Bone fracture risk tool may identify periodontitis in older women

A tool that evaluates whether older women are at risk for osteoporotic fractures may also be able to determine if they are at risk for periodontal disease, according to a recent study published in Menopause. Postmenopausal women whose score on the World Health Organization Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) indicated that they were at major risk for OPF were also significantly more likely to have periodontitis than controls, the researchers

Patterson, AADOM launch OHA giving campaign

Patterson Dental and the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) have launched a yearlong initiative to raise funds for Oral Health America (OHA) Smiles Across America (SAA) program. The program’ mission is to help deliver dental care and prevention services to underserved children and promote oral health in communities. OHA President and CEO Beth Truett announced the joint fundraising campaign, called A Future to Smile About, at the OHA

Tooth fairy’s generosity hits record high in 2014

The tooth fairy was feeling more generous than ever in 2014 by leaving an estimated $255 million for lost teeth. The average gift for a tooth hit a record high of $4.36 last year, which is up from $3.50 in 2013, according to Delta Dental’s annual Original Tooth Fairy Poll. Kids in the South received the highest average amount of cash with $5.16 given per tooth, while children in the

Chicago Midwinter 2015 opening sees new product launches

CHICAGO – Lasers, tablet technology, and new printers were among the new products introduced on the first day of the 2015 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Companies including Convergent, AMD Lasers, BaseVac, Millenium Dental, and 3D Systems launched new or upgraded products. 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Convergent announces Solea addition At the opening of this year’s Midwinter Meeting, Convergent Dental announced the

U.S. Supreme Court rules against NC dental board in whitening case

The U.S. Supreme Court has announced a decision in the case of North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ruling 6-3 that the dental board could be subject to antitrust claims. The ruling, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, said that because a “controlling number” of the North Carolina Dental Board’s decision-makers are active market participants in the occupation the board regulates, the board can invoke

Chicago coverage kickoff; Tronsgard on why MLPs don’t work; Frachella on silver nitrate

Dear DrBicuspid Member, CHICAGO – I’ve flown here to lead our coverage of the Chicago Dental Society’s 150th Midwinter Meeting, which starts tomorrow. Look for our stories, pictures, and updates this week and into next. And, if you are attending the show, let me know what you found interesting and what didn’t serve your needs as well. Dr. Paul Tronsgard, president of the North Dakota Dental Association (NDDA), puts forth his

Brasseler partners with Ivoclar Vivadent

Brasseler USA has partnered with Ivoclar Vivadent to innovate dental and laboratory procedural solutions. Together they developed a specialized crown and bridge/veneer preparation system and a chairside finishing and polishing system that is specifically designed to work with Ivoclar Vivadent’s IPS e.max restorative material. Brasseler will begin selling the two systems in March. “Brasseler USA and Ivoclar Vivadent have come together with one goal in mind — to provide dentists

Black diamonds: The case for silver nitrate and silver fluoride — Part 2

In part one of this series, John Frachella, DMD, looked at the history of using silver nitrate and silver fluoride for pediatric caries treatment. In the conclusion, he looks at the larger treatment issues and public health concerns. John Frachella, DMD. This month, Delta Dental released the results of a new survey to raise awareness about the importance of oral health in children. It found relatively poor oral care behavior

LOL donates Zollipops for National Children’s Dental Health Month

LOL, the company behind Zollipops, is giving away 100,000 of their teeth-friendly lollipops in honor of February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month. As part of its 100,000 Smiles campaign, LOL will donate thousands of Zollipops to schools and dentist offices across the U.S. to raise awareness for oral health. In addition, throughout 2015, Zollipop will donate 10% of its profits to support oral health education in schools. The Zollipop is

Case report details alternative approach for patients with advanced tooth wear

When a patient with advanced tooth wear needs extensive restoration at increased occlusal vertical dimension (OVD), how do you handle it clinically? Do you prepare all the teeth in a single day and place full-arch interim prostheses? Many practitioners do, but this can be tiring for both the patient and clinician, along with being difficult to schedule for all parties. In a new case report in the Journal of Prosthodontics

USC researcher earns research award to develop peri-implantitis treatment

Alireza Moshaverinia, DDS, PhD, a research professor at the Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California (USC) has earned a research award to develop a new treatment for patients who develop peri-implantitis. The 2015 International Association for Dental Research Innovation in Oral Care Award, which can be worth up to $75,000 and lasts one year, was given to three recipients worldwide. Co-sponsored by the International Association for

Levin on efficient scheduling, Madow Bros. on improving email; McKenzie on collections

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Scheduling is one of the most significant indicators of how your practice is functioning. An efficient scheduling system ensures a steady flow of patients and production throughout the day. Dr. Roger P. Levin shares ideas that will help you create the best schedule for your practice. The Madow Brothers ask: Are your patients opening your emails? Are you getting enough return from this important tool? In their latest