Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced nearly $156 million in funding to support 420 health centers in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to increase access to integrated oral health care services and improve oral health outcomes for Health Center Program patients.

This funding enables health centers to expand integrated oral health care services and increase the number of patients served. With these awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), health centers across the country will increase their oral health service capacity by hiring approximately 1,600 new dentists, dental hygienists, assistants, aides, and technicians to treat nearly 785,000 new patients.

“Oral health is an important part of our overall physical health and well-being,” said Secretary Burwell. “The funding we are awarding will reduce barriers to quality dental care for hundreds of thousands of Americans by bringing new oral health providers to health centers across the country.”

Oral health problems can be a sign of illness elsewhere in the body. Additionally, lack of access to preventive and routine dental care for underserved populations can result in dental conditions requiring more costly emergency dental treatment.

“HRSA will continue to explore ways to further integrate oral health services within primary care settings, and increase awareness of the connection between oral health and overall health,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Jim Macrae.

Today, nearly 1,400 health centers operate approximately 9,800 service delivery sites in every U.S. state, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin; these health centers employ more than 170,000 staff who provide care for nearly 23 million patients. In 2014, health centers employed over 3,700 dentists, more than 1,600 dental hygienists, and over 7,400 dental assistants, technicians and aides. They served about 4.7 million dental patients and provided nearly 12 million oral health visits.

To view the list of the awardees, visit https://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/oralhealth/fy16awards.html

To learn more about HRSA’s Health Center Program, visit https://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html

To find a health center in your area, visit https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

DALLAS, June 15, 2016 -- People who have had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as angioplasty, for acute coronary syndrome could be at higher risk of death, heart failure, heart attack and stroke if they have sleep-disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Acute coronary syndrome, is an umbrella term for conditions in which the blood supplied to the heart is suddenly blocked. Doctors reopen blocked arteries by threading a catheter through the femoral artery in the groin or the radial artery in the wrist in a procedure called PCI or angioplasty.

"Sleep-disordered breathing, which includes snoring and sleep apnea, has long been recognized as an important risk factor for heart disease. However, there is limited awareness of sleep-disordered breathing among cardiologists who care for PCI patients," said Toru Mazaki, MD, study author and chief physician of the Department of Cardiology, Kobe Central Hospital, Kobe, Japan.

Researchers studied 241 patients (average age 64) with acute coronary syndrome, who were in the hospital after successful PCI. Researchers monitored patients' breathing overnight and followed the patients' health for an average 5.6 years, tracking deaths, strokes, recurrent acute coronary syndromes and hospital admissions for heart failure.

They found:

• 52.3% had sleep-disordered breathing.

• 21.4% of those with sleep-disordered breathing had major cardiovascular events.

• Only 7.8% of those without sleep disordered breathing had major cardiovascular events.

In the entire study group, the cumulative event-free survival was significantly lower in patients with sleep-disordered breathing than in those without it.

"Our findings suggest that sleep-disordered breathing is an important risk factor for stroke, heart failure and more after PCI for acute coronary syndrome," Mazaki said. "Doctors and patients should consider sleep studies post-PCI to rule out sleep-disordered breathing or take necessary precautions to restore healthy breathing during sleep."

The study was relatively small and conducted at one center. Researchers detected sleep-disordered breathing using the simple method of portable cardiorespiratory monitoring, rather than a fully equipped sleep lab.

Researchers suggest that detecting sleep-disordered breathing should be included into the routine clinical care of hospitalized patients following acute coronary events and angioplasty.

"It may not be feasible for all patients to undergo a fully-equipped sleep study following acute coronary syndrome," Mazaki said. "Randomized clinical trials with a larger number of patients will provide further information."

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA – May 30, 2016 – Septodont announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the change of the minimum age for OraVerse (Phentolamine Mesylate) from 6 years old to 3 years old.  The approval came as the result of a Phase IV, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study for the safety and efficacy of OraVerse in Pediatric Patients ages 3 – 5. 

OraVerse (Phentolamine Mesylate) is the first and only product to rapidly reverse the lingering numbness of the lip and tongue from local dental anesthetic. OraVerse is administered by the dentist immediately following routine procedures such as a filling or crown prep. Busy people who need to return to their jobs, kids who tend to chew their numb lips and cheeks, and diabetics who need to eat following a procedure are the types of individuals who can benefit greatly from OraVerse.

OraVerse is manufactured by Septodont and is available for purchase through a dental dealer.Septodont is a dental pharmaceutical company that specializes in innovative, safe and effective solutions for dentistry worldwide.

PREAT Corporation announced that the new PREAT App is now available for iPhones in the Apple iTunes store. The iPhone app has PREAT's entire catalog of implant parts and attachments for identification and purchase, troubleshooting tips, implant identification, and a direct chat line to Preat senior technicians. The most widely used feature of the App is expected to be the "direct upload of pictures" for identification of implants and attachments. The app is now available for free download. 

Drinking piping hot coffee, tea and the caffeine-infused beverage yerba mate probably causes cancer, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday.

Beverages surpassing 149 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) may increase the risk of tumors in the esophagus, which resides in the chest area below the throat, according to USC’s Mariana Stern and 22 other scientists from 10 countries. They met at the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, in May to determine if drinking coffee, mate or other very hot beverages causes cancer. Their results were published in the journal Lancet on June 15.

“Enjoy your coffee or mate, but make sure it’s not very hot,” said Stern, an associate professor of preventive medicine and urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “There is physical evidence that very hot beverages can contribute to cell injury in the esophagus and thus contribute to cancer formation.”

The group scoured more than 1,000 studies on over 20 different types of cancer. The scientists concluded drinking any beverage hotter than 149 degrees Fahrenheit is “probably carcinogenetic to humans,” placing scalding hot drinks in the same category as DDT, frying food at high temperatures, consumption of red meat and the human papillomavirus.

According to the National Coffee Association, coffee waiting to be served should sit at 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit (82-85 degrees Celsius). That’s around the temperature McDonald’s restaurants served coffee before a well-known lawsuit prompted the fast food chain to sell coffee at a temperature of 10 degrees lower – still far above what the researchers consider safe.

In the United States, the average coffee drinking temperature is around 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). The temperature varies between 99-190 degrees Fahrenheit (37-88 degrees Celsius), Stern said.

“We were now able to evaluate more carefully the effect of mate itself from the effect of temperature, and we concluded that the observed links between mate drinking and cancer of the esophagus seem to be largely driven by drinking mate very hot,” Stern said. “Similar associations are seen for other very hot beverages, like tea or coffee.”

Stern and her colleagues noted that drinking yerba mate at very high temperatures – between 150 and right below the boiling point of 212 degrees Fahrenheit (66-100 degrees Celsius) – is common practice in certain countries in South America, including Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

SafeLink Consulting to Present Live Webinar July 14, 2016

SafeLink Consulting, provider of OSHA and FDA regulatory compliance services for dental practices and dental laboratories, will present a live webinar on July 14, 2016, 10am PT / 1pm ET.  SafeLink Consulting vice president and senior consultant Gary Morgan, CDT, will present Bloodborne Pathogens: Re-examining your Exposure Controls.  Morgan is an Authorized Trainer under OSHA’s Outreach Program, an ASQ-Certified Quality Auditor, an authorized DAMAS consultant and DAMAS certification auditor.

This presentation will address OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard (BPS) which sets out the requirements for protecting workers from potentially infectious items.  Employers are responsible for preventing and controlling infectious diseases and managing personnel health and safety concerns related to infection control in the workplace.  This course will examine the components of the Exposure Control Plan which must be established to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.  Details of work practices, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment will be discussed to help employers re-examine the effectiveness of their Exposure Control Plan. 

Course provides one hour CE credit for: NBC Regulatory Standards and FL Office of Dental Laboratories General credit. 

Registration for this webinar is available at: https://www.safelinkconsulting.com/live-webinars.html . 

Fee: $75 per attendee.

Newswise — Pittsburgh (June 11, 2016) — More than 2,000 individuals gathered in Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 8-14, 2016, for the 2016 American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Center for Lifelong Learning at the 93rd Annual Session. The ADHA is proud to announce its various award winners from this year’s event — awardees who epitomize the commitment and professionalism of those involved in the field of dental hygiene, and who are dedicated to improving the public’s oral and overall health.

Below are the 2016 award winners:

ADHA Award for Excellence in Dental Hygiene (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). The winners of these awards personify what those in the dental hygiene profession strive to exemplify to their patients, communities, and the world through a career dedicated to improving oral and overall health.

* Winner: Karen Leigh Neiner, RDH, BSDH, MBA; Chicago, Ill.

* Winner: Olga A. C. Ibsen, RDH, MS, FAADH; Bronxville, N.Y.

Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award (sponsored by Hu-Friedy). Awarded to a dental hygienist demonstrating leadership within five years of graduating from a dental hygiene program.

* Winner: Laura A. Smith, RDH, BS; Sykesville, Md.

Irene Newman Award (sponsored by Colgate). Awarded for outstanding advancement of the art and science of dental hygiene.

* Winner: Jacquelyn L. Fried, B.A., RDH, MS; Baltimore, Md.

Alfred C. Fones Award. Awarded for lasting contributions to the dental hygiene profession over the last 25 years.

* Winner: Karen O. Skaff, REDH, Ph.D.; Nicholasville, Ky.

Colgate/ADHA Community Outreach Award. This award honors components that have implemented significant community outreach programs that focus on preventive oral health care.

* Winner: Joan E Wood, RDH, Founder & Director of Supply A Smile; Canandaigua, N.Y.

Student Member Community Service Award (sponsored by Colgate). This award recognizes a student member chapter that has demonstrated outstanding community service activities.

* Winner: SUNY Broome Community College; Binghamton, N.Y.

Crest Oral-B/ADHA Award for Clinical Dental Hygienists. This award acknowledges the contributions dental hygienists make in their patients’ lives, particularly when it comes to the impact of patient education and the critical role oral health plays in total health.

* Winner: Danielle Pietraszewski, RDH; Berkley, Mich.

Crest + Oral-B/ADHA Educator of the Year. Awarded to an educator who demonstrates excellence in teaching, mentoring and helping students achieve their goals.

* Winner: Winnie Furnari, RDH, MS, FAADH; Yonkers, N.Y.

ADHA Sigma Phi Alpha Journalism Award (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). This award recognizes one student at the baccalaureate level, and another at the master’s level. These students have written a review or original research paper that contributes to dental hygiene’s overall body of knowledge and meets the rigorous quality standards of the ADHA’s Journal of Dental Hygiene.

* Master’s/Doctoral Category: Dina M. Canasi, DHSc, MSDH, RDH; Tampa, Fla.

Hu-Friedy/ADHA Master Clinician. Awarded for the demonstration of expertise in bringing clinical practice and patient education together.

* Winner: Melissa A Obrotka, RDH, BA; Highland Lakes, N.J.

Newswise — Pittsburgh (June 14, 2016) — Today during the American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (ADHA’s) 2016 Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL) at the 93rd Annual Session (AS), Betty Kabel, RDH, BS, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. was installed as the organization’s 2016-17 President, along with the ADHA’s new slate of officers for the upcoming 2016-17 year.

“It is truly an honor to represent my colleagues in the coming year,” said Kabel. “I look forward to collaborating with all those in health care as we strive to do what's best for the patients we serve.”

A member of the ADHA since 1992, Kabel has served in leadership positions at the local, state and national levels. She was the original founder of her local component, the Emerald Coast DHA, in 1998. In 1997-1998, Kabel was named president of the Florida Dental Hygiene Association (FDHA), and she served as the organization’s legislative chair from 1998 to 2012. Kabel served as District IV trustee from 2012 to 2014, and has been a member of the ADHA Executive Committee since 2013. She also served as the board advisor to the Council on Education from 2012 to 2014.

Kabel attended Florida’s Pensacola Junior College, earning her Associate of Science degree in dental hygiene in 1987. She then graduated with honors in 1993 from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in program development.

Currently, Kabel manages a dental outreach program for a federally qualified health center in Florida, a center where she developed and implemented a school-based prevention program that provides preventive services and dental outreach to elementary school children. Previously, she was an adjunct faculty member at Pensacola Junior College and professional educator with Philips Oral Healthcare. She has been honored several times for her effort to improve oral and overall health, including the FDHA Distinguished Service Award in 2013, as well as the ADHA Discus Dental Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

Kabel succeeds Jill Rethman, RDH, BA, of Prescott, Ariz., as president. Rethman will remain an ADHA officer, serving both as ADHA immediate past president as well as the 2016-17 chair of the ADHA Institute for Oral Health.

Additional ADHA officers newly installed at the ADHA’s 93rd Annual Session include: Tammy Filipiak, RDH, MS, of Mosinee, Wis., president-elect, and Michele Braerman, RDH, BSDH, Fallston, Md., vice president. Individuals remaining in their positions included Treasurer Donnella Miller, RDH, BS, MPS, of Clarksville, Tenn., and speaker of the house is Carolyn Roberton, RDH, BSDH, of Auburn, Wash.

The newly installed district trustees for 2016-17 are as follows: 

Vickie Nardello, RDH, MS of District II (Conn., N.J., N.Y., Pa.)

Dawn Ann Dean, RDH, MSDH of District III (Del., D.C., Md., Va., W. Va.)

Annette Lincicome, RDH, MSDH of District XII (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nev., Ore., Wash.)

District trustees returning in 2016-17 are as follows: Peter Gangi, RDH, BS Ed, of Methuen, Mass., District I (Maine, Mass., N.H., R.I., Vt.); Jessica Kiser, RDH, BS, MS, of Castle Hayne, N.C., District IV; Sharlee Burch, BSDH, MPH, EdD, of Lexington, Ky., District V (Ind., Ky., Mich., Ohio); Diana Saylor, RDH, of Nashville, Tenn., District VI (Ala., Ark., La., Miss., Tenn.); and Matt Crespin, RDH, MPH, of West Allis, Wis., District VII (Minn., N.D., S.D., Wis.); Lisa Moravec, RDH, MS, of Scottsbluff, Neb., District VIII (Ill., Iowa, Kan., Mo., Neb.); Valoree Althoff, RDH, BS, of Farmington, N.M., District IX (N.M., Okla., Texas); Barbara Dixon, RDH, MEd, of Salt Lake City, Utah, District X (Colo. Mont., Utah, Wyo.); and Lin Sarfaraz, RDH, of Fullerton, Calif., District XI (Ariz., Calif.).

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, June 14, 2016–Ultradent Products, Inc., has announced they will donate 5% of the company’s U.S. sales on Thursday, June 16 and Friday, June 17, up to $30,000, to the Equality Florida’s Pulse Victims Fund following the tragic massacre this past Sunday morning in Orlando.   

Of the violent attack—which claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 53 others before law enforcement fatally shot the attacker—Dr. Fischer, founder and CEO of Ultradent said, “Once again, we are reminded that we are a country at war. But this terrorist upped the ante by targeting a group of our fellow Americans who bring no oppression to others. They are our sons and daughters who are simply singled out, oppressed, even persecuted simply because of who they are. This is so wrong! This is NOT what America is about! We must band together as Americans and do everything in our power to counter such craziness, be it here at home, and/or by extremists anywhere who preach and enact hate against all others.”

He went on to say, “The victims are our sons, daughters, and family members at all levels. Our hearts and prayers are with them.”

Last, Dr. Fischer, in his statement called for appropriate action to be taken by our nation’s top government officials, quoting Albert Einstein in saying “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”

He concluded by calling back to Ultradent’s Core Values, encouraging all people to “have courage and do the right thing!”

Showing one of Ultradent’s Core Values, Care, the company frequently donates to the Utah Food Bank, to various national and international dental humanitarian missions, and has made significant donations to national and international disaster and crisis victims, including Typhoon Haiyan, Hurricane Sandy, the Haiti Earthquake, flooding in Japan, and the recent earthquake in Ecuador. 

Research has found an association between e-cigarette use in adolescents and the subsequent use of cigarettes, but according to a study published in the July 2016 Pediatrics (published online June 13) adolescents who report e-cigarette use had more than six times the odds of initiating cigarette use in early adulthood than those who had never vaped.

The findings suggest that e-cigarette use may increase the risk of smoking during the transition to adulthood when smoking becomes legal (at age 18). Researchers evaluated 149 e-cigarette users in 11th and 12th grades and matched them with 154 who had never used e-cigarettes, all of whom filled out questionnaires about their nicotine use. Those who reported vaping were 6.17 times more likely to report initiating smoking an average of 16 months later.

Interestingly, stronger associations between vaping at an earlier age and later smoking in participants who reported no intention of smoking suggests that e-cigarette use was not simply a marker for individuals who would have gone on to smoke regardless of e-cigarette use. Researchers concluded that follow-up is required to determine if e-cigarette use among the young—where vaping has become popular—will eventually lead to more established smoking patterns and increases in the diseases associated with smoking.