Background PANDAS is an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections. This is a condition that affects a small group of children resulting in a sudden and abrupt onset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. In the late 1990’s, investigators at the US National Institutes of Mental Health, during a study of … Read more
Have you ever experienced listening to a grandparent, a parent or a spouse snoring so loud you couldn’t sleep? No matter how hard you tried to ignore it, that’s all you could focus on. Then suddenly, sweet silence! You breathe a sigh of relief because they stopped! However, the only thing that stopped was their … Read more
On November 20, dental hygienists will celebrate Universal Children’s Day, reminding us all of the importance of protecting and promoting children’s rights, including the right to good oral health. As Gerry Cool, president of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA), explains, “Optimal oral health is the cornerstone of overall physical, social, and mental well-being. CDHA … Read more
The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published an article titled “Development and Testing of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Resource for Children’s Dental Anxiety” in the OnlineFirst portion of JDR Clinical & Translational Research. In this study, Jenny Porritt, Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Politics, Sheffield Hallam University, UK, et al describe … Read more
A two-year-old is screaming and crying as they’re ushered into a dental office for a simple cleaning. Sound familiar? How about that same child leaving smiling and laughing after their appointment? Maybe that’s not the most common outcome, but it is for Kids’ Dental Group. At Kids’ Dental Group they have Mango, a four-year-old black … Read more
On Saturday, September 3, 2016, a group of strangers from across Ontario gathered at the Toronto airport. Their mission: head down to Negril, Jamaica to provide free dental treatment and education to impoverished Jamaicans. This was the second annual trip organized by Great Shape! Inc., the Sandals Foundation, and DMC LLP.1 The volunteer group included … Read more
Access to oral health care has increased since 2001, yet more children face urgent dental needs, according to a new study co-released today by Delta Dental of Kentucky and Kentucky Youth Advocates. The report, Making Smiles Happen: 2016 Oral Health Study of Kentucky’s Youth, presents findings of the first oral health surveillance study of Kentucky … Read more
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is calling on dentists and other oral health professionals to be heroes in their communities by volunteering their time and talent to provide free oral care to children in need as part of the ADA Foundation’s 15th annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program, taking place next year. The American Dental … Read more
Pediatric dental infections contracted at an Anaheim clinic increased to 22 on Tuesday, as Children’s Dental Group said most of the 500 children who underwent root canals there have been examined for signs of illness. The Orange County Health Care Agency said among the 22 patients, ages 3 to 9, six remain hospitalized. The children … Read more
Orange County’s Health Care Agency on Thursday ordered Children’s Dental Group in Anaheim to stop using water for procedures after 10 root canal patients were hospitalized with serious infections. The agency said its lab has confirmed that multiple samples taken from the dental office’s water system have tested positive for mycobacteria similar to the kind … Read more
An investigation is underway by the Orange County Health Care Agency after several children were hospitalized with serious bacterial infections following a common dental procedure. The children were seen at Children’s Dental Group of Anaheim, located at 2156 E. Lincoln Ave., between May 3 and Aug. 2 for pulpotomies, or “baby root canals,” and later … Read more
CDC 2011/2012 statistics reveal low-income children’s tooth decay rates are increasing substantially – despite record numbers of children served fluoride from water, foods, dental products and medicines causing an overall alarming surge in fluoride-overdose symptoms – dental fluorosis (discolored teeth), reports the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc. (NYSCOF) Decay rates for children, living 100% … Read more
With tens of thousands of lost jobs and others struggling in a poor economy, there’s been a big spike in the number of kids unable to get dental care. “With the economy, with the government and with fees, it’s a multi-faceted issue and, you can appreciate in Alberta, we have a huge problem with people falling through the cracks,” said Denise … Read more
For some parents, getting their children to brush their teeth is a daily struggle. Getting active children to stand still while focusing on two minutes of teeth brushing can seem like an eternity. That’s why mom and dad duo, Lala and Robert Sarkissian (a dentist), came up with a unique way to get kids excited … Read more
Watching cartoons through video glasses during dental treatment could help lessen children’s anxiety and distress as well as reducing disruptive behavior, according to a randomized controlled trial published in Acta Odontologia Scandinavica. Anxiety about visiting the dentist and during treatment is common in children. Estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 5 school age … Read more
Untreated dental caries are a significant pediatric public health problem. One in every seven U.S. children ages 2 to 8 years has untreated dental caries in primary teeth, according to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (Dye BA, et al. NCHS data brief, no 191. Hyattsville, Md.; National Center for Health Statistics, 2015). While … Read more
A systematic review and the updated clinical practice guidelines it helped generate published in the August edition of The Journal of the American Dental Association give a clear indication to dental professionals as to the marked benefit of the use of sealants in preventing and managing occlusal caries in children and adolescents, said the article’s … Read more
New name reflects curriculum expansion into practice management The Institute for the Clinical Practice of Pediatric Dentistry (ICPPD) has changed its named to the Institute for Pediatric Dentistry (IPD). The rationale for the name change is to better reflect the evolving content of the Institute’s courses. “As part of our ongoing effort to provide the most … Read more
UCLA–First 5 LA initiative aims to improve California’s low rates of child dental services An innovative program that serves low-income and uninsured children in Los Angeles, the UCLA–First 5 LA 21st Century Dental Homes Project, has more than tripled preventive dental visits for children from birth to age 5, according to a new policy brief by … Read more
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine will join the Special Olympics and Best Buddies International in the fight to end the spread of the r-word – “retard” – a hurtful and derogatory term used toward people with intellectual disabilities. As part of … Read more