Midmark announces 2012 sterilizer rebate program

Midmark has launched its “Beyond Sterilization” dental sterilizer rebate program. Dentists and dental facilities that purchase eligible Midmark sterilizers, including the Midmark M9 and M11 UltraClave automatic sterilizers and the Midmark M3 UltraFast automatic sterilizer, during the promotion will receive a rebate ranging from $300 to $900. There is also an additional rebate offer for practices that donate an old sterilizer to Direct Relief International. Midmark is also offering an

Ormco extends Damon system to lower arch

The Damon Clear oral appliance from Ormcois now available for orthodontic treatment of the lower arch. The Damon Clear lower brackets, available for lower 3-3 anterior teeth, follow the same core design as the original Damon Clear brackets used to facilitate upper arch movement, according to the company. Damon Clear braces, optimized for bond strength and opening/closing forces, are resistant to staining and allow wires to move within the brackets.

Komet adds football-shaped diamond to product line

Komet has added more shapes and sizes to its line of S-Diamonds, which is designed to accommodate individual crown-preparation designs. The new S6368 football-shaped diamond is engineered for occlusal and lingual reduction in crown-preparation procedures. It has a diamond understructure on its working portion, incorporating staggered plane surfaces to optimize material reduction, which saves time, the company noted. The coarse diamond is offered in 3-mm (diameter 016) and 5-mm (diameter

7 states endorse Gum Disease Awareness Week

The governors of seven states are working to help educate the public about the dangers of periodontal disease. Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Oklahoma have issued proclamations in support of Gum Disease Awareness Week, according to the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry (IALD). The IALD has developed social channels to facilitate ongoing public education and continued support of research initiatives, as well as to offer

ADA suggests ‘recall bias’ in x-ray, brain tumor study

In response to the study released today that found an association between frequent dental x-rays and an increased risk of developing meningioma, the ADA issued the following statement: The ADA has reviewed the study and notes that the results rely on the individuals’ memories of having dental x-rays taken years earlier. Studies have shown that the ability to recall information is often imperfect. Therefore, the results of studies that use

Low-level laser therapy reduces oral mucositis

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is an effective and well-tolerated intervention for cancer therapy-induced oral mucositis, according to a literature review in Current Opinion in Oncology. A team of researchers from France and Australia conducted a systematic review that identified 33 relevant articles related to the use of LLLT for this application (COO, March 23, 2012). Meta-analysis showed that LLLT reduced risk of oral mucositis with relative risk, reduced duration, severity

ApneaRx gets FDA nod for sleep apnea

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the ApneaRx device from Apnea Sciences as a first line of treatment for less severe and noncompliant continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) patients. ApneaRx is the first thermal oral appliance that meets the new Medicare product standards of being adjustable by the patient in 1-mm increments, the company noted in a press release. ApneaRx does this without any moving parts, screws,

Dr. Fresh to market Angry Birds tooth foam

Dr. Fresh has entered a new licensing agreement as the exclusive U.S. manufacturer and marketer of Angry Birds branded oral care products. According to the company, the first of numerous products to be rolled out under the licensing arrangement will be the FireFly Angry Birds Squirt ‘N Brush Tooth Foam, launching in the third quarter of 2012. The FireFly Angry Birds Squirt ‘N Brush Tooth Foam format represents a departure

Study links frequent dental x-rays with brain tumor

People who received frequent dental x-rays have an increased risk of developing meningioma, the most commonly diagnosed primary brain tumor in the U.S., according to a study published today in Cancer (April 10, 2012). The findings should serve as a reminder to patients and practitioners alike to carefully assess the need for diagnostic imaging procedures and to limit the frequency of x-rays based on the recommendations of professional organizations, such

ADHA responds to questions about ADHP model

I read with interest the article posted last week on HuangshanDental.com by Jay W. Friedman, DDS, MPH, entitled “Is the ADHA midlevel provider model fair to hygienists?” Clearly, the issue of midlevel oral health providers is complex, and there are many different potential solutions and workforce models being proposed to address the access to care crisis. I do feel, however, that there are a few points that Dr. Friedman raises

Azenic promotes infection control on YouTube

With the link between oral health and overall systemic health growing stronger every day, Azenic has launched a YouTube channel to help keep the public educated and informed of its oral health options. The Azenic channel — azenicdhp — includes three new videos that focus on infection control, as well as the role that the Azenic Disposable Handpiece (DHP) plays in preventing cross-contamination and promoting dental operatory hygiene. The Azenic

Safco Dental upgrades product refrigeration systems

Safco Dental Supply has upgraded to a larger, more energy-efficient refrigeration system to ensure optimal climate controlled product storage. The company said the new unit helps prolong the shelf life of more than 300 different products and enables warehouse staff to more easily identify products for quicker fulfillment of customer orders. “Our operations team worked closely with our manufacturer partners to determine which products should ideally be refrigerated while stored