Study: Propofol abuse by healthcare professionals rising

Abuse of propofol is a “rapidly progressive form of substance dependence” that is being more commonly seen among healthcare professionals, according to a study to be published in the April 2013 Journal of Addiction Medicine. Data from an addiction center specializing in substance abuse problems among healthcare professionals identified 22 patients treated for propofol abuse from 1990 to 2010. The number of healthcare professionals treated for propofol abuse increased steadily

Pew report outlines New Zealand dental therapist program

The Pew Center on the States has released an issue brief that provides an overview of New Zealand’s dental therapist program and outlines how midlevel providers in the U.S. could help expand children’s access to dental care, prevent and treat dental caries, and improve public health. New Zealand has employed dental therapists since 1921, longer than any other country in the world, according to Pew. They work primarily in primary

Henry Schein opens Nasdaq for World Oral Health Day

Henry Schein opened the Nasdaq stock market today in celebration of FDI World Dental Federation’s World Oral Health Day. Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO, was joined for the Nasdaq open by leaders of FDI and the ADA, as well as World Oral Health Day global sponsors Listerine and Unilever. The theme of FDI’s World Oral Health Day 2013 is Healthy Teeth for Healthy Life. Around the

New implant system uses exact copy of original dentition

A new dental implant system from Natural Dental Implants has the technology to apply an intuitive concept: replacing a tooth with an implant that is an exact replica of the extracted one. The Replicate system creates a fully customized replacement for a natural tooth placed immediately after extraction; it is designed with general dentists in mind. All images courtesy of Natural Dental Implants. The Replicate system creates a fully customized

Midmark launches Elevance delivery system

Midmark has introduced a new delivery system designed to improve clinical efficiency. The Elevance features an integration control module that allows control of all components from one centrally mounted location with digital controls for more precise air pressure and water flow, according to the company. The system also has five utility presets for up to three unique users on each delivery head. Changing settings within or between procedures is done

Oral-B grant winner uses funds to help dementia patients

Ann Benson Ross, RDH, is transforming the way elderly in her community of Mesa, AZ, and surrounding areas, receive oral care. A dental hygienist for more than 20 years, Ross has spent the last year using her $5,000 Crest Oral-B Pros in the Profession Advancing Oral Health in the Community grant to upgrade the Mobile Dentistry of Arizona’s portable office, provide dental services to elderly dementia patients who have limited

Sunstar redesigns Proxabrush Go-Betweens

Sunstar GUM has introduced a new size of Proxabrush Go-Betweens cleaners called Ultra Tight. The new Proxabrush is designed for healthier patients with tighter contacts. Improvements include the following: Greater plaque removal: The redesigned Proxabrush interdental brushes have been constructed to remove up to 25% more plaque with new triangular bristles. It stays clean between uses through an antibacterial agent that has been incorporated into the bristles. The central wire

Novartis loses another bisphosphonate/ONJ trial

Novartis Pharmaceuticals, makers of the osteoporosis bisphosphonate Zometa, has been ordered to pay a Florida man $250,000 for injuries he suffered after taking Zometa to help treat his multiple myeloma. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2006. On February 27, the jury found that the drug caused J. Hunter Chiles to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), and that warnings about the link between Zometa and risk of ONJ were

Study: Water fluoridation good for adults as well as kids

The U.S. has seen both a steady expansion and elimination of water fluoridation in recent years as budget priorities shift and power changes hands among those with differing philosophical perspectives on the role of government. Inevitably, decision-makers and their constituents must consider evidence of the effectiveness of fluoridated water in improving oral health and claims of its detrimental impact on overall health. A similar debate exists in Australia, where some

Mass. dental board OKs Botox by general dentists

The Massachusetts Board of Dentistry has released a policy advisory that allows dentists to use facial injectables such as Botox and dermal fillers. According to the statement, the board has affirmed the need for proper live patient training in these procedures within the definition of the Massachusetts Dental Practice Act to “diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe for any disease, pain, injury, deficiency, deformity, or other condition of the human teeth,

ADHA’s meeting to celebrate 100 years of dental hygiene practice

The early bird registration deadline of May 3 is nearing for the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) annual meeting, taking place June 19-25 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The event, 100 Years of Dental Hygiene: Proud Past, Unlimited Future, will see a number of well-known celebrities helping ADHA members celebrate a century of practice. This year’s plenary sessions will feature public health advocate Erin Brockovich and Oscar-winning actress

Study links periodontitis with oral cancer

Periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of oral cancer, while dental caries is associated with a decreased risk, according to a study being presented this week at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Seattle. The case-control study, led by Mine Tezal, DDS, PhD, of the State University of New York — Buffalo, involved patients newly diagnosed with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) between 1999 and