a term I was unfamiliar with until it was brought up last week during my PGY-1 Orientation for my General Practice Residency program. Many of us have a variety of identities (daughter, sister, aunt, son, brother, uncle, etc.), and becoming a dentist requires you to add a new…
Why Aren’t Dentists Screening & Treating Sleep Apnea Patients?
By: Teresa Power DeNike, BS Sleep is a severely overlooked area in dentistry. In 2017, the ADA recommended all dentists screen for sleep apnea (and treat or refer out). Yet only 70% of dentists screen for sleep apnea, and most lack confidence in performing accurate routine screenings. In 2015, the AASM and AADSM recommended oral…
How Dental Assistants Can Deal with Workplace Bullying
By: Dianne Auger, RDH, BS Have you ever loved your position on the dental team, and then it starts to all go downhill? Have you ever thought that being in a profession such as this one that there are no conflicts or acts of workplace bullying? Well, there is! I was just as surprised as you are,…
How and Why to get Oral Appliance Therapy
By: Teresa DeNike If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there’s a 90% chance your doctor recommended CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). There’s a reason for that — CPAP is incredibly effective — but it might not be right for you, and the hose can be cumbersome to sleep in. If you can’t use CPAP,…
Five People You Want on Your Side as a New Dentist
By: Tara Abouhmahboub When you become a dentist, navigating the job market can be a challenge, and you certainlydon’t want to do it on your own. Top 5 People To Know When Starting Your Dental Career Here are the five people you want on your side as a new dentist: 1. Accountant This one is…
Sign-On or Stay-On Bonus?
By: Dr. David Rice The great resignation, team-turnover, call it what you will, is dentistry’s single greatest problem today and will continue to be for the next 1 to 1.5 years. With that, many practices have turned to sign-on bonuses in an attempt to attract top talent. The problem is, that it’s not helping retain…
Top 5 Mistakes New Dentists Make
By: Dr. David Rice Read them. Digest them. Ask igniteDDS how to avoid them! 5 Mistakes I Made As A New Dentist Here are five common mistakes new dentists make (including me): Paying Off Student Debt Too Fast Not Building Board of Directors Soon Enough Buying a House before a Practice Not Asking Enough Questions…
Should You Consider a Dental Residency?
By: Sable Muntean It can be tempting to jump right into the workforce after graduating from dental school, but finding a residency can be a hugely rewarding experience for new dentists — and those positions are often paid, as well. How Long Is Dental Residency? The residency process only takes a year, or potentially two,…