In a 6–3 vote, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday that North Carolina's dental board violated the Sherman Antitrust Act when it shut down nondentists who were whitening teeth in malls and beauty shops because the board, composed mostly of practicing dentists, was not actively supervised by the state. Active supervision, the court said, would have shielded the board from a Sherman violation.

In the wake of the high court’s decision, state medical boards may now find it harder to fence off the practice of medicine from nonphysicians.

"[The Sherman Act] does not authorize the states to abandon markets to the unsupervised control of active market participants, whether trade associations or hybrid agencies," the court said, upholding a move by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block the dental board's actions in the name of fair competition.

Dissenting from the majority opinion were Associate Justices Samuel Alito Jr, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas.

The American Medical Association (AMA) and other medical societies had asked the Supreme Court to hear the case—and uphold the decision of the North Carolina dental board—in light of the antitrust implications for state medical boards.

"If state licensing decisions are subject to invalidation by federal agencies with no particular expertise in the healing arts, then those federal agencies will become the final arbiters of matters of public safety, tasks that they are ill-equipped to perform," the AMA and its allies stated.

The medical societies warned that if the FTC got its way, medical boards might be loath to crack down on nonphysicians engaged in "the illegal practice of medicine" for fear of triggering an antitrust suit. They cited the example of nurse practitioners who provide services that were beyond their qualifications without any physician supervision.

Rallying behind the FTC in the Supreme Court case were the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American College of Nurse Midwives, and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. In a friend-of-the-court brief, these associations said that active state supervision was needed for physician-dominated medical boards because they have a history of unfairly limiting the scope of practice for nurses.

In response to today's ruling, AMA President Robert Wah, MD, said that his organization would work with other medical societies "to secure policy changes to reinforce long-held antitrust protections" for state medical boards.

"The AMA agrees with Justice Alito, speaking for the three dissenting justices, that today's decision 'will spawn confusion' by creating far reaching-effects on the jurisdiction of states to regulate medicine and protect patient safety," Dr. Wah said in a statement emailed to Medscape Medical News.

Source: Medscape Medical News

Renishaw plc, a global engineering technologies company, and DENTSPLY Implants, one of the world’s leading companies in implant dentistry, have announced an agreement in which DENTSPLY Implants will purchase Renishaw additive manufacturing technology for the manufacture of dental products and Renishaw will cease development of its Laserbridge™ implant-supported frameworks. 

Mikael Sander, Group Vice President, DENTSPLY Implants says, “This agreement enables DENTSPLY Implants to fully exploit the exciting opportunity that 3D metal printing offers in the field of custom made medical devices. By using Renishaw’s highly respected technology, we can enhance our ability to deliver innovative solutions in implant dentistry for improved patient care while advancing our already strong market position.”

Bryan Austin, Director and General Manager of Renishaw’s Dental Products Division adds, “The chance to work with DENTSPLY Implants and see Renishaw additive manufacturing technology used by one of the world’s leading dental implant companies represents a wonderful opportunity for the dental team at Renishaw.”

Red Bank, NJ: February 23, 2015 – The American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) has announced that for the fourth consecutive year it has been chosen as the recipient of an educational grant from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation. The goal of the grant is for AADOM to produce and deliver education about "going green" to their membership and to the dental community at large. Green dentistry promotes, among other things, reducing waste and using environmentally friendly products. 

AADOM's Vice President Lorie Streeter states, "We're thrilled to continue working with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation. Our members have shown a dedication to positively impacting their communities and AADOM loves to acknowledge those offices. With this grant AADOM is able to provide the education and motivation to help them succeed."

The AADOM "Green Leader Initiative" provides educational content to dental professionals – both virtual and live – through various delivery systems such as published articles, website content, and a private member forum to exchange ideas and best practices. The education is also supported via AADOM's social media. 

As part of this initiative, AADOM will present the "Green Leader Award" at the 11th Annual Dental Managers Conference this August in Nashville, TN. This award is given to an office manager whose practice exemplifies the utilization of successful green initiatives within their practice. The grant also enables the continuation of a Presentation Portal that allows participants to download all course materials for the conference electronically versus printing and shipping them to the conference. "Our members love the Presentation Portal. We are committed to continuing our tradition of green behavior", states Heather Colicchio, AADOM President and Founder.

Cantel Medical Corp. further expanded its infection prevention and control portfolio with the acquisition of MRLB International, the manufacturer of the DentaPure product line for $10 million in cash consideration. The DentaPure product line is a proprietary, iodinated resin filter cartridge system used by dentists to maintain safe water quality in dental unit waterlines.  The DentaPure cartridge system surpasses all standards and CDC recommendations for dental unit water quality, thus maintaining safe water quality for patients and staff.  The DentaPure cartridge systems, which are sold throughout the US and Canada, have FDA 510(k) certifications and are EPA registered as dental unit waterline disinfectants.           

This transaction is expected to be neutral to GAAP EPS in FY15 and slightly accretive to Non-GAAP EPS in FY15 and accretive to both GAAP and Non-GAAP EPS in FY16 and beyond.  The DentaPure product line will be integrated into the Crosstex portfolio and reported in the Healthcare Disposables segment.

Gary Steinberg, President and CEO of Crosstex stated, "Dental unit waterline disinfection is one of the fastest growing segments in the infection control category in the dental industry.  DentaPure's strong market position with a high-quality, differentiated product portfolio allows Crosstex to be a market leader in this important segment for our dental customers.  When combined with our leading biological monitoring portfolio, DentaPure positions Crosstex as the clear infection prevention and control compliance leader in the dental industry."

February 17 — Tickets and sponsorships are still available for Oral Health America’s (OHA) 25th Annual Gala & Benefit, being held this year at the Hilton Chicago on February 25. The gala is a premier networking event for the dental industry and a major fundraiser for OHA’s programs that improve the nation’s overall health through oral health.

In addition to being the 25th anniversary of the event, this year’s gala will also celebrate the 60th anniversary of OHA as an organization through the theme Smiles Under Silver Stars. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception that offers an excellent opportunity to network with leaders in the industry while browsing through silent auction items that will benefit OHA’s programs. Following the reception there will be a gourmet dinner, live music from the Ken Arlen Orchestra, an exciting live auction and a raffle for a 2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet.

A presentation will also be made during the event celebrating OHA’s history and the work the organization continues to do to connect communities with resources to increase access to care and health literacy.

“We appreciate the support we receive from the dental industry every year for our Gala & Benefit. With this year’s event marking two such important anniversaries, it will surely be an evening to remember,” said OHA President and CEO Beth Truett.

The gala is generously sponsored by Presenting Sponsor Kavo Kerr Group, Technology Sponsors Ivoclar Vivadent and Patterson Dental, Diamond Sponsors Colgate, DentaQuest, DENTSPLY International, Henry Schein, Philip Sonicare, SciCan and Septodont, Platinum Sponsors Darby Dental, DentalEZ and Midmark, Raffle Sponsor Aspen Dental, Quick Raffle Sponsor Oral Arts Dental Laboratories and Gold Sponsors Belmont Publications, Bisco, Burkhart, DentaPure, Planmeca and Unilever.

Raffle tickets can be purchased now for $100 each for an opportunity to win a 2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet or the cash option of up to $40,000 if all 800 tickets are sold. Winners do not need to be present to win. More than $230,000 of ad space in top dental trade publications is also now available online. Visit bidohagala.com to place a bid or use the “buy it now” option. To purchase tickets, raffle tickets, sponsorships or for additional information, please visit www.oralhealthamerica.org/participate/gala or contact Brad McLaughlin at brad.mclaughlin@oralhealthamerica.org or (312) 836-9900.

University of Leicester and Leicester's Hospitals is set to evaluate a revolutionary device that detects lung cancer in early stages.

A clinical trial led by University of Leicester respiratory experts into a potentially ground-breaking “breath test” to detect lung cancer will get underway at the Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

It is hoped that the LuCID (Lung Cancer Indicator Detection) program will lead to a non-invasive method of diagnosing lung cancer in the early stages. The company behind the device, Cambridge-based Owlstone Nanotech Ltd, carried out a health economic analysis and determined that detection of early-stage lung cancer could be increased from the current 14.5% to 25% by 2020, it is estimated this could save 10,000 lives and £250m of NHS money.

The device works by measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentrations in a patient's breath and offers a cheaper and smaller alternative to existing detection technologies.

Supported by the University of Leicester's enterprise and business development team and Leicester's Hospitals, Owlstone was awarded £1m by the NHS Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) towards the second phase of the LuCID project -- the clinical trials. The aim is to further evaluate Owlstone's GC-FAIMS (Gas Chromatography -- Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry) sensor in a rapid access lung cancer clinic at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester starting later this year. If successful, the project will pave the way to evaluate the technology in GPs' surgeries and other hospitals.

Billy Boyle, co-founder of Owlstone, said: "If you could change only one thing in the fight against cancer, it would be to detect the disease earlier where existing treatments are already proven to save lives. FAIMS technology has the potential to bring a quick and easy-to-use breath test to a GP's office. Our team will not rest until we help stop the daily devastation that cancer brings to patients and their families."

The clinical study is being led by Dr Salman Siddiqui, a clinical senior lecturer and adult chest physician at the University of Leicester and Glenfield Hospital with results of the trial expected in early 2016.

The study will be delivered by a number of key members of the lung cancer clinical team including senior lung cancer clinician, Dr Jonathan Bennett.

Dr Siddiqui added: "Lung cancer has one of the lowest 5-year survival rates of all cancers, however early diagnosis can greatly improve a patient's prognosis. Current diagnostic procedures such as a chest X-ray, CT scan and bronchoscopy are costly and not without risks so the benefits of a non-invasive, cheaper alternative are clear.

"This project will seek to identify and evaluate biomarkers in order to improve the accuracy and reliability of breath diagnostic methods. We will also be aiming to establish FAIMS as a faster, less expensive and more portable alternative to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for breath diagnosis applications."

Dr. John T. McDevitt, a pioneer in the development of “programmable bio-nano-chip” technologies, has been named chairman of the Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics at New York University College of Dentistry. Dr. McDevitt’s expertise is in translating essential bioscience discoveries into real-world clinical practice. 

Dr. McDevitt is the scientific founder of several companies specializing in areas related to medical microdevice technologies, including SensoDx, which features a universal platform sensor technology with the capacity to digitize biological signatures for a broad range of key health conditions. 

Over the past decade, Dr. McDevitt and his team have been awarded more than $25M in federal and foundation support. His research has been funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the United Kingdom’s Home Office Scientific Development Branch. 

Dr. McDevitt and his team have written more than 180 peer-reviewed scientific articles and have contributed to more than 100 patents and patent applications. Their work has been recognized with the “Best of What's New Award” in the Medical Device Category of 2008 sponsored by Popular Science and the “Best Scientific Advances Award” of 1998 presented by the Science Coalition. 

Dr. McDevitt’s individual honors include the Presidential Young Investigator Award, the 2010 California Polytechnic Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Exxon Education Award. Over the past five years Dr. McDevitt has served as the principal investigator for six major clinical trials and two clinical pilot studies, all involving the programmable bio-nano-chip. Through these clinical efforts, mini-sensor ensembles are being developed for major diseases in the areas of oral cancer, cardiac heart disease, trauma, drugs of abuse, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. 

Prior to joining NYUCD, Dr. McDevitt had served since 2009 as the Brown-Weiss Professor of Bioengineering and Chemistry and as Director of the Lab-on-a-Chip Sensor Technology Laboratory, both at Rice University. He also served as adjunct professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas, Austin. In 2006, he was named Director of the Texas-Kentucky Salivary Diagnostics Consortium at the NIH, and in 2009 he was named Director of the Oral Cancer Center at the NIDCR. In 2010, Dr. McDevitt became founding director of the Gulf Coast Consortium Cluster, an early disease detection network comprising more than 100 clinical researchers. 

Dr. McDevitt received a PhD in physical materials/chemistry from Stanford University and did postdoctoral training in analytical materials/chemistry at the University of North Carolina.

According to Dr. Charles N. Bertolami, Dean of the NYU College of Dentistry, “Dr. McDevitt’s research expertise, coupled with his entrepreneurial approach, make him uniquely well-qualified to lead the Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics in developing interdisciplinary, synergistic partnerships among investigators and educators at NYUCD, the College of Nursing, and NYU’s Polytechnic Bioengineering Institute, all of which are housed in the newly opened, interprofessional facility at 433 First Avenue.”

Patients with cancer of the throat caused by the Human Papilloma virus (HPV+) have a better prognosis than those who are negative for the virus (HPV-). Now, for the first time, researchers have shown with convincing evidence that a group of patients with HPV+ cancer of the oropharynx (the part of the throat located behind the mouth, that makes up the region of the tonsils and the back part of the tongue where it connects to the swallowing part of the throat), can be cured in some cases even after disease has spread to distant organs in the body, like the lungs.

Dr Sophie Huang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Canada, will tell the 5th International Conference on Innovative Approaches in Head and Neck Oncology (ICHNO) today (Friday) that her research has shown that, following intensive treatment, certain patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and distant metastases (tumours appearing in an organ not directly related to the primary cancer site) can survive for more than two years without further evidence of disease. Such cancers are usually considered to be incurable, and the goal of treatment is usually limited to symptom control. "Our research, the largest study to date to explore survival predictors for metastatic HPV+ and HPV- oropharyngeal cancer patients, has shown that cure is a realistic goal in those patients with oligometastasis -- metastases involving five or fewer lesions in one distant organ," she will say.

Dr Huang and colleagues identified 934 patients with HPV+ OPC out of the 1238 OPC patients who had been treated at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between 2000 and 2011. Distant metastases were detected in 15% of these patients; 88 in the HPV+ group and 54 in those with HPV- disease. Oligometastasis was present in 24 HPV+ patients with distant metastases in a single organ.

The researchers found two types of distinct distant metastases in HPV(+) patients: "explosive" and "indolent" metastases. The explosive type metastasis, where more than ten lesions in one organ appear quickly in a short period (within three months of appearance of the first lesion), was present in 55% of the HPV+ group, as opposed to none in those who were HPV-. In both HPV+ and HPV- groups, lung was the most common metastatic site. The indolent type of metastases grow and spread at a much slower pace, most often manifesting as oligometastasis. This occurred in 24% of the HPV+ cases with metastases in a single organ as opposed to 26% of those who had HPV- cancer.

"In the HPV+ group of patients with oligometastases, when they were given definitive local treatment aimed at disease control -- for example, a high radiation dose or surgical removal of the metastatic lesion, as opposed to a less aggressive treatment used to control symptoms -there was a long term disease-free period, suggesting that some may be cured," Dr Huang will say. "In the HPV+ group with oligometases 25% were still alive after three years, whereas the percentage in the HPV- group was 15%."

The survival advantage in HPV+ OPC patients is due to a number of factors, the researchers say. The cancer is more sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy; the patients tend to be younger (an average age of 55 at diagnosis as opposed to 65) with fewer other health problems, including those caused by smoking-related illness, and this enables them to receive the more aggressive treatment necessary to eradicate metastatic disease.

The percentage of HPV positive to negative OPC cancers varies globally, depending on a number of factors, including the prevalence of smoking and the practice of oral sex. Overall the incidence of HPV+ throat cancers has increased over the past 20 years in developed countries, such as US, Canada, Japan, Australia, and some European countries. [1]

"This research has shown that metastatic HPV+ OPC patients who receive active treatment can survive considerably longer than those who did not receive treatment. One of the reasons patients with metastatic disease do not receive aggressive treatment is due to the physician and patient's perception that this is an incurable state. We hope that these results will motivate researchers to optimise management strategies for these patients. This will not only help to produce a better quality of life and a return to work for them, but also reduce the cost to healthcare systems," Dr Huang will say.

"We also hope that our study may trigger research to explore cost-effective methods for the early detection of metastases. Optimising and tailoring surveillance strategies for HPV+ patients are also important. For example, our research has shown that the surveillance period should be longer than the traditional two-year window, due to the possibility of later onset of metastases. Selecting the appropriate imaging method in order to detect asymptomatic oligometastasis (e.g. ultrasound for the early detection of liver metastasis) may allow salvage treatment of some patients before the cancer progresses. Finally, we hope that it will help clinicians identify patients who are best able to benefit from aggressive treatment, such as metastasectomy (surgical removal of the metastases) or stereotactic radiotherapy (highly focused high dose radiotherapy to small regions)," Dr Huang will say.

Whether it is possible to identify which patients at initial presentation are at high risk of developing distant metastasis, and which type of distant metastasis will subsequently develop are other important questions for future studies, say the researchers. "We know there is a degree of correlation between the initial stage and the risk of distant metastasis, but we did not find a strong relationship between this stage and the type of metastasis. The intensity of cigarette smoking in the years prior to the time of diagnosis is a possible factor. Being able to identify such relationships could be a huge help in deciding appropriate treatment at an early stage," Dr Huang will say.

Although head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, awareness of it is low, and hence the majority of diagnoses are not made until the disease is in an advanced stage, resulting in limited treatment choices and hence a reduction in the chance of survival.

Professor Jean Bourhis, co-chair of the conference scientific committee, said: This important piece of research adds substantially to what we know about the role and the importance of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in oropharyngeal cancers and gives real hope of improvement in both diagnosis and treatment to those who are affected by the condition."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

February 11, 2015 – Findings from researchers at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry could prove to upend previous dogma on bone formation in the temporomandibular joint.

The current school of thought on bone formation in the mandibular condyle, the rounded knob where the mandible and upper jaw meet, is that cartilage cells—called chondrocytes—must form and then experience cell death before bone cells can form. Preliminary findings from the lab of Dr. Jerry Feng, professor in the department of biomedical sciences, show this may not be the case. Bone marrow cells may not be the only ones that build bone.

“The chondrocytes do not die. They transform into bone,” says Feng. “This is the most exciting part. That’s a big switch. People in this field never thought about such a mechanism.”

This month, Feng’s team submitted a proposal to the National Institutes of Health – National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to secure more than $1.8 million in grant funding to further evaluate how this transformation of cartilage into bone takes place.

Cell lineage tracing on a transgenic mouse model lies at the crux of their hypothesis. In confocal microscopic images, cells tagged with reporter genes reveal the merging of bone and cartilage proteins seen in representative shades of red and green, one for each type of protein. Several published articles, including one in the Journal of Dental Researchin fall 2014, bolster the proposal.

“The idea is that the cell lineage tracing enables you to follow cartilage cells and see where they end up during growth,” says Dr. Robert Hinton, Regents professor emeritus. “You would expect the condylar cartilage cells under the normal theory to end up dying off, but it appears that a number of them are turning into bone cells or potentially forming the walls of blood vessels.”

If the 5-year grant is funded, TAMBCD researchers will further study the role of a gene known as BMPR1A in mediating Osterix, a gene vital to bone mineralization. They will do this by separately removing, or “knocking out” BMPR1A in one control group of models and Osterix in another to gauge the impact on cartilage and bone formation.

Hinton has worked with Feng on this research and says the potential for transmitting this cutting-edge research to students is tantalizing, as it creates unique research opportunities for students.

“This is stuff that is not in textbooks right now that can be brought into discussions about how bone is formed from cartilage during growth,” says Hinton.

Feng works on research with orthodontic residents and biomedical doctoral students, to whom he also teaches bone biology. Physiology course instruction for predoctoral students is a part of his role at the college, and a Feb. 18 seminar—focusing on the vital role of chondrocytes in the regulation of bone growth at the mandibular condyle—is also in the works.

The research stands to impact the knowledge base regarding how the temporomandibular joint grows and develops. In turn, this new information could change approaches to treating malocclusions and even have an impact on new therapies for injuries to cartilage, which, unlike bone, cannot repair itself.

“You can’t solve this problem overnight,” says Feng, “but step by step.”

Source: Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry

Annapolis, MD:February 11, 2015 -The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) has approved three new corporate members as part of its ongoing expansion efforts. The companies are SolmeteX, Stoma Dental, and Whip Mix. OSAP’s corporate membership program acknowledges and differentiates healthcare companies that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to OSAP and safe dental care. In addition, it helps to sustain critical services delivered by OSAP such as advocacy, education, communications, and training.

“We are delighted to welcome these three great dental manufacturers as OSAP corporate members,” says Therese Long, executive director of OSAP. “Corporate partners are part of OSAP’s unique membership mix that also includes clinicians, policy-makers, public health workers, educators, consultants, and federal dental service personnel. The different types of expertise brought forward by OSAP’s diverse membership help contribute to our ability to translate science into practical patient safety and infection control measures.”

SolmeteX Dental (solmetex.com) is focused on implementing green products into the dental industry to assist the dentist with best management practices as well as complying with regulatory directives. It is the leading amalgam separator manufacturer in North America and has extensive experience in water chemistry, chemical separation science, process engineering, high performance manufacturing as well as federal, state and local regulations governing water and hazardous wastes.

Stoma Dental (stomadental.com) is dedicated to developing and bringing to the market cost-effective disposables for patient safety. Stoma Dental DOVE (Disposable Oral Valve Evacuation) Dental HVE and SE Valve devices were designed to be simple and intuitive to install. DOVE products are manufactured in an ISO 13485 facility in Phoenix, AZ.

Whip Mix (whipmix.com) products are distributed worldwide to dental laboratories, schools, government, institutions and increasingly, dental offices. From the original “egg beater” spatulator for investment, their product range now includes vacuum mixing equipment, model trimmers, ceramic pressing and firing ovens, waxes, die stones, casting investments, fixed and semi-adjustable articulators and face-bows, and digital CAD-CAM products.

Celebrating over 30 years of service to the worldwide dental community, OSAP is a growing community of clinicians, educators, policy-makers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free deliveryof oral healthcare. OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists and toolkits to help dental professionals ensure that every visit is The Safest Dental Visit™ for patients and the dental team.