Medical Marijuana: An Extensive Review of Clinical Benefits and Adverse Effects

Date: 

08/21/2015

A recent study by Whiting, et al, (JAMA 2015) performed an extensive literature review using 28 databases and provided assessment of the indications, benefits and adverse effects of medical marijuana and cannabinoids. Using a rating scale to score the quality of evidence, the authors described evidence of moderate quality to support the use of marijuana in treating chronic pain syndromes and spasticity from multiple sclerosis. There was evidence of low quality that cannabinoids were associated with some improvements in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, sleep disorders, weight gain in HIV infection, and Tourette syndrome. Indications for which cannabinoids showed either very low-quality evidence or no effect included CNS depression, anxiety disorder, psychosis, and intraocular pressure from glaucoma. Adverse effects were reported with the use of cannabinoids, including, among others, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, somnolence, euphoria, drowsiness, confusion, loss of balance and hallucination.

I found this a pretty interesting read.  The full article is here.  

PeriRx, LLC Officially Launches SaliMark™ OSCC Test for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The SaliMark™ OSCC Salivary Diagnostic Test is Available Now 

Through Henry Schein, Patterson and Benco 

Broomall, PA – August 26,  2015 – PeriRx LLC, a premier developer of breakthrough, non-invasive, oral diagnostic technology, has officially launched SaliMark™ OSCC, an advanced molecular DNA test for the early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The salivary test is now available from the online ordering systems of Henry Schein Dental, Patterson Dental and Benco Dental*.

“We’re very excited to bring this accurate, easy-to-use and non-invasive oral cancer screening tool to market,” said Stephen M. Swanick, CEO and founder of PeriRx, LLC. “The fact that these three leading dental suppliers all agreed to distribute SaliMark™ OSCC is a not only a testament to its efficacy but also their recognition of the test’s strong potential to lower the mortality rate of what the National Institute of Health says is the world’s sixth leading cause of cancer, which kills one American every hour of every day.”

Development of this simple-to-use, painless and noninvasive test was based on the strong scientific foundation of NIH-funded research with initial discovery and pre-validation work conducted by Dr. David Wong of the University of California at Los Angeles.  What’s more, more than a decade of National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and National Institute of Health-supported research make SaliMark™ OSCC the world’s most scientifically-validated molecular DNA biomarker test for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The test is indicated for use when a visual oral examination (via naked eye or fluorescent device) detects a suspicious lesion or oral mucosal abnormality. SaliMark™ OSCC’s highly-accurate risk assessment capabilities can help the clinician make a more informed and confident decision on whether to refer the patient to a specialist for a biopsy.

“Although biopsies are the gold standard for determining pathology, they are invasive procedures that come back negative 90% of the time,” explained Swanick. “SaliMark™ will greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of any oral cancer exam protocol.”

For more information about PeriRx, LLC or its SaliMark™ OSCC salivary test for oral squamous cell carcinoma, including scientific data, presentations, videos, peer-reviewed dental journal articles and product literature, visit www.PeriRx.com, call 610-544-3500 or send an email to info@PeriRx.com.

-more-

*Not yet approved for sale in the state of New York. Regulatory approval process is currently in progress. However, New York dentists who pre-register their practices online will be kept on file and notified immediately when SaliMark™ is approved for sale and use in their state.

About SaliMark™ OSCC

Development of this simple-to-use, painless and noninvasive test was based on the strong scientific foundation of NIH-funded research with initial discovery and pre-validation work conducted by Dr. David Wong of the University of California at Los Angeles. The SaliMark™ OSCC test also has the distinction of being the first of its kind assay in the world to aid in the identification and early detection of oral lesions at the highest risk for cancer.  Recently, the SaliMark™ OSCC test underwent a PRoBE (prospective-specimen-collection, retrospective-blinded-evaluation) design study which is the most rigorous biomarker validation available. In addition, PeriRx successfully completed a validation of the mRNA markers at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the St. Johns Providence Health System in Detroit. 

About PeriRx LLC:

Based in Broomall, Pennsylvania, PeriRx, LLC is a premier developer of breakthrough, non-invasive, oral diagnostic technology that will help clinical professionals detect and treat diseases sooner and enhance the practice of wellness management.  

The company was founded in 2008 to explore, innovate, and develop novel therapeutics or devices focused on the oral inflammatory/systemic connection. The PeriRx executive team consists of CEO and founder Stephen M. Swanick, an entrepreneur and experienced drug and device development professional; Dr. Neil Gottehrer, a practicing dentist; and Dr. Jack Martin, a cardiologist. 

PeriRx, LLC obtained its patented and patent-pending technologies from inventor Dr. David Wong’s firm RNAmeTRIX and the Regents of the University of California at Los Angeles. PeriRx and RNAmeTrix have ongoing agreements which ensure the continuing research and development necessary to advance product development from clinical trial, through regulatory approval, and into commercialization.

High Tech Police Tools

After making several longish posts I thought I'd make a shorter one today.

Yesterday, we saw a terrible tragedy in the Virginia TV shooting.

I was reading about it when I noticed that the Virginia Highway Patrol stated the perpetrator's vehicle was identified using a license plate reader.  It is an image processing device that can evidently read plates from a decent distance.

After reading about that, I went looking for other high tech police devices and I came across this story on Fox News.  Definitely worth a read!

Core3daCADemyTM Announces Fall Webinar and Course Schedule

Las Vegas, NV – August 25, 2015 - Core3daCADemyTM, the educational arm of Core3dcentres®, is pleased to announce it is offering a full slate of hands-on courses and in-depth webinars over the Fall season.
Held in Las Vegas, Calgary and Toronto, all aCADemyTM two-day courses are designed by dental technicians for dental technicians, feature a smaller class size ensuring a dedicated hands-on experience along with lecture-style instruction, and are packed with tips and tricks that will increase participant’s design efficiency, thus increasing their profitability.
Please join us for “aCADemyTM 1 - The Fundamentals of Scanning and Designing” (November 13- 14 in Las Vegas) and “aCADemyTM 3 - Digital Smile Design and Advanced Cosmetics" (September 18-19, in Las Vegas; October 23-24, in Calgary; or November 6-7, in Toronto)! The next “aCADemyTM 2 – and Digital Implant and Implant Bar Design” courses will be held in early 2016. Under the direction of Mark Ferguson, Digital Integration Specialist, Core3dcentres, participants in the series gain a comprehensive understanding of design essentials from custom abutment and Full Contour Screw Retained Bars right up to Advanced Scanning and how it relates to Advanced Cosmetic cases and Smile Design! Dates for 2016 will be announced shortly.
Core3daCADemyTM is also hosting a wide variety of in-depth technical webinars over coming months. Available free of charge, feel free to join us for:

•   “Selection of CAD/CAM Material to Meet Modern Indications” (September 23)
  
•   “Simple and Split File Abutment Design using the Core3dcentres Library” (October 21)
  All Webinars are offered at the same time on each date: 12:00 Noon EDT 10:00AM MDT 9:00AM PDT. Core3daCADemyTM maintains a large library of past Webinar topics on our website. Please go to www.core3dcentres.com and click on Core3daCADemy, Webinars to view the entire title list.
  Core3daCADemyTM offers a wide range of courses on-site at your laboratory and presentations with a variety of dental organizations. For more information, upcoming Webinar topics and dates, or Course schedules and Registration information (or to arrange for course delivery at your laboratory), please visit www.core3dcentres.com or contact Emily Bradley, Director at Core3daCADemyTM toll-free at 888-750-9204 or by email ebradley@core3dcentres-na.com. 
  

Still Time Remaining to Register for Sirona’s C30 Celebration with an Attractive Offer Available for Dental Staff Members

Limited Time Offer: Fourth Staff Member Receives Free Tuition for Digital Dentistry Extravaganza  

Charlotte, NC (August 21, 2015) – In preparation of its highly anticipated CEREC^® 30^th (C30) Anniversary Celebration, Sirona Dental, Inc., the worldwide leader and pioneer of digital dentistry, is currently offering C30 attendees a great deal on staff registration. Doctors can now register three practice members with a fourth eligible to attend for free.

This limited time opportunity runs through Sept. 15^th and provides a substantial savings of $995 on the cost of tuition. Staff members will join a wide array of CEREC doctors, mentors, trainers, technicians and exhibitors who are set to congregate in appreciation of a technology that revolutionized the dentistry world.

“CEREC 30 is very much a total-team celebration of the past, present and future of digital dentistry,” stated Michael Augins, president of Sirona Dental, Inc. “Therefore, Sirona strongly encourages practice members to accompany doctors for three days of in-depth education, endless networking opportunities, inspiring keynote speeches and jaw-dropping entertainment.”

Sirona’s C30 event is scheduled at The Venetian^® Hotel and The Palazzo^® Hotel in Las Vegas from September 17-19, 2015. The CAD/CAM extravaganza features leading clinicians in dentistry and will provide a comprehensive business and leadership curriculum. World-renowned life success and leadership coach Tony Robbins headlines an outstanding lineup of motivational business speakers that include Fred Joyal, a leading expert in dental consumer marketing; Bernie Stoltz, CEO of Fortune Management; and Emmitt Smith, former NFL great-turned business entrepreneur and philanthropist. Furthermore, Grammy-Award winning rock band Train is set to perform on Friday, and CEREC 30 attendees will close out the event as they “Party Like Rock Stars” Saturday night at TAO the Nightclub.

Additionally, C30 provides up to 18 CE credits across a full spectrum of digital dentistry topics and tracks, and features an exhibit hall showcasing top dental companies and their products and services.  

For C30 participants who have yet to book a hotel room, special rates are available using a Sirona room block at The Mirage^® Hotel for as low as $159 per night. The Mirage is located across the street from The Venetian and The Palazzo, making it a convenient stay for attendees of the biggest event in digital dentistry. 

To register, make hotel accommodations, and for all additional information, dental and laboratory professionals are encouraged to visit www.Cerec30th.com. 

i-CAT™ Debuts A New Release Of 3D Treatment Planning Software At The AAO Tx STUDIO™

Hatfield, PA (May 14, 2015) i-CAT, a brand of the KaVo Kerr Group, is pleased to release its new and enhanced Tx STUDIO 5.4 treatment planning software at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Annual Session, San Francisco, CA. Fully integrated and exclusively for the award-winning family of i-CAT™ cone beam 3D imaging products, Tx STUDIO delivers a host of new and powerful treatment tools for dentists and specialists working with implants, airway, TMD, orthodontics, and surgical procedures. In addition to its already existing capabilities for accurate implant planning and extraordinary restorative planning capabilities, Tx STUDIO 5.4 also offers new and improved tools. Useful for treatment planning and patient communication, these new features include an enhanced abutment design that allows the crown to be placed onto the abutment and prepped teeth, as well as simulation of pontics and bridges. For airway analysis, more comprehensive and exclusive tools allow for 2D analysis of the airway with quantitative information on the anterior posterior distance and left and right distance. The airway can now be created and visualized in the variable quadrant. Changes in the parameters and area of the cross-sectional area along the airway are displayed graphically.

 • Other helpful tools now available with Tx STUDIO 5.4 offer the opportunity to: • Simulate a sinus bone graft in two clicks while gaining the approximate graft volume.
 • Create bitewing radiographs from 3D data and evaluate those bitewings in all three dimensions.
 • Replicate jaw articulation as well as offer control of the translation and rotation.
• Provide 3D analysis using orthognathic advanced cuts and movement that also show tissue change in profile.

 “At i-CAT, we continually strive to create innovations to our products and software,” says Yena Chokshi, Associate 3D Software Product Manager. “The launch of Tx STUDIO 5.4 adds even more efficient planning and treatment tools to our already award-winning 3D imaging modality. As dentistry continues to evolve and offers more options to patients, these new tools show that we listen to our customers and respond to their increasing imaging needs.” Tx STUDIO treatment software is included with new i-CAT cone beam 3D scanners, giving general dentists and specialists the tools to place and restore implants, perform oral surgery, periodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, utilize CAD/CAM applications, and analyze TMJ and airway with greater confidence and lower radiation options. Indications for Use: www.i-cat.com/ifu Continued on page 2 AWARD-WINNING CONE BEAM 3D DENTAL IMAGING IC-0021 About i-CAT Serving the dental industry since 1992, i-CAT™ is at the global forefront in the development and manufacturing of the computer-controlled dental and maxillofacial radiography products, and internationally recognized by highly regarded dentists and radiologists as one of the most innovative companies in dental imaging. i-CAT systems offers clinicians enhanced features for highly effective treatment planning and surgical predictability. i-CAT is exclusively distributed by Henry Schein Dental. To learn more, visit www.i-cat.com. i-CAT is a member of the KaVo Kerr Group. KaVo Kerr Group is a global portfolio of leading dental brands that share common values of Trust, Experience, Choices, Quality and Smart Innovation.

Brands include KaVo, Kerr, Kerr Total Care, Pentron, Axis|Sybron Endo, Orascoptic, Pelton & Crane, Marus, Gendex, DEXIS, Instrumentarium, SOREDEX, i-CAT, NOMAD, Implant Direct and Ormco. With over 500 years of combined experience and proven solutions, KaVo Kerr Group uniquely serves 99% of all dental practices. Visit www.kavokerrgroup.com for more information.

Brasseler USA® Holds its First Annual “Women in Dentistry” Advisory Board Meeting

Congratulations to my friend Dr. Sheri Doniger for being selected to Brasseler's Women in Dentistry Advisory Board!  Read on for all the details.

Savannah, GA (August 18, 2015) – Brasseler USA^®, a leading manufacturer of innovative, quality dental instrumentation, recently convened a who’s who of women dentists from across the nation for its first official Women in Dentistry advisory board meeting. The meeting of the Brasseler-sponsored advisory board took place over three days from June 30-July 2, 2015 amidst the beautiful backdrop of the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.

Key Brasseler executives teamed up with leading women dentists from across the country to extrapolate and discuss key topics and issues specific to the female dental professional. The advisory group then examined how Brasseler can address unique needs with respect to this very important and growing segment of the practicing dentist population. Dr. Sheri Doniger, Chair for Brasseler’s Women in Dentistry advisory board, moderated the meeting by posing questions and facilitating conversation.

“We were honored to have so many women dentists who are on the frontlines of oral care each day take the time to enlighten us about real practice issues and topics important to them,” remarked Kerry Connelly, Director of Marketing for Brasseler USA. “We received a significant amount of valuable information from all of these smart and savvy practitioners that will help Brasseler further deliver on its promise of being “By Your Side” in dentistry.” 

Topics of discussion included:

• Practice Implementation/Success of the Woman Dentist
• Ergonomics
• Hands-on Clinical Product Evaluations

“When we started to assemble our team of advisors we sought out women who are dynamic and knowledgeable,” continued Connelly. “We couldn’t be more pleased with this group and look forward to this being the first of many productive and meaningful meetings with actions that benefit female practitioners.”

Members of Brasseler’s Women in Dentistry advisory board are distinguished, leading dentists representing a wide range of demographics and specialties and include: 

• Dr. Judith Belitz
• Dr. Sheri Doniger
• Dr. Jean Furuyama
• Dr. Kristine Grazioso
• Dr. Suzanne Grubowski
• Dr. April Hearns
• Dr. Lilia Larin
• Dr. Griselle Ortiz
• Dr. Karyl Cooper Patten

“I was honored to be a part of this brilliant think tank of experts,” remarked Dr. Doniger. “Our goal was to provide substantial feedback to Brasseler in order to address common issues that concern the woman dentist on a daily basis. I think I speak for all the women of our advisory group when I say that we are thrilled to serve as an effective conduit between women dentists, hygienists, and manufacturers by providing crucial data and value to our manufacturer partners in order to make our profession even more effective in providing superior oral care to our patients.” 

For more information about dental products and services from Brasseler USA, please visit BrasselerUSADental.com or call 800-841-4522.

About Brasseler USA^®

Brasseler USA^® is a leading ISO Certified healthcare company, providing quality instrumentation to healthcare professionals for use in restorative dentistry, endodontics, oral surgery, and oral hygiene. Over the past 35 years, Brasseler USA has developed a reputation as an innovative market leader in diamonds, carbides, polishers, endodontics, hand instruments, and handpieces. Today, Brasseler USA offers the most comprehensive assortment of instruments and power systems under one brand in North America. For more information, please visit BrasselerUSA.com.  

# # #

Razer Creates Computers & Peripherals that Make a Statement

With technology sometimes you want function, but other times you want style.  That's why I was blown away when I began perusing the devices made by Razer.

Whether it's for your home or your office that you want to make a statement in, the devices made by Razer will astound you.

The company makes computers, keyboards, mice, and other devices that not only perform state of the art functions but also just plain look cool.

I can't really do them justice by describing them in a post.  Instead, I recommend you head on over to the company's website and see for yourself.  The keyboards alone are worth checking out.

If you have computers in your dental office for patient use, Razer keyboards will for sure make a statement about how high tech you are!

DenMat® Launches New Whitening Practice Building System with Office Personalized Whitening Product

7/1/15 Lompoc, CA: Always at the forefront of safe and effective whitening, DenMat, a leading manufacturer of innovative esthetic dentistry and advanced oral health solutions, is pleased to announce a variety of new additions to the LumiSmile White Professional Whitening product line. Notably, the in-office and take-home whitening solutions utilize a new brand platform, “Whitening for every smile,” to reemphasize the importance of whitening in a practice, and help the dental professional get more patients to say yes to whitening while continually delivering strong results, with minimal sensitivity, at an affordable price to the dentist.

DenMat’s new brand platform is designed to make every patient feel that professional whitening can make any smile brighter. The platform includes DenMat’s new Practice Building System featuring a bulk package with 50 individually wrapped, personalized whitening syringes and attention grabbing, high- impact marketing materials, such as patient brochures, counter cards, posters and more. “There are so many ways to whiten today, but only dentists have the power to give patients the safest and most effective whitening results possible,” said Danielle Hyman, Product Manager at DenMat. “We want to help dentists wake up their whitening programs and grow their practices with LumiSmile White using these new tools.”

Other additions include a new take-home option without fluoride that is available in the same concentrations and packaging as the current take-home offerings. As well, the in-office system is now offered as a convenient combo kit, with patient take-home syringes for whitening touch-ups at home.

About DenMat: Since 1974, DenMat has been a leader in high-quality dental products for dental professionals in more than 60 countries around the world. DenMat makes and assembles most of its products at its world headquarters on the Central Coast of California. The company offers products in three main categories: Consumables, Small Equipment, and a full-service Dental Laboratory. DenMat’s trusted brands include Perioptix® loupes and lights, LumiSmile® White, and Lumineers®, the #1 patient requested thin veneer. For more information, visit www.denmat.com or call 1-800-4DENMAT (1-800- 433-6628). 

NFL Great Emmitt Smith Joins Exciting Lineup of Keynote Speakers At Sirona’s CEREC® 30th (C30) Anniversary Celebration

Former Dallas Cowboys Star Turned Powerful Speaker and Successful Business Entrepreneur to Present at this Year’s Most Anticipated Event in Digital Dentistry

Charlotte, NC (August 12, 2015) – Sirona Dental, Inc., the worldwide leader and pioneers of digital dentistry, recently signed Emmitt Smith, former NFL great and current President and CEO of Emmitt Smith Enterprises, Inc., to appear on stage during its upcoming CEREC^® 30^th (CEREC 30) Anniversary Celebration. Smith replaces Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr., who had to withdraw from C30 due to personal reasons.

Emmitt Smith rose to prominence in the 1990s as the superstar running back of the Dallas Cowboys, and was an integral part of the team’s phenomenal success in winning three Super Bowl championships in a four-year span. Smith culminated his illustrious Hall of Fame career with the proud distinction as having the most rushing yards in NFL history, a record he still holds. 

Since his retirement from football in 2005, Smith has successfully transitioned his talents from the gridiron to the business world, founding Emmitt Smith Enterprises (ESE)–an umbrella company of several organizations focusing on areas ranging from real estate to construction. The philanthropic division of ESE, Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities, partners with nonprofits to provide educational and enrichment opportunities to underserved youth.

In addition to becoming a successful business entrepreneur, Smith is a highly sought-after keynote inspirational speaker, and one of the most recognizable brands in sports entertainment. CEREC 30 attendees will be invigorated as they listen to Smith deliver a speech focusing on the determination and perseverance required to achieve success and overcome obstacles.

Michael Augins, president of Sirona Dental, Inc., commented on Smith’s appearance, “Emmitt Smith has established himself as one of the most preeminent examples of a former great athlete turned equally great motivational speaker and entrepreneur. His story and accomplishments embody what a person who overcomes adversity is capable of, and his philanthropic endeavors have had a tremendous impact in providing opportunities to the underprivileged. It’s a joy and honor to have him on hand to speak at our C30 event.”

Sirona’s CEREC 30 event is scheduled at The Venetian^® Hotel and The Palazzo^® Hotel in Las Vegas September 17-19, 2015. The highly anticipated CAD/CAM educational extravaganza features the leading clinicians in dentistry, in addition to a comprehensive business and leadership curriculum and world-class entertainment. World-renowned life success and leadership coach Tony Robbins headlines an outstanding lineup of electrifying business speakers including Fred Joyal, a leading expert in dental consumer marketing, and Bernie Stoltz, CEO of Fortune Management. The Grammy award-winning rock and roll band Train is set to perform Friday night and CEREC 30 attendees close out the event as they Party Like a Rockstar Saturday night at TAO the Nightclub.

The CEREC 30^th Anniversary Celebration will provide up to 18 CE credits across a comprehensive spectrum of digital dentistry topics and tracks, and feature an exhibit hall showcasing top dental companies and their products and services.  

All dental and dental lab professionals are encouraged to visit www.Cerec30th.com for additional information as it becomes available.

About Sirona Dental, Inc. 

Sirona, the dental technology leader, has served dealers and dentists worldwide for more than 130 years. Sirona develops, manufactures, and markets a complete line of dental products, including CAD/CAM restoration systems (CEREC), digital intra-oral, panoramic and 3D imaging systems, dental treatment centers, and handpieces. Visit www.sironausa.com for more information about Sirona and its products.

2015 Winners of Prestigious International Periodontal Research Competition VOLPE Prize Honored During Reception at The Ohio State University

Sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and The Ohio State University, Division of Periodontology, Award Recognizes Year’s Best in Periodontal Clinical Research 

by Students in Dentistry

New York, New York (August 11, 2015) – Recognizing the year’s best clinical research in periodontology by students in dentistry, Colgate-Palmolive and The Ohio State University’s College of Dentistry, Division of Periodontology recently announced the 2015 International Periodontal Research Competition VOLPE Prize winners and celebrated their important contributions to the profession.

The University of British Columbia’s Rana Tarzemany won first place for her research on human gingival wound healing and fibroblasts, while Nova Southeastern University’s Nina Cunningham earned second place for her study on the clinical implications of palatal graft procedures. The University of Toronto’s Guy Aboodi took third place for his research on tissue loss and damage in periodontitis. 

The winners–along with three honorable mentions–were honored at The Ohio State University (OSU) on July 10 during a special reception attended by a number of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral residents and faculty members of the College of Dentistry’s Division of Periodontology.  Also in attendance was renowned periodontist and award-winning clinical researcher,
Dr. Anthony Volpe, who presented his namesake award to this year’s winners. 

Established by OSU and Colgate in 2007, the VOLPE Prize honors Dr. Anthony Volpe’s career spanning over five decades, demonstrating unparalleled commitment to scientific excellence, and yielding countless contributions to the industry, private practice, and academia. Internationally celebrated for leading breakthroughs in periodontology, Dr. Volpe has conducted clinical research all around the world, delivered more than 250 scientific publications and presentations, and earned several patents in dental science from the United States Government. Dr. Volpe has expressed “sincere appreciation” to OSU and Colgate for establishing this award in his honor.

The 2015 VOLPE Prize winners and honorable mentions were among 12 finalists invited to present and defend their research at the International Periodontal Research Competition. These finalists were selected by a panel of judges that included Dr. Thomas Hart, Director of the VOLPE Research Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “The International Periodontal Research Competition is truly unique,” said Dr. Hart. “It brings together a diverse group of international researchers in the early stages of their careers, who are united by a common passion to develop better diagnostic and treatment strategies for periodontal diseases.”

The judges’ panel also included OSU College of Dentistry, Associate Professor Dr. Purnima Kumar, and University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry, Professor Dr. Howard Tenenbaum who noted that “this year’s slate of candidates was probably the most accomplished and wide-ranging we’ve ever seen.”  

For many industry insiders, this award is particularly prestigious because of both the rich history it has honored from the start and the bright futures it celebrates each year. “I believe the VOLPE Prize can be summarized in three thoughts,” said Dr. Angelo Mariotti, OSU College of Dentistry Chair and Professor, Division of Periodontology. “Quality research, the future of periodontics, and the eminence of Tony Volpe”.  

To learn more about the International Periodontal Research Competition VOLPE Prize, visit https://dentistry.osu.edu/academic-divisions/periodontology/volpe-prize.

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ABOUT COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate-Palmolive's global business, visit the Company's web site at www.ColgatePalmolive.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures^®, Colgate's global oral health education program, please visit www.colgatebsbf.com. 

E4D is Becoming Planmeca FIT

Last year, Planmeca made a major move in dentistry by investing in E4D Technologies.  They wanted to get into the CAD/CAM market and did so in a major way.  Now they are shaking things up more by changing the name to Planmeca FIT.  The idea of FIT is "Fully Integrated Technology" and emphasizes the way Planmeca wants to be seen by the industry.

Planmeca provides lots of dental equipment and FIT is just one more piece of that puzzle.

Look for the new name to be very visible at the upcoming fall dental meetings.

This is the first day that I have been allowed to make this news public.  Remember you read it here first!

G is for Google...

On Monday, Larry Page (1/2 of the braintrust that invented Google) announced on a blog post, that Google is now a division of a new company called Alphabet.

Google is a leading edge company & they are always pushing the envelope.  This new company has some exciting things ahead of it.

Here is the blog post in its entirety.  Read and enjoy!

As Sergey and I wrote in the original founders letter 11 years ago, “Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.” As part of that, we also said that you could expect us to make “smaller bets in areas that might seem very speculative or even strange when compared to our current businesses.” From the start, we’ve always strived to do more, and to do important and meaningful things with the resources we have. 

We did a lot of things that seemed crazy at the time. Many of those crazy things now have over a billion users, like Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome, and Android. And we haven’t stopped there. We are still trying to do things other people think are crazy but we are super excited about.

We’ve long believed that over time companies tend to get comfortable doing the same thing, just making incremental changes. But in the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.

Our company is operating well today, but we think we can make it cleaner and more accountable. So we are creating a new company, called Alphabet (http://abc.xyz). I am really excited to be running Alphabet as CEO with help from my capable partner, Sergey, as President.

What is Alphabet? Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main Internet products contained in Alphabet instead. What do we mean by far afield? Good examples are our health efforts: Life Sciences (that works on the glucose-sensing contact lens), and Calico (focused on longevity). Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related. Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence. In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed. We will rigorously handle capital allocation and work to make sure each business is executing well. We'll also make sure we have a great CEO for each business, and we’ll determine their compensation. In addition, with this new structure we plan to implement segment reporting for our Q4 results, where Google financials will be provided separately than those for the rest of Alphabet businesses as a whole.

This new structure will allow us to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities we have inside of Google. A key part of this is Sundar Pichai. Sundar has been saying the things I would have said (and sometimes better!) for quite some time now, and I’ve been tremendously enjoying our work together. He has really stepped up since October of last year, when he took on product and engineering responsibility for our Internet businesses. Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations. I have been spending quite a bit of time with Sundar, helping him and the company in any way I can, and I will of course continue to do that. Google itself is also making all sorts of new products, and I know Sundar will always be focused on innovation -- continuing to stretch boundaries. I know he deeply cares that we can continue to make big strides on our core mission to organize the world's information. Recent launches like Google Photos and Google Now using machine learning are amazing progress. Google also has some services that are run with their own identity, like YouTube. Susan is doing a great job as CEO, running a strong brand and driving incredible growth.

Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. Alphabet will also include our X lab, which incubates new efforts like Wing, our drone delivery effort. We are also stoked about growing our investment arms, Ventures and Capital, as part of this new structure.

Alphabet Inc. will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, with all of the same rights. Google will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet. Our two classes of shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq as GOOGL and GOOG.

For Sergey and me this is a very exciting new chapter in the life of Google -- the birth of Alphabet. We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity's most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search! We also like that it means alpha-bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for! I should add that we are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products--the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.

We are excited about…

• Getting more ambitious things done. 
• Taking the long-term view. 
• Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish. 
• Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see. 
• Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing. 
• Making Google even better through greater focus. 
• And hopefully...as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.

What could be better? No wonder we are excited to get to work with everyone in the Alphabet family. Don’t worry, we’re still getting used to the name too!

Why You Have Bad Breath & How to Get Rid of It

A short post today because everything you need to read is at Fox News.

Want better breath?  Read this article for great tips!

Could a New Business Model for Mobile Phones Change What we Pay?

I came across an interesting article on the Time website recently that deals with mobile phones and their relatively low cost (or high cost after you read the article).

For years, mobile phone carriers have subsidized the cost of our phones.  Basically you get a very expensive phone for a very low cost because the carrier uses a two year contract to maintain profitability.

By that I mean the carrier actually pays the phone maker for the phone at a high price, then sells it to you at a low price.  However, because you are locked into a two year contract, they make that money back and more over the life of the two year deal.

That's why if you break the two year commitment, there are all kinds of charges you have to pay.  That ensures the carrier doesn't lose money.

However, now it looks like wireless carriers may be letting customers buy a phone at the full cost and not lock them into contracts.  Of course this means that a customer can leave if they find a better deal elsewhere, but it also means the carrier is not subsidizing the customer.

The Time article does a great job of explaining this is pretty good detail, if you are interested check out the article here.http://time.com/3989731/verizon-new-plans/

Going on Vacation? Send your Surgical Telescopes for some R&R as Well!

For those of you who have been to one of my lectures, you know how passionate I am about magnification.  One of my instructors once told me "to do well, one must see well".  Nowhere does that statement bear more truth than in the practice of dentistry.

When Dr. Huebner joined the practice, one of the first things he did was to replace his old set of surgical scopes from his dental school days to a higher mag XV1 system from Orascoptic.  The  XV1 is pictured below.  It is a fully self contained magnification system.  By self contained I mean that the batteries are located in the arms of the glasses which means no cords or battery packs.

This week, Dr. Huebner got an email from Orascoptic letting him know his scopes are now 1 year old & also reminding him that Orascoptic offers a service where Orascoptic staff will perform maintenance to make sure the scopes are in tip top shape.

If you are hooked on magnification like I am, you know how much you would suffer if you suddenly had to perform treatment without it.  By having Orascoptic perform maintenance, you minimize the chance of a catastrophic problem (such as having an arm come off... which once happened to me) and are assured the scopes are returned to "like new" condition.

So my recommendation is while you are away this summer enjoying a relaxing vacation, send your surgical scopes out and have them given the "spa treatment" too.  That way, you are not without magnification while seeing patients.  This kind of preventive maintenance just makes good sense.  One thing I've learned over my time in dentistry is that maintenance pays off.

If you are an Orascoptic user, you can call 800-369-3698 to schedule your maintenance & they will talk you through the process of sending your scopes to them in Middleton, Wisconsin.

If You are an Android User Don't Get Stagefright!

For mobile users, I really like Lookout to help keep your devices secure.  I have been using it for quite a while on both Android and iOS devices and have been very pleased with what it provides for me.

The company is also very good at keeping users informed of potential problems and threats.  This week, the good folks at Lookout contacted Android users with a warning about a new threat called "Stagefright".  Below is the info from the email Lookout sent to its Android users, if you'd like even more info on the threat, you can get the lowdown from this Lookout Blog post.

Last week a new security vulnerability that affects Android devices was discovered, called "Stagefright." We take our promise of giving you peace of mind seriously, so we wanted to reach out to explain the risk and provide a few steps you can take to protect your Android device.

What can Stagefright do?

Stagefright could allow an attacker to remotely control and steal data from an Android device by simply sending a victim a multimedia message (MMS) infected with an exploit. There are a number of apps that an Android device can use to receive MMS content such as Google Hangouts and the default messenger app. In order to fully be protected from this vulnerability, you will need to wait for a security update from your carrier, device manufacturer, or Google, who are the only ones who can patch this vulnerability.

What about my existing Lookout app?

The Lookout app you already use will protect you from potential malware that could take advantage of Stagefright exploits, but you will need to wait for an upcoming security update from your carrier, device manufacturer, or Google to ultimately patch this vulnerability.

Am I affected?

To check if your device is vulnerable to "Stagefright" and to learn how to disable MMS auto-fetching for added protection, download our new Stagefright detector app now.  

Mark Hamill's Autographs Are The Best

As a diehard geek, I've always had a special place in my heart for Star Wars.  The first year it came out, I must have seen it 5 times  That was serious cash, back in the day...

Fast forward to Monday August 3, 2015.  As I am walking down the hallway in the staff area of our office, I hear laughter coming from the office of my dental cohort Dr. John Huebner.

He's as big a geek as I am and, it turns out, as big a Star Wars fanboy as I am as well.  It seems that he had stumbled upon a page showing trading cards that Mark Hamill has autographed over the years.  To say Hamill has had a bit of fun doing these would be an understatement.

Some of these are just plain hilarious.  I've given you a sample up above, but for the full list, take a look at this impressive page of Star Wars trading cards.  If you are a geek (and if you're not, what are you doing reading this?) you'll have a hard time not laughing out loud at some of these...

The Joy of ReCharging iPhones & iPads...

Over the years, I've bought several rechargeable Apple products.  Between iPhones, iPods, and iPads I have quite a few of the little white square AC adapters.  Look in my laptop bag, messenger bag, or one of my backpacks and chances are you'll come across one or more.

Recently my iPad 3 bit the dust and could not be repaired despite the best efforts of the Genius Bar.  So I ended up purchasing a new iPad Air 2.  When I brought it home & plugged it in, I noticed that at the top left of the screen it said "not charging".  After some research, this is what I've learned.

Many of the white AC chargers are 5Watts.  These are the most common chargers and that's because iPhones come with them.  The iPad 1, 2, and 3 came with a 10W charger.  This was because they came with a much larger battery and much faster processor than the iPhones.  When the iPad 4 and the iPad Air came out, they had a 12W charger for the same reasons.

When the iPad Air 2 came out, it was sold with a 10W charger.  I haven't really heard a rock solid reason why, but speculation is that it has a tad smaller battery, however that is just a guess.

So, the reason I was getting the "not charging" info at the top right of the screen was because I was using a 5W charger.  Because all of those white squares look alike, I figured they were alike.  Not so much!

Also, many of the iPad chargers that are purchased by users in the after market area are being sold chargers that are 5W or 10W and being used on iPad that just require more power.

I really wish Apple would have let us know about this and made the different wattage chargers different colors or shapes or something.

So there you have it.  I went through all of my white Apple squares over the weekend and discreetly marked the power level on them with a Sharpie.  I wrote on the side that faces the wall so I'm the only one who knows...

At least I've figured out why I was getting the warning.