[drsushant]

That’s great. I think you must share those articles so that everyone of us can benefit.

        

[drsushant]

CBI ARRESTS A MEMBER OF DENTAL COUNCIL OF INDIA AND THREE PRIVATE PERSONS/OFFICIALS OF A DENTAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL IN AN ALLEGED BRIBERY CASE
Press Release
New Delhi , 08.01.2013
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Member of Dental Council of India and three private persons/officials of a Private Dental College & Hospital, Melmaruvathur (Tamilnadu) in an alleged bribery case.

A case was registered against a Member, Dental Council of India; a Private Dental College & Hospital represented by its Managing Director; Administrative Officer & two other private persons/officials of the said College and other unknown persons U/s 120-B IPC, Sec. 7, 12 and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of P.C. Act, 1988.

It was alleged that the Private Dental College & Hospital, Melmaruvathur (Tamilnadu) had applied to Dental Council of India (DCI) for granting permission to start Post Graduate Dental course in the year 2012. In pursuance of that, Dental Council of India, New Delhi had conducted Pre-verification Inspection in order to ascertain the availability of infrastructure & faculties as per requisite norms for granting permission to start PG Dental Course. During the said inspections, Dental Council of India observed certain deficiencies and instructed the Principal of the Dental College to comply with the same. The management of said Dental College had deputed its Administrative Officer to approach Member, Dental Council of India residing at Chennai (Tamilnadu) for getting approval from Dental Council of India, New Delhi for the PG Course. The Member, Dental Council of India had allegedly demanded Rs.One Crore for taking up the matter and getting approval from Dental Council of India, New Delhi. It was also alleged that after negotiation, the DCI Member demanded a sum of Rs.25 lakhs to be paid initially as advance at Chennai.

CBI conducted a surprise check. The Member, Dental Council of India and the functionaries of said Dental College were apprehended while demanding & offering the illegal gratification. The bribe amount of Rs.25 lakhs handed over was seized from the possession of the Member, Dental Council of India.

Searches are being conducted at various premises of accused persons.

The arrested accused persons are being produced today before the Principal Special Court for CBI cases, Chennai.

Further investigation is in progress.

        

[drsushant]

Some areas of Australia could use an infusion of dentists.

The rural areas of New South Wales are currently experiencing a shortage of dentists, according to the Australian Dental Association. This is happening despite the increasing number of dental school graduates in the area in recent years.

A common problem in Australia is that it’s assumed that when the dental graduation rate in an area increases, the number of dentists in the area will rise. That is not often the case, however.

The dentists in Australia tend to flock to the more urban areas. As a result, it may be important for the government to create an incentivized program to promote an influx of dentists in the areas that need them most.

Many of the public dental services are fully stocked regarding the number of dentists they can employ. One of the goals of Dr. Karin Alexander, president of the Australian Dental Association, is to more evenly disperse the dentists throughout the country so people in all areas have the ability to visit the dentist on a regular basis.

        

[drsushant]

You may hate dealing with numbers or financial matters, but to be a successful dentist, you must make peace with achieving financial outcomes by addressing these seven habits in a manner that fits your tolerance level. I think the key for dentists is getting others to do the work, with the least cost possible, while accepting the leadership role.

1. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t know where all their money goes. Were you able to save 20% of your income last year? If not, where did your money go? Each month, it is important to know where all your money goes. For your practice, this means financial statements on a “cash basis” with major categories for overhead to compare to ideal percentages: staff, lab, supplies, facility, promotion, equipment purchases, and debt payments. For home expenses merely pay yourself a flat monthly salary, rather than having to track a budget.

2. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t know where all their money should go. Even if you can track where your money goes, without having a plan for where your money should go, you are lost. Needs, wants, and savings must be properly aligned. From practice cash flow, savings should be 20%, debt payments should be 25%, taxes should be 25%, and lifestyle spending and large purchases should be 30%. Which of these is out of alignment for your cash flow?

3. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t have a retirement accumulation goal. Five retirement variables must be planned and managed: retirement income needed, savings needed, investment return assumption, risk assumption, and retirement date. These five variables must be led and owned by the dentist.

4. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t have an annual savings goal. You should be saving 20% of your income. This number will be adjusted only if larger to incorporate the amount needed for college savings and retirement savings. Achieving this annual savings goal is really the ultimate measure of whether you have financially successful habits.

5. Financially unsuccessful dentists make large financial decisions with gut instinct. All large financial decisions — building an office, buying a practice, large equipment expenditures, purchasing a home, etc. — should be made in the context of how other goals, such as saving 20% of income, will be affected. Financially unsuccessful tendencies would forgo saving in a year because of an unexpected tax bill, for instance. Savings should not be negotiable. Planning and managing is the key.

6. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t manage debt properly. Dentistry is very capital-intensive. It is not only important to get the lowest interest rate possible, but it is important to have a plan to manage overall debt payments so that savings can happen. Try this exercise: Write down the amount owed on all of your debts, practice and personal. Also write down the monthly payments. Divide the total monthly payments by the total amount owed. If this factor exceeds 1%, your debt is not properly managed and you won’t be able to save sufficiently.

7. Financially unsuccessful dentists don’t protect their families with the right kinds and amounts of insurance. I cannot tell you the number of tragedies that have been averted simply due to the discipline used in having the correct amounts and types of insurance in place — life, disability, overhead, and umbrella liability.

In summary, the seven habits of financially unsuccessful dentists should be a warning to you about areas in your life that need attention. Make the new, good habits as hassle-free as possible to make sure they last a lifetime.

        

[drsushant]

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), predicts that more than 790,000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with oral cancer by 2030, an increase of more than 63% compared with 2008.

Mortality rates for mouth cancer are predicted to be even higher with more than 460,000 deaths forecast by 2030, more than 67% higher than 2008 rates, according to the International Dental Health Foundation (IDHF).

The WHO believes modifying and avoiding risk factors could result in up to 30% of cancers being avoided, noted Nigel Carter, BDS, chief executive of the IDHF.

“Although cancer is not wholly preventable, mouth cancer is very closely related to lifestyle choices. Making more people aware of the risks and symptoms for mouth cancer will undoubtedly save lives,” Dr. Carter stated in a press release. “Forecasts for the incidence and mortality of mouth cancer are very grim. We hope more countries will develop their own oral cancer action campaigns to raise awareness.”

November is Mouth Cancer Action Month, sponsored annually by the IDHF.

        

[drsushant]

Metformin is the most widely used treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, and scientists have noticed a trend toward cancer reduction in a number of organ sites, noted the study authors (CPR, March 31, 2012).

J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, chief of the Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues induced premalignant lesions in laboratory mice and studied the effect of metformin on progression of these lesions to oral cancers.

They saw strong activity against mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1), which contributes to oral cancers, indicating a protective effect.

The study found that administration of metformin reduced the size and number of carcinogen-induced oral tumoral lesions in mice and significantly reduced the development of squamous cell carcinomas by about 70% to 90%. The researchers found that metformin inhibited mTORC1 function in the basal layer of oral premalignancies and prevented their spontaneous development into head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

        

[drsushant]

A study published earlier this year found that metformin — one of the most commonly used antihyperglycemic agents for treating type 2 diabetes — may also protect against oral cancer. Now a new study in the Journal of Periodontology (November 7, 2012) has shown that metformin is also effective in treating smokers with chronic periodontitis.

For the study, researchers from the Government Dental College & Research Institute in Bangalore, India, investigated the effectiveness of a 1% metformin gel (biodegradable, controlled release) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of vertical defects in smokers with chronic periodontitis.

They split 50 patients into two treatment groups: SRP plus 1% metformin and SRP plus placebo. Clinical parameters — which included plaque index, modified sulcus bleeding index, probing depth, and clinical attachment level — were recorded at baseline, three months, and six months.

Mean probing depth reduction and mean clinical attachment level gain were greater in the metformin group than the placebo group at all visits, the researchers reported. In addition, they found significantly greater mean percentage of bone fill in the metformin group than the placebo sites (p < 0.001).

        

[drsushant]

Normal bacteria which live in our mouths provide the catalyst for the development of gum disease, a debilitating condition which leads to painful gums and the loosening of teeth, new research from Queen Mary, University of London has found.
The unexpected finding could pave the way for the development of preventative measures in tackling gum, or periodontal disease*, by manipulating the normal bacteria in the same way that probiotic yoghurt works to protect the intestine.
Researchers at Queen Mary’s Blizard Institute, including Medical Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellow Mark Payne, worked with scientists in the US and published their findings in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.
The scientists introduced the oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis to mice living in two different test conditions. The mice with normal bacteria in their mouths developed periodontal bone loss but the mice raised under germ-free conditions, in the absence of any normal bacteria, remained disease-free.
Professor Mike Curtis, Director of the Blizard Institute and co-author on the paper, said when the oral bacterium P. gingivalis was introduced under normal conditions “it stimulated the growth of normal bugs leading to a large increase in the number of those organisms already there.”
“P. gingivalis was introduced at very low levels yet it had a major affect on both the immune system and the inflammatory system,” he said.
“This oral bacterium only appears in small numbers but appears to have a major influence on the overall ecology. It has a keystone effect in a community — working in the same way that starfish, which have relatively small numbers, control the shell fish communities in the sea.
Professor Curtis said although the findings were encouraging in terms of understanding the way gum disease develops, there was still “some way to go” before there was a similar product on the market for gum disease as a probiotic yoghurt is available for the intestine.
“Now we know that periodontal disease only develops through P. gingivalis interacting with the existing bacteria in our mouths, we need to understand the role played by our normal bacteria in both the development of disease and protection from it,” he said.
“This may then provide the means to develop preventative measures for the disease.”
Professor Farida Fortune, Dean for Dentistry at Queen Mary said the research was encouraging for people who suffer from gum disease which results in bleeding gums and ultimately loose teeth which cause difficulty in both speaking and eating.
“The public still need to be mindful of the way they look after their teeth and gums. People need to pay more attention to their oral hygiene. Their local hygienist, dental therapist and dentist can all assist in teaching them effective cleaning techniques.”
“Just these simple preventative measures, as well as not smoking, will go some way to helping them avoid developing gum disease.”

        

[drsushant]

The capsule of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the bacterium that causes gum disease, provides stealth, boosting the bacterium’s virulence, according to a paper published in the November Infection and Immunity. Call it a sugar coating, if you will, for in fact, the capsule is made from sugar molecules, which do not ordinarily elicit immunity. Thus it hides the bacterium’s proteins within, preventing immune response
In the study, the researchers, led by Janina P. Lewis of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, compared the ability of normal, and mutant bacteria that were missing the capsule, to activate the immune system, to enter eukaryotic cells (the kind that are present in multicellular organisms), to cause disease, and to survive in mice. “The mutant bacteria activated the host to a greater extent, and thus, were more easily killed by eukaryotic cells,” says Lewis. “Thus, the capsule protects the bacteria and allows them to survive unnoticed in our bodies.”
Capsules also protect both bacteria and fungi, including P. gingivalis, as per this report, from being engulfed by the immune system’s phagocytes (phago=eat; cyto=cell) and from being identified by dendritic cells as dangerous, thus marking them for destruction by antibodies. Conversely, in the study, mutant, non-encapsulated P. gingivalis were rapidly engorged by immune cells, and killed.
“Thus, anything that would interfere with generation of capsule, such as drugs interfering with the action of enzymes involved in synthesis of the sugar coat, could be used in treatment of periodontal disease, and importantly, could have broader implications for prevention of more serious diseases,” by other encapsulated bacteria, such as pneumonia, anthrax, meningitis, endocarditis, and gastroenteritis, says Lewis.

        

[drsushant]

Nicotine gum has been in use for over 20 years to help smokers quit abruptly yet close to two-thirds of smokers report that they would prefer to quit gradually. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare have now found that smokers who are trying to quit gradually can also be helped by nicotine gum.
The results of the first study to test the efficacy and safety of using nicotine gum to assist cessation by gradual reduction are published in the February 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Almost 3300 smokers participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants were enrolled in 27 study sites across the US. Participants were allowed to choose between 2-mg and 4-mg doses of nicotine gum, with the higher doses generally being selected by heavier smokers. Within each dose group, participants were then randomized to receive either the active gum or a placebo, yielding 4 approximately equal groups.
The study assessed initial 24-hour abstinence and 28-day abstinence, and participants were followed up at 6 months to determine overall success rates for quitting. The odds of smokers achieving 24-hour abstinence were 40 to 90% higher using active gum compared to placebo, and 2 to 4.7 times higher for attaining 28-day abstinence. At the end of 6 months, while absolute quit rates were somewhat low, the odds of quitting were about 2 to 6 times greater for active gum users as for the placebo users, with a quit rate of 6% in the 4-mg group.
The study also evaluated the safety of using nicotine gum while reducing smoking. The authors report that no unexpected adverse events were observed, even among those who most heavily smoked and used gum, concluding that “Using nicotine gum while smoking carries little to no incremental risk.”
Writing in the article, Saul Shiffman, states, “This is the first study to demonstrate that smokers wanting to quit by gradual reduction can substantially increase their success by using nicotine gum to facilitate reduction and cessation. Nicotine gum helped smokers reduce smoking, achieve initial abstinence and maintain abstinence. The advantage of active nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) treatment is particularly evident for heavy smokers treated with the 4-mg nicotine gum, for which treatment increased the odds of quitting for 6 months sixfold. This expands treatment options for the substantial proportion of smokers who prefer quitting gradually, who have relatively low chances of quitting and who have heretofore been implicitly excluded from the use of NRT to help them quit. Offering this new way to use NRT may enhance the appeal and reach of a treatment that increases success, and thereby have positive public health impact. Given the ongoing extraordinary health toll from smoking, consideration should be given to novel approaches that increase success in quitting.”

        

[drsushant]

In the study, researchers from the pediatric dentistry department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Dental Medicine found that using the Isolite system or a dental dam with high-volume evacuation (HVE) resulted in significantly less spatter than using HVE alone (Journal of the American Dental Association, November 2012, Vol. 143:11, pp. 1199-1204).

Hard-tissue preparation with handpieces and ultrasonic scalers results mostly in large-particle spatter, which settles on surrounding surfaces, the study authors noted. This can result in contamination issues with transmissible forms of tuberculosis, influenza, Legionnaires’ disease, and severe acute respiratory syndrome. The effectiveness of dental dams has been established by previous research, while other studies found that an HVE is able to limit the amount of aerosol and spatter emanating from a dental procedural site by 90%.

“We wanted to compare the effectiveness of two dry-field isolation techniques with a control (no isolation) in reducing spatter from a dental operative site,” Richard Walker, DDS, a professor of clinical sciences at UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine who participated in the study wrote in an email to DrBicuspid. ” The results of the study showed that use of a dental dam and HVE or with the Isolite system significantly reduced spatter overall compared with use of HVE alone.”

Documenting spatter pattern

To prepare for the benchtop experiment, the researchers covered vents in the operatory so that they did not impact the spatter pattern. A typodont manikin head was situated in the headrest of a dental chair and the oral cavity surrounded by a 4 x 3-inch platform covered with paper. Next, they used clamps to secure an HVE and a high-speed dental handpiece (INTRAmatic Lux 3 25LHA, KaVo Dental) in the manikin’s mouth, simulating the position of a right-handed dentist who is preparing three posterior teeth.

The handpiece’s water flow was set at 25 mL per minute. During both the first experimental and control trials, the orifice of the HVE was placed 1 cm from the tooth undergoing preparation.

Preparation was simulated on teeth Nos. 18, 19, and 20 in all three procedures, eight times each, for a total of 72 trials (effect size = 0.20; p < 0.05). A bite block and the HVE were in place during control testing. In the first experimental setting, teeth were prepared with a bite block, dental dam, and the HVE in place. For the second experimental setting, an Isolite system was placed in the manikin's mouth and set at maximum strength. The water used in the study was blended with dye for easier viewing, and after each trial the researchers removed and examined the paper covering the surface of the wooden platform. They gridded the paper and examined it for signs of spatter. One or more spots found within a 5-cm2 grid square qualified that particular square on the paper as contaminated. They then tallied the number of contaminated squares per trial and analyzed the results. Limiting contamination The researchers found, overall, no statistically significant difference between the two dry-field techniques in the amount of spatter reduction. They also found that the two techniques were similarly effective when performing procedures where mandibular posterior permanent teeth were involved. However, they found significantly more spatter reduction using a dental dam and HVE than with the Isolite system when they prepared tooth No. 20 with each technique in their trials, compared with Nos. 18 and 19. "The two-way ANOVA [analysis of variance] showed statistically significant differences in the amount of spatter produced between the control, dental dam, and Isolite groups (p < 0.001), in the amount of spatter produced between teeth numbers 18, 19, and 20 (p < 0.003), and in the interaction between the isolation method and the tooth number (p < 0.001)," the researchers wrote. They also noted significantly less spatter in the experimental trials and no statistical significant difference between isolation methods. The researchers observed some disparities in the performance of each spatter-control method on each tooth. On 18, the experimental methods equally outperformed the control. On 19, spatter reduction with the dental dam was significant but not when the Isolite system was used (p < 0.056). "Yet, there was no significant difference between the dental dam and the Isolite device for tooth number 19," the study authors wrote. For tooth 20, there was a statistically significant reduction in spatter for both experimental methods, but there was significantly more reduction with the dental dam than with the Isolite device (p < 0.001). The researchers attributed the better performance of the dental dam and HVE over the Isolite system in this situation to the design of the latter. Gingival tissue exposed The researchers noted the Isolite system's myriad features, such as isolation, high-speed evacuation, and protection of adjacent soft tissues, and ease of use in their report. The system also enables procedures that may be hindered by access problems presented by a dental dam. But they also observed that the Isolite leaves some of the gingival tissue exposed while a dental dam is inverted into the gingival sulcus. "The bacterial content of the aerosol and spatter produced when using the Isolite device may be higher or more diverse than that produced when using the dental dam with HVE," they wrote. "This study focused on the amount of spatter, not the amount of pathogens in the spatter," Dr. Walker noted. "Therefore, no conclusions can be made concerning the amount of microbial contamination between the different methods. Our in vitro set-up showed that the two dry field isolation techniques reduced the amount of spatter compared to the control (no isolation). Further in vivo study measuring microbial contamination will be necessary to determine the potential for reduction of communicable disease transmission." The researchers acknowledged Isolite Systems as a financial supporter of the study.

        

[drsushant]

Yulex, an agricultural-based biomaterials company, and Four D Rubber, a U.K.-based manufacturer of latex sheeting for the dental, fitness, clothing, and industrial markets, have developed the first plant-based, latex allergy-friendly dental dam.

The Yulex dental dam will be made from guayule-based biorubber material. Guayule is a renewable, nonfood, latex allergy-friendly crop grown in the U.S, the companies noted.

Yulex applies sustainable agriculture, clean bioprocessing, and materials science to replace imported Hevea latex and synthetic materials.

A desert plant indigenous to the Southwest U.S., guayule is a new industrial crop and the only species other than Hevea that has been used for rubber production on a commercial scale. Guayule requires low water consumption, is latex allergy-friendly, and has a clean manufacturing process, according to Yulex.

        

[drsushant]

With the increasing desire for superwhite smiles, at-home dentist-supervised tooth bleaching has become quite common.

To increase the longevity and effectiveness of whitening, manufacturers of tray-based systems for home bleaching have increased the carbamide peroxide concentration in their products.

Now a new study from Brazil has found that a higher carbamide peroxide (CP) concentration does not increase the longevity of the whitening effect of at-home tooth bleaching agents or the resulting tooth shade level (Journal of the American Dental Association, September 2009, Vol. 140:9, pp. 1109-1117).

The same whitening effect can be seen up to one year postbleaching independent of the bleaching agent’s concentration, said lead author Flavio Fernando Demarco, D.D.S., Ph.D., an associate professor in the departments of operative dentistry and epidemiology at Federal University of Pelotas, in a DrBicuspid.com interview.

Randomized controlled trial

Dr. Demarco and his colleagues conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the longevity of the whitening effect of two custom tray bleaching systems — one with a 10% carbamide peroxide concentration (CP10) and the other with a 16% concentration (CP16) — at one year.

“The use of higher carbamide peroxide concentrations … is not necessary to obtain a better whitening effect.”
— Flavio Fernando Demarco,
D.D.S., Ph.D.
They divided 92 participants into two equal-sized groups according to the carbamide peroxide concentration of their tray. Participants used the tray for two hours daily for three weeks. After this treatment, the researchers evaluated tooth shade with a shade guide and a spectrophotometer at baseline, one week, six months, and one year after bleaching.

At the one-year recall appointment, both groups had significantly lighter teeth. The group treated with CP16 had lower tooth shade values than the CP10 group at the one-week and six-month evaluations, but the researchers did not observe this difference at the one-year recall.

Previous studies have shown that higher-concentration agents can whiten teeth faster than lower-concentration ones, but similar effects can be achieved with both high- and low-concentration agents after a few weeks.

Dentists should avoid using concentrations higher than 10% CP for at-home tooth bleaching due to the increased risk of developing tooth sensitivity, Dr. Demarco said.

Although more than 50% of participants in both treatment groups did not report any kind of tooth sensitivity, the participants treated with 16% CP group experienced more tooth sensitivity in the first and third weeks of treatment than those treated with 10% CP, he said.

“Our findings have demonstrated that the use of higher carbamide peroxide concentrations for at-home tooth bleaching is not necessary to obtain a better whitening effect or an increase of its longevity when compared to 10% CP use,” Dr. Demarco said.

“The American Dental Association (ADA) published guidelines for the acceptance of dentist-dispensed home-use tooth bleaching products. On the basis of the results of published clinical trials, these guidelines ensure the benefits, safety, and effectiveness of carbamide peroxide applied in a tray at a concentration of 10%,” the authors concluded.

Avoid 16% carbamide peroxide?

Does that mean that dentists should instruct patients to avoid products with a carbamide peroxide concentration of 16%, since both concentrations yield the same results in the long run?

Munther Sulieman, B.D.S., from the department of oral and dental science at the University of Bristol Dental School in the U.K., who has also done research on this topic (Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, March 2006, Vol. 18:2, pp. 93-100), does not think so.

“It means that the current volume of research and safety data is mostly on 10% CP, hence its recommendation,” Dr. Sulieman explained. “With time and more research data on 16% CP, it too would then become an accepted concentration.”

Increased whitening speed is the main benefit of using the 16% concentration, he noted.

Because it is the accepted standard, Dr. Sulieman’s policy is to start with 10% CP where possible unless time is an issue. However, it is important to be aware of the increased risk of sensitivity when using higher concentrations, he warned.

“The final shade change is independent of the concentration of bleaching agent, with time as the dominant variable,” Dr. Sulieman concluded in his study. “Higher concentrations of CP that have not been investigated previously may be a treatment option for aesthetic improvement of shade where time is at a premium, but caution must be exercised in view of the possible increased incidence of sensitivity.”
By Dr.Rabia Mughal

        

[drsushant]

Really an article worth reading. A must read for dentists who are planning to put up their own practices.

        

[drsushant]

More dismal fact is that our players do not learn from their mistakes. They tend to get out in the same fashion in every inning.

        

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