A crowd of almost 20 members of the local community filled the Meadville Area Water Authority conference room Monday night when a group of local residents organized under the name Community Initiative for Improved Dental Health presented a plea for what they described as “optimal fluoridation of the Meadville community water system.”  Read more.

The nation’s leading organization of dentists today announced a nationwide campaign aimed at boldly addressing the dental health crisis in the U.S. The American Dental Association (ADA) campaign – Action for Dental Health: Dentists Making a Difference – aims to reduce the numbers of adults and children with untreated dental disease, through oral health education, prevention and providing treatment now to people in need of care.  Read more.

Dr. Hoffman said the PDA will  continue to push to improve access to quality dental services for all  Pennsylvanians. Hoffman noted that PDA is urging state lawmakers to  reinstate funding for the Donated Dental Services Program, which  connected the state’s most vulnerable citizens with dentists who  voluntarily treated their oral health needs. This funding that was  significantly cut in 2009 provided for two program coordinators who are  needed to facilitate the program statewide.  Read more. 

Every surgeon general for the past 50 years has endorsed community water fluoridation of community water supplies as a safe and effective weapon in the war against tooth decay.  Recently, Dr. Regina Benjamin endorsed fluoridation at the opening ceremony ofthe National Oral Health Conference in Huntsville, AL.  Read more.

Tooth decay can have a far-reaching effect on a child's life.  Untreated decay can cause pain and infection that may lead to difficulty eating, speaking, socializing, and sleeping and to poor overall health.  Read more.

The 2011 Pulse of Pennsylvania's Dentist and Dental Hygienist Workforce report. Read more.

Dr. Howell recommends replacing the brush every three to four months as a guideline. "I like to mark my new brushes with a date," she says. On the flip side, if your brush isn't looking used in four months, you may not be brushing long enough. Two minutes is the recommended time for a thorough cleaning and for fluoride uptake by enamel. Children, who seem to abuse these oral tools, may need their brushes changed more frequently.

To read more, visit The Wall Street Journal.

Portland, Ore. is the largest U.S. city without fluoridation and are starting to rethink original opinions that fluoridation is unsafe and violates an individuals right to consent to medication. However, facts are being presented that fluoridating water is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay and other serious oral health complications.

Click Here to learn more on how this affects Portland and its residents.

An overwhelming number of pregnant women currently do not seek dental care because they are unsure of the affect it has on their pregnancy, but also, many dentists are reluctant or refuse to treat pregnant patients.

Policy makers can do something about it. Click here to learn more.

The advertisments are directed towards parents emphasizing that four minutes is not a huge time committment but can really save the child pain and complications in the long run if they take care of their teeth now.

The New York Times shares specifics on the different ads featured in this campaign.

Click here to read the full report.

THE HHS is hosting a webinar on Monday, August 20 at 12 noon ET to discuss the realities of oral diseases.  Dr. Howard Koh will shed light on how these diseases can be prevented by increasing access to regular dental care.

Click here for more information.

Discussion over adding fluoride to West Manheim Township's water has not yet washed away.

After voting once to ask the York Water Co. to remove fluoride to the township's water, then voting again to ask that the first recommendation be ignored and fluoridation continued, the township's Board of Supervisors heard a motion on Tuesday to cast yet another vote on the matter.

The motion, which was made by Supervisor Marc Woerner, followed a report to the board by township resident Bob Dean, who said he went door-to-door to about 100 homes in the township to conduct a random survey about fluoride.

To read more, click here.

An estimated 16.5 million children go without dental care each year. States play a key role in ensuring that low-income children have access to basic, preventive dental care. A new report, The State of Children’s Dental Health: Making Coverage Matter, finds that more than half of states are doing a poor job.

To read more, visit ilikemyteeth.org

To watch, view here.

The township voted 4-1 Thursday night to require York Water Company to continue fluoridating its supply, reversing an earlier decision. West Manheim is the only municipality York Water Company services that receives fluoridation.

To read more, visit Pennlive.com

The township supervisors voted 4-1 Thursday night to ask York Water to withdraw the township's April 5 request to discontinue the practice of adding fluoride to the township's drinking water, and replace it instead with a request to lower fluoridation levels in the township from 1 ml/L to 0.7 ml/L, the level currently recommended by the federal government.

To read more, visit Pennlive.com

There are numerous studies that confirm that a low dose of fluoride in the drinking water significantly decreases the rate of tooth decay in young children. There are also several studies that demonstrate the the decay rate increases when the fluoride is removed.

To read more, visit Pennlive.com

In September, the Corbett administration reduced coverage for Pennsylvania’s two million adult Medicaid patients to only having basic dental care, eliminating root canals, periodontal disease work and limiting the numbers of dentures a patient can receive. The plan now only covers cleanings, fillings and extractions.

To read more, visit EssentialPublicRadio.org

To find out more, or download the app, visit BrushDJ.com

Almost three-fourths of U.S. residents who receive water from community water systems—about 204 million residents—now receive fluoridated water, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To read more, visit ADA.org

This summer, as chairman of the subcommittee on primary health and aging, Senator Bernie Sanders began preparing for a hearing on “The Dental Crisis in America,” which will be held this Wednesday.  Part of that effort involved soliciting stories from his constituents and Americans across the country about their experiences with access to affordable dental care. He received over 1,000 responses.

For more information, please visit TheNation.com

In the surgical wing of the Center for Pediatric Dentistry at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Devon Koester, 2 ½ years old, was resting last month in his mother’s arms as an anesthesiologist held a bubble-gum-scented mask over his face to put him under. The doctors then took X-rays, which showed that 11 of his 20 baby teeth had cavities.  Then his pediatric dentist extracted two incisors, performed a root canal on a molar, and gave the rest fillings and crowns.

To read the rest of the article, visit NYTimes.com

Already stressed state budgets are shouldering an extra burden to cover expensive emergency room (ER) treatment for toothaches and other avoidable dental ailments, according to a new report by the Pew Center on the States. A Costly Dental Destination estimates that preventable dental conditions were the primary reason for 830,590 ER visits by Americans in 2009—a 16 percent increase from 2006. Pew concludes that states can reduce hospital visits, strengthen oral health and reduce their costs by making modest investments to improve access to preventive care.

To read more, visit pewcenteronthestates.org

A fluoride program to fight tooth decay in needy preschoolers is now a regular part of the Allegheny County Health Department's dental program.

The pilot project, completed last year with a $62,000 grant from the Highmark Foundation, provided more than 1,000 preschool children in 38 Head Start sites with free protective fluoride varnish applications, department officials said.

Read the rest of the article at PittsburghLive.com

I admit to being jealous of my sons for growing up in a time when vaccines spared them miseries like the measles, mumps and polio scares that marred my childhood. But I’m most envious of their freedom from the dental decay that forced me to spend countless miserable hours with my mouth propped open while the dentist did his best to stay on top of rapidly rotting teeth.

By my mid-20s, I had already lost one molar and all four wisdom teeth, and every remaining molar had been restored with fillings.

It’s not that I failed to brush my teeth or that I noshed constantly on sweets. It’s that my teeth lacked the protection of fluoride, which was introduced to New York City’s water supply in 1964, five years before my twin sons were born but 23 years too late for me.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls fluoridation one of the 10 most valuable public health measures of the 20th century. In the early years, rates of tooth decay among the young dropped by 60 percent in communities that adopted fluoridation. My sons, who consumed fluoridated water in reconstituted milk and orange juice as well as in tap water, completed childhood with not one cavity.

Read the rest of the article at The New York Times

I admit to being jealous of my sons for growing up in a time when vaccines spared them miseries like the measles, mumps and polio scares that marred my childhood. But I’m most envious of their freedom from the dental decay that forced me to spend countless miserable hours with my mouth propped open while the dentist did his best to stay on top of rapidly rotting teeth.

By my mid-20s, I had already lost one molar and all four wisdom teeth, and every remaining molar had been restored with fillings.

It’s not that I failed to brush my teeth or that I noshed constantly on sweets. It’s that my teeth lacked the protection of fluoride, which was introduced to New York City’s water supply in 1964, five years before my twin sons were born but 23 years too late for me.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls fluoridation one of the 10 most valuable public health measures of the 20th century. In the early years, rates of tooth decay among the young dropped by 60 percent in communities that adopted fluoridation. My sons, who consumed fluoridated water in reconstituted milk and orange juice as well as in tap water, completed childhood with not one cavity.

Read the rest of the article at The New York Times

Silicon Valley's largest drinking water provider took the first steps Tuesday toward adding fluoride to the drinking water in most of Santa Clara County, including San Jose, the largest city in the nation without the cavity-battling additive.

After a lively 90-minute debate at a packed meeting, the board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District voted 7-0 to put the district on record supporting fluoridation.

During the meeting, critics told the board that fluoride has no health benefits, is costly and can lead to problems such as fluorosis -- a pitting of the teeth. But supporters outnumbered them, with dentists and public health officials calling fluoride a key step in reducing tooth decay for children, particularly low-income children without access to regular dental care.

Read the rest of the article at MercuryNews.com

Every Pennsylvanian deserves quality oral health care. However, some young children and patients with special needs are not receiving the dental care they need because insurers refuse to cover general anesthesia. These patients, due to their young age or mental or physical development, are susceptible to involuntary movement, panic attacks and emotional trauma. This unmanageable behavior can result in serious injury while sharp instruments are in their mouths.

Read the rest of the Op-Ed at Pennlive.com

Starting in 2014, the almost 44 million people who receive pediatric dental coverage through their small business employers will also have to buy coverage through the new health insurance exchanges. The NADP is asking regulators at HHS to clarify that their existing coverage meets the law's requirements.

Read the rest of the article at the National Journal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     

Contact:

Lydia Hall

halll@ada.org

312.440.2806

Scientific Panel Issues Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations: 

Sugar-Free Polyol Gum, Lozenges and Hard Candy, Nonfluoride Varnishes

 Help Prevent Cavities 

Recommended in conjunction with fluoride for patients at high-risk for developing cavities

CHICAGO, Sept. 12, 2011 – A multi-disciplinary expert panel, convened by the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs, issued a report this month containing clinical recommendations that sugar-free chewing gum, lozenges and hard candy including  xylitol or polyol combinations, and a prescription varnish with chlorhexidine and thymol could be beneficial in preventing cavities when used as adjuncts to a comprehensive cavity prevention  program which includes the use of fluoride-containing products.

The panel noted in its report that these nonfluoride options could provide an extra benefit to prevent cavities in patients at high risk for developing cavities when used in addition to products such as toothpaste, dental sealants and varnishes that contain fluoride as well as community water fluoridation and good eating habits.

The full report is available on the ADA’s Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) website. The executive summary of the report entitled, “Nonfluoride Caries Preventive Agents,” is published in the September issue of The Journal for the American Dental Association and is available on the EBD website. The clinical recommendations from the expert panel were reviewed and approved by the ADA’s Council on Scientific Affairs.

The ADA recommends that clinicians determine a patient’s risk for developing cavities by conducting a caries risk assessment, which includes completing a caries risk assessment form that can be used as a communications tool with their patients.  The Caries Form (Patients Ages 0–6 Years) and the Caries Form (Patients Over 6 Years) are available on ADA.org.

Nonfluoride agents

In addition to a comprehensive cavity-prevention program which includes the use of fluoride, the scientific panel recommended that clinicians consider applying a mixture of cholrhexidine-thymol varnish to the teeth of high-risk adults and the elderly every three months to reduce cavities developing in the root of the tooth.  

The panel encouraged clinicians to consider advising parents and caregivers of healthy children older than 5 years who are at higher risk for cavities to chew sugar-free polyol gum after meals for 10 to 20 minutes to prevent cavities.

A polyol is a low-calorie sweetener such as xylitol, sorbitol or mannitol, which is not broken down by the bacteria in the mouth and therefore does not contribute to tooth decay. The panel also recommended that sucking xylitol-containing sugar-free lozenges or hard candy after meals may reduce cavities in children.

The panel’s recommendations are based on a review of evidence from 71 published articles that described 50 randomized controlled trials and 15 nonrandomized studies to assess the effectiveness of various nonfluoride agents in preventing cavities. 

ADA expert panels, Evidence-Based Dentistry

The clinical recommendations, developed by expert multidisciplinary panels convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, assessed available scientific evidence and developed practice-oriented recommendations through a comprehensive evidence-based process.

Evidence-based clinical recommendations are intended to provide dentists and other health professionals with a review of the latest scientific evidence on particular topics and are not considered a standard of care. Rather, health care professionals can consider clinical recommendations, patient preference and their own clinical judgment when diagnosing and treating patients. 

Evidence-based clinical recommendations are a product of the Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD). The ADA created the Center for EBD to connect the latest research findings with the daily practice of dentistry. The EBD website provides on-demand access to systematic reviews, summaries and clinical recommendations that translate the latest scholarly findings into a user-friendly format that dentists can use with their patients.

###

The ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry has a two-fold vision: to disseminate the most current scientific evidence and to help dentists implement the current best evidence in practice.  The Center has several ongoing programs to help dentists implement EBD, including the EBD Champion Program and the ADA Evidence Reviewer Workshop. For more information, visit http://ebd.ada.org/.

About the American Dental Association

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 156,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's Web site at www.ada.org

The percentage of Pennsylvanians with access to fluoridated water - about half - has been nearly stagnant the last 20 years, even as fluoridation rates have steadily increased to about 70 percent in the rest of the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Efforts to add fluoride to public water in the state have routinely met stiff resistance. And some communities - like Pottstown, which decided this month to stop fluoridating its water after five decades - have given up on the process.

Read the rest of the article at the Philadelphia Inquirer

WASHINGTON - August 16, 2011—The American Dental Association today released the second in a series of papers that examine the challenges and solutions to bringing good oral health to millions of Americans, including the growing population whose only possible source of dental care is the so-called oral health safety net.

Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans: Repairing the Tattered Safety Net emphasizes the absence of a coordinated, systematic approach to treating underserved populations. It identifies commonsense remedies that can greatly improve safety net programs, even absent the major funding increases that are unlikely to occur in the current economic climate.

“Major improvements in the dental safety net will not occur until the nation places much greater value on oral health,” said ADA President Raymond F. Gist, D.D.S. “Treating disease that could have been easily prevented or treated in its early stages, but has progressed to the point of chronic infection, and lost teeth, gum tissue or bone is one of the major reasons why these clinical delivery systems remain overwhelmed.”

The paper provides seven fundamental principles that should guide efforts to repair and enhance safety net programs.

• Prevention is essential.  A public health model based on the surgical intervention in disease that could have been prevented after that disease has occurred is a poor model. 
• Everyone deserves a dentist.  The existing team system of delivering oral health care in America works well for patients in all economic brackets and can be expanded to accommodate millions more.
• Availability of care alone will not maximize utilization.  In too many cases, people are unable or unwilling to take advantage of free or discounted care.  This often can be remedied through better attention to social or cultural issues, oral health education, and assistance with child care, transportation or securing permission to miss work in order to receive treatment.
• Coordination is critical.  Too many government or government-administered programs suffer from a failure to manage and exchange information about best practices for safety net operations. 
• Treating the existing disease without educating the patient is a wasted opportunity, making it likely that the disease will recur.  Anyone who enters a dental operatory for restorative care should leave that operatory with an understanding of how to stay healthy and prevent future disease.
• Public-private collaboration works.  Absent a highly unlikely population boom among dentists practicing in community-based and public health settings, private practice dentists will continue to deliver the hands-on care to most of the population.  Better coordination between the public and private dental communities can help maximize existing resources.
• Silence is the enemy.  Virtually every shortcoming in the safety net has at its root a failure to understand or value oral health.  When people, whether lawmakers, the media or the general public learn about oral health and the consequences of untreated oral disease, their attitudes and priorities change. 

While the paper emphasizes the safety net’s weaknesses, it does so in the context of the ADA’s commitment to support the tireless efforts of thousands of dentists, allied health professionals, and other public and private sector workers and volunteers who constitute its backbone. 

“Surely the various groups and individuals who seek to repair and enhance the safety net differ somewhat on priorities and methods.  But we must all recognize that our common goal eclipses these differences.  If all of the stakeholders involved keep the goal of a healthier, more productive nation at the forefront of our thinking and actions, we can truly progress toward better oral health for all Americans,” said Dr. Gist.

Future ADA papers will address such topics as patient utilization, disease prevention, oral health education and funding the delivery system.    

You can access the complete paper, Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans, by clicking here.

"While cavities are on the decline in the general population, they are a fact of life for increasing numbers of young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control. They affect 10 percent of 2-year-olds and over half of 5-year-olds, causing everything from minor toothaches to missed school days to complications that require major surgery. But dentists say few people realize that cavities are symptoms of dental caries, the most common chronic disease in children today, according to the CDC.

Caries is caused by a transmissible bacteria that produces acids in the mouth when we eat anything with carbohydrates, including sugary or starchy foods. Those acids dissolve the teeth, and without good oral health practices, they can lead to tooth decay - cavities. But cavities are preventable if the underlying caries is managed.

“Because it’s chronic, and because it’s a condition that is caused by bacteria, you can actually, as a patient, stop the disease process if you know what to do,’’ said Dr. Man Wai Ng, a pediatric dentist at Children’s Hospital Boston. “And you can actually prevent it from starting.’’

Read the rest of the article at the Boston Globe.

Listen to the interview at WITF's website.

"Most dentists in Pennsylvania carry malpractice insurance, but currently, they aren’t required to do so. 
    
That may change in the near future. 

Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland County, has sponsored a bill requiring dentists to purchase malpractice insurance. The state Senate unanimously approved the bill in June, and it is now in the state House of Representatives. The Legislature is in recess for the summer. 
    
Vance introduced the bill after hearing reports of patient abuse in Reading, Berks County, and other areas of the state. Dentists who didn’t buy insurance could lose their license under the bill. 
    
“Most responsible and group dentists already carry this kind of insurance anyway,” Vance said. “But unfortunately,  the rogue dentists we really need to have this kind of coverage, to protect the consumer, are the ones who don’t.” 
    
Dentists would be required to purchase liability insurance of $3 million annually. That amount of malpractice coverage would cost the average Pennsylvania dentist about $2,400 annually, according to Gil Davis, CEO of Pennsylvania Dental Association Insurance Services."

Read the rest of the article at the Patriot's website.

AAP: Kids should not consume energy drinks

Water should be the source of hydration for children and adolescents

Below is the press release for the event.

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) today urged the General Assembly to pass House Bill 532 that would require insurers to provide general anesthesia coverage for young children and patients with special needs who need the procedure to receive quality oral health care.

“Young children with severe anxiety often need general anesthesia so dentists can provide care. The same holds true for individuals with special needs,” said Dr. Dennis Charlton, PDA president.

Charlton made his remarks at a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda attended by dentists, dental students and advocates for patients with special needs. In addition to Charlton, speakers included the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York); Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia); Nancy Murray, president, the Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, and Dr. Brian Martin of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Saylor said, “Cavities and tooth decay remain one of the most prevalent diseases among children, despite strides in dental care and education. When insurers do not cover general anesthesia for children and patients with special needs, they are effectively denying them adequate dental care.”

Saylor’s legislation would require insurance coverage for children seven years or younger and patients with special needs who require general anesthesia to allow dentists to examine and treat them. Thirty-one other states have enacted similar general anesthesia coverage legislation. The Pennsylvania bill is modeled after a Maryland law passed in 1998.

Many of the dentists at the media conference noted that oral health is an integral part of a person’s overall health. Untreated dental-related diseases can severely impact patients, because they are unable to properly eat and maintain proper nutrition. The potential consequences of neglecting oral health problems include infections, facial swelling, lack of sleep due to pain and low-grade fevers.

Some young children and patients with special needs are unable to understand their oral health issues or clearly communicate their needs to caregivers. Murray noted that both her adult children have disabilities. She said her son, Mickey, needs general anesthesia for any dental procedure except a regular cleaning.

“Mickey’s communication skills are quite limited and he would be very fearful of the dental instruments and equipment. Most likely, he would try to push the dental professionals away as a means to protect himself,” Murray said. “Attempting to treat my son without general anesthesia would not be successful and it would border on cruelty.”

 In some cases, families have difficulty affording the cost of general anesthesia, which can vary from $500 in a private facility to as much as $3,000 in a hospital. If they cannot afford the anesthesia, some caregivers may be faced with delaying oral health care for small children or patients with special needs.

Charlton estimated that the number of patients requiring general anesthesia would be relatively small, because most of Pennsylvania’s at-risk patients are covered under Medical Assistance or CHIP. However, he said some patients fall through the cracks and do not receive the care they need.

Martin, a dentist and the Program Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, said: “Support of HB 532 will enable Pennsylvania dentists to provide needed care for infants, children and individuals with special health care needs.”

Charlton noted that, under the legislation, coverage for general anesthesia would apply to medical insurance policies and not dental insurance policies for several reasons. He said the administration of general anesthesia is a medical procedure and more people have medical insurance than dental insurance. The cost of anesthesia would likely exhaust the benefits in a dental plan while medical plans provide more benefits. Also, he noted that many patients would be able to afford to pay for routine dental procedures without dental coverage but not general anesthesia.

Charlton and supporters urged state lawmakers to follow the lead of 31 other states and require insurers to cover general anesthesia for young children and patients with special needs who need the procedure to receive quality oral health care.

Brushing teeth does a body good

Reports ABC News:

There's a dental crisis in the U.S. according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

The group says 25% to 30% of children, between the ages of two and five already have dental decay.

Dentists say parents need to get them into the dentists chair earlier.

Also watch sugary foods. Give sweets after meals, not as snacks. 

For munchies, replace sweets with fruits or veggie sticks. 

Limit potato chips and pretzels, they can stick to teeth. 

Parents should teach little ones proper brushing, and flossing before they get their adult teeth. 

Read the post by Anahad O'Connor below.  Are you surprised?

Everyone knows you can catch a cold or the flu. But can you catch a cavity?

Researchers have found that not only is it possible, but it occurs all the time.

While candy and sugar get all the blame, cavities are caused primarily by bacteria that cling to teeth and feast on particles of food from your last meal. One of the byproducts they create is acid, which destroys teeth.

Just as a cold virus can be passed from one person to the next, so can these cavity-causing bacteria. One of the most common is Streptococcus mutans. Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to it, and studies have shown that most pick it up from their caregivers — for example, when a mother tastes a child’s food to make sure it’s not too hot, said Dr. Margaret Mitchell, a cosmetic dentist in Chicago.

A number of studies have also shown that transmission can occur between couples, too. Dr. Mitchell has seen it in her own practice.

“In one instance, a patient in her 40s who had never had a cavity suddenly developed two cavities and was starting to get some gum disease,” she said. She learned the woman had started dating a man who hadn’t been to a dentist in 18 years and had gum disease.

To reduce the risk, Dr. Mitchell recommends frequent flossing and brushing, and chewing sugar-free gum, which promotes saliva and washes away plaque and bacteria.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Cavities can be transmitted from one person to another.

The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) is urging state lawmakers to support legislation (House Bill 532) requiring insurance companies to cover the costs of general anesthesia for young children and patients with special needs.

Many young patients and those with mental or physical disabilities often experience stress when visiting a dentist’s office. Some patients require general anesthesia before a dentist can treat them. However, many insurers refuse to cover the cost of anesthesia for dental patients. If a parent or caregiver cannot afford the cost, it could result in a patient delaying treatment or neglecting oral health.

State Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York, who sponsored HB 532, said, “Insurance companies refusing to cover anesthesia is equivalent to them denying oral health care for children and special needs patients.”

Dr. William Spruill, PDA President, added: “Good oral health is vital in a person’s overall wellness and PDA is working with state lawmakers to ensure that all patients have access to quality oral health care.”

ADA Statement Examines the Role of Adequate Workforce

In Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health

WASHINGTON, February 22, 2011—The American Dental Association (ADA) today released the first in a series of papers examining the challenges and solutions to bringing good oral health to the millions of Americans—including as many as one-quarter of the nation’s children—who lack access to dental care, many of them suffering with untreated disease.  The paper focuses on workforce, an umbrella term for the numbers, location and makeup of the teams comprising dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and other existing and proposed providers.

Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans:  The Role of Workforce also emphasizes that workforce changes alone can never overcome the many barriers that prevent too many Americans from attaining good oral health.  It warns that focusing on only this one barrier is “the policy equivalent of bailing a leaky boat.”  Future ADA papers will address those other barriers, including the tattered public health safety net, and the need to dramatically increase both disease prevention and financing.   

The paper disputes the conventional wisdom of a coming shortage of dentists, projecting that later-than-predicted retirement, increased numbers of dental school applicants and the opening of new dental schools will provide an adequate number of dentists through 2030.   Instead it argues that the challenges are 1) placing dentists—whether in private practice or government-assisted clinics—in more so-called “underserved areas” that otherwise cannot support a full-time dental practice, and 2) addressing issues that impede securing and keeping dental appointments, such as excessive paperwork, transportation, child care and permission to take time off from work or school.

“We know that the existing delivery model can accommodate millions more people, provided that we address administrative and financing barriers, and workforce distribution,” said ADA President Raymond F. Gist, DDS.   “Everyone deserves good oral health, and everyone deserves a dentist.”

Several examples are cited in which states or municipalities have dramatically increased dental services provided to disadvantaged children through a combination of relatively minor funding increases and administrative reforms.  They include the children’s dental Medicaid programs in Tennessee, Alabama and Michigan and the creation of a public-private dental clinic in Vermont.  The improvements in these programs made it possible for much greater numbers of patients to receive care from the same population of dentists as existed before the reforms occurred.

The paper cautions against a rush to create so-called “midlevel” dental providers who, with as little as 18 months of post-high school training, could be allowed to perform such irreversible/surgical procedures as extracting teeth.  Such experiments, it argues, are likely to sap resources better directed toward proven methods for extending the availability of care from fully trained dentists.  It does however endorse such workforce innovations as the ADA’s own Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) pilot project.  CDHCs follow the highly successful (medical) community health worker model, providing health education and preventive services, identifying patients needing dental care and helping those patients secure and keep appointments with fully trained dentists. 

 “When all stakeholders—and we are all stakeholders—set aside lesser differences and recognize our aligned purpose, set ambitious yet realistic short- and long-term goals, and pursue those goals with renewed vigor, we can effectively end untreated dental disease in America,”  said Dr. Gist.

Breaking Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans:  The Role of Workforce is available at http://www.ada.org/sections/advocacy/pdfs/ada_workforce_statement.pdf

Wrote the Patriot:

NAME: Michael C. Verber 
TITLE: Dentist 
COMPANY: Verber Family Dentistry
YEARS IN FIELD: 8 

Q: What is fluoride, and what is its role in dental health?

A: Fluoride is the ionic form of fluorine, an element abundant in nature. The fluoride ion combines with other elements to form compounds like sodium fluoride, the active ingredient in most toothpastes. In dental terms, “fluoride” usually refers to the group of these compounds used to promote oral health. 

Fluoride works in a number of ways to prevent tooth decay. It is essential to tooth development as it is incorporated into the crystals that form enamel, the hard outer layer of our teeth. Enamel development occurs while the teeth grow under the gums in children up to the age of 8. The fluoride in the enamel crystals makes them resistant to demineralization by the cavity process. 

When certain types of bacteria in our mouth metabolize the carbohydrates we eat, they produce acid and lower the pH in the mouth. During these periods of “acid attack,” the enamel starts to break down and release minerals like calcium, phosphate and fluoride. As long as enough fluoride is available in the mouth and on the surface of the teeth, it will mitigate this process before decay occurs. It can even remineralize small areas of decay. Cycles of demineralization and remineralization continue throughout the lifetime of a healthy tooth. As such, fluoride continues to play a vital role in maintaining the teeth after they have erupted into the mouth. 
In addition to building and remodeling teeth, fluoride plays offense in the battle against tooth decay. It has a direct antibacterial effect. Fluoride enters bacterial cells and inhibits the enzymes responsible for acid production. 

Q: Where is fluoride found? 

A: Fluoride is found naturally in the environment, in some community water supplies, and in dental products like toothpaste, mouthwash and prescription supplements. 
Fluorides can be divided into two categories: systemic and topical. Systemic fluoride is ingested by the body and works from within. Topical fluoride is delivered directly to the teeth surfaces. It is more concentrated and is not meant to be ingested. 

Systemic fluoride benefits us long after its key role in tooth development ends. The fluoride we ingest is present in our saliva, which continually bathes the teeth. The main source of systemic fluoride comes from the water we drink and prepare food with. 

In the late 1940s, many communities began fluoridating their water supplies to bring levels to concentrations ideal for dental health. Community water fluoridation has safely and inexpensively benefited Americans regardless of socioeconomic status or access to care. Research has shown that at least a 50 percent reduction in tooth decay in children and tooth loss in adults can be attributed to fluoridation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recognized water fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. 

The most common source for topical fluoride is toothpaste. Brushing at least twice a day is critical to not only remove dental plaque, but also to ensure the teeth are exposed to this necessary fluoride. Other topical sources of fluoride include rinses and gels or varnishes applied at the dental office. You should consult your dentist to find out if these are appropriate for you.

Check out the rest of the article at the Patriot's website.

The mission of New Era Dental Society is to:

• Promote awareness of dental needs in the African American community and to provide assistance to those in need of dental care
• Provide positive role models to their community
• Provide financial assistance to dental students, dental hygienists, and dental assistants matriculating in dental medicine
• Promote camaraderie among its members
• Empower the membership by increasing the knowledge base through effective continuing education

Since 1993, the New Era Dental Society has awarded over $100,000 toward dental education in conjunction with matching funds from the National Dental Foundation and the Colgate-Palmolive Company. The Society is involved in many local and national programs in addition to PCOH.

Says Renee Fennell-Dempsey, DMD, President of NEDS, "NEDS remains a vital resource to African American and minority dentists, dental allied health professionals, dental and dental hygiene school students as well as to the community-at-large, particularly the underserved population. This year our Society is focused on increasing membership and participation while continuously promoting education, scholarship, mentorship, legislative and economic empowerment and community service."

To all members of NEDS: We're excited to have you as a part of PCOH.  We look forward to working with you!

A new study in the Journal of Periodontology says good gums are good for your respiratory system.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and/or bone that surround and support the teeth.

It is mostly seen in adults. Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the two biggest threats to dental health.

In this new study, researchers recruited 200 participants between the ages of 20 and 60 years old.

Half of the participants had at some point suffered from respiratory diseases such as pneumonia or acute bronchitis.

The other half never had respiratory problem.

The results showed the participants with a history of respiratory disease had worse periodontal health than the healthy subjects, indicating a possible relationship between respiratory disease and periodontal health.

"Pulmonary diseases can be severely disabling and debilitating," says Donald S. Clem, President of the American Academy of Periodontology.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and in some cases asthma.

COPD is now one of leading causes of death in the U.S

"By working with your dentist or periodontist, you may actually be able to prevent or diminish the progression of harmful diseases such as pneumonia or COPD," Donald S. Clem suggested. "Taking good care of your periodontal health involves daily tooth brushing and flossing. You should also expect to get a comprehensive periodontal evaluation every year."

Scientists have found gum disease is relative to chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Stephen Lau and editing by Aimee Keenan-Greene

Writes Delta Dental:

Teeth whitening is a $600 million industry and growing up to 20 percent each year. A large part of the market comes from image-conscious teens who are logging online or flocking to malls for do-it-yourself teeth whitening kits.

But teens who want a whiter smile should seek dentist supervision, says the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

The AGD advises teens to wait to use whitening procedures until at least the age of 14. By this time, the tooth's pulp is fully formed, which means a teen will experience less sensitivity from teeth whitening.

At that point, teens should visit their dentist for advice on teeth whitening products. Effective whitening depends upon the use of a custom-made bleaching tray, which only a dentist can fit properly. Also, without supervision and expertise, these materials can aggravate sensitive teeth and gums, or damage existing dental work, such as fillings and crowns.

You can take several approaches to whiten your smile:

• Bleaching (at-home or in-office).* Bleaching is a common and popular chemical process used to brighten discolored or stained teeth. Consult your dentist before using over-the-counter bleaching solutions, which alter the intrinsic color of your teeth.
• Whitening toothpastes. All toothpastes help remove surface stains through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.

Take these preventive actions to keep teeth white and sparkling:

• Avoid nicotine, soda, tea and coffee, which stain teeth.
• If you do drink soda or coffee, use a straw to prevent discoloration of the upper front teeth or brush after consuming these beverages.
• Clean teeth carefully, especially if you wear braces. Food particles can become trapped between the braces and teeth, causing discoloration as well as cavities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies fluoridation of public drinking water as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century, noting that studies show it reduces cavitities in adolescents by between 8 and 37 percent, and among adults by 20 to 40 percent.

But when it comes to getting greater precision, researchers are faced with the problem that most people in the United States don't take their children to the dentist before age 3, and most drink water from a mix of sources. As a result, it's difficult to measure the impact of fluoride on children's teeth.

How much is too much?

Steven M. Levy, a professor in the preventive and community dentistry department at the University of Iowa's dental school, has been studying the fluoride intake of a group of young adults since birth.

"Those who had more bottled water had a slight tendency to have more decay in the baby teeth, but we had very small numbers," said Levy, whose study participants are now ages 15 to 18. "It wasn't a definitive study."

Still, a South Australia study conducted between 1991 and 1995 showed that children who drank only rainwater and bottled water had a 52.7 percent higher rate of cavities in their baby teeth than those who drank only public, fluoridated tap water.

"The main benefit of fluoride is topical: You put it on the enamel to recharge it," Keels said. "It's like putting shoe polish on your shoe."

So Keels recommends that her patients take a risk assessement survey created by theAmerican Pediatric Dentistry Association to determine whether either a supplement or early exposure to fluoride toothpaste makes sense.

And in most cases, she favors putting what she and Levy call a tiny "smear" of fluoride toothpaste on the brush if your child may be too young to spit it out. They describe the smear as one-quarter the size of a pea, or a grain of rice.

"Even if they ingested all of it, it would be such a tiny amount it would have very little impact," Levy said. He cautioned that parents need to supervise the brushing process to ensure that the toothpaste is being evenly distributed, and ideally some of it is being spit out. "You need to start positively with prevention, and make sure you're careful about it."

And a range of other factors can also affect the development of cavities among children. If they are drinking bottled water instead of carbonated, sugared drinks, Pollick said, "then there would be perhaps less risk for tooth decay." But some recent immigrants from Central America are actually substituting sodas for tap water because they are skeptical of U.S. water quality, Keels said, which has the reverse effect.

And while it may take a few years to sort of out the science, Keels said, she and her colleagues are determined to find a better answer to the kind of question families like mine are now trying to sort out: "There's a huge drive toward wanting to get it right."

HHS and EPA announce new scientific assessments and actions on fluoride

Agencies working together to maintain benefits of preventing tooth decay
while preventing excessive exposure 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today are announcing important steps to ensure that standards and guidelines on fluoride in drinking water continue to provide the maximum protection to the American people to support good dental health, especially in children. HHS is proposing that the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water can be set at the lowest end of the current optimal range to prevent tooth decay, and EPA is initiating review of the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water.

These actions will maximize the health benefits of water fluoridation, an important tool in the prevention of tooth decay while reducing the possibility of children receiving too much fluoride. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named the fluoridation of drinking water one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century. 

“One of water fluoridation’s biggest advantages is that it benefits all residents of a community—at home, work, school, or play,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH. “Today’s announcement is part of our ongoing support of appropriate fluoridation for community water systems, and its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay throughout one’s lifetime.” 

“Today both HHS and EPA are making announcements on fluoride based on the most up to date scientific data,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, Peter Silva. “EPA’s new analysis will help us make sure that people benefit from tooth decay prevention while at the same time avoiding the unwanted health effects from too much fluoride.” 

HHS and EPA reached an understanding of the latest science on fluoride and its effect on tooth decay prevention and the development of dental fluorosis that may occur with excess fluoride consumption during the tooth forming years, age 8 and younger. Dental fluorosis in the United States appears mostly in the very mild or mild form – as barely visible lacy white markings or spots on the enamel. The severe form of dental fluorosis, with staining and pitting of the tooth surface, is rare in the United States.

There are several reasons for the changes seen over time, including that Americans have access to more sources of fluoride than they did when water fluoridation was first introduced in the United States in the 1940s. Water is now one of several sources of fluoride. Other common sources include dental products such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, prescription fluoride supplements, and fluoride applied by dental professionals. Water fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste are largely responsible for the significant decline in tooth decay in the U.S. over the past several decades.

HHS’ proposed recommendation of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water replaces the current recommended range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams. This updated recommendation is based on recent EPA and HHS scientific assessments to balance the benefits of preventing tooth decay while limiting any unwanted health effects. These scientific assessments will also guide EPA in making a determination of whether to lower the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water, which is set to prevent adverse health effects.

The new EPA assessments of fluoride were undertaken in response to findings of the National Academies of Science (NAS).  At EPA’s request, in 2006 NAS reviewed new data on fluoride and issued a report recommending that EPA update its health and exposure assessments to take into account bone and dental effects and to consider all sources of fluoride. In addition to EPA’s new assessments and the NAS report, HHS also considered current levels of tooth decay and dental fluorosis and fluid consumption across the United States.

UPDATE: The notice of the proposed recommendation published in the Federal Register on January 13 and HHS will accept comments from the public and stakeholders on the proposed recommendation for 30 days atCWFcomments@cdc.gov.  HHS is expecting to publish final guidance for community water fluoridation by spring 2011. The proposed recommendation is available at
http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=W0YUwI/0/1/0&WAISaction=retrieve. Comments regarding the EPA documents, Fluoride: Dose-Response Analysis For Non-cancer Effects and Fluoride: Exposure and Relative Source Contribution Analysis should be sent to EPA at FluorideScience@epa.gov.  The documents can be found athttp://water.epa.gov/action/advisories/drinking/fluoride_index.cfm

For more information about community water fluoridation, as well as information for health care providers and individuals on how to prevent tooth decay and reduce the chance of children developing dental fluorosis, visithttp://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation. For information about the national drinking water regulations for fluoride, visit:  http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/fluoride.cfm

Scientific Panels Issue Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations on Use of Fluoridated Water with Infant Formula, Prescribing Fluoride Supplements

ADA Council on Scientific Affairs convened separate expert panels for recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized leader in children's oral health, announced today an outreach partnership with the text4baby program.  The AAPD's leading pediatric oral health experts will work closely with text4baby in the dissemination of information to pregnant women and new moms about children's oral health care.

An educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB), text4baby delivers health tips via text message to those who need it most.  Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE in Spanish) receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby's date of birth.  These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health and safe sleep.  Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other resources.

"We believe the power of partnership and community can make an incredible difference in women's and children's lives," said Judy Meehan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.  "Text4baby brings HMHB's mission to life and with the help of our partners, we believe we can be a strong catalyst for change."

"The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is proud to partner with text4baby on such a mission-critical program," stated AAPD CEO Dr. John S. Rutkauskas.  "As the leader in representing the oral health interests of children, our members serve as primary care providers for millions of infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health care needs, and the nature of the text4baby messages are in direct alignment with the vision of AAPD, particularly with our 'Get it Done in Year One' campaign."

Hartford managed care provider Aetna Inc. has released a study showing that women who received preventive dental care had fewer birth complications than those who didn't.

The study published online by the American Journal of Public Health was conducted by Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and the Mailman School of Public Health with Aetna's dental division.

"This study shows the importance of preventive dental treatment for women who are planning to start a family," said study leader Dr. David Albert, associate professor at the Columbia's College of Dental Medicine. "Women can help improve the overall quality of life for themselves and their child by staying in good dental health."

It found that the premature delivery rate was 10.1 percent for those not receiving dental treatment and 7.6 percent for those receiving preventive care.

The study also reports that the low birth weight rate was 5 percent for those not receiving dental treatment and 4.6 percent or lower among the groups receiving treatment.

"These findings lead us to believe that pregnant women who actively seek dental care are more likely to adopt a wellness philosophy which carries over to other areas of their health," said Dr. Mary Lee Conicella, Aetna's chief dental officer. "We believe that these women were more likely to seek all types of preventive care, versus women who did not seek dental care."

The study was carried out between Jan. 1, 2003 and Sept. 30, 2006. Researchers looked at medical and dental insurance data for 29,000 pregnant women who Aetna says gave permission to examine their health records.

Millions of Medicaid kids still not getting dental care

By Mary Otto

Dr. Bicuspid

December 1, 2010 -- Despite ongoing efforts to increase access to oral healthcare for children in Medicaid programs, a new report issued November 30 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that little has changed in the past decade. Although progress has been made, nearly two-thirds of the Medicaid children in the U.S. failed to get any dental care as recently as 2008, according to a GAO analysis of state reports. There were 30 million poor children enrolled in the program that year.

"Nationwide, reported utilization of any Medicaid dental service increased -- from 27% of children in federal fiscal year 2001 to 36% in federal fiscal year 2008," the GAO found. "But despite this increase, no dental service was reported for nearly two-thirds of Medicaid-enrolled children."

In the decade that has passed since the surgeon general described the silent epidemic of oral disease affecting children in low-income families, dental disease and access to dental services have remained a significant problem for these children, the report authors concluded.

"Utilization of services is still low," Katherine Iritani, the GAO's healthcare acting director, toldDrBicuspid.com. "National surveys suggest the rate of untreated decay is not changing. It isn't a good situation."

And efforts to address barriers to care have so far fallen short. A federal Insure Kids Now website set up to help poor families find dentists participating in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was found to be rife with broken and incorrect links, wrong numbers, and outdated information, the GAO noted.

Low participation by dentists in Medicaid and CHIP also continues to be a major problem, according to the GAO's analysis of data collected by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors.

"Our analysis shows that 25 of 39 states reported that fewer than half of the dentists in their states treated any Medicaid patients during the previous year," the GAO noted. Locating dentists willing to care for poor special needs children remains particularly challenging, according to the report authors.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Health Center and National Health Service Corps programs have helped increase the number of dentists and hygienists working in some underserved communities, but not enough. Shortages of oral healthcare providers in thousands of areas across the country continue to further complicate access to care, according to the report.

Midlevel providers could work

Efforts to provide more dental services by expanding the roles of dental hygienists, primary care physicians, and new dental care provider models are being explored by some states, the report noted. Others are considering midlevel providers, such as dental therapists now at work in tribal areas of Alaska, to expand care to poor and rural areas that are currently underserved by dentists.

While controversial in the U.S. and strongly opposed by the ADA, the Academy of General Dentistry, and many other dental trade organizations, dental therapists have worked in other countries for years. Health officials interviewed by GAO investigators in New Zealand, the U.K., Australia, and Canada "expressed no reservations about the quality of care provided by the dental therapists," according to the report.

"One academic dental therapy official told us that in 2010 between 40% and 70% of Australian children, depending on the state, obtained dental services through publicly funded school-based dental programs primarily staffed by dental therapists," the authors noted.

Fixing what's broken

The report, prepared in accordance with the CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009, recommends that federal officials institute procedures to correct problems with the Insure Kids Now website and gather more comprehensive and reliable data on the provision of dental services to children through Medicaid, CHIP, and managed care programs. In a response included in the report, HHS officials concurred with the recommendations and said measures were being taken to address them.

The GAO report casts a strong light on the shortcomings of the nation's oral healthcare system, according to Burton Edelstein, DDS, MPH, a professor of dentistry and health policy and management at Columbia University and president of the Children's Dental Health Project.

"The GAO's new report substantiates and validates what too many mothers, child advocates, pediatricians, and Medicaid-participating dentists have long known: that too many families find the doors of the majority of dental offices closed to their children," Dr. Edelstein told DrBicuspid.com. "These findings provide evidence that dentists, federal agencies, governors, state Medicaid programs, and managed care vendors all need to take collective responsibility for failing two in every five of our nation's children."

Dr. Edelstein also praised the report's exploration of alternative dental providers, including dental therapists, as possible models for expanding the current dental workforce.

"The report answers Congress' question about the potential role for additional kinds of dental personnel working under a dentists' supervision to help meet children's needs," he said. "The health reform law authorizes funding that will (if appropriated) enable dental authorities to try out dental therapists and other types of midlevel providers, and then have these trials evaluated by the Institute of Medicine."

A sobering reminder

The report comes as a validation of concerns about persistent oral health disparities and barriers to care, said Shelly Gehshan, director of the Dental Health Initiative at the Pew Center on the States. The GAO also provided an important look at workforce models that might address the problems, she said.

"The GAO confirms that new providers can provide quality care at lower costs and in places where dentists are not available," Gehshan said. "The dental team needs to be bigger. We need more options. We estimate that 5.3 million new children will have dental coverage by 2014 through the Affordable Care Act. If two-thirds of kids are not getting care now, where will they go?"

But Liz Rogers, director of communications and public affairs for Oral Health America, said that the report's findings simply raise the same questions that have been haunting public health officials for years.

"Each time we hear a story of a child going to bed in pain, or a child unable to concentrate in school or eat because of untreated tooth decay, and every time we read yet another report showing that our healthcare delivery system is not working for our poorest children, we have to ask why, and again why, until we finally get to the heart of the problem," she said. "What kind of country do we want to be, and where do we want to spend our resources? How can we expect our children to get jobs and succeed in life if they are unable to sleep, eat, and concentrate in school? Let's keep this conversation going, and let's continue to ask why."

Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com

Delta Dental, the nation’s largest dental benefits provider, once again received the Readers’ Choice Award from Benefits Selling magazine as the nation’s best dental carrier.

Benefits Selling magazine surveys its readers annually, asking brokers to vote for their industry favorites. This is the second consecutive year in which Delta Dental was selected as the best dental benefits provider. With more than 130,000 dentists, Delta Dental has the largest dentist network in the country and covers more than 54 million people in more than 93,000 groups.

“We’re thrilled that the broker community continues to recognize Delta Dental as the leader in dental benefits,” said Chris Pyle, director of public relations for the Delta Dental Plans Association. “It’s a good time of the year to remind our brokers, consultants and producers how thankful we are that they consistently recommend Delta Dental to their clients. We will continue to strive to earn their loyalty.”

About the Delta Dental Plans Association 
Delta Dental Plans Association (http://www.deltadental.com) based in Oak Brook, IL, is a national network of independent not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs to 54 million Americans in more than 93,000 employee groups throughout the country.

Also check out the article in Benefits Selling magazine.

NEW YORK CITY: When it comes to helping those most in need, some companies have their heart in the right place. That was apparent during the Greater New York Dental Meeting, when DENTSPLY International helped kick off Oral Health America’s ‘Seal Two Million Campaign,’ which aims to seal 2 million teeth for more than half a million at-risk children by 2020. 

DENTSPLY is a 55-year supporter of Oral Health America, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives by connecting communities with resources to increase access to oral health care, education and advocacy.

“DENTSPLY International is a proud supporter of Oral Health America’s programs and is honored to help raise awareness among the dental industry and profession of the ‘Seal Two Million Campaign,’” said Dr. Linda Niessen, chief clinical officer of DENTSPLY International. “We know that a gift to Oral Health America, whether it’s funding or donated dental product, is truly making a difference keeping children and adults healthy, in school and at work.”

This year, Oral Health America reached its previous goal, a commitment made to America’s Promise Alliance in 2000, to provide 1 million dental sealants for over 225,000 children by 2010.

“The Seal Two Million Campaign reflects our intention to expand the impact of our programs, and it represents our commitment to ensuring that all children and families get the dental care they need,” said Beth Truett, president and CEO of Oral Health America.

In addition to DENTSPLY, many other companies, including 3M ESPE, Pulpdent Corp., Harry J. Bosworth Co., and Ivoclar Vivadent, have donated over 1 million dental sealants.

by Fred Michmershuizen, DTA

Check out the article below and at this link.

Erie Times-News

 November 18, 2010

By David Bruce

LECOM to open dental school in Erie

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine plans to do something no one in Pennsylvania has done in 114 years: Open a dental school.

LECOM expects to have a four-year program operating in 2015. It will be located on the medical school's Erie campus, 1858 W. Grandview Blvd.

"We will build a brand-new building, though we don't know exactly where on campus it will be," said Michael Visnosky, chairman of the LECOM board of trustees.

Visnosky announced LECOM's plans Wednesday morning during an Erie City Council meeting. He asked council to facilitate a $1 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant to begin construction.

Council members unanimously approved the resolution.

"The $1 million is just a start. It's an expensive proposition," Visnosky said. "It will cost between $37 million and $47 million to construct the school. This is the first of three grants we hope to receive."

In addition to finding money to build the school, LECOM must also have it accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the American Dental Association.

"We're fairly confident this will go through," Visnosky said. "This is a high-priority project."

If approved and built, the LECOM dental school would be the first to open in Pennsylvania since 1896, when the University of Pittsburgh established its dental school.

It would only be the fourth dental school in the state. The others are at Pitt, the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University.

LECOM's dental school would offer Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees. It would not offer degrees for dental hygienists or dental assistants.

"This dental school is great news for people in Pennsylvania," said Dennis Charlton, a Mercer County dentist and president-elect of the Pennsylvania Dental Association. "One of biggest problems right now is that there aren't enough new, young dentists staying in the state."

A 2009 survey of dentists and dental hygienists by the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that 63 percent of Erie County's dentists are at least 50 years old.

"There is already a need for dentists in this area, and that need will grow as more and more of them reach retirement age," Visnosky said.

Opening a dental school would hopefully attract more dentists to Erie County and northwestern Pennsylvania, Charlton said, especially if a significant portion of its students come from the area.

One of the concerns the Pennsylvania Dental Association has had with the Pitt, Penn and Temple programs is their increasing number of out-of-state students, Charlton said.

"We have asked them to change their ratio, but they are reluctant to do that," Charlton said. "They want the best of the best for their program. But more in-state students would benefit Pennsylvania, I believe, because more of them would stay here to practice."

The lack of dentists is most severe for low-income patients.

Erie and Crawford counties were designated low-income Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas in 2006 by the federal government, meaning that there aren't enough dentists and oral surgeons who accept Medicaid patients.

"Having a dental school will help solve that problem quickly," Charlton said. "Most dental schools, including Pitt and Temple, have their third- and fourth-year students see patients. Both programs accept (Medicaid) patients, so it would give these people another place to go."

LECOM would increase its full-time staff at the Erie campus from about 200 to 286 people by the time the dental school opens, LECOM spokesman Pierre Bellicini said.

Construction is expected to begin in 2013 and take 18 to 24 months to complete. LECOM also is building a dental school at its Bradenton, Fla., campus that will open in 2012.

LOCK HAVEN - The Clinton County Community Dental Clinic, just ending its first year providing dental care to local people, has added more staff to meet the ever-growing list of patients calling for appointments.

"In 2010 we served 897 new patients, within our 1,240 patients seen. We have over 1,900 in our system," said Laurie Weinreb-Welch, dental clinic coordinator.

"As we finish our first year at the clinic we have expanded with both staff and the ability to serve more patients. While we are still overwhelmed with the volume of patients who need care, we strive to serve as many as possible in as timely a manner."

According to Welch, the purpose of the clinic is to serve all ACCESS patients in Clinton County and all who fall within Federal Poverty Income guidelines.

"We have had many people approach us who fall slightly above our cut-off and it's difficult to turn them away, but we don't want to compete with our local dental providers. While our initial grant funds were significantly cut, we still operate as a nonprofit clinic and we work to seek grant opportunities," Welch said.

The clinic has four dentists who serve the residents of Clinton County. Each of them gives up a day from their private practice to see patients at the clinic, located at 218 N. Grove St.

"All of them are dentists who have a heart for our mission, and one of them even drives 60 miles each way to be here. Sometimes he has two days scheduled in a week," said Welch.

This fall, the clinic has partnered with the Pennsylvania College of Technology to provide prophies (dental cleanings) to patients. PCT brings an instructor and three to four dental hygiene students a few times each month.

According to Welch, this provides a win-win for both the clinic and PCT, as the clinic incurs no payroll overhead, the patients receive excellent care and students receive real world experience with the oversight of a seasoned dental professional.

"All of our hygenists have come through the PCT program and are top notch," Welch said. "We recently completed the addition of a third operatory room. This allows our dentist to treat more patients per day. Since it is a recent addition, we have been testing the scheduling and working with the dentists to make sure that each patient receives the best quality of care."

The clinic hopes to be able to hire a full time dental assistant to fully utilize the third room in the new year.

Other goals for the future include offering more patient education.

"Often patients just don't take the time to obtain regular and preventative dental care. This often leads to pain and a lower level of dental health. We'd much rather work with a patient to develop a treatment plan that will allow them to be healthy and keep them out of pain," Welch said.

The Clinton County Community Dental Clinic is supported by the Clinton County United Way.

Here's a summary of the article:

Dental Sealants: Protecting Against Tooth Decay
Journal of the California Dental Association Publishes
Evidence-Based Sealant Recommendations

Sacramento, CA – The use of dental sealants is universally recognized as a cost-effective and proven evidence-based method of reducing the incidence of dental caries in high-risk populations. Sealant utilization in California remains low, however, especially among groups such as low-income children who have the highest risk of developing tooth decay.
 
The October Journal of the California Dental Association is devoted to evidence-based recommendations intended to increase the dental professional’s comfort level in making appropriate contemporary sealant recommendation and placement decisions.
 
Based on the American Dental Association’s 2008 sealant guidelines, the Journal includes information on the science related to sealant application, a comparison of the types of sealant materials available, tooth preparation, and the use of adhesives prior to sealant placement. The similarities and differences between sealant use in private practice and in public health settings, including school-based programs, is also examined as well as prevention and management protocols based on caries risk assessment.
 
“Dental sealants can reduce the incidence of tooth decay in school children by more than 70 percent,” said Paul Reggiardo, DDS, chair of the CDA Policy Development Council’s 2008 Sealant Workgroup. “The Journal’s recommendations give oral health care providers effective  guidelines on the utilization and placement of sealants.”   
 
In addition to the Journal, CDA has also published a new dental sealant resource fact sheet and patient education flyer. The fact sheet is printed in multiple languages and contain information on the benefits of sealants, which are proven to be the most effective method of reducing cavities in children.
 
For more information on dental sealants, visit www.cda.org/popup/dental_sealants.
 
 
The California Dental Association is the nonprofit organization representing organized dentistry in California. Founded in 1870, CDA supports its members in their practices and service to the public through innovation in education, advocacy and related programs. CDA also contributes to the oral health of Californians through various comprehensive programs and advocacy. CDA’s membership consists of more than 24,000 dentists, making it the largest constituent of the American Dental Association. For more information, visit cda.org.

Teeth Training: Area dentist hopes to get young kids early exams

By William Kibler

October 16, 2010

Altoona dentist Dr. Donald Betar plans to be jawing soon with state lawmakers about a law he'd smile to see enacted.

The law would require parents to bring their kids to the dentist by 6 months of age, in keeping with American Medical Association guidelines.

Betar is clinical director of Altoona Regional Health System's dental clinic for kids - which accepted a $1,000 donation from an insurance company Friday - and it makes him grit his teeth to see damage done by kids starting dental care too late.

Probably only 5 percent of the clinic's 2,000 low-income patients come there the first time with no cavities, and about 75 percent have three or more, putting them in the "early onset dental caries" category, he said.

"If we don't see children by six months, we miss the opportunity to train their parents to care properly for their children's teeth," Betar said. "If they come in at six months, we have a fighting chance."

Good dental care enforced by parents would prevent virtually all cavities for all kids, he said.

The old excuse about inheriting "soft teeth" is a fallacy, because teeth enamel is all the same, he said.

Problems with teeth can run in families, but that comes mainly from transmission of bacteria that flourishes in the mouths of those with dental decay - through kissing and sharing utensils, Betar said. Such bacteria is present in the mouths of people with sound teeth but in much smaller amounts.

He likes to think pediatricians urge parents to take their kids to the dentist at six months, but figures the parents don't hear or take it seriously, he said. Many wait three years or more, until pre-school or kindergarten requires a dental certificate.

It's different with general medical care: A law requires parents to bring their kids at regular intervals starting just after birth, he said.

Many parents think dental care for children is no big deal, figuring baby teeth fall out anyway, he said.

But it is a big deal, because kids get cavities, abscesses, infections and may feel chronic pain, lose sleep, miss school and cause their parents to miss work, he said, speaking of a "cascade" of effects.

If kids lose their baby teeth too soon, they can also lose proper spacing for adult teeth, he said.

"If they come in at six years, the damage is done," Betar said. "It's all damage control."

Too often, also, parents let kids handle brushing on their own at too young an age - as early as two, said Betar and Dr. Haley Hawk, the clinic's full-time dentist. They recommend parental brushing early on and supervision until age 10.

The clinic at the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center draws from a nine-county area. It provides an opportunity for hands-on experience for students in the dental-assisting program.

Kids from 1 to 18 years old are eligible if their families meet income guidelines. A family of two can earn up to $27,380; a family of four, up to $41,300.

Referrals come from insurance companies, schools and word of mouth from family and friends, officials said.

One reason the area needs the clinic is the widespread refusal of Medicaid patients by dentists, according to Hawk.

The clinic began 10 years ago with screening only, but increased its capabilities to become full-service by 2008, when Hawk became a full-time dentist there.

Initial visits often disclose serious problems, but for regular patients, it's regular maintenance, said clinic Director Nancy Hawk, Haley's mom.

"The message to the community," Betar said. "The sooner you get your child to the dentist, the better."

Bad breath, or halitosis, is a delicate, often taboo topic, an embarrassing "social disease" that affects not only the perpetrator but those around him.

It's one thing if your lovable dog has foul breath, said Dr. Constance Wilson, a Lewisburg member of the Pennsylvania Dental Association.

But people, not so much.

Despite assorted rating techniques and machines to measure mouth gases, the "primary reference standard" remains the human nose, according to the American Dental Association.

It may be subjective, but you'll generally know stinky breath when you smell it.

(And, in fact, an actual bad taste in your mouth, literally, doesn't always mean bad breath.)

Interestingly, those with halitophobia, or phantom halitosis, may be convinced they have bad breath, but it isn't measurable or noticeable to others, a topic of some debate on Web forums like badbreathhalitosis.com.

While dentists like Dr. Randall Platon of Mountville don't report an abundance of patients in need of breath control, or halitosis as a "hot topic" on the profession's radar, the problem can still exist as a dirty little secret.

An estimated 25 percent of Americans suffer from chronic bad breath, and many more suffer from it occasionally (say, post-onions) or are at risk of it from periodontal disease, which affects 70 percent of Americans, according to the ADA.

Some researchers say nearly all adults have, at the very least, some morning breath and that even half the adult population has bad breath, with half of those having a severe, ongoing problem.

In 2007, Americans spent nearly $6.7 billion on mouth-freshening products, reported Euromonitor International, a market-research firm. And new bad breath busters are continually being introduced to the marketplace.

Platon said the bottom line when you're talking bad breath is bacteria, which releases sulfur compounds and likes to set up shop in cavities and swollen gums (occasionally tonsils) and flourishes in plaque.

"The tongue also harbors a lot of bacteria," he said.

Everything from medical problems (like diabetes and sinus conditions), medications, stinky food and dry mouth to smoking and diet contribute to bad breath, but one of the main culprits is poor dental care. Particles of food remain in the mouth and collect bacteria.

Saliva is actually the body's natural mouth rinse that washes and dilutes odor-causing bacteria.

Bad breath may also signal the presence of other medical conditions, like respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal disturbance.

So what can you do to banish bad breath?

The bottom line for knocking out bacteria is good dental care, Platon said.

"Brush (including the tongue) and floss and get regular dental checkups."

(Two to three minutes per brushing session is said to be optimal.)

Keep your mouth hydrated.

And, if you have any questions, consult your dentist.

Information about detection, causes, prevention and treatment are readily available at the websites for the Pennsylvania and American Dental Associations (www.ada.org; www.padental.org).

Dr. Harold Katz, founder of The California Breath Clinics, has even produced the 48-page "Bad Breath Bible," which examines symptoms, causes and cures of halitosis, and comes in both digital and hard-copy formats. (Google Bad Breath Bible.) Katz has also created the alcohol-free TheraBreath mouthwash.

Should you rinse and swish with mouthwashes or rinses?

That depends on your preferences.

Most rinses are, at the very least, effective oral antiseptics that freshen the mouth and curb bad breath for up to three hours. Their success in preventing tooth decay, gingivitis (inflammation of the gingival gum tissue) and periodontal disease is limited, however.

Antiplaque/antigingivitis rinses and anticavity fluoride rinses may be available through prescription.

The efficacy of breath-freshening mouthwashes and rinses is continually debated by dentists and the production companies, and statistics regarding the ultimate effectiveness are as prolific as breath mints. There are traditional alcohol-containing mouthwashes, like Listerine, touted to kill germs, or alcohol-free ones like Crest Pro-Health. A newer class of mouthwashes, such as Katz's TheraBreath and Oxyfresh, contain sodium chlorine dioxide, which is sometimes used as a water purifier, and claim to freshen breath for six hours, but again, this has been disputed.

Rinses and mouthwashes are not considered substitutes for regular dental examinations and good oral care.

To give bad breath the brush, get out your toothbrush and toothpaste, and don't forget the floss.

Home solutions

Here are three make-your-own mouth rinses:

1. Saline solution rinse: 1/2 teaspoon salt in 8 ounces water

2. Stronger saline rinse: 1/2 teaspoon salt plus 4 ounces water

3. Sodium bicarbonate: 1/2 teaspoon baking soda plus 8 ounces water

From Lancaster Online