FDA announces action plan to combat opioid abuse

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an action plan to combat what it calls the “opioid abuse epidemic.” Robert Califf, MD, the administration’s deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco, and other FDA leaders announced the administration’s action plan on February 4. “We are determined to help defeat this epidemic through a science-based and continuously evolving approach,” Dr. Califf stated in a press release. “This plan contains real measures

Week in Review: Small wins; specialist referrals; and Western Dental

Dear DrBicuspid Member, How do elite athletes, such as swimmer Michael Phelps, tip the odds in their favor and become the world’s best? More relevantly, how can you duplicate this success in your dental office? As Dental Intel Vice President Curtis Marshall writes, success happens when small wins accumulate. Read his column here. As you start prepping a tooth for a crown, it fractures at the gumline. This has probably

Henry Schein participates in 2016 GKAS Day

Henry Schein has joined with 26 of its supplier partners to participate in the 14th annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) Day. Give Kids A Smile Day is celebrated each year on the first Friday of February with the goal of expanding oral healthcare access for underserved U.S. kids. For the 2016 GKAS Day, Henry Schein and partners are supporting nearly 40,000 volunteers, who will provide free oral health screenings,

Pulpdent donates fluoride varnish for Guatemalan nonprofit

Pulpdent is donating the company’s Embrace fluoride varnish to the nonprofit group Mil Milagros (A Thousand Miracles). The group works in rural Guatemala to prevent child malnutrition and improve the health and education of the children and the communities, according to Pulpdent. More than 60 teachers in local public schools are also trained to support the daily toothbrushing programs that are part of the school day. “Most of the children

How to Floss Correctly

You’ve heard and read a lot of times that you need to floss to have a good dental hygiene. That is true, but what you don’t hear often enough is how to floss correctly. Proper flossing can help you to remove plaque and food particles that can lead to several problems. If you don’t floss the right way, plaque buildup can cause tooth decay and gum disease, so you need

AMD Lasers upgrades Picasso dental lasers

AMD Lasers has released an update to its line of Picasso lasers, called the Picasso+. The upgrade includes the Picasso+ and Picasso Lite+. Both provide a full touchscreen interface with new preset modes and treatment timers for periodontal and aphthous ulcer treatment, according to the company. The interval and duration pulsed modes are adjustable, and the upgrades include an electronic connection detection and an new optional battery pack. The new

Kolibree survey reveals kids’ toothbrushing habits

More than half of surveyed parents admitted it was a struggle to get their children to brush their teeth, according to the results of a new survey sponsored by Kolibree. The survey was conducted to raise awareness about preventive oral care for National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, according to the company. The survey revealed the following: 74% of the 271 parents surveyed believe their children brush their teeth

White House releases budget plan to curb opioid overdose

President Barack Obama announced on February 2 a two-pronged approach to address the “opioid overdose epidemic.” The president’s fiscal year 2017 budget will include $1 billion in new, mandatory funding that will expand access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use, according to a White House press release. Helping individuals with an opioid use disorder seek, complete, and sustain treatment recovery is the focus of this portion of

Geistlich Pharma launches line of bone harvesting instruments

Geistlich Pharma North America has launched a line of bone harvesting instruments for the collection of autogenous bone. The line includes the SmartScraper, the SafeScraper Twist, and the Micross. The SmartScraper offers all-in-one collection and delivery of bone with a syringe. The Micross is designed for minimally invasive tunneling surgical procedures. The Twist has a 160° blade that adapts to various bone surfaces.

Dental Implants in Mexico -Your Best Option

If you suffer from missing teeth, you have several options to replace them, but few of them are as effective as dental implants. They are metal posts that are surgically positioned to replace tooth roots. These implants allow your dentist to put fixed or teeth to replace your natural missing teeth. You can get this dental treatment in any place, but here we share with you why getting dental implants

Specialist referrals take time and commitment

A successful specialist relationship is more than the annual drop-off of holiday goodies. An excellent specialist is an extension of your office who takes the time to understand your philosophies of optimal patient care. A patient who has been complaining of intermittent biting pain is scheduled in your operatory for a crown. This conclusion was decided after an image taken weeks ago revealed no abscess; however, you suspect a hairline

Sheri’s Solutions: Hard to hear

“He was yelling at her, asking her to rush, telling her she was stupid, while he was audibly exasperated.” I always ask my patients about their referral experience. We have specialist offices to whom we refer because we have a relationship with the practice. Most of the time, these offices are practices we have used over the past years. At other times, or, if on the rare occasion a patient