Study focuses on tongue cancer survivors’ experiences

Tongue cancer survivors experience significant variation in physical and emotional pain during diagnosis and treatment, according to a study to be presented next month at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in San Francisco. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Health System conducted open-ended interviews with tongue cancer survivors from a single surgical practice at a tertiary care center. The study included

Plackers offers 10,000 free kids flossers

Plackers has given away 10,000 Plackers Kids dental flosser samples to help provide parents with the tools to encourage their children to floss daily, with the convenience of being able to do it anywhere. The Plackers Kids flossers come in various colorful animal shapes, including a monkey, crab, dolphin, and elephant. The flossers are designed to be easy to grip for small hands, include a fluoride coating, and have a

ClearCorrect honored by Inc. magazine

ClearCorrect has been ranked as the fastest-growing health company in the U.S. by Inc. magazine. The manufacturer of orthodontic clear aligners placed first among companies in the health industry on the Inc. 500 list, published in the September 2011 issue of Inc. magazine. ClearCorrect’s three-year growth rate of 8,625% also ranked as 17th fastest-growing company overall out of thousands of applicants, the company noted. The ClearCorrect clear aligner system provides

Angry Facebook dad says dentist violated HIPAA laws

The California parent who started a Facebook page last week detailing his son’s negative experiences during a visit to a Bakersfield dentist says his goal now is to let the legal system decide what should happen next. Chris Cook, also of Bakersfield, created the “I Hate Dr. Dove of Bakersfield” page after taking his 5-year-old son to pediatric dentist Edward Dove, DDS, for a tooth extraction on August 22. .pullQuoteCredit

Biolase gets Canadian approval for Waterlase iPlus

Biolase Technology has received approval from the Medical Devices Bureau of Health Canada to sell its Waterlase iPlus all-tissue dental laser systems in Canada. Canada has an estimated 19,000 licensed dentists. Biolase sells its products in Canada through a direct sales force and selected distributors.

New Vident campaign promotes Vita ceramics

Vident has launched the VitaBlocs for Life campaign to help promote the benefits of Vita machinable ceramics. New sales and marketing materials include a scientific data reference folder, testimonial booklet, a 16-page product brochure, and more. Marketing support is provided in the form of targeted advertising and publicity, as well as direct mail and media public relations. Education and technical support also is part of the launch and includes PowerPoint

CDA honors schools for oral health commitment

The California Dental Association (CDA) is recognizing the top California school districts for their ongoing efforts to support the state’s Children’s Oral Health Assessment law to ensure that children’s oral health needs are being met. Some 64 California school districts have collected data annually since the dental checkup program began in 2006. The top-performing districts include Sierra Plumas Unified, San Francisco Unified, and Plumas Unified. These districts consistently make oral

Ask Marty: Are short-term orthodontics a good investment?

Q: I am thinking of adding short-term orthodontics to my practice. I have no orthodontic experience. Is this a good use of time and money? A: Yes. There are a few short-term orthodontic courses available. I recently became a Six Month Smiles provider by attending a Six Month Smiles training course. My previous orthodontic experience was minimal, although I have done “instant orthodontics” using porcelain laminates. As a restorative dentist,

Miconazole tablets effective on candidiasis

Miconazole buccal tablets are an effective treatment for oropharyngeal candidiasis, although the cost can be prohibitive for some patients, according to an article in the Journal of Patient Preference and Adherence (July 19, 2011). Oropharyngeal candidiasis is the most common opportunistic infection affecting patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is also quite common in patients with hematological malignancies, noted researchers from the University of Michigan Health System. A

New dental lab app aids crown, bridge prescriptions

Styledent Technologies, in partnership with Bold Technologies, has introduced Dental Rx, the first crown and bridge dental lab prescription app on iTunes App Store. Dental Rx allows the practitioner to send a prescription and photos for a patient’s case via email to the laboratory, according to Styledent. More and more dentists are taking pictures of their patients’ face and smile in the office, especially when aesthetics are considered. But the

Ky. launches Smiling Schools program

Some 25,000 Kentucky children in Appalachia will receive preventive oral health services through a new pilot program announced by Gov. Steve Beshear. The Smiling Schools program is funded through a $1 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and $250,000 in state general fund dollars. Beshear currently serves as the 2011 States’ ARC co-chair. During the 2011-2012 school year, protective fluoride varnish treatment and educational materials for healthy dental

Parents can pass dental disease to babies

Most parents don’t know they can pass harmful bacteria from their mouth to their baby’s mouth. In fact, less than a third of American caregivers (32%) realize they can pass dental disease to their baby. That’s one of the key findings from a survey of American children’s oral health, done on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association in 2011. Interviews were conducted by email with 907 primary caregivers of children