New oral care line for babies comes to market

A new line of oral care products for babies, Happy Teeth, has been introduced. These products contain no abrasives, artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors, and include xylitol. Founded by Kasey Pitillo, a mom and dental care industry professional, the Happy Teeth products currently include a natural nonfluoridated baby toothpaste ($5.99), Pure Baby toothbrush by Radius ($3.25), and a complete pack with toothbrush and toothpaste ($8.99). Additional products will be launched

ADHA supports FTC’s comments on dental therapist education standards

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) praised the recent Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) comments to the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) on the proposed standards for dental therapy education programs. ADHA officials met with FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez last week, according to the association. ADHA Director Ann Battrell, MSDH, said her group’s efforts to increase access for oral healthcare in the U.S., along with its efforts to expand the workforce

CDC: More Americans have access to fluoridated water

Since 2008, an additional 15 million people have gained access to community water fluoridation in the U.S. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 74.6% (210.7 million) of the U.S. population on community water systems had access to fluoridated water in 2012 — an additional 15 million people since 2008. The report shows significant progress from the Healthy People 2020 baseline of

Kaiser faces protests after cutting periodontal hygienist program

Kaiser Permanente is facing opposition in Oregon following its decision to eliminate the periodontal hygienist classification from its union contract, according to a news story in the Lund Report. Last week 70 protesters showed up at the company headquarters in Northeast Portland. The move, which went into effect on October 31, impacts 17 of Kaiser’s 125 hygienists who have specialized in periodontal care but are now classified as general hygienists,

Mich. gets $1.3M for oral health programs

Michigan has received a three-year $1.3 million federal grant for oral health programs. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Oral Health Program was awarded the grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. The money will be used to expand and enrich the oral health workforce through programs in Mecosta and Genesee counties, according to the department. Only 12 dentists in Mecosta County take Medicaid patients, while Genesee

FTC endorses CODA standards for dental therapists

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a comment endorsing the proposed accreditation standards for dental therapists by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) for dental therapists, saying the midlevel providers (MLPs) could improve access to dental care. But the group also recommended removing “unnecessary language” regarding the supervision and practice scope of the dental therapists. The December 2 comment letter by the staffs of the FTC Office of

Kerr’s SonicFill gets Pride award

Kerr’s SonicFill bulk fill composite system has received the Pride Institute’s Best of Class Technology Award for the third year in a row, the company announced. The SonicFill system has been purchased by more than 12,000 U.S. dentists, who have used it to place more than 4 million restorations, according to Kerr. Lou Shuman, DMD, president of the Pride Institute, stated in a release that his organization seeks out “products

Study: U.S. parents report improved oral health in kids

More U.S. parents are reporting that their children have very good or excellent oral health, according to a new study in Preventing Chronic Disease (December 5, 2013), a journal by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The study examined changes in parent-reported children’s oral health status and the number of preventive dental visits in 50 states and the District of

Pediatric dentistry: Parental guidance suggested

NEW YORK – Fred Ferguson, DDS, offered a frank assessment of the U.S. healthcare system during his session at the Greater New York Dental Meeting on Tuesday: Cost outweighs health. And it has led to a dentistry approach that is deeply flawed. “Our culture of ‘reactive’ healthcare cannot address behaviors, lifestyles, and habits that are driving common chronic health problems and related claims and costs,” Dr. Ferguson explained. “The hardest thing

Study finds link between oral disease markers and cognitive status

Markers of oral disease seem to be associated with lower cognitive status, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (Vol. 144:12, pp. 1362-1371). Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied data from more than 11,000 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study from 1996 to 1998. Almost 10,000 participants answered dental screening questions. More than

OSAP offers infection-control boot camp

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is offering the CORE Infection Control Boot Camp in Tampa, FL, from January 6-8, 2014. With infection-control safety in the news recently, including the documentation of the first patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C in a U.S. dental practice, it has never been more important to practice and be up-to-date on safe infection control practices, according to OSAP. During the three-day course, dental

DentalEZ adds angled-head handpiece for posterior areas

The DentalEZ Group has introduced the latest addition to its 430 line of handpieces, the 430-45. Available in two configurations, the handpiece has a head that is angled at 45°, giving access to hard-to-reach posterior areas. It is designed for procedures often done by general dentists: removal of impacted molars, crown lengthenings, apicoectomies, and other endodontic and periodontal procedures. Rick Gross, senior product manager for DentalEZ’s StarDental brand, stated in