Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

www.dental-tribune.com PRSRTSTD U.S.Postage PAID SanAntonio,TX Permit#1396 DentalTribuneAmerica 116West23rdStreet Suite#500 NewYork,N.Y.10011 DENTAL TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Newspaper · U.S. Edition June 2012 — Vol. 7, no. 6 news a1–a2 • Senate subcommittee listens to various perspectives on access to care; broad dental-care changes proposed Letter to editor in Chief a2 • Writer examines AHA stance on periodontal disease and heart health meetings a5–a10 • AGD looks at 'Life, liberty and the pursuit of learning' in Philadelphia • Philadelphia museum packed with medical anomalies • Intensive, five-day, hands-on implants training offered in Jamaica • Greater New York Dental Meeting expands its international programs • Hong Kong is host city for next FDI Annual World Dental Congress industry news a11–a13 • NSK develops and builds products in-house in response to client input • Bulk pricing offered on Arm & Hammer, Orajel and Spinbrush • DENTSPLY Caulk introduces new and improved products • CareCredit writes $100,000 check to ADA's Give Kids a Smile program www.dental-tribune.com PRSRTSTD U.S.Postage PAID SanAntonio,TX Permit#1396 DentalTribuneAmerica 116West23rdStreet Suite#500 NewYork,N.Y.10011 DENTAL TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Newspaper · U.S. Edition agd annuaL m eeting Ad O n June 7, Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., andRep.ElijahCummings, D-Md., introduced the Com- prehensive Dental Reform Act of 2012 in the Senate and House. The pro- posed legislation is titled "A bill to improve accesstooralhealthcareforvulnerableand underserved populations." In February, the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging heard nearly 100 minutes of testimony at its hearing, “Dental Crisis in America: The Need to Ex- pand Access.” The hearing focused on how to serve the reported one-third of the U.S. population that is not receiving adequate dental care. Extensive and diverse written testimony was submitted as well. Several witnesses at the hearing spoke in favor of creating a new licensing con- cept for midlevel care providers, such as the dental therapists practicing in Alaska and Minnesota, which to date are the only states to have passed laws creating such li- censing. The Dental Reform Act proposes a similar concept. The governor of Kansas last month signed a bill that expands treatment ca- pabilities for dental hygienists, enabling them to pull loose primary teeth, manu- allyscrapedecayfromteethandplacetem- porary fillings. The Kansas law was created in response to a dentist shortage in parts of the state and to improve dental care for other vulnerable and underserved popula- tions. The law also includes a provision en- abling retired dentists to treat low-income patients or patients living in underserved areas of the state. The subcommittee’s investigation into access-to-care issues wasn’t limited to po- tential expansion of midlevel-practitioner licensing, a concept that has been opposed by both the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. Those organizations’ advocacy compo- nents contend that opening certain treat- ment capabilities to midlevel practitioners with less training than dentists is not the best strategy from a patient-care stand- point to address access-to-care challenges. Regarding other aspects of the pro- posed legislation, ADA President William Costs, as much as location, impede dental-care access Diverse testimony precedes proposed legislation By Robert Selleck, Managing Editor ” See ACCESS page A2 ” See page A5 'Life, liberty and the pursuit of learning' is the theme inspired by the Philadelphia location of the AGD's 60th annual meeting. More than 70 education sessions — and even 15 hours of free C.E. credit on the exhibit hall floor — are beckoning dental professionals to the City of Brotherly Love this month. Photo/By B. Krist provided by GPTMC Academy of General Dentistry June 21–23 Endo TribunE aae appoints new Leaders New American Association of Endodontists officers include president. ” page C1 HygiEnE TribunE a hygienist goes to hoLLywood Possible Tinseltown close- up presents perfect excuse for pursuing perfect smile. ” page D1 implanT TribunE aaid annuaL meeting oCt. 3–6 American Academy of Implant Dentistry members will be in Washington, D.C. ” page B1