Ga. dental office raided amid child cruelty charges

A dental office in Rome, GA, has been searched after numerous complaints were filed about the practice’s alleged overuse of child restraints and the performance of unnecessary dental work on children, according to a press release sent to media outlets by Lt. Gary Clayton of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Rome Police Department (RPD). Police investigators, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector

DenMat to acquire PeriOptix

DenMat has signed a purchase agreement to acquire all outstanding stock of PeriOptix, a provider of magnification and illumination technologies for dental and medical professionals. Details of the acquisition were not disclosed. The parties expect the deal to close in the next few days pending fulfillment of routine closing conditions. Since its founding in 1999, PeriOptix has introduced a number of innovations, including a unique modular frame system for loupes,

Plackers donates flossers to Ronald McDonald Houses

Plackers has donated more than 75,000 of its Micro Mint disposable flossers for families staying at Ronald McDonald Houses in Texas, California, Louisiana, and Missouri. Through its programs, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) provides resources in a home-like environment for families with critically ill or injured children traveling to receive necessary care. Donations aid in the mission of RMHC by offering basic toiletries and necessities to visiting families so they

Study finds link between perio disease, CAD

A new study that looked at the relationship between oral health and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Pakistan found that poor oral health indicators were significantly associated with the disease (Journal of Periodontology, November 2012, Vol. 83:11, pp. 1382-1387). A large proportion of Asian populations have moderate to severe periodontal disease, and a substantial number is going to suffer and shall die from cardiovascular diseases, said study author Syed Akhtar

Perio groups collaborate on oral-systemic link

A joint workshop organized by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), held November 11-14 in Segovia, Spain, aimed to establish a consensus knowledge base of the scientific evidence on the association between periodontitis and systemic diseases, specifically cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and adverse pregnancy complications. “International collaboration is necessary to better understand and advance the science behind the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic

Another study links HPV and laryngeal cancer

Chinese researchers have established a link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and laryngeal cancers, and estimate that it increases risk by five times, according to a study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases (November 21, 2012). The researchers at the Institute of Pathogen Biology in Beijing systematically reviewed studies on HPV infection and laryngeal cancer that had been published up to May 15, 2012. Their meta-analysis of 55 studies found that

One year later, Fla. county returns to fluoridation

Roughly one year after opting to end water fluoridation, Florida’s Pinellas County, which supplies water to some 700,000 people, will reinstate the practice following a 6-1 vote by the Board of County Commissioners this week. “The re-establishment of fluoridation should be a wake-up call for other city and county governments that they should not bow to scare tactics and Tea Party antigovernment extremism, but should instead base public health policy

NIDCR grant funds oral cancer pain project

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has awarded a joint administrative supplement grant to Brian Schmidt, DDS, of the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry, and Markus Hardt, PhD, a protein chemist at the Boston Biomedical Research Institute, to study the molecular mechanisms of oral cancer pain. The grant builds on a $1.25 million, five-year NIDCR parent grant awarded

Klox sells teeth-whitening business to Valeant Pharmaceuticals

Klox Technologies has agreed to sell its professional in-office whitening kit business and teeth-whitening pen business to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Financial terms include an upfront payment and a double-digit royalty stream based on product sales during the next 10 years. Valeant is planning to launch the products in the U.S. in early 2013 through its dental affiliate, OraPharma.

Nierman expands dental sleep medicine portfolio

Nierman Practice Management has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Snoring Isn’t Sexy, a public awareness and marketing resource for dentists treating patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Nierman works within the dental sleep medicine market with its continuing education seminars and DentalWriter software, both core components of Henry Schein’s Sleep Complete Program launched in November 2011.

Molecular saliva test detects oral cancer, diabetes

A Pennsylvania start-up is gearing up to launch a molecular saliva test that analyzes biomarkers to detect oral cancer and diabetes. PeriRx is now conducting clinical trials of its diagnostic test, which has attracted the interest of the U.K.’s National Institute for Health Research. The genesis for the test came from a collaboration between Neil Gottehrer, DDS, a Havertown, PA, dentist who has been practicing for 38 years, and David

Do fruits and veggies offset tobacco/alcohol cancer risks?

Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of oral cancer, and now a new study suggests that these “protective effects” may impede the negative effects of tobacco and alcohol consumption with regard to cancer risk (Nutrition and Cancer, November 2012, Vol. 64:8, pp. 1182-1189). For the study, researchers from the University of São Paulo assessed the association between frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables and