Week in Review: COVID-19 talk from a pulmonologist | Lessons learned from an ancient tooth | Prepping the schedule for your return

Dear DrBicuspid Member, As we approach and embrace one of the most sacred seasons of the year for so many religions, I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting our lives and our businesses, we are constantly trying to bring you the latest information from dentistry’s thought leaders about how to navigate these historic days. I was honored to join our

New children’s book focused on tooth fairy is available

A new children’s book explores what happens once the tooth fairy picks up a tooth. The Tooth Queen follows the journey of the tooth fairy as she reports to her boss, an evil tooth queen. The book is the second from Australian author Neil Ewart and available on Amazon.

Man sets mouth on fire during stunt at COVID-19 vigil

A man accidentally set his mouth on fire while attempting a stunt during a vigil held in India on April 5 to show support for workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to news reports. The man, who was not identified, miraculously suffered only minor burns to the inside of his mouth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for India to turn off lights and light candles or

New oral-systemic health documentary series released

A new seven-part documentary series on Well.org explores the link between oral health and overall health. “Gateway to Health: Healing Secrets of the Oral Biome” features the latest science and research on the oral-systemic connection. It features voices from dental experts and researchers on how oral health intersects with blood health, pregnancy, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Where dental patients are being hit the hardest financially by COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. has forced people across the nation to stay at home and embrace social distancing guidelines, pushing many businesses to close and leading an alarmingly high number of workers to file for unemployment benefits. Millions of Americans have found themselves temporarily or permanently out of jobs, resulting in more than 6.6 million unemployment insurance claims being filed during the week of March 23. Similar to

One hygienist’s view on the future of dental hygiene

Editor’s note: This is the first piece in a continuing series where we will be asking dental hygienists from across the country, at different stages of their careers, what they believe the future of dental hygiene holds. Kristy James, RDH. Kristy James, RDH, graduated from dental hygiene school in 2003 and immediately began working as a dental hygienist in a small town in Washington state. She has been working as

800,000-year-old tooth gives new details of human family tree

Genetic information from an 800,000-year-old tooth has disproved the theory that Homo antecessor, a species that bore a mix of modern and ancient facial characteristics, is the missing link that led to the humans that exist today, according to a study published April 1 in Nature. According to the study, H. antecessor, a controversial species discovered in the 1990s, is a close relative but not a direct ancestor of Neanderthals,

Mo. orthodontist dies from COVID-19 complications

A 64-year-old orthodontist from Missouri died in the hospital on April 3 from COVID-19 complications, according to his obituary. The death of Steven J. Huber, DDS, of Huber Orthodontics in Jefferson City, is the first in Cole County, according to news reports. After Dr. Huber received his dental degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed the orthodontics program at the University of Oklahoma, he opened his practice. He said

Tooth fairy, Easter Bunny deemed ‘essential workers’ in New Zealand

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy are considered “essential workers” during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a lighthearted response to a question, Ardern also noted that the Easter Bunny may be quite busy at home this year. “I say to the children of New Zealand that if the Easter Bunny doesn’t make it to your household, we have to understand that

Delta Dental of Calif. postpones fee reductions

Delta Dental of California has postponed planned fee reductions until January 2021, California Dental Association (CDA) President Dr. Richard Nagy said in a letter issued April 4. The change will affect approximately 2,200 endodontists, oral surgeons, and periodontists in the Delta Dental Premier network from July 1 of this year to January 1, 2021, according to Nagy. “CDA is pleased that Delta Dental of California has postponed the effective date of

BonaDent shifts from dental lab to face shield manufacturer

BonaDent Dental Laboratories has shifted operations from its dental products business to the production of face shields, according to a report published April 3 by Finger Lakes Times of Geneva, NY. The company lost 90% of its dental products business when the ADA asked members to limit work to emergency dentistry, the article said. BonaDent has furloughed half its workforce. In the meantime, it has begun making face shields at

Easy Does It! 5 Ways Families Can Self-Care During COVID-19

Without a doubt, the COVID-19 crisis is an exceptionally difficult time for us all. We’re doing our best to take care of ourselves. We hope you and your family stay healthy and safe. After all, social distancing helps to prevent this disease from spreading. It lowers the curve, saves lives, and safeguards our hospital systems from being overwhelmed. Social distancing is not only a matter of public health, but