2009 News Archive

New York—The New York Academy of Sciences and Oral Health America will convene a symposium Oct. 16 to focus on oral health and the significant role it plays in the overall health of seniors.

Baltimore—Elza Dunning, former executive director of the Maryland State Dental Association, will serve as the National Museum of Dentistry's interim director during the search for an NMD director.

The ADA is actively promoting best management practices with American dentists that include use of amalgam separators, ADA officials told the Environmental Protection Agency in a letter about their three-party memorandum of understanding.

New policies adopted by Align Technologies, Inc., have spurred sharply worded complaints from ADA members who say the policies are unfair to dentists who use the company's Invisalign system.

Twice-weekly acupuncture treatments appeared to relieve debilitating symptoms of xerostomia among patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, according to a study published online in Head & Neck.

Matsco, the only practice financing company endorsed by ADA Business Resources, is now accepting entries for the 2009 Dental Office Design Competition.

Looking for a new way to train staff in current infection control procedures? The ADA Catalog offers Effective Infection Control, a workbook and DVD that features self-paced learning segments.

Their patients could be little league sluggers or college gridiron stars, Olympic athletes or professional basketball players. But the 164 dental professionals who attended the 2009 Academy for Sports Dentistry Annual Symposium in Chicago May 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago found common ground when discussing topics like dental trauma treatment, on-field injury management, mouthguards and more.

ADA tobacco policy dates from U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry's (M.D.) Smoking and Health report. The 1964 ADA House of Delegates passed a resolution urging dentists to warn their patients about the health hazards of cigarette smoking.

Washington—The U.S. and American Dental Association presidents praised historic legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration new authority to regulate the manufacture, marketing and distribution of tobacco products.

Washington—Three national organizations will be able to reach more children with oral health care screenings, treatment and education as winners of the 2009 ADA Foundation Give Kids A Smile Program Growth Grants.

Growing evidence linking oral infection with human papillomavirus as a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer prompted the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs to approve a new statement on the topic at its April meeting.

For many dentists, figuring out the right words to reactivate a patient or dismiss a difficult one can be a tough task. The ADA offers a solution with Dental Letters Made Easy (Item No. J053.)

Dental students are finding a taste of business management, community service and wet-gloved practice through dental clinics that they themselves manage.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.—Members of the New York State Dental Association have spent the last few months weighing a historic proposal to change the association's governance structure to mirror that of the ADA.

Dentists are pursuing changes in the way they market their practices in response to the recession, findings from the most recent ADA Survey of Economic Confidence show.

There was "a fervor" to get the job done at the second annual EBD Champions Conference last month. That's because when it comes to spreading the word about evidence-based dentistry, there's no better place to start than with dentists themselves.

Philadelphia—The OralLongevity initiative, a joint effort of the ADA, the ADA Foundation and GSK Consumer Healthcare, received the 2009 Shils Award "for its commitment and dedication to improving and maintaining good oral health for older adults throughout their lives."

There's an old saying that practice makes perfect, but after three decades doing dentistry, I've learned one truth: perfection is a noble goal, but far from achievable in private practice. However, I've observed and absorbed several common themes that seem to run through all successful practices in our profession.

The famous Waikiki Shell will become a Polynesian paradise on Friday night, Oct. 2, for those attending the ADA's 150th annual session.

New Orleans—The Family Violence Prevention Fund will hold its fifth National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence Oct. 9-10 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.