Updates in Clinical Dentistry, a comprehensive live continuing education program in contemporary oral healthcare, is coming to Milwaukee, WI, May 15. The CE event, produced by CDEWorld, will feature critical and timely content, networking advantages, and career development opportunities.

This Updates in Clinical Dentistry program will cover a range of vital subject areas, providing attendees with 6 live continuing education credits. Additionally, attendees will have access to 6 on-demand courses at no additional charge, worth 2 credits each. In all, a total of 18 CE credits are available.

The full-day educational event will feature leading speakers covering the following topics:

- Anesthesia/Pain Management

- Advances in Composites

- CAD/CAM

- Digital Dentures

- Digital Imaging

- Laser and Soft Tissue Management

For more information and to register, click here or call 267-291-1150.

Other 2015 Updates in Clinical Dentistry meetings include:

- Detroit, MI, June 12

- East Rutherford, NJ, June 26

- Irvine, CA, August 14

- Lincolnshire, IL, September 11

We rely on our faces to convey thoughts and feelings, while also receiving information through such senses as sight, sound, and taste. Cleft lip, cleft palate, and other malformations of the human face and skull—or craniofacial anomalies—can affect our perceptions of the world, as well as how others perceive us. 

They keynote speaker at this week’s meeting of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) will discuss the state of the art in repairing cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial anomalies. More than 800 national and international ACPA members will meet April 20-25 at The Westin Mission Hills hotel in Palm Springs, Calif., to share the latest scientific research across more than 30 disciplines including surgery, dentistry, speech pathology, genetics, otolaryngology, and psychology.

On Wednesday, April 22, author, dentist, and researcher Prof. Harold C. Slavkin, DDS, will deliver the keynote address, “The Birth, Development and Future Prospects for Craniofacial Biology.” In discussing recent advances in medical care—including regenerative medicine and dentistry, personalized medicine and dentistry, and precision health care—Dr. Slavkin will explain how better care for craniofacial patients touches the human condition.

His recent book, “The Birth of a Discipline: Craniofacial Biology,” focuses on the evolution of craniofacial care during the past 200 years and how this discipline has affected other areas of healthcare. He also discusses the need for dual training as scientists as well as technicians. The book was reviewed in The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, which said, “If anyone should be giving the ‘State of the Field’ address it should be Dr. Slavkin, and this book fills this role.”

The Birth of a Discipline: Craniofacial Biology 

Harold C. Slavkin, DDS

https://www.dentalaegis.com/products/books/The-Birth-of-a-Discipline-Craniofacial-Biology

Understanding the History and Securing the Future of Ryan White Dental Safety Net Programs

This white paper reviews the Ryan White dental programs, the populations served by the programs, the federal funding streams for oral health and the opportunities and challenges presented by health care reform.

Key Policy Points

• The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program encompasses the Dental Reimbursement Program and the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program, created in response to gaps in dental care for people living with HIV/AIDS. The program is literally the only path to critical preventive dental services and treatment for thousands of adults in the United States who need the care the most.

• The Dental Reimbursement Program served 41,464 clients in 2013, of which most did not have the financial resources to pay for the dental care they received and/or lacked dental insurance.

• In 2013, Dental Reimbursement Program grantees, such as academic dental institutions, were awarded only 26.10% of their non-reimbursed costs, resulting in a total o $32,387,629 in non-reimbursed costs.

Examining America's Dental Safety Net

This white paper examines the persistent unmet need for dental care and outlines the contributions of dental safety net providers, including academic dental institutions, in addressing it.

Key Policy Points:

• Over 108 million Americans lack dental insurance and thus access to dental care. The dental safety net provides crucial care for those who do not have access to care, such as the uninsured, under-insured and those who lack financial resources.

• Academic dental institutions (ADIs) are one of the major providers of care in the dental safety net. ADIs educate and train residents, dental and allied dental students to care for underserved populations.

• ADIs provide more than $74 million, each year, in uncompensated dental care and procedures.

• Dental safety net providers, such as ADIs, need adequate resources to support and maintain access and delivery of dental care, and to educate and train the next generation of providers to meet the growing demand.

MIST Inc., a leading provider of advanced CAD/CAM implant prosthetic technology, is now among the distributors of the imes-icore CORiTEC 450i and 650i industrial mills. Both include exclusive CAM software strategies developed by IMILLING, a milling center specializing in implant prosthetics. With the addition of these 2 fully-open 5-axis machines to its roster, MIST offers laboratories of every size and budget the capability to fabricate complex titanium implant prosthetics in-house.

The CORiTEC 450i, a robust entry-level desktop dry mill with wet milling upgrade for processing titanium custom abutments, becomes fully automatic with an optional automated 20 blank/disc changer.

The CORiTEC 650i is a highly precise, premium wet/dry industrial mill with 5-axis simultaneous machining, HSK 25 spindle (62,000rpm, 2.1 kW), 32 position fully automatic tool changer, direct drives for exceptional accuracy, and touch screen controls. It is capable of handling the most complex titanium abutments and bars as well as cemented and screw-retained implant prosthetics in CrCo, zirconia, glass ceramics, lithium disilicate, PMMA, and wax. With an optional automatic material changer, this high-end mill for larger laboratories and milling centers becomes fully automated, capable of operating at full capacity 24/7 without supervision.

In a recent study, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers predicted which cirrhosis patients would suffer inflammations and require hospitalization by analyzing their saliva, revealing a new target for research into a disease that accounts for more than 30,000 deaths in the United States each year.

The findings could trigger a change in the way researchers study chronic liver disease and associated microbiota, the network of tiny organisms in the human body such as bacteria and fungi that can either bolster an immune system or weaken it.

The breakdown of defenses in the mucosa of the gut has long been a signal of inflammation in those with cirrhosis, which sees healthy liver tissue replaced by scar tissue.

The recent findings suggest that another part of the body also can produce warning signs.

"It has been believed that most of the pathogenesis of cirrhosis starts in the gut, which is what makes this discovery so fascinating," said Jasmohan S. Bajaj, MD, associate professor of hepatology in the VCU School of Medicine and Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "The fact that saliva, along with fluid in the gut, can be an indicator of inflammation tells us that we need to further explore the oral cavity and its connections to liver disease."

Bajaj is the senior author of a paper, "Salivary Microbiota Reflects Changes in Gut Microbiota in Cirrhosis with Hepatic Encephalopathy," accepted March 29 for publication in the journal Hepatology.

The paper describes a study of more than 100 cirrhosis patients from VCU and VA Medical Center, 38 of which had to be hospitalized within 90 days because of flare-ups. Researchers found that the ratio of good-to-bad microbes was similar in the saliva as in the stool of these patients who required hospitalization.

Another part of the same study looked at an additional group of more than 80 people with and without cirrhosis. Those with cirrhosis had impaired salivary defenses, mirroring the immune deficiencies that take place in the gut.

"The data suggest that there may be a change in the overall mucosal-immune interface in cirrhosis patients, allowing a more toxic microbiota to emerge in both the gut and oral cavity," said Phillip B. Hylemon, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology in the VCU School of Medicine and co-author of the paper.

In addition to using oral microbiota to predict the disease status of cirrhosis patients, Hylemon said the new evidence could provide a useful tool for testing treatment protocols for patients with cirrhosis or other diseases driven by inflammation.

Source: Science Daily

In 2014, the products most commonly used by high school students were e-cigarettes (13.4 percent), hookah (9.4 percent), cigarettes (9.2 percent), cigars (8.2 percent), smokeless tobacco (5.5 percent), snus (1.9 percent) and pipes (1.5 percent).  Use of multiple tobacco products was common; nearly half of all middle and high school students who were current tobacco users used two or more types of tobacco products. The products most commonly used by middle school students were e-cigarettes (3.9 percent), hookah (2.5 percent), cigarettes (2.5 percent), cigars (1.9 percent), smokeless tobacco (1.6 percent), and pipes (0.6 percent).

Cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco are currently subject to FDA's tobacco control authority. The agency currently is finalizing the rule to bring additional tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, hookahs and some or all cigars under that same authority. Several states have passed laws establishing a minimum age for purchase of e-cigarettes or extending smoke-free laws to include e-cigarettes, both of which could help further prevent youth use and initiation.

"In today's rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace, the surge in youth use of novel products like e-cigarettes forces us to confront the reality that the progress we have made in reducing youth cigarette smoking rates is being threatened," said Mitch Zeller, J.D., director of FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. "These staggering increases in such a short time underscore why FDA intends to regulate these additional products to protect public health."

Today's report concludes that further reducing youth tobacco use and initiation is achievable through regulation of the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products coupled with proven strategies. These strategies included funding tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels, increasing prices of tobacco products, implementing and enforcing comprehensive smoke-free laws, and sustaining hard-hitting media campaigns. The report also concludes that because the use of e-cigarettes and hookahs is on the rise among high and middle school students, it is critical that comprehensive tobacco control and prevention strategies for youth focus on all tobacco products, and not just cigarettes.

The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) is a school-based, self-administered questionnaire given annually to middle and high-school students in both public and private schools. NYTS, which surveyed 22,000 students in 2014, is a nationally representative survey.

The 2012 Surgeon General's Report found that about 90 percent of all smokers first tried cigarettes as teens; and that about three of every four teen smokers continue into adulthood. To learn more about quitting and preventing children from using tobacco, visit www.BeTobaccoFree.gov

INTELIHEALTH - A small study has found that people with psoriasis are more likely to have gum disease than people who don't have this skin condition.

Psoriasis causes red, scaling skin. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease. This means that the body's immune system mistakes body cells as being dangerous, and attacks them.

The study was done in Bangalore, India. It included 68 people. Of these, 33 had psoriasis and 35 did not. The average age of people in the study was about 34 years. No one in the study had any other diseases. No one used tobacco or took medicines, other than those for psoriasis.

People with more advanced psoriasis tended to have more severe gum disease.

The authors say that the link between psoriasis and gum disease is not surprising. Both diseases cause increases in certain types of immune-system cells and proteins. They suggest that people with psoriasis may be at increased risk for gum disease. They also suggest the reverse: that people with gum disease may be at increased risk for psoriasis.

People in the psoriasis group brushed their teeth less often than people in the other group. This also could be one reason for their higher risk of gum disease, the authors said. People with psoriasis were more likely to have seven or more missing teeth, compared with otherwise healthy people.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, 2% to 3% of the population develops psoriasis. The NPF states that to get psoriasis, a person must have a combination of genes that can cause the disease, and then must be exposed to a trigger. Triggers include stress, skin injury, infection and some medicines.

The study appears in the April issue of the Journal of Oral Diseases.

Source: InteliHealth News Service

A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. According to research recently published online by the American Heart Association, scientists at Forsyth and Boston University have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack.

This study is the first time researchers anywhere have demonstrated the ability of an oral treatment for gum disease to also reduce inflammation in the artery wall. The active ingredient is an inflammation resolving molecule, known as Resolvin E1. This discovery further underscores the increasing body of evidence showcasing how problems in the mouth -- and how they are treated -- can have life changing influences on other key systems in the body, such as the heart in this case.

"Our research is helping to underscore the very real link between oral health and heart disease," said Lead Investigator Hatice Hasturk, DDS, PhD, an associate member of Forsyth's Department of Applied Oral Sciences and director of Forsyth's Center for Clinical and Translational Research. "The general public understands the connection between heart health and overall wellness, and often takes appropriate steps to prevent heart disease. More education is needed to elevate oral wellness into the same category in light of proven connections to major health conditions."

According to the CDC, heart disease accounts for one in four deaths in the United States, and the rate continues to rise. Forsyth's findings suggest a need to expand the public's understanding of risk factors beyond cholesterol, smoking, hypertension and diabetes to include a focus on oral health. With support from the scientific community, Forsyth aims to generate greater awareness of gum disease (affecting 64.7 million American adults according to the CDC) as a critical risk factor for heart disease, independent from diet and lifestyle.

The study, titled, "Resolvin E1 Prevents Atheromatous Plaque Formation," will be published in print in the May issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB), a journal of the American Heart Association. It is the first paper to show a rabbit model of accelerated heart disease, demonstrating a range of atherosclerotic plaque stages that more closely resemble those in humans without genetic modification of the animal. This research is authored by Hatice Hasturk, Rima Abdallah, Alpdogan Kantarci, Daniel Nguyen, Nicholas Giordano, James Hamilton and Thomas E. Van Dyke.

Source: Science Daily

Rosemont, Il., – Calling all MVPs, team captains, full roster players, practice squads, coaches, teachers and parents/caregivers. Five of the nation’s top dental associations want to remind everyone to play it safe during recreational and organized sports to help prevent serious, painful facial injuries that can take the fun out of the game. Take five, and take in these five simple safety tips.

1. Mouth guards are a must. Mouth guards are significantly less expensive than the cost to repair an injury, and dentists and dental specialists can make customized mouth guards that hold teeth in place and allow for normal speech and breathing. 

2. Helmets are always helpful. Helmets absorb the energy of an impact and help prevent damage to the head.

3. Have 20/20 vision with protective eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially when playing sports.

4. Face shields save skin…and more. Hockey pucks, footballs and racquetballs can cause severe facial damage at any age.

5. Cheer and shout out your support for mandatory protective gear. Athletes who participate in football, hockey and boxing are required to wear mouth guards. If mouth guards have been proven to significantly decrease the risk of oral injuries, why is it not mandatory in every sport for kids to wear them?

Whether your child is playing a contact sport or just monkeying around on the monkey bars, accidents happen. A recently published study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a database of injuries treated at hospital emergency departments, for the period 2001-2008. Researchers found the five most common causes of childhood injuries were, in order of frequency, basketball, football, bicycling, playgrounds and soccer. 1

An estimated 12 million people between the ages of 5 and 22 years suffer a sport-related injury annually, which leads to 20 million lost days of school2 and approximately $33 billion in healthcare costs.3 Yet, some of these injuries could be prevented with protective gear. “A properly fitted mouth guard is an essential piece of any athlete's protective equipment,” says Dr. Paul Nativi, DMD, FASD, and past president of the Academy for Sports Dentistry. “Talk with your dentist about what kinds of activities your family enjoys and ask about ways to make sure their teeth and face stay protected.” 

Every April, National Facial Protection Month strives to raise public awareness and remind parents/caregivers, coaches and athletes to play it safe while playing sports. The Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), and the American Dental Association (ADA) are collaborating to promote the 2015 April is National Facial Protection Month observance to help people learn more about how simple it can be to take five and make a play for better safety that protects not only your mouth and face, but also your peace of mind.

References:

1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141013152656.htm. 

2. National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (unpublished media review). 

3. Ferguson RW. Safe Kids Worldwide Analysis of Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data, 2013.

About National Facial Protection Month    

National Facial Protection Month is sponsored annually during the month of April by the Academy for Sports Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Association of Orthodontists, and the American Dental Association. Visit their Web sites for more information and helpful materials.

CERRITOS, CA -- (Marketwired - Apr 7, 2015) - Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. (MDT) has announced a new partnership with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in Newark, New Jersey. This written agreement, signed by Kathleen Bramwell, MBA, Senior Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, ensures that upon graduation, periodontal residents will already be trained in the LANAP^® and LAPIP™  protocols.

Three Rutgers University professors, Andrew Sullivan, DDS - Director of Postgraduate Periodontics and Interim Chairman; Howard Drew, DMD - Clinical Professor of Periodontics, Director of Implantology, and Vice Chairman of the Department of Periodontics; and Joel Pascuzzi, DMD, FIDC, FADC - Clinical Professor of Periodontics and the Director of the Pre-Doctorate Periodontal Program, completed training with the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry (IALD) in Cerritos, California, in February 2015. Affectionately referred to as Laser BootCamp®, the IALD training is a live-patient, clinical, hands-on course on the PerioLase® MVP-7™ and the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols. Following the initial Rutgers University site visit, MDT and IALD personnel visited Rutgers University to help familiarize the dental assistants, hygienists, and residents with the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols and proper care of their new PerioLase® MVP-7™.

Millennium, which is also developing a partnership with the US Army, has plans to continue building relationships with other educational institutions as well. "Rutgers is helping to lead the way for academic institutions to provide advanced periodontal disease treatment that patients will accept," stated Dawn M. Gregg, DDS, IALD CEO and training director. "Bringing the PerioLase® MVP-7™ for the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols to the Rutgers University postgraduate periodontal program advances the standard of care for treating periodontitis and peri-implantitis."

Professor and Chair, Dr. Andrew Sullivan says, "We can't lag behind in our profession. It is important for our periodontal residents to graduate on the leading edge, having been trained on the most advanced, evidence-based periodontal disease treatments available. Of additional benefit is having access to a solution to the growing number of ailing and failing implants and for treating other dental maladies using the PerioLase® MVP-7™."

The LANAP® protocol with the PerioLase® MVP-7™ is the only US FDA-cleared laser periodontitis treatment with any scientific evidence of regenerating the periodontal ligament attachment to the root surface and a new root coating (cementum). In addition, there are over 400 published positive patient outcomes and two histology studies. The human histology research proves the LANAP® protocol creates cementum-mediated periodontal new attachment to the root surface in the absence of long junctional epithelium. Patients experience little to no postoperative discomfort because the procedure requires no use of scalpels or the placement of sutures, allowing for faster, easier recovery. Of significant note, according to a recent systematic review by the American Academy of Periodontology's Regeneration Workshop, the LANAP® protocol "may offer advantages in regeneration of defects in the esthetic zone in which minimal soft tissue change is required."[1] The PerioLase® MVP-7™ is also developed for the LAPIP™ protocol, for the minimally invasive surgical treatment for peri-implantitis and mucositis around ailing and failing implants.

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 [1] Periodontal Regeneration - Intrabony Defects: A Systematic Review From the AAP Regeneration Workshop - J Periodontol. February 2015 (2 Suppl) Richard T. Kao, DDS, PhD, Salvador Nares, DDS, PhD, and Mark A. Reynolds, DDS, PhD, MA, page S82.