The importance of community water fluoridation to oral health

A recent recommendation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has brought about a resurgence of support for community water fluoridation within the oral health community. John Luther, DDS, is the chief dental officer at DentaQuest. Dentists have consistently been strong advocates for the health benefits of fluoridating public water supplies, and fluoridation is widely regarded as one of the top public health achievements of the past

DrBicuspid.com Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider, Recent research suggests that oral midazolam may help reduce children’s anxiety before comprehensive dental procedures. A study found that children who took the drug were more willing to comply with an anesthetic mask than those who took a placebo. Find out more in the Insider Exclusive. Did you know that referrals to facial pain specialists often take more than a year? One study found

Zimmer divests assets to further Biomet acquisition

Zimmer Holdings announced on May 28 that it plans to divest in the U.S. certain assets to further its pending acquisition of Biomet. Zimmer has finalized agreements with buyers to divest certain Zimmer nondental assets, certain Biomet nondental assets, and Cobalt bone cement assets. The company said it was working with the Bureau of Competition Staff of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and is “highly confident” that an agreement

3M ESPE launches new LED curing lights

3M ESPE has introduced the new Elipar DeepCure-S and Paradigm DeepCure LED curing lights. The new DeepCure LED curing lights feature optimized optics, delivering a beam for a complete and uniform cure. Both lights have identical technical performance with an intensity of 1,470 mW/cm2, according to the company. The Elipar DeepCure-S is made with durable stainless steel and has a charging base with a built-in light meter. The Paradigm DeepCure

Practice systems and income; Medicare changes and updates; 8 tips for phone calls

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Dentists can increase income exponentially by implementing the right systems in their practice. Using reliable, time-tested methods enables the practice to develop into an efficient business with excellent profitability, continual team development, and low stress, according to Dr. Roger P. Levin. In this excerpt from their book DentalCodeology, authors Patti DiGangi, Christine Taxin, and Jan Palmer discuss the changes in Medicare, provide updates on upcoming registration deadlines, and

Summer At the Dentist

Summer has arrive and vacations are just right around the corner. What are your plan for the summer? Have you decided where you will be? Recently there has been a change in plans, today many travel to the capital of dental tourism, many travel to Los Algodones. Our visitors have noticed that during the summer months, there is less tourist in the city, meaning that they have more opportunities for

Infection Control

Today germs and virus are everywhere; whether you are a child, a teen, an adult, or elderly you could be in contact of germs and viruses. Whether you are playing at the park, at the mall’s elevator, having a picnic with your love ones, or placing your hand on the shopping cart handles you could be at risk of an infection. To help control the harmful effects a disease can

Heraeus Kulzer, Amann Girrbach partner on full digital dentures

Heraeus Kulzer and digital dental prosthetics company Amann Girrbach have agreed on joint development rights to produce full digital dentures. Pala Mix & Match denture teeth in a special blank form secured in a retaining apparatus. The tooth blocks would then be milled based on a virtual denture model. Image courtesy of Heraeus Kulzer. Amann Girrbach of Vorarlberg, Austria, has developed a fabrication method for dentures, while Heraeus Kulzer has

Mental nutrition for practice leaders; sleep apnea treatments; can cancellations be saved?

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Just as your body needs proper nutrition, your mind also requires regular, healthy mental nutrition. Instead of worrying about the things you can’t control, feed your mind with positive mental nutrition. Scheduling Institute President Jay Geier offers ways you can get your daily helping, so that you can become the successful leader that your practice needs. There is a growing demand for therapies to treat sleep apnea.

Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate

Pregnancy a mysterious and magical moment that both the mother and the rest of the family can experience. During pregnancy things like: finding your baby’s sex, seeing how he/she develops, feeling the kicks and moments (mother), among other new emotions all these create memorable moments that do not repeat. Even if you have another child, you as a parent, know that the experience is not the same. However, within all

ADA seeks comments on revised sedation, anesthesia guidelines

The ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) is proposing revisions to two sets of guidelines on the use of sedation and anesthesia and is seeking comments on the proposed changes. The guidelines in question are the “ADA Guidelines for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists” and the “Guidelines for Teaching Pain Control and Sedation to Dentists and Dental Students.” The proposals, according to ADA News,

Patterson to donate to America’s ToothFairy

Patterson Dental will donate a percentage of product sales to the America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) during the months of May and June to expand educational, prevention, and treatment programs for at-risk children. The donation will come from products highlighted in the designated blue section (pages 35-39) of the company’s Sparkle catalog, according to the company. Dental professionals can also review the catalog online. Since Patterson first