Okla. officials link case of hepatitis C to oral surgeon

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) and Tulsa Health Department have officially connected one case of hepatitis C to the office of oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD. Dr. Harrington is accused of exposing thousands of patients to blood-borne viruses at his practices in Tulsa and Owasso. The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry launched an investigation into Dr. Harrington in March after being notified that health officials were looking into a complaint

Dental therapists play key role in reporting child abuse

A groundbreaking University of Otago study of dental therapists in New Zealand has highlighted the crucial role they play in child protection, plus the barriers they face when seeking to report suspected cases of child abuse. Registered dental therapists, most of whom work for District Health Boards, are often the most consistent healthcare practitioner New Zealand school-age children will see up to the age of 14 years, the study authors

Calif. insurance exchange includes dental coverage from 7 carriers

Covered California, California’s health insurance exchange, will start off offering small-group, child-only dental coverage from seven carriers. Managers of California’s public exchange said the small-group dental menu will include products from insurance providers such as Blue Shield of California, Delta Dental, Guardian, and MetLife, according to Benefitspro.com. WellPoint’s Anthem unit, will sell child-only dental coverage through the individual exchange but not the small-group one. Rates begin at $8 per child

Wisc. Indian tribe offers dental hygiene program

Wisconsin’s Lac du Flambeau Native American tribe has developed an accredited tribal-technical college dental hygiene program. Nicolet College in Minocqua, in association with the Peter Christensen dental campus in Lac du Flambeau, developed the accredited program. The collaboration is the first partnership between an Indian tribe and a technical college, according to a Lakeland Times story. Nicolet College recently received its initial accreditation approval from the national Commission on Dental

Prilocaine increases methemoglobin in children

The use of prilocaine in pediatric patients can increase the levels of methemoglobin in those patients, putting them at risk of associated problems that can include headache, dizziness, and seizures (Anesthesia Progress, Fall 2013, Vol. 60:3, pp. 99-108). While the role of local anesthetics has made many dental procedures commonplace, the use of these drugs do come with risks, noted the study authors, from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.

United Health Products to get patent for hemostatic gauze

United Health Products has received formal notification of allowance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application for a hemostatic gauze product, HemoStyp. A patent will be issued shortly, and the company is pursuing additional applications and filings for its HemoStyp product line. HemoStyp is an all-natural product made of regenerated oxidized cellulose gauze that is formulated to aid in the process of hemostasis when positioned on

AACD urges dental checkups for seniors

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is urging seniors to seek a proper dental examination every six months and has compiled a short list of common concerns that seniors express about their smile. More than half of the adult U.S. population surveyed who are older than age 50 agree that a smile is the one physical feature that stays the most attractive as we age, according to the AACD

Sleep apnea therapy improves appearance

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) appear more alert, youthful and attractive after two months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, according to a new study in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (September 15, 2013, Vol. 9:9, pp. 845-852). Researchers at the University of Michigan studied 20 adults with OSA and excessive daytime sleepiness. Digital photos of their faces were taken with a 3D camera before and after at

Dental board questions Ark. orthodontist about prophies

An orthodontist summoned before the Arkansas State Board of Examiners last week is defending his offering of prophylaxes at one of his practices, saying it is within the realm of his specialty and not a violation of the state’s Dental Practice Act. During an hour-long session with the dental board on September 13, Ben Burris, DDS, MDS, said the service, which is performed by staff hygienists, is helping to address

FDA clears Nasseo TiArray implant system

Nasseo’s TiArray dental implant system has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is the first commercial application of Nasseo’s proprietary surface modification technology, which was initially developed over eight years out of the bioengineering department and the materials science and engineering department at the University of California, San Diego and the Bio-Implant Laboratory at Lund University. Existing implant surface modifications focus on grit-blasting techniques

Dental caries linked to lower risk of HNSCC

Patients with more dental caries are less likely to be diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) than patients with fewer or no caries, according to a new study in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery (September 12, 2013). The findings suggest for the first time an independent association between dental caries and HNSCC, the researchers noted. “Dental caries results from demineralization of teeth by lactic acid produced from

Perio disease bacterium facilitates rheumatoid arthritis

While researchers and clinicians have long known about an association between two prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases, periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis, the microbiological mechanisms remain unclear. Now researcher Jan Potempa, PhD, DSc, from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry Oral Health and Systemic Diseases Group, and an international team of scientists from the European Union’s Gums and Joints project have uncovered how the bacterium responsible for periodontal disease, Porphyromonas