The University of Manitoba is preparing to launch a new online resource to bridge what it has identified as a major gap in oral health information among Canadian healthcare professionals. AdvancingIn Oral Health (www.AdvancingIn.com) will go live in September 2009 as part of an effort to improve quality of care and patient health in Canada, according to the university. It will provide continuing oral health education to more than 72,000
A probiotic tablet containing a strain of Lactobacillus salivarius suppressed at least one of the bacteria responsible for periodontitis in a randomized controlled study, according to researchers from Wakamoto Pharmaceutical, which markets the tablets. The researchers had previously found the tablets to improve clinical parameters of periodontitis in smokers. In a study published this year in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (JCP, June 2009, Vol. 36:6, pp. 506-513), the researchers
Crown Consumer Brands has announced the relaunch of DentaBurst freshening teeth cleaners. Tthe product will have an improved, longer-lasting fresh mint flavor and new packaging, the company said. Crown Consumer Brands purchased the brand and all relevant patents from Kimberly-Clark in late 2008, and began a redesign of the packaging and continued efforts regarding the reformulation of the product’s mint flavor. The result is what the company calls “an on-the-go
Snoasis Medical is initiating limited commercial distribution of BioCover, the first membrane composed of donated amnion tissue — the innermost lining of the placenta — for use as a wound covering in the treatment of gingival recession. BioCover is a dehydrated graft that does not need to be hydrated prior to use; it naturally adheres to the surgical site, according to the company. This sets it apart from current methods
Centrix has pledged $25,000 to endow scholarships at Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport, the school announced. Named in honor of Centrix founder William B. Dragan, D.D.S., the scholarships will be awarded annually to one dental hygiene student who demonstrates financial need and academic excellence. To qualify for the awards, students also must be residents of Connecticut and must have completed 30 semester hours. Under the
The National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) has launched a new Web site that features photos and elements that help users understand the mission of the foundation, the organization announced. The site offers visitors an opportunity to explore the foundation’s programs and elements, according to NCOHF. The organization’s underwriters and corporate sponsors are included in the new site design, as are such features as Tomorrow’s Smiles, ATF Dental Home, and
In response to member inquiries regarding Align Technology’s new proficiency requirements for Invisalign, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is investigating measures to address concerns about the impact of these requirements on general dentists, the organization announced. The AGD thinks the new requirements have two aspects the general dentistry community should note: the requirement for completion of at least 10 Invisalign-specific continuing education credits, and the requirement for the start
Effective root canal therapy depends on cleaning out all the infected canals. But these canals can be hard to find, let alone negotiate. Often the only choice is to cut away tooth structure in search of lumens narrower than a human hair. So a new report that cone-beam CT is highly successful in finding root canals could prove important. “An attempt to locate them can result in increased chair time
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has donated toothpaste sachets, disclosing tablets, toothbrushing charts, stickers, and educational DVDs and tapes to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF). P&G made the donation to the foundation for distribution to 30 of the 60 nonprofit public health dental facilities that are affiliates of NCOHF. The donated materials are for use by pediatric dentists and hygienists. “Crest and Oral B are dedicated to improving children’s
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association and Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division announced this year’s recipients of the Hygienists Hero Recognition Program, which honors dental hygienists’ outstanding commitment to promoting oral hygiene in their local communities. The honorees were recognized at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Session this week in Washington, DC. To be considered for the program, dental hygienists submitted essays that described their inspirational, self-funded activities that
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $1.3 million grant to a group of researchers who have found a link between gum disease and memory loss. The research team includes Richard Crout, D.M.D., Ph.D., an expert on gum disease and the associate dean for research at West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry; gerontologist Bei Wu, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of North Carolina; Brenda Plassman, Ph.D.,
Professors and students from Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport traveled this month to Roatan, an island off the coast of Honduras, to provide oral healthcare to some of the poorest residents in the region. Led by professors Leigh-Lynn Vitukinas, R.D.H., and Sandra Stramoski, R.D.H., five dental hygiene students and two recent graduates from Fones treated 200 patients and educated at least 500 more children and