Stimulus bill bypasses dentists; UV lights don't help bleaching

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

With U.S. President Barack Obama's hotly debated stimulus package now a done deal, attention is quickly turning to what it all means. For the healthcare community, much of the focus is on the promise of $20 billion to develop a nationwide health information network and to motivate medical professionals to adopt electronic health records.

Unfortunately, this part of the stimulus package doesn't extend to dentists. To find out why, click here.

U.S. lawmakers have been busy with another piece of legislation that does impact dentistry: the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The revised CHIP bill will pour millions of additional federal dollars into oral healthcare for children. But along with the money comes new government scrutiny of dental care -- which could open the door to superhygienists. Read more.

In clinical news, after comparing seven commercial teeth-bleaching products, a group of Norwegian scientists says that ultraviolet light combined with hydrogen peroxide does not enhance the bleaching effect. In fact, there could be serious health risks. Read more.

Results of another study indicate that, along with smoking, diabetes, and genetics, stress and depression can also play a role in the development of gum disease.

In other news, ClearCorrect, which makes a clear orthodontic aligner, has filed a lawsuit against Align Technology; a dental charity has been hard hit by the alleged Stanford dental investment fraud scandal; and several dental companies are reporting tough financial results. Read these stories and more in News in Brief.

We're also expanding our multimedia efforts with the addition of a Video Gallery. The library of videos is intended to serve as an educational tool, with video clips demonstrating procedures, techniques, and more. If you'd like to add your video to our library, contact us at [email protected].

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