An Atlanta dentist has invented a pressure-washing device for teeth and periodontal tissue called CLEARsmile, and now he is raising money to bring it to market. CLEARsmile uses a mouthpiece and microbubble tablets to blast and dissolve bad dental bacteria while cleaning the oral cavity at different angles simultaneously, making it ideal for users with braces, noted inventor Igor Reizenson, DDS, in a press release. Dr. Reizenson participated in the 2007
The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is offering resources to the dental community to help support compliance efforts for safe infection prevention practices. OSAP has developed a free, downloadable hepatitis C tool kit featuring relevant regulations and guidelines, best practices, instructional resources, and patient resources available to its members. Also available are videos in English and Spanish, fact sheets, online training, and many other resources. OSAP is offering
Researchers at Michigan Technological University (MTU) are using nanotechnology to improve the form and function of dental implants. Tolou Shokuhfar, PhD, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MTU and the director of the In-Situ Nanomedicine Laboratory, is working with Cortino Sukotjo, DDS, PhD, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry on a dental implant with a surface made from titanium dioxide
Improving the oral health of people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disease can reduce healthcare costs, according to a study by UnitedHealthcare. The March 2013 study compared the medical and pharmacy costs of individuals with six chronic medical conditions with the dental treatment they received to determine if there is a difference in total healthcare costs associated with varying dental treatments. The dental treatments included
A majority of Americans won’t hesitate to get a second opinion for vehicle repairs, yet only 19% said they sought a second opinion for a medical condition, 17% for a medical procedure, and just 6% for dental work, according to an online poll conducted on behalf of Align Technology. The poll revealed that 70% of respondents would seek a second opinion for a major home repair and/or improvement, more than
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued final guidance for developers of mobile medical applications. The agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion (meaning it will not enforce requirements under the Federal Drug & Cosmetic Act) for the majority of mobile apps as they pose minimal risk to consumers. The FDA intends to focus its regulatory oversight on a subset of mobile medical apps that present a greater risk
A Texas judge has ordered the state to return $1.3 million that was withheld from Harlingen Family Dentistry (HFD) based on unfounded allegations of fraud on orthodontic Medicaid billings. Travis County Judge Amy Clark Meachum has granted a petition to force the state’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) to return money to the south Texas dental provider, according to a press release. The OIG issued a payment hold in September
New research on propofol, the most commonly used anesthetic drug, may help scientists design new versions of the drug that reduce the risks involved in surgery and improve patient safety, according to a new study in Nature Chemical Biology (September 22, 2013). In this study, a team of international researchers identified exactly how propofol, which was introduced in the 1980s, acts at a molecular level. Intravenous anesthetics such as propofol
Researchers at King’s College London are investigating the evolution and development of dentition, which may reveal why humans and mammals only develop one or two sets of teeth in their lifetime rather than constantly regenerate their teeth. The three-year project will examine the development of different teeth arrangements in modern day vertebrates and apply the findings to fossils from the same group. Jawed vertebrates evolved into several different types of
Ohio has opened the state’s only in-school dental clinic at a Cincinnati public school. The three-chair clinic at the Oyler School will be operated by the Cincinnati Health Department and the Cincinnati Dental Society’s Oral Health Foundation, according to a story in the Sun Herald. One full-time dentist and volunteers from the foundation will provide oral care for children who don’t have insurance. The clinic is expected initially to serve
Oral-B has launched its Oral-B App that connects with any Oral-B power brush for guiding brushing routines. The app is meant to help users quantify and visualize the quality of their brushing sessions, explained Stephen Squire, global marketing director for Procter & Gamble Oral Care. Here are some of the features: Automated activation of a brush timer through recognition of the brush motor sound for dentist-recommended two-minute sessions Timer function
DentalEZ Group has updated its Identafi website to create a more productive and user-friendly experience. The enhanced website now offers new tools for clinicians and patients alike, while continuing to support the company’s goals of increasing oral cancer awareness and promoting the benefits of using the Identafi oral cancer screening device, DentalEZ noted in a press release. The website’s redesigned research section is now arranged so that the research documents