The Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Florida Foundation is donating $90,000 to the Kids in Distress agency and the Nova Southeastern University Kid Dental Clinic, according to a news story in the South Florida Times. The money will help provide 500 uninsured children with access to dental care during a two-year period, according to the story. The clinic which is located on the Kids in Distress campus in
Nasal swabs from many dental students at the University of Washington (UAW) School of Dentistry showed evidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and the drug-resistant strain of staph was also found at some of the school’s dental clinics, according to a story on WebMD. The study findings raise new questions about the prevalence of the bacteria outside of hospitals in community healthcare settings. People carrying MRSA bacteria in their nose
J. Morita has released a compact apex locator, the Root ZX mini, the company announced. The Root ZX mini measures just over 4 x 2⅓ inches. Its compact and lightweight design makes it portable; it can easily be moved to work in any quadrant of the mouth, and it takes up very little counter storage space, according to the company. Like the original model, Root ZX mini utilizes the ratio
Tobacco companies knew for more than four decades that cigarette smoke contained radioactive alpha particles, and the firms developed “deep and intimate” knowledge of these particles’ cancer-causing potential, according to a new study (Nicotine & Tobacco Research, September 27, 2011). But they deliberately kept their findings from the public, according to researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The analysis of dozens of previously unexamined internal tobacco industry
Flossing has never been a popular activity, and while some patients may floss regularly to preserve that healthy smile, most are just not motivated. At the California Dental Association (CDA) fall session last week in San Francisco, Philips showcased a new flossing device that does away with string and gives dental practitioners a unique option for wooing noncompliant patients. The new Sonicare AirFloss. Image courtesy of Philips. The new Sonicare
The Virginia Dental Laboratory Safety Act (VDLSA), which requires dental laboratories to register with the Virginia Board of Dentistry, was passed by a nearly unanimous vote in the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) House of Delegates on September 18. The act was pushed by Dag Zapatero, DDS, visiting faculty at the Pankey Institute, in coordination with the Virginia Dental Association Task Force and the National Association of Dental Laboratories. Dr. Zapatero
An ongoing research study of Access Pharmaceuticals’ MuGard mucoadhesive oral wound rinse has found that it is effective in prevention, delay, and management of radiotherapy- and chemoradiotherapy- induced oral mucositis. It also reduced the need for pain medicine and gastronomy use, according to the company. Access Pharmaceuticals reported the findings at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress, September 23-27 in Stockholm, Sweden. The study was conducted by the oncology and
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Whip Mix is offering a limited edition pink Denar Mark 320 articulator. Whip Mix’s pink Denar Mark 320 articulator. Whip Mix’s pink Denar Mark 320 articulator. The articulator will be available beginning October 1, and Whip Mix will be donating a portion of the sales to the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research. The Pink Denar Mark 320 articulator has all
Kerr has published a compendium of 13 scientific studies featuring its SonicFill composite system. This collection comes on the heels of the recent global launch of SonicFill, a composite system that enables clinicians to perform posterior restorations with a bulk fill technology using a sonic-activated handpiece, according to the company. Topics in the portfolio include a six-month recall clinical evaluation of restorations using SonicFill and comparisons with traditional composite material
Straumann has appointed Andy Molnar as regional head of its North America operations in Andover, MA. The appointment takes effect January 1, 2012. Molnar replaces Martin Dymek, who has overseen Straumann’s North America operations since 2009. Molnar has been with Straumann for almost six years. Prior to joining Straumann, he was the sales and marketing director with the medical equipment company SIDHIL. He also spent 11 years with GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals
Medelita has introduced a new dental lab coat for women that honors dental pioneer Lucy Hobbs Taylor, DDS. The new 34-inch-length Lucy H.T. lab coat features snaps instead of buttons, and the lowest snap on the coat was raised to the upper hip area, allowing dental professionals to be fully mobile and comfortable in a seated position, according to the company. Also, because the original chest pocket was not often
The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded nearly $2.3 million to 12 organizations to increase access to oral healthcare and ensure the delivery of quality oral health education and preventive and restorative services to children. Funded by HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the School-Based Comprehensive Oral Health Services Program supports the integration of oral healthcare into existing school-based health centers that are not grant-supported federally qualified
