Dentists vary widely in their use of amalgam from place to place and among types of practice, according to a new survey. The study, published in the April 2010 Journal of the American Dental Association (Vol. 141:4, pp. 441-448), drew from members of the Dental Practice-Based Research Network; dentists from the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, and Oregon; and dentists from the countries of Denmark, Norway, and
The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) has released a new report, “Oral Health and Aging: Addressing Issues and Providing Solutions,” that outlines the link between poor oral health and certain life-threatening diseases, and calls for more emphasis on assisting the frail elderly. “We need to take care of the elderly, those who cannot care for themselves,” said ODA President Ira Kirshen, D.D.S. “Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in long-term
Darby Dental Supply has signed a multiyear agreement with PracticeWorks Systems that makes Darby an authorized seller of Kodak digital imaging systems products, including the Kodak 1500 intraoral camera, Kodak RVG 6100 digital imaging sensors, and Kodak 2200 intraoral x-ray system. “After completing a stringent evaluation of Darby’s internal operations, resources, and corporate philosophy, we’re confident that we selected the right distribution partner,” said Patrik Eriksson, president and CEO of
Articaine worked better than competing anesthetics in seven out of 10 randomized clinical trials of infiltration analyzed for a review presented at the recent American Association for Dental Research (AADR) meeting in Washington, DC. But articaine and lidocaine appeared very similar in potency in this research, and a clinical study presented at the same session found lidocaine as good — almost. “We have a number of solutions to choose from,
A former Massachusetts dentist indicted for inserting pieces of paper clips into patients’ mouths as a post in root canals instead of using standard stainless steel posts and billing Medicaid for the cost of the post has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, according to an Associated Press (AP) story. Michael Clair, D.D.S., 51, who now lives in Maryland was ordered by a judge in New Bedford to
Patients may prefer white and shiny teeth rather than a natural appearance, according to a new study by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel (Quintessence International, May 2010, Vol. 41:5). The researchers looked at 193 patients, ranging in age from 18 to 32 years. Patients’ anterior teeth shade evaluation was conducted first by the patient, then by the clinician using the Vita shade
PracticeWorks, the maker of Kodak Dental Systems, has announced its software can now interface with The Digital Office (TDO) for Endodontists. This partnership bridges the gap between digital imaging systems and TDO practice management software, according to the company. The integration reduces the time lapse when an image is captured and acquired on TDO practice management software, and allows for all image types, such as microscope images, 2D x-rays, and
Significant gaps exist in dental care among stroke survivors, according to a study to be presented next week at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting and published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the study is the first to examine the use of dental services by stroke survivors, according to the researchers. .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial,
Oral Health America (OHA), a nonprofit advocacy group, has formed a new partnership with oral health product manufacturer Oxyfresh. The partnership includes a corporate contribution from Oxyfresh to OHA’s Smiles Across America program, which works to improve access to dental care for underserved children. The program supports oral disease prevention in school-based settings for children from low-income families who are uninsured or underserved. The program also provides grant funding, technical
West Coast University has announced that the Dental Hygiene Clinic at its Anaheim campus will offer the public free dental hygiene services. The services will include oral inspection and risk assessment, digital and traditional imaging, preventative therapies, and nonsurgical periodontal therapy. The clinic is dedicated to improving the dental health of those who may not have the means to visit a private practice dental facility for dental hygiene preventive and
Komet has gone to great lengths to limit the impact of its manufacturing process on the environment, the company announced. At its factory in Lemgo, Germany, the dental instruments company has recycled rain water, reduced its carbon dioxide output, and employed solar panels for its power needs over the past 12 years, the company said. Since 1998, Komet has used rain water for all its sanitary purposes in both the
Biolase Technology has issued a statement in response to the lawsuit by Discus Dental and Zap Lasers, arguing that its new iLase handheld laser for dentistry doesn’t violate the other companies’ patents. Discus and Zap announced March 7 that they had filed suit in Los Angeles, accusing Biolase of patent and trademark infringement and unfair competition, and seeking monetary damages and an injunction. Responding with its own statement, Biolase argued
