Dear DrBicuspid Member,
The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning dental and veterinary professionals not to purchase or use certain potentially unsafe handheld dental x-ray units that are sold online by manufacturers outside the U.S. and directly shipped to U.S. customers.
The FDA is concerned that these devices may not be safe or effective and could expose users and patients to unnecessary and potentially harmful x-rays. The units have not been reviewed by the FDA and do not meet FDA radiation safety requirements. Read more.
In related news, a New Jersey dental products manufacturer has agreed to cease operations for the time being after an FDA investigation found that several of the company's products did not have proper regulatory approval and that the firm's manufacturing facility had several significant violations of the FDA's quality system regulation.
Meanwhile, over in the Cosmetics Community, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has launched a multimillion dollar advertising campaign -- including TV commercials, magazine ads, and a new consumer website -- with particular emphasis on the adult market. Click here to read what prompted the new campaign.
Finally, inadequate supplies of anesthesia and other materials to treat patients in war-torn Afghanistan and working as a woman in a male-dominated society are among the many challenges facing Air Force Maj. Courtney Schapira, DDS, who is serving in a military hospital that treats Afghan soldiers. But the challenges are worth the rewards. Read more.
