July 23, 2021 | News

SYDNEY, Australia: Though an estimated 3.3% of the Australian population identifies as Indigenous, statistics collated by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare have shown that this figures falls to 0.4% in the context of the country’s dental workforce. To help remedy this, the Indigenous Dentists’ Association of Australia (IDAA) has struck up a partnership with the New South Wales branch of the Australian Dental Association (ADA NSW) with the ultimate aim of reducing the oral health inequalities that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.

July 23, 2021 | Advertorial

SEOUL, South Korea: The integration of CAD/CAM technologies into clinical dental workflows continues to grow as digital dentistry devices become more easily accessible. In a recent study measuring the relative accuracy of intra-oral scanners, the Danish dental company 3Shape’s TRIOS 3 was found to outperform the Medit i500 intra-oral scanner in several important criteria.

July 22, 2021 | News

SEATTLE, U.S.: Biofilm buildup can lead to many oral health issues, including gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth loss, as well as other serious health consequences, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and bowel disease. To better understand individual variation in gingival inflammation, researchers have recently identified and classified human host and microbial responses to the accumulation of dental plaque. The study may help explain why some people are more susceptible to inflammation-associated health problems.

July 22, 2021 | News

DRESDEN, Germany: Much has been made of the transformative potential of additive manufacturing in the medical field, and a project by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft hopes to pair new 3D-printing technologies with tangible applications in the medical sector. Scientists in Germany and Poland are collaborating on a series of pilot projects in selected medical fields, including dentistry.

July 21, 2021 | News

DUNEDIN, New Zealand: In both developed and developing countries, obesity has become so common that it is being described as a global epidemic. Researchers from the University of Otago in Dunedin and institutions in the UK have proposed a weight loss aid for certain patients in the form of an intra-oral device fitted to the posterior teeth. DentalSlim Diet Control uses magnets to restrict mouth opening, permitting a liquid diet only. While the device has been called a “world-first weight loss device to help fight the global obesity epidemic”, many have expressed their disapproval and concern about it.

July 21, 2021 | News

BOSTON, U.S./ KIGALI, Rwanda: Experts have been warning about the consequences of climate change for years, and with every year that the situation worsens, these consequences become increasingly difficult to reverse. The current rate of global warming is associated with higher risks for adverse health outcomes as well, and these are measurable today, according to a recent commentary.

July 20, 2021 | Middle East & Africa | News

KAMPALA, Uganda: Clear demands have been made of the international community concerning equity in the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The Kampala Declaration on COVID-19 Vaccine Equity, which was signed during the recent World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Uganda in June, calls for an end to “vaccine egoism and nationalism” and for the sharing of vaccine doses with low- and middle-income countries.

July 20, 2021 | Europe | News

KNITTLINGEN, Germany/KOBLACH, Austria: Last week, Thomas Gienger, dental technician and trainer at Amann Girrbach, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 58. Gienger was valued for his comprehensive knowledge and over 20 years’ experience in dental laboratories and the dental industry. He was a first-generation user of CAD/CAM technology and helped train thousands of dental technicians.

July 19, 2021 | Asia Pacific | News

SYDNEY, Australia: In many parts of the developed world, high rates of vaccination have enabled an easing of COVID-19 restrictions regarding the wearing of masks, travel and more. In Australia, meanwhile, an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant, combined with a slow vaccine rollout, has caused the country’s two largest cities to be locked down, creating major barriers to accessing dental services for many Australians.

July 19, 2021 | Americas | News

BOSTON, U.S.: Little is known about socioeconomic factors in relation to tooth loss. In a new study, researchers at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) have developed machine-learning algorithms for predicting tooth loss in adults that—in addition to the obvious parameters such as age and dental care—included patients’ socioeconomic factors. The findings suggest that these tools may help identify teeth at risk in order to ensure early intervention.

July 16, 2021 | Europe | News

GLASGOW, UK: Changing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have regularly affected the scope of work that dental professionals have been allowed to conduct. Understanding exactly which procedures are permitted—and which ones are not—has been a continued challenge. The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS), one of the leading medical defence organisations in the UK, has announced that it received a record number of inquiries from dentists looking for advice and support during 2020.

July 15, 2021 | Europe | Advertorial

ZURICH, Switzerland: Peri-implantitis is one of the greatest unsolved problems in dental implantology, and its prevalence is expected to increase over time as implant treatment becomes more widespread.¹ Implant cleaning is a difficult but essential step in treating peri-implantitis, and the recently launched GalvoSurge Dental Implant Cleaning System offers a new solution that is compatible with most implants on the market.

July 15, 2021 | Americas | Advertorial

COPENHAGEN, Denmark: Ever since it was launched in 2005, 3Shape Dental System has been the software of choice for dental laboratory technicians who want to stay at the forefront of technological advancement. With the release of Dental System 2021, 3Shape is now allowing technicians to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and enhance their productivity through its new and improved integrated workflows.

July 14, 2021 | Asia Pacific | News

TSUKUBA, Japan: Healthcare can be considered a right or a luxury, depending on one’s location. Although essential for maintaining good health, healthcare is not readily accessible to all as certain barriers might greatly hinder access to certain healthcare services, including dentistry. For example, researchers in Japan have recently found that, although the country is economically developed and has a large dental workforce, there exist socio-economic inequalities that discourage patients from actively seeking preventive dental treatment.

July 14, 2021 | Europe | News

LEEDS, UK: Researchers from the University of Leeds and the University of Liverpool examined the gender balance of invited speakers at dental conferences that were held in the UK over a two-year period. The June study found that gender was acceptably balanced at only 21.4% of conferences and concluded that conference organisers should proactively work towards making their programmes more representative of the dental workforce.

July 13, 2021 | Americas | Business | News

SAN JOSE, Calif., U.S.: The Invisalign clear aligner system entered the market with a string of patents and no competitors in the late 1990s. According to Zacks Equity Research, a June 2011 investment of $1,000 (€700) in its manufacturer, Align Technology, would have gained 2,668% in value by June this year.

July 12, 2021 | Europe | Advertorial

DARMSTADT, Germany: Exocad, an Align Technology company, has announced its expanded presence at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2021, taking place from 22 to 25 September in Cologne in Germany. Exocad will showcase its newest software releases and innovations for dental technicians and dentists at Booth A020 in Hall 3, where it will have 360m² of exhibition space and a multitude of demo stations.

July 12, 2021 | Europe | Advertorial | Education

ESCHBORN, Germany: Online education has seen an uptick in recent years and gained particular relevance in light of the ongoing global pandemic. Owing to its convenience and ease of access, e-learning will further flourish in the future. Through its AIC Europe online platform, Osstem Implant offers dental professionals a variety of free online courses focusing on the use of its products in daily practice. Instead of theory only, the lecturers present practical aspects and share knowledge and experience with the participants.

July 12, 2021 | Europe | Education

KRIENS, Switzerland: Stable routines lie at the heart of habits. Lately, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the challenge of fostering habits in times that are disruptive. Taking the view that periods of change provide opportunities for creating habits that promote better health, a recent study by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute explored what support is needed to achieve this. The answer? A prevention-based healthcare system that is nothing like the one we know today.

July 9, 2021 | Asia Pacific | News

CHENGDU, China: For restorative dental treatments to be successful, proper dental isolation and moisture control are essential. One of the more widely applied traditional isolation methods involves the use of a rubber dam. A team of researchers from Sichuan University in Chengdu conducted a meta-analysis of studies regarding the rubber dam method and found that, although there is some evidence correlating its use to lower restoration failure rates, more research on the topic is needed.

July 9, 2021 | Europe | News

BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) recently commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a provider of forecasting and advisory services, to perform an analysis on the financial and human cost of periodontal disease in six western European countries. Overall, the results show that preventing new cases of periodontitis by eliminating gingivitis would save up to €101 billion over a ten-year period.

July 8, 2021 | Americas | Advertorial

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., U.S.: Periimplantitis poses one of the greatest challenges for implantologists. BIOLASE, a global leader in dental lasers, recently announced that two current studies have demonstrated that BIOLASE’s Waterlase Er,Cr:YSGG laser technology may be beneficial in the treatment of periimplantitis.

July 8, 2021 | Europe | News

LONDON, UK: Though video calls have become a part of everyday work for many professionals during the pandemic, their increased integration has had some unintended consequences. A new survey jointly conducted by the Oral Health Foundation (OHF) and Align Technology has found that more than half (58%) of British adults have changed how they see their own smile as a result of these videoconferencing technologies.

July 7, 2021 | Asia Pacific | Advertorial

CHEONGJU, South Korea: This year, MEDICLUS is aiming at leading from the front in endodontic solutions in the dental industry. Recently, the company released a high viscosity bioceramic sealer called One-Fil PT for orifice recapping, block-out perforation or for emergency case solution. One-Fil was tested and compared with competitors’ products in a current study.

July 7, 2021 | Europe | Advertorial

DARMSTADT, Germany: Exocad, an Align Technology company, announced the release of PartialCAD 3.0 Galway, its module for removable partial denture frameworks, which has new and advanced features for the design of high-quality partial dentures. This new release enhances digital CAD/CAM possibilities for exocad users and dental technicians by providing simpler design solutions for complex cases.

July 7, 2021 | Europe | Advertorial

KOBLACH, Germany: Amann Girrbach is eagerly awaiting the 2021 International Dental Show (IDS), the first major trade show since the pandemic started. In addition to a number of innovations to its proven CAD/CAM products and materials, the company will focus on solutions for interdisciplinary cooperation between dental laboratories and dental practices at its IDS booth (#A010–B011 in Hall 3.2).