DENTAL TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Newspaper · U.S. Edition www.dental-tribune.com March 2010 Vol. 5, No. 5 HYGIENE TRIBUNE The World’s Dental The World’s Dental Hygiene Newspaper · U.S. Edition Dentistry and the HITECH Act So just how much of that $22 billion is earmarked u page 5A for dentistry? Want to buy a digital camera? Learn exactly what you need to know before maku page 7A ing your choice. Hygiene and ortho What are the connections you should be aware of before, during and after ortho? upage 1B Teeth can be saved for future stem cell harvesting By Fred Michmershuizen, Online Editor The Save-A-Tooth system can be used to transport teeth destined for cryopreservation and stem cell treatment of disease. Recent research has shown that normally shedding baby teeth and extracted wisdom teeth can be a source of stem cells that are the equivalent of umbilical cord blood stem cells. The use of umbilical cord blood as a source of stem cells has been routine for several years. However, this method has many problems. The window of time for the retrieval of the cord blood is very short, the hospital staff needs to be well trained in the technique and it is expensive. Every child loses 20 baby teeth over a period of six to eight years, and 1.4 million wisdom teeth are extracted each year. Each of these is a rich source of stem cells. In the past, these teeth were thrown in the trash, but now they can be saved and shipped to a cryopreservation facility and the stem cells stored until needed for the many possible future clinical applications. “This potential source of stem cells from teeth is a tremendous breakthrough,” said Dr. Paul Krasner, professor of endodontics at Temple University School of Dentistry. “Four million baby teeth a year normally fall out, and for a small cost and virtually no effort, each can have g DT page 2A The Save-A-Tooth system can be used to transport teeth destined for cryopreservation and stem cell treatment of disease. Deliberating about a diode laser? Olympians screened for oral cancer By Fred Michmershuizen, Online Editor Many of the world’s top athletes were competing for medals during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, held in Vancouver, British Columbia. When they weren’t skiing down slopes, skating around ovals or whooshing down tracks, several If you think you cannot afford a diode laser or it’s just too complicated to use, think again. Read what a dentist who is not a ‘high-tech’ junkie has to say about incorporating this technology into her practice. g See page 13A hundred of the athletes were undergoing screening for oral cancer. That’s because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mandated that 20 percent of athletes competing in the games receive a comprehensive examination that g DT page 2A AD Dental Tribune America 213 West 35th Street Suite #801 New York, NY 10001 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit # 306 Mechanicsburg, PA