From the field to fillings: CU’s Charlie Offerdahl retires due to concussions, dental school awaits

Photo of Colorado Buffaloes team members. (Courtesy of Colorado Buffaloes)

DENVER (AP) — Colorado coach Deion Sanders may be losing a tailback but gaining a future dentist. Charlie Offerdahl stood in front of his teammates and coaches on the first day of fall camp Tuesday and announced he’s retiring from football due to a history of concussions. He’s on track to graduate in December and … Read more

82-year-old pediatric dentist accused of slapping young patients awaits Halifax court ruling

Prosecutor says pediatric dentistry procedures decades ago were “not pretty” (iStock).

A Halifax judge is expected to rule Nov. 20 on whether retired pediatric dentist Dr. Errol Gaum, 82, is guilty of assaulting four former patients when they were children. The earliest allegation dates back to 1970. Gaum appeared in Halifax provincial court Monday for closing arguments in a trial that began in May. He originally … Read more

ADA backs U.S. bill calling for evidence-based oral health research amid fluoride controversy

The ADA says that 80 years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.

The American Dental Association (ADA) announced its support Monday for new U.S. federal legislation requiring evidence-based research to guide oral health policy. “Recently, there has been a growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science about the safety and need for water fluoridation programs,” said Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the ADA. The ADA also praised … Read more

Dental surgeon’s new geometric theory may solve 500-year-old Vitruvian Man mystery

Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man encodes blueprint of human evolution, says London dental surgeon. (Photo courtesy of Rory Mac Sweeney)

Drawing on his interdisciplinary work in dental anatomy, geometry and human evolution, London-based dental surgeon Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney has proposed a new interpretation of the geometry behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. Historians and mathematicians have long debated the meaning of the famous sketch, including why da Vinci drew the man inside both a … Read more

After year-long gap, Inuvik closer to getting resident dentist, mayor says

A row of houses in the town of Inuvik, NWT, Canada

After more than a year without a dentist, Inuvik is now on track to welcome a resident dentist by late fall. During a recent council meeting, Mayor Peter Clarkson said one potential dentist is soon expected to visit the Northwest Territories community to explore housing options. Inuvik’s only dental clinic, the Western Arctic Dental Group, has been closed since May … Read more

Half of complex dental claims denied: Health Canada responds to concerns over CDCP

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As reports mount over high rejection rates and paperwork delays in the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), Health Canada says it is working to improve processing times and support dentists. On July 6, Canadian Affairs reported that Lindy Vanamburg, director general of the Oral Health Branch at Health Canada, said 49 per cent of … Read more

Study links poor oral health to abnormal blood test results in older adults

A study of 118 people aged 50 and older who underwent routine medical check-ups found a link between oral health and blood test results. (iStock)

A new Japanese study has found that older adults with abnormal blood test results may also have declining oral health—suggesting a potential link between oral function and the risk of lifestyle-related diseases. The study, published online in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation on April 17, 2025, was led by Professor Mitsuyoshi Yoshida, chair of the … Read more

Tufts researchers develop ‘smart’ dental implant to mimic natural teeth — next step, testing the brain

Subhashis Ghosh, Dr. Jake Jinkun Chen and Siddhartha Das, co-authors of the study, at the Tufts Biomedical Research and Public Health Building. (Photo courtesy Jenna Schad/Tufts University)

Tufts University scientists are developing a new kind of dental implant they hope will eventually feel and function like real teeth — right down to sending signals to the brain. “They lack the nerve elements that natural teeth have.” That’s how Dr. Jake Jinkun Chen, professor of periodontology and director of the Division of Oral … Read more

Researchers turn urine into material for dental and bone implants

“This process to yield hydroxyapatite, or bone mineral, takes less than one day,” says David Kisailus, UC Irvine professor of materials science and engineering. (Photo courtesy: Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

Scientists have developed a novel biomanufacturing method that converts human urine into hydroxyapatite—a high-value, biocompatible mineral commonly used in dental and bone implants. The process, led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, involves genetically engineered yeast that transforms waste into hydroxyapatite (HAp), a calcium phosphate compound that can also be used to restore … Read more

Czech police detain ‘fake dentist’ family who learned procedures online

All three pleaded guilty to multiple charges and face up to eight years in prison.

Czech police have detained a family of three accused of running a fake dental clinic without licences or training, a case that’s made international headlines amid a reported rise in bogus clinics in the country. According to a police statement released Wednesday, dozens of people were treated at the unlicensed clinic, which operated out of … Read more

Study shows, for the first time, that smoking leaves a permanent mark in teeth

Cementum analysis of archaeological samples revealed the same ring disruptions in the teeth of smokers who died in the 18th and 19th centuries.

UK researchers initially set out to investigate whether cementum rings—similar to tree rings—could be used in forensic settings to estimate a person’s age when DNA is not available. But what they discovered was something entirely different. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that smokers and ex-smokers exhibited signs of disruption in the … Read more

U.K. dental group: Foreign-trained dentists should work in clinics, not McDonald’s

“It is a shameful waste to have them flipping burgers in our fast food restaurants when they could be caring for patients,” says Neil Carmichael, ADG’s executive chair.

With a shortfall in the dental workforce continuing to leave millions without care, the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) is calling for urgent reforms to speed up registration for foreign-trained dentists in the United Kingdom. “We need to unlock the barriers preventing the 6,000 fully trained overseas dentists in the registration queue from practising in … Read more

Saving teeth can be better than replacing them, 20-year study shows

“Replacing a tooth is not necessarily better than saving it,” says Dr. Cortellini, one of the lead investigators. (iStock)

Saving teeth with severe bone loss through periodontal regeneration (PR) offers benefits equal to — or greater than — replacing them with dental implants or bridges, according to a study that tracked patients for two decades, the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) reported. “The idea that a tooth with severe loss of bone must always … Read more

Some dentists doubt long-term sustainability of federal dental plan as demand surges

About four-fifths of dental-care providers in Canada are participating in the CDCP. (iStock)

Some dentists are questioning the long-term sustainability of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) as more than two million people have received care under the program, out of at least four million approved. The Prince Edward Island Dental Association remains concerned about the program’s viability, its president Matt Gilchrist told SaltWire this week. “Providers are … Read more

Depression linked to less diverse oral microbiome, NYU researchers find

The researchers say their findings are part of a broader effort to understand how the oral microbiome may influence not only mental health but also cognitive decline and dementia.

A lower diversity of microbes in the mouth—particularly bacteria—is associated with depression, according to a new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. An estimated five per cent of adults globally suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide, and their … Read more

UK study of over 500,000 people finds gum disease tied to multiple chronic conditions

UK data of more than half million people shows gum disease sufferers more likely to have multimorbidity

A new study based on data from more than half a million people in the U.K. has found that individuals with signs of gum disease are more likely to experience multimorbidity — the presence of two or more chronic health conditions. The research, led by University College London (UCL), in collaboration with the universities of … Read more

The impact of AI and technology on dental schools: What students should know

U.S. dental schools are experimenting with virtual reality (VR), but Canada is expected to take a more measured approach.

Caroline Marszal and Shyla Bhayana, first-year dentistry students at Western University, are keen to observe how dentistry will evolve by the time they graduate, especially as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to advance. “It’s going to be interesting to see what the field is going to look like compared to how it looks now, … Read more

Dental care tops list of delayed treatments, even for insured Canadians, survey finds

According to the survey, about 52 per cent of insured Canadians said they’ve delayed health appointments due to cost. (iStock)

Dental care is the costliest and most frequently delayed type of health care in Canada—even among those with insurance—according to new findings released Tuesday. The data comes from the 2025 Insurance Access and Affordability Study by PolicyMe, a Toronto-based insurance technology company, in partnership with the Angus Reid Forum. The online survey polled 1,502 Canadians … Read more

Online dental misinformation induces fear in Gen Z and millennials, U.S. endodontics survey finds

A new U.S. survey finds younger adults fear root canals due to online misinformation, raising concerns among endodontic specialists.

Gen Z and millennials are especially vulnerable to dental misinformation online, according to a new U.S. survey commissioned by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). The results suggest younger adults are increasingly fearful of dental treatment, especially root canals, due in part to social media myths and confusion about credible sources. The survey, conducted by … Read more

Digital marketing 101 for dentists: What they didn’t teach you in school

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One of the parts of our work we love most is educating dentists on the best practices for digital marketing. Done correctly, online marketing should be a revenue generating machine for your dental practice, not another cost centre that reduces your bottom line. While dental school gave you the tools to care for patients, it … Read more