Americans are still not seeing their dentist as much as they would like. For a second year, dentists topped the list of health practitioners Americans want to see more often, according to a survey from Delta Dental. According to the survey, 42 percent of Americans don't see a dentist as often as they would like, beating out their primary care doctor (29 percent), dermatologist (23 percent) and the ophthalmologist (17 percent).

Perhaps this desire to see the dentist more is because 85 percent of Americans believe that oral health is very or extremely important to their overall health. And while they recognize the importance, only a quarter (25 percent) of Americans are extremely satisfied with the health of their mouth, teeth and gums and another 49 percent are somewhat satisfied. Only 15 percent rated their current oral health as excellent.

The full rankings of health practitioners Americans wish they visited more often, from the 2018 Adult Oral Health Survey:  

"Recognizing the importance of seeing a dentist is a good start," said Bill Kohn, DDS, Delta Dental Plans Association's chair of its Dental Science Committee. "Why not take that next step and make an appointment for a checkup."

Some other dental visit stats:

• 58 percent of those surveyed reported they visit the dentist at least one time per year, down from 62 percent in 2016.

• 52 percent made their most recent appointment for the purpose of having a regular checkup.

• 17 percent made their most recent appointment to have a procedure done.

• 15 percent made their appointment because they were experiencing mouth pain.

About the Survey: The Adult's Oral Health & Well-Being Survey was conducted between December 13th and December 28th, 2017 among 1,008 nationally representative Americans ages 18+, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) has announced William Maixner as the 2018 recipient of the AADR Distinguished Scientist Award. He was recognized at the Association’s 47th Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA, on March 21, 2018, at the Opening Ceremonies. The AADR/CADR Annual Meeting is in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA from March 21-24, 2018.

Maixner is the Co-director for the Center for Translational Pain Medicine, the Joannes H. Karis, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology and the Vice Chair, Research of the Duke University, Department of Anesthesiology Center for Translational Pain Medicine.

After completing his B.A., Ph.D. and D.D.S. at the University of Iowa, Maixner was a research fellow at the National Institute of Dental Research. From 1985-2015, he was faculty at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, rising from Assistant Professor in Prosthodontics to Professor in the Departments of Endodontics and Pharmacology. He also served as Co-director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pain Program, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Dentistry and Director of the Center for Pain Research and Innovation.

He has published more than 200 manuscripts and book chapters and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1986. Maixner considers chronic pain to be a “hidden epidemic” and has campaigned for more research support amongst colleagues, sponsors, health organizations and congressional committees.

“AADR is pleased to present Dr. Maixner with the 2018 AADR Distinguished Scientist Award,” said AADR President Raul I. Garcia. “He is being honored for his exceptional contributions to chronic pain research.”

Every two years, AADR recognizes a distinguished scientist who has contributed outstanding research of particular significance in any of the fields related to oral science. The award recipient receives a monetary award of $5,000, which is generously supported by GlaxoSmithKline.

The 47th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR), in conjunction with the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), will be held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA on March 21-24, 2018. 

The AADR/CADR Annual Meeting will bring dental, oral and craniofacial scientists and researchers from throughout the country and the world to Ft. Lauderdale. Scientist will have the opportunity to present, discuss and critique their investigations. During AADR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, attendees can view posters, oral presentations, Lunch & Learning topics, symposia, hands-on workshops, satellite symposia and three plenary sessions. Delegates can visit the exhibit hall and connect with others during the many networking opportunities. 

The 2018 Distinguished Lecture Series speakers are: Jennifer R. Grandis, Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Associate Vice-Chancellor of Clinical and Translational Research, Director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of California, San Francisco speaking on “Precision Oral Cancer Medicine”( This lecture is sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Dentsply Sirona.); Randolph M. Nesse, Foundation Professor of Life Sciences and Founding Director, Center for Evolution & Medicine at Arizona State University, Phoenix speaking on “Evolutionary Foundations for Dental Research and Practice” and Robert H. Lustig, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Member, Institute for Health Policy Studies at Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco speaking on “Tooth Decay and Liver Decay: The Nexus of Physicians and Dentists.” 

The AADR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition beings on Wednesday, March 21 but pre-conference workshops start on Tuesday, March 20. For more information on the event, please visit: www.iadr.org/2018aaam.

The brilliant white light of the Lumindex 3 LED Transilluminator is ideal for diagnosing tooth fractures, detecting carious lesions and calculus, and locating hard-to-see root canals—all at a price point that is significantly lower than competing units. Simple one-button control delivers a selectable 30,000 or 15,000 lux beam at 5mm. Automatic power compensation circuit provides constant output during the life of the batteries. Lumindex 3 also features a low battery LED indicator, and even turns itself off automatically to conserve batteries. Glass fiberoptic light guide is autoclavable to 273°F. Package includes Lumindex 3 handpiece, standard 3mm light guide, two AAA alkaline batteries, 20 barrier sleeves, and instructions.

For 35 years, Practicon has partnered with dental professionals to advance patient care, increase productivity and profitability, and heighten professional enjoyment by bringing “practical innovations” to dentistry. Practicon’s growing product line ranges from hard-to-find problem solvers to cost-effective everyday supplies. For more information, visit www.Practicon.com or telephone (800) 959-9505.

SafeLink Consulting, a provider of OSHA and FDA regulatory compliance services, has added a new educational online course to their library.  This new course, titled "Workplace Security – Securing your Workplace for Employee Safety," explains the importance of contingency planning, the components of workplace violence, and considerations for lockdown procedures. The importance of workplace security measures keeps employees, equipment, and goods secure and safe. Having the right security measures can deter burglars and prevent other unauthorized persons from entering the property. The presenter of this 1-hour course is Mary Borg-Bartlett, Senior Consultant with SafeLink Consulting. She has over 25 years of experience in risk management and regulatory compliance. Mary is an Authorized Trainer under OSHA’s Outreach Program. She has presented nationally at conferences on the topic of health and safety.

All SafeLink courses are available 24/7 on demand from SafeLink Consulting’s website. Most courses provide continuing education credit. SafeLink Consulting intro videos and online courses can be accessed here: https://www.safelinkconsulting.com/video-library/index.html. Fee: $75 per user access.

Bankers Healthcare Group, the leading provider of financial solutions for healthcare professionals, is releasing six new episodes as part of its Perfecting Your Practice podcast. The series examines ways healthcare professionals and medical practice owners can invest in their careers and practices in order to drive success.

“Podcasts are a great way for healthcare professionals to consume information, and our bite-sized episodes can easily fit into their busy lives,” said BHG Chairman/CEO Al Crawford. “For practice owners looking to improve their business finances, our podcast offers solutions to the common challenges and questions that our customers have.”

BHG launched its podcast series in 2017 with “5 Simple Marketing Tips to Attract New Patients.” Each episode tackles a business finance topic, and breaks it down to be simple, digestible, and applicable:

• Episode 2: “How Much is My Medical Practice Worth?”

• Episode 3: “4 Don’ts of Medical Practice Marketing”

• Episode 4: “Navigating the Medical Practice Lending Landscape”

• Episode 5: “4 Easy Ways to Boost Marketing for Your Medical Practice”

• Episode 6: “Most Important Factors of Medical Practice Finance”

• Episode 7: How to Take Control of Medical Practice Debt”

New episodes are about 12 minutes long and will be released weekly. They are available for listening—along with accompanying downloadable assets, host bios, and full transcripts—at www.perfectingyourpracticetoday.com.

About Bankers Healthcare Group

Bankers Healthcare Group provides innovative, hassle-free financial solutions to healthcare professionals. Since 2001, BHG has provided more than $3 billion in financial solutions to satisfied customers nationwide and worked with over 110,000 practitioners. BHG is proud to maintain partnerships with leading healthcare industry associations, and is continually recognized for innovation, continued growth, and being a best place to work. BHG is partially owned by Pinnacle Financial Partners. To learn more, visit www.bankershealthcaregroup.com. 

Dr. James C. Taylor from Ottawa, Canada became the Academy of Osseointegration’s (AO) newest President at the organization’s Annual Business Meeting as part of its 2018 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

As the Academy’s 32nd President, and the first from Canada, Dr. Taylor succeeds Dr. Michael R. Norton from London, England at the helm of AO.

“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to lead our Academy in its global role of enabling the development, dissemination and application of knowledge in the domain of implant dentistry, for the well-being of our patients,” said Dr. Taylor. “The Academy is a grand constellation of interrelated and interdependent elements, perpetually interacting to create a whole that is so much greater than the sum of its parts, which makes AO the world’s premier international academy in the domain of evidence-based and patient-centred care in implant dentistry.”

As part of his Presidential address, Dr. Taylor outlined his vision for continuing to move AO forward on its robust strategic course and highlighted his upcoming agenda to foster AO’s message of multidisciplinary and evidence-based patient care in implant dentistry around the world.

“I can say from personal experience that it is rare to assume the presidency of an organization that is already on a sound and successful strategic trajectory. This is a trajectory that I had the privilege of helping to shape and implement during the presidencies of my predecessors, and I plan to stay that course during my presidency,” Dr. Taylor continued.

Looking ahead to his year as President, Dr. Taylor indicated that this busy course will include a number of Outreach and Charter Chapter initiatives outside North America, regional meetings within North America, global university programs, AO’s symposiums with the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and the FDI World Dental Federation, the upcoming AO Summit in Chicago, and a continued partnership with the International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants (JOMI).

“My year will culminate in AO’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., the theme for which is ‘Current Factors in Clinical Excellence’ (March 13 – 16, 2019).”

Also as part of its annual business meeting, one AO Director moved up to Treasurer and one new Director was elected. The full 2018 – 2019 Board of Directors serving with Dr. Taylor will be:

Officers

• President-elect: Jay P. Malmquist, DMD, an oral and & maxillofacial surgeon from Portland, OR, USA.

• Vice President: Clark M. Stanford, DMD, PhD, a prosthodontist from Chicago, IL, USA.

• Secretary: Tara L. Aghaloo, DDS, MD, PhD, an oral & maxillofacial surgeon from Los Angeles, CA, USA.

• Treasurer: Amerian D. Sones, DMD, MS, a prosthodontist from Dallas, TX, USA

• Past President: Michael R. Norton, BDS, FDS, RCS (Ed) an oral surgeon from London, England.

Directors

• New Director: Jeffrey Ganeles, DMD, a periodontist from Boca Raton, FL, USA.

• Joseph P. Fiorellini, DMD, DMSc, a periodontist from Philadelphia, PA, USA.

• Jeffrey D. Lloyd, DDS, a general practitioner from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif, USA.

• Jöerg Neugebauer, DDS, PhD, an oral surgeon from Landsberg am Lech, Germany.

• Robert C. Vogel, DDS, a general practitioner from Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA.

• Hom-Lay Wang, DDS, MSD, PhD, a periodontist from Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

“Thank you for the opportunity to lead our Academy, and I look forward to working with you all, and indeed all elements of the grand AO constellation, to shape the present and future of global implant dentistry for the benefit of our patients worldwide,” Dr. Taylor concluded.

For nearly 60 years, Dentsply Sirona has been a partner in the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application Awards (SCADA) program. Launched as a joint venture between the American Dental Association and Dentsply Sirona (then DENTSPLY International) in 1959, SCADA has engaged students to discover the importance of dental research while providing opportunities to advance their skills and careers with the goal of finding inspiring ways to improve dental care. As SCADA Alumni, participants of national and global competitions become part of a global community of professionals with ongoing opportunities among students, dental schools, researchers and clinicians.In 2017, the American Association for Dental Research joined forces with Dentsply Sirona to co-sponsor the SCADA program. Each year, pre-doctoral students from around the world compete at local and national levels in the hope of reaching the final global competition to present their research alongside other winners of national competitions. SCADA now includes programs across 39 countries and nearly 7,500 students have participated in SCADA competitions worldwide.

2018 AADR/ Dentsply Sirona SCADA Awards Program and Reception

On March 21, 2018, the hard work and achievements of the 2018 student clinicians will be recognized at an evening awards ceremony and reception in Fort Lauderdale, FL. “Research is essential for developing the next generation of solutions to deliver quality dental care and ultimately achieve our vision of improving oral health worldwide. I am incredibly proud of the students who participate in SCADA and am excited to acknowledge the winners of this year’s competition,” said Dr. Teresa A. Dolan, Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer with Dentsply Sirona.

A life changing opportunity

The SCADA program has held competitions in Japan since 1995 and last year every dental university in the country participated. The network of alumni in Japan is very connected and their shared experiences manifest the desire to give back by helping younger SCADA participants.

Dr. Naota Kumagai was part of the competition in 2002 and although he didn’t win the national competition, he had the opportunity to travel to the US with the winner. His travels would ultimately have a major impact on his life as he began to consider applying to graduate schools in the US. In 2005, he was accepted into the Tufts University prosthodontic graduate program where he met his wife, a periodontology student from South Korea. The two returned to Japan where they work for the clinic owned by his father, Dr. Takashi Kumagai, who is influential to the equipment business in Japan. The clinic utilizes a treatment philosophy that strongly emphasizes prevention.

The SCADA program has provided a platform and starting point for students to engage in basic and clinical science research activities through competition. Its competitions have helped students to develop professional networks with their peers, advisors, and alumni driving collaboration on both a domestic and international scale.

Whip Mix is pleased to announce Vericore ZR PRO, a new type of zirconia disc that offers the strength of conventional posterior zirconia (over 1,140 MPa) with natural anterior-type esthetics not seen in many anterior zirconia materials. With an optimal Value and high strength, Vericore ZR PRO is ideal in both the anterior and posterior segments of the mouth. The flexural strength combined with excellent esthetics and white and shaded discs in several thicknesses, enable the natural-looking indirect restorative material to comfortably restore teeth from single anterior to multiple-unit posterior bridges, with very satisfying results.

Available through Select Dealers

For more information on Vericore ZR Pro Zirconia discs visit www.whipmix.com

The Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) announced today the launch of Hesy-Re.com, a new web app for dentists and dental professionals looking for new opportunities. Hesy-Re.com, named after the first known dentist in Egyptian history, is more than a job board, it also provides a marketplace for buying and selling dental practices, as well as dental equipment. The web app uses a unique algorithm and ranking system to match dentists, business owners or hiring managers with potential buyers or employees.

Dentists or other prospective buyers can search practice listings based on criteria such as: location, gross revenue, patient count, number of staff members, number of operatories, associateships/direct sales and more. Sellers can also be matched to people who have listed their interest in buying a practice.

“As is true in many industries, we are seeing large numbers of baby boomer generation dentists retiring and looking to sell their practices,” explains Carmelo Cinqueonce, executive director of the Minnesota Dental Association. “This website will make it easier to connect sellers to buyers who are the right fit —streamlining the search process for both parties.”

Hesy-Re.com also allows employers and job seekers to connect based on specific criteria. Job seekers can filter job opportunities by location, job category, specialty, experience level, part-time vs. full-time and more.

Making a career move in the dental industry is an important step for professionals of all ages. To ease the process, Hesy-Re.com also offers subscriptions to email digests so that users can get new matches sent directly to their inboxes. To learn more, visit hesy-re.com.