Prison authorities across the U.S. are facing a new challenge: dental floss. In New York, they contend they are not required to supply dental floss to inmates because it poses security concerns. But last month a group of 11 prisoners in the Westchester County jail filed a $500 million lawsuit demanding access to floss. But jail officials noted that floss has been used several times by prisoners to break out
The Kansas Dental Board is now recommending all dentists and hygienists renew their licenses online. All persons with licenses expiring in 2012 now receive an email with instructions for online renewal. The online notice replaces the previously prepopulated renewal form that was mailed. Dental professionals can click here to renew online. The renewal cycle opened October 1, 2012; all licenses expiring in 2012 must be renewed no later than December
The ADA’s newly revised “ADA Practical Guide to Effective Infection Control” DVD and workbook is on sale now. The materials are designed to provide guidance to dentists and their staff about infection control and occupational health and safety in the dental office, according to the ADA. The 40-minute DVD shows easy-to-follow steps to implement infection-control techniques correctly, safely, and efficiently during clinical procedures. The corresponding workbook provides more in-depth coverage
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF): America’s ToothFairy has launched Dentist of Distinction, a program designed to provide dentists with a philanthropic opportunity and marketing tools highlighting their commitment to supporting delivery of oral health services for children in need. The program is being sponsored by Wells Fargo Practice Finance and chaired by NCOHF Board Member Gordon Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD. Dentists who participate in Dentist of Distinction receive practice-building
An oral rinse of the antidepressant doxepin significantly eased pain associated with oral mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancers (HNC), according to a study led by Mayo Clinic researchers. The findings were to be presented at this week’s American Society for Radiation Oncology annual meeting in Boston. “Oral mucositis is a painful and debilitating side effect of radiation therapy,” said principal investigator Robert Miller, MD,
SDI North America will donate $4 for every purchase of its 50-count packages of Riva glass ionomers as part of a new campaign to support the Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children’s program. The 12-month campaign is projected to generate at least $30,000 in contributions from SDI to the program, according to the company. SDI is contributing $4 on all sales of its 50-count
The trend of green practices is growing, but when it comes to infection control products, making patient safety a priority is important. That’s according to Mary Govoni, RDH, MBA, who was speaking at a well-attended and highly interactive session at the recent ADA Annual Session in San Francisco. “Make sure that you don’t make green decisions that may put your patients in jeopardy, because patient safety should come first,” Govoni
Four inmates at the Palm Beach, FL, County Jail have filed civil lawsuits against the sheriff for not providing dental floss, which has led to “pain and suffering,” according to a news story on WPTV.com The first suit was filed in early October, but Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is adamant that the inmates will not receive floss because it’s made of a strong fiber and can be made into a weapon
HuangshanDental.com is pleased to present the next installment of Leaders in Dentistry, a series of interviews with researchers, practitioners, and opinion leaders who are influencing the practice of dentistry. We spoke with James E. Metz, DDS, who has practiced dentistry since 1973 and has authored numerous articles about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as given 1,000 OSA presentations. In 2004, Dr. Metz lost 100 pounds and alleviated his own
Despite a slight decrease in net sales, Colgate-Palmolive saw its share of the global toothpaste and toothbrush markets grow in the third quarter of 2012 (end-September 30). The company reported net sales of $4.3 billion in the quarter, down 1% from net sales of $4.4 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Net income for the quarter was $654 million, up from $643 million in the third quarter of
November is American Diabetes Month, and the New Jersey Society of Periodontists (NJSP) is spreading awareness about the link between periodontal disease and diabetes. “If you have diabetes, you are at higher risk for developing infections, including periodontal disease,” said Scott Zirkin, DDS, president of the NJSP. “These infections can impair the ability to process and/or utilize insulin, which may cause your diabetes to be more difficult to control and
Older women who regularly drink green tea may have slightly lower risks of certain cancers than women who don’t drink green tea, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (November 2012, Vol. 96:5, pp. 1056-1063). Researchers from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the Shanghai Cancer Institute used data from a long-running health study of more than 69,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women. More than 19,000