CU dental school axes faculty program; do genes increase caries risk?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

There continue to be repercussions from an ongoing review of policies at the University of Colorado Denver School of Dental Medicine. In the latest turn of events, the school has decided to drop its Accelerated International Faculty Program -- a program the dean now calls "a mistake" -- in response to concerns that it was pushing the envelope in terms of substituting credentials for coursework. Read more.

In clinical news, a growing body of research suggests that genes could account for as much as half of an individual's propensity for caries and periodontitis. Will dentists one day be able to analyze their patients' genetic profile, then prescribe new medicines to enhance their ability to resist caries and periodontitis? One expert thinks so. Read more.

And in her latest Second Opinion column, Dr. Helaine Smith supports giving dental assistants expanded duties and allowing hygienists to administer local anesthesia for scalings. But when it comes to addressing the access-to-care issue, she believes dental therapists are not the solution.

Finally, if you've got a question or opinion on any topic, don't be shy. You can comment on every story posted on DrBicuspid.com (see the box at the end of the article) or start your own thread in the Forums. What's on your mind today?