United Concordia has created a free, animated, mobile app called Chomper Chums that is designed to help children ages 4 to 11 develop healthy brushing, flossing, and rinsing habits. The app was a direct result of feedback from United Concordia members about how to teach their kids about brushing, explained James Bramson, DDS, chief dental officer of the company. Chomper Chums helps children learn proper dental hygiene by introducing three
Stratasys introduced the Objet30 OrthoDesk 3D printer, designed for smaller orthodontic labs and clinics, at this week’s International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany. Digital orthodontics offers many business advantages — including the ability to significantly shorten delivery times, increase production capacity, and eliminate bulky model storage — but cost considerations have made 3D printers practical only for larger labs, Stratasys noted in a press release. Objet30 OrthoDesk can fit
U.K. children are being exposed to millions of tobacco images and messages every week on prime-time television, according to a new study in Tobacco Control (March 11, 2013). Smoking and other tobacco content frequently feature in films marketed to kids, which is known to spark their interest in starting to smoke, noted the authors, from the University of Nottingham. They analyzed the weekly content of all five free to air
Vita, Dreve, and Dental Wings have joined forces to deliver a digital manufacturing process for full dentures. This partnership combines Vita’s expertise in denture teeth and materials for prosthetic restorations, Dreve’s 3D printing expertise, and Dental Wings DWOS (Dental Wings Open Systems) computer-aided design (CAD) capabilities. The DWOS Full Dentures Application will include the digital design and manufacturing of both mucosa- and implant-supported full dentures, the companies announced. The application
Pulpdent has made a $100,000 product donation of Embrace WetBond pit and fissure sealant and Embrace fluoride varnish to National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF): America’s ToothFairy. The donation will benefit 33 America’s ToothFairy affiliates.
Stryker has introduced the Universal SmartLock hybrid maxillomandibular gixation (MMF) system, which combines elements of both arch bars and MMF screws. In collaboration with inventor Jeffrey Marcus, MD, the associate vicecchair of surgery at Duke University, the system is designed to combine the strength and rigidity of arch bars with the safety and efficiency of MMF screws, according to the company. With nine potential points of fixation along the plate,
When Lawrence Wallace, DDS, first approached Terry Dickinson, DDS, director of the Virginia Dental Association and founder of Missions of Mercy (MOM), to demonstrate his one-hour denture technique, Dr. Dickinson was, as he puts it, “reticent.” “I was hesitant at first,” he said. “It didn’t make sense that you could make dentures in that short period of time. But I got a prosthodontist friend of mine to try them, and he
DenMat has launched a new educational platform, ThinNovation, featuring a two-day workshop for dentists wanting to learn about minimally invasive aesthetics and other educational programs. The courses teach a multidisciplinary approach to anterior aesthetics using the latest generation of Lumineers, according to the company. The new approach uses fundamental smile design concepts coupled with a minimally invasive approach to produce superior aesthetics, while providing function and long-term stability. The level
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow dental hygienists to perform routine fillings and extractions and thus improve access to oral healthcare for low-income residents and underprivileged children. H274 and S998, sponsored by Sen. Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester) and Rep. William Pignatelli (D-Lenox), respectively, would create an advanced dental hygiene practitioner, according to an Associated Press story. Dentists voiced concerned about patient safety and the adequacy of the bill’s
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that will keep the federal government running through the end of September but that also blocks funding for a midlevel provider demonstration program. The bill effectively blocks Health Services and Resources Administration funding and prohibits health workforce funds to be used for the Alternative Dental Health Care Providers Demonstration programs, according to a report by the Academy of General Dentistry. The bill
Tom’s of Maine has created a new informational tool to help people learn about the company’s relationship with ingredients, packaging, waste, water, energy, and community. The Goodness Report features benchmarking completed in 2011, an update on projects supported in recent years, and a goals tracker for 2015 and beyond, the company noted in a press release. Tom’s of Maine is also inviting consumers to prioritize which goodness area matters most
Practices must reinforce the fact that maintaining excellent oral health is a continuing process throughout a patient’s life. Recare appointments are the key to improving the overall oral health of your patients. Remember that recare appointments are important for patients’ oral health. By developing an understanding of the value of consistent hygiene visits, patients form a partnership with the practice. The results of this partnership are complete satisfaction by the
