The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on February 9 published a critique of the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) second draft of a monograph on fluoride and neurotoxicity. The NTP monograph, titled “Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects,” concluded that fluoride negatively affects people’s cognitive abilities. But NASEM stated in a press release that the document “still falls short of providing clear and

Dental care topped the list of children’s unmet healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published on February 6 in the Journal of the American Dental Association. That risk was even higher for children whose parents lost a job or income. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh surveyed 348 local families to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic effects impacted dental care for children in the

The ADA has launched its 2021 Give Kids A Smile program, virtually kicking off more than 1,500 events across the U.S. that provide free dental healthcare to thousands of underserved children. More than 6,500 dentists and 30,000 dental health team members will participate in the event, which has served 300,000 children since the program commenced in 2003. The program’s sponsors include Colgate-Palmolive, Henry Schein, and the Indian Health Service.