Md. college fights creation of competing hygienist program

Officials at Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) are opposing the creation of a new dental hygiene program at Hagerstown Community College (HCC), according to a story in the Cumberland Times-News. In a September 1 letter to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, ACM President Cynthia Bambara wrote that a new program at HCC would result in “unreasonable program duplication and demonstrable harm to another institution.” College officials are asking the District

NJ dentist sued after patient dies of oral cancer

A New Jersey dentist has been sued by the estate of a Somerville firefighter who died last year of oral cancer at the age of 33, according to a story on mycentraljersey.com. The lawsuit accuses Francis Barbieri Jr., DDS, of failing to inform his patient Steven Runyon of a lesion on his tongue and not referring him for biopsy soon enough. Runyon died of metastatic tongue cancer in August 2010.

Virus to blame for rise in throat cancer: study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Cancer of the back of the mouth and throat is on the rise, primarily because of more cases stemming from a viral infection called human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers report in a new study. The number of people who were diagnosed with HPV-related oral cancer in 2004 was triple the number diagnosed in 1988, due largely, researchers suspect, to changes in sexual behavior that have helped

$2.25M NIH grant to fund novel oral bacteria research

The National Institutes of Health has given $2.25 million to Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine researchers to study how an isolated agent from common oral bacteria may hold the answer to how human beta defensins could be used to help block bacteria from entering epithelial tissue. Aaron Weinberg, DMD, PhD, a professor and the chair of the department of biological sciences at the dental school, will lead

Down but not out: Implant makers navigate economic storm

The placing of a titanium dental implant by Per-Ingvar Brånemark into the mouth of a volunteer in Sweden in 1965 was a turning point in restorative dentistry. Over the past 40 years, dental implants have become a preferred means of treatment for missing teeth for many clinicians and patients while growing into a $3 billion market worldwide by 2009. By 1988, some 300,000 implants had been placed throughout the world,

Combination HPV diagnostic test for HNC outperforms other tests

A combination of P16 immunohistochemistry and DNA qPCR to test for viral E6 can accurately determine a form of head and neck cancer (HNC) that is derive from human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16), according to a new study in Clinical Cancer Research (October 1, 2011). The study has clinical applications for clinical trials regarding therapy based on HPV status, according to lead researcher Andrew Schache, DDS, MD, a research fellow and

Occlusal angle influences smile attractiveness

Does changing occlusal plane angle affect the attractiveness of a smile? Yes, according to researchers from the Eastman Dental Institute at University College London (Angle Orthodontist, September 20, 2011). But it appears to bother dental practitioners more than the patients themselves, the researchers found. To determine the influence of the occlusal plane angle on smile attractiveness as perceived by a group of 66 adult orthodontic patients and 66 dentists, the

Merck wins 5th Fosamax/ONJ trial

A federal court in New York has found in favor of Merck in the Secrest v. Merck case, rejecting the claims of a Florida woman who said she developed osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and related dental problems after using Fosamax, a bisphosphonate commonly used to treat osteoporosis. The October 3 verdict marks the fourth time a jury has found in Merck’s favor on a plaintiff’s product liability claim involving

Univ. of Pittsburgh to offer oral biology graduate program

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine has created a new program that will focus on research to help prevent birth defects of the mouth and face, as well as grow new bones and cartilage to repair facial injuries, according to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Mark Mooney, PhD, chairman of the new graduate program in oral biology, plans to build on the university’s strengths in cleft palate

U.K. patients with diabetes lack awareness of good oral health

Many adults with diabetes have poor awareness of oral care and health complications associated with condition, and are receiving limited advice from healthcare professionals, according to a new U.K. study (British Dental Journal, September 23, 2011). And many patients think their dentists should screen for the disease. Researchers at the University of Warwick in Coventry, U.K., wanted to investigate the oral health awareness and oral hygiene of patients with diabetes,

Do barrier envelopes keep PSP plates safe?

The advent of digital intraoral radiography has created new infection-control challenges for dental offices that previously were not an issue with film-based imaging. Because photostimulable phosphor (PSP) and solid-state sensors cannot be autoclaved, barrier envelopes are used to prevent cross-contamination between uses. But studies have shown that, despite the use of barriers, bacterial contamination of the sensors used in digital radiography continues to occur (Journal of Dental Hygiene, Summer 2005,

Fla. theft ring steals $3M of dental hygiene products

Florida police have arrested a pawn shop owner and two employees who are suspected of being part of an organized theft ring that stole more than $3 million worth of dental hygiene products, according to a story by CBS News. After serving a search warrant, Palm Beach County Sheriff deputies discovered dozens of unopened boxes containing Crest Whitestrips and other products such as Sonicare toothbrushes at Citi Pawn in Boca