FTC charges NC dental board with anticompetitive conspiracy

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated an action against the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners alleging that the board is harming competition by blocking nondentists from providing teeth-whitening services in the state. According to the FTC’s complaint, announced June 17, the dental board sent 42 letters instructing teeth-whitening providers that they were practicing dentistry illegally and ordering them to stop. In at least six cases, the

Dental pulp cells show promise for stem cell banking

Defined sets of factors can reprogram human cells to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, many types of human cells are not easily accessible to minimally invasive procedures. In a study published in the International and American Associations for Dental Research’s Journal of Dental Research (JDR, June 17, 2010), researchers from the Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine and Kyoto University evaluated dental pulp cells as an optimal source of

Carbamide peroxide good for more than just whitening

Think carbamide peroxide (CP), and the first image that comes to mind are shiny, white teeth. But a new study has found that, in addition to being an effective bleaching agent, CP can be used to effectively suppress oral bacteria in patients with special care needs (Journal of the American Dental Association, June 2010, Vol. 141:6, pp. 639-646). Special needs patients can pose great challenges for dentists because they are

Pulpdent website now features case studies

The Pulpdent website now includes case studies from Save That Tooth, a book by Pulpdent founder Harold Berk, D.D.S. Dr. Berk practiced dentistry for almost 65 years and taught at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine from 1946 to 2005, according to the company. Save That Tooth contains his clinical memoirs and chronicles the original research in vital pulp therapy and root canal therapy. Case studies on the site

SensAble partners with DPS

SensAble has named Dental Prosthetic Services (DPS) of Cedar Rapids, IA, as its latest authorized production center (SAPC). SAPCs create fixed and removable dental restorations for their own dentists using the SensAble CAD/CAM system, and are certified to provide design and fabrication services to other dental labs. SAPCs gain marketing exposure from SensAble and help other dental labs who want to outsource aspects of design or production rather than investing

8-year-old’s sedation death spurs dad’s effort to change laws

A Virginia man whose 8-year-old daughter died under conscious sedation during a routine dental procedure is trying to get a law passed that would require all dental offices to have and maintain defibrillators. Raven Blanco died in March 2007 after receiving three drugs by Virginia Beach dentist Michael Hechtkopf, D.D.S. The drugs were used to calm the child while she had her teeth cleaned and calcium deposits removed, according to

Dental floss firm goes solar

Thornton International, a manufacturer of yarn-based interdental cleaning products for people with gum diseases and dental bridges and implants, has completed installation of a solar panel system at its headquarters and production facility in Norwalk, CT. Thornton’s conversion to solar power will enable the company to make its products using as much renewable energy as weather conditions permit, the company said. Thornton paid for the project with a combination of

Take-home strips more effective than in-office whitening?

A take-home whitening strip regimen may be as effective — if not more so — than a professional chairside, light-assisted whitening procedure, according to research to be presented next month at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Barcelona, Spain. The study authors, which included researchers from Procter & Gamble, evaluated the whitening performance of a take-home whitening strip regimen and a light-enhanced, in-office teeth-whitening procedure. They conducted

Dentist donates dentures to veteran denied by VA

Inspired by an article on HuangshanDental.com, Affordable Care is providing free dentures to a Korean War veteran who was denied treatment by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). “Our organization was so moved by the article and Mr. Nielson’s plight that we contacted Mr. Nielson and he will be receiving a free set of custom dentures through Dr. Kevin Givens, our affiliated practice owner in Tucson, AZ,” wrote Kelly B.

SUNY Canton hygiene program earns ADHA award

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is recognizing the State University of New York (SUNY) Canton’s dental hygiene program for its extensive work in the community for the third consecutive year. The college’s hygiene program, which is located at SUNY Canton’s campus in Rome, NY, will receive the 2010 ADHA Student Member Community Service Award. SUNY Canton is one of just three recipients nationwide to receive the award, which will

LifeNet Health, Salvin Dental partner on allograft

LifeNet Health has signed an agreement with Salvin Dental Specialties for Salvin Dental to act as the exclusive representative for promoting its OraGraft allograft tissue products in the U.S. dental market. Salvin Dental will increase awareness about the availability of allograft products, which may be beneficial for implant bone grafting and sinus lift procedures, according to LifeNet Health. The two companies have been in partnership since 1995. The new agreement

PubMed favored for evidence-based orthodontics

PubMed is a highly desirable search engine for an evidence-based orthodontic practice, according to a new study (Angle Orthodontist, July 2010, Vol. 80:4, pp. 713-718). Researchers from Tsurumi University tested the performance of PubMed in finding current, high-quality evidence for orthodontic practices in a reasonable time. They searched PubMed for randomized controlled trials on orthodontic practice using the term “orthodontics” and limiting publication type to “randomized controlled trial,” publication date