A Montana dentist has come up with a novel solution to a chronic shortage of experienced dental assistants: He started his own program, which touts hands-on training by dentists. “There was a shortage of qualified assistants, and our offices have grown dramatically,” explained E. Wade Wilde, DMD, who developed the training course for Brewer Dental in Billings and is co-owner of the practice. “We found over and over again that
Annual prophylaxis, rather than every six months, may be sufficient for patients with no risk factors, according to the authors of a new study in the Journal of Dental Research (June 10, 2013). Using individual patient risk factors, including genetics, researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor provided new insights into the frequency of dental cleanings to prevent periodontitis that leads to tooth loss. Twice-yearly cleanings have been
The ADA has ended its affiliation with Sharecare, the consumer website co-founded by Mehmet Oz, MD — “Dr. Oz.” The decision was made after a March 28 episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” provided misleading information on dental amalgam, according to ADA News. Producers refused to interview an ADA spokesperson for the segment, but Dr. Oz, who remains closely tied to Sharecare, read a statement about dental amalgam attributed to the ADA. Users
The VELscope Vx from LED Medical Diagnostics, parent company of LED Dental, is currently involved in a phase III study designed to determine if fluorescence visualization-guided surgery can increase recurrence-free survival in oral cancer patients. The study is sponsored by the University of British Columbia in collaboration with the Terry Fox Research Institute and the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Previous research has shown that direct fluorescence visualization tools can effectively
Michael Douglas never expected to become a poster boy for head and neck cancer. But he is glad that his recent dispute with a U.K. newspaper over comments he made about what caused his oropharyngeal cancer has helped raise public awareness, according to a story on the Oral Cancer Foundation website. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Douglas said his cancer was caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). However,
Sm;)e Perfected has launched a campaign to help people land jobs by providing free whitening for patients through dental offices that use the company’s products. For a limited time, dental offices can whiten the teeth of their unemployed or underemployed patients to improve their chances of finding work, according to a company press release. The company will help defer the cost to dental offices by giving them free Sm;)e Perfected
Are teeth the latest potential victims of bisphenol A (BPA)? Yes, according to a new study by French researchers in the American Journal of Pathology (June 10, 2013). The researchers found that the teeth of rats treated with low daily doses of BPA could be damaged. Analysis of the damage showed numerous characteristics that are common with a recently identified pathology of tooth enamel that affects roughly 18% of children
Two Northern California cities — Davis and Woodland — are considering adding fluoride to their drinking water. Adding fluoride to the water could improve dental health for 130,000 people, particularly low-income residents who can’t afford regular dental care, according to a Sacramento Bee story. But opponents say fluoridation amounts to medication of residents that harms people and the environment. While county health and education officials have endorsed fluoridation, activists are
NSK Dental has launched its Ti-Max Z series of electric dental handpieces in Canada. The Ti-Max Z series features six instruments: Z95L: 1:5 increasing; quattro spray; for friction grip (FG) burs Z85L: 1:5 increasing; single spray; for FG burs Z45L: 1:4.2 increasing; quattro spray; for FG burs Z25L: 1:1 direct drive; single spray; for CA burs Z15L: 4:1 reduction; single spray; for CA burs Z10L: 16:1 reduction; single spray; for
Oklahoma health officials now say 73 patients of Tulsa oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, have tested positive for hepatitis C. Eight rounds of testing have identified three new cases of hepatitis C, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In addition, five people have tested positive for hepatitis B and three have tested positive for HIV infections so far. Patients whose tests are positive are being personally contacted
For dentists and patients alike, longevity is one of the most important aspects of a restoration. Patients inevitably want to know how long their dental work will last, and now a new study examining predictors of early amalgam and resin-based composite (RBC) restoration failures could help practitioners with setting patient expectations and making treatment choices (Journal of the American Dental Association, June 2013, Vol. 144:6, pp. 583-593). Researchers from the
A Fresno, CA, youth has received orthodontic and college scholarships from the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation (S4L). In 2011, Fresno orthodontist Pat DiCiccio, DDS, provided braces for Ryan Lopez via a S4L scholarship, according to the organization. In addition to the orthodontic scholarship, Lopez was recently awarded a $3,000 S4L college scholarship to help him pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter and will attend Fresno City College. S4L