Christensen favors self-etch; CDS coverage; bleaching kiosks face legal trouble

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Lots of great news and information came out of the Chicago Dental Society (CDS) Midwinter Meeting last week. From the crowded exhibit hall floor (31,333 attendees, according to the CDS) and press conferences to the busy lectures and continuing education courses, there was almost too much to cover.

Here are just some of the highlights:

• For Dr. Gordon Christensen, the debate over total etch versus self-etch is pretty much a no-brainer. He weighed in on this and more -- including bonding systems, glass ionomers, fiber posts, and CAD/CAM systems -- during his presentation, "Controversies in Restorations." Read more.

• Several new companies and new products debuted at the Midwinter meeting, including the multispectral Identafi 3000 cancer screening device from Trimira. It does some things differently than its competitors, but does it do them better? Read more.

• Also new at the show was the Panasil impression material, now being marketed in the U.S. by Kettenbach. The company claims that it works better than competing products in wet environments such as the mouth, but not everyone is convinced. Read more.

Lawmakers take action

In legal news, Alabama has become the latest state to take a stand on who can and cannot perform teeth bleaching after a court there ruled that teeth whitening offered in beauty parlors and other commercial settings such as mall-based kiosks constitutes the practice of dentistry. Read more.

And in Michigan, two lawmakers are introducing legislation that would prevent dentists and other healthcare providers convicted of criminal sexual conduct from being able to regain their license to practice in the state. Read more.

Over on the Word of Mouth page, Dr. Helaine Smith takes the ADA to task for failing to lobby strongly or loudly enough on behalf of dentists during the creation of U.S. President Barack Obama's stimulus package. Meanwhile, "Ask Marty" ponders the question: Should you upgrade to the Cerec AC?

Finally, be sure to check out the latest addition to our Video Gallery, "Dental implants and crowns in one appointment?" submitted by Chris Kammer, D.D.S. We're on the lookout for more educational video clips, so if you have something you think would be a good addition, send it to [email protected].