COSTA MESA, Calif. – CareCredit^®, a leading patient financing company, is expanding its educational library with the addition of a new audio program Care is a Verb, Not a Noun by Debra Engelhardt-Nash, Nash Institute Co-founder and Practice Management Expert. This educational audio program is available free to dentists and teams who accept CareCredit.

In the new audio program, Engelhardt-Nash shares practical advice on how to create patient advocates by establishing a culture of caring so that patients accept recommended care, return for ongoing treatment and rave about their dentist and team to family, friends and co-workers.  Engelhardt-Nash inspires teams to engage patients by encouraging them to share their stories, treat patients like welcomed guests and have win-win financial conversations.

“Every day the dental team can make a difference in a patient’s life,” says Engelhardt-Nash.  “And it’s done by not only delivering exceptional clinical care to patients, but also embracing care as a verb.  This means everything we do can show patients we care about them, we appreciate them and we are their advocates.”    

CareCredit’s educational library features leading practice educators sharing insights on key practice management issues. “CareCredit continues to be committed to helping dentists and teams by connecting them to practical solutions on topics such as overhead management, attracting new patients, patient experience and increasing referrals,” said Bete Johnson, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, CareCredit. Practices that currently accept the CareCredit credit card can request a copy of this complimentary audio program by contacting their Practice Development Team at 800-859-9975, option 1, then 6.  Practices that have yet to add CareCredit as a financing solution can call 800-300-3046, option 5, to request their complimentary copy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

www.carecredit.com or Facebook.com/CareCredit or Twitter.com/CareCredit

An analysis of over 40,000 commonly available packaged foods and beverages in Canada has found that 66% of these products – including some infant formulas and baby food products and many so-called ‘healthier’ foods such as yogurt, juice, breakfast cereals, and snack bars – have at least one added sugar in their ingredients list, according to new research from Public Health Ontario (PHO) and the University of Waterloo.

Published in CMAJ Open, the research examined the ingredients of 40,829 packaged foods and beverages sold at national supermarket chains of a major Canadian grocery retailer. The researchers searched for 30 different added sugar terms – everything from ‘sugar’ to dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose and fruit juice concentrate. Excluded from the analysis were fresh fruits or vegetables, fresh meat, raw ingredients (water, baking ingredients, coffee, tea, fats and oils, etc.) and non-food items (such as natural health products or nutrition and protein supplements).

“People may be surprised to learn how many packaged foods and beverages have sugars added to them, especially foods that most would consider ‘healthier,’” says Dr. Erin Hobin, a scientist in PHO’s health promotion, chronic disease and injury prevention division and an author on the paper. “Added sugars were highest in the expected food products such as candy, sweet bakery products and soda pop. But we also found that the majority of products frequently marketed as ‘healthy’ options, like granola bars or yogurt, also listed added sugars in their ingredients. In addition, almost half of all infant formulas and baby food we studied listed added sugars as part of their ingredients.”

In this study, ‘added sugars’ are defined as all sugars added to foods by the manufacturer plus the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. These naturally-occurring sugars are considered ‘added sugars’ in this study because fibre slows down the absorption of sugar, and the fibre is removed during processing (eg, fruit juices) or is never present in these types of foods (eg, honey). Added sugars are particularly concerning as they tend to be consumed in much larger quantities than naturally occurring sugars found in foods such as bananas or a glass of milk. Added sugars can also be added to foods and beverages that normally contain little, if any, sugars, say the researchers.

Eating and drinking excess amounts of sugars are associated with a variety of health problems. However, there is limited research detailing the amount of added sugars in Canada’s food supply. This study provides a baseline snapshot of the added sugars in packaged products commonly found in grocery stores.

A number of health organizations, including the World Health Organization, United States Dietary Guidelines Committee, the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, have all recently recommended limiting intakes of added sugars to a maximum of 5% to 10% of daily calories consumed.

“The number of products that contained added sugars was surprisingly high, particularly for beverages and baby foods,” says Dr. David Hammond, of the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health and Health Systems and senior author on the research paper. “At the moment, it is very difficult for consumers to identify the presence of added sugars using nutrition labels and impossible to identify amounts of added sugars in packaged foods. Health Canada recently proposed changes to nutrition labelling, which may include ‘traffic lights’ for high sugar labels on the front of packs, to help consumers to identify and avoid foods high in added sugars.”

Smoking causes a range of negative effects, particularly in the smoker’s mouth. The effects that smoking has on dental implants, however, is unclear. Even safe and effective treatments, such as dental implants, tend to fail more often in patients who smoke.

A study published in the current issue of the Journal of Oral Implantology focused on first-year success of dental implants in the lower jaw. If surgeons want to predictably know when and how to place implants in the mouths of heavy smokers, they need to understand how their patients’ habits will affect the healing process. Although research shows smoking can make implant and bone integration difficult in the upper jaw, few studies have considered the effects that this habit has on the lower jaw.

Researchers from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China studied how well bones healed and implanted tissue was accepted by heavy smokers who were missing some teeth at the back of their lower jaw. The researchers inserted dental implants for smokers and nonsmokers and restored the dental implants three months later, and then followed both groups for a year to find out whether heavy smoking had any ill effects. They were primarily interested in whether the dental implants would integrate with the bone and stay integrated once the implant was in function.

In both groups, implant stability decreased during the first two weeks after the implant surgery. In nonsmokers, stability began to improve and the implants began to form better connections (integration) to the bone after the second week. However, for heavy smokers, implants saw little change in the second week and only began to integrate into the lower jaw bone and become more stable after the third week following surgery.

Three months after surgery, heavy smokers’ implants had caught up and all patients had secure connections between bone and implant. Although all implants were considered successful, several months later the heavy smokers experienced more problems, including greater bone loss around the implants and larger soft-tissue pockets; however, smoking seemed to have little effect on plaque buildup and bleeding near the implants.

These researchers concluded that heavy smoking did not affect the overall success of the implant surgery, but that it did cause the bone around the implants to heal more slowly. Surgeons may need to change their standard implant schedule for patients who smoke heavily, and smokers may need to be aware that their habit could lead to other complications even after the implants are securely in place.

Full text of the article “Effect of Heavy Smoking on Dental Implants Placed in Male Patients Posterior Mandibles: A Prospective Clinical Study,” Journal of Oral Implantology, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2016, is now available at https://joionline.org/doi/full/10.1563/aaid-joi-D-16-00078.

Dental Services Group (DSG), the nation’s largest network of dental laboratories, announced today that IPS e.max has become a preferred restorative solution among dentists looking for both durable and highly esthetic restorations.

"IPS e.max has had an amazing track record of success," said DSG Chief Operating Officer Matt Morgan."With a 98.5% survival rating and the new strength data that Ivoclar Vivadent recently announced, we are happy to make this one of our go-to premium restorative materials."

Ivoclar Vivadent recently released further testing data citing IPS e.max Lithium Disilicate with an average biaxial flexural strength of 500MPa.This means that dental professionals can now recommend as little as 1.0mm of material thickness for IPS e.max minimally invasive restorations when adhesively cemented.

"At DSG, we are focusing on quality esthetic solutions that are best suited for the patient. This, combined with our service excellence, is a great value enhancement for dentists and patients," added Morgan. "Our partnership with Ivoclar Vivadent is an example of our commitment to our customers’ success."

The extensive technical expertise of DSG technicians, coupled with excellence in service training, ensures the highest quality and consistency in restorations. This allows DSG to provide dentists with both the personalized care made possible by a local laboratory, and the full suite of offerings by the nation’s largest laboratory network.

Sarah Anders, Ivoclar Vivadent's North American Chief Operating Officer, shares her outlook: "We are proud to partner with DSG as they expand their capabilities and offerings with IPS e.max. The outstanding clinical success of IPS e.max, partnered with DSG's national laboratory network, helps to drive better dentistry throughout North America.”

Coca-Cola's "Happy Holidays" truck tour should be banned, given the growing evidence of the effect that marketing of unhealthy food and drink has on children, say public health experts in The BMJ today.

In 2018, the UK government will introduce an industry levy on full-sugar soft drinks as part of its childhood obesity strategy.

This Christmas the truck visited five locations in northwest England in the first week of December and received substantial coverage in the major local newspapers in Liverpool and Manchester.

Visitors could have their photo taken with the vehicle while being given free product (including a 150-mL can of standard Coca-Cola containing 15.9 g of sugar - nearly 4 teaspoons).

But Robin Ireland, Director of Food Active - a campaign based in northwest England to tackle increasing obesity levels - points out that 34% of 10- to 11-year-olds in the northwest are overweight or obese. Further 33% of 5-year-olds have tooth decay, largely down to their consumption of sugary drinks.

Many public health departments have launched campaigns about sugary drinks to try to help their communities reduce their consumption, so Coca-Cola's campaign was scarcely welcomed by local directors of public health, medical professionals, educationalists, or members of the public, he adds.

Such was their concern that Food Active organized a letter stating: "We can celebrate without allowing Coca-Cola to hijack Christmas by bringing false gifts of bad teeth and weight problems to our children."

The 108 signatories included five public health directors and the current and past presidents of the Faculty of Public Health.

The letter received no coverage in either Liverpool or Manchester.

"It is of huge concern that no alternative views were provided in the face of a concerted commercial marketing campaign by Coca-Cola, writes Ireland. "Apparently Coca-Cola's voice counts more than those of directors of public health."

He believes that this form of advertising and marketing should be banned and will continue to push for national action to stop similar campaigns next Christmas.

An international team of experts has produced a "manifesto" setting forth steps to improve the quality of scientific research.

"There is a way to perform good, reliable, credible, reproducible, trustworthy, useful science," said John Ioannidis, MD, DSc, professor of medicine and of health research and policy at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

"We have ways to improve compared with what we're doing currently, and there are lots of scientists and other stakeholders who are interested in doing this," said Ioannidis, who is senior author of the article, which will be published Jan. 10 in the inaugural issue of Nature Human Behavior. The lead author is Marcus Munafò, PhD, professor of biological psychology at the University of Bristol.

Each year, the US government spends nearly $70 billion on nondefense research and development, including a budget of more than $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health. Yet research on how science is conducted -- so-called meta-research -- has made clear that a substantial number of published scientific papers fail to move science forward. One analysis, wrote the authors, estimated that as much as 85% of the biomedical research effort is wasted.

One reason for this is that scientists often find patterns in noisy data, the way we see whales or faces in the shapes of clouds. This effect is more likely when researchers apply hundreds or even thousands of different analyses to the same data set until statistically significant effects appear.

The manifesto suggests it's not just scientists themselves who are responsible for improving the quality of science, but also other stakeholders, including research institutions, scientific journals, funders and regulatory agencies. All, said Ioannidis, have important roles to play.

"It's a multiplicative effect," he said, "so you have all of these players working together in the same direction." If any one of the stakeholders doesn't participate in creating incentives for transparency and reproducibility, he said, it makes it harder for everyone else to improve.

"Most of the changes that we propose in the manifesto are interrelated, and the stakeholders are connected as if by rubber bands. If you have one of them move, he or she may pull the others. At the same time, he or she may be restricted because others don't move," said Ioannidis, who is also co-director of the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford.

The 8-page paper describing ways to improve science includes four major categories: methods, reporting and dissemination, reproducibility, and evaluation and incentives.

Methods could be improved, the authors reported, by designing studies to minimize bias -- by blinding patients, doctors and other participants, and by registering the study design, outcome measures and analysis plan before the research begins -- to prevent subsequent deviations from the study design, regardless of intriguing, serendipitous results.

The authors also state that reporting and dissemination might be improved by eliminating "the file drawer problem," the tendency of researchers to publish results that are novel, statistically significant or supportive of a particular hypothesis, while not publishing other valid but less interesting results. "The consequence," wrote the authors, "is that the published literature indicates stronger evidence for findings than exists in reality."

The file drawer effect is fueled, though, from the behavior of universities, journals, reviewers and funding agencies -- not just that of individual scientists, the authors write. One way funders and journals can help is by requiring all researchers to meet certain standards. For example, the Cure Huntington Disease Initiative has created an independent standing committee to evaluate proposals and provide disinterested advice to grantees on experimental design and statistical analysis. This committee doesn't just set standards; it actually helps researchers meet those standards.

The ultimate goal is to get to the truth, Ioannidis said. "When we are doing science, we are trying to arrive at the truth. In many disciplines, we want that truth to translate into something that works. But if it's not true, it's not going to speed up computer software, it's not going to save lives and it's not going to improve quality of life."

He said the goal of the manifesto is to increase the speed at which researchers get closer to the truth. "All these measures are intended to expedite the process of validation -- the circle of generating, testing and validating or refuting hypotheses in the scientific machine."

Source: Stanford University Medical Center press release

WASHINGTON, DC (January 10, 2017)--About 25% of children and more than 41% of adults in the United States reported consuming foods and beverages containing low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin in a recent nationwide nutritional survey, according to a study out this week. Those numbers represent a 200% increase in LCS consumption for children and a 54% jump for adults from 1999 to 2012.

"Just 8.7% of kids reported consuming low-calorie sweeteners in 1999 and 13 years later that number had risen to 25.1%. Kids aren't alone in this trend. More adults also are taking in low-calorie sweeteners in diet soft drinks and in a variety of foods and snack items," says lead author of the study Allison Sylvetsky, PhD, an assistant professor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH). "The findings are important, especially for children, because some studies suggest a link between low-calorie sweeteners and obesity, diabetes and other health issues."

Low-calorie sweeteners are often used in place of added sugars such as sucrose and high- fructose corn syrup. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved several of these sweeteners including acesulfame-potassium, advantame, aspartame, neotame, saccharin and sucralose. Plant extracts such as stevioside and rebaudioside A are also used in place of sugar.

This study is the first to look at the use of low-calorie sweeteners in foods, beverages, and packets using the most recent data for the US population. More importantly, it clearly shows a striking increase in LCS consumption for US children and teens, says Sylvetsky.

The researchers conducted a cross sectional study using data from nearly 17,000 men, women and children included in the National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES) from 2009 to 2012 and compared the findings to their prior analysis using data from 1999-2008. In the current study, the researchers used the survey results from two dietary interviews in which consumers recalled what they ate or drank during a previous 24-hour period.

Among the key findings:

-Of those reporting consumption of low-calorie sweeteners, 44% of adults and 20% of children consumed low-calorie sweeteners more than once a day.

-Seventeen percent of adults had a food or beverage sweetened with these products three times a day or more.

-The likelihood of consuming low-calorie sweeteners went up as adult body mass index, a measure of obesity, went up.

-Nineteen percent of adults with obesity compared to 13% of normal weight adults used LCS products three times a day or more.

-About 70% of LCS consumption occurred at home and this study shows that children as young as 2 are eating or drinking LCS-sweetened foods and beverages.

Despite the rising popularity of diet or "light" foods and beverages, there is still no scientific consensus on the health impacts connected to low-calorie sweeteners. Some studies have suggested that the use of foods and drinks containing low-calorie sweeteners can help with weight loss. Others have shown that consumption of diet drinks and foods may paradoxically lead to weight gain--perhaps because exposure to intensely sweet foods can trigger a craving for more. Or it may be that people who drink a diet soda think they've saved enough calories that they then indulge in second helpings, Sylvetsky says.

Most parents--and many experts--challenge whether it is a good idea for kids to be eating or drinking lots of foods or beverages with such sweeteners. Yet this study shows that one out of four U.S. children are consuming these sweeteners and in most cases they're eating foods or beverages containing low-calorie sweeteners while at home. Those findings suggest that parents may not realize the term "light" or "no added sugar" may mean that a product contains a low-calorie sweetener. Parents may be buying the light versions of the family favorites thinking they are healthier, Sylvetsky adds.

For consumers that want to steer clear of low-calorie sweeteners and perhaps reduce the overall sweetness of their diet, the best approach may be to follow the dietary guidelines put forth by the US government. Stick to a diet with plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains--and do limit added sugars. "Drink water instead of soda. Sweeten a serving of plain yogurt with a little fruit," says Sylvetsky. "And don't forget an apple or another piece of fresh fruit is a great snack for both kids and adults."

The study, "Consumption of Low-calorie Sweeteners among Children and Adults in the United States," appears in the January 10 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Co-authors of the study include Kristina Rother at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Jean Welsh at Emory University as well as Yichen Jin, Elena Clark and Sameera Talegawkar at Milken Institute SPH.

Source: George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health press release

Crosstex, a division of Cantel Medical Corp., is pleased to announce the recent hire of Mark Duro, who will join the team as Director of Clinical Education following the recent retirement of Chuck Hughes. With world-class education at the forefront of the company’s mission, Mr. Duro’s primary role will focus on providing continuing education experiences, assisting acute care facilities to comply with Joint Commission, CMS and AAMI standards and curriculum development for all Crosstex medical training programs. 

“I was attracted by the company's dedication to delivering innovative infection prevention products, services and solutions for patients, caregivers, and other healthcare providers,” Mr. Duro said. “I believe that teaching people how to apply infection prevention principles to healthcare, their facilities, and even their lives, is the best multiplier to truly create change.” 

Mr. Duro has 26 years experience in the sterile processing field. Most recently, he was the Director of Sterile Processing Operations at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and the Vice President of the Massachusetts Chapter of Central Service professionals. 

Mr. Duro has been a member of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) since 1992 and is one of 34 Fellows within the organization. For the past six years, Mr. Duro has been an IAHCSMM-approved instructor, and in 2015 he was appointed to the IAHCSMM’s Executive Board. In 2016, Mr. Duro was named president-elect. Also, he has presented at more than 75 educational sessions at various chapter meetings and healthcare conferences throughout the US, Canada and abroad. 

Jackie Beltrani, Vice President of Marketing, stated, “We are looking forward to Mark applying his experience and communication skills to develop and teach curriculum that will help our customers provide quality outcomes. Crosstex continues to strive 

BruxZir^® Milling Blanks, the material used to fabricate authentic BruxZir Solid Zirconia crowns and bridges, is receiving a decreased price. 

The entire line of BruxZir Milling Blanks, including BruxZir Anterior, BruxZir Shaded, BruxZir Shaded 16, and BruxZir HT, will receive a significant price decrease across all milling blank thicknesses (12 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, and 25 mm) to enable dental laboratories of any size to provide the most trusted and prescribed zirconia material the industry has to offer.

In addition to the price reduction, a 10-mm-thick milling blank will join the BruxZir Shaded 16 line. This new blank size aims to empower dental labs with even more versatility and access to the monolithic revolution by creating less material waste during the fabrication of copings and frameworks.

The BruxZir material is backed by extensive clinical testing and validation — in stark contrast to clinically unvalidated zirconia and the potential risks associated with generic discount zirconia. Dental laboratories that offer authentic BruxZir restorations can bolster their zirconia business by joining the Authorized BruxZir Laboratory program. As part of this program, labs can take advantage of far-reaching marketing efforts at no cost, including nationwide mailers, quarterly ads, and email campaigns. These results-driven marketing initiatives are crafted on member labs’ behalf, with the mission to build brand awareness.

 

 

ETI Digital Technology has a new Digital Dental Specialist, Bill Ballard, who will be representing the company in the US Midwest. Bill has been a part of the dental industry for nearly 20 years and prides himself in providing excellent ongoing support. He also enjoys assisting his customers with a smooth transition into the digital side of dentistry. He'll be helping ETI Digital expand their CAD/CAM offerings throughout the Midwest.