Zimmer Dental Inc., a leading provider of oral rehabilitation products and a subsidiary of Zimmer Holdings, Inc., announced today the launch of Zimmer Online Ordering, a new eCommerce website. The company’s world-class implantology products are now available to order online within the United States. The site will enhance the ordering process and give Zimmer Dental customers the power to place orders online, at any time. 

Zimmer Online Ordering was designed to save time, facilitate online business transactions and simplify the clinician’s daily routine. This investment of new technology demonstrates Zimmer Dental’s commitment to serving as a valuable resource and true practice partner to their customers. 

Several innovative features have been incorporated into Zimmer Online Ordering to increase efficiency and enrich the user experience. Dental professionals now have the ability to: 

 Place orders 24 hours a day/7 days a week 

 Search Zimmer Dental’s extensive product portfolio online 

 View photos, detailed product descriptions and product specifications 

 Receive recommendations on complementary products and alternative solutions 

 Order products in a secure environment with multiple safeguards for fraud protection 

 Track orders, view order history & quickly re-order frequently purchased items 

Zimmer Online Ordering can be accessed through the company’s website at: www.zimmerdental.com. In addition, this new online ordering tool is available through Zimmer Dental Connect, an interactive iPad application which is offered free-of-charge to all Zimmer Dental customers. 

For more information on Zimmer Online Ordering, please contact a Zimmer Dental Sales Representative or Customer Service at (800) 854-7019 or (760) 929-4300 (outside the U.S.), or visit www.zimmerdental.com.

Charlotte, NC (October 10, 2014) – Sirona Dental Systems, Inc., the company that pioneered digital dentistry, has recently entered into a unique digital dentistry agreement with Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) that will enable GSDM to become the first all-digital school of dentistry in the nation, providing dental students at GSDM the opportunity to learn about the current digital dentistry landscape in fully equipped operatories.

Specifically, all dental students will have ready access to the latest digital equipment purchased from Sirona in order to experience a full digital dentistry workflow, including both dental and laboratory techniques and applications. The GSDM Patient Treatment Centers will now be furnished with equipment from Sirona’s CEREC^®, Schick, GALILEOS and inLab^® product lines.   

A digital dentistry task force was established to transform the dental school curriculum to a completely digital learning environment. The task force set out with a goal to provide students with all of the tools needed for comprehensive treatment plans and efficient delivery of the highest level of oral healthcare using digital dental technologies. It evaluated the necessary facilities, equipment and technical support required to create a seamless all-inclusive system. GSDM sought to make the digital conversion as user-friendly and seamless as possible. The findings of that task force led GSDM to enter into an agreement with Sirona that will enable GSDM to become the first all-digital school of dentistry in the nation. Sirona is able to offer an expansive leading product portfolio, strong technical support and seamless technology integration capabilities. Sirona’s digital technology is used as an educational tool as well as for hands-on clinical experience in the majority of dental schools.

“We are honored to enter into this first of its kind endeavor with Boston University,” remarked Jeffrey Slovin, President and CEO of Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. “Students will get to experience the true workings of a current dental practice environment and we commend the University for leading the way towards educating its students using digital dentistry techniques. We are pleased to collaborate with Boston University in setting the stage for the future of dental education.”

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 10, 2014 – With a $2 million, 5-year grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine will examine the molecular mechanisms that allow certain cancers, particularly multiple myeloma, to spread to the bone. The project could lead to new interventions to prevent such metastases and perhaps slow down primary tumor growth.

About 30% of multiple myeloma patients are diagnosed after going to the dentist with jaw pain or suspicious lesions in the oral cavity, said the project’s principal investigator Hongjiao Ouyang, DDS, PhD, DMD, associate professor of the departments of Restorative Dentistry/Comprehensive Care and Oral Biology, and a member of the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration, Pitt School of Dental Medicine. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells that begins in the bone marrow and is known for eating away the bone. Even with treatment, the bone lesions rarely heal.

“This bone destruction is a significant cause of pain and mortality in this disease,” said Dr. Ouyang, an endodontist and bone biologist. “A better understanding of the molecular pathways that underlie this process could lead us to novel targets for treatment.”

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) reside in the bone marrow and with appropriate stimulation can give rise to bone-forming cells called osteoblasts, fat cells and other cells. In multiple myeloma, BMSCs produce growth factors and inflammatory proteins that boost tumor cells and activate osteoclasts, which are cells that break down bone while osteoblasts rebuild it as part of normal metabolism. In cancer, osteoclast activation makes holes in the bone that do not heal.

Dr. Ouyang’s team has found that the BMSCs in multiple myeloma patients, unlike those in healthy people, produce much more X-box binding protein (XBP1s), a molecule that has been shown in other tissues to regulate the production of inflammatory proteins. Their lab experiments showed that inducing healthy cells to produce XBP1s leads to changes in the bone microenvironment that support growth of multiple myeloma cells and osteoclast formation. Conversely, knocking out XBP1 production in multiple myeloma patient BMSCs corrected the abnormalities.

For the newly funded project, the team will determine the molecular mechanisms of the stromal XBP1 signaling in altering the bone microenvironment to favor multiple myeloma growth and bone destruction, as well as employ pharmacologic and genetic strategies to repress this molecule as a proof-of-concept for approaches to treat multiple myeloma bone disease.

“This could  be helpful not only in treatment of multiple myeloma, but also in other cancers that spread to bone, such as breast, prostate and lung cancer since BMSCs play a similar role in supporting tumor cell growth in these neoplastic diseases as well,” Dr. Ouyang said. “I am delighted that our research will benefit not only dental patients but also those affected by many other diseases.”

TUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Tobacco use in any form appears to be linked to an increased risk of infection with oral human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), a virus that can cause cancers of the mouth and throat, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers.

The odds of being infected with HPV16, a sexually transmitted disease, rise as tobacco use increases, the researchers said. As few as three cigarettes a day can increase the risk of infection with HPV by almost one-third, according to the study.

How tobacco use might influence HPV16 infection isn't clear, said lead researcher Dr. Carole Fakhry, an assistant professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

"We don't fully understand oral HPV16," she said. "People exposed to tobacco could be more likely to become infected after exposure to HPV16 or less likely to get rid of the infection."

Fakhry cautioned that this study does not prove that tobacco makes it easier to get HPV16, only that the two factors are linked. Since tobacco use is associated with other risky behaviors, it's possible that people who use tobacco engage in more oral sex, which could increase their odds of being infected with HPV16, Fakhry explained.

She added that smoking, chewing or snorting tobacco doesn't cause HPV16 infection, but may make it easier to get the infection. Nonsmokers are also at risk for HPV16, especially those exposed to secondhand smoke, she said.

HPV16, which is transmitted through oral sex, is linked to 80 percent of cancers located in the back of the throat, according to the researchers. Over the last 20 years, this type of cancer has increased 225 percent in the United States, the researchers noted.

This year alone, about 37,000 Americans, mostly men, will get mouth or throat cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). About 7,300 will die from these cancers, according to the ACS.

For the study, Fakhry and her colleagues collected data on nearly 7,000 men and women who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among the participants, there were just over 2,000 tobacco users. More than 80 percent of tobacco users were cigarette smokers, according to the study. Other forms of tobacco use included chew, snuff and pipe smoking, the study found. Sixty-three of the tobacco users were infected with HPV16, the study reported.

The researchers measured blood levels of cotinine, a by-product of tobacco use, and found an amount equal to three cigarettes a day increased the risk of infection 31 percent, according to the study. When they measured urine levels of another tobacco-related marker, NNAL, the risk increased 68 percent when the levels equaled four cigarettes a day, the study found.

"This study highlights the need to understand the effect of tobacco on HPV16 infection over time," Fakhry said.

The report was published in the Oct. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Norman Edelman, a senior consultant for scientific affairs at the American Lung Association, said, "The connection between HPV and tobacco is probably real."

The question is whether the connection is based in biology or social behavior, he said. Smoking may be a marker of increased oral sex, Edelman said.

"If that is not true, then some of the contents of tobacco promote infection by this sexually transmitted virus, and that's a very important finding," he said.

Edelman added that studies have shown that nicotine increases tumor growth and the same could also be the case for viral infection.

"There is a lot of other stuff in tobacco that causes inflammation," he said. "So it may be that all the other inflammatory components of tobacco allow HPV to attack the tissues of the mouth and grow and stay put."

This is yet another reason not to smoke, chew tobacco or use snuff, because it's the same stuff going directly to the mouth, Edelman said. "Oral cancer is very nasty," he said.

Whatever the reason behind the increased risk of HPV16 infection for people who smoke, a vaccine for HPV -- including HPV16 -- is available for teens and young adults, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The vaccine is routinely recommended for 11- and 12-year-old children, but can be given up to age 26 for both males and females, according to the CDC.

SOURCES: Carole Fakhry, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; Norman Edelman, M.D., senior consultant for scientific affairs, American Lung Association; Oct. 8, 2014 ,Journal of the American Medical Association

HealthDay

CHICAGO, Oct 8, 2014 — Robert Weyant, DMD, associate dean for dental public health and community outreach, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, will be honored as this year's recipient of the American Dental Association/American Association for Dental Research (ADA/AADR) Evidence-Based Dentistry Faculty Award. The ADA and the AADR will present the award to Dr. Weyant at the AADR's Fall Focused Symposium, which takes place in conjunction with ADA 2014 - America's Dental Meeting, in San Antonio.

Dr. Weyant was selected for his service as chair of the expert panel that lead to the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs publishing an updated clinical practice guideline for the professional use of topical fluoride. Dr. Weyant is also being honored for his work promoting and educating dental students and faculty about evidence-based dentistry (EBD) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and Oxford University in England, as well as the numerous research projects and articles he has written on EBD.

The EBD Faculty award was created to acknowledge a dental school faculty member who has made significant contributions to implement and advance evidence-based dentistry. EBD focuses on providing personalized dental care based on the most current scientific knowledge, integrating scientific evidence, the patient's oral and medical condition, medical history and treatment preferences, and the dentist's clinical judgment. The Evidence-Based Dentistry Faculty Award is supported by a contribution from Procter & Gamble.

About the American Dental Association 


The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 157,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. For more information about the ADA, visit ada.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA’s consumer website MouthHealthy.org.

Alexandria, Va., USA – Poor oral health and hygiene are increasingly recognized as major risk factors for pneumonia among the elderly. To identify modifiable oral health-related risk factors, lead researcher Toshimitsu Iinuma, Nihon University School of Dentistry, Japan, and a team of researchers prospectively investigated associations between a constellation of oral health behaviors and incidences of pneumonia in the community-living of elders years of age or older. This study, titled “Denture Wearing During Sleep Doubles the Risk of Pneumonia in Very Elderly,” has been published by the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR in the OnlineFirst portion of the Journal of Dental Research (JDR). 

At baseline, 524 randomly selected seniors (228 males, 296 females, average age was 87.8 years old) were examined for oral health status and oral hygiene behaviors as well as medical assessment, including blood chemistry analysis, and followed up annually until first hospitalization for or death from pneumonia. Over a three-year follow-up period, 48 events associated with pneumonia were identified (20 deaths and 28 acute hospitalizations). Among 453 denture wearers, 186 (40.8%) who wore their dentures during sleep, were at higher risk for pneumonia than those who removed their dentures at night. 

In a multivariate Cox model, both perceived swallowing difficulties and overnight denture wearing were independently associated with approximately 2.3-fold higher risk of the incidence of pneumonia, which was comparable with the high risk attributable to cognitive impairment, history of stroke and respiratory disease. In addition, those who wore dentures while sleeping were more likely to have tongue and denture plaque, gum inflammation, positive culture for Candida albicans, and higher levels of circulating interleukin-6 as compared to their counterparts. 

This study provides empirical evidence that denture wearing during sleep is associated not only with oral inflammatory and microbial burden but also with incident pneumonia, suggesting potential implications of oral hygiene programs for pneumonia prevention in the community. Frauke Mueller, University of Geneva, Switzerland, wrote a perspective titled “Oral Hygiene Reduces the Mortality From Aspiration Pneumonia in Frail Elders,” commenting that these findings lead to a simple and straight forward clinical recommendation—denture wearing during the night should be discouraged in geriatric patients. Please visit https://jdr.sagepub.com/content/early/recent for more information and to read both papers, or contact Ingrid L. Thomas at ithomas@iadr.org to request PDFs of the articles. 

Alsip, Illinois – GC America Inc. is very pleased to announce the achievement of the Deming Prize, the oldest and most widely recognized TQM (Total Quality Management) quality award in the world. GC America is the first dental company in the United States and only the fourth company in the United States to earn this award. 

The Deming Prize was established in 1951 in commemoration of the late Dr. William Edwards Deming, who contributed greatly to Japan’s proliferation of statistical quality control. His teachings helped Japan’s industries become recognized as delivering the highest quality in the world. 

The Deming Prize is presented to an organization that has implemented TQM at its highest level. TQM is a set of systematic activities carried out by the entire organization to effectively and efficiently achieve the organization’s objectives, so as to provide products and services with a level of quality that satisfies customers. 

GC Corporation in Japan acquired the Deming Prize in 2000 and the Deming Grand Prize (former Japan Quality Medal), the highest prize of quality management in 2004. In 2003, GC Dental Products Corp acquired the Deming Prize and GC Dental (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. was awarded as well in 2010 as the first company in China. In 2012, Mr. Makato Nakao, Chairman of GC Corporation, received the Deming Prize for Individuals. The Deming Prize for Individuals was given to Mr. Nakao because he has promoted GQM (GC’s TQM) as the core management systems in the GC group’s worldwide organizations. 

GC Corporation recently celebrated over 93 years as a leader in innovation and technology of dental materials. In 1921, three young Japanese chemists in Tokyo laid the foundation of what today can be considered as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of dental products with nearly 2,600 associates and production sites in Japan, United States, China and Europe. 

For more information on GC America and its complete product line, please visit www.gcamerica.com. 

Hatfield, PA (October 2, 2014) i-CAT, a brand of the KaVo Kerr Group, along with Henry Schein Dental proudly announce the 8th Annual International Congress on 3D Dental Imaging, Fall Session, to be held November 7-8, 2014 at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The theme of this educational experience is “Accelerate Your Practice: 3D-driven Success.” The unique 2-day experience will feature lectures and demonstrations of real 3D imaging applications in implants, orthodontics, TMJ and airway diagnosis, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and periodontics.

Some selected topics for this year’s Congress include:

• CBCT and airway-centered treatment planning

• The clinical integration between 3D dentistry and otolaryngology through CBCT: an ENT’s prospective

• Using 3D imaging to avoid dental implant complications

• Unlocking the power of CBCT: Beyond the basics and into the future

• Reduce stress with implant surgery using 3D imaging

• The ins and outs of dental insurance: learning how to navigate dental benefits in your office

Networking opportunities will abound, as attendees socialize with colleagues and industry speakers, explore partner exhibits, and visit the i-CAT booth to see the latest products and services. A User’s Meeting on November 6 will feature product and technology updates, a discussion of how to select the best scan for each patient, live hands-on patient-positioning tips, data information on networking and backup, and how to optimize the performance of the i-CAT system.

Dr. Cynthia K. Brattesani, moderator of the event, has a patient-focused philosophy that blends well with the clinical advantages associated with 3D imaging. She says, “I am thrilled to moderate this 8th Annual Congress and network with knowledgeable and experienced colleagues in the field of 3D imaging. 3D imaging is a multi-faceted modality with benefits in diagnosis, treatment, and implementation. It also involves the patient in all of these processes through their greater understanding of what we, as the dental professionals, want to accomplish for them.”

Rick Matty, Director of Marketing for i-CAT adds, “Educating dentists on how to use cone beam 3D scans effectively and safely is important to us, and the 8th International Congress on 3D Dental Imaging strives to achieve that goal. This event has gained notoriety and respect from national and international dental professionals. Whether the clinician is new to 3D imaging or already has a system in place, these topics can be of great value to any practice.”

2014 also marks i-CAT’s 10th anniversary celebration. Over the past decade, Team i-CAT has evolved into a trusted developer and manufacturer of computer-controlled dental and maxillofacial radiography products. In the recent past, the company unveiled its i-CAT FLX and i-CAT FLX MV (medium field-of-view) both of which feature QuickScan+ that allows for a full-dentition 3D scan at a comparable dose to a 2D panoramic image*. i-CAT’s commitment to safe and effective 3D cone beam imaging continues to drive development of new products that can lead to more precise dental care. 

Besides the latest information on 3D imaging, attendees also receive 11 CEUs. Registration can be completed online, by fax, or by phone. For information on the 8th International Congress, visit https://www.i-cat.com/events/congress/ or contact Jessica Kachmar at marketing@i-cat.com. Register by October 6 and receive a $150.00 discount by using code “Early2014” at checkout.

10/03/14 Lompoc, CA– DenMat, a leading manufacturer of innovative esthetic dentistry and advanced oral health solutions, has introduced Tenure4G, a dual solvent bonding agent for bonding any resin restorative to all intraoral surfaces. Featuring an improved formulation over the popular Tenure MPB bonding system, Tenure4G is a 4th generation multi-purpose, self-cure adhesive system that provides higher bond strength and is designed to reduce sensitivity to give you more confidence in your composite restorations.

Formulated with ethanol and acetone for strength and sensitivity control, Tenure4G offers more predictable results for your restorations. Tenure4G’s easy flow viscosity ensures deep penetration for interaction with the inter-tubule dentin to form a hybrid layer and reduce sensitivity. As a self-cure adhesive, Tenure4G is compatible with all resin composites eliminating the need for multiple bonding agents. The self-cure formulation ensures a complete cure sealing deep areas other light-cured high viscosity bonding agents can’t reach.

Tenure4G is available as a full bonding system containing 1 – 6ml bottle of each A & B formulation, etchant, and a bond enhancer. Tenure4G A & B refill bottles are also available separately including 1 – 6ml bottle of either A or B.

Dental offices can purchase Tenure4G by calling 1-800-4DENMAT (1-800-433-6628), online at www.denmat.com or through any of the DenMat Field Sales Representatives.

Chicago (Oct. 2, 2014) — The “Transforming Dental Hygiene Education: Proud Past, Unlimited Future” symposium — a collaborative event convened by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), the Santa Fe Group, and the ADHA’s Institute for Oral Health (IOH) — took place a year ago, but continues to affect positive change for the dental hygiene profession. The 3-day forum in Chicago brought together more than 100 key stakeholders with diverse perspectives to discuss the need to transform the educational requirements and practice for the dental hygiene profession. 

“Our goal for the symposium was to bring dental hygiene educators, researchers and practitioners together with leaders from other health disciplines, dental industry, government, philanthropy, and business to strategically discuss the role that the dental hygiene profession could play in improving the public’s overall health,” said ADHA Executive Director Ann Battrell, MSDH. “We gained a wealth of information from the participants. The outcomes from the symposium highlighted the need for change in dental hygiene education, and the need for dental hygienists to be integrated into the overall health care delivery system to meet the changing needs of society.” 

Increasing educational demands and the necessity for a widened scope of practice framed the discussion. Professionals from nursing, pharmacy, and physician assistant disciplines offered their perspectives on the process by which a profession can expand and adapt to environmental factors. These three professions underwent changes in a similar manner in years past, serving as an apt precedent for future models. 

“The symposium served as a catalyst to heighten awareness of the need for dental hygiene education and practice to advance in order to better meet the needs of the public,” said ADHA Director of Education and Research Pamela Steinbach, RN, MS. “It will be the responsibility of the profession, dental hygiene educational leaders, academic institutions and the professional association to continue to drive this change.” 

The Transforming Dental Hygiene Education symposium was instrumental in leading change on many fronts. The ADHA Board of Trustees undertook the process of strategic planning immediately following the symposium. According to ADHA President Kelli Swanson Jaecks, MA, RDH, the global perspectives and forward thinking shared during the symposium proved the need to update the ADHA’s vision and strategic plan. 

“The new ADHA strategic plan changed most significantly through our core ideology and vision statement. The core ideology reflects our commitment to leading the transformation of the profession to improve the public’s oral and overall health,” said Swanson Jaecks. “Our vision is to integrate dental hygienists into the health care delivery system as essential primary care providers to expand access to oral health care. The opportunities that lie before us to profoundly transform dental hygiene are truly exciting, and afford us the chance to impact and improve both the public and our profession in ways never done before.” 

The symposium fueled the long term multi-dimensional transformation of the dental hygiene profession by providing an outline for necessary steps and factors needed to advance the profession. Educational curriculum and programs will be the primary focus. Other factors such as finding the right people to engage the masses and drive change, advocating for an interprofessional educational experience for students, and establishing pilot programs within existing programs, have created a foundation upon which to revolutionize the profession. 

The ADHA will continue to engage various organizations to bolster the transformation over time. Since the symposium, the ADHA partnered with the Academy for Academic Leadership (AAL) and Pamela Overman, BSDH, MS, EdD, to pilot seven dental hygiene education programs to develop new domains and competencies within their curricula. These models hold the potential for country-wide adoption and serve as a testament to the long-lasting effects the symposium is having on the profession. 

Other successful outcomes include a contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for a commissioned proceedings summary, as well as the formation of a joint work group between the ADHA and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Commission on Change and Innovation (CCI). 

“The health care system is changing rapidly in the wake of a variety of economic, demographic and legislative factors,” Battrell added. “The symposium was the catalyst for change, and it is incumbent upon us to seize the opportunity and meet the evolving needs of the public we serve.”