The February issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association covers women’s health including substance abuse in women, one focusing on adolescents and young adults, and the second on identification and intervention for older women; and, gender-specific ergonomics in the dental office.

And Now for Something Completely Different …
An introduction to the issue
Kerry K. Carney, DDS

Addiction in Older Women: American Health Care’s Best-kept Secret
Older women are not immune from alcohol and drug dependence. In fact, substance use disorders are becoming more common in women over 60 and will become a larger public health issue as the “baby boomers” reach retirement age. Recognizing the signs and various recovery approaches are covered in this paper.
Penelope. P. Ziegler, MD

Coming From All Directions: Protecting Girls and Women from the Impact of Substance Use
The purpose of this article is to give a brief overview of the multifactorial nature of unhealthy substance use conditions, and to suggest how dentists may help protect their female patients.
Theresa E. Madden, DDS, MS, PhD

Musculoskeletal Health of the Woman Dentist: Distinctive Interventions for a Growing Population
Physiological sex differences may cause women dentists to experience slightly different pain syndromes and may require different intervention and wellness strategies than their male counterparts.
Bethany Valachi, MS

The Editor/
Save the Children
By Alan L. Felsenfeld, DDS

Impressions/

Dr. Bob/
A Whiter Shade of Pale
By Robert E. Horseman, DDS

Case Study/
Documentation and Proper Office Protocol