Seen on the SCENE in Scottsdale

Some photos of course attendees enjoying the program at the ACE 2008 No Prep Veneer course!

Dr. Dennis Wells at ACE 2008 No Prep Veneer course

Dr. Dennis Wells is speaking about Durathin Veneers (www.durathinveneers.com).

 

One of the key thing he speaks about is utilizing custom composite prototypes prior to creation of Durathin Veneers. The custom prototypes express the desired results of the patient directly to the ceramist.

 

Durathin Veneers are generally made via a platinum foil technique and are made of feldspathic porcelain.

 

Dennis recommends a book on natural anterior teeth by Jan Hajto called Anteriores: Natural & Beautiful.

 

Attached are some examples of the before/prototype/final restorations that he’s been providing.

 

The prototypes are spot etched onto the teeth and quickly shaped into the size/shape/color that you want the final restorations to be. He utilizes Ivoclar composite for the prototypes.

 

Beautiful dentistry!

 

Ross Nash presents at ACE 2008 Conference on No Prep Veneers

Dr. Ross Nash gave a great presentation on No Prep/Minimal Prep veneers.

 

Ross showed case after case that he’s completed over the course of the last 20+ years. His clinical skill and esthetic eye is spectacular and seeing so many multiple cases really sinks home how esthetic dentistry has played an impact on patient’s lives.

 

We at ACE appreciate Dr. Nash for his presentation.

 

ACE 2008 North American Conference on No-prep Veneers

We’re LIVE at the Scottsdale Center (www.ScottsdaleCenter.com) and it is an INCREDIBLE facility. Simply put, it’s the finest dental facility I’ve ever seen! They have really done a superb job in thinking through the learning process to optimize the experience for docs and staff.

 

Dr. Ross Nash is our first presenter beginning at 9am.

 

 

SCOTTSDALE...WE HAVE ARRIVED!

We have arrived in Scottsdale and the temp is a cool 101 degrees. Don't worry, we've been assured that it will heat up later on today!

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

 

For those who aren't attending, we'll be blogging LIVE from this event with photos and updates daily. You can view the live blogs at http://www.acedental.blogspot.com/

 

Thanks!

--
--
Dr. Mike Maroon
Founder & Fellow Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics

ACE 2008 North American Conference on No-Prep Veneers ~ June 13-14, 2008 ~ The Scottsdale Center ~ Scottsdale, AZ
ACE 2008 Symposium - Discover the Missing Link in Esthetic Dentistry ~ Nov 5-8, 2008 ~ Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa ~ Bonita Springs, FL

Learn more about upcoming events at www.ACEsthetics.com or call 800.701.6223

OSAP Addresses Reception Room IC

OSAP Addresses Reception Room Infection Control

ANNAPOLIS, MD:  June 4, 2008 - The Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) has addressed a subject seldom discussed:  infection control in the reception area of the dental office.  “The Reception Room” is a feature in the May issue of the OSAP publication Infection Control in Practice (ICIP).  The multi-part article is designed to help dental professionals recognize sites in the reception room that need constant attention with regard to cleanliness and infection control.  It is the second installment of a new series on compartmentalizing infection control policies and procedures.

 

 “The Reception Room” provides information on issues of concern to employers and staff as well as techniques for protecting patients and the dental team.  It lists healthcare-associated infectious disease-causing organisms, discusses the CDC infection control recommendations as they relate to the reception area, and provides disease prevention information for patients.  Also covered are housekeeping procedures, tips to increase regulatory compliance, and links to additional resources.  Upon successfully completing the included test, the participant can receive one continuing education (CE) credit. 

 

The six themed issues of ICIP cover a full day in a dental practice, from before the first patient walks through the door to getting ready to go home.  Future issue topics include the operatory (disease transmission, safety techniques, hand hygiene, needle safety, etc.), instrument processing room (cleaning, disinfecting, sterilization, instrument transfer, wrapping, and storage), and support equipment (radiology, dental lab, nitrous, etc.).  The feature “Before you go home” will cover records management, DUWL, waste management, laundry, documentation of staff meeting notes, and planning ahead (preunit dosing, inventory management).

 

A subscription to ICIP (available electronically and in printed form) is one of many benefits of an OSAP membership.  Individual issues of ICIP are also available for a fee.  For more information or to join OSAP, go to www.OSAP.org or call 800-298-OSAP (6727). 

 

OSAP is the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures. Founded in 1984, the non-profit association is dentistry’s premier resource for infection control and safety information. Through its publications, courses, website, and worldwide collaborations, OSAP and the tax-exempt OSAP Foundation support education, research, service, and policy development to promote safety and the control of infectious diseases in dental healthcare settings worldwide.

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Itamar Medical Announces Expanded Capabilities of the Watch-PAT Sleep Diagnosis System to include full sleep architecture and sleep staging

 

Caesarea, Israel & Framingham, MA — June 1, 2008       Itamar Medical announced today that it has received FDA clearance for a new sleep architecture and staging application.  This new application provides extensive information about the sleep quality, including actual sleep time, and complete sleep architecture, including REM sleep, with further analysis of light and deep sleep stages.  The Watch-PAT is the only diagnostic system that provides this extensive, detailed and accurate data without requiring the attachment of EEG electrodes, which in addition to offering unparalleled comfort level to patients undergoing a sleep study at their privacy and comfort of the home. In addition, the Watch-PAT system records multiple physiologic parameters throughout a sleep study and provides physicians with all parameters required to confirm or rule-out obstructive sleep apnea, including Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI), heart rate, snoring intensity and body position Following the receipt of the FDA clearance, Israel Schreiber, President & CEO of Itamar Medical, has noted:  “Sleep disorders have profound effect on the quality of life and increased risks of cardiovascular events, diabetes, stroke and other morbidities in millions of people.  The Watch-PAT offers one of the most effective diagnosis and management tools for clinicians caring for their patients, who can now be diagnosed in virtually any setting, in addition to a sleep laboratory, and obtain clinically comparable information including accurate quantification of all primary sleep parameters."  Schreiber added that "this technology does not require physicians to compromise on the clinical information available to assess the effect of the sleep disorder on the actual sleep patterns." We are especially proud of the large body of evidence, including close to 40 peer-reviewed publications and over a hundred scientific presentations, confirming the efficacy of this innovative technology and its contribution to enhanced health standard of care and improved outcomes.”   Gary Sagiv, Vice President for Itamar Medical overseeing all sales, education and support operations in the US has noted that: "our Watch-PAT has already been adopted by hundreds of providers around the US, including hospital-based and independent sleep laboratories, physician practices and major healthcare networks like Kaiser Permanente and the Veterans Hospitals (VA system).  Following the recent decision by CMS to cover CPAP therapy following a sleep study conducted at home, more providers are adopting the Watch-PAT, which provides unparalleled benefits to patients tested at home, and with the new capabilities, diagnosing clinicians and referring physicians will receive information closely resembling the information provided following a sleep study in the laboratory. This is another exciting step in the development of the Watch-PAT into one of the most commonly used systems in the US”. Itamar Medical will introduce the new sleep architecture and staging application at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) to be held in Baltimore, MD on June 9 – 11, 2008. * * * Itamar Medical (TASE: ITMR) is a medical technology company developing non-invasive diagnostic systems using Peripheral Arterial Tone (PAT™) signal, including the Watch-PAT™ systems for the diagnosis of sleep related breathing disorders and the Endo-PAT™ systems for assessment of endothelial function, a condition recognized as an early stage of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.  For further information see http://www.itamar-medical.com.   For additional information please contact:             Gary Sagiv, Vice President, Itamar Medical Inc. 160 Speen Street Framingham, MA  01701 Tel: 1-888-748-2627 E-mail: sgary@itamar-medical.com

iSmile Launches New Line

iSmile Dental Products Launches New Line of Consumable and Disposable Products

 

SACRAMENTO, CA: June 10, 2008—  iSmile Dental Products has introduced a line of economically priced, high-quality consumables and disposables.  The new line, which includes cotton and paper products, gloves, infection control materials, and other high-use products, will be sold direct to dentists and will not be available from the major dental distributors.

 

iSmile products offer dental professionals a lower-price option in a market of rising prices. “The average dental office will realize a savings of 15-20% using iSmile, when compared to products sold by the large, national dental distributors,” says Bryan Shields, President and CEO of iSmile Dental Products. “Our goal is to allow dentists to save money without sacrificing quality.” 

 

The iSmile line of consumables and disposables is extensive and includes cotton sponges, rolls, and applicators; evacuation products such as saliva ejectors, HVE Tips, and evacuation cleaners; disposable bibs, cups, tray covers, bite trays, and headrest covers; gloves (powdered, powder-free, vinyl, and nitrile); infection control products such as masks, autoclave pouches, soaps, sterilants, and surface barriers; fluoride trays; and prophy angles, cups, and paste.

 

iSmile Dental Products was founded to provide dentists with a direct source for quality consumables and disposables at discount prices.  The company is committed to offering dental professionals a high-quality low-price alternative. For more information, go to www.ismiledentalproducts.com or call (888) 745-iSDP (4737).

 

FDA revises its position on dental amalgams

FDA revises its position on dental amalgams

6/5/2008
By: Kathy Kincade

The FDA this week settled a lawsuit that sought to have mercury fillings banned from the U.S. market. While not agreeing to a ban, the agency has agreed to add warnings regarding the use of amalgams in some patient groups, and to complete a review that could lead to more stringent regulation of the substance.

"Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses," the agency now states on its Web site. "Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner."

As part of the settlement with Moms Against Mercury, Consumers for Dental Choice, and the other plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit against the FDA last December, the agency is now required to formally classify dental amalgam by July 2009, according to Peper Long, FDA spokesperson. In its 2002 proposed rule on dental amalgam, the agency proposed to classify it as a Category II device.

"Now that we are going to put this into a class, we will be able to put regulations in place that are more specific to dental amalgam," she said.

The agency has struggled for years to reach a definitive conclusion about amalgam fillings. In 2004 an FDA panel determined that there was no evidence of risk from dental amalgam -- even to pregnant women. But a 2006 committee disagreed. Even so, prior to the settlement of this lawsuit, the language on the FDA Web site regarding the safety of dental amalgams was less direct, noting only that "the possibility that dental amalgam could pose health risks that are not yet scientifically known." In addition, regarding potential health risks of mercury for pregnant women, the Web site previously stated: "The recent advisory panel believed that there was not enough information to answer this question."

In a letter posted June 3 on the Consumers for Dental Choice Web site, Charles G. Brown, an attorney for the consumer group, declared, "We have won our ten-year battle to get the Food and Drug Administration to comply with the law and set a date to classify mercury amalgam. The impact of the re-writing of its position on amalgam can hardly be understated."

The ADA said in a formal statement issued June 4 that the FDA settlement with Moms Against Mercury "in no way changes the federal agency's approach to or position on dental amalgam. The 'settlement' only affirms that the FDA will do what it has intended doing all along. In the settlement, the FDA agrees to complete the classification process of dental amalgam by July 28, 2009. The ADA has supported the proposed reclassification since the agency first proposed it in 2002 and continues to support it."

Currently, the FDA has different classifications for encapsulated amalgam and its component parts, dental mercury and amalgam alloy. "The ADA agrees with the pending proposal from the FDA to place encapsulated amalgam and its components under one classification. Based on extensive studies and scientific reviews of dental amalgam by government and independent organizations worldwide, the ADA believes that it remains a valuable, viable, and safe choice for dental patients," the organization said in its statement.

In addition to Mothers Against Mercury, plaintiffs in the lawsuit included four nonprofit groups, two public officials, three dental professionals, and two consumer advocates that Brown refers to as "victims."

Copyright © 2008 DrBicuspid.com

What Your Handshake Says About You

Rules for Meeting and Greeting

By AMY S. CHOI

Nobody likes a limp handshake, but you probably don't realize just how much you communicate through your hands, says Jacqueline Whitmore, author of 'Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work.' Here's one handshake to use, one to be careful of, and three to avoid.

1. The Fail-Safe

Connect the web between your index finger and thumb firmly with the other person's and pump two or three times. This is confident and always appropriate.

2. The Rubber Glove

While shaking hands, cover the other person's hand with your left hand. A favorite of politicians and clergy, this should be used only with someone you know well.

3. The Queen's Handshake

Offering just your fingertips, rather than your palm, indicates a sense of superiority.

4. The Dead Fish

A limp handshake conveys weakness and a lack of self-confidence.

5. The Terminator

Turning the grip so your hand is on top is a sign of aggression.

Things You Should Do

Be Friendly You should always be ready to initiate a handshake, demonstrating your eagerness to meet the person. Although etiquette rules once dictated that a man should wait for a woman to offer her hand, that's no longer the case.

Show Respect Make sure you're standing when you shake hello or goodbye. It shows respect for yourself and the other person.

Be Direct Look the other person in the eye. Don't allow the handshake to linger too long, but you can show an extra bit of sincerity by holding their hand a second longer after the last pump.