Biolase partners with Aachen Center for Laser Dentistry

Biolase has signed a long-term agreement with laser dentistry expert Norbert Gutknecht, DDS, PhD, and the Aachen Center for Laser Dentistry in Germany. The partnership is designed to promote laser dentistry worldwide through clinical laser education, training, and research, according to the company. As part of the agreement, Dr. Gutknecht, a professor in the department of restorative dentistry at Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University of Aachen (RWTH Aachen), will direct courses, oversee

IU gets $300K donation for dental wing

Roger Pecina, DDS, of South Bend, IN, has made a $300,000 donation to Indiana University (IU) South Bend to aid in the completion of the school’s new dental education wing. A renovated Education and Arts building will serve as the new wing where dental hygienists will be trained. To honor Dr. Pecina for his donation, the school will name its dental education academic and clinical spaces the Roger S. Pecina

Report: European implant market growth slows

The European market for dental implants will contract in 2012, then slowly resume growth through 2016, according to a new report from Millennium Research Group (MRG). Since reimbursement for dental implants is limited and most expenses are out-of-pocket, the market has been strongly affected by the economic downturn, particularly in Italy and Spain, MRG noted in a press release. Many dentists have switched to lower-priced products, allowing them to provide

New Dental Choice expands access to orthodontics

New Dental Choice, a nationwide discount dental program by First Dental Health, is working to make orthodontics affordable for people with and without dental insurance, the company announced. New Dental Choice contracts with dentists and specialists who agree to accept reduced fees for their services. The company provides dental discounts of 15% to 60% on all dental services. Members who belong to a New Dental Choice discount dental plan make

ADHA responds to ADA MLP reports

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is questioning the methodology used in the ADA’s midlevel provider (MLP) economic viability reports, contending that the reports excluded key information and do not accurately reflect the MLP models being proposed in some states. After reviewing the six studies released by the ADA on July 25, the ADHA found that “the methodology utilized to conduct the study impacts the validity of the conclusions drawn

Gum chewing associated with higher salivary flow

Frequent gum chewing is associated with higher salivary flow rates and lower caries severity, according to a study in Caries Research (July 18, 2012, Vol. 46:6, pp. 513-518). SPRIM, a consulting firm and clinical research organization that partners with life science companies, collaborated with the Wrigley Company and the Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Tongji University in Shanghai, China, to conduct a prospective, cross-sectional study of 191 adults ages 18 to

Is NYU dental school going ‘amalgam-free’?

Students at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry were alarmed by a letter they received from faculty last month that appeared to indicate the school is implementing an “amalgam-free” policy. In the letter, Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD, a professor and the chair of the department of cariology and comprehensive care and the associate dean for predoctoral clinical education at the dental school, wrote that, beginning immediately, “all treatment

Nanocomposite shows promise for dental applications

Iranian researchers have developed a type of porous silica nanomaterial that could serve as a filling agent for dental composites (Dental Materials, September, 2012, Vol. 28:9, pp. 1012-1023). Researchers at the Polymer & Petrochemical Institute in Tehran used a thermal sintering treatment to produce porous silica nanoparticles and integrated them into composites to obtain enhanced properties, according to a press release. The thermal sintering process helps lower specific surface areas

Aspirin reduces risk of Barrett’s esophagus

Aspirin use appears to reduce the risk of Barrett’s esophagus, the largest known risk factor for esophageal cancer, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, (July 2012, Vol. 10:7, pp. 722-727). “The protective effect of aspirin use appears robust because the analyses suggests a dose-response relationship in which high-dose aspirin was significantly associated with decreased Barrett’s esophagus risk,” said lead study author Chin Hur, MD, MPH, of

Plackers introduces floss for ‘tight teeth’

Plackers has released GentleSlide flossers for cleaning between closely spaced teeth. The floss uses shred-resistant polytetrafluoroethylene floss technology and is gentle on sensitive gums, according to the company. The price for a 90-count package of GentleSlide flossers is $2.99.

Colo. dental patient tests positive for hepatitis

A patient has tested positive for hepatitis C after being treated by a Colorado oral surgeon who allegedly reused needles and syringes. The man, who remains anonymous, was tested after 8,000 patients received warning letters from Colorado’s health department about oral surgeon Stephen Stein, DDS, according to a Denver Post story. Dr. Stein is accused of reusing needles and syringes for days at a time on his patients druing the

High fluoride exposure may hurt kids’ neurodevelopment

High fluoride exposure in drinking water may negatively affect children’s neurodevelopment, according to a study by Harvard University researchers (Environmental Health Perspectives, July 20, 2012). The systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies through 2011 investigated the effects of increased fluoride exposure and delayed neurobehavioral development. The researchers identified 27 eligible epidemiological studies with high and reference exposures, end points of IQ scores, or related cognitive function measures with means