Heraeus Kulzer donates to America’s ToothFairy

Heraeus Kulzer has donated more than $302,000 in products to the America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) mission to benefit affiliates in three states and the District of Columbia. The donation includes intraoroal film, duplicating film, and impression material to support oral health education, preventive services, and treatment, according to the organization. Affiliates who will benefit include the following: Kids’ Community Dental Clinic, Burbank, CA The Children’s Dental

AAP elects new officers, honors leaders in profession

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) elected new leadership and recognized certain members for their contributions to the specialty during its annual meeting this week in Orlando, FL. Wayne Aldredge, DMD, a periodontist from Holmdel, NJ, has been installed as president, with Joan Otomo-Corgel, DDS, MPH, of Los Angeles, serving as the immediate past president. Other newly installed leaders include the following: President-elect: Terrence Griffin, DMD, of Boston Vice president:

5 Reasons Why Medical Tourism is For You

Medical treatments are expensive. Everyone that has suffered a disease and needed treatment knows it. Even when a person looks for cheaper options, the reality is that the quality of treatments may not be optimal. All people should have the right to enjoy health at an affordable price, and fortunately, nowadays there are several options for this. What we’re talking about is Medical Tourism, the best way to get quality

Cleft research receives inaugural federal funding

A new federal initiative to accelerate research on pediatric diseases and conditions will fund a study that seeks to learn more about the causes of cleft lip and palate. The study is being led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) School of Dental Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health. The Pitt researchers, along with other researchers from U.S. universities, will examine the genomes of 1,300 people, including

Study: Kids use less than half of prescribed opioids

After surgery, many children use less than half of their prescribed opioid medication, according to a recent study. This finding is particularly worrying because many of these patients live with teenage siblings, who are at an increased risk for misusing leftover prescription drugs. The researchers interviewed parents of hundreds of pediatric in-patients who were prescribed opioids after being discharged, including some patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial surgery. The study,

ADA 2015: Dentists play crucial role in detecting oral cancer

Dentists play a crucial role in detecting oral cancer and saving lives, according to a presentation at the recent ADA 2015 annual meeting in Washington, DC. There has been an alarming increase in oral cancer rates, presenters said, especially for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer and among people without traditional risk factors, such as smoking and drinking. In fact, in 2013, three times as many people were diagnosed with the disease compared

ADA 2015: Focus needed on hep C, infection control

Oral health professionals should focus on proper infection-control precautions and advise patients at higher risk for hepatitis C to get tested, including IV drug users and baby boomers, according to a presentation on viruses at the recent ADA 2015 meeting in Washington, DC. Health officials are alarmed at the increasing rates of hepatitis C in the U.S., and the mortality rate for hepatitis C now exceeds that of all other

AACD launches new initiatives

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Charitable Foundation’s Give Back a Smile program is launching two new initiatives: Lab Challenge and Give Back a Bigger Smile. The Lab Challenge is a way for dental laboratories to support the Give Back a Smile (GBAS) program. “Dentists have had an opportunity to give back through the GBAS Whitening Challenge,” Scott Greenhalgh, DDS, chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, said in

Diabetes & Oral Care: How to Protect your Teeth

According to data from the National Diabetes Statistics Report, there are around 30 million people with diabetes in the US. That’s a lot of people, and they all need special health care. One of the main issues that a person with diabetes has to face is oral hygiene. There are many dental problems associated with diabetes, and today we share with you information about this subject. If you have diabetes,

ADA 2015: Diabetes, periodontitis, stroke link stressed

Most of your patients may be unaware that they may have periodontal disease, but some patients may also be unaware that they have diabetes, according to a presentation by Sam Low, DDS, and Souvik Sen, MD, MPH, at the recent ADA 2015 annual meeting in Washington, DC. Most patients are also unaware of the link between periodontal disease and diabetes, noted Dr. Low, speaking at a Philips presentation, titled “Diabetic Patient

OrthoAccel makes Deloitte’s 2015 Technology Fast 500

OrthoAccel Technologies is ranked No. 2 in Texas and No. 69 in the U.S. on Deloitte’s 2015 Technology Fast 500 list. The annual list recognizes the fastest-growing technology companies in North America. This year’s ranking is based on percent growth from 2011 to 2014. OrthoAccel produces AcceleDent, a medical device for orthodontic movement that is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Between 2011 and 2014, the company reported

New study compares properties of CAD/CAM composites

A study of various dental restorative CAD/CAM composites has found that lithium disilicate glass ceramic had the highest flexural strength, but all the materials were found to be satisfactory in terms of their mechanical and optical properties. Overall, the German researchers found that CAD/CAM composites presented moderate flexural strength and high translucency, as well as exhibited antagonist-friendly behavior. On the materials side, they reported that glass ceramic demonstrated the most