2025-11-10 – Weekly Dental Assistant News : CBCT misidentifies cotton roll

Last week’s forum discussions brought forward a range of topics relevant to both the daily operations and the evolving landscape of dental assisting. Members shared insights on the nuances of new imaging technology, particularly the quirks of CBCT auto-segmentation. There was also a strong focus on career opportunities, including a noticeable rise in demand for remote dental roles. Practical discussions around improving workflow efficiency and balancing administrative duties with patient care were also prominent.


This Week’s Hot Topics

When the CBCT auto‑seg thinks cotton roll is bone
A quirky yet practical issue arose when the CBCT auto-segmentation misidentified a cotton roll as bone. This thread dives into troubleshooting and tips to avoid such mix-ups.
Read more here

2025-11-07 – Weekly Dental Assistant Jobs : Remote Dental Assistant Instructor positions
Considering a shift to remote work? This discussion outlines new opportunities for dental assistants interested in teaching roles online, highlighting flexibility and career growth.
Read more here

Faster, cleaner sensor capture with fewer clicks
Streamlining sensor capture processes can save time and reduce errors. Members are sharing methods to optimize this aspect of dental care delivery.
Read more here

Balancing planning time and follow-ups
Time management is crucial in a busy practice. This thread explores strategies to effectively balance planning time with patient follow-ups, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
Read more here

2025-10-31 – Weekly Dental Assistant Jobs : Demand for remote dental roles rising
Remote work isn’t just a trend; it’s becoming a mainstay. This discussion highlights the growing demand for remote dental roles and what it means for the future of dental assisting.
Read more here

Safety-hold distal end cutters worth it
Are safety-hold distal end cutters a wise investment? Community members weigh in on the benefits versus the cost, offering diverse perspectives on this tool.
Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
For newcomers and veterans alike, understanding the forum’s guidelines ensures a positive and productive experience for all.
Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
A helpful resource for administrators to hit the ground running, this guide covers the essentials.
Read more here

Top Skills Every Dental Assistant Should Master
A must-read for anyone looking to refine their skills, this thread covers the key competencies essential for success in the dental field.
Read more here

Fascinating Facts About Dental Tools
A light-hearted exploration into the history and quirks of dental tools, offering a fun read for the curious mind.
Read more here


Thanks for staying connected and contributing to our professional community. Here’s to another week of learning and growth together.

Had our CBCT label a cotton roll as a rogue molar once; now we do a 5-second ‘cotton out before cone-beam’ check and, if comfort’s an issue, swap rolls for dry angles or a lip retractor. If auto-seg still grabs fluff, bump the density threshold or disable auto-extraction for that scan and clean it up manually. Funny how confident the software is about cotton’s bone potential.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‍⁠‌‍⁠‍​⁠​​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‍‍⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Quick one from my op: I snap a 5‑sec selfie on their phone so they can see their cheek isn’t huge and remember not to chew it; @cwilson73, if they don’t want anything in their mouth, a small X on the numb‑side hand works as a cue.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍‌​⁠⁠‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​⁠‍‌‌‌‍‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‌‌⁠​‌‌⁠‌​‌⁠​‍‌​⁠⁠‌​‍⁠​⁠‌‍‌‍​⁠​⁠‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

We started running a quick scout scan before the full CBCT so we can catch anything the ‘auto-segmentation quirks’ might turn into a phantom tooth — cotton rolls, cheek retractors, even a tongue ring. Small caveat: it adds about 10 seconds, and for endo I turn auto‑seg off and only apply MAR after, or it smooths out fine canals. @radassist have you tried that workflow?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌​‌​​‍‌‌​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌​⁠‌‌​​‌‍⁠​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌