Malvern, PA (January 26, 2015) – DentalEZ^® Group, a supplier of integrated products and services for dental health professionals worldwide, is pleased to introduce the new DentalEZ^® TruSim^™ Clinical Practice Simulator. Geared towards all dental students, TruSim is designed so realistically that students are able to practice dental procedures as though they are in a true clinical operatory setting, thoroughly preparing them for real-life dental practice.

TruSim is ergonomically designed to minimize motions while promoting correct posture to eliminate common back pain and musculoskeletal disorders. The slim tapered narrow back design provides precise lap positioning of the manikin head and allows easy access to the oral cavity. The unit can be easily positioned for either two- or four-handed dentistry and seamlessly glides from left to right without the need for extra tools. 

TruSim comes in both stationary and mobile versions with a locking base to prevent unwanted movement. The durable powder coated steel construction of the TruSim provides a reliable yet aesthetically pleasing appearance. The unit comes equipped with touchpad controlled handpieces to support easy operation of various air and electric driven handpieces. There are also two ample storage compartments that accommodate a substantial amount of equipment, or users can opt for a single door with optional locks for increased security. 

The TruSim has a flexible position adjustment that spans from 23” to 29” inches in height to accommodate students of all sizes. Sizing in at 15” wide and 37”deep (27” stored), the small footprint of the TruSim makes use and storage quick and efficient. The TruSim can be fully integrated into any Nevin Workstation and conveniently stored in a compact downward position to save space. Moreover, delivery units can be folded and stationed inside the simulator for increased compact storage.

For more information on the DentalEZ TruSim Clinical Practice Simulator, please visit www.dentalez.com.

About DentalEZ^® Group

DentalEZ^® Group is committed to advancing the practice of dentistry through innovative products and services. Encompassing six distinct product brands — StarDental^®, DentalEZ^®, CustomAir^®, RAMVAC^®,NevinLabs^™ and Columbia Dentoform^® — DentalEZ^® Group manufactures everything in the operatory, from handpieces to chairs to vacuum systems to dental simulation models, creating a complete line of products to elevate the health, comfort and efficiency of the dental operatory. For more information, please visit www.dentalez.com.

INTELIHEALTH - People who have lost teeth also are more likely to have metabolic syndrome, says a review of national survey information.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that increase a person's risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. They include: high blood pressure; high cholesterol; large waist size (more than 35 inches for women, more than 40 inches for men); and high blood sugar.

Researchers from the University of Iowa did the study. They used data from a national survey done between 2005 and 2008. They included health information from 5,511 adults.

Adults were put into four groups based on how many of their natural teeth they still had. Wisdom teeth were not counted.

Compared with people who had all of their teeth:

- People with 21 to 27 teeth were 32% more likely to have metabolic syndrome

- People with 1 to 20 teeth were 55% more likely to have metabolic syndrome

- People with no teeth were 79% more likely to have metabolic syndrome

Having fewer teeth was linked with higher body-mass index (BMI), larger waist size, higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar, and lower HDL ("good cholesterol").

Other research has found links between metabolic syndrome and lost teeth. Researchers have not shown whether one causes the other. The two factors may interact with one another. Or something else – such as poor nutrition, for example – could contribute to both metabolic syndrome and tooth loss.

The study appears in the January 9 issue of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

Source: Intelihealth News Service

Improving oral health is a leading population health goal; however, curricula preparing health professionals have a dearth of oral health content and clinical experiences. Funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA), New York University College of Nursing’s (NYUCN) Teaching Oral-Systemic Health (TOSH) Program is working to build interprofessional oral health workforce capacity which addresses a significant public health issue, increases oral health care access, and improves oral–systemic health across the lifespan.

TOSH educators and clinicians have developed an educational and clinical innovation transitioning the traditional head, ears, eyes, nose, and throat (HEENT) examination to the addition of the teeth, gums, mucosa, tongue, and palate examination (HEENOT) for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of oral–systemic health problems. They detail their findings in a paper, “Putting the Mouth Back in the Head: HEENT to HEENOT,” published in the American Journal of Public Health.

“At TOSH, we are challenging the medical profession, including nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, physicians, and physician assistants to ‘Put the Mouth Back in the Head’ by transitioning from the traditional HEENT exam to the HEENOT exam,” said Dr. Judith Haber, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Principal Investigator for the TOSH Program. “Incorporating ‘O’ for oral cavity assessment, adds a comprehensive focus on the oral-systemic history and physical examination of the teeth, gums, mucosa, gums and palate.”

For the majority of primary care providers, the traditional HEENT exam excludes examination of the oral cavity, as well as omitting oral health and its linkages to overall health in the patients’ health history, physical examination, risk assessment and management plan. The HEENOT approach means that educators and clinicians cannot omit oral health from the history and physical examination performed by health professionals.

"The integration of the HEENOT approach in primary care is a simple and effective method to decrease oral health disparities by increasing interprofessional oral health workforce capacity,” said Dr. Erin Hartnett, TOSH Program Director. “The TOSH program, using the HEENOT approach, develops the nurse practitioner, midwifery and medical students' oral health knowledge and clinical practice skills to identify oral problems, educate patients about the links between oral health and their overall health and refer patients to dental providers.

The aim of the TOSH program is develop innovative simulation and “live” interprofessional clinical experiences that focus on oral-systemic health for nurse practitioner, midwifery, medical and dental students. The HEENOT paradigm shift has been a cornerstone of these unique collaborative experiences.

“The TOSH program has dramatically enhanced the interprofessional collaboration between the nurse practitioner, dental, and medical students,” said Dr. Ken Allen, Associate Chair and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care at NYU College of Dentistry. “Working together, they have formed a unique bond while teaching and promoting the concept of including the oral examination as an integral part of every patient assessment, something that was often overlooked in the past."

The TOSH team notes the importance of using the HEENOT approach as an integral component of primary care:

-- Early childhood caries (cavities) are the most common chronic disease of childhood in 5-17 year olds, 5 times more common than asthma

-- Application of fluoride varnish can reduce the incidence of caries in children by up to 50%

-- Oral cancer morbidity and mortality rates have not declined over the past 10 years, at least, in part, related to absent or inadequate oral exams

-- Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with the recent rise in the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer

-- Linkages between diabetes and periodontal disease are established

-- Older adults taking multiple medications for chronic health problems often have xerostomia (dry mouth) increasing their risk for tooth decay and poor nutrition

The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) recent report, Integrating Oral Health and Primary Care Practice, highlights the importance of the primary care workforce developing interprofessional oral health core competencies that increase consumer access to preventive oral health care from multiple non-dental professions including but not limited to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician assistants, and pharmacists.

“NYU Nursing’s innovative partnership with NYU’s College of Dentistry provided a unique opportunity for the TOSH Program to be a strong voice for advancing an interprofessional oral health agenda”, said Dr. Haber. “The exposure to interprofessional oral health HEENOT classroom, simulation, and clinical experiences was associated with increased dental–primary care referrals.”

With oral health becoming recognized as integral to the general health of populations across the life span, clinical education programs preparing the next generation of health professionals can rectify the dearth of oral health content and clinical experiences by adopting the HEENOT approach as a standard component of the curriculum.

Annapolis, MD:January 21, 2015 - The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) announces it has added an office in Atlanta, Georgia. The organization, which is a leading advocate for the safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare, has opened the new office to expand its operations and provide easier access to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the agency charged with health security in the US, and the nation’s source for science-based information on global health threats, disease tracking, infection control guidelines, and public health protection.

OSAP was formed in 1984 to advocate for the safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare. The organization is based in Annapolis, Maryland, but has expanded to include an office in Atlanta, Georgia, to allow the group closer proximity to the CDC.

“We are delighted with the location of our new office,” said Therese Long, executive director for OSAP. “CDC is the epicenter for science-based information on emerging disease threats, new infection control guidelines, public health policy, and other issues directly affecting those involved in the delivery of oral healthcare in the US and around the world. We look forward to continuing and expanding our cooperative efforts to promote the safe delivery of oral healthcare.”

Celebrating 30 years of service to the worldwide dental community, The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is a growing community of clinicians, educators, researchers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare. OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists and toolkits that help dental professionals deliver the safest dental visit possible for their patients.

Clinicians should avoid routine off-label use of certain bone graft substitutes in patients younger than 18 years of age with bone disorders because of the risk for serious injury, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today.

The bone graft substitutes in question contain recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides that mimic natural bone-growth substances. Combined with a carrier or scaffold, these ingredients are implanted in someone to replace or heal an existing bone or to promote new bone growth.

The FDA has approved such bone graft substitutes for orthopedic and dental use in patients 18 years of age and older whose bones have stopped growing. However, the bone graft substitutes have never been approved for a younger population whose skeletons are still developing, the FDA said in a news release, because the extra stimulation for bone growth can lead to serious injuries. The agency noted that it has not reviewed the safety and effectiveness of these bone graft substitutes in patients younger than 18 years.

Despite the FDA's previous regulatory decisions, clinicians use bone graft substitutes incorporating recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides on an off-label basis for patients younger than 18 years. The agency said it has received reports of excess bone growth, fluid accumulation, inhibited bone healing, swelling, and other adverse events in this juvenile population.

These problems occur in older patients, but pose more of a threat to younger ones because of their ongoing bone growth and overall smaller size. For example, the excess bone growth and fluid accumulation that can result from using one of these products in the spine can more easily lead to spinal cord damage in a younger patient than an older one. That is because there is less space between the spinal cord and the surrounding bones in younger patients. Similar adverse events can put harmful pressure on other adjacent tissues and organs.

Before resorting to bone graft substitutes containing recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides in a juvenile patient, the FDA said, clinicians should first consider three other options:

· autograft bone, which is harvested from another part of the patient's body;

· allograft bone, which is transplanted from another person's body; and

· FDA-approved bone graft substitutes that do not contain recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides.

More information on today's announcement is available on the FDA website.

Source: Medscape

A special issue of Nobel Biocare NEWS pays tribute to Per-Ingvar Brånemark, who passed away on December 20, 2014, at age 85. Known as the father of the modern dental implant, Dr. Brånemark leaves a legacy of revolutionizing the fields of dental, maxillofacial, and orthopedic rehabilitation.

Click here to read the special tribute.

In 2014, Dental Learning Systems, a partner of Compendium, launched an ambitious program called “Updates in Clinical Dentistry,” a comprehensive program in contemporary oral healthcare. This series of six live regional continuing education (CE) events offered attendees critical and timely content, networking advantages, and career development opportunities.

More than 1,100 dental professionals registered for these events through CDEWorld.com. Each event was sponsored by a group of partnering companies, including Air Techniques, Brasseler, E4D Dentist, Henry Schein, Kuraray, Planmeca, and VOCO. The goal of these live events was to offer a unique opportunity for career enrichment through networking and continuing education. The average attendance at each program was 185 participants, and each attendee received up to six live CE credits and gained complimentary access to receive up to an additional 12 credits online through CDEWorld.com’s on-demand activities.

Additional courses are planned for 2015. For more information on these events and the topics that will be discussed, visit cdeworld.com/events/regional-events, or contact Elizabeth Weisbrod at 215-504-1275 ext. 218. 

INTELIHEALTH - People who are on dialysis for kidney problems also have poor oral health.

A study done in Romania included 263 people. All of them needed hemodialysis. This process uses a machine to clean the blood. It is given to people whose kidneys are not working well.

Three-fourths of the people in the study had gum disease. In about one-fourth, it was severe.

Compared with those who did not have gum disease, people with gum disease tended to: be older; smoke; have diabetes; and have malnutrition. The research also found that two factors were the strongest contributors to a person's risk of gum disease: smoking and length of time on dialysis.

The researchers measured a blood protein called C-reactive protein, or CRP. High levels of CRP indicate inflammation somewhere in the body. People with severe gum disease had higher levels of CRP.

Other studies have found that people on dialysis have poor oral health.

The study appears in the January issue of the Journal of Renal Nutrition.

Source: InteliHealth News Service

Geneva, 19 January 2015 - As World Oral Health Day (WOHD) 2015 approaches, FDI World Dental Federation is advising people to consider the impact of frequent sugar consumption on their ‘Smile for Life.’ Dental caries is the most common non-communicable disease in the world. Research has demonstrated that sugars are the main cause of tooth decay (holes in your teeth). When you eat or drink something sugary, the bacteria in the plaque (the sticky film that keeps forming on your teeth) feeds on the sugar and releases acid that attacks teeth for about one hour. Frequent consumption of sugar allows prolonged acid “attacks,” weakening the protective outer layer of the teeth.


Speaking about this process, Dr. Jaime Edelson, Chair of the FDI World Oral Health Day Task team, commented: “Sugar reacts with bacteria in the mouth, which together form an acid that damages the enamel. When this keeps happening, a hole is formed in the tooth, which then requires filling and may over time lead to an extraction. By paying close attention to how often we are consuming sugary foods and drinks, the number of acid attacks on our teeth can be reduced.”

WOHD is an opportunity for FDI to draw attention to proven oral care behaviours that people can adopt to protect their teeth –for life. These include brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cutting down consumption of sugary foods and drinks between meals and chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks when on-the-go and brushing is not feasible.

FDI supports the World Health Organization’s guidelines on reducing sugar consumption, based on evidence of its association with dental caries and obesity.

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To help protect against potentially unsafe dental products entering the marketplace, Patterson Companies, Inc. has announced that it is formalizing its efforts to promote supply chain integrity for its dental customers. The company’s program will assure that products distributed through its Patterson Dental business are sourced directly from the manufacturer – and not through channels carrying deeply discounted gray market products, which are frequently the same channels carrying counterfeit or other black market products.

“We have worked hard for years to ensure the highest integrity of our supply chain, and we hope that the rest of the dental supply industry will show a similar commitment to secure their own supply chains,” said Scott P. Anderson, Patterson Companies’ chairman and chief executive officer. “We know that this is an issue within our industry and are concerned about the potential problems that could result if it isn’t addressed. Given the potential for dentists to unknowingly purchase counterfeit or dangerous products, we believe that this is a very important matter. Among our highest priorities are our customers’ reputation and their patients’ safety.”

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the term “gray market” generally refers to products that are sold outside the established distribution chain, typically at a deeply-discounted price (eg, products intended to be sold abroad, but instead imported and sold in the US). Such products may – or may not – satisfy FDA-related requirements, or other applicable laws and regulations. A significant concern is that products available on the gray market are often indistinguishable from defective or counterfeit “black market” products that travel through those same distribution channels. Such products may have been diverted from planned destruction or even have been recalled. Customers cannot be confident that products purchased through the gray market are genuine, safe or have been handled appropriately.

“The program that we will put in place is designed to help protect our dental customers and their patients from products that may be potentially unsafe,” said Paul Guggenheim, president of Patterson Dental. “By further reinforcing the integrity of Patterson’s supply chain, we can safeguard against the distribution of products that may be unsafe, have been mishandled or are illegal. As a result of our efforts, and as their trusted partner, our customers will know that Patterson Dental is providing them with products that come directly from the manufacturer or its authorized distributors. We are proud to continue to deliver on our commitment to customers and their patients.”