Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

f DT page 1A DENTAL TRIBUNE | September 2011 News 3A AD 120 cleft palate repairs and other life-changing surgeries; 695 dental procedures, as well as 949 pediatric and 1,465 internal medicine consul- tations involving everything from urinary tract infections to ear aches, stomach aches, joint pains, tropical skin rashes and allergy-related ail- ments. This year’s medical mission to Estelí, Nicaragua, was made possi- ble with a $38,000 grant from Hedco Foundation, which was used to pur- chase anesthesia equipment as well as an EKG machine. Hospitals and more than 300 indi- vidual donors from the Coachella Valley and throughout Southern Cal- ifornia also made significant dona- tions of equipment and supplies as well as monetary contributions, all of which were used to pay for medi- cines and supplies. In the Coachella Valley, Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs and John F. Kennedy Memo- rial Hospital in Indio both donat- ed equipment and supplies for the Nicaragua mission. Other Southern California hospi- tals also donated critical equipment and supplies for the mission, includ- ing Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead, which donated thousands of dollars worth of mater- nity ward equipment and supplies as well as Lompoc Valley Medical Cen- ter in Lompoc, which donated medi- cines and pharmaceutical supplies. Dr. Doriana Cosgrove of Desert Med Aesthetics and Dr. Daniel Cos- grove of Well Max in La Quinta also coordinated a fundraising effort that helped raise $9,000 worth of dona- tions, which were used to pay for the shipping of medicines and supplies from California to Nicaragua. Rotary Club District 5330, which includes Rotarians from clubs in San Bernardino and Riverside coun- ties, also raised $8,200, which was used to purchase a portable X-ray machine. Dentists from the Coachella Val- ley, Temecula and Oregon also donated thousands of dollars worth of dental supplies for the Nicaragua mission in an effort led by Dr. Rene Dell’Acqua, a cosmetic dentist from Palm Desert. The IMAHelps volunteers paid for their own airfare to and from Nica- ragua, although their food and hotel expenses were covered by the Lion’s Club of Estelí as well as a non-profit group called Unidos Por Nicaragua (United for Nicaragua). Rancho Mirage-based IMAHelps is a registered non-profit organi- zation that depends exclusively on volunteers to make a difference in people’s lives. Formerly known as Interna- tional Medical Alliance, Ines Allen changed the organization’s name to IMAHelps earlier this year so that her organization’s efforts would not be confused with those of other organizations with similar names. More information is available at www.imahelps.org. DT A fluid developed by researchers at the University of Leeds has shown promising results in initial testing. A team of researchers led by Dr. Amalia Aggeli, at the univer- sity’s School of Chemistry, created the peptide-based liquid, which can be painted on teeth and appears to reverse the initial stages of dental decay. “This may sound too good to be true, but we are essentially helping acid-damaged teeth to regenerate themselves. It is a totally natural non- surgical repair process and is entirely pain-free too,” said Professor Jenni- fer Kirkham, from the University of Leeds Dental Institute, who has led development of the new technique. Professor Paul Brunton is over- seeing the testing on patients at the University of Leeds Dental Institute. “If these results can be repeated on a larger patient group, then I have no doubt whatsoever that in two to three years time this technique will be available for dentists to use in their daily practice,” Brunton said. DT (Source: University of Leeds) Paint-on fluid regenerates teeth