Dental News Insider

Mobile Dentistry taken to a new level

Japanese rally car dentistry

And you thought your operatory was cramped.  0 to MODBL in 2.5 seconds.

New Hampshire Dentist Surrounded by Federal Marshals

New Hampshire Dentist Elaine Brown D.M.D is in a stand off with Federal Marshals outside her home in Plainfield, NH.  Dr. Brown and her husband have been accused and charged with Tax evasion for hiding almost $1.9 million in income between 1996 and 2003.  Read more .....

The Biggest Change in Dentistry.....

You may see in your lifetime.  Amalgam has now become a political issue.  Congresswoman Diane Watson has just posted her anti-amalgam stance.  I wonder if this will get picked up by the mainstream media.  The Amalgam fat lady is singing.  I wonder who has been the largest manufacturer of Amalgam in the last 20 years?  Can you say class action lawsuit?  LINK .  Edit - It seems that even God doesn't like to use amalgam...how can you argue with that?  LINK

ADA Insider

We will be travelling to cover the ADA in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks. It should prove to be the biggest meeting in quite some time and very well attended. We will bring you the latest news and product information along with some notes on whats hot and whats not. A big thank-you to the folks at the ADA who are beginning to recognize sites like this as legitimate media outlets.

Mother Goes to Jail for Dental Neglect

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania mother is behind bars because, police said, her son's lack of dental care was her fault.

According to a local dentist, the 5-year-old boy has just eight teeth left and will need to be on a special soft food diet. The dentist said the child's tooth decay was so severe, it was criminal, and police agreed.

Dr. Nicholas Prusack said the nerves are exposed in several places.

"This is the X-ray showing the rotted teeth of the 5 year-old victim, and 12 of them so infected they had to be pulled," Prusack said.

Investigators said the damage was the result of the boy having never seen a dentist.

Now, his mother, 43-year-old Erneida Resto of Bethlehem, Pa., is charged with endangering her son's welfare. LINK

I think this is an area where perhaps we can be more proactive.  We are legally and ethically responsible for reporting abuse.  Sad story.  But you won't believe the result of this survey asking if poor dental care by a parent constitutes as abuse - take it (click here) and get ready to be pissed off.

Amalgam: The Debate Continues.......

It won't be long before amalgam is finally banned as a restorative material.

WASHINGTON -- Federal health officials are again examining what's known -- and what's still to be learned -- about the safety of a mercury mixture that's stirred controversy since dentists began using it to fill cavities in the 1800s.

A joint panel of outside experts voted Thursday to reject a draft report that concluded that dental fillings used by millions of people are safe. Yet the panel did not go so far as to declare the mercury-laden amalgam a danger, only that more study is needed because of the risk it poses to some groups.  Link

Consumer groups and some dentists say that mercury, a known neurotoxin, has no business sitting inside a person’s mouth. Not only can vapors leach out of the filling, but if amalgams were dropped in a river, they would be considered hazardous waste. But dental experts say that when it’s bound to other metals, it doesn’t pose a risk.  Link

I'm actually suprised this hasn't happened sooner.  Bottom line - Is Amalgam your first, second, or third choice for your own next restoration?  Didn't think so.  I still remember a video in dental school where the instructor mixed amalgam in her hands (no gloves).  We don't do that anymore do we?  Why do we keep fighting it?  Raise the white flag and let's get on to the next issue. 

New Obsessive Compulsive Crest

Seems some folks really dig their toothpaste. Flickr user toothpastery appears hell-bent on documenting every toothbrushing moment in her life. The toothpastery Flickr stream consists of two daily photos of a toothbrush loaded with a strip of toothpaste, with meticulous notes about the brand of paste used that day ("Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste with Baking Soda & Essential Oil of Fennel"). This is clearly a magnificent obsession.

In her profile, Toothpastery/Joanna notes "For the most part, I'm probably just objectifying toothpaste in an unhealthy way. These images are methodically captured, lovingly hand-tagged and uploaded daily. This is more boring for me than it is for you," and "These images are not licensed though Creative Commons for a damn good reason."  But does she floss?  Via Boing Boing Link

Dental Consultants are Getting out of Hand

Enough with the new sources of revenue advice!

KINSMAN — Dr. Donald J. Chionchio is charged in federal court with distributing nearly 2,600 Vicodin tablets from his dentist office for cash.

A two-count information filed in Cleveland federal court alleges that Dr. Chionchio conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute Vicodin ES (a painkiller), and drug trafficking at his Main Street N.E. office between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005.

Full Link to Story

P. Ping Thom, DMD

Chalk this one up under "not a sound practice building strategy." 

Hong Kong- A Hong Kong dentist who was caught taking videos up women's skirts in the street has been banned from practising for one year, a news report said Wednesday. At a Dental Council hearing Tuesday, Poon Chung-ming, 29, was struck off the practitioner's list for 12 months as a result of his criminal conviction, the South China Morning Post reported.

Link to full Story

How Not to Elect a Dental Board President 101

It seems that the Kentucky Board of Dentistry overlooked prior charges and enforcements against their current president Dr. David Narramore.

FRANKFORT - The new president of the state board that polices Kentucky dentists was once charged with over-prescribing narcotics and disciplined for failing to document prescribed painkillers.  That has prompted some to question whether Dr. David Narramore of Whitesburg should lead the Kentucky Board of Dentistry, designed to protect the public in a state known for its poor dental health.

One has to wonder what the board was thinking when they elected him president.  Link to article ONE, TWO.  The board seemed to be more upset that the news was leaked rather than taking action or making an apology to the practitioners of Kentucky.  Remember Friends don't let Friends over prescribe Narcotics and then let them run for State Board President.