Suicide rates among oral cancer patients on the rise

Suicide rates among patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal (OC/OP) cancer have increased significantly over the past three decades, particularly among male patients during the first year after diagnosis. As many as half of patients with head and neck cancer suffer from depression, among the highest of all oncology patients (Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology, June 2009 Vol. 7:6, pp. 397-403). However, despite documented high rates of depression and

Study: Managing cleft lip/palate patients is ‘complex’

Children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial disorders face numerous medical challenges beyond appearance. Patients can face serious airway, feeding, speech, and hearing problems, as well as social and psychological challenges, Laura Swibel Rosenthal, MD, of Loyola University Medical Center and colleagues write in the current issue of Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. “The management of patients with craniofacial syndromes is complex,” Rosenthal and her co-authors wrote.

Pacific Dental to purchase 400 VELscopes

Pacific Dental Services has agreed to purchase 400 of LED Dental’s VELscope Vx systems over three years. The handheld devices are used to detect early-stage oral cancer and precancer, as well as other oral abnormalities, such as viral, fungal, and bacterial infections. The agreement gives Pacific Dental the unilateral right to terminate the purchase for any reason by July 14, 2012, as well as the unilateral right to reduce the

Milestone Scientifc sees drop in Q1 sales, profit

Milestone Scientific saw its sales for its first quarter of 2012 (end-March 31) decline 21% compared with the same period in 2011. The company reported sales of $1.9 million for the quarter, compared with $2.4 million for the first quarter of 2011. The decrease in sales was primarily due to a marketing shift in the U.S. toward large dental groups which have a longer selling cycle, Milestone stated in a

Air Techniques supports cancer awareness event

Air Techniques is sponsoring the First Annual Northern Illinois Oral Cancer Awareness Walk. The event will take place June 10, 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. at Lake Arlington in Arlington Heights. Free oral screenings will be offered during the event, along with information on early detection and prevention. There will also be a silent auction, with an array of items, including a pair of round-trip Southwest airline tickets and an

Study: No clinical advantage of lasers for perio maintenance

Do soft-tissue lasers add clinical value to the treatment of periodontal disease beyond what can be achieved using only scaling and root planing (SRP)? The literature so far is mixed, but a new study to be presented at the upcoming International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting has found that the use of a Nd:YAG laser does not provide a significant advantage during a periodontal maintenance care program. The Nd:YAG

Do dental hygienists know enough about implants?

Dental hygienists are interested in learning more about dental implants whether or not their dental hygiene education included content on implants, according to a study published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene by researchers from the department of dental hygiene at Georgia Health Sciences University. Researchers distributed a survey to dental hygienists attending an annual national continuing education course. Participants voluntarily completed and submitted their survey before the end of

Study links sleep apnea with cancer mortality risk

Sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin. Findings from the study, the first human study to link apnea with a higher rate of cancer mortality, were presented May 20 at the American Thoracic Society 2012 International Conference in San Francisco. The study showed a nearly five times higher incidence of cancer deaths in

Should OPTs be used for miniscrew implant planning?

Orthopantomograms (OPTs) are not as effective as cone-beam CT images in evaluating miniscrew implant position prior to surgical intervention, according to a study in the Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics. Researchers from examined the extent to which the OPT allowed miniscrew position to be estimated, and whether probands from different backgrounds in dental medicine arrived at the same conclusions regarding the screw position using the same images (Journ Oro Orth, May

New AACD president takes the helm

Ron Goodlin, DDS, has taken over as president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Dr. Goodlin has been involved in the organization since 1997, according to a press release. His practice, Smiles Dental, is located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Goodlin is working to open a dental clinic in Tanzania, and he is encouraging dentists and dental students to spend some time working at the clinic as they

Does swallowing function return after tongue surgery?

Swallowing function appears to return to acceptable levels in the long-term for patients who undergo surgical removal of tongue cancer lesions, according to a study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Researchers from Hokkaido University measured postsurgical swallowing function in 20 patients five years after surgical treatment of their tongue carcinomas (JOMS, April 19, 2012). Using a retrospective cohort study design, the investigators enrolled postsurgical patients treated for

$8.4M NIH grant to fund antismoking study

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have been awarded a five-year, $8.4 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop new compounds to help prevent relapse in smokers who are trying to quit. Scripps Research associate professor Paul Kenny, PhD, is the program director and principal investigator for the study. The study is focused on a receptor for a specific