BOSTON, Jun 02, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- At the annual meeting of the Harvard Dental Alumni Association on May 30, 2014, Dean R. Bruce Donoff, DMD, MD presented the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) Distinguished Alumnus Award to Samuel Lynch, DMD, DMSc for outstanding achievements in his field. Dr. Lynch is a 1989 graduate of the HSDM residency in Periodontology as well as the Harvard Medical School Doctorate of Medical Sciences.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions that honor the mission of the School in addition to supporting HSDM through the generosity of their time, talent, and philanthropic commitments. “Dr. Lynch embodies the HSDM spirit as reflected by his outstanding achievements throughout multiple disciplines of dentistry and medicine and his dedication to the betterment of patient health through his discoveries, dedication and talents,” said Dean Donoff. “Beyond his academic and business accomplishments, Dr. Lynch’s humanitarian commitments, as evidenced by his current medical mission trip to the underserved regions of Guatemala, embody the best of the spirit of Harvard.”

HSDM recognized Dr. Lynch for his significant body of scientific work in the fields of regenerative medicine and protein therapeutics, including high impact publications in scientific journals, commitment to translational medicine to bring discoveries in the laboratory to improvement in patient health, and his philanthropic commitments to HSDM and its mission of improving the health and well-being of local and global populations. Dr. Lynch’s discoveries have led to nearly $5 million in royalties and other payments to support Harvard’s mission.

"I am honored to be an alumnus of such a respected institution as HSDM and to be the recipient of their Distinguished Alumnus Award. To be included amongst the previous winners of this award who have set such high standards for innovation and patient care in their fields is incredibly humbling,” commented Dr. Lynch. “It takes a dedicated team to continuously work toward advancing innovative medical treatments, and I owe much of my success to the commitment and hard work of so many of my colleagues. I share this recognition with each of them.”

Dr. Lynch is the founder and past CEO and Chairman of BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the development of products to promote the healing of musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. He is one of only a few scientists to make a medical discovery, and then found and lead a company from such discovery through full Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval, commercialization and an initial public offering (IPO).

SOURCE: Harvard School of Dental Medicine

A compound in saliva, along with common proteins in blood and muscle, may protect human cells from powerful toxins in tea, coffee and liquid smoke flavoring, according to results of a new study led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

The findings, reported online May 19 in Food and Chemical Toxicology, suggest that people naturally launch multiple defenses against plant chemicals called pyrogallol-like polyphenols or PLPs found in teas, coffees and liquid smoke flavoring. The presence of these defenses could help explain why PLPs are not crippling cells and causing illness as would be expected from their toxic punch and widespread use, the researchers say.

Last year, Johns Hopkins investigator Scott Kern, M.D., and his colleagues demonstrated that PLPs found in everyday foods and flavorings could do significant damage by breaking strands of DNA, the carrier of all genetic information. The impact of the toxins was so strong--in some cases producing 20 times the damage of chemotherapy drugs delivered to cancer patients--that the researchers immediately thought to find out why there wasn't more damage, and to look for ways that cells might be fighting back.

"If these chemicals are so widespread--they're in flavorings, tea, coffee--and they damage DNA to such a high degree," Kern said, "we thought there must be defense mechanisms that protect us on a daily basis from plants we choose to eat."

Kern and colleagues found that an enzyme in saliva called alpha-amylase, the blood protein albumin, and the muscle protein myoglobin all protected cells from DNA breakage by tea, coffee and isolated PLPs. The researchers identified the amount of DNA damage in the cells by looking for high activity levels of a gene called p53. The gene helps repair DNA damage.

"It was quite easy to uncover a few of these protective substances against the tested cancer therapeutic drugs, which suggests there may be many more layers of defenses against toxins," said Kern, the Kovler Professor of Oncology and Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Kern emphasized that the saliva enzyme and the proteins did not protect against chemotherapeutic drugs, which can also damage DNA, a fact suggesting that defenses against PLPs may have evolved over time, in response to natural plant compounds that have been part of human diets for a long time.

Surprisingly, he says, the cells did not seem to need these protein protectors after a period of exposure to the toxins. "After about two weeks we found it difficult to get the cells to be damaged by the same chemicals, even if they were damaged by the chemicals weeks earlier," Kern explained. "They seem to have some innate ability to respond to the damage or sense it and somehow protect themselves against it, even in the absence of albumin, muscle proteins or saliva components."

"It made us wonder, do people who eat the same PLP-containing diet day after day develop a natural cellular protection to the toxins," Kern asked, "so that, as has been said before, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger?"

The researchers plan to explore further how albumin, myoglobin and salivary alpha-amylase protect against PLPs and learn more about other possible innate defenses against the chemicals. Kern also plans to study how these natural defenses might be circumvented in some people, causing cancers or other illnesses.

Kern says the findings also invite speculation as to whether a morning cup of coffee might be less harmful to our bodies if it is enjoyed with the protective myoglobins in a few strips of bacon. Or if eating smoked meats might be less toxic if they are tasty enough to make a diner salivate. But Kern cautions that these ideas are just that--speculation.

Source: EurekaAlert!

Chicago (June 30, 2014) — As nearly 2,000 attendees gathered in Las Vegas from June 18-24, 2014, for the 2014 American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Center for Lifelong Learning at the 91^st Annual Session, the ADHA proudly announced its various award winners during the event — awardees who epitomize the commitment and professionalism of those involved in the field of dental hygiene, and who are dedicated to improving the public’s oral and overall health.

Here are the 2014 award winners:

• Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award (sponsored by Hu-Friedy). Awarded to a dental hygienist demonstrating leadership within five years of graduating from a dental hygiene program.

  • Winner: Jennifer Frame, RDH, Bremerton, Wash.

• Irene Newman Award (sponsored by Colgate). Awarded for outstanding advancement of the art and science of dental hygiene.

  • Winner: Michele Rase, CDA, RDH, BS, Rochester, N.Y.

• Alfred C. Fones Award (sponsored by WaterPik). Awarded for lasting contributions to the dental hygiene profession over the last 25 years.

  • Winner: Cynthia C. Amyot, RDH, MSDH, EdD, Overland Park, Kan.

• ADHA Award for Excellence in Dental Hygiene (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). The winners of these awards personify what those in the dental hygiene profession strive to exemplify to their patients, communities, and the world through a career dedicated to improving oral and overall health.

  • Jill Rethman, RDH, BA, Kaneohe, Hawaii.

  • Joyce Flieger, RDH, MPH, Tucson, Ariz.

• Colgate/ADHA Community Outreach Award. This award honors components that have implemented significant community outreach programs that focus on preventive oral health care.

  • Winner: Southern Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Society #12 (Jennifer Sherry, RDH, MSEd, Cambria, Ill., accepted on behalf of the organization).

• Student Member Community Service Award (sponsored by Colgate). This award recognizes a student member chapter that has demonstrated outstanding community service activities.

  • Winner: Cypress College (Cypress, Calif.) Dental Hygiene Class of 2015 (Amy Farrow and Kayla Bernard accepted on behalf of the class).

• Crest Oral-B/ADHA Award for Clinical Dental Hygienists. This award acknowledges the contributions dental hygienists make in their patients’ lives, particularly when it comes to the impact of patient education and the critical role oral health plays in total health.

  • Winner: Lisa Bell, RDH, MPH, Madison, Wisc.

• Crest Oral-B/ADHA Educator of the Year. Awarded to an educator who demonstrates excellence in teaching, mentoring and helping students achieve their goals.

  • Winner: Gail L. Aamodt, EPDH, MS, Hillsboro, Ore.

• ADHA Sigma Phi Alpha Journalism Award (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). This award recognizes two students, one at the baccalaureate level and one at the master’s level, who have written a review or original research paper that contributes to dental hygiene’s overall body of knowledge and meets the rigorous quality standards of the ADHA’s Journal of Dental Hygiene.

  • Master’s/Doctoral Category: Christine Rogers, RDH, BA, Catskill, N.Y.

  • Baccalaureate Category: Kelli Frnka, RDH, BS, CCLS, Bellaire, Texas.

• Hu-Friedy/ADHA Master Clinician. Awarded for the demonstration of expertise in bringing clinical practice and patient education together.

  • Winner: Janet Jordan, RDH, BS, Saylorsburg, Pa.

• DENTSPLY/ADHA Graduate Student Clinicians Program. This program encourages and promotes graduate dental hygiene students to participate in and conduct dental hygiene research, and present their findings in a poster competition.

  • Third Place: Bethany Bewley, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho.

  • Second Place: Lucinda Fleckner, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.

  • First Place: Kristin Dillow, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Orange, Calif. – June 27, 2014 – Kerr Corporation, a global manufacturer of dental products, announced today that it has acquired DUX Dental and Vettec Inc. to further expand its product portfolio and to better serve dental professionals and healthcare providers globally.   

DUX Dental is a manufacturer and distributor of high quality dental products, including Zone Temporary Cement, Identic Alginate and Bib-Eze disposable bib holders, as well as its award-winning PeelVue sterilization pouches. Vettec Inc. is a worldwide provider of animal healthcare products.

“DUX Dental is an excellent complement to Kerr’s portfolio of dental consumables and small equipment and broadens our consumable and restorative offerings to the general practitioner, dental specialist, hygienist, and institutional customer,” says Damien McDonald, Group President at Kerr Corporation. “Further, with Vettec we unlock new opportunities for growth in the attractive animal healthcare market. We welcome the associates of both businesses into the Kerr family and look forward to expanding their potential with our global reach and clinical, technological and R&D capabilities.”

“I am pleased that DUX Dental and Vettec have found a good home with Kerr.  These were my family’s companies and I am confident that Kerr will continue to support our products and people going forward,” remarked Paul Porteous, former owner of DUX Dental and Vettec Inc.

DUX Dental and Vettec Inc. will proudly join Kerr and the KaVo Kerr Group global platform of brands that include KaVo, Kerr, Kerr Total Care, Pentron, Axis|SybronEndo, Orascoptic, Pelton & Crane, Marus, DCI Equipment, Gendex, DEXIS, Instrumentarium, SOREDEX, i-CAT, NOMAD, Implant Direct and Ormco. 

Cape Town, South Africa – Today, at the 92nd General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Africa/Middle East Regional Meeting, S. Duarte, New York University, College of Dentistry, N.Y., USA, will present a study titled “Effect of Daily Treatment with Blue Light on Biofilm Formation.” 

Phototherapy with blue light is a promising mechanism of bacterial killing, involving the activation of endogenous photosensitizers in bacteria such as flavins and cytochromes, which lead to production of reactive oxygen species. However the effect of blue light on the biofilm formation has not yet been explored. 

The objective of this study was for the researchers to determine how the daily treatment with blue light affect the formation and composition of a matrix-rich biofilm. Biofilms of Streptococcus mutans UA159 (ATCC 700610) were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs for five days. The biofilms were grown in tryptone yeast-extract broth containing 1% (w/v) sucrose and were kept undisturbed for 24 hours to allow initial biofilm formation. The biofilms were then exposed twice daily to non-coherent blue light (LumaCare®; 420 nm). The distance between the light and the sample was 1.0 cm; energy density of 72 J cm-2; and exposure time of 12 minutes and 56 seconds. Positive and negative controls were 0.12% chlorhexidine and 0.89% NaCl, respectively. Biofilms were analyzed for bacterial viability, dry-weight, and extra (EPS-insoluble and soluble) and intracellular (IPS) polysaccharides. Variable pressure scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to check morphology and viability. 

Daily exposure of biofilm to blue light showed a significant reduction in bacterial viability and dry weight when compared to negative control (p<0.05), and an intermediate effect between the positive and negative controls. The EPS-insoluble reduction when biofilms were exposed to blue light was significantly lower than in both control groups (p<0.05). Blue light treatment also decreased the amount of EPS-soluble and IPS, although it was not statistically different from the negative control (p>0.05). Different morphology and higher proportion of dead cells were also visible when the biofilms were treated with blue light. The researchers found that daily treatment with blue light is a promising mechanism for the reduction of matrix-rich biofilm formation. 

This is a summary of abstract #132, “Effect of Daily Treatment with Blue Light on Biofilm Formation,” to be presented by S. Duarte on Thursday, June 26, 2014, 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in Meeting Room 1.63 of the Cape Town International Convention Centre. 

Cape Town, South Africa – Today, at the 92nd General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Africa/Middle East Regional Meeting, S. Oberoi, University of California, San Francisco, USA, will present a study titled “Improving Orthodontic Retainer Compliance With Gamified Digital Rewards: An Acceptability Survey.” 

Retainers are commonly used in orthodontic treatment to prevent relapse. In order to achieve ideal results, patient compliance regarding retainer wear is essential. Current methods and technologies to track wear time require patients to physically visit the orthodontist’s clinic, which are commonly scheduled three to six months apart. While two commercial devices are available for tracking wear time, these technologies are costly and limited in transparency. In current development is a wireless wear time monitor and patient-facing mobile app that will motivate patients by providing digital rewards for wear time compliance, and allow patient and clinician access to quantifiable and objective wear time data daily. 

The objective of this study was to develop and administer a survey assessing acceptability of a retainer with an embedded temperature sensor and corresponding mobile app to record wear time. It was hypothesized that patients and parents would be more receptive to a retainer that incentivized its use. An acceptability survey was developed. Surveys were distributed and completed during treatment sessions at the University of California, San Francisco Orthodontic Clinic, with both patient and parent respondents chosen at random. Data was statistically analyzed using the Qualtrics Survey Tool and presented as mean values, standard deviations and ranges. Qualitative variables were indicated as absolute and relative frequencies. 

The survey found that 87% of respondents agreed that they would use such technology. Also 73% of parents and 100% of patients believed that this method of wear time tracking would encourage better adherence to the prescribed wear time. Objective wear time tracking that incorporates a mobile app and digital rewards system seems to be well-received among patients and parents, and this gamified method may be applicable to other conditions that heavily rely upon patient compliance and continuous clinician feedback. 

This research was supported by the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. 

This is a summary of abstract #497, “Improving Orthodontic Retainer Compliance With Gamified Digital Rewards: An Acceptability Survey,” to be presented by S. Oberoi on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. in Meeting Room 2.64 of the Cape Town International Convention Centre. 

Cape Town, South Africa – Today, at the 92nd General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Africa/Middle East Regional Meeting, Y. LI, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, will present a study titled “Drinking Coffee Accelerates Orthodontic Tooth Movement through Enhancing Osteoclastogenesis.” 

Caffeine, the kernel component of coffee, has been shown to affect bone metabolism through regulation of osteoclast, osteoblast and calcium balance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of drinking coffee on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). 

In this study 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the regular OTM (rO) and coffee+OTM (cO) groups. At five weeks of age, the cO rats began receiving daily intragastric administration of coffee according to body weight. At 13 weeks of age, the left maxillary first molar of the both groups was moved mesially with a NiTi coil spring. After three weeks, the OTM amount was measured. The alveolar bone mineral density (BMD) was analyzed with micro-computed tomography (μCT). 

Immunohistochemical staining was done for TRAP and RANKL expression in the periodontium. The periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue model was established through 3D culturing human PDL cells in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds. Four groups were established with different intervention regimes, i.e., normal culture (control), caffeine (0.1Mm), mechanical force (25g/cm2), caffeine (0.1Mm) + mechanical force (25g/cm2). After a six-hour intervention, real-time PCR and ELISA were performed to investigate COX-2/PGE2and RANKL expression. 

Compared with rO, the cO rats had significantly larger tooth movement. Meanwhile, the cO had significantly lower alveolar BMD, indicating decreased bone mineralization. Moreover, in the compression periodontium, the cO had significantly more TRAP+ osteoclasts and higher RANKL expression, indicating increased osteoclastogenesis. When treated alone, mechanical force significantly up-regulated COX-2/PGE2 and RANKL expression in the PDL tissue model while caffeine didn’t; however the caffeine+mechanical force group had significantly larger elevation of COX-2/PGE2 and RANKL expression, compared with the mechanical force alone group. 

This study found that drinking coffee accelerates OTM, probably through the effects of caffeine on osteoclastogenesis enhancement via RANKL elevation. This research was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China, No.11372202. 

This is a summary of abstract #22, “Drinking Coffee Accelerates Orthodontic Tooth Movement through Enhancing Osteoclastogenesis,” to be presented by Y. Li on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. in Meeting Room 2.64 of the Cape Town International Convention Centre. 

Las Vegas (June 24, 2014) — Today during the American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (ADHA’s) 91^st Annual Session, Kelli Swanson Jaecks, RDH, MA, of Salem, Ore., was installed as the organization’s 2014-15 president, along with the ADHA’s new slate of officers for the upcoming 2014-15 year.

“The diverse needs of a diverse public will demand that we change the way we practice,” said Swanson Jaecks during her installation speech to the ADHA House of Delegates. “Our future will better position us to collaborate with other health care professionals and our strategic partners. The ADHA is harnessing our knowledge, experience and resources to make sure that dental hygiene will be at the forefront of innovation.”

Swanson Jaecks has served the ADHA in a number of ways, including as ADHA President-Elect for the 2013-14 year, as a trustee for district XII, as a member of the Council on Regulation and Practice, as well as a delegate, a Reference Committee member, and an alternate delegate. She also has served as president of the Oregon Dental Hygienists’ Association, as well as president of her local component, the Marion-Polk-Yamhill Dental Hygienists’ Association (MPYDHA).

Swanson Jaecks is president of Verbal Impact, LLC, an educational and consulting company that offers health-care courses in both lecture and interactive formats. She holds a master’s degree in Communication and Adult Education from Oregon State University, where she taught leadership and public speaking. She received her Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene from Oregon Health Sciences University in 1996. She also holds an expanded practice permit, which in Oregon, allows the provision of services without the supervision of a dentist to underserved patients in certain settings.

She has received various recognitions and awards, including ADHA Research Poster Presentation for her project “Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The Dental Hygienist’s Role” in 2007, MPYDHA Inspirational Leader Award in 2006, the ADHA/Colgate Community Outreach Award for her component in 2004, and the John O. Butler Healthy Gums/Healthy Life Award of Distinction in 2003.

Swanson Jaecks succeeds Denise Bowers, RDH, PhD, of Lima, Ohio, as president. Bowers remains an ADHA officer as immediate past president as well as the 2014-2015 chair of the ADHA Institute for Oral Health.

Additional ADHA officers newly installed at the ADHA’s 91st Annual Session include: Jill Rethman, RDH, BA, of Santa Ana, Calif., president-elect; Betty Kabel, RDH, BS, of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., vice president; and Carolyn Roberton, RDH, BSDH of Auburn, Wash., speaker of the house. Remaining in her position as treasurer is Louann M. Goodnough, RDH, BSDH, of Apple Valley, Minn.

The newly installed district trustees for 2014-2015 are as follows: Jessica Kiser, RDH, BS, MS, of Castle Hayne, N.C., District IV (Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C.); Lisa Moravec, RDH, MS, of Scottsbluff, Neb., District VIII (Ill., Iowa, Kan., Mo., Neb.); and Barbara Dixon, RDH, MEd, of Salt Lake City, Utah, District X (Colo. Mont., Utah, Wyo.).

District trustees continuing their term for 2014-2015 are as follows: Joan Kenney Fitzgerald, RDH, BS, of Manchester, N.H., District I (Maine, Mass., N.H., R.I., Vt.); Jaclyn Gleber, RDH, EdD, of Chester Springs, Pa., District II (Conn., N.J., N.Y., Pa.); Michele Braerman, RDH, BS, of Fallston, Md., District III (Del., District of Columbia., Md., Va., W.Va.); Beth Nicely, RDH, of Owensboro, Ky., District V (Ind., Ky., Mich., Ohio); Donnella Miller, RDH, BS, of Clarksville, Tenn., District VI (Ala., Ark., La., Miss., Tenn.); Tammy Filipiak, RDH, MS, of Mosinee, Wis., District VII (Minn., N.D., S.D., Wis.); Valoree Althoff, RDH, BS of Farmington, N.M., District IX (N.M., Okla., Texas); Lin Sarfaraz, RDH, of Fullerton, Calif., District XI (Ariz., Calif.); and Lancette VanGuilder, RDH, of Sparks, Nev., District XII (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nev., Ore., Wash.).

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the premier association serving the dental education community, is hosting two meetings for today’s globally-minded dental education and research communities: the 5th ADEA International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC) and ADEA International Workshop. Both events—being held at the Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel on Sept. 14–16, 2014, in Barcelona, Spain—will focus on professional development, leadership strategies, cross-cultural connections and curricular reform to help chart dentistry’s future course.

Hundreds of dental educators, leaders and practitioners from around the world will come together with ADEA experts, other thought leaders and emerging pioneers in dental education and research for the ADEA international conferences, which are separate in theme and focus.

“Improving oral health in communities throughout the world requires a global community of leadership to produce better health outcomes for the public,” says ADEA President and CEO, Richard W. Valachovic, D.M.D., M.P.H. “Our ultimate goal through these events is for participants to learn common interests, share perspectives, foster alliances and collaborate across professions. We have much to learn from each other.”

For the fifth time, with the theme of “Global Health Through Women’s Leadership,” the ADEA IWLC is a three-day conference providing fresh insight and perspectives on how women are forging new pathways to help advance future generations as well as to produce better health outcomes globally. Participants—including both men and women—will explore research-based and practical strategies related to gender and the roles of women leaders in dentistry worldwide through plenaries, working groups and skills-building sessions.

Building on a longstanding collaboration with the Association for Dental Education in Europe, the ADEA International Workshop is a one-day workshop discussing change and innovation in dental education. With the theme “A Global Perspective on Leading Change and Innovation in Dental Education,” this meeting also represents an opportunity to further engage on efforts through the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, which was created in 2005 to facilitate transformation in the education of dental professionals so they graduate with the competences required to meet the oral health needs of the public throughout the 21st century.

Support for the ADEA IWLC is provided from the Colgate-Palmolive Company, DENTSPLY International, Inc., and the Procter & Gamble Company.

More information regarding the 5th ADEA International Women’s Leadership Conference and ADEA International Workshop is available atwww.adea.org/Barcelona. 

St. Louis, June 24, 2014 /3BL Media/ – With opportunities to take increased responsibility for oral health care and to deliver care in a more comprehensive way, it's an exciting time in the profession of dental hygiene. To help prepare to meet these challenges, the editors of The Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice (JEBDP) present the Annual Report on Dental Hygiene, a collection of cutting-edge research and practice updates in the field of dental hygiene. The JEBDP is the foremost publication of information about evidence-based dental practice. 

"Societal, economic, political, and health care factors have converged to create a 'perfect storm' of unprecedented possibilities for improved access to oral health care and growth for dental hygienists," writes Terri Tilliss, RDH, PhD, of the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, in an introduction to the special issue. Dr. Tilliss is Guest Editor of the Annual Report on Dental Hygiene.

Dental hygienists are at the threshold of expanded responsibilities for assessing and caring for their patient's oral and overall health, creating this “moment of opportunity.” Dental hygienists are also poised to assume a more independent and direct role in providing patient care – a key part of strategies to expand access to oral health and medical care to underserved areas and populations.

“Our new Annual Report allows a glimpse into future possibilities regarding optimal oral health care delivery and provides evidence-based updates and critical evaluation of significant clinical and public health issues," according to Dr. Michael G Newman, Editor in Chief of the JEBDP. The special issue presents 27 invited articles contributed by leading clinicians and researchers from dental hygiene, dentistry, and other disciplines.

• Reports on Dentistry's Role in Risk Assessment reflect new knowledge on the inextricable links between oral health and overall health. Topics include dentistry's role in managing shared risk factors for periodontal and medical diseases, addressing obesity as a contributor to patients’ “cumulative inflammatory burden,” and the diagnostic role of saliva testing.

• A Clinical Focus section assembles up-to-the minute evidence on periodontal treatment, care of implant-supported restorations, new approaches to fluoride therapy, and oral health. It also provides updates on dental professionals' contributions to managing a wide range of medical conditions, from autism spectrum disorders and substance abuse, to hospital-acquired pneumonia.

• Critical reviews on The Changing Public Need address the growing demand for oral health care and expanding access to care for those in need. Dental hygienists can learn about their role in managing health disparities, growing opportunities to provide direct access to care, and preparing to meet the "crisis" in oral health for an aging population.

• A closing section highlights Professional Growth opportunities for dental hygienists as they prepare to meet these challenges. Topics include mentorship and leadership, dental hygiene and research, and the "game-changing" role of technology.

Dr. Tilliss adds, "It is my fervent hope that by showcasing the capabilities and accomplishments of dental hygienists, this Annual Report will serve as a resource for policy makers, politicians and other health care providers in developing new oral health care options for the public."

The JEBDP Annual Report on Dental Hygiene is now available in print and electronic formats. An educational grant from Colgate will support the distribution of a copy of the Annual Report to every dental hygiene student in the United States. The report can also be ordered by visiting the JEBDP website, www.jebdp.com.