NYU researchers develop zinc-based treatment to fight tooth decay without drilling or staining

Tooth decay in permanent teeth is the world’s most common health condition. (iStock)

New York University scientists are developing a zinc-based treatment for cavities that could eliminate the need for drilling and filling, while also avoiding the black staining that limits use of existing products. Marc Walters, a professor of chemistry at NYU, has created a colourless compound called zinc tetramine difluoride, which forms zinc oxide crystals deep … Read more

Chemical banned in EU nail polishes still used in dental treatments in Portugal, says group

The ban has unsettled nail-care professionals, who now face the challenge of disposing of existing stock and reformulating products without TPO. (iStock)

A substance recently banned from gel nail polishes across the European Union is reportedly still in use in certain dental procedures in Portugal — raising concerns that regulatory action could expand to medical-device materials, Euro News reported Friday. The chemical, Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO), acts as a photoinitiator, triggering polymerization (hardening) of gels and resins … Read more

ADA defends acetaminophen safety after Trump links Tylenol to autism

The ADA recommends nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with or without acetaminophen, as first-line treatments for acute dental pain in adolescents 12 and older. (iStock)

The American Dental Association is pushing back against claims from the Trump administration that Tylenol could be linked to autism, stressing that peer-reviewed science shows acetaminophen is safe. “Acetaminophen is well studied and proven to be safe for use in pregnancy and is one of the few medicines available to pregnant individuals for pain relief … Read more

U.N. health goals weakened as sugar, other labelling warnings removed; U.S. objects to final plan

The U.N. final version of the declaration keeps language on universal health coverage and stronger primary care but drops earlier proposals for “health taxes” on tobacco, alcohol and sugar. (iStock)

A U.N. political declaration on noncommunicable diseases, negotiated over months and backed by most member states, failed to win formal endorsement Thursday after the United States blocked its adoption by consensus at a high-level General Assembly session. Shortly after its release, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Washington would formally object, arguing the … Read more

Dentalcorp agrees to $2.2B takeover by U.S. private equity firm GTCR

“This collaboration represents a pivotal moment for dentistry,” said Ryan Hungate, chief clinical and strategy officer at Henry Schein One (iStock)

Dentalcorp Holdings Ltd., Canada’s largest dental services provider, said Friday it has agreed to be acquired by U.S. private equity firm GTCR LLC in a deal valued at C$2.2 billion. The announcement comes as Dentalcorp carries an estimated $1.1 billion in total debt and a debt-to-equity ratio of about 60 per cent, according to financial … Read more

‘First’ study links oral bacteria to Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a common brain disorder marked by tremors, muscle stiffness and slowed movement. (iStock)

A bacterium best known for causing tooth decay has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, in what researchers call the first study to show a direct microbial pathway driving the condition. The study, published this month in Nature Communications, was led by researchers in South Korea at POSTECH and Sungkyunkwan University, with collaborators from Seoul National … Read more

U of T researchers test probiotics in everyday foods like yogurt to fight childhood cavities

Researchers identified Streptococcus salivarius — a naturally occurring oral bacterium also present in breast milk — as a promising candidate for a synbiotic formula to prevent cavities in children. (iStock)

University of Toronto researchers are testing whether probiotics infused into common foods such as milk or yogurt could help prevent childhood cavities — one of the world’s most widespread chronic diseases. Led by dentistry professor Céline Lévesque, the team is using synbiotics — a combination of probiotics and prebiotics — to determine if beneficial bacteria … Read more

Canadian, U.S. lenders boost Corus Orthodontists’ access to $250M in credit

Founded in 2019, Corus has more than 75 locations across 13 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. (iStock)

Corus Orthodontists, a North American orthodontic partnership network, said Wednesday it has increased its secured syndicated credit facility to C$250 million from C$175 million. The facility, provided through a syndicate of Canadian and U.S. lenders, also includes an uncommitted accordion feature that allows for expansion up to C$325 million. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce … Read more

UB researcher wins nearly $1M NIH award to use AI to fight against gum disease

Li’s project uses a form of advanced machine learning called manifold learning, which distills complex data into simplified patterns. (iStock)

A University at Buffalo postdoctoral researcher will use artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover how gum disease develops and progresses. Lu Li, a postdoctoral associate in the School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Oral Biology, has received a $993,098 Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The five-year grant will … Read more

Dentalcorp declares third consecutive dividend

cash flow-dentalcorp alternate text for this image

Dentalcorp Holdings Ltd. has declared a dividend of $0.025 per share, payable Oct. 21, 2025, to shareholders of record as of Oct. 2. The company will release its third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before markets open. This marks Dentalcorp’s third consecutive quarterly dividend since its board authorized an inaugural payout in March 2025. At … Read more

Dental program improving, industry says, but misconceptions about ‘free’ care persist

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and former health minister Mark Holland repeatedly referred to the Canadian Dental Care Plan as “free dental care,” as did the New Democrats, who pushed for the program’s creation. (iStock)

The rollout of the national dental care program is improving, industry representatives say — but political statements are still driving a misconception among patients that the program will cost them nothing. “When the plan was initially announced, the government of the day continually talked about free dentistry, free dental care,” said Dr. Bruce Ward, president of the Canadian Dental Association. Former … Read more

Oral bacteria and fungi tied to higher pancreatic cancer risk, large cohort study finds

The team found three periodontal pathogens — Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum and Parvimonas micra — were associated with increased risk. (iStock)

A new cohort study of 122,000 adults reports that specific oral bacteria — and the fungal genus Candida — were linked with a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer years later. Published Sept. 18 in JAMA Oncology by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and collaborators, the nested case–control analysis identified 445 people who … Read more

On the forehead: Spotted ratfish first animal documented to grow teeth outside the jaw, study finds

Spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei fish underwater in sea. (iStock)

A team of University of Washington scientists has discovered that spotted ratfish are the first known animal to grow teeth outside of the jaw. The research, published Sept. 4 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), overturns earlier assumptions that the male spotted ratfish’s club-like, barbed structure between its eyes was used to … Read more

65 British dental practices report zero missed calls after AI receptionist rollout

Before the rollout, missed calls were estimated at about 35 per cent. (iStock)

Sixty-five dental practices across the United Kingdom say they have not missed a single patient call since introducing AI receptionists in May, according to results released Sept. 17 by Wildix and RoboReception. The companies say their joint 24/7 “Wilma AI” system has answered more than 50,000 calls to date, capturing nearly $1.2 million (about £700,000) … Read more

More women break menopause taboos — and why dentistry must pay attention

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and former health minister Mark Holland repeatedly referred to the Canadian Dental Care Plan as “free dental care,” as did the New Democrats, who pushed for the program’s creation. (iStock)

Brain fog, weight gain, mood swings, lower libido, painful intercourse, night sweats, hot flashes and insomnia — these are among the symptoms that affect about 85 per cent of women during menopause, varying in intensity and combination. For some, these struggles create a bond and a willingness to talk about what has long been taboo. … Read more

Global study links alcohol to rising cases of lip and oral cavity cancer

Alcohol-linked lip and oral cavity cancers nearly doubled since 1990, with fastest growth in Southeast Asia and low-middle SDI regions, study finds.

Heavy alcohol consumption has sharply increased the global burden of lip and oral cavity cancers over the past three decades, with the steepest rise seen in Southeast Asia and in lower-middle SDI regions, according to a new analysis based on Global Burden of Disease 2021 data provisionally accepted for publication in Frontiers on Sept. 15. … Read more

U.S. trade commission warns of ‘unreasonable’ noncompete clauses by health-care and staffing companies

The warning comes after the FTC freed 1,800 workers from noncompetes at a major pet cremation company and launched a public inquiry on future enforcement.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is warning employers — particularly large health-care organizations and staffing firms — to review their noncompete and restrictive covenant agreements to ensure they are not overbroad or unjustifiably restrictive. FTC Chair Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters to several health-care employers and staffing companies on Sept. 10, urging them to examine … Read more

Investment company buys Florida distribution centre for $21.1M and leases it to Henry Schein

The distribution centre was last sold in 2022 for $15.83 million. (Photo courtesy: JLL Capital Markets)

JLL Capital Markets announced on Sept. 12 that it sold a 98,408-square-foot distribution centre in Jacksonville, Florida, for $21.1 million. The property, located at 4925 Bulls Bay Highway in Jacksonville’s Westside submarket, is fully leased to Henry Schein, Inc., a Fortune 500 global leader in healthcare product distribution. The side-load facility, built in 2006, sits … Read more

Researchers develop antibacterial dental resin that could extend the life of fillings and crowns

Restoration of teeth with filling-polymerization lamp alternate text for this image

A new resin technology developed with U.S. Department of Energy support promises to cut down on costly, repeat dental procedures. Dental restorations such as fillings and crowns often fail within five to seven years because of secondary tooth decay. But a Brazilian dentist-turned-researcher, now based in Oklahoma, has developed a groundbreaking adhesive resin that could … Read more

Carney pledges continued support for Canadian Dental Care Plan, pharmacare amid ‘tough decisions’

Prime Minister Mark Carney says on Thursday, Sep. 11, 2025, that "we have to be in control of federal spending” to continue supporting programs such as CDCP. (Photo by Lars Hagberg/Office of the Prime Minister of Canada)

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will continue to back national social programs such as dental care, child care and pharmacare, even as tough spending decisions loom in the fall budget. Speaking at a press conference in Edmonton on Thursday, Carney acknowledged the upcoming budget will require difficult trade-offs but stressed that affordability … Read more