Two New Webinars Announced by Core3daCADemy!

Las Vegas, NV – Core3daCADemy™, the educational arm of Core3dcentres®, announced two new Free Webinar Topics to be held in March and April 2016.

While digital technology continues to revolutionize implant dentistry, it doesn’t have to be complex. On March 23rd, join dental technicians from around the world for Core3daCADemy’s “Simple Bar Design in 3Shape” Webinar. Attendees will be taken through actual Overdenture Bar designs with simple step-by-step techniques, applications, and attachments that you can apply in your laboratory immediately. The Webinar will cover:

• The basics of case planning.

• How to fill out the order form – and select the proper implants.

• The importance of getting a good scan - Do’s and Don’ts.

• Selecting from the many different bar patterns in 3shape.

• How to create a custom bar shape in the control panel.

• Bar design essentials, tips and tricks.

• How to apply angled screw channels

• How to select and place a suitable attachment for different applications.

Laboratories of all sizes and specialties can benefit from fabricating this precision work without investing in costly equipment.

On April 20th, Core3daCADemy continues its 3Shape Webinar series with “Order Form Customization in 3Shape”. 3Shape Dental Manager enables laboratories to have a complete overview of the full CAD/CAM order process, driving you through the workflow process from intuitive and effective order creation and management to case scanning and restoration design and completion. Yet, as with everything in Digital Dentistry, details matter.

Webinar Leader Jason Atwood, DT, CDT, Senior Digital Solutions Advisor, Core3dcentres® NA will demonstrate how to maximize your use of the 3Shape Control Panel, changing the settings to customize your order form to make it more efficient and less time consuming. The Webinar will cover:

• A clear understanding of the process workflow.

• The Control Panel architecture and the multiple options of an open system interface

• How to customize your control panel for efficiency.

• How cleaning up your orders tab will lead to better PC performance.

• The control panel settings that will maintain this for you.

• Optimal Design option settings and how they affect your designing.

• How to set your own margin line and die spacer preferences.

• Tips and Tricks on all the “little things” that add up to time saved

• How to customize your order form.

• In house milling settings for outsourcing that benefit your milling center.

All Webinars are offered at the same time on each date: 12:00 Noon EDT 10:00AM MDT 9:00AM PDT. To sign up for these Webinars, please go to www.core3dcentres.com and click on Core3daCADemy, Webinars to view the entire title list. For more information on Hands-on Courses and other aCADemy programs, please contact Emily Bradley, Director at Core3daCADemy™ toll-free at 888-750-9204 or by email ebradley@core3dcentres-na.com.

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - February 04, 2016) - In a new study published by the Journal of Dental Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at 52.79 percent and 51.10 percent respectively, New Mexico and Hawaii have the United States' highest prevalence of periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease.

The study, titled "Predicting Periodontitis at State and Local Levels in the United States," also indicates high prevalence among southeastern and southwestern states, including areas along the Mississippi Delta and the U.S.-Mexico border. The states with the lowest prevalence include Utah (37.69 percent) and New Hampshire (40.51 percent).The areas estimated to have the greatest concentration of periodontitis directly correlate with regions that also see high incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, systemic conditions often associated with periodontitis.

Additionally, the latest findings are in line with early CDC reports that periodontitis disproportionately affects ethnic minorities, tobacco users, those of lower socio-economic status, and those in areas with sparse access to dental care. 

"This is the first study to model the distribution of adult periodontitis in states and local areas in the United States," says Dr. Paul Eke, CDC epidemiologist and lead author of the study. Dr. Eke goes on to say, "We found the estimated geographic distribution of adult periodontitis to be highest among southeastern and southwestern states, with concentrated pockets along the southeast, in the Mississippi Delta, along the U.S.-Mexico border, and among Native American reservations. Given how closely associated the risk for periodontitis is with other chronic conditions, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the prevention and treatment of periodontitis represents an opportunity for dental and medical professionals to work together to improve the public's health."

The figures are the latest reported by the CDC to determine the burden on periodontitis on the U.S. adult population. The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the CDC, which have collaborated since 2003 to determine periodontitis prevalence, have found that nearly half of all U.S. adults age 30 and above have some form of periodontal disease.

"Periodontal disease continues to be a major health concern for people of all backgrounds," says Dr. Wayne Aldredge, president of the AAP. "The AAP is committed to increasing public awareness of periodontal health and will continue to work with allied dental organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies to reduce incidence of periodontitis in the U.S. adult population."

Periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) is caused by an inflammatory reaction to a bacterial infection below the gum line, and it can lead to swelling, irritation, receding gums, and tooth loss if left untreated. The AAP recommends regular flossing, brushing twice a day, and undergoing yearly comprehensive periodontal evaluations for the prevention of periodontal disease, which is treatable and often reversible with proper and timely care from a periodontist.

"Individuals who do not have a periodontist but suspect they may have gum disease should schedule an appointment with a general dentist in their area," Dr. Aldredge says. "General dentists can provide a referral to a nearby periodontist if disease is present."

To learn more about periodontal disease or to find a periodontist in your area, visit perio.org.

In response to the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic, top officials at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced plans to reassess the agency's approach to opioid medications.

"We are determined to help defeat this epidemic through a science-based and continuously evolving approach," Robert Califf, MD, the FDA's Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco, said in a news release. "This plan contains real measures this agency can take to make a difference in the lives of so many people who are struggling under the weight of this terrible crisis."

The plan is further outlined in an article published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Nationally, the annual number of deaths from opioid overdoses now exceeds the number of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents," write Dr Califf and coauthors Janet Woodcock, MD, and Stephen Ostroff, MD, also from the FDA. "Regardless of whether we view these issues from the perspective of patients, physicians, or regulators, the status quo is clearly not acceptable. As the public health agency responsible for over-sight of pharmaceutical safety and effectiveness, we recognize that this crisis demands solutions. We are committed to action, and we urge others to join us."

The multicomponent plan will focus on policies aimed at reversing the epidemic, while still providing pain patients access to effective medication. Specifically, the FDA plans to:

* Re-examine the risk-benefit paradigm for opioids and ensure that the agency considers their wider public-health effects;

* Convene an expert advisory committee before approving any new drug application for an opioid that does not have abuse-deterrent properties;

* Assemble and consult with the Pediatric Advisory Committee regarding a framework for pediatric opioid labeling before any new labeling is approved;

* Develop changes to immediate-release opioid labeling, including additional warnings and safety information that incorporate elements similar to those of the extended-release/long-acting (ER/LA) opioid analgesics labeling that is currently required;

* Update Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy requirements for opioids after considering advisory committee recommendations and review of existing requirements;

* Expand access to, and encourage the development of, abuse-deterrent formulations of opioid products;

* Improve access to naloxone and medication-assisted treatment options for patients with opioid-use disorders; and

* Support better pain-management options, including alternative treatments.

The FDA says they will seek guidance from outside experts in the fields of pain management and drug abuse. The agency has already asked the National Academy of Medicine to assist in developing a framework for opioid review, approval, and monitoring that balances an individual's need for pain control with considerations of the broader public-health consequences of opioid misuse and abuse.

The FDA says it will convene independent advisory committees made up of physicians and other experts when considering approval of any new opioid drug that does not contain abuse-deterrent properties. The agency will also convene a meeting of its standing Pediatric Advisory Committee to provide advice on a framework for pediatric opioid labeling and use of opioid pain medications in children.

The FDA also plans to tighten requirements for drug companies to generate postmarket data on the long-term impact of using ER/LA opioids, an action, they say, that will generate the "most comprehensive data ever collected in the field of pain medicine and treatments for opioid use disorder. The data will further the understanding of the known serious risks of opioid misuse, abuse, overdose and death."

Drug overdose deaths, driven largely by overdose from prescription opioids and illicit drugs like heroin and illegally-made fentanyl, are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States.

"Things are getting worse, not better, with the epidemic of opioid misuse, abuse and dependence," Dr Califf said in the FDA statement. "It's time we all took a step back to look at what is working and what we need to change to impact this crisis."

"Agencies from across the Department of Health and Human Services and throughout the federal government are united in aggressively addressing this public health crisis," US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, said in the news release. "The FDA is a vital component to combating this epidemic, and the innovation and modernization they have committed to undertaking is an important part of the overall efforts at HHS."

Last spring, HHS announced a major initiative to address the opioid abuse epidemic in the US. The initiative focuses on informing opioid prescribing practices, increasing the use of naloxone, and using medication-assisted treatment to move people out of opioid addiction.

The FDA says it will provide updates on progress with the goal of sharing timely, transparent information on a regular basis.

Source: Medscape

Alexandria, Va., USA – The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published an article titled “Predicting Periodontitis at State and Local Levels in the United States” in the OnlineFirst portion of the Journal of Dental Research. In it, the authors estimate the prevalence of periodontitis at state and local levels across the United States by using a novel, small area estimation (SAE) method.

In 2003, in response to the need for state and local assessments of periodontitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a Periodontal Disease Surveillance Initiative with the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) to seek alternative, valid, reliable and less resource-demanding approaches for estimating the prevalence of periodontitis at subnational levels. The initiative explored the use of self-report measures that can be integrated into existing state and local surveys. In the JDR study titled “Predicting Periodontitis at State and Local Levels in the United States,” used measures to estimate the prevalence of periodontitis among adults at state, county, congressional district and census tract levels by using periodontal data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), population counts from the 2010 US census, and smoking status estimates from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2012. The method used age, race, gender, smoking and poverty variables to estimate the prevalence of periodontitis as defined by the CDC and AAP case definitions and aggregated to larger administrative and geographic areas of interest.

Overall, the highest estimated prevalence of periodontitis was observed among southeastern and southwestern states, concentrated in pockets stretching along the Southeast, in the Mississippi Delta, along the US-Mexican border, and among Native American reservations. Other areas with an estimated high prevalence of periodontitis were southern Florida, Hawaii and remote areas of western Alaska. Overall, similar geographic distribution patterns were determined for severe periodontitis.

This study is the first-ever estimation of periodontitis prevalence at state and local levels in the United States, and this modeling approach complements public health surveillance efforts to identify areas with a high burden of periodontitis.

“The authors of the JDR article entitled ‘Predicting Periodontitis at State and Local Levels in the United States’ suggest that information from their study can be used to inform oral health policy decisions and to develop intervention strategies at the state and local levels. We believe the ramifications of this study could increase access to oral health care for populations at higher risk for developing periodontitis,” said JDR Editor-in-Chief William Giannobile.

This study is available online at https://jdr.sagepub.com.

The Foundation's 2016 Grants and Scholarships

Tallahassee, Florida: The Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology (The Foundation) announced the seven grant and scholarship opportunities for 2016. One major change is that the Pillar Scholarship will be offered TWICE. These scholarships offer opportunities to advance within the dental laboratory technology profession. 

Pillar Scholarship – deadline to apply: 3/15/2016 and 9/15/2016

The Pillar Scholarship covers the application and testing fees for a candidate to take the written comprehensive examination, the written specialty examination, and the hands-on practical examination, one time each. The scholarship amount awarded is up to $1,000 per recipient.

Sterngold Grant – deadline to apply: 4/1/2016

The Sterngold Grant will award one (1) school $1,250 in product donation. Products available through this grant include QuickLineTM Line-Term Soft Relining Material, SternTek® Duplicating Material, SternTek® Custom Tray Material (blue or rose), SternTek® Base Plate Material (pink), and InstaGums® Gingival Reproduction Material.

KOIS Center Education Grant – deadline to apply: 4/15/2016

The Kois Center Education Grant will award one (1) seat in the Biomechanics I & II course at no charge. The charge for such a course would typically retail for $9,995.

Keystone Grant – deadline to apply: 10/1/2016

The Keystone Grant will award up to $5,000 to four (4) dental laboratory technology schools that are accredited educational institutions with a dental laboratory technology program or those accredited educational institutions who wish to add a dental laboratory technology program.

PTC John Ness Memorial Education Grant – deadline to apply: 10/15/2016

The PTC John Ness Memorial Education Grant will award four (4) individuals in the dental laboratory field a PTC Ness Academy Hands on Course at no charge. The charge for such a course would typically retail for $3,000.

Fulcrum Grant – deadline to apply: 11/15/2016

The Fulcrum Grant will award four (4) individuals up to $2,500 to supplement expenses related to an approved continuing education program the winner wishes to attend. 

For more information on each grant and scholarship opportunity, please browse under the “Resources” tab on www.dentallabfoundation.org. 

The Foundation would not be able to offer these grants and scholarships without the support of their generous donors. We would like to give a huge thank you to each and every donor for their support and for taking the first step toward securing the future of the profession. To view a full list of Foundation donors, please visit www.dentallabfoundation.org/donors.

The Foundation relies heavily on donations from individuals as well as companies to fund the scholarship and grant programs. Donations are accepted throughout the year. To support the Foundation, please click here.

INDIANAPOLIS -- With support from a 3-year $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's National Dental Practice-Based Research Network, researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Dentistry will conduct an analysis of electronic dental records of patients treated by community dentists across the United States to explore the feasibility of using electronic dental records data for clinical research, with the ultimate goal of improving oral health care nationwide.

For the first time, investigators will use data mined from electronic dental records of thousands of individual dental-practice members of the NIH-supported National Dental Practice-Based Research Network to assess treatment outcomes for posterior composite restorations and for root-canal procedures. Both are tooth-conserving measures. The Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Dentistry researchers will also explore the feasibility of combining data from different electronic dental record systems with their varying formats and operating systems, a process that has proved difficult with electronic medical record systems.

"This work is very timely in terms of the future of patient care. Dental research has not been as robust as medical research. With this study of electronic dental records, that gap will narrow," said Regenstrief Institute investigator Thankam Thyvalikakath, associate professor and director of the Dental Informatics Core of the Indiana University School of Dentistry, the principal investigator on the new grant. "We will be closing the circle between data acquisition and data use at the point of care to ultimately improve clinical practice. This will enable dentists to examine both their recordkeeping practices and clinical outcomes."

Among the de-identified data to be collected will be demographics, reason for visit, medical and dental history, social history, tooth characteristics and treatment, as well as practice and practitioner characteristics.

"Better management and analysis of electronic dental record data are essential to improving the oral health of the public in the digital age," Thyvalikakath said. "With this work, we and other researchers will gain a better understanding of what's going on at the dental offices where most Americans receive care. And if in the future, community dentists can query anonymous data on their patients -- as well as the patients of thousands of other providers -- and search, for example, the long-term success of root canals or how long restorations last, they will have information critical to quality improvement, a goal that all patients support."

Thyvalikakath is the founding director of the IU School of Dentistry's Dental Informatics Core. The core's primary objective is to enhance patient care through improving data capture and documentation, designing clinical systems to support clinicians' and patients' needs, and facilitating communication to promote coordinated care among medical providers.  

"In the emerging climate of 'big data,' this coordinated data mining will be a huge leap forward in dental informatics, enabling us to have access to clinical outcomes that was not possible before," said John N. Williams, dean of the IU School of Dentistry. "The results could affect how we educate oral health care providers in designing the most effective, evidence-based treatments."

The Regenstrief Institute's Center for Biomedical Informatics is focused on the mission "better health through informatics." The center is a global collaborative research-and-learning organization, developing and evaluating innovative informatics solutions.

"This project is another example of groundbreaking research that uses data from electronic patient records to inform what works and what doesn't in clinical practice. The 'Learning Healthcare System' closes the loop between generating and learning from data on a day-to-day basis. I am happy to see Dr. Thyvalikakath help lead that charge in dentistry," said Regenstrief Institute investigator Titus Schleyer, former director of the Institute's Center for Biomedical Informatics.

Source: Regenstrief Institute

Golden, CO. -  In order to continue to provide its partner laboratories with premier outsourcing services, Custom Milling Center will relocate to a new facility February 8, 2016.

The 25,000 square-foot facility provides CMC with the space to expand and optimize its modular workflow. With a streamlined process, CMC’s partner laboratories will continue to be able to take advantage of split-file technology to provide quick turnaround on all materials.

The move allows CMC to continue to offer millable materials, providing partner laboratories the flexibility to confidently meet any prescription without the burden of carrying a large inventory. In addition, the expanded production-area footprint allows CMC to continue to provide complex restorations such as the Pearl Screw Retained Hybrid Bridge and custom titanium bars quickly and cost-effectively.

“Laboratories need an outsourcing partner with the expertise to meet any need at any time,” Tonya Hampshire Director of Sales and Marketing, said. “Our new location confirms our commitment to offer a full range of easily accessible services developed to meet the needs of any size laboratory.”

Nestled at the foot of the scenic Rocky Mountains, the new location also expands CMC’s services with a larger educational facility and better teaching aids. With an expanded catalog of courses, laboratory staff have more hands-on opportunities to perfect skills on the same technology they use in their own laboratories.

A new study from the Forsyth Institute and the Marine Biological Laboratory provides a detailed look at how the microbes in the mouth coexist. Using a novel fluorescence imaging technique and DNA sequencing, the scientists have created a high-resolution map of the bacteria in dental plaque. For the first time, scientists can see where the bacteria are in relation to each other. This research is critical for gaining new understanding of how the bacteria interact and will ultimately clarify their role in health and disease.

This new imaging technique can be used to map and study other human microbiomes -- such as the gut and the skin. In this study, the research team found that bacteria in the mouth form structures (that they termed "hedgehogs"), in which the organization of the bacteria suggest functional roles within the community.

"DNA sequencing does a great job of telling us what bacteria exist in the mouth," said Dr. Gary Borisy, the paper's primary author. "However, it leaves a big gap in our understanding of the microbiome. Without knowing what bacteria are next to each other--who is next to who and who is next to what--how can we possibly understand how they interact? It's like having an index of place names without a map. Our research provides the map, which will allow us to answer important questions about the relationship between the bacteria and the body -- and ultimately help us to understand the effect on our overall health."

The study, titled, "Biogeography of a human oral microbiome at the micron scale," was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) epub January 25, 2016. The research is a collaboration between the Borisy and Dewhirst Labs at the Forsyth Institute and Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Mark Welch at the Marine Biological Laboratory and authored by Jessica L. Mark Welch, Blair J. Rossetti, Christopher W. Rieken, Floyd Dewhirst and Gary Borisy.

Source: Science Daily

Crownbox Celebrates the Launch of Dental Lab Supplies Marketplace

Cupertino, CA: Crownbox.com, an e-commerce marketplace focusing exclusively on the dental laboratory industry, announced today the addition of dental laboratory supplies and equipment to the marketplace. In addition to ordering zirconia crowns, abutments, 3D printed parts, and other milling center items, dental laboratories can now also shop for laboratory supplies and equipment in one place. The platform allows any dental company to list items and services for sale.

Regarding the company's recent launch, Crownbox CEO Alex Frangadakis said, “Our goal is to connect dental laboratories with the best materials, equipment and solutions available for their business. Through improving access to suppliers, manufacturers and milling centers we believe we can help laboratories stay competitive and ultimately elevate the quality of patient care. Dental labs can shop for great deals offered by suppliers around the country on a single website. We believe this solution is long overdue, and we have already begun to see the industry's largest names take interest.” Current suppliers include Elegant Direct, Vitality Milling Center, Ratava Group, Nash Milling Center, Precision Milled Ceramics, and California Dental Arts amongst others.

Crownbox also added enterprise solutions to help both laboratories and vendors better manage their business. These include multi-user management, automatic payment processing, and sales tax calculations.

2016 CDT of theYear

Julio C. Zavala, Master CDT – LSU HSC School of Dentistry, CDL, Metairie,LA

The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology recognizes an individual Certified Dental Technician (CDT) who has made contributions to his/her peers and the dental laboratory profession, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty.

The National Association of Dental Laboratories is a trade association representing dental laboratories. NADL is the unified voice for the dental laboratory industry, supporting the dental profession and serving the public interest by promoting high standards.

Digital pictures areavailable for each award presented at the Vision 21 Meeting in Las Vegas upon request. For more information about the award winners, contact the NADL Office at(800)950-1150.