North Carolina to observe GKAS day on Feb. 5

Nearly 2,500 dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other volunteers across North Carolina will be taking part in the fifth annual national Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) day on February 5, 2010. Treatment services will range from routine dental screening and education to full dental care, including fillings and extractions. Dentists and other dental professionals will volunteer their time at designated dental offices, dental clinics, and community colleges. Children who

Tissue engineering regrows periodontal tissue

Advances in tissue engineering are offering the promise of being able to restore lost bone and periodontal tissue following periodontal disease. Even when the infection or inflammation is brought under control, people can be left with an unsightly appearance and poor function, according to Saso Ivanovski, B.D.Sc., B.D., M.D.Sc., Ph.D., Listerine Chair in Periodontology at the Griffith University School of Dentistry and Oral Health in Brisbane, Australia. In recent years,

Judge refuses to dismiss Fosamax case, sets trial

NEW YORK (Reuters), Jan 29 – A Manhattan federal judge refused on Friday to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that Merck & Co. Inc.’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax caused jaw damage to an Indiana woman during the nearly eight years she took the pill. U.S. District Judge John Keenan described the case involving plaintiff Louise Maley, 69, as one of the “bellwether” trials in nationwide litigation over Fosamax, which has spawned close

ACP seeks feedback on denture care guidelines

The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) is developing evidence-based guidelines for denture care and conducting a survey to seek feedback from all dentists on the proposed framework, according to an ADA News article. To access the survey, visit www.hcdsurveys.com/go/J7580. The ACP is working with the ADA, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, and the National Association of Dental Laboratories to develop these guidelines. The deadline for

Photodynamic therapy effective on oral cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) appears to be a useful modality for treating early-stage cancer of the mouth or oropharynx, according to a study published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (January 2010, Vol. 42:1, pp. 1-8). Researchers from the Henry Ford Health System conducted a retrospective study of 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the mouth or oropharynx. Most had undergone prior surgery or radiation, in combination or alone. All

AAE pained by Obama’s root canal remark

As popular as a what? The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is tired of hearing its raison d’être used as the symbol for everything painful. Following U.S. President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address January 27, the AAE put the president on notice that he should not have compared the government’s bailout of failing banks to root canal therapy. “If there’s one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans,

United Concordia to sponsor 70 free dental programs

United Concordia will observe February as National Children’s Dental Health Month by sponsoring at least 70 free dental programs in 2010. The company announced it will provide free dental services, including exams, fillings, and extractions, to those with little or no insurance. Last year, United Concordia provided nearly $590,000 in free dental services to more than 3,900 children and adults. United Concordia Dental works with a number of dentists, clinics,

IC Care launches improved prophy paste

CPR Sapphire prophy paste from IC Care now has a smoother, splatter-resistant formula that is designed to replace rough pumice and expensive composite pastes, the company announced. CPR is safe for routine maintenance of veneers, restores brilliance to dull crowns, and removes up to four shades of stain from composites, according to IC Care. The new prophy paste cleans and polishes natural teeth and all other surfaces as quickly as

Despite Q4 sales decline, Danaher upbeat

Danaher, owner of KaVo Dental, Kerr Dental, and other familiar brands, experienced single-digit declines in its dental business for the 2009 fiscal fourth quarter (end-December 31) compared to the same quarter in 2008, the company reported. Danaher President and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. said sales at Sybron Dental Specialties, which manages Kerr and Ormco Orthdontics, also declined in the single digits, “with strong sales of orthodontics and disinfection products

Align reports record revenues for Q4

Align Technology announced record revenues for its 2009 fiscal fourth quarter (end-December 31). Net revenues for the quarter were $86.6 million, compared to $74.1 million in 2008. Net profit for the quarter was $11.5 million, compared to net loss of $49.9 million in the same quarter a year ago. “The fourth quarter was a strong finish to a better-than-expected year for Align, and I’m very pleased to report sequential and

Dentsply rehearing request denied in Cavitron suit

The judge in a California lawsuit alleging that Cavitron is unsafe for open surgical procedures has denied a request by Dentsply, the maker of the ultrasonic scaler, to rehear the company’s request that he dismiss the case. On January 7, San Francisco Appeals Court Judge Ignazio Ruvolo overruled a San Francisco Superior Court’s decision that dentists who purchased the scaler with periodontal uses in mind do not constitute a legitimate

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce perio disease risk

Increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the risk of periodontal disease, according to a new study published in Nutrition (January 25, 2010). Masanori Iwasaki, D.D.S., of Niigata University and colleagues from Newcastle University, University of Nigata Prefecture, and the University of Michigan investigated the longitudinal relationship between two dietary omega-3 fatty acids — docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) — and periodontal disease in elderly people. They