Midlevel provider face-off enters mediation in Kan.

The Kansas Dental Association and the Kansas Dental Project have entered formal mediation in their debate over the licensing of midlevel dental providers (MLPs), with the goal of finding compromise legislation that would allow advanced hygienists to perform some procedures in the state. Kansas Dental Project has pushed for legislation that would allow advanced hygienists to perform routine procedures such as temporary fillings, extractions, and filing sharp edges off teeth,

Ritter to unveil implant kit at ADA 2013

Ritter Dental USA is launching a new product marketing program for implants and crowns at this year’s ADA Annual Session, which will take place in New Orleans from October 31 through November 3. The program, to be unveiled at booth No. 1345, was designed to provide specialists and qualified general dentists alike with a seamless implant solution. The program combines Ritter’s German-made implant kits with 3Shape’s Trios digital technology, along

ADHA, Wrigley announce grant winners

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Institute for Oral Health (IOH) has announced the winners of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Foundation Community Service Grant Program. The program awards $120,000 in funding over two years to dental hygiene organizations, the institute said. The grants are provided in amounts of $2,500 and $5,000 for community-based organizations providing dental hygiene care to those with limited access to oral healthcare. The grants were

Smartphone apps abound for orthodontic patients, clinicians

Mobile phones are ubiquitous in most societies, and they are gradually being supplanted by smartphones. For example, the Pew Internet and American Life project has found that as of May 2013, 91% of Americans own a mobile phone while 56% own a smartphone. Now, a new report published in the Journal of Orthodontics has taken a look at which apps are most useful for orthodontic specialists or offer patients sound

Comfort Dental opens office in Neb.

Comfort Dental has expanded to Nebraska and opened a new office in Omaha. The office will provide general and cosmetic dental services, but specialists such as orthodontists and oral surgeons will be brought in as needed, according to an Omaha.com story. The new location focuses on serving patients without dental insurance or who can’t afford dental care, and offers moderately priced services. While Comfort Dental is a franchise, each location

Mich. extends dental care to more Medicaid kids

Michigan has added more than 64,000 children to the state’s Healthy Kids Dental program, bringing the total number of children enrolled in the program to half a million across 78 counties. Children living in Ingham, Ottawa, and Washtenaw counties now have access to dental care. The program expansion is due to the state budget that took effect this week. The program is available to Medicaid enrollees younger than age 21

Heraeus Kulzer launches new impression material

Heraeus Kulzer has launched its new Flexitime Monophase Pro Scan impression material. The new material was shown in a recent international study of 46 dentists to be an improvement over the company’s Flexitime Monophase impression material, according the company. The three-month study demonstrated that the material delivers better precision, flexibility, and security. The material received high marks from the dentists participating in the study: 97% praised the readability of the

Study: Fluoridated water not linked to hip fracture risk

Chronic exposure to fluoridated water is not associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, according to a study published published by the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) in the Journal of Dental Research (October 1, 2013). Researchers studied a large cohort of Swedish residents chronically exposed to various fluoride levels and found they did not have an increased risk of hip fracture. A team of researchers

New 3M ESPE impression material sets in 75 seconds

3M ESPE has introduced its ESPE Imprint 4 VPS impression material, a material that has a 75-sec set time. The set time is sped up with an active self-warming feature that the company developed for the product. A unique chemical reaction causes the material to actively and quickly warm up to body temperature after the working time, substantially accelerating the intraoral setting. The usual working time is not affected, so

Squamous cell carcinoma of tongue more deadly in young than old

Young patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue have 100% fatality rates within 16 months of its appearance compared with a 50% three-year disease-specific survival among older patients, according to a new study in (Oral Oncology, October 2013, Vol. 49:10, pp. 987-990). SCC of the tongue is one of the most common head and neck cancers; nearly 13,000 new cases occurred in the U.S. in 2012, according

Univ. of the Pacific offers free orthodontic evaluations

The University of the Pacific is offering free orthodontic evaluations to children and adults throughout October in recognition of National Orthodontic Health Month. The free visit to the university’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry will include a consultation with an orthodontic faculty member and resident, an opportunity to learn about treatment options, and information about the cost and length of treatment. The clinic is offering the free evaluation to

Oragenics, Intrexon partner on probiotics for oral disease

Oragenics has partnered with Intrexon to develop and commercialize genetically modified probiotics for the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity, throat, sinus, and esophagus. The partnership is expected to initially focus on therapies for Behcet’s disease and aphthous stomatitis. The collaborators will utilize their technical and clinical expertise with genetically modified oral microbes to pursue a novel, short-term therapeutic agent. The companies plan to design genetically modified probiotics that