Mass. says kids’ Medicaid dental program has improved

A federal judge in Boston has ended a five-year, court-ordered oversight of the state’s Medicaid dental program for low-income children after the program demonstrated significant improvement in the delivery of those services, according to a story in the Boston Globe. In 2005, Health Law Advocates and Greater Boston Legal Services won a federal court suit against MassHealth on behalf of Health Care for All, a consumer group, and children enrolled

Allcare reportedly on the verge of bankruptcy

Allcare Dental & Dentures is preparing to file for bankruptcy, according to a story in the Buffalo News. Paul Cambria Jr., an attorney working with Allcare, told the newspaper that the company is close to filing for bankruptcy, but he did not know exactly when it will occur. Allcare — the subject of numerous complaints in recent years — shut down all of its U.S. offices without warning December 31,

Japanese firms to merge dental materials businesses

Kuraray Medical and Noritake Dental Supply are integrating their dental materials businesses to raise their presence in Japan and globally. The two companies will establish a holding company, Kuraray Noritake Dental Holdings, by April 1 of this year, they said in a press release. Kuraray will hold a 66.7% stake in the company, and Noritake will hold the remainder. In the second phase of the integration, the holding company and

Australia sees rise in HPV-related head/neck cancer

Although tobacco- and alcohol-associated head and neck cancers are declining in many parts of the world, human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer rates are on the rise. Now, a new study finds that this trend is also prevalent in Australia (British Journal of Cancer, February 1, 2011). A team of Australian researchers analyzed oropharyngeal and oral cavity cancer rates in Australia between 1982 and 2005. Cancers from the oropharynx were classified

GC America MI Paste featured on TV show

GC America’s MI Paste will be a featured product on the Lifetime Network’s daily morning show, “The Balancing Act,” in a segment designed to celebrate Children’s Oral Health Month. The segment, “Protecting Your Children’s Teeth: The Importance of Good Oral Care for Your Kids,” was produced in anticipation of Children’s Oral Health Month and will air February 16 and again on March 2, 2011, the company said in a press

Tenn. legalizes Botox use for oral surgeons

Dental Botox use is rising in popularity, and although the practice still has many opponents, general dentists in Tennessee could soon inject the drug with the law on their side. The Tennessee Board of Dentistry has approved the use of Botox injections or future FDA-approved neurotoxins by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The rule went into effect January 20, 2011. Although general dentists in Tennessee are currently not allowed to administer

Vitamin supplements target tooth decay

Black Crow Enterprises, a nutritional supplement company, has introduced the Dental Essentials, nutritional supplements specifically designed to help prevent tooth decay. The Canadian company produces its products in New York and currently distributes them worldwide from its online store, with an eye on wholesale distribution in the near future. Black Crow Enterprises worked with Vitamix Labs of New York to produce the liquid and tablet forms of the Dental Essentials.

Allcare faces mounting legal troubles

Allcare Dental & Dentures is facing more legal woes as three Erie, PA, businesses are suing the company for unpaid services, according to an Associated Press story. PAPA Advertising and PAPA Directory Services say Allcare owes them $3.8 million for advertising and marketing services, while Velocity Network says it is owed more than $1.1 million for Internet and communications services, according to the story. And a Fargo, ND, landlord is

Raman spectroscopy opens new doors in cancer diagnostics

Raman spectroscopy, a laser-based optical technique that creates a biochemical “fingerprint” of tissue samples, could dramatically improve the ability to detect head and neck cancer at an earlier stage than is possible with current diagnostic methods, according to a team of U.K. researchers that has been investigating this technique for various cancers. It could also be used during tumor surgery to provide surgeons with a more accurate assessment — in

Patterson Dental to distribute sleep apnea product

Patterson Dental and Airway Management have entered into a partnership to distribute Airway Management’s Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP 3), an appliance for treating obstructive sleep apnea, to dental professionals. Patterson will have a TAP 3 Practice Start-up Kit in its booth for the first time at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, February 24-26. The TAP 3 fits over the teeth like a mouthguard and advances the jaw forward during

Study: Less root than crown OK in implants

As an indicator of whether an implant restoration can be successful, dentists use the crown-to-root ratio — how much of the tooth extends above the jawbone and how much is in the bone. However, the ideal crown-to-implant ratio for the replacement tooth has yet to be determined. Now a new study has found that crown-to-implant ratio is not as important to the success of implants as previously thought (Journal of

More dental schools emphasizing caries risk assessment

The risk-based medical model instead of a wholesale surgical approach is steadily percolating into undergraduate dentistry programs across the U.S., according to a recent survey (Journal of Dental Education, January 2011, Vol. 75:1, pp. 62-67). A team from West Virginia University sent questionnaires in the fall of 2009 to all 58 U.S. dental schools. Among the 42 responding schools, 90% reported having a caries risk assessment (CRA) training program for