Humana to cover sleep apnea screening, therapy

Humana has contracted with SleepQuest to expand access to affordable obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening, diagnostic, therapy, and compliance services for the insurer’s PPO and Medicare members. Of particular importance to SleepQuest will be its ability to provide a comprehensive program of patient monitoring and compliance services extending far beyond the traditional initiation of therapy, the company noted in a press release. Employing telehealth services, SleepQuest’s proprietary protocols of education,

Medicaid and malocclusion: The economic realities

With access to care and healthcare reform such hot-button issues these days, a recent study in the Journal of the American Dental Association highlights another underserved population U.S. policymakers should give more consideration: Medicaid patients with malocclusion (JADA, October 2010, Vol. 141:10, pp. 1202-1212). Noting that patients enrolled in Medicaid have limited access to orthodontic services in the U.S. but that no studies have fully assessed the clinical, economic, and

Brite Sources releases bone collecting system for dentistry

Brite Sources has announced the availability of a new bone collecting system for harvesting autogenous bone materials during oral surgery procedures. The system comprises bone collecting housing, a surgical suction adapter, an aspirator tip, and a sterile filter cartridge. According to the company, the system can: Collect usable bones during implant drilling Reduce the need for extra surgery for collecting bone graft material Save bone grafting material Save surgery time

Study to ID bacteria associated with oral cancer

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a two-year, $245,000 grant to a New York University (NYU) dental research team to identify bacteria in the oral cavity that may be associated with oral cancer, the university announced. The team will collaborate with researchers at the NYU School of Medicine and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The pilot study will compare

W.Va. collecting data on kids’ oral health

West Virginia is conducting a survey of the oral health of its children — the first time the state has ever done so, according to a story by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The data is required by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will strengthen West Virginia’s chances of receiving federal money to help improve oral health, the story stated. Hygienists from West Virginia University, the Mid-Ohio

LEDs outshine lamps, lasers for teeth whitening

The source of irradiation is more relevant than the bleaching agent for efficient teeth whitening, according to a study in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery (October 22, 2010). Researchers from the Rocasolano Institute of Physical Chemistry examined the whitening efficacy of three whitening agents — Quick White, Ena White Power, and Opalescence Endo, all containing 35% hydrogen peroxide — in combination with six different photoactivation systems on 126 extracted human incisors.

Delta Dental donates $50K to Ind. kids’ dental program

A $50,000 grant that is the latest in a series of donations the Delta Dental Foundation has made to Indiana University (IU) School of Dentistry’s Seal Indiana program will enable 700 Hoosier schoolchildren and preschoolers to receive examinations and preventive treatment aimed at preserving the oral health of youngsters who are the most at risk for dental disease in Indiana. The Delta Dental Foundation has contributed nearly $250,000 to the

Recalls, lawsuit prompt ongoing propofol shortage

For dental practitioners who administer propofol (Diprivan) on a regular basis, this past year has been a challenging one. There has been an ongoing shortage of propofol for more than a year, and the situation has yet to improve to any significant degree. So what happened? A series of factors rendered one of the most preferred and widely used anesthetics in medicine virtually unobtainable, setting off a domino effect of

Align Technology gears up to enter China market

Align Technology has received regulatory approval from the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration to market and sell the Invisalign system as a class II medical device for the treatment of malocclusion, the company announced. Align also received its License of Medical Device Operation Enterprise (Enterprise License) from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration, which allows the company to distribute Invisalign in China. Align expects to begin commercial availability of

iKey keyboard compatible with Sterrad sterilization system

iKey has announced that its DW-860 keyboard is now compatible with the Sterrad 100NX sterilization system. Designed to combat cross-contamination in hospital, laboratory, and dental settings, iKey’s medical keyboards are fully sealed to be resistant to disinfectants, other fluids, and debris. The DW-860 is the only keyboard on the market that is endorsed to be fully compatible with this sterilization method, according to the company. Manufactured by Advanced Sterilization Products,

DentalEZ launches weekly ‘vlog’ for hygienists

DentalEZ has introduced DEZiree the Dental Hygienist, the star of a new video blog called the the DEZiree Show. DentalEZ hopes to make the host a familiar face in the dental community, the company said. DEZiree will star in a weekly video blog that interested hygienists and dental professionals can opt in to view through weekly e-mails. The blog provides weekly updates of information and news regarding topics geared solely

EAO awards first certificates for implant-based therapy

The European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) awarded its first certificates in implant-based therapy to four dentists earlier this month. The successful participants — Dr. Lennart Dageborn (Sweden), Dr. Nobuyuki Nakai (Japan), Dr. Yoshiaki Takanashi (Japan), and Dr. Joao Tondela (Portugal) — obtained the certificates after undergoing a rigorous final examination to test their skills and knowledge, according to the EAO. “It is a complete examination in implant-based therapy,” said Christoph