North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory visited a children’s free dental clinic in Greenville last week. The clinic was participating in the 13th Annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) Program, sponsored by the North Carolina Dental Society. Similar clinics are being held in 38 North Carolina counties in February as part of the National Children’s Dental Health Month. Dentists and dental teams will provide free oral health care services to low-income
The type of cancer stem cells, rather than the number, is a better predictor of the survival of patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck cancer, according to a new study in Cancer (December 30, 2013). Previously, researchers thought patients with HPV-positive tumors had better outcomes because their tumors had fewer cancer stem cells than HPV-negative tumors. Ohio researchers discovered just the opposite, however. Head and neck squamous cell
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wants to make 100,000 Medicaid-eligible kids in Macomb and Kalamazoo counties eligible for dental coverage. The proposal would cost $5.4 million to expand the Healthy Kids Dental program to those two counties, according to an Associated Press story. The program is now available to 500,000 enrollees younger than age 21 in 78 of Michigan’s 83 counties. But it would still be unavailable to about 400,000 poor
A study by the University of Southern California Ostrow School of Dentistry has uncovered new details on how bundles of nerves and arteries interact with stem cells and showcases techniques for following the cells as they function in living animals. The study focused on neurovascular bundles — groupings of nerves and blood vessels intertwined throughout the body — and their interactions with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), according to a press
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a growing epidemic that could actually worsen under the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a new report by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). The 13-page “State of Little Teeth Report” released on January 28 looked at who is most likely to suffer from caries; the disease’s immediate and long-term health, social, and economic effects; and what’s
The average person may have a limited, if any, idea of what endodontists do. As specialists, endodontists’ business is heavily dependent on referrals from general practitioners (GPs), and with that in mind, the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) set out to learn about the referral habits of GPs in a 2009 survey. Now they’ve updated that effort and published the results in the Journal of Endodontics (JOE, February 2014, Vol.
Some 1,500 children from local low-income families will receive free dental services at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, NY, on February 7, 2014. The services will include screenings, fluoride varnishes, and sealants as part of the ADA’s national Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) day. Grace Hsu, DDS, and her staff at Long Island Dental Spa will be volunteering at the Henry Schein-sponsored event. Children from underserved communities
In 1954, Americans were enjoying a relatively carefree and prosperous time. The stresses and heartache of World War II were, for the most part, in the past. The heroes of the early 1950s were now found on the fields of athletic competition and the silver screen, which was filled with the adventure and glamour of Hollywood’s stars and starlets. 1954 saw Americans visit their local movie theaters to see Humphrey
The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) has launched a website to help educate consumers about cosmetic dentistry and raise awareness of the importance of seeking out an AACD-accredited or member dentist for treatment. “There are currently many different cosmetic dentistry treatment options for patients, and this website enables the consumer to learn more about these procedures through a less intimidating, more consumer-friendly fun way,” said Jack Ringer, DDS, AACD
3M ESPE has introduced the Pentamix Lite automatic mixing unit, a portable mixer that works with all 3M ESPE impression materials. The unit’s lightweight and integrated handgrip make it easy to carry from operatory to operatory, and its compact design saves space when the device is in standby position, according to the company. Also, it enables hygienic direct filling of trays and syringes without the risk of cross-contamination. “The Pentamix
Decades of research and approval from a litany of health organizations have not quieted the debate about fluoride’s benefits, which some question — or dispelled claims about the harm it may cause. Its impact on bone is a natural area of concern, given that 99% the body’s fluoride is bound in calcified tissue, noted the authors of a new report in the Journal of Dental Research (January 27, 2014). Consequently,
There is a lot of supportive literature on screening dental patients for conditions such as hypertension and cholesterol, and now a new field trial has found that the dental setting can play an important role in identifying patients who may have diabetes or prediabetes. A significant percentage of Americans with diabetes remain undiagnosed, and a large number of them, both children and adults, will see their dentist every year, so
