The 3M True Definition Scanner was chosen as a 2015 New Product of the Year by the Business Intelligence Group.

Judged by a panel of experienced, well known leaders and executives from around the world, the BIG Awards specialize in recognizing top-performing companies and organizations. The Business Intelligence Group's stated mission is "recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world."

The True Definition Scanner won New Product of the Year for Healthcare - one of 5 categories for which the award was given.

"Ambition, focus, and execution are all characteristics of this year's winners," said Russ Fordyce, Managing Director of the Business Intelligence Group. "Our judges were inspired by the people behind the great performances and those who led these organizations to excel. We are so incredibly proud to reward each and every winner and finalist."

October 8, 2015 (St. Paul, MN) – A $60,000 grant from the Patterson Foundation is helping America’s Dentists Care Foundation (ADCF) fulfill its mission to provide dental care to the underserved. The funding helped to outfit a 45-chair trailer to transport equipment and other items to assist Mission of Mercy (MOM) dental clinics around the country. The ADCF’s “Mini MOM” trailer, added this year, enables MOM to host smaller-scale events in areas unable to support the usual 100-chair clinics due to venue size, funding or other factors.

“The recent Fairbanks (Alaska) and Chicago 45-chair clinics could only happen with a fully stocked, ready-to-roll trailer arriving at the event location,” said ADCF Executive Director Bill Blasing. “The Patterson Foundation grant allows us to make that happen with the necessary funding to round out our inventory and logistical needs.”

ADCF, which facilitates the delivery of charitable dental care, owns, maintains and delivers the dental equipment and expertise needed to help states hold dental clinics. Leaders in the dental profession coordinate the MOM events and volunteerism in their communities, with primarily local and regional dental professionals providing dental services. At the Fairbanks clinic, 880 patients received donated services valued at $850,000. The number of MOM events has steadily grown over the years; to date, 23 clinics are scheduled for 2016.

Patterson Foundation President Gary Johnson said, “The Foundation shares ADCF’s heartfelt desire and commitment to help those struggling to access and afford dental care. These patients represent diverse age groups and income levels, from the homeless and working poor, to middle class patients who don’t have employer-provided dental insurance.”

“Lack of affordable, accessible dental care is far too prevalent in America,” Blasing stated. He added that ADCF also hopes to be a catalyst for informing the public of the necessity of proper oral health in preventing potential disease in other parts of the body. “‘Thank you’” doesn’t quite seem to suffice in expressing ADCF’s appreciation for the Patterson Foundation and those involved in approving our grant request,” he said. “These folks truly understand our mission to help others and we are very grateful.”

At its September board meeting, the Patterson Foundation approved nearly $163,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations that operate charitable programs.

Inhibiting infants’ tongue movements impedes their ability to distinguish between speech sounds, researchers with the University of British Columbia have found. The study is the first to discover a direct link between infants’ oral-motor movements and auditory speech perception.

In the study, published October 12 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, teething toys were placed in the mouths of six-month-old English-learning babies while they listened to speech sounds—two different Hindi “d” sounds that infants at this age can readily distinguish. When the teethers restricted movements of the tip of the tongue, the infants were unable to distinguish between the two “d” sounds. But when their tongues were free to move, the babies were able to make the distinction.

Lead author Alison Bruderer, a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences at UBC, said the findings call into question previous assumptions about speech and language development. “Until now, research in speech perception development and language acquisition has primarily used the auditory experience as the driving factor,” she said. “Researchers should actually be looking at babies’ oral-motor movements as well.”

The study does not mean parents should take their babies’ soothers and teething toys away, but it does raise questions about how much time infants need with ‘free’ tongue movement for speech perception to develop normally. It also has implications for speech perception in infants with motor impairments of the mouth, such as cleft palate, tongue-tie or paralysis.

“This study indicates that the freedom to make small gestures with their tongue and other articulators when they listen to speech may be an important factor in babies’ perception of the sounds,” said senior author Janet Werker, professor in the UBC Department of Psychology.

Source: University of British Columbia media release

CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation (ACPEF) will honor David A. Felton, DDS, MSD, FACP, at the Annual Session of the ACP in Orlando, Oct. 21-24. Dr. Felton will be presented with a medallion for the ACPEF's highest honor – ACPEF Founders Society Award. Dr. Felton joins Thomas Taylor, DDS, MSD, FACP, as the 2015 co-recipient of this honor.

"My training in Prosthodontics, my career-long association with the American College of Prosthodontists serving as editor–in-chief of the ACP's Journal of Prosthodontics, and my association with the ACP Education Foundation has allowed me to be highly successful in my academic career. The ACP has provided me with unique opportunities never imagined when I completed my training program in 1984. It has opened doors and afforded me the opportunity to be internationally known as a leader in Prosthodontics, and has enabled me to serve in a mentoring role in our Specialty," said Dr. Felton.

The ACPEF Founders Society Award honors individuals who have made a significant impact on the growth and development of the Foundation, and have demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to the advancement of the specialty. One recent way that Dr. Felton is advancing the specialty is as the author of newly published, groundbreaking research in the peer reviewed Journal of Prosthodontics. Now online, Dr. David Felton updated his 2009 review with "Complete Edentulism and Comorbid Diseases: An Update." The 2009 review first reported the relationship between complete edentulism and comorbid diseases (i.e., asthma, diabetes, cancer, etc.) This relationship has been reinforced by studies published since 2008. In addition, while the 2009 paper included no reports of the relationship between complete tooth loss, edentulism, and mortality, at least 9 studies published since then have linked a reduced, but nonreplaced, dentition to an increased risk for mortality.

The article makes the case that the patient missing most or all of their teeth is at greater risk for a host of disease outcomes including heart disease, obesity, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and others, reinforcing the need for high quality replacement of missing teeth. The ACP is making this peer reviewed Journal of Prosthodontics article freely available to all through Dec. 31, 2015, so it can be shared with the public, patients, and oral health providers. All Journal of Prosthodontics articles are always free to ACP members.

"Dr. Felton, is an individual that defines leadership and visionary thinking. He has challenged the specialty to evolve and move forward redefining long held beliefs, resulting in a paradigm shift in our treatment models. Dr. Felton's leadership on the institutional level, his pivotal role in modeling the Journal of Prosthodontics, and his support of the ACPEF is an example of professionalism we all aspire to," said Frank J. Tuminelli, DDS, FACP, current president of the ACP.

Nominees must be a member of the ACP, or have demonstrated outstanding service to the specialty through the ACP and ACPEF; must have demonstrated exceptional leadership and outstanding volunteer service to the mission of the ACPEF; must be an active donor to the ACPEF with a substantive, cumulative level of giving; and must have contributed to building and growing the ACPEF.

"Rarely do we find an individual who contributes continuously and tirelessly over an entire career to their profession. The Founders Society Award is a fitting way to recognize such professional generosity. The recognition of Dr. David Felton by the ACPEF is an inspiring testimony to this level of generosity and dedication. Past president of the ACP, Dr. Felton also serves as the editor of the Journal of Prosthodontics. This function is the breath and the heartbeat of our vital organization and Dr. Felton is an individual who has given us a remarkable foundation for growth and prosperity. Along with my personal gratitude, I'm positive that our organization, the specialty and so many engaged in the discipline of Prosthodontics share the utmost admiration and thanks for his contribution to Prosthodontics as a leader, educator and clinician," said ACPEF Chair Lyndon F. Cooper, DDS, PhD, FACP.

"I choose to give back to the ACPEF not only because I can afford to, but because I want to," said Dr. Felton. "My giving will help the next generation of aspiring young prosthodontists to be able to excel, which can only strengthen our Specialty. Receiving the ACPEF Founders Society Award is truly an honor, as past recipients have demonstrated not only a significant commitment to Prosthodontics and the ACP, but have led by example. I am humbled to be considered in that group."

Prosthodontists are specialized dentists with advanced training in oral health issues, who are committed to improving patient outcomes. From implants, crowns, veneers and tooth whitening, to full-mouth reconstruction, Prosthodontists specialize in digital dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and sleep apnea solutions.

The ACP is the only prosthodontic specialty organization whose membership is based solely on education credentials. ACP members must be in or have completed an ADA-accredited advanced education program in Prosthodontics.

Chris Bormes, President of PREAT Corporation, competed in the Carpinteria (Calif.) Triathlon on September 27, 2015 to raise money for The Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology. PREAT was proud to raise more than $2,000 for the Foundation.

“The Foundation is doing wonderful work, and the future of Dental Laboratory Technology is very important to PREAT," Bormes says. "I wanted to do more than write a check this year, and competing in and finishing my first triathlon was a rewarding experience. I hope to recruit more athletes to join me in Carpinteria next year!”

The Foundation strives to advance the profession of dental laboratory technology by advocating for and raising awareness of the importance and necessity of dental laboratory technology education for dental technicians and other members of the dental team. The Foundation raised more than $60,000 via the second annual Race for the Future at the Music City Triathlon  in Nashville, Tennessee in July.

October 8, 2015 - LVI Clinical Instructor Dr. Jim McCreight and Tanya Dunlap, Managing Director at Perio Protect LLC, team up at a conference held at the Las Vegas Institute on Friday, October 23 to present the course Kill 'em Quick, Dead, and Often.

The title reflects the overriding problem for many patients in periodontal therapy. Oral biofilms reform just hours after patients leave the hygiene chair. Toothbrush, rinse, and floss just don't get deep enough below the gums. Patients need an easy way to manage the pathogenic bacteria below the gums on a regular basis.

Prescription tray delivery of antimicrobials into periodontal pockets can help. The most extensively tested antimicrobial is 1.7% hydrogen peroxide gel. "The research supporting the use of peroxide is significant," explains Dunlap, "because hydrogen peroxide overcomes many of the limitations of antibiotic therapy. The trick of course is how to get the medication deep into the pockets, that's why the Perio Tray® is important."

A Perio Tray by Perio Protect has an internal peripheral seal corresponding to pocket probing depth scores. It is custom made for each patient to deliver and maintain medication in the pocket long enough to have therapeutic effect. "I'll review the clinical trials and microbiological data," says Dunlap, "but Jim gets the exciting part, a presentation of the real-world results he's documented with the trays for his own patients."

"I'm super excited to be able to share these results with my colleagues," says McCreight." We've had great success for many different kinds of patients, including those who continue to struggle after periodontal therapy, who refuse surgery, or who even refuse scaling. It's so rewarding to have options that help patients."

The course is open to all attendees of the IAPA meeting, and all attendees of the presentation will have the option to become Perio Protect providers following the course. They do not need to complete additional training, although doctors and teams are encouraged to attend together for seamless implementation. "The goal," McCreight explains, "is to provide the scientific and practical information for an office to get started immediately after the conference."

The conference celebrates 20 years of continuing education for the Las Vegas Institute. For descriptions of current LVI programs, visit www.lviglobal.com. More information on the International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics (IAPA) and the upcoming conference is available at www.theiapa.com. For more information on Jim McCreight's practice, see www.mccreightsmiles.com. Detailed information about prescription tray delivery is available at www.PerioProtect.com.

HAUPPAUGE, NY:  October 9, 2015— Mydent International is raising breast cancer awareness through its annual “Defend Yourself with Pink.”  The program features a selection of pink Defend products including face masks, lab coats, jackets, tray covers and more.  Dental professionals will get access to 4+1 specials on these products through October 31, 2015.

Mydent International will be donating a portion of proceeds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help support education, breast health services and other programs provided by the foundation.  In addition to this donation, Mydent International proudly supports Autism Speaks, the nation's largest and most effective autism science and advocacy organization. 

To learn more about Mydent’s “Defend Yourself with Pink” program, call 800-275-0020 or visit www.defendyourselfwithpink.com. 

BETHESDA, MD – Cigarette smoking and heavy alcohol use cause epigenetic changes to DNA that reflect accelerated biological aging in distinct, measurable ways, according to research presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2015 Annual Meeting in Baltimore.

Using data from the publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus, Robert A. Philibert, MD, PhD and colleagues at the University of Iowa and other institutions analyzed patterns of DNA methylation, a molecular modification to DNA that affects when and how strongly a gene is expressed. Prior research had shown that methylation patterns change in predictable ways as people age, as well as in response to environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoke and alcohol. In these earlier studies, Dr. Philibert’s laboratory identified two specific locations in the genome, base pairs cg05575921 on the AHRR gene and cg23193759 on chromosome 10, at which methylation levels were highly associated with smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively.

In fact, they showed, DNA methylation levels at these two locations was a better measure of substance use than people’s self-reported estimates. Thus, in this follow-up study, Meeshanthini Dogan, MS, and Dr. Philibert used methylation levels as a proxy for tobacco and alcohol consumption. They estimated each person’s biological age using a previously validated epigenetic “clock” based on methylation levels at 71 locations in the genome, as measured by the widely used Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Then, they calculated the difference between biological age and chronological age, and assessed the relationship between tobacco and alcohol use and premature aging.

They found that all levels of exposure to smoke were associated with significantly premature aging. Interestingly, moderate alcohol use – about one to two drinks per day – was correlated with the healthiest aging, while very low and high consumption were linked to accelerated aging.

“These new tools allow us to monitor smoking and alcohol use in an objective way, and to understand their effects quantitatively,” Ms. Dogan said. “Furthermore, our methods could be used to analyze any set of 450 BeadChip data, which means that existing data can be used to identify new patterns and that all such results can be easily compared.”

“Being able to objectively identify future smokers and heavy alcohol users when they are young, before major health issues arise, can help providers and public health practitioners prevent future problems, improve quality of life, and reduce later medical costs,” Dr. Philibert added.

The researchers’ next step is to unravel the details of how methylation patterns change in response to lifestyle changes during the life course, so that their assessments can be more informative.

“For example, we want to study how the intensity of current tobacco and alcohol use and cumulative levels of use throughout a lifetime affect methylation, including what happens when a person quits smoking or drinking,” Ms. Dogan said. “By clarifying at what point the epigenetic changes become tougher to stop or reverse, we can inform decisions about how best to use the limited public health resources we have.”

Reference: Dogan M et al. (2015 Oct 8). Abstract: Methylomic aging as a window on lifestyle impact: Tobacco and alcohol alter the rate of biological aging. Presented at American Society of Human Genetics 2015 Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Md.

Source: American Society of Human Genetics Press Release

(Darien, Ill.) October 9, 2015– Becoming an American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) Diplomate is now more accessible and convenient for dentists, thanks to changes to the certification guidelines for 2016. The changes to the 2016 exam and case presentation – which include the addition of convenient testing locations, expanded timelines to complete case studies and adjusted requirements for required data – were implemented to create a better experience for dentists who want to achieve Diplomate status. Registration for the 2016 Certification Exam is open from Oct. 1 – Nov. 16, 2015.

“The significant changes for the 2016 exam and case presentation process create a path to certification that is more accessible and convenient for those interested in growing their dental sleep medicine practice,” noted ABDSM President Nancy Addy, DDS, Diplomate, ABDSM. “It is my hope that with a more convenient process, more dentists will submit an application and embark on the road toward Diplomate status.”

Dental sleep medicine is a rapidly growing segment of dentistry that focuses on using oral appliance therapy to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. While any licensed dentist can practice dental sleep medicine, successful treatment relies on acquired skills and knowledge as well as strong physician partnerships. The ABDSM exam and case presentation certifies a thorough knowledge in dental sleep medicine and is nationally recognized not only by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), but also by the physicians of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Added Locations

The most notable change to the ABDSM certification process is the way in which the exam will be administered. Starting in 2016, the ABDSM exam will be computer-based available at hundreds of testing centers across the U.S. and Canada. The 2016 exam window will be April 10-23, 2016, allowing dentists to select a convenient testing date and providing an affordable way to take the exam at the nearest location.

Extended Timeline

Candidates also have an extended period of 15 weeks after the application deadline to complete their continuing education credits. Furthermore, candidates have 18 months from the time their application is completed to submit the required case studies.

Simplified Data Requirements

Additional changes to the certification guidelines include adjusted requirements to allow more options in gathering data from physician partners, and greater flexibility in selecting sleep centers to work with on case studies. In addition, the recommended reading list has been condensed to more recent and relevant articles.

CERRITOS, CA--(Marketwired - Oct 12, 2015) - The partnership between Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. (MDT) reached another milestone. On Friday, August 7, three doctors from the esteemed Rutgers University Postgraduate Periodontics program completed their next phase of training, Evolution 4, on the PerioLase® MVP-7™ and the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols. 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 the first phase of training with theInstitute for Advanced Laser Dentistry (IALD) earlier this year in February.

This groundbreaking partnership, the first-ever educational collaboration agreement with a university incorporating the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols, allows the Rutgers team to expand its periodontal curriculum, maintaining a long-standing tradition of being among the top schools in the country to offer the best dental education possible.

The IALD's 12-month training continuum consists of five days of training on the patented LANAP® and LAPIP™ treatment protocols. During Evolution 4, Drs. Drew, Sullivan and Pascuzzi treated a live patient under the direction of a certified IALD instructor and learned optimal LANAP® protocol techniques, methodology, and laser operating parameters. Once their training is complete, the doctors will be certified IALD instructors, able to train other doctors on the LANAP® and LAPIP™ protocols at Rutgers. "The LANAP® protocol is really quite amazing,'' said Dr. Sullivan. "Patients are thrilled with it."

At the heart of this specialized training program is the LANAP® protocol with the PerioLase® MVP-7™, the only U.S. FDA-cleared laser periodontitis treatment with any scientific evidence of regenerating periodontal ligament attachment to the root surface and a new root coating (cementum). In addition, there are more than 400 published positive patient outcomes and two histology studies. 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.