South Dakota has hired seven hygienists and 15 health coordinators to improve the oral health of Native Americans on reservations. A $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be used to hire workers to provide preventive care and public education in clinics, schools, and other agencies, according to a story in the Argus Leader. The project, Circle of Smiles: Improving Oral Health Care
DentalEZ Group has unveiled the next-generation version of the Identafi oral cancer screening device from its StarDental division. Now available, the new version features a 25% increase in violet light intensity, making it easier to note suspicious lesions when Identafi is used in well-lit operatories, according to the company. In addition, an upgraded selector switch incorporates the on/off mechanism for smoother operation.
Biolux Research will partner with MAC International Medical Solutions to distribute the OsseoPulse bone regeneration system. The three-year distribution agreement includes the Middle East and North Africa, according to the companies. The region represents a growth area for implantology and has shown a very strong interest in new technologies for improving dental implant and surgical outcomes, as well as reducing treatment timelines, noted Kevin Strange, president and CEO of Biolux.
Originals By Weber has released its Weber Denture Liners kit. The Denture Liner is a flexible, translucent, odorless, tasteless, putty-like compound made to fill the gaps created by the natural shrinkage of periodontal tissue and mandibles after teeth are removed, according to the company. The liners provide support, stability, and retention. They are available as disks and also in preformed shapes with choice of uppers or lowers. The regular kit
Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed an imaging system enclosed in a capsule about the size of a multivitamin that creates detailed, microscopic images of the esophageal wall. The system has several advantages over traditional endoscopy and could be a new way to screen patients for Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition usually caused by chronic exposure to stomach acid. The findings were
The National Education Association and its 3 million members are teaming up with Renaissance Dental through its Read Across America program to deliver this message: 2 x 2 + 20 = good oral health and literacy habits. The organizations are asking children and their parents to brush for two minutes, two times per day plus read for 20 minutes each day, explained Rob Mulligan, president and CEO at Renaissance Dental,
The IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council fulfilled a record 18.6 million requests in 2012 for the certificates used by restorative material manufacturers to verify the content of their products for labs, dentists, patients, and insurers. The demand for certificates was up 22.2% for the year, according to Charles Yenkner, executive director of the council. Since 2008, certificate orders have increased 63.1%. The rise in orders was attributed, in part, to growth in the
Xlear has donated more than $80,000 in Spry gumball machines and gumballs containing xylitol to National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF): America’s ToothFairy. According to the foundation, 74 NCOHF affiliates have received a Spry gumball machine and gumballs to share with their patients. The NCOHF affiliate network consists of community-based nonprofit programs dedicated to providing the best educational, preventive, and restorative services for underserved children in need of care.
Moderate periodontal disease in an animal model exposed to an AIDS-like virus had more viral variants causing infection and greater inflammation, according to researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Both of these features have potential negative implications in long-term disease progression, including other kinds of infections, the researchers said in a new report published in the Journal of Virology (February 2013, Vol. 87:3, pp. 1750-1758). Researchers from the institute studied
It seems there’s no escaping the need to assess clinical attachment loss (CAL) in at least some teeth of patients undergoing periodontal treatment. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association has confirmed that measuring probing depth (PD) alone is unreliable in all but the most severe periodontitis cases for determining whether the disease is progressing or not (February 2013, Vol. 144:2, pp. 171-178). Bryan Michalowicz, DDS,
Marijuana has long been used to help cancer patients better tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy. Now new research at the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) is looking into the positive effects of psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in certain kinds of mushrooms. Improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers in recent years have led to a marked increase in patients’ physical survival rates, according to the university.
Oral health has become an important component of a University of Colorado (CU) physician assistant program, reflecting a growing trend toward interdisciplinary collaboration among health professionals. Physician assistants (PAs) are particularly useful for doing oral exams in children, especially for underserved populations and in rural areas, according to Mark Deutchman, MD, a professor in both the medical and dental schools at CU. Dr. Mark Deutchman introduced an oral health curriculum in
