Straumann reported unaudited 2008 full-year net revenue of 779 million Swiss francs ($697 million U.S.), up from 714 million francs ($639 million) in 2007. Despite the economic crisis and the market slowdown, the Straumann Group said it was able to achieve growth across all businesses in the fourth quarter. Europe (+7%) and North America (+1%) continued to generate growth in the fourth quarter, while Asia Pacific declined (-4%). Overall, net
The Smile for a Lifetime Foundation, an orthodontic organization established in October 2008 by Benjamin Burris, D.D.S., M.D.S., of Jonesboro, AR, is gearing up to expand across the U.S., according to Dr. Burris. Smile for a Lifetime provides braces for individuals who have financial challenges and/or special circumstances. “I started practicing in northeast Arkansas in 2004, and I kept running into people from some of the smaller towns who have
The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), including mandatory coverage for oral health. The Senate is expected to act quickly on the bill, versions of which have passed in Congress twice, only to be vetoed by President George Bush. President-elect Barack Obama has spoken in favor of the bill, according to the New York Times. In its current
Incensed at an online review she considers libelous, Yvonne Wong, D.D.S., of Foster City, CA, is suing the parents of a young patient. The case could set a precedent in the fast-growing area of Internet commentary on healthcare practitioners. .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; padding-top:2px; } “It would behoove them to consider a settlement and an apology. I think they owe her that after
A new survey by Align Technology, makers of Invisalign Teen, has found that teens who wear metal braces are less likely to flash their pearly whites. The survey was conducted for Align by Kelton Research. The nationwide survey included 510 U.S. respondents ages 12-17 years old. “When you walk into a room with braces, you feel like everyone is looking at you or when you’re talking to someone you feel
Teeth-whitening kiosks run by nondentists are tempting because of low prices, but are they encroaching on dentists’ territory? The state of Tennessee thinks so. The Board of Dentistry found that the kiosk services coincided with the state’s definition of the practice of dentistry, said Andrea Turner, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Health. As reported last year by HuangshanDental.com, these kiosks offer a less expensive alternative to having the
The U.S. FDA has cleared new labeling for Align Technology’s Invisalign system, removing the permanent dentition limitation from the indications for use, according to the company. In addition, certain conditions previously listed as contraindications will now be listed as precautions. “Over the years, our customers have demonstrated that many different types of malocclusion can be effectively treated with Invisalign,” said Align Technology President and CEO Thomas Prescott in a press
Kerr will launch Herculite Ultra, a new version of Herculite composite with nanofiller, February 1, the company announced. The resin matrix of the 20-year-old Herculite will remain the same, according to Kerr, but the company has added nanofiller with the goal of increasing gloss and strength. The Herculite Ultra starter kit. Image courtesy of Kerr. Nanofiller is made up of nanoparticles — particles in the range of 5 to 100
Pulpdent has announced it is continuing its support for children’s oral health by donating sealants and other materials to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, an organization that works to provide dental care to economically disadvantaged children. The donation provides enough materials to seal 12,000 teeth, according to the company. In celebration of its 60th anniversary in 2007, Pulpdent donated 60,000 sealants to public health organizations servicing underserved and underprivileged
Tennessee has become the latest state to take action against nondentists performing teeth whitening at the mall. The Tennessee Board of Dentistry voted on January 8 to ban all teeth-whitening kiosks in shopping malls, according to news reports. The board ruled that teeth whitening is a dental procedure that can only be performed by licensed professionals. The decision does not affect at-home teeth-whitening products that are purchased from stores.
The Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) is sponsoring an outreach effort throughout the state to provide free dental services to children whose families could otherwise not afford the care. Now in its seventh year, the Give Kids a Smile event will take place February 6 and 7, 2009. “Dentists are here to help children who need care. We spend these two days every year opening our offices without any charge to
Nomir Medical Technologies, a developer of optical energy technologies for medical applications, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a central patent to Nomir that further protects its core Noveon technology. Noveon is a light-based system that photobiologically targets the elimination of bacterial and fungal infections using a near-infrared, photoinactivation effect. This latest patent (No. 7,470,124) protects the photoinactivation and eradication of microorganisms as a result