A $100,000 grant has been awarded to an oral health program on Maui to help native Hawaiian mothers and children. The grant from the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) Foundation to the program at the University of Hawai’i Maui College (UHMC) will provide educational sessions and oral health screenings in the community, according to a story on Mauinow.com. The program will also provide an opportunity for UHMC students to get
J. Morita has introduced the TwinPower Turbine Basic handpiece, which offers several of the features of the original TwinPower product line. The handpiece’s cutting efficiency remains equal to the standard head with the same double-impeller rotor design that produces power and torque of up to 22 watts, the company noted. A pressurized air system prevents suck back in the air line, which controls infection. Other features include ceramic bearings, rapid
The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) has published a patient brochure in two languages to help consumers learn how to care for their dentures. The brochure was published in Spanish and English through a grant from GlaxoSmithKline. Today, 33 million Americans have no teeth, according to the ACP. Patients of all ages are in urgent need of dentures due to car accidents, hockey injuries, bone loss, cancer treatment, dental caries,
A new, noninvasive cytology test for oral cancer, ClearPrep OC, is being offered free to dentists. The test, aimed at “watch and wait” lesions, is less expensive than biopsies and less frightening for patients, according to Resolution Biomedical, the company that is commercializing it. The chairside oral cancer test — which can be ordered directly from the company — is designed to be a diagnostic option for assessing lesions when
Two studies being presented this week at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Seattle lend support to the clinical efficacy and safety of the Biolux Research light-accelerated orthodontics technology. In the first, a team of researchers from University of Alabama at Birmingham; Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand; and private practices in North America evaluated the effect of the photobiomodulation device on the rate of tooth movement during
Shared dental visits in certain instances can serve dentists and their patients better than traditional one-on-one visits, according to research conducted by the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts. The results of a pilot project that used shared dental visits for preventing early childhood caries (ECC) will be presented as a poster this week at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in
Drug shortages are taking a toll on cancer patients in the U.S., forcing treatment changes and delays, and causing more therapy-related complications and higher costs, according to a new study in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (April 1, 2013, Vol. 70:7, pp. 609-617). A national survey of health professionals conducted by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, queried oncology pharmacists and others involved in managing cancer drug
Vita has added new shades and moulds to its Vitapan Plus anterior teeth line. The Vitapan Plus anterior range is now available for the entire Vita classical A1-D4 shade range (except B1) and the entire Vita 3D-Master shade system, according to the company. The tooth line is available in 18 anterior sets for the upper jaw and six anterior sets for the lower jaw, and can be combined with Vita
A common test used to determine mercury exposure from dental amalgam restorations may significantly overestimate the amount of the toxic metal released from these fillings, according to University of Michigan researchers (Environmental Science & Technology, March 20, 2013). Scientists agree that dental amalgam fillings slowly release mercury vapor into the mouth. But both the amount of mercury released and the question of whether this exposure presents a significant health risk
A survey of U.K. parents revealed that 79% wait until their children are older than a year old before taking them to the dentist and 5% wait until their children turn 5. Of the different age groups surveyed, less than half of the 18- to 34-year-olds with children younger than 16 (47%) take their children to the dentist every six months, compared with 75% of the older than 45 age
Abuse of propofol is a “rapidly progressive form of substance dependence” that is being more commonly seen among healthcare professionals, according to a study to be published in the April 2013 Journal of Addiction Medicine. Data from an addiction center specializing in substance abuse problems among healthcare professionals identified 22 patients treated for propofol abuse from 1990 to 2010. The number of healthcare professionals treated for propofol abuse increased steadily
The Pew Center on the States has released an issue brief that provides an overview of New Zealand’s dental therapist program and outlines how midlevel providers in the U.S. could help expand children’s access to dental care, prevent and treat dental caries, and improve public health. New Zealand has employed dental therapists since 1921, longer than any other country in the world, according to Pew. They work primarily in primary