Biolase taps Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan as clinical adviser

Biolase has entered into a clinical advisory partnership with endodontist Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan. Buchanan has been lecturing and teaching hands-on endodontic continuing education courses for more than 30 years. Through the partnership, Buchanan will incorporate Biolase’s Waterlase laser technology into his programs and practice. Based in Santa Barbara, CA, he is a part-time faculty member in the endodontic departments at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School

Experts tout the tech that has changed their practice

Technologies used in both the front and back of the office in a dental practice can create efficiencies, improve workflow, and serve as ingredients to improve productivity and profitability. Leading experts touted their favorite innovations, from scanners to voice-controlled charting software. Intraoral scanners and 3D printers Dr. Marty Jablow. Digital dentistry technology, including intraoral scanners, was perhaps the most popular tool mentioned by the experts. Dr. Marty Jablow, a dental technology

Imaging reveals woman’s molars with rare 6 or more root canals

Imaging helped guide the dental treatment of a woman with two molars that had at least six abnormal root canals due to taurodontism, a tooth development disorder. The case report was published on August 30 in BMC Oral Health. The patient’s maxillary first molar had six root canals and her ipsilateral upper jaw molar had seven. Most molars have two to four canals. There are 14 known reports of molars

5 metrics to measure practice performance

Dentistry has faced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, but leaders in dentistry are unanimous in their opinion that a practice can still grow — regardless of the outside circumstances. What is the key? Using objective measures and metrics to monitor various aspects of your practice. “Tracking the numbers is possibly the single most important factor in practice success,” said Dr. Roger P. Levin, CEO of practice management and marketing consulting

Technology Focus: Crown.AI software for fastdesign.io

Technology Focus is a new series from HuangshanDental.com that brings you an up-close look at new technologies and tools in dentistry. The second episode features Crown.AI and Margin.AI technology from Glidewell’s fastdesign.io software. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology for dentistry has come a long way, and two new features from Glidewell’s fastdesign.io software show how smart technologies can save significant amounts of time in the clinic. In this Technology Focus interview,

What links oral surgery infections to penicillin allergy?

Oral surgery patients with penicillin allergies who take a certain kind of antibiotic as perioperative prophylaxis face a greater risk of developing surgical site infections, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The increased risk of infection was related to the difference in antibiotic prescribing instead of a penicillin allergy alone. Patients with allergies who were prescribed the non-beta-lactam antibiotic clindamycin had a

Restorative dentistry’s future hinges on bioactivity and more

Bioactive dental materials have boosted the longevity of restorations and improved clinical outcomes for patients. But are they still the next game-changer? Maybe. While exciting bioactivity developments are in the works, stem cells may be the true future of restorative dentistry. “A restorative dental material is not the answer to dental disease,” said Dr. Mark Wolff, PhD, dean of the restorative dentistry division at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental

Dental Dose: Why medications warn against grapefruit juice

Dental Dose is a twice-monthly video series featuring pharmacologist Tom Viola, RPh. In each episode, Viola shares bite-sized pieces of dental pharmacology news, facts, and myths. On a hot summer day, you may want to reach for a tall, cool glass of grapefruit juice. But if you take some medications, you should think twice about opting for the tangy drink. Pharmacologist Tom Viola explained why in the latest episode of

What you should know about bioactivity

Bioactivity is an “exciting advance in restorative dentistry during the last 20 years,” according to Dr. John Comisi, an associate professor of restorative dentistry at the Medical University of South Carolina’s James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine. That’s because using bioactive or “bioavailable” materials, as Comisi refers to these products, can help teeth with caries heal when they are restored. “We must remember the tooth is a living structure,” he

FDA seeks comment on dental resins, facet screw performance

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking comment on draft guidance related to the performance criteria and testing methods for facet screws and dental resins. On August 27, the FDA issued two draft guidelines intended to help strengthen and modernize the agency’s 510(k) medical device program. Comments related to dental resins and facet screws must be submitted by October 29. If the drafts become finalized, those who plan

CDSA course teaches oral sedation

A new virtual minicourse offered by the California Dental Society of Anesthesiology (CDSA) will teach subjects on oral conscious sedation and moderate sedation. The course will be taught by Dr. Michael Edwards and Dr. Robert Merin and will take place September 1 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The course also provides 1.5 continuing education units for adult oral conscious sedation renewal and moderate (conscious) sedation renewal. Registration is open until 6:30 p.m.

Unable to find dentist, U.K. man used dead man’s dentures

A man from Preston, England, has been using a deceased person’s dentures after being unable to find a dentist from the U.K. National Health Service (NHS), according to a report published August 25 in Metro. The ordeal started when the dentures of Matt Bonnell, 53, snapped into multiple pieces, Metro reported. Bonnell is entitled to free dental care as a Universal Credit claimant, but he said 20 dental offices refused