Week in Review: CDA, Delta Dental agree on $34M settlement; coffee stains on restorations; and new products

Dear DrBicuspid Member, The biggest story this week came from California, as the California Dental Association (CDA) and Delta Dental of California announced a proposed settlement to more than three years of litigation surrounding a proposed reimbursement cut. If the settlement is approved, Delta Dental could pay more than $34 million to certain California dentists. Read more here. Also this week on HuangshanDental.com, your patients, and maybe you, drink a

America’s ToothFairy gets new key partner

Dental products manufacturer SS White will become a signature partner of America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF). To become a signature partner, an organization must provide a $50,000 annual gift to America’s ToothFairy and commit to donating products to member clinics. In the past, SS White has donated burs, procedure kits, and carbide packs, helping America’s ToothFairy provide oral health preventive services to underserved children.

Restoratives Insider: SDF with potassium reduces staining, caries recurrence

Dear Restoratives Insider, You just placed a restoration and have a choice — do you use silver diamine fluoride (SDF), reducing the risk of secondary caries but also staining the tooth, or do you leave it as is? New research suggests SDF with potassium iodide might be a compromise between the two options. Read our Insider Exclusive. In other Restoratives Community news, while you know that the average American drinks

Latest CE course focuses on sexually transmitted infections

The newest continuing education (CE) course from Gregory Naylor, DDS, focuses on what you need to know about the most common infectious diseases in the U.S. — sexually transmitted infections. This three-credit course discusses all aspects, including treatment, of these infections with an emphasis on their oral lesions and manifestations. The course is available in the HuangshanDental.com continuing education section. Gregory Naylor, DDS Sexually transmitted infections, sexually related conditions, and

Estrogen therapy may reduce periodontal disease

A new study has found that postmenopausal women taking estrogen as an osteoporosis treatment had a lower prevalence of severe periodontitis than those not receiving this treatment. Previous research has examined the relationship between osteoporosis and periodontal disease in postmenopausal women, but few studies have investigated the effects of osteoporosis treatment on periodontal conditions, according to researchers from Brazil and the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in New

Effects of Mexican beverage tax deepening over time

The decline in purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages in Mexico following the implementation of a tax in 2014 on these beverages is continuing to deepen, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. Researchers from Mexico and North Carolina found that sales of taxed beverages fell in both 2014 and 2015, despite reports to the contrary. In addition, the drop in purchases was larger in 2015 than in 2014, and

New product: Komet launches double-sided diamond disks

Komet USA has introduced new double-sided diamond disks with coarse diamond grains. Double-sided diamond disk. Image courtesy of Komet USA. The disks are available in two sizes: an 18-mm diameter D2014.HP.180 and a 22-mm diameter D2014.HP.220. The instruments have a green color ring for easy identification. The disks are designed to offer effective chip removal while separating, precutting, and contouring acrylic and veneering ceramics. When operated at the optimal speed

Coffee stains no match for some restorative materials

The average American drinks a lot of coffee — 3.1 cups per day to be exact. And while a cup (or three) of joe may have some dental health benefits, regular coffee consumption poses a challenge to dentists who want to create natural-looking restorations. Fortunately for coffee-loving patients, newer restorative materials may prevent coffee stains better than traditional composite resins, according to a new study published in Restorative Dentistry &

NIDCR awards $24M to study tissue regeneration

The National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has pledged $24 million to support the development of two resource centers that will study tissue regeneration. One team of researchers from California and another from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts will each receive $12 million over three years to fund the creation of research centers that focus on therapies to repair or regenerate tissues in the mouth, face, and head. Jeffrey

New products: Shofu launches bur holder, CAD/CAM composite

Materials and equipment company Shofu Dental has launched two new products, a bur holder and proprietary hybrid ceramic materials for CAD/CAM-based restorative dentistry. The universal bur holder, the BurButler, can hold abrasives of various shank sizes in one base. The product comes in three configurations with five, 10, or 25 holes and five different colors. The HC Block/Disk is a CAD/CAM composite available in multiple shades and translucencies. The microarchitecture

Survey finds knowledge gaps in use of curing lights

Do you use a curing light in your practice for restorations? How much do you know about their practical use, how to limit your exposure, and how to use it safely? Researchers from Norway sought to identify knowledge gaps regarding curing lights and personal protection while using these lights in a study in the Journal of Dentistry. They found that almost a third of surveyed dentists used inadequate eye protection

Week in Review: AAP president on research; 3 practice success drivers; and EPA rejects antifluoride petition

Dear DrBicuspid Member, We continue our coverage from the Chicago Dental Society’s 2017 Midwinter Meeting with two articles today. The first is an exclusive video interview with Dr. Terrence Griffin who talks about recent research linking gum disease and stroke risk, his goals for his term as president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), and more. View it here. The second article is coverage of a popular session from Dr. Mark