Align Technology marketing chief leaves

Sheila Tan, vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer of Align Technology, has left the company. On an interim basis, President and CEO Thomas Prescott will oversee consumer marketing, and Tim Mack, senior vice president of business development and former CEO of Cadent, will oversee new product development and professional marketing, the company announced. Tan joined Align in September 2008 as vice president of strategic marketing and became vice

Vident to certify restorative materials

Vident has signed onto the IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council’s program to certify the material content of its products. Laboratories will now get certificates attesting to the content of restorative materials so that dentists can verify compositions, explain material choices to patients, document insurance claims, and file with permanent records, according to the company. Vident sells a range of Vita shade determination and restorative products, and provides technical support and professional education resources.

3D printer creates bone-like material

Washington State University (WSU) researchers have used a 3D inkjet printer to create a bone-like material and structure that can be used in orthopedic procedures and dental work, and to deliver medicine for treating osteoporosis, according to an article in Dental Materials (November 1, 2011). Paired with actual bone, it acts as a scaffold for new bone to grow on and ultimately dissolves with no apparent ill effects, according to

New website offers denture info for U.K. patients

The British Association of Clinical Dental Technology (BACDT) has launched an online directory and information resource to help denture patients. The website, DentureProfessionals.org, includes a directory of BACDT-accredited denture clinics and information about caring for dentures and the benefits of various types of dentures, according to the organization.

Sigma Labs files patent for dental implants

Sigma Labs has filed a patent for a new manufacturing technology that appears to significantly improve integration between dental implants and bone. The technique could reduce the healing time for the procedure without the need for coatings or additives, according to the company. A spokesman for OmegaTi Bio, a participating member of the Sigma Labs research team, said dental implants made using the technology integrated well within four weeks during

Dentists less likely to refuse treating HIV/AIDS patients

One out of 20 dental offices in Los Angeles County have a blanket policy of refusing dental services to people living with HIV/AIDS, according to a study released today by the Williams Institute, a national think tank affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law. In addition, another 5% of dental providers would treat patients living with HIV/AIDS differently than other patients in ways that could

NephRx licenses patent for oral mucositis treatment

NephRx has gained rights to a U.S. patent related to the company’s novel peptide NX002, which is being developed for the treatment of oral mucositis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Rights to U.S. patent No. 8,017,576, “Methods and compositions to treat mucositis” — which protects NX002 and related compounds — have been exclusively licensed to NephRx by the University of Chicago, where the drug was discovered in the laboratory

Cosmetic dentistry on the rise in Australia

Australian dentists are reporting a boom in cosmetic dentistry, with some practices experiencing a 60% increase in demand, according to a story in the Age newspaper. Middle-aged women are partly driving the trend, using their “later in life” disposable income to correct stained and crooked teeth, the paper reported. And while older patients may have previously shied away from traditional metal orthodontic appliances, the advent of Invisalign has sparked significant

Bleaching strips effective on tetracycline stains

Hydrogen peroxide bleaching strips are effective in reducing the staining effects from tetracycline, according to a study in the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry (October 2011, Vol. 32:8, pp. 50-56). Researchers from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine evaluated the clinical response following extended daily use of a trayless 6.5% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) tooth bleaching gel in patients with tetracycline stains. For this clinical trial, they assigned a bleaching

Dental Services Group launches Cerec rebate program

Dental Services Group, a network of 25 North American laboratories, is now providing Cerec and Cerec AC Connect users with a rebate and placement program. Both new and existing Cerec AC Connect users who choose to use DSG for any laboratory needs will earn a rebate to help cover the cost of their Cerec AC Connect digital impression system, according an announcement from Sirona Dental Systems, makers of the Cerec

U.S. states cut tobacco prevention funding by 36%

States across the U.S. have slashed funding for programs to reduce tobacco use by 12% in the past year and 36% over the past four years, threatening the nation’s progress against tobacco, according to a report released Wednesday by a coalition of public health organizations. The report, “A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 13 Years Later,” was issued by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American

To fill or not to fill: That is the question

One of the greatest challenges facing dentistry is the lack of agreement among dentists regarding how to consistently manage dental disease after it has been diagnosed. Two providers will often not agree on the proper treatment protocol indicated because there are no consistent guidelines for managing different levels of disease. This can lead to very different treatment plans between dentists and confusion for the patient. This inconsistency should be a