WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed standards under the Clean Water Act to help cut discharges of dental amalgam to the environment. Amalgam is a mixture of mercury and other metals that dentists use to fill cavities. Mercury is discharged when dentists remove old fillings or remove excess amalgam when placing a new filling.

Studies show about half the mercury that enters Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) comes from dental offices. Mercury from amalgam can then make its way into the environment in a number of ways, including through discharge to water bodies. Contact with some microorganisms can help create methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury that builds up in fish, shellfish and fish-eating animals. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of human exposure to methylmercury.

In response, many states and localities have implemented amalgam discharge-cutting programs requiring amalgam separators and other Best Management Practices in dentist offices. The American Dental Association (ADA) also recommends separators and other Best Management Practices for amalgam.

EPA expects compliance with this proposed rule would cut metal discharge to POTWs, half of it from mercury, by at least 8.8 tons a year.

“This is a common sense rule that calls for capturing mercury at a relatively low cost before it is dispersed into the POTW,” said Kenneth J. Kopocis, deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "The rule would strengthen human health protection by requiring removals based on the use of a technology and practices that approximately 40 percent of dentists across the country already employ thanks to the ADA and our state and local partners.”

This action also represents one way that the United States is meeting the goals of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international environmental agreement that addresses human activities contributing to widespread mercury pollution, which impacts the American public. EPA's proposed rule supports a Convention measure to promote the use of best environmental practices in dental facilities to reduce releases of mercury compounds to water and land.

The proposed rule would require all affected dentists to control mercury discharges to POTWs. Specifically, it would require them to cut their dental amalgam discharges to a level achievable through the use of the best available technology (amalgam separators); and the use of other Best Management Practices. The proposed rule would allow dentists to demonstrate compliance by installing, operating and maintaining amalgam separators. It would declare dental practices whose existing separators do not remove the percentage of amalgam in the proposed requirements as meeting the proposed requirements for the life of the existing separator. Finally, it would limit dental dischargers’ reporting requirements to annual certification and recordkeeping in lieu of wastewater monitoring.

Finally, EPA is proposing to streamline dental sector oversight requirements to cut implementation and oversight costs of the proposed rule to states and localities by $47 million annually.

The agency will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. A public hearing is also scheduled for November 10 at 1 p.m. in the William J. Clinton East Building, Room 1153. The agency expects to finalize the rule in September 2015.

More information: https://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/dental/

SAN FRANCISCO – September 23, 2014 – The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) issued ten special recognitions to members for their contributions to the periodontal specialty. The awardees were honored at a ceremony held during the AAP’s 100^th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held Sept. 19-22 in San Francisco.

“The Academy is pleased to honor those who have made notable strides in the clinical and scientific advancement of periodontics,” said Stuart J. Froum, DDS, the AAP’s immediate past president. “The work of these individuals lights the way as our specialty continues to evolve. We are thankful to them for their contributions and their unwavering commitment.”

Gold Medal Award: First conferred in 1967, the Gold Medal is the highest honor of the Academy. It is presented each year to a periodontist who has made outstanding contributions to the specialty. William Becker, DDS, a member of the AAP since 1966, is recognized as the 2014 AAP Gold Medal Award Recipient. Dr. Becker has been a clinical professor in the University of Southern California’s Department of Periodontology since 1969, also having held professorships at the University of Washington, the University of Texas at Houston, and the University of Arizona. In his nearly 50 years of AAP membership, Dr. Becker has served on more than a dozen committees and presided as the Academy’s president from 1989 to 1990. A diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology since 1969, he is also a recipient of the Presidential Award, Master Clinician Award, and two Clinical Research Awards. A widely-published researcher, Dr. Becker is also on the Journal of Periodontology’s editorial board. Dr. Becker, who currently runs a private practice in Tucson, Az., is a graduate of the Marquette University School of Dentistry with a certificate in periodontics from the Baylor College of Dentistry. 

Master Clinician Award: Barry D. Wagenberg, DMD, is the recipient of the Master Clinician Award, which is bestowed annually to a member who has demonstrated consistent clinical excellence in periodontology. Dr. Wagenberg’s research areas have included periodontal diagnosis and treatment planning; interdisciplinary treatment; restrictive and regenerative periodontal surgery; and implant dentistry. A sought-after speaker, Dr. Wagenberg has presented more than 100 lectures around the world, and he has penned more than 30 scientific articles and textbook chapters. His work has been central to the creation of patient care-oriented guidelines for surgical procedures. His involvement with the AAP includes six years on its board of trustees and as the chair of the section on gingival augmentation and mucogingival treatment at the Academy’s landmark World Workshop of Periodontics in 1989. In addition to overseeing a private practice in New Jersey, Dr. Wagenberg is an associate professor of periodontics and implant dentistry at the New York University School of Dentistry and Beth Israel Hospital’s director of dental education and director of its department of periodontology. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology.

Distinguished Service Award: For her service to the Academy in a number of areas for more than 20 years, the Academy recognizes Pamela K. McClain, DDS, of Colorado. In addition to presiding as the AAP’s president from 2011 to 2012, Dr. McClain served on its board of trustees from 2000 to 2006. She has also chaired such committees as Annual Meeting, Continuing Education Oversight, Planning, and Finance. In June 2014, she co-chaired the Academy’s Workshop on Regeneration, a topic for which she is a three-time recipient of the prestigious R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Award. Along with presenting a number of lectures and publishing in professional journals and books, Dr. McClain is a peer reviewer for such publications as theJournal of Periodontology, Journal of the American Medical Association, and the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. In addition to maintaining a full-time private practice, Dr. McClain is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Surgical Dentistry at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry, where she earned her dental degree.

Distinguished Scientist Award: With a DDS and PhD in Biochemistry from the Virginia Commonwealth University and a certificate in periodontology from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Steven Offenbacher, DDS, PhD, is a 38-year veteran of the periodontal specialty. He currently serves as the director of the Center of Oral and Systemic Diseases and is the chair of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill’s Department of Periodontology. With nearly 300 published articles to his credit, Dr. Offenbacher is a deserving recipient of this honor, which is bestowed annually to an AAP member who actively contributes to the basic and clinical science of periodontology through published literature, pre- or post-doctoral education, or scientific conferences and symposia. His research foci include epidemiological studies on the role of periodontal infection on other conditions. He is a recipient of four AAP Clinical Research Awards; the Norton Ross Award for Clinical Research; the Gies Award; and the Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award from the International Association for Dental Research. Dr. Offenbacher also received the 2008 AAP Educator Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontology for his work with students at Harvard University, UNC, Emory University, and the Medical College of Virginia.

Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award: The AAP recognizes Kent G. Palcanis, DDS, MSD, for his work as an exemplary educator who demonstrates excellence in teaching. After earning his periodontal certificate from the University of Washington in 1973, Dr. Palcanis began his tenure as the assistant professor of periodontics at what is now Virginia Commonwealth University. He later began a teaching career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The number of roles he’s held over the course of his career include lecturer, department director, department chair, and associate dean for academic affairs. In addition to participation on the AAP’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Palcanis has served on more than 20 AAP committees and task forces. He is the recipient of nearly 25 awards from the American Academy of Oral Medicine, the American Dental Association, UAB, and the AAP.

Humanitarian Award: Recipients of this award use their clinical skills to treat the periodontal ailments of those in underserved populations. This year’s recipient, Craig J. Hovick, DDS, a Colorado periodontist, has spearheaded dental missions for those without access to dental care services in such locales as Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cambodia, Liberia, Uganda, and Cameroon. During these missions, he offers his services regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. In his own private practice, Dr. Hovick donates dental exams and other services to the less fortunate in his community. In addition to his 27-year membership with the AAP, Dr. Hovick is a former president of the Rocky Mountain Society of Periodontists and the Boulder County Dental Society. He is a dental graduate of the University of Iowa, later earning his certificate in periodontology from the University of Nebraska.

Honorary Membership: For his decorated career in periodontal research, education, and administration, the AAP welcomes Peter Mark Bartold, DDSc, PhD, as an honorary member. The University of Adelaide graduate currently teaches at his alma mater, where he acts as the director of the Colgate Australian Clinical Dental Research Centre. He is a member of the order of Australia; the chairman of the board of the Australian Periodontology Research Foundation; and past president of such organizations as the Asian Pacific Society of Periodontology and the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons’ Division of Periodontics among others. A prolific researcher, Dr. Bartold has published more than 200 articles, has co-edited seven textbooks, and holds four patents. Additionally, he has served on more than 20 scientific editorial boards. Over the course of his career, he has presented nearly 200 lectures in 27 countries around the world.

William J. Gies Award: Presented by the William J. Gies Foundation for the Advancement of Dentistry (part of the American Dental Education Association), this award is presented to an AAP member who has made an indelible impact on periodontal literature and the advancement of dental education. Michigan periodontist and University of Michigan (UM) professor William V. Giannobile, DDS, MSc, is the 2014 recipient of this award. A well-published researcher, his contributions to study and practice have advanced the application of growth factors and stem cells in oral and periodontal reconstruction. Additional research foci include salivary diagnostics. Dr. Giannobile’s collaborative clinical research led to the approval of the first-in-class synthetic bone graft incorporating platelet-derived growth factor for periodontal regeneration. A member of the AAP since 1991, Dr. Giannobile has served as a participant in a number of international consensus workshops, including the Academy’s landmark Workshop on Regeneration, which he co-chaired in June 2014. A DDS and MSc graduate of the University of Missouri, he earned his certificate in periodontology from Harvard University. In addition to his work at UM and his private practice, he is the Najjar Endowed Professor of Dentistry and Biomedical Engineering and the director of the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Special Citation Award: The AAP Task Force to Update the Glossary of Periodontal Terms was charged with enhancing the AAP’s glossary and creating an interactive format for it online. The group refreshed the 2001 edition to reflect the current state of the specialty’s science and practice, updating and amending approximately 1,500 terms with the help of several postdoctoral periodontal programs. For their work on this task force, the recipients of the 2014 Special Citation Award are as follows: Sharon R. Bannister, DDS, MS; James Barnes, DDS; Frederick Bisch, DMD, MS; Casey Campbell, DDS, MS; Douglas R. Dixon, DMD, PhD; Robert Faiella, DMD, MMSc; Margaret Hill, DMD; Cristina Cunha Villar, DDS, PhD; and S. Jerome Zackin, DMD.

Clinical Research Award: This award is presented to an outstanding recently published scientific article with direct clinical relevance in periodontics. The 2014 recipients of this award, authors of “Patient Stratification for Preventative Care in Dentistry,” which was published in the Journal of Dental Research, are as follows: William V. Giannobile, DDS, MSc; Thomas M. Braun, PhD; Lynn Doucette-Stamm, PhD; Gordon Duff, PhD; and Kenneth S. Kornman, DDS, PhD.

R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Award: This award, sponsored by the AAP Foundation, recognizes an outstanding recent scientific article about periodontal regeneration in the basic and clinical sciences. Authors of “Platelet-derived Growth Factor Promotes Periodontal Regeneration in Localized Osseous Defects: 36-84 month Extension Results from Randomized Controlled, Double-masked Clinical Trial,” which was published in the Journal of Periodontology, are as follows: Myron Nevins, DDS; Marc Nevins, DMD, MMSc; Robert J. Genco, DDS, PhD; William V. Giannobile, DDS, MSc; James E. Hinrichs, DDS, MS; Richard T. Kao, DDS; Samuel E. Lynch, DMD, DMSc; Bradley S. McAllister, DDS, PhD; Pamela K. McClain, DDS; Michael K. McGuire, DDS; and Michael S. Reddy, DMD.

SAN FRANCISCO – September 23, 2014 – Joan Otomo-Corgel, DDS, MPH, a periodontist from Manhattan Beach, Calif., has been installed at the American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP’s) newest president during its 100^th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held Sept. 19-22, 2014, in San Francisco. Other newly installed AAP leaders include President-elect Wayne A. Aldredge, DMD, of New Jersey; Massachusetts’ Terrence J. Griffin, DMD, as Vice President; and Steven Daniel, DMD, of Tennessee as Secretary/Treasurer. New York’s Stuart J. Froum, DDS, will serve as the Academy’s immediate past president.

“I am excited about the opportunity to serve the specialty of periodontics as it enters its second century,” Dr. Otomo-Corgel said. “Periodontics is a dynamic specialty. What an exciting time for the AAP to expand its knowledge to best care for the health of the public we serve.” In addition to maintaining a private periodontal practice, Dr. Otomo-Corgel is the chair of research at the Greater Los Angeles Veteran’s Affairs Health Care Center. She is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Periodontics at the University of California Los Angeles’ (UCLA) School of Dentistry, where she earned her dental degree in 1979. She completed a Masters of Public Health degree from the UCLA School of Public Health in 1980.

An AAP member since 1977, Dr. Otomo-Corgel has served on the boards of trustees for the AAP and the AAP Foundation. “Dr. Otomo-Corgel is a thoughtful leader whose valued contributions have made an impression on her colleagues and within our specialty. I am confident that she and our newest slate of leaders will leave a positive impact on the AAP’s legacy for years to come,” says Dr. Froum, who served as president from 2013 to 2014.

About Other Installed Officers:

Wayne A. Aldredge, DMD, President-elect: A member of the AAP since 1995, Dr. Aldredge has nearly 20 years of professional dentistry experience, first honing his general dentistry skills as an army captain at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In addition to his current work as a Holmdel, N.J., periodontist, Dr. Aldredge is a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook University’s Department of Periodontics and Dental Implantology. A diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, he is a dental graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and he obtained a post-graduate degree in periodontology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Terrence J. Griffin, DMD, Vice President: Dr. Griffin has served on eight AAP committees since becoming a member in 1973. The Boston periodontist also served as the chair and director of Tufts University’s periodontology program for 15 years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Dr. Griffin became a post-doctoral fellow at Tufts after a two-year tour of duty, earning his certificate of advanced graduate studies in periodontology in 1975. In addition to a DMD degree from Tufts, Dr. Griffin earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Boston College. 

Steven R. Daniel, DDS, Secretary/Treasurer: A Knoxville, TN., native, Dr. Daniel is a practicing periodontist in Murfreesboro, TN. With more than 31 years of experience, Dr. Daniel became a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology in 2005. In addition to his service with the AAP, Dr. Daniel has served as a trustee for the Tennessee Society of Periodontists and the Southern Academy of Periodontology. He completed his DDS at the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry.

Dr. Stuart J. Froum, DDS, Immediate Past President: Dr. Froum, a graduate of the New York University College of Dentistry, has been a member of the AAP since 1971. He is currently a clinical professor of periodontics and implant dentistry at the New York University Dental Center, where he is also the director of clinical research. In addition to operating a private practice in New York City, Dr. Froum has served on the AAP’s board of trustees since 2005 and has been a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology since 2004.

Newly-installed AAP officers will serve a term of approximately one year with new officers to be appointed at the AAP’s 101^st Annual Meeting in Orlando, to be held Nov. 14-17, 2015.

Chicago (Sept. 24, 2014) — The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is proud to announce its support and involvement as a member of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, the Image Gently Alliance. Today, the Alliance is expanding its scope to the oral health care community with its next campaign push, Image Gently in Dentistry. As a member of this Alliance, the ADHA is pleased to message and promote the importance of proper radiation dosage to children to the more than 185,000 licensed dental hygienists in the United States that the organization serves as a voice for. 

“Dental hygienists are an integral part of the dental team; examining children, developing plans of care, consulting with parents or caregivers, and working with other oral health professionals to ensure that proper diagnosis and treatment is provided to children,” said ADHA President Kelli Swanson Jaecks, MA, RDH. “It’s critical for both dental hygienists — the oral health professionals responsible for creating and executing plans of prevention and care — and dental practitioners to discuss with parents the importance of X-rays and proper dosing of radiation at the lowest possible level.” 

Imaging can serve an important role in improved dental health. However, children are, in general, more sensitive to radiation than adults. As such, health care providers should reduce radiation dose used in children’s imaging and avoid unwarranted imaging. When dental imaging procedures are considered, dental providers are urged to: 

• Select X-rays for individual needs, not as a routine. Use X-rays only when essential for diagnosis and treatment — based on a review of the patient and their dental history. 

• Use the fastest image receptor available. When film X-ray is used, select “E”- or “F”-speed. Set exposure parameters as low as possible for diagnostic digital imaging. 

• Use cone-beam CT (CBCT) only when necessary. CBCT should be restricted in children to cases in which it is essential for diagnosis and treatment planning. 

• Collimate beam to area of interest. For intraoral X-rays, collimation should be rectangular to match recording area of detector. For extraoral X-rays, including cone-beam CT, restrict beam to the area needed for diagnosis.

• Always use a thyroid shield. The thyroid gland in children is particularly sensitive to radiation. Use of a properly positioned shield significantly reduces the dose to the thyroid. 

• Child-size the exposure time. Less exposure time is needed for children, as their oral structures are smaller than those in adults. 

The Image Gently campaign has developed online educational and scientific materials to help dental professionals optimize radiation dose used in imaging exams performed on children. Image Gently has also produced downloadable materials to help parents ask more informed questions of their dental providers whenever scans are recommended for their children. All of these materials, newsletters and other valuable information can be found at www.imagegently.org. 

“We are incredibly pleased that the major dental societies have opted to take part in Image Gently and take steps to ensure that the care they provide is as safe as possible,” said Marilyn Goske, MD, co-chair of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. “We encourage all dental professionals to take advantage of the materials on the Image Gently website and factor them into their clinical decision making.” 

Image Gently alliance members in dentistry include the American Dental Association; American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology; American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; American Association of Endodontists; American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology; American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; American Academy of Periodontology; American Dental Education Association; American Dental Hygienists’ Association; Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology; and the European Academy of DentoMaxilloFacial Radiology. 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ACT for NIH: Advancing Cures Today announced a national, non-partisan effort to seek an immediate, significant funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to enhance life-saving medical research for patients around the world. 

ACT for NIH brings together patients, scientists, advocates, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to restore NIH's budget and renew America's commitment to medical innovation and cutting-edge scientific research. 

NIH is the nation's medical research agency and largest funder of basic biomedical research in the world.  But, adjusted for inflation, NIH receives nearly 25 percent less funding than it did in 2003.  In the best of times, 1-in-3 NIH research proposals is funded.  Today, that rate has fallen to its lowest level in history – about 1-in-6.  In some research areas, it is as low as 1-in-10.  Thousands of promising research ideas that are proposed every year are never funded. 

"Medical research in the United States is in crisis," said Pat White, President of ACT for NIH and former Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis at NIH.  "Basic scientific discovery funded by NIH leads to new treatments for patients facing life-threatening illnesses.  We are missing critical opportunities to discover cures and therapies for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, and countless other conditions."

Many issues are at stake:

• Advancing Cures: Diseases like cancer, stroke, and mental illness touch each of us. Half of all men and a third of all women in the U.S. will develop cancer in their lifetimes. Without NIH funding, critical research to cure diseases and save lives will stall or end.

• Economic Impact: NIH directly supports more than 400,000 jobs across the country, and 83% of its budget goes directly to research institutions and small businesses in every state. Every $1 of NIH funding generates more than double that in local economic growth.

• National Security: NIH research defends us against bioterrorism, new and emerging diseases, flu pandemics, and deadly outbreaks of diseases such as Ebola and SARS. National security includes safeguarding our public health.

• Global Leadership: The U.S. has long been the global leader in medical research, but other countries are catching up. If current trends continue, China will outspend the U.S. on research and development by the year 2022.

"There is an important role for government in fostering basic science.  NIH research since the 1970s has greatly improved survival rates for many life-threatening diseases and given survivors a greatly improved quality of life," said medical research philanthropist, NIH funding advocate, and ACT for NIH Advisory Committee member Michael Milken.  "Bioscience in particular provides sustained long-term benefits through job creation, increased productivity, lower health care costs, longer working lives, and process efficiencies."

Along with White, ACT for NIH is led by an Advisory Committee made up of award-winning researchers, academic leaders, philanthropists, and passionate advocates for medical research.  They include:

• David Baltimore, Ph.D., President Emeritus, California Institute of Technology

• Ronald DePinho, M.D., President, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

• Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D., Professor, University of California, Berkeley

• Bernadette Gray-Little, Ph.D., Chancellor, University of Kansas

• Michael Milken, Medical Research Innovator and Public Health Advocate

• Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

"America cannot simply assume its lead in science will continue.  In recent years the science community has been starved of the resources it needs.  Young, new, energetic scientists are the seed corn of nearly all new scientific development," added Nobel Laureate David Baltimore.  "Protecting that future starts with understating that much of the wealth in this country comes from scientific research and technological innovation.  Translating science into commerce has opened up vast new fields of endeavor and has raised the standard of American living."

ACT for NIH is made possible through the vision and philanthropic support of Jed Manocherian, Founder and Chairman, who is a member of the MD Anderson Cancer Center's Board of Visitors and is passionately committed to advancing the pace of progress and discovery in medical research.  Greg Manocherian is Vice Chairman and a philanthropist with many charitable foundations.  Jed and Greg Manocherian are real estate investors and developers. 

Pat White, President of ACT for NIH, leads this effort after serving as Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis at NIH.  In July, NIH Director Francis Collins announced White's departure from NIH by saying, "Pat has the opportunity to lead a new and profoundly important advocacy effort on behalf of the NIH.  Pat and his team…will push for an immediate reversal in the last decade's decline in NIH's resources, making instead a compelling case for long-term, stable growth."

To learn more about ACT for NIH, visit ACTforNIH.org, or connect with the campaign online through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #ACT4NIH to join the conversation.

About ACT for NIH: Advancing Cures Today

ACT for NIH: Advancing Cures Today is a non-partisan effort committed to advancing biomedical research in the United States.  We advocate an immediate, significant funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), followed by steady, predictable budget growth in the future.  For more information, visit www.ACTforNIH.org.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (September 23, 2014) – Most Americans do it twice a day – once at bedtime and once after getting up in the morning – for an average of one minute and fifty-two seconds. These are some of the findings on tooth brushing from the Delta Dental Oral Health and Well-Being Survey announced today. ¹

Nearly seven of 10 Americans (69 percent) brush their teeth at least twice a day, the amount recommended by the American Dental Association and other dental health professionals. However, that means more than 30 percent of Americans aren’t brushing enough, according to Dr. Bill Kohn, DDS and vice president of dental science and policy for Delta Dental Plans Association.

On average, Americans brush for just under the two minutes recommended by dental professionals. African Americans brush 18 seconds longer than Americans as a whole, while younger adults ages 18 to 24 spend 16 seconds longer than average brushing.

Nearly six of 10 Americans brush their teeth at bedtime and as soon as they wake up in the morning, while 38 percent brush after breakfast. About 17 percent brush after lunch, and 21 percent brush after dinner.

According to the Delta Dental survey, 91 percent of Americans brush most frequently at home in their bathrooms over the sink. However, about 4 percent say they most frequently brush in the shower. Americans ages 18 to 44 are twice as likely to brush in the shower.

“We don’t have a formal position at Delta Dental on where to brush – as long as you’re not brushing while driving,” Kohn says. “Fortunately, only 0.2 percent of Americans try to seek the efficiency of brushing while driving.”

Brushing Habits Linked with Oral Health

Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is key to good oral health, Kohn says. In fact, according to the Delta Dental survey, people who brush at least twice a day are 22 percent more likely to describe their oral health as good or better compared with those who brush less frequently.

Unfortunately, 23 percent of Americans have gone two or more days without brushing their teeth in the past year. Nearly 37 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 have gone that long without brushing.

Flossing is another area that could use some improvement, according to Kohn. Only four of 10 Americans (41 percent) floss at least once a day, and 20 percent never floss. The survey showed a strong relationship between flossing daily and reporting good oral health.

Brush First, Please

Through one of the lighter topics addressed in the survey, Delta Dental found that one-third of Americans (33 percent) have made their partners brush their teeth before a kiss. Men were less likely to require brushing before kissing – one of the activities made possible by good oral health.

“Delta Dental sponsored the Oral Health and Well-Being Survey to shine a spotlight on the importance of oral health in America,” says Kohn. “As leaders in oral health, we have long known its importance for basic daily activities involving the mouth and the link between oral health and overall health. Our study also demonstrates the connection between oral health and overall well-being.”

For more results from the Delta Dental Oral Health and Well-Being Survey, visit deltadental.com.

¹Morpace, Inc. conducted the Delta Dental Oral Health and Well-Being Survey on behalf of Delta Dental with 1,003 consumers across the United States.

CHICAGO, September 17, 2014– Dental professionals pursuing groundbreaking dental implant research may be eligible for as much as $30,000 in research grants being offered through the Academy of Osseointegration (AO). The Academy is currently accepting applications for the 2015-2016 Osseointegration Foundation Research Grants.

Applications that address areas of research to enhance the public acceptance of implants are encouraged. The submission deadline is November 28, 2014 and applications can be downloaded at the AO web site: www.osseo.org.

“We are always incredibly impressed by the innovative thinking and research we see from AO members and the faculty and students at academic dental institutions across the United States,” said Osseointegration Foundation President Clarence Lindquist, DDS. “These grants are a concrete way for the Academy of Osseointegration and the Osseointegration Foundation to provide support and advance research in the rapidly evolving field of implant dentistry.”

First-place grants of up to $30,000 each will be awarded to research teams in the categories of Basic Science, which is research to advance implant knowledge that does not include human subjects, and Applied Science, which is research to advance clinical implant dentistry that does include human subject(s). Additional awards of up to $15,000 each will be given to the second-place recipients in the same categories.

To qualify, research grant proposals must be submitted by an AO member, faculty member or student who conducts research in any U.S. academic dental institution; at least one person on the research team must be an AO member. First place grant recipients are required to present their results at the 2016 AO Annual Meeting, as well as to submit a research manuscript to the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants no later than December 31, 2015.

The 2014-2015 AO/Osseointegration Foundation research grant recipients were:

Basic Science

·      First Place, $30,000: “Arrest Periodontal Bone Loss Using MicroRNAs,” by Liu Hong, MD, PhD, University of Iowa

·      Second Place, $15,000: “An In Vitro Assessment of a Tissue Engineering Titanium Surface for Enhanced Per-implant Healing,” by Sateesh Elangovan, BDS, DSc, DMSc, University of Iowa

Applied Science

·      First Place, $30,000: “Comparative Assessment of Alternative Macrophage Differentiation in an Early Osseointegration Model in Healthy Non-obese Patients vs. Obese Type II Diabetes,” by Ghadeer Thalji, DDS, PhD, University of Iowa

·      Second Place, $15,000: “Survival of Dental Implants Placed in Grafted and Non-grafted Bone: A Retrospective Study in a University Setting,” by Duong Tran, DDS, MPH, PhD, University of Texas, Houston

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Children need smaller portions – this is true when it comes to eating meals, and when addressing topics such as imaging. It is under this premise that the profession of dentistry is joining the Image Gently campaign to raise awareness about special considerations needed for pediatric dental radiology, and to promote radiation safety.

William C. Scarfe, BDS, FRACDS, MS, professor and director, Radiology and Imaging Science, Department of Surgical and Hospital Dentistry, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, along with an international team of dental and medical radiologists and dental specialists discuss the implications of the campaign in an article published in Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology.

Radiation protection can be a safety issue. Radiation-associated risk to children is often greater than for adults due to their longer life expectancy for the effects of radiation exposure to manifest and increased radiosensitivity of developing organs and tissues, Scarfe said.

“This campaign is designed to change practice by increasing awareness of opportunities to improve radiation protection when imaging children in dental practices,” Scarfe said. “Six practical steps underline the principle that one size does not fit all, especially when it comes to using radiography during pediatric dental procedures. When we image children, we should image gently – more is often not better.”

The six-step plan includes:

• Select x-rays for a patient’s individual needs, not as routine.

• Use the fastest image receptor possible, E- or F-speed film or digital sensors

• Aim the x-ray beam to expose only the area of interest.

• Use thyroid collars

• Child-size the exposure

• Use cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) only when necessary

“We are pleased that our UofL School of Dentistry’s radiation policy supports these principles,” Scarfe said.

Image Gently started in 2007 as an effort involving physicians, radiologists, technologists and physicists. Since then more than 80 organizations, medical societies and agencies have joined the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. The Image Gently in Dentistry campaign will launch September 24, coinciding with the 65^th Annual Session of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology in Orlando, Fla. Sept. 24-27 and the annual meeting of the American Dental Association in San Antonio, Texas October 9-14.

On September 12, 2014, the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) marked its 5th annual summit at the FDI World Dental Congress in New Delhi, India. The ACFF, which received official charity status last year, aims to create a social movement lead by a worldwide dental and public health experts with the goal of a Cavity-Free Future for all age groups. 

Since its establishment in 2010, the Alliance has increased its global presence to 15 chapters around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Central America, Central Eastern Europe, China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Pan-Europe, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and Venezuela, with additional chapters to follow. A sampling of activities include providing tools via a local ACFF Website, securing commitment from dental school deans to integrate caries prevention and management into school curriculum and promoting community-based education and prevention programs to families and communities. 

“We are thrilled at the progress the Alliance has made since launching in 2010,” said Dr. Nigel Pitts, Chair of the global ACFF. “Establishing 15 local chapters worldwide is a notable milestone in our journey towards a Cavity-Free Future.” 

This year’s summit focuses on driving outcomes in the future of cavity prevention and management, including an update on the ACFF’s progress across the globe, specific achievements in India, and a discussion around the new tools being utilized around the globe to improve oral health. Timing follows closely on the launch of a local Indian chapter at the Indian Dental Conference held in February 2014. Dental caries is the most common oral disease that affects significant portion of the Indian population.i The prevalence of caries in the country is reported 31.5% to 89%.ii Dr. Mahesh Verma, Chair of the Indian ACFF chapter, was on hand at the summit to provide a case study and input on how the local chapter aims to collaborate with stakeholders across various levels, including government and community leaders, to move towards a Cavity-Free Future. 

For more information about the ACFF, please visit www.AllianceForACavityFreeFuture.org.