The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is pleased that the results of the “Evaluation of the Dental Health Aide Therapist (DHAT) Workforce Model in Alaska” report indicate the effectiveness of adding alternative oral healthcare providers to the dental team. This is one of the first major demonstrations in the U.S. that restorative services can be successfully administered by nondentist providers, the ADHA said in a press release, and the organization
A team of University of Rochester scientists is using the technique of Raman spectroscopy to study two common dental plaque bacteria: Streptococcus sanguis and mutans. The relative balance of the two may be an indicator of a patient’s oral health and risk for tooth decay; S. sanguis is associated with “healthy” plaque, while S. mutans is associated with tooth decay. The researchers presented their findings October 26 at Frontiers in
In the ongoing controversy over dental amalgam, Costa Mesa, CA, has become the first U.S. city to call for a ban on dental amalgam, urging federal and state agencies to eliminate the substance. The city council unanimously approved the resolution on October 19. While it does not actually ban amalgam, it is “an important step toward ending this health and environmental scourge,” according to Charles Brown, national counsel for Consumers
Parents should axe the sour candy and take other steps to protect their children’s teeth this Halloween, advises the California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) as part of its public education campaign during National Dental Hygiene Month. All candy is not created equal, according to the CDHA. Sour candy is worse because it has an acid content on par with battery acid and has the power to cause even more damage
The debate over the benefits of extracting healthy third molars from young adults has been reinvigorated by research released last week by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS). During an October 19 meeting in Washington, D.C., AAOMS brought together an array of experts in the field to present 10 years’ worth of data that broadly supports the practice. AAOMS’ goal was to settle the matter once and
The latest Hollywood cosmetic trend is the gap-toothed smile, according to a story in the Herald. Instead of fixing their teeth, many celebrities — including Natalie Cole, Anna Paquin, Elizabeth Moss, and Madonna — proudly sport a midline diastema. And last month on the TV show “America’s Next Top Model,” host Tyra Banks sent a 22-year-old contestant to the dentist to widen the gap between her teeth. Experts believe this
Integrity Engineering has received a U.S. patent for an ultrasonic consumer device designed to clean and sterilize dental hardware such as retainers, mouthguards, plates, and dentures. The device was co-invented by company principals Valerie Palfy and Don Skomsky. Citing U.S. Patent No. 7,798,159, “At-Home Integrated Cleaning and Disinfection System and Method for Dental Hardware,” Skomsky said in a press release that the patent examination was particularly long and arduous, taking
The officers and directors of RightSmile, a provider of cosmetic laser teeth whitening products, have decided to eliminate their salaries as of August 31, 2010, the company announced. This move is expected to save the company more than $950,000. The board has decided to develop a bonus system based on RightSmile’s profitability, thereby reducing cash requirements and/or causing any additional shares to be issued for accrued wages. In other cost-cutting
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Dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as fish oil, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties, shows promise in the treatment and prevention of periodontitis, according to researchers from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, November 2010, Vol. 110:11). Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), investigators found that dietary intake of the PUFAs docosahexaenoic
Ultradent Products will present two complimentary continuing education (CE) courses and an opportunity to win a free Valo dental curing light or TiLOS Endodontic system at this year’s Greater New York Dental Meeting (November 26 to December 1, 2010). Drs. Dan Fischer, Victor Ortiz, Rich Tuttle, and Renato Leonardo will combine efforts in a demonstration format to present “Creating Aesthetic Laminates with Direct Composites” and “Endo-Eze TiLOS: A Hybrid Stainless
If you are a left-handed dental professional searching for an instrument that will cut plaster, acrylics or metal alloys, then Komet USA has the right burs for you. Komet USA offers eight different instruments that allow left-handed operators to ergonomically cut material efficiently and precisely. Standard cutters only cut efficiently if rotating to the right. That means only right-handed users can work toward their body, and left-handed users must awkwardly
