Occlusion debate begs education question

Editor’s note: Helaine Smith’s column, The Mouth Physician, appears regularly on the HuangshanDental.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion. I recently attended the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) convention in Hawaii. At the conclusion of a lecture, a young dentist asked me what other courses I would recommend. During our conversation, the topic of occlusion came up. She immediately stated that she follows the CR/CO (centric relation/centric occlusion) philosophy.

Louisiana lawmakers postpone vote on school dentistry ban

The Louisiana House of Representatives agreed Thursday to set aside a bill that would ban or limit the use of mobile dentistry clinics in schools. After an hour-long debate of several proposed amendments to H.B. 687, House Speaker Jim Tucker (R-Terrytown) made a motion to temporarily return the bill to the calendar, saying that it was not in the best interest of anyone to do “piecemeal legislation.” In its current

AAPD releases new perinatal, infant oral health guidelines

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) this week announced new oral health guidelines for expectant mothers and infants during its annual meeting in Honolulu. table.side {margin: 2px 2px 2px 5px;} table.side p {font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;} table.side b {font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px; font-weight: bold;} table.side ul {padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 16px;} table.side li {font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;margin: 0px 0px 5px 0px;} table.side li b

Dentists may need to treat pediatric reflux disease

Have you ever wondered why a patient’s teeth seem to dissolve before your eyes? The answer may lie farther down the esophagus. Children with chronic acid reflux are much more likely to have dental erosion than those without it, according to research presented at the recent Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Baltimore. .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; padding-top:2px; } “The easy thing when

Crosstex doubles mask production in response to swine flu

Crosstex International, a division of Cantel Medical, is taking an increasingly aggressive role in meeting the demand for masks and infection control supplies in light of the recent H1N1 flu virus outbreak. To keep pace with global demand, Crosstex has doubled production of its entire face mask line, the company announced. In particularly high demand are Crosstex Ultra face masks, which provide one of the highest levels of filtration available,

5C-Mobile launches BlackBerry oral care app

5C-Mobile recently launched a mobile application specially designed for oral-health-conscious BlackBerry users. The Bright Smile Toothbrush Timer and Oral Care Guide application includes a toothbrush timer that indicates how long each section of the mouth should be brushed and gives detailed instructions and oral hygiene guidelines on proper teeth brushing, flossing, and oral care in general. The application can be downloaded from the BlackBerry App World or from www.bandarin.com. Copyright

Report: Dental implant market will flourish in Europe

The dental market was valued at more than $1.9 billion in 2008 and will grow to more than $2.7 billion by 2013 despite the unfavorable economic conditions, according to a new report by Millennium Research Group (MRG). MRG’s “European Markets for Dental Implants 2009” report covers 16 countries, including the Eastern European and Benelux regions, Russia, and Israel, as well as the seven core markets: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden,

Drug czar to target prescription meds

The new U.S. drug czar plans to crack down on doctors who hand out prescriptions too freely, USA Today reports. The newspaper quoted an interview with Gil Kerlikowske in which he said he would ask more states to create programs in which doctors and pharmacists enter prescriptions in a database so that police can track them. “We get overly concerned about drugs coming in, but the pharmaceuticals are here already,”

Hawaii expects millions from dental meetings

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) annual meeting was expected to draw 2,500 people to Hawaii this past week and generate millions of dollars for the Hawaiian economy, according to a report in Pacific Business News. The meeting, which ran May 21-24, was expected to generate $12 million in spending and another $1 million in tax on hotel rooms, the report said. The AAPD meeting is one of four

New Zealand embraces mobile dentistry

New Zealand is turning to mobile dentistry in an effort to improve oral health care across the country. Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne officially opened the first of 94 mobile dental surgeries, starting in the Canterbury region, that are being introduced as part of a nationwide upgrade of oral health services for New Zealand communities, according to a press release. The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) will spend $13.3

Kettenbach releases reline material to U.S. market

Kettenbach this month released Mucopren soft, an A-silicone denture reline material, to the U.S. market. The material has been in use in Europe since 1998; the German company recently opened offices in the U.S. and has gradually been introducing its products to the North American market. Mucopren is indicated for use as a permanent soft reline material that compensates for areas of mucous membrane with varying degrees of resiliency. It

Maine law would require insurers to cover hygienists

Dental hygienists are already allowed to practice independently in the state of Maine, and now a new law could ensure them reimbursement from insurance companies. A bill passed by the Maine Senate’s Insurance and Financial Services Committee this week would require dental and health insurers in the state to cover procedures performed by independent practice dental hygienists (IPDHs). Maine has real problems with access to care, especially in rural areas,