As we indulge our sweet tooth later this week in heart-shaped candy, keep in mind that cupid shares the spotlight with Children’s Dental Health Month in February. Unfortunately, we need a special month to focus attention on children’s mouths because our healthcare system has a history of treating oral health as an afterthought. Although it is Children’s Dental Health Month, I want to stress that the overall health of children
America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) has joined the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) to increase public awareness of oral disease prevention and promote positive oral health behaviors among at-risk children and their families. The partnership will provide opportunities for IFDH members to expand their roles as community health educators and oral health advocates by participating in America’s ToothFairy programs for vulnerable children, according to the groups.
In a review of studies measuring the effectiveness of midlevel dental providers (MLPs), dental teams that included MLPs showed a decrease in untreated caries among some patients but no difference in caries increment or severity, the researchers reported in the Journal of the American Dental Association (February 2015, Vol. 146:2, pp. 134-135). However, the reviewers noted that the quality of the evidence was poor. Dental caries is the most common
Minnesota National Guard Air Force Brig. Gen. David Hamlar, MD, DDS, has received the Black Engineer of the Year Award. The award recognizes outstanding service by African-American admirals, generals, and senior executive service members. Dr. Hamlar received the award at the 10th Annual Stars & Stripes Dinner in Washington, DC, on February 6. Dr. Hamlar is the co-director of the University of Minnesota Craniofacial Skull Base Center and the assistant adjunct
Cloud-based dental software developer Curve Dental has partnered with e-medication management technology provider DrFirst to offer integrated electronic prescribing capabilities for both legend drugs and controlled substances to Curve customers. The partnership will allow customers to print and send any prescription in accordance with each state’s requirements. “It was important for Curve Dental to choose a partner that has demonstrated an ability to stay on top of state legislation, as
A toothache may feel like it popped up overnight but believe it or not, that usually is not the case. The most common toothache seen at our office is created by decay that has been left too long. Early detection would call for a filling with aftercare use of Clinpro 5000 toothpaste for extra protection instead of a root canal and crown, the treatment when a cavity grows too big.
Even years after the worst fighting in the deadly conflict in the Balkans has passed, U.S. troops remain stationed there as part of a multinational detachment. As part of their deployment, a U.S. Army dentist and 22 soldiers visited a school in Kosovo to teach first-graders about flossing and oral hygiene. “We were able to come out to the school and teach oral hygiene to about 30 different kids in
To help aid long-term success of endodontic procedures on teeth that have had previous root canals, the authors of a recent paper in the British Dental Journal suggest dismantling any restorations before treatment to assess the quality of the existing seal. The authors examined the best practices for applying restorations during and following treatment of root-filled teeth. Lead author Shiyana Eliyas, BDS, a locum consultant in restorative dentistry at Glenfield
For the 13th consecutive year, Henry Schein has sponsored the American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program. Celebrated nationally on the first in February, the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile Day is the result of a public-private partnership between the ADA, ADA Foundation, Henry Schein, Colgate-Palmolive, and DEXIS. The program was launched in 2003 to help raise awareness of the critical need to expand access
The Nash Institute announced that dental products manufacturer Richmond Dental will provide ongoing product support for courses taught at the institute. “The sponsorship from Richmond Dental allows us to use the best possible products in our courses. It makes it easier to teach the best techniques,” Ross Nash, DDS, director of the Nash Institute, stated in a press release. Established in 1895, Richmond Dental manufactures single-use dental products and dispensers.
In an important and wide-ranging study of more than 270 head and neck cancer tumors, researchers have identified genomic changes in head and neck cancers (HNCs) caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). The findings could provide more detailed explanations of how HPV infection and smoking play roles in HNC risk and disease development, while offering potential diagnostic and treatment therapies, the researchers with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) wrote in a
Dental and surgical instrument manufacturer Pro-Dex has completed its acquisition of Fineline Molds, a San Dimas, CA-based manufacturer of plastic injection molding tools. Rick Van Kirk, president and CEO of Pro-Dex, said the acquisition is part of a plan to make Pro-Dex profitable again. “Fineline has an excellent reputation for quality and service, and we look forward to continuing that tradition and helping grow the business,” Van Kirk stated in