PBHS, Inc. announced in January the launch of Consult Mode, an addition to ADA TV that enables dental providers to demonstrate 3D procedural animations, videos and tutorials chairside via tablets, iPads and other hand-held devices.

Dr. Bettie R. McKaig, who served as the Association’s first vice president from 1998-99, died Feb. 3. She was 70.

The ADA said it believes a new policy from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid could be “detrimental” to the millions of adults who rely on Medicaid for dental care.

Of the more than 3 million profile views, the program found that 17% resulted in action, which include potential patients visiting a dentist’s website, calling or emailing the practice and sharing their profile. Industry average for similar sites is only 1-4%, so patients are nearly six times more likely to contact an ADA dentist through Find-a-Dentist.

Circulating levels of perfluorodecanoic acid, a type of perfluoroalkyl acid, may be associated with dental caries in children, according to a study published in the fall 2019 issue of the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.

Dr. Per Äke Zillen, executive director of the FDI World Dental Federation from 1989-2001, died Jan. 19 following a battle with cancer.

Dr. Emily Mattingly, chair, New Dentist Committee, 6th District, shares her experience as a new dentist in a rural Missouri town. Three other NDC members also shared new dentist perspectives.

The ADA is hosting a free webinar in March on how to effectively advertise and market services and dental practices on Facebook and Instagram.

The American Dental Association is weighing in on two pieces of legislation aimed at streamlining billing procedures for patients.

The ADA Foundation will award up to three scholarships worth at least $11,000 each to dental students in 2020.

Advanced dental education program enrollment by gender

Dr. Robert M. Anderton, ADA president from 2000-01 and ADA trustee from 1995-99, died Feb. 14.

The deadline for abstracts for the upcoming National Summit on Smokeless Tobacco Prevention is Feb. 29.

Pledge to celebrate World Oral Health Day on March 20 with the rest of the sphere.

The American Dental Association is accepting submissions for awards that honor standards-based research.

It was a Give Kids A Smile event not only for the children of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians but also no fewer than 117 Indian Health Service dental programs across 24 states that were participating in GKAS with the events alone estimated to involve 14,000 American Indian/Alaska Native children.

A new California law is requiring dental benefit companies to be more transparent about the leasing of dental networks, making California the 20th state to pass or amend such legislation.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is seeking comments on a proposed research initiative on dental fear and anxiety.

The Association is calling for nominations of qualified individuals to serve as the ADA appointee to the Joint Commission Board of Commissioners.

Results from a NYU College of Dentistry study suggest how excess fluoride exposure affects the cells forming tooth enamel — possibly explaining how dental fluorosis arises.

Formerly incarcerated people in the U.S. have worse oral health outcomes than those who have never been in prison, according to a study published in the March issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

The handout covers strategies for helping prevent the transmission of suspected respiratory disease in the dental health care setting and answers frequently asked questions related to the virus, based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is hosting a virtual job fair March 4 from 6:45-10:15 p.m. ET. In addition, HRSA’s National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program is now accepting applications for 2020 through April 23.

Dr. David P. Cappelli, Ph.D., acknowledges that as providers, we don’t often understand difficulties that some patients face to receive needed dental care.

The deadline for submission of abstracts for the FDI World Dental Congress is March 25.

Registration opens April 22 for the ADA FDC Annual Meeting, which will offer a variety of learning and social opportunities for dentists and their teams to enjoy.

When Dr. Gil Rivera became a dentist, he had no idea his career would take him to the bloodied and bruised front lines of the NHL, but nearly 18 years later, he continues to treat the ravaged mouths of professional hockey players as the team dentist of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Dr. Martin Nweeia began researching narwhals in 2000. He came to the conclusion that the prevailing research available about the narwhal’s tooth — such as Charles Darwin’s belief that the narwhal’s tooth was a secondary sexual characteristic like an antler or a horn — was only part of the story.

ADA Practice Transitions, a service offered by the ADA focused on helping dentists make the process of joining or leaving a practice successful, is offering a free three-month trial.

The ADA Standards Committee on Dental Informatics has approved the technical report for circulation and comment.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first over-the-counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen combination drug for the U.S.

The U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 28 passed a comprehensive bill designed to address the youth tobacco epidemic.

At least one American Dental Association member has reported receiving a phishing email appearing to come from an address containing ADA President Chad P. Gehani's name and including a link to "view member's details."

The American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry filed comments Feb. 28 on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ proposed 2021 notice of benefit and payment parameters for the Affordable Care Act.

The American Dental Association's Standards Committee on Dental Products and Standards Committee on Dental Informatics are looking for volunteers to help in the development of new projects.

The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards announced March 4 it recognizes the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology as the national certifying board for dental anesthesiology.

The Organized Dentistry Coalition is applauding Congress for introducing legislation aimed at improving oral health literacy.

Oral medicine becomes the 11th dental specialty recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards. The recognition comes after the National Commission on March 2 adopted a resolution based on an application from the American Academy of Oral Medicine to recognized oral medicine as a dental specialty.

The Association is launching in March a new online, on-demand program specifically designed to provide information — from parental leave to financial support — that is tailored to the early-career dentist’s unique work-life balance needs.

Trying to navigate the world of dental benefits can be full of choppy seas, and the ADA is holding a free webinar in April to help dentists and their staff find a safe harbor full of information.

Anaheim, Calif. — The American Association of Dental Editors & Journalists is hosting Dental Editors University West May 14-15 at the Anaheim Hilton in Anaheim, California.

Titled “Compendium of Innovations in Oral Health Service Delivery,” the 64-page digital booklet features organizations from across the country that have found success through varied measures in expanding oral care to underserved populations.

Results from a University of Iowa College of Dentistry study suggest that mild and moderate dental fluorosis is generally less noticeable over time, validating the beliefs of some supporters of community water fluoridation that there have been overestimates of fluorosis prevalence made by anti-fluoridation activists.

The ADA and the Wisconsin Dental Association are partnering up with other fluoridated water proponents to address February anti-fluoridation movements in three Wisconsin municipalities: Lake Delton, Berlin and Hayward.

Ogden, Utah — The Office for Civil Rights announced March 3 that it had reached a settlement with Dr. Steven A. Porter’s medical practice to settle a potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act security rule.

The American Dental Association is applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to appoint a chief dental officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid but would like to confirm the position is exclusive to CMS.

An Illinois orthodontist won the American Dental Association's 2019 John W. Stanford New Investigator Award for her research paper evaluating the effects of eight cleaning methods on copolyester polymer, a material commonly used in clear thermoplastic retainers.

The ADA’s Council on Dental Practice, in collaboration with the New Dentist Committee and several external dental consultants, has developed the new Guidelines for Practice Success module on Managing Pregnancy, a resource that combines best practices with practical information to guide new dentists through the process of managing a new chapter in the lives and careers.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced March 5 that it does not find that the National Toxicology Program adequately supported its conclusion that fluoride is “presumed” to be a cognitive neurodevelopmental hazard to humans.

The question surfaces at the beginning of dental school, maybe even sooner, when the dream first takes hold. What kind of dentist do I want to be? Do I want to be a general dentist? An oral surgeon? A pediatric dentist? Every student’s path to becoming a dentist is unique. Choosing whether to specialize is no different.