Calif. dental worker arrested for forging prescriptions

A dental employee in California was arrested for allegedly forging prescriptions for muscle relaxants for personal use, according to news reports. Kristina Vargas was arrested on December 31 for allegedly prescribing herself a muscle relaxant on 11 different occasions, starting in 2018. She was charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, forgery, and commercial burglary. Police began investigating Vargas after it received a report of fraudulent prescription activity. Vargas

Week in Review: Dental assistant sues | Issues with opioid mishandling | The importance of training

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Having lectured to dental assistants for the last 15 years, I have heard plenty of horror stories when it comes to the relationship between the dentist and assistant. Once again this week, I was reminded just how quickly that relationship can sour. An Illinois dental assistant is suing her former boss and his dental practice, claiming she was subjected to racial jokes and was fired after refusing

Want to improve sleep apnea? Trimming tongue fat may help

Reducing fat tongue may help improve obstructive sleep apnea symptoms, according to a new study published January 10 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the effect of weight loss on the upper airway in obese patients, showing that a reduction in tongue fat lessened the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms. “Tongue fat is decreased with weight

2 dentists, dental technician die in Ukrainian jet crash

The dental industry lost members of its community when Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crashed on January 8 shortly after takeoff from Tehran. A dental technician and two dentists from Canada were three of the 176 passengers on the plane, according to news reports. Sixty-three Canadians, including dental technician Mansour Pourjam and dentists Sharieh Faghihi, DDS, and Parisa Eghbalian, DDS, died in the crash. Others who were killed include 82

Henry Schein company to close Colo. milling center

Henry Schein’s laboratory supply business Zahn Dental plans to close a milling facility in Colorado. The Custom Milling Center in Golden will lay off 54 employees, according to a notice posted on the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website. Affected employees include customer care staff, finishing technicians, and machine operators. Zahn Dental reported closing the facility for reorganization and relocation purposes. The layoff will begin on March 9.

When does speed kill your cash flow in the dental practice?

Sit in on any practice management course today, and count the number of times the word “efficiency” gets used. I get it. More than ever, time is our most valuable commodity. What I hope to encourage you to ponder today is a better word — effective. How effective are you? How effective are your materials, processes, and protocols? Effective is the ultimate balance between efficiency and result. At the end

Man nearly dies after using nail to pick popcorn from teeth

Using a metal nail and other objects to dislodge popcorn from between his teeth may have caused a U.K. man’s potentially fatal blood infection that led him to undergo a lengthy surgery, according to news reports. Adam Martin is recovering following a deadly blood infection that led to his diagnosis of endocarditis. Doctors believe his attempts to remove the popcorn from his teeth by using a toothpick, pen cap, piece

Neocis reaches implant milestone

Dental implant surgery company Neocis announced that its Yomi robotics system was used to place over 1,000 implants in 2019. Yomi provides computerized navigation to assist in both the pre- and intraoperative phases of dental implantation surgery, according to the company. It offers physical guidance through haptic robotic technology and provides the surgeon with complete control and clear visualization of the surgical site, Neocis said.

Ex-NFL player announces oral brand partnership

Former NFL player Rob Gronkowski appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on January 7 to announce an exclusive partnership between teeth-whitening and oral care company Snow and clear-aligner brand Byte. Gronkowski, formerly of the New England Patriots, is a part owner of Snow. In 2020, Snow and Byte will unveil cobranded products and initiatives for clear aligners and teeth whitening, according to the firms.

Podcast: Is this OTC medication the next substance of abuse?

A drug that is readily available as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication and easily accessible could become the next substance of abuse affecting your dental patients, according to dental pharmacology expert Tom Viola, RPh. On the latest episode of the Dental Assistant Nation podcast series, powered by IgniteDA.net. Viola joins me to talk about Benzedrex, commonly used by patients to provide temporary relief of nasal congestion by constricting blood vessels. Commonly

SmileDirectClub expands into Hong Kong

SmileDirectClub has brought its clear-aligner therapy to Hong Kong. The company has opened two SmileShops in Sheung Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui to give its residents access to doctor-directed remote clear-aligner therapy. This expansion comes on the heels of its announcement to partner with Walmart. SmileDirectClub recently announced on January 6 that Walmart would be the exclusive seller of its new oral care collection. SmileDirectClub already is available in the

Orthodontist assistant joins ‘The Bachelor’

An orthodontic assistant from San Antonio is one of 30 new contestants on the new season of “The Bachelor,” which premiered on January 6 on ABC. Alayah Benavidez is also a former Miss Texas USA, according to her bachelorette biography on ABC.com. In the first episode, Benavidez participated in the second group date with this season’s bachelor, Peter Weber.