Shareholders of National Dentex, one of the largest operators of dental laboratories in North America, have approved a merger with GeoDigm. Under the terms of the agreement, National Dentex’s shareholders will receive $17 in cash for each share of National Dentex common stock they hold, representing a premium of about 70% over National Dentex’s closing share price of $10.02 on April 1, 2010, the last trading day before the merger
Hu-Friedy recently donated dental products valued at $11,400 to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) to enhance vital oral health services for children from vulnerable populations. Howard University, a member of the NCOHF affiliate network, will use the dental supplies to help expand university pediatric oral health outreach programs in the Washington, DC, area, Hu-Friedy said. As an NCOHF Affiliate, Howard University is part of a national network of
Dentsply International reported net sales of $565.1 million in the second quarter of 2010 (end-June 30), a 2.2% increase over net sales of $552.8 million reported for the second quarter of 2009. Sales were negatively impacted by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, the company said. Net income for the quarter was $72.4 million, up from $70.2 million for the same quarter a year ago. “The dental markets have shown
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s partial set of dentures — described as “the teeth that saved the world” — were purchased for more than $23,000 at a London auction July 29. The upper dentures, one of several sets specially made for the wartime prime minister, were used to maintain his distinctively slurred speaking style, according to an Associated Press (AP) story. They were purchased by a U.K. collector of
Conscious sedation is growing in popularity in Australia, but dental experts warn some dentists may be putting patients at risk by using the technique without proper training. Dentist Harry Marget, who operates a Melbourne practice specializing in sedation dentistry, said unless such procedures are done with an anesthesiologist, it is unsafe and potentially fatal, according to a story in the Age. Dentists should be banned from administering sedatives while simultaneously
New York dentists overcharged the state’s dental plan $1.6 million for scaling and root planing (SRP), according to an audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. New York State Department of Health guidelines limit SRP to two quadrants per visit and once every three years on the same quadrant. Charges for SRP in excess of these limits accounted for nearly one-third of the amount that Group Health, the state’s
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry is one of three sites recruiting patients for a clinical trial to test whether the treatment of chronic periodontitis improves control of type 2 diabetes. “Research clearly shows an association between chronic periodontitis and type 2 diabetes, and there is early evidence that treating periodontal infection and inflammation can improve glycemic control,” said co-principal investigator Michael Reddy, D.M.D., in a
Kettenbach has become a corporate partner with the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI). The partnership will grant LVI students access to several of Kettenbach bite registration and impression materials during its seven core courses. As part of the partnership, LVI students will be using Kettenbach’s Futar and Futar Scan bite registration materials, Silginat alginate alternative impression material, and Panasil tray soft heavy, Panasil initial contact x-light, and
Washington state is preparing regulations intended to curb the overuse of prescription painkillers, according to an article in the New York Times. The regulations, being drafted under the direction of the state Legislature, have not been finalized. But they are expected to include a provision that doctors refer patients to a pain specialist if the patient’s dosage exceeds a set amount per day without improvement, the newspaper reported. The U.S.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is trying to stop drug companies from paying each other not to introduce competing products, according to commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz. In July 27 testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, Leibowitz said “pay-for-delay” is a top priority for the commission. In these sweetheart deals, makers of branded drugs pay competitors to delay introducing
Trident has pledged $1.5 million to connect Kids in Need of Dentistry to the Smiles Across America (SAA) program. SAA, an Oral Health America (OHA) program, has added Denver-based Kids in Need of Dentistry to the SAA network. With the help of Trident’s three-year commitment to the SAA program, the company currently supports dental services to more than 250,000 children annually in underserved communities nationwide, according to the OHA. “We
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jul 29 – Disturbed sleep and hypertension aren’t the only consequences of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Severe OSA may also be a risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, a new study suggests. The data come from 127 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) who agreed to at-home sleep studies. The researchers had already been following these patients (ages 43 to 75, mean 68) for a