What do you call a dental insurance plan that lets you file claims online quickly and efficiently, confirm patients’ eligibility instantly, get timely authorization for treatments, receive reimbursement in two weeks or less, and get paid at a rate that lets you make a profit? Now, what do you call the plan that provides all that for low-income kids? In Michigan, one name covers both: Healthy Kids Dental (HKD), the
Cadbury has introduced a new gum that contains Recaldent, a formula of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) that has been shown to protect and rebuild tooth enamel. Trident Xtra Care is the latest in Cabury’s line of sugarless gums. The company also owns Trident Splash and Stride. Cadbury has exclusive rights to use Recaldent in gum in the U.S., and Trident is the only brand that contains the ingredient. “Cadbury has
3D Systems, a Rock Hill, SC-based provider of 3D modeling and rapid prototyping solutions, is partnering with 3M ESPE to offer compatibility between the 3M ESPE Lava Scan ST Design System and 3D Systems’ high-volume dental-printing systems for digital production of dental wax-ups. According to the companies, pairing 3M ESPE’s Lava Scanner with 3D Systems ProJet DP 3000 Production System and InVision DP 3-D Modeler will enable dental laboratories to
Looking inside someone’s mouth may one day involve more than dental care. It could enable early diagnosis of various cancers, leading to more effective treatment outcomes and better survival rates. According to research presented at the 2008 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting in San Diego, analyzing the DNA in saliva can provide clues about the molecular damage that can lead to cancer. In particular, the investigators found that
Controversial advertising in an ADA-endorsed oral cancer awareness campaign is likely to change, according to the campaign’s sponsor. The advertising, which began appearing on buses, trains, and in magazines in September 2007, has drawn criticism for two reasons. Some experts, including prominent oral pathologists, have faulted the way the nonprofit ADA is working with the for-profit OralCDx Laboratories. Others have challenged the reliability of the company’s BrushTest as a means
Oral cancer has a five-year survival rate of only 50%. A patient’s best chance of surviving is early detection. While a number of methods and new technologies are now available to enhance early detection, the panel is still out on whether there is any one best approach for detecting oral cancer. As we report this week, questions have been raised about the ADA’s heavily promoted oral cancer campaign, which prominently
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), May 28 – People taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may be protecting their gums as well as their hearts, according to new research from Finland. Patients with periodontal disease who were taking statins had significantly less diseased gum tissue than those who weren’t on the drugs, indicating less inflammatory injury, Dr. Otso Lindy of the University of Helsinki and colleagues found. “Untreated periodontal pockets may serve
Photodisinfection — which combines low-intensity laser energy and microbiological stains to target and destroy microbial pathogens — continues to demonstrate its effectiveness in the treatment of chronic adult periodontitis. According to Ondine Biopharma, the Vancouver-based company commercializing this technology under the product name Periowave, results from the Canadian Multi-Center Gum Disease Trial demonstrate that photodisinfection compares favorably to traditional scaling and root planing for the treatment of periodontal disease. The
Do your patients roll their eyes when you press them about their brushing and flossing habits? Researchers this month provided yet another compelling reason why they should take you seriously. Three new studies suggest a strong correlation between periodontal disease, tooth loss, and an increased risk of developing cancer. In the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (May 2008, Vol. 17:5, pp. 1222-1227), researchers from Aichi Cancer Center
Much as we’d like, it’s not often we have the opportunity to gaze into a crystal ball and see the future of orthodontics (or anything else, for that matter). Research and Markets of Dublin, Ireland, offers the next best thing with its new report, “Orthodontic Patient Volume Trends: US Market Assessment.” The report includes results from an online survey of 99 orthodontists conducted between February 25 and March 3, 2008,
CHICAGO (Reuters), May 21 – Magnolia bark extract — a traditional Chinese medicine — may be the newest weapon in the war on bad breath. Chewing gum maker Wm Wrigley Jr. Co. said on Tuesday that it has added a bit of this germ-killing compound to their Eclipse gum and mints. The hope is to not simply mask bad breath, as most strongly flavored mints and gums do, but to
A resident who accused the orthodontics program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry of demanding donations from applicants has resigned from the program, the Daily Bruin student newspaper reported May 15. In his resignation letter addressed to department chair Kang Ting, D.M.D., Ph.D., Kent Ochiai, D.D.S. “alleges that Ting unfairly took away his clinic patients, limited his access to study materials, halted his progress in