ADHA aligns with OHA on expanded hygienist role

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has declared its support for Oral Health America (OHA)’s recommended roles for dental hygienists and dental therapists in expanding U.S. oral healthcare. The recommendation comes from “A State of Decay,” a national report on the oral health of older Americans, which highlights both the public health and the healthcare delivery factors affecting the oral health of older adults. Those factors are state oral health

2 suits dropped against Okla. surgeon, another filed

Two lawsuits against Tulsa, OK, oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, have been dropped, while another has been filed. The suits stem from the investigation of alleged infection control lapses at his Oklahoma practices. An attorney for patient Denise Marie Krueter requested the dismissal of her case because she wants to devote her attention to improving her health, an article in Tulsa World noted. Krueter, who has been diagnosed with

3Shape adds Straumann features

3Shape has added new capabilities to its Dental System that enable it to design two-piece customized abutments using the Variobase abutment connection from Straumann. 3Shape has integrated an original Straumann library within the Dental System software that supports Straumann Bone Level and Tissue Level implant systems. The new library enables dental technicians to use 3Shape’s Abutment Designer to model two-piece abutments using a premanufactured titanium base with a customized zirconia

Okla. infection control probe will take months

The investigation of the infection control lapses at the Oklahoma practices of oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, could extend well into 2014 and end in criminal charges. That’s according to an article by the Associated Press, which detailed how patients continue to come forward nearly seven months after Dr. Harrington’s two practices were closed, noted Oklahoma Board of Dentistry Executive Director Susan Rogers. However, the state has not begun depositions

CDHP publishes infographic on dental costs

The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) has published an infographic displaying the average monthly pediatric dental rates found in federally facilitated and partnership marketplaces in the U.S. Available on the group’s website, the infographic averages each state’s premium rates for the low- and high-option standalone pediatric dental products, and reveals considerable disparities in cost, the organization noted. Image courtesy of the CDHP. West Virginia, for example, has low- and high-cost

Study: Save the tooth, avoid the implant

Dental implant technology is improving steadily as materials and the understanding of osseointegration advance. That reality is having an inevitable effect on treatment planning. But when does it make sense to abandon treating a natural tooth and place an implant? Researchers who completed a systematic review of long-term tooth and implant survival rates believe that a more conservative approach could be warranted that emphasizes treating the tooth over extracting and

Heraeus Kulzer launches BPA-free composites

Heraeus Kulzer has launched a new line of composites, called Venus, that are free of bisphenol A (BPA). Both of the company’s Venus Diamond and Venus Pearl composites are free of BPA and bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA), the vendor said. The composites are based on a tricyclodecan-urethane-monomer and are designed to deliver minimal shrinkage, high strength, and good surface hardness while being easy and convenient to handle. A debate

New AAPD campaign promotes early checkups for kids

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) has unveiled a new campaign designed to educate parents and caregivers on the need for early checkups and regular oral care for children. Carrying the new tagline, “America’s Pediatric Dentists, The Big Authority on Little Teeth,” the new consumer branding initiative is the start of a consumer-focused effort that will include a broad awareness campaign launching in 2014. That awareness effort will be

Pancreatic cancer biomarkers found in saliva

Cellular signals found between pancreatic cancer tumors and saliva support the validity of salivary diagnostics, according to a new study in Journal of Biological Chemistry (September 13, 2013, Vol. 288:7, pp. 26888-26897). Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer; most patients with the disease will die within the first year of diagnosis, and only 6% survive for five years. The disease is typically diagnosed through an invasive

Study: Free HNC screenings have positive impact

Offering free head and neck cancer (HNC) screenings annually to communities offers the possibility of early detection and the opportunity to increase the understanding of cancer risk factors. That’s according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, which found that people who attended free HNC screenings in urban cities were more likely to be African-American, current smokers, and have a history of treatment for other cancers than

EPA denies fluoridation petition

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declined a petition to change the source of fluoride in U.S. drinking water. The petition, which sought a regulatory change of fluoride agents in drinking water, “provides no information that would cause EPA to question the current approach,” the EPA stated in a notice published in the August 12, 2013, Federal Register, a digest of government regulatory activity. The EPA regulates fluoridation under

Small Smiles wins 1st case alleging mistreatment of kids

A jury has found that Small Smiles dentists did not perform unnecessary dental procedures on a young boy at one of the chain’s clinics in New York. The judge found that corporate ownership of the clinics was illegal under state law, but the jury found no liability by the company or the dentists. The case involved Jeremy Bohn, who received four root canals and crowns, seven fillings, two extractions, and