Miami Dade, Nova Southeastern to provide low-cost dental care

Miami Dade College (MDC) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) have collaborated to provide low-cost dental care using the services of students at MDC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic in Miami for the rest of the year, according to a news story in South Florida Times. MDC dental hygiene students will provide services such as cleanings, sealants and x-rays while NSU dental students will perform restorative care procedures such as fillings and simple

Buffalo Dental offers BPA-free mouthguard laminate

Buffalo Dental Manufacturing has released the Buff Tuff mouthguard laminate, which contains no bisphenol A (BPA) or dioxin and is cross-grained for extra strength and consistency. The product has a pleasant smell and does not produce offensive smoke or vapors when heated, so mouthguards can be fabricated in any area of the office, at any time of the day, in less than 30 minutes, according to the company. Buff Tuff

Sheri Suggests — Highlights from the ADA meeting, Part 2

In this occasional series, Dr. Sheri Doniger shares her perspective on various dental instruments, materials, and equipment. These are products Dr. Doniger personally uses or has tested in her practice. DentalEZ StarBright LED handpiece swivel, LED bulbs Bright light connector with 30,000 usage hours? As a huge fan of DentalEZ’s EverLight, I am thrilled the company added its LED technology to the Star and Solara handpiece attachments. Who wouldn’t want

J. Morita no longer selling crown/bridge remover

J. Morita USA has discontinued the sale and distribution of the ATD automatic crown and bridge remover in North America, the company announced. This decision was made as a result of the company’s desire to focus resources on equipment developed by its parent company, J. Morita Manufacturing. This change takes effect immediately, as inventory supplies have been depleted. J. Morita USA will continue to offer repair services and parts. Questions

3rd Fosamax/ONJ trial begins in NY

Another trial involving Fosamax and its alleged role in osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is now under way in New York, according to an article in the New York Times. Judith Graves, a 67-year-old retired investigator for the U.S. Army, claims she developed ONJ after taking Fosamax and is suing Merck, the manufacturer of the bisphosphonate drug, which is regularly used to treat osteoporosis. Graves told the Times that she

3M ESPE donates varnish to kids’ oral health program

3M ESPE Dental Products donated 24,600 units of Vanish 5% NaF white varnish to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) to support the establishment of community-based NCOHF Oral Health Zone programs through affiliate locations across the U.S. The following NCOHF affiliates benefited from the generous 3M ESPE product donation that will be used in preventive oral care collaborations as part of the NCOHF Oral Health Zone program: University of

Birner revenues up 10% in Q3

Birner Dental Management Services, operators of Perfect Teeth dental practices and Vantage Dental Implant Centers, reported a 10% increase in revenues for the third quarter of 2010 (end-September 30). Revenues for the quarter were $16 million, compared with $14.6 million for the same quarter a year ago. Income from continuing operations for the quarter increased $14,000, or 2.9%, to $486,000 compared with $472,000 for the same period of 2009. Copyright

Agenta gets $1.1M grant for wound healing technology

Agenta Biotechnologies has received a $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH/NIDCR) for the further development of a biologically activated membrane to improve soft-tissue healing associated with oral surgery. Agenta’s novel technology leverages specialized protein molecules that enhance growth factor activity and promote healing through various known mechanisms, according to the company. These include carrying and activating important growth

A new approach to analyzing oral bacteria

Will Raman spectroscopy one day find its way into the dental operatory as an oral health assessment and caries detection tool? A team of University of Rochester scientists is using this highly sensitive microscopy technique to study two common dental plaque bacteria: Streptococcus sanguinis and mutans. The relative balance of the two may be an indicator of a patient’s oral health and risk for tooth decay; S. sanguinis is associated

DentalEZ releases cost-effective hygiene kit

As part of DentalEZ’s new video blog, the company has released DEZiree’s Hygiene Solution, which includes StarDental hygiene handpieces, the Prophy Star 3, and the Titan Blis-sonic ergonomic sonic scaler. The kit also comes with various components, including a four-line swivel, disposable scaler tips, and an assortment of autoclavable soft grips. The cost is roughly 20% less than purchasing the items separately, according to the company. During a yearlong promotion,

Study shows 79% survival rate for composite buildups

Direct composite buildups provide a high-quality, long-lasting approach to recontouring teeth and closing diastemas, according to a study in the Journal of Dentistry (December 2010, Vol. 38:12, pp. 1001-1009). In a retrospective analysis of 327 composite buildups placed in 101 patients, members of the conservative dentistry department at the University of Heidelberg in Germany estimated the buildups’ five-year survival rate to be 79.2%. Furthermore, the researchers found that more than

FDA to require graphic warnings on cigarette packs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is calling for a complete redesign of cigarette packaging and advertising as part of its overall strategy to reduce tobacco use in the U.S. On November 10, the FDA issued a proposed rule, Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements, that calls for larger and more noticeable warning statements and color graphic images depicting the negative health consequences of smoking on cigarette packages