Dental researchers are increasingly focusing on how psychological factors affect oral health, especially when it comes to cracking the code on the causes of early childhood caries. A recent study conducted by Richard Heyman, PhD, and Amy Smith Slep, PhD, co-directors of the Family Translational Research Group at the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD), is part of an ongoing effort at the school to understand how mental health
The American Orthodontic Society (AOS) is working with CareerFusion to offer online continuing education (CE) for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants on various orthodontic topics. Using Internet and software platforms used for webinars and online schools, CareerFusion will help bring to life articles from the AOS journal and classes to support the hands-on classes offered by the society. Speakers will include members of CareerFusion and AOS. Topics will vary
The Fraunhofer Center for Manufacturing Innovation has selected two Boston University (BU) researchers’ idea for a novel piezoelectric knife design and implant as one of two research projects the center will support this year. The researchers, from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, proposed a flat implant system using flat piezoelectric knives and flat titanium implants. The knife can create various shapes of nonround bone cuts, as opposed
The ADA will broaden its definition of porcelain/ceramic materials in its Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT Code) for insurance reimbursement, in response to requests from 3M ESPE and others in the dental community. The move allows 3M ESPE Lava Ultimate restorative to be classified as a porcelain/ceramic, according to the company. The change will be effective January 1, 2013, making it possible for dentists who use the material
Thyroid collars should be used for all dental x-rays when they do not interfere with the examination, according to a new policy statement issued June 13 by the American Thyroid Association (ATA). The ATA released the statement to inform the public and healthcare practitioners about how to minimize risks to the thyroid gland associated with radiation exposure from diagnostic medical and dental radiography. Radiation exposure to the thyroid among both
Substituting alternative materials for mercury-based dental fillings has less negative impact on human health and the environment, according to a new report by the Health Care Research Collaborative. The study compared the health and environmental impact of mercury dental amalgam with those of the alternatives currently available in the U.S. The report found that the known impact of mercury on human health and the global environment outweigh the known impact
Oragenics, a maker of probiotics designed to enhance oral health for humans and pets, has entered into a five-year contract agreement with Randy Dennin and Associates to distribute Oragenics’ products in Mexico under a private label. Oragenics’ products contain ProBiora3, the company’s patented blend of three probiotics specifically designed for oral health.
A recent survey commissioned by Listerine has found that nearly two-thirds of Canadian children younger than age 12 have had caries, with more than 60% of them having had two or more. The survey also found that 86% of Canadian parents are concerned about protecting their kids from caries, while more than half of the parents surveyed said their kids don’t care about the health of their teeth. However, 95%
The Delta Dental Foundation has awarded $32,235 in oral health grants to three Wichita, KS, organizations as part of the company’s Champions contest, according to an article in the Wichita Business Journal. The grants are designed to fund programs focusing on the prevention of oral health issues. The recipients are GraceMed Health Clinic, Junior Achievement, and Health Ministries Clinic. GraceMed received $20,000 to purchase emergency dental service equipment and provide
Lawmakers in New York are working to enact new regulations to ensure the safety of anyone younger than age 18 who wants to get a body piercing, including piercings of the tongue or lip. Assembly bill A10095, which was introduced in May and passed last week by the state Assembly, prohibits an owner, operator, or employee of a body piercing studio from performing body piercing on a person younger than
Persistent dental plaque may increase the risk of dying early from cancer, according to a Swedish study published in the online journal BMJ Open (June 2012, 2:e001083; doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001083). Poor oral hygiene was linked to an 80% increased risk after accounting for other influential factors, according to the researchers from Karolinska Institutet and the University of Helsinki. The researchers conducted a longitudinal study to see if plaque might be a risk
The number of children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) declines as they enter adolescence, but the teen years can be a devastating trial of behavior and learning problems for kids with persistent OSA, new research shows. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona, was presented June 12 at Sleep 2012, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) in Boston. The researchers studied 263 children