Zeodent dental silicas certified as organic

Ecocert, a European organic certification agency, has certified 17 of Huber Engineered Materials’ Zeodent dental silica products, meaning that the products conform to the Natural and Organic Cosmetics Standards for raw materials. With the Ecocert confirmation, toothpaste manufacturers can now seek organic certification when formulating Zeodent silicas with natural, organic, and homeopathic ingredients, Huber said. Huber’s Zeodent dental products allow manufacturers the ability to achieve targeted performances in cleaning, viscosity

ADA questions healthcare reform’s pediatric benefit

A new mandate to extend dental benefits to children may not make much difference, the ADA said in a news brief explaining its position on the healthcare reform bill signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23. The new law mandates dental benefits for all insurance programs offered through new state-run exchanges, starting in 2014, the organization noted. (According to analysts from the Children’s Dental Health Project and

Tom’s of Maine gives $100K to dental clinics

Tom’s of Maine (TOM’s) will donate $20,000 each to five dental clinics around the U.S. as part of its Dental Health for All program, the company announced March 25. The award winners were chosen from 16 candidates through a vote by consumers conducted on the TOM’s Web site. The site posted videos made by each clinic competing for the awards on its site. The clinics will use the money to

Which removable retainers ensure patient compliance?

Ensuring patient compliance is tricky after any dental procedure, but it is especially difficult with patients who are starting long-term retainer use after their braces come off. Now a new study on patient compliance with orthodontic retainers has found that initial wear of vacuum-form retainers (VFRs), followed by a Hawley appliance one to two years into the retention phase, may yield the best results. The study was presented at the

Study: Playing video games can lead to caries

Teenagers who spend a lot of time playing video games often consume sugary snacks and drinks while playing, thus are more likely to develop caries than those with active lifestyles, according to research presented at the recent American Association for Dental Research (AADR) conference in Washington, DC. The study, conducted at the University of Iowa, suggests that video game addicts are more than twice as likely to develop caries as

Dr. Fresh enters natural products market

Dr. Fresh has acquired Floss and Go, distributors of Dr. Ken’s natural products line of mouthwashes, toothpastes, breath strips, and chewing gums based on green tea extract. “The Dr. Ken’s brand is a strategic fit for us as we expand our oral care business into the fast-growing natural products sector,” Puneet Nanda, president and CEO of Dr. Fresh, stated in a press release. “At the recent Natural Products Expo, we

Forestadent debuts BioQuick self-ligating brackets

Forestadent recently introduced BioQuick, the third generation of the company’s self-ligating Quick bracket system. The BioQuick brackets have a base that is adapted to the shape of natural teeth, according to the company. Some 4,000 teeth from around the world were scanned using 3D laser scanning, and the data of their contours were examined in detail for developing the base. “The new biological base therefore optimally corresponds to the anatomical

Vibrating injection systems ease anxiety

One of the most stressful events of any dental visit is an injection. Anxiety levels rise for everyone in the room, with the patient anticipating the potential pain and the dentist trying to figure out ways to avoid causing it. “In dental school, we are all taught to inject slowly. We are all capable of injecting slowly, but in the real world, we seldom take the time to do so.

Medelita to donate proceeds to CDA Foundation

Lab coat and medical apparel maker Medelita has become an official corporate supporter of the CDA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the California Dental Association (CDA), the company announced. As part of its commitment to the foundation, Medelita will donate proceeds of all CDA member purchases of its products to the CDA Foundation. CDA members will be able to purchase qualifying products at CDA events and exhibits and on a

Whip Mix offers custom-milled titanium abutments

Whip Mix now makes its Vericore custom titanium abutments in 29 platforms for 10 major implant systems, including systems from Biomet 3i, Nobel Biocare, Astra Tech, Straumann, and Zimmer Dental. Milled on five-axis aerospace milling machines, custom-designed Vericore abutments allow technicians to recreate natural dentition and control emergence profile, according to the company. Founded in 1919, Whip Mix manufactures Hanau, Denar, and Whip Mix articulators, dental gypsums, investments, waxes, furnaces,

Second opinions enhance head/neck cancer diagnoses

A new study out of the University of California, San Francisco supports the use of second opinions by oral and maxillofacial pathologists, particularly in diagnosing head and neck cancers (Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology, March 19, 2010). While several studies have documented the benefits of second opinions in diagnostic pathology, the effect of second opinion requests made by physician pathologists to oral and maxillofacial pathologists

U.K. airport to offer teeth-whitening service

Beginning April 10, Brighter White Teeth will offer a 20-minute teeth-whitening service under the Smile Company brand at the Birmingham airport in the U.K., the company announced. Smile Company dentists will oversee five chairs in the airport’s Terminal One departure lounge. The teeth-whitening services will cost 125 pounds ($188 U.S.). “The unit at Birmingham airport marks a significant step in our company’s development as the leading brand in U.K. teeth-whitening,”