Got a good attitude? Patients’ outcome views colored by cues

Doctors who appeared empathetic and conveyed high expectations of treatment success during pain procedures influenced the way patients felt about outcomes in a new study, published October 21 in Nature Human Behaviour. Clinicians’ beliefs about treatment effectiveness can be passed on to patients during brief social interactions, highlighting the importance of healthcare providers’ behavior and cognitive mindset when communicating with patients, according to the researchers. “Our study provides additional empirical

U.K. dentist suspended after patient death

A dentist in the U.K. has been suspended from practicing for 12 months after a patient who was on a blood-thinning medication bled to death soon after having 10 teeth extracted due to advanced periodontal disease. Tushar Patel, BDS, worked at Confidental Clinics in Purley and treated the patient in the summer of 2017, according to an October 22 story in the Telegraph. The women had been taking warfarin for

Teledentistry, SmileDirectClub stay in spotlight for good, bad

Fresh off its filing of a harassment lawsuit against the Dental Board of California, SmileDirectClub finds itself thrust in the news again with investigations into the way it markets it clear aligners and moves to further expand internationally. On the heels of SmileDirectClub suing the Dental Board of California for allegedly engaging in a systematic, anticompetitive campaign against its business model, it was reported on October 20 in the Sydney

Periodontist must pay $1.3M in malpractice case

A periodontist must pay approximately $1.3 million in a malpractice case in which a procedure to extract a molar in preparation for an implant resulted in bone and nerve damage, according to a judgment filed in a New Jersey court. Frank Ricker, DMD, of Bedminster, NJ, was ordered to pay $1.1 million to his patient, Kathleen Seergy, and $233,000 to her husband, Michael Seergy, following a six-day jury trial. The judgment in

Henry Schein to be released from opioid litigation

Henry Schein Dental said it will be dismissed with prejudice as a defendant in a U.S. opioid lawsuit in Summit County in Ohio. The company has agreed to donate $1 million to help establish an educational foundation to promote the proper use and prescription of opioids. The company will also pay $250,000 in expenses to Summit County.

New electrode set accurately assesses sleep bruxism at home

Researchers from Finland have developed a new electroencephalography (EEG) electrode set capable of assessing sleep bruxism as accurately as more complex and costly methods such as traditional polysomnography, according to a recent study. The set is reliable and easy enough to be used by patients at home, the authors noted. The group from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital sought to develop this technology as a way

Week in Review: Battles continue over DTC orthodontics | FTC ruling in distributor case | What to know about vaping

This past week saw major battles erupt in the ongoing struggle over direct-to-consumer (DTC) orthodontics, in particular involving the segment’s major player, SmileDirectClub. The first skirmish erupted in California, where that state became the first in the U.S. to pass a law that aims to better protect patients who undergo DTC orthodontic treatments by requiring x-rays and more before moving ahead with care. The other shoe dropped on Thursday, when

Colgate’s Optic White fails to deeply whiten teeth, suit claims

A Nevada woman has filed a class-action suit against Colgate-Palmolive, claiming that Colgate’s Optic White toothpaste is based on “false hope” because it fails to naturally, deeply whiten teeth as advertised. Sharon Willis filed the lawsuit, stating that she used the toothpaste as directed, but it failed to deeply whiten her teeth or remove any intrinsic stains as the product claims. She alleges the company has misrepresented its Optic White

SmileDirectClub sues Calif. dental board for harassment

SmileDirectClub has filed a lawsuit against the Dental Board of California, alleging it intentionally harassed the direct-to-consumer clear-aligner company’s clinics in a planned effort to hinder its growth. The litigation further fans the flames between the burgeoning industry and traditional orthodontics. The lawsuit was filed on October 16 in the western division of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by SmileDirectClub and its chief clinical officer,

Radiation-free imaging system aids caries detection

Near-infrared light transillumination (NILT) does not expose patients to ionizing radiation, but is it an effective modality for detecting caries? Researchers tested NILT against direct digital radiography in almost 140 teeth to find out. NILT showed a higher correlation than direct digital radiography for approximal dentinal caries detection, and it can be a useful diagnostic tool in conjunction with bitewing radiographs, the study authors noted. “Accordingly, NILT may be used

Case report: Repair of osseous defect on an implant

A 70-year-old patient presented to the dental practice for an emergency exam after experiencing pain around the peri-implant tissues of implant #5. On evaluation, sulcular pus and buccal edematous tissue were observed — both associated with the implant in question. Following radiological studies of the affected area, implant #5 exhibited coronal bone loss and classic “cupping,” consistent with signs of occlusal overload. The patient received a diagnosis of peri-implant disease

YouTube is better for watching dental injuries than fixing them

YouTube is probably not the best source of information for learning how to manage dental trauma, according to a study published on October 13. Researchers from the U.K. analyzed 120 videos and found that YouTube is much better for seeing people knock their teeth out than educating the public about how to manage an avulsed tooth. While YouTube was once known for its short videos and vlogs, the website is