Colgate launches new formula for PreviDent varnish

Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals has launched a new formula for its Colgate PreviDent varnish 5% sodium fluoride. The high-fluoride in-office treatment contains the equivalent of 22,600 parts per million (ppm) fluoride, which has been shown to provide effective dentin hypersensitivity relief, the company noted in a press release. It provides four times greater fluoride uptake into lesioned enamel and three times greater fluoride uptake into sound enamel, according to Colgate. PreviDent

Wrigley launches Orbit for Kids

Wrigley has developed a new line of Orbit sugar-free gum specifically for children and is encouraging dental care providers to help their patients better understand the oral health benefits of chewing sugarless gum. The company introduced Orbit for Kids this week at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association meeting in Boston. “While parents understand the importance of brushing and flossing twice a day, many don’t realize the importance of proper oral

Crest Oral-B unveils short films at ADHA meeting

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the dental hygiene profession, Crest Oral-B released two short films about hygienists this week during the American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (ADHA) annual session in Boston. The films highlight Mariann Danielson, RDH, from Austin, TX, and Vinny Wong, RDH, from New York City, as examples of hygienists who have drastically altered the lives of their patients through their dedication to the oral health cause.

Nobel Biocare symposium showcases digital dentistry

Nobel Biocare showcased its digital workflow product line, some new implant products, and the Foundation for Oral Rehabilitation (FOR) at its Global Symposium 2013 this week in New York. The company’s secure online network NobelConnect enables a seamless workflow from patient diagnostics and treatment planning to surgery and later also prosthetics, the company noted in a press release. Starting with diagnostics and treatment planning in the NobelClinician Software, the surface

ADHA partners with Text2Floss program

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the Text2Floss program have formed a new partnership. The partnership was announced this week during the ADHA’s annual session in Boston. Text2Floss is a one-week interactive educational tool initiated by A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) meant to help people develop positive oral hygiene habits through the use of mobile technology. It is designed to allow dental hygienists

Sun Dental introduces clear partials

Sun Dental Labs has added a new product to its line of dental appliances: SunClear partials, a clear, monomer-free, partial frame with clear clasping. The company described the partials as “virtually unbreakable under normal use.” They are designed like traditional cast partials, but instead of metal they are built on a microcrystalline frame that is semirigid and transparent. In addition, they can be relined or repaired chairside or at a

Align Technology awards $220K for research at 12 universities

Align Technology has awarded a total of $220,000 in new funding to five universities in North America and seven international universities for projects seeking to better understand orthodontic treatment with clear aligners and use of orthodontic scanners. The new clear aligner therapy research award recipients in North America for 2013: Universite de Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, $25,000 University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL, $25,000 The new clear aligner therapy international

‘Cleansing twig’: An organic toothbrush alternative

A teeth-cleaning twig made from the Salvadora persica tree is being launched as an organic, biodegradable portable substitute for toothpaste and toothbrush. A Lebanese student is now trying to market Miswak sticks, a traditional alternative to the modern toothbrush in Muslim-inhabited areas that was also recommended by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, according to a story on albawaba.com. The product, THIS, is currently in the manufacturing stage, and financing is being

Calif. exchange frees plans from dental mandate

The California Health Benefit Exchange has persuaded state insurance regulators to eliminate a provision requiring qualified health plans (QHPs) sold through the exchanges to offer pediatric dental benefits. California is setting up its own state-based Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act exchange program, Covered California. The state’s Health Benefit Exchange is trying to get the Covered California system open by October 1. The state’s Office of Administrative Law approved a

Maine Senate defeats dental hygiene therapist bill

Just one day after Maine’s House of Representatives approved a bill that would have created a new category of dental hygienists, the state Senate voted it down. Late Wednesday night, the Senate rejected LD 1230 in a 14-21 vote, according to a story in the Bangor Daily News. The measure was designed to address the state’s access-to-care issues by allowing dental hygiene therapists to perform some procedures normally performed by

Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation accepting grant applications

The Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation is now accepting grant applications from Virginia nonprofit organizations for initiatives to improve oral health in their communities. Applications are being accepted through September 30, 2013, according to the organization. In December, the foundation awarded oral health grants totaling more than $1.1 million to 36 organizations in Virginia. Organizations eligible to receive grants include governmental agencies or educational institutions, entities holding a 501(c)(3) tax

Data analytics key to improving oral health outcomes

DentaQuest is working to help insurers partner with dentists in order to meet the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) mandate for improved health outcomes in the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Robert Compton, DDS, executive director, DentaQuest Institute. Robert Compton, DDS, executive director, DentaQuest Institute. “The Affordable Care Act puts tremendous pressure on organizations to use data and analytics to drive the way we engage with patients and