IDT wants to hear from you about occlusion. Please answer the following questions and email to jmazda@aegiscomm.com to help an IDT board member address the subject in an upcoming MasterClass article. 

NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, Colgate-Palmolive Company ("Colgate"), as part of its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™ program, and Family Dollar have partnered to inspire African-American families during February's Black History Month to honor their past and treasure their future by paying close attention to overall health and oral hygiene.

February is a special month where the nation acknowledges the strides made in the African-American community. But there's still more to go in the area of oral health care — currently, approximately one-third of African-American adults live with untreated dental caries1. Without proper treatment, tooth decay can progress and eventually result in a cavity or even tooth loss. It's important that parents teach their children about adopting healthy dental habits at an early age, and Colgate and Family Dollar are committed to providing education and improving oral hygiene in families across the U.S. As such, Colgate will be offering exclusive in-store promotions on Colgate® toothpastes, toothbrushes and mouthwash products during February 2016.

"Colgate is thrilled to continue the longstanding partnership with Family Dollar in celebrating Black History Month," says Carla Kelly, general manager of multicultural marketing, Colgate-Palmolive. "We share the common goal of empowering African-Americans and all families to be their best selves by taking charge of their dental and overall health and are proud to bring this program to multiple cities across the U.S. for the fourth year in a row."

The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® mobile dental van, which reaches more than 1,000 towns and more than 10 million American children each year, will visit 22 select Family Dollar locations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Houston and Memphis this month to provide complimentary dental screenings, wellness packs, and treatment referrals for children ages 3-12. In addition, there will be oral care tips and educational information on hand for the entire family.

St. Louis, February 10, 2016 — Young children (ages 6-10) with severely protruded upper front teeth, commonly called “buck teeth,” are at increased risk for dental trauma and may benefit from an orthodontic correction, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics*. The study found that approximately 1 in 3 children who were treated for severely protruding teeth were less likely to experience dental trauma (such as a chipped, broken or knocked out permanent tooth).

“Active children who play organized sports or love the playground and who have severely protruding teeth may benefit from early intervention by an orthodontist,” says Morris N. Poole, DDS, president of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). 

“Youngsters with protruding teeth don’t have adequate lip coverage to protect their teeth from a blow or a fall. The result of losing or damaging a front tooth in childhood becomes a lifelong problem. We only get one set of permanent teeth, and the corrective measures to restore or replace a broken or lost tooth can be expensive, and likely will need to be repeated over the course of a lifetime.”

According to the study, protruding teeth occur in about 15% of children ages 12-15 in the U.S. and is one of the most common problems treated by orthodontists. Early intervention (before adolescence) is warranted in some cases, say the study’s authors. The AAO recommends that all children get a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7. If a check-up reveals a child will need orthodontic treatment at some point, the orthodontist will be able to recommend the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.

“Protruding front teeth cause other problems for children. The ‘bite’ – the manner in which the upper and lower teeth meet – may be improper, and make it difficult for a child to bite food or to chew properly. The condition can interfere with speech for some individuals. And there’s an emotional toll, too, for children who may be bullied because of their teeth,” says Dr. Poole. “Interceptive treatment addresses the immediate protrusion problem. Parents need to know that most patients will require a second phase of treatment after most or all of their permanent teeth are in to move teeth into their final, optimal positions.”

“Parents should also understand that children go through what we call an ‘ugly duckling’ phase, when permanent teeth begin to emerge and seem too large or appear to be spaced incorrectly,” Dr. Poole says. “Most children will ‘grow into’ their teeth and go through this phase without the need for orthodontic treatment. But for those children whose teeth protrude significantly, I recommend parents take their child to an orthodontist for an evaluation.”

AAO’s Find an Orthodontist service at www.mylifemysmile.org can locate nearby AAO members. Orthodontists are specialists in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of patients who have misaligned teeth and/or jaws. After graduating from dental school, prospective orthodontists are required to successfully complete 2-3 additional academic years of study in orthodontics at an accredited orthodontic residency program. Only those with this level of formal education may call themselves “orthodontists.” Only orthodontists are admitted for membership in the AAO.

*Thiruvenkatachari, Badri; Harrison, Jayne; Worthington, Helen; O’Brien, Kevin. “Early orthodontic treatment for Class II malocclusion reduces the chance of incisal trauma: Results of a Cochrane systematic review.” American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics 2015 July; 148:47-59

Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. and Steven W. Kess, Vice President of Global Professional Relations, Henry Schein, Inc., were recently honored by the Nassau County Dental Society (NCDS) at its 68th Annual Officers’ Installation Gala held in East Norwich, N.Y.

Henry Schein has supported the Nassau County Dental Society for 14 years through Give Kids A Smile (GKAS), a flagship program of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate social responsibility program. Since the program’s inception, launched nationally by the American Dental Association in 2003, Henry Schein has been the Professional Products Sponsor. Through this program and Henry Schein’s partnership with NCDS, Give Kids A Smile has helped more than 15,000 Long Island children receive oral health evaluation and treatment.

Photo caption (L to R): Steven W. Kess, Vice President of Global Professional Relations, Henry Schein, Inc.; Jovanna Little, MS, CFRE, PHR, SHRM-CP, Executive Director, Nassau County Dental Society; Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc.; Michael S. Shreck, DMD, Trustee, New York State Dental Association and Past President, Nassau County Dental Society.

Dr. Brian Schmidt and Dr. Igor Spigelman will focus on the therapeutic utility of recently developed synthetic cannabinoids, which work to relieve the chronic inflammation and neuropathic pain symptoms of oral cancer without “getting high.”

Chronic pain affects more than 50 million adults in the U.S. Upwards of 9 out of 10 cancer patients suffer from pain, with oral cancer ranked consistently as one of the most painful cancers. This chronic pain management represents a major socioeconomic and clinical challenge because the side effects of existing treatments—mainly prescribing opioids—greatly limit their effectiveness, especially over time.

Alternatives to opioid treatment are found in synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids (CBs) which have demonstrated effectiveness in numerous chronic inflammatory and neuropathic disorders in both human and animal models. However, major impediments to the widespread use of CB-based therapies are their psychotropic side-effects, mediated by the activation of central nervous system (CNS) CB1 receptors (CB1Rs).

In other words, cannabis-based drugs work wonders to alleviate chronic pain for patients, but up until now they have come with undesirable psychotropic side effects—patients “get high.”

“We have developed a novel class of drugs, peripherally-restricted cannabinoids (PRCBs), that are free of central nervous system side effects, for treating chronic pain,” said Igor Spigelman, PhD, professor in the Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry. Brian L. Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD professor in the NYU College of Dentistry Department Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and director of NYU’s Bluestone Center for Clinical Research and the NYU Oral Cancer Center, added: “With this funding, we propose to broaden our research to determine the antitumor potential of PRCBs, their effectiveness against cancer pain, and also against chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain.”

The purpose of the five-year, $2,494,784 R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI) is to test PRCBs for oral cancer and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy pain reduction. To this end, the research team proposes three specific aims for their investigations:

1. To examine the efficacy of novel PRCBs against the chronic pain symptoms of oral cancer. The team hypothesizes that cancer pain can be alleviated by decreasing sensory fiber activation and by reducing tumor burden. Molecular and clinical assays will be used to quantify the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of PRCBs. Other experiments will measure the decrement and restoration of orofacial function following PRCB administration. The team will also study the effectiveness of continuous PRCB administration and the possible development of tolerance to the PRCBs for the relief of cancer pain symptoms.

2. To examine the effects of novel PRCBs on proliferation and apoptosis of human oral carcinoma cell lines. Using state-of-the-art sensors which can monitor the reduction in the cancer tumor’s size or rate of growth in real time, the researchers look to measure the dose-response rates of their synthetic cannabinoids being administered.

3. To determine the effectiveness of PRCBs to suppress or prevent the painful symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies (CIPNs) without the psychotropic effects of traditional CB treatment. CIPN is a major side effect of chemotherapeutic agents. The researchers have developed their synthetic cannabinoids which have been shown to suppress CIPN symptoms in male rats via CB1R activation, at doses that produce no CNS side effects, and without development of tolerance to daily dosing. Given potential advantages of PRCBs over brain-penetrant cannabinoids, it is important to test if pretreatment with PRCBs can prevent the development of CIPN.

The research team looks to achieve these aims through the use of innovative and validated operant assays which provide a measure of cerebral processing and orofacial function in mouse oral cancer and rat CIPN models. Gender differences in cancer and CIPN pain sensitivity and their responsiveness to PRCBs will be determined. The researchers note, to their knowledge, that no one has studied gender differences in CBR responsiveness in CIPN. Therefore, putative gender differences in responsiveness to PRCBs in CIPN and their causes must be explored. It is also important to establish dose parameters for continued suppression of CIPN symptoms during continuous PRCB administration. The team will also look at whether PRCBs are more or less effective in reducing oral cancer pain in male versus female mice. While oral cancer pain affects men more often than women, it can be profoundly difficult to relieve in both sexes.

“In order to further characterize PRCBs, we plan to perform pharmacokinetic studies and determine their receptor targets with tissue-specific transgenic mice,” said Dr. Schmidt. “We will be looking at how the synthetic cannabinoid moves through and out of the body, charting the time-course of its absorption, bioavailability, distribution within the tissues, and measuring the body’s ability to effectively metabolize the drug.”

In order to measure potential off-target actions and peripheral side effects of PRCBs, the researchers will use a suite of invasive and non-invasive physiological tools, assessing the potential development of tolerance to PRCBs after chronic administration.

“We are keenly interested to determine if pretreatment with PRCBs may actually prevent oral cancer pain and reduced oral cancer proliferation,” said Dr. Schmidt. “Successful completion of the proposed studies would allow us to translate pre-clinical findings to a clinical trial; thus this work would improve outcomes for cancer patients.”

From a public health perspective, the researchers note that, tragically, approximately half of all oral cancer patients will not be cured with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the US; however, in certain regions of the world it is the most common cancer. The intensity of oral cancer pain escalates with disease progression, and terminal patients generally experience debilitating pain during their final months of life. Currently, there is little that can be done for these patients. The global burden of oral cancer pain is enormous.

Source: New York University

Miami, FL, Feb. 8 2016 -- MIS Implants, a global leader in implant dentistry, announced today a Mini-Fellowship program in implant dentistry which will be held in conjunction with the University of Miami’s Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. The program, which will consist of four modules, will be held at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine with faculty from the school’s Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. The Mini-Fellowship is being sponsored by the Dental Implant Training Center (DITC), a program supported by an unrestricted educational grant from MIS Implants Technologies, Inc.  

The program chair, Dr. Michael Peleg, has held various roles in the University Miami School of Medicine including Professor of Clinical Surgery, Residency Program Director, and Fellowship Program Director.  Dr. Peleg has designed the mini-fellowship program to allow clinicians with limited Implantology experience to gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of implant dentistry including but not limited to: Anatomy, osseointegration, treatment planning, bone grafting, socket preservation, immediate implant placement, sinus augmentation, prosthodontics, occlusion and biomechanics, aesthetics, guided surgery, and complications in implant dentistry. 

The four-module program will be held April 8,9; May 6,7; May 20-21; and June 10-12. All modules will consist of both a didactic portion and hands-on experience. The course will be limited to no more than 15 participants to ensure one on one interaction between the faculty and participants. The Mini-fellowship program is priced at only $5,900, which is a considerable savings from similar programs thanks to MIS’s donation.  

“It’s our policy that we do not profit on education so we are able to offerworld class programs such as the University of Miami Mini-Fellowship at a fair price.  I am really excited to kick-off this program and to continue our long standing relationship with the faculty at the University of Miami Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.” -  Motti Weisman, MIS Implants USA President and Chairman of the Board

For more details regarding registration for the University of Miami Mini-Fellowship contact the DITC: info@ditcusa.com  (201) 710-6321

The DITC also offers a comprehensive set of implant dentistry courses out of its New Jersey offices in Fair, Lawn (easily accessible from NY, NJ, CT, and PA.)  For a list of current courses visit www.DITCUSA.com.

CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital dentistry technology is revolutionizing dentistry, and prosthodontists are poised to lead the way. The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) is leading a two-day "The Power of Digital Design" Digital Dentistry Symposium in Chicago on Feb. 22-23. Now sold out, more than 100 prosthodontists, orthodontists, pediatric dentists, oral surgeons, general dentists, lab technicians, dental hygienists, residents, and dental office staff will be attendance. International attendees from Singapore, Jordan, Australia, and Ireland have registered. Interested parties hoping to attend may contact the ACP at (312) 573-1260 to add their name to a waitlist.

Prosthodontists and the ACP know that digital solutions can significantly improve workflow efficiencies and enhance patient experiences. Since nearly 30,000 oral health professionals flock to Chicago to attend the Mid-Winter Meeting of the Chicago Dental Society, February is the perfect opportunity for the ACP to bring programming on best digital practices to all of dentistry.

"Patients are starting to see how digital dentistry is revolutionizing dental care," said ACP President Carl F. Driscoll, DMD, FACP, who appears in this video about prosthodontists developing digital dentistry curriculum for dental schools, is the co-editor of a recent textbook on the topic, and the co-author of a continuing education article on the topic for Inside Dentistry's January 2016 issue.

According to ACP's Director of Continuing Professional Education Division David L. Guichet, DDS, FACP, CAD/CAM technology is revolutionizing dentistry as we know it. Prosthodontists who have incorporated digital solutions into their practices have found significantly improved workflow efficiency and ease of collaboration with laboratories. Patients treated with digital solutions benefit from the combination of efficient processes, accurate high-strength materials, and beautiful esthetics.

"Prosthodontists offer this two-day symposium to share best practices and lessons learned. Our ultimate shared goal is to improve our patients' oral health outcomes," ACP Immediate-Past President Frank J. Tuminelli, DMD, FACP, added.

This symposium is designed for dental professionals who want to learn state-of-the-art digital solutions for the treatment of restorative patients. Clinicians who want their practices to lead the future of dental care delivery systems are encouraged to attend. Best practices and actual clinical workflows essential to achieving the highest clinical and esthetic results will be showcased. Attendees will receive the latest information on digital treatment technologies ranging from individual tooth restoration to complex reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Private Practice Prosthodontist Dr. Robert Stover of Olympia, Wash., shares how his patients can benefit from digital dentistry's speed, accuracy, and fit.

"I told one of my patients that his new teeth had been around the world and back before they were ready for him to use on dinner, which is entirely possible now," said Dr. Stover. "A scan of the tooth can be encrypted and securely emailed to the laboratory, and for some of our complex cases, the laboratory that can make the restoration is located in another part of the world."

Limitations do exist, however, which is why the ACP Digital Dentistry Symposium is essential learning for prosthodontists and all dentists to share lessons learned, best practices, and opportunities for improvement. For example, an ACP study confirmed that the underlying cause for the unusually slow adoption of digital dentistry isn't the technology or its effect on delivering better patient care. Rather, the slow adoption is due to a lack of understanding of its applications, benefits, and available education and training for its users.

The ACP is committed to advancing the science and study of digital dentistry. The Journal of Prosthodontics, the ACP's official peer-reviewed journal often publishes cutting-edge research on the applications of digital dentistry. Some of the best are collected here. This collection of digital dentistry articles provide a global perspective on clinical applications of digital dentistry, including state of the art techniques used in intraoral optical impressions, and a comprehensive discussion on the use of additive manufacturing technology in fabrication of removable partial dentures.

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 14th consecutive year, Henry Schein, Inc., the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, is joining 26 of its supplier partners to help expand access to oral health care for underserved children in the United States as part of the ADA Foundation's Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program, the largest children's oral health charitable initiative in the world.

Celebrated nationally on the first Friday of each February, and with events taking place year-round, GKAS Day is the result of a public-private partnership between the ADA Foundation, Henry Schein, Colgate-Palmolive, and DEXIS. Henry Schein has served as GKAS's official professional products sponsor since the American Dental Association (ADA) launched the program in 2003 to help raise awareness of the critical need to expand access to oral health care for children in the U.S. Since the program's inception, Henry Schein, together with its supplier partners, has donated more than $14 million in oral health care products used to provide free oral health services for more than 5 million children.

This year, 300,000 underserved children will receive free oral health screenings, education and treatment at 1,500 locations across the country. Care will be delivered by nearly 40,000 dental team volunteers, including more than 10,000 dentists, using supplies from 3,000 kits of essential oral health care products donated by Henry Schein and the Company's supplier partners.

"Henry Schein's commitment to the Give Kids A Smile program grows deeper every year, and the generosity of our supplier partners strengthens our resolve to expand access to oral health care for underserved children," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. "In recognition of the integral link between a person's oral health and their overall health, we will continue to stand with our partners in support of this program. By providing participating oral health professionals with the products needed to provide quality oral health care, we can ensure that each participating child is set on the path to a lifetime of bright and healthy smiles."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dental caries, or cavities, are the most prevalent infectious disease in children in the U.S., affecting more than 40 percent of infants and preschoolers by the time they reach kindergarten and about half of all children from lower-income families. In addition, a study published by The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), the ADA's flagship scientific publication on dentistry, indicates that, while dental caries is a multifactorial disease with many behavioral and community determinants, children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds have a higher average incidence of tooth decay.

"We are so proud of the tremendous success of the Give Kids A Smile program," said Reneida Reyes, D.D.S., M.P.H., President, ADAF. "Over the past 14 years, it has proven to be a great example of how the dental profession—dentists, hygienists, assistants and others—can work together for a great cause. It is also a terrific model for the public-private partnership that Mr. Bergman refers to so often. We are grateful for our national sponsors, Henry Schein, Colgate, and DEXIS for all that they do to help us care for the oral health well-being of these children."

Henry Schein's supplier partners that are supporting the 2016 Give Kids A Smile program through product donations include: 3M; ACTEON Group; Ansell; Axis Dental; Centrix; Coltene/Whaledent, Inc.; Cranberry USA, Inc.; Crosstex; DASH Medical Gloves; DENTSPLY International, Inc.; DMG America; DUKAL Corporation; DUX Dental; Integra Miltex; Medicom; Microflex Corporation; Premier Dental Products Company; KaVo Kerr Group; Sempermed USA; Septodont; Sultan Healthcare; Sunstar Americas, Inc.; TIDI Products; Tuttnauer USA; Water Pik, Inc.; and Young Dental.

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Feb. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Dental Products Company has been a supporter of the ADA Foundation's Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) program since its inception in 2003, and this year's donation of 220,000 applications of Enamel Pro® Varnish and other dental products brings the total value of Premier's donations to the program to more than $2 million.

This year, 300,000 underserved children will receive free oral health screenings, education and treatment at 1,500 locations across the country through GKAS. Care will be delivered by over 40,000 dental team volunteers, including more than 10,000 dentists. Premier has worked closely with Henry Schein, Inc., GKAS's official professional products sponsor since the program's launch, to ensure that these volunteer oral health professionals have the products they need to expand access to oral health care for children in the U.S.

"This milestone underscores Premier's commitment to supporting the volunteer oral health professionals who give so much of their time and talent to delivering quality oral health to underserved children as part of the Give Kids A Smile program," said Julie Charlestein, President of Premier Dental Products Company. "We are proud to partner with the ADA Foundation and Henry Schein, and we look forward to continuing to support this incredible program."

"Thank you to Premier for your steadfast support of the Give Kids A Smile program since the very beginning, and for sharing Henry Schein's commitment to expanding access to care for those in need," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. "This program's success relies largely on the generosity of our supplier partners, and together we are 'helping health happen' for the next generation."

Since the program's inception, Henry Schein— the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners—together with its supplier partners, has donated more than $14 million in oral health care products used to provide free oral health services for more than 5 million children.

"With support from Premier, Henry Schein, and our other partners in the private industry, the Give Kids a Smile Program does more than provide screenings and education," said Dr. Reneida Reyes, President of the ADAF. "It sets these children on the path to a lifetime of good overall health."

SOURCE Premier Dental Products Company