Ad law unconstitutional in Florida; mobile dentists under fire in Louisiana

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

This week we take a closer look at a case in Florida in which a judge overturned a law on dental advertising on the grounds that it was unconstitutional and overly restrictive. Legal experts say the ruling could have implications for dentists in other states and for some dental associations as well. What do the ADA and Florida Dental Association have to say about it? Find out by clicking here.

The Louisiana Dental Association is also in the news this week, with reports that the group is lobbying to keep dentists from taking their services into schools. At the center of the issue is a dentist who has contracted with elementary schools in northeastern Louisiana to bring dental care to underserved children via mobile vans. Is this a safety issue or a turf war? Read more.

On the international front, our ongoing coverage of the International Dental Show in Germany last month showcases five two-step zirconia implant systems introduced at the meeting. Read more about these new products and their implications for clinical practice by clicking here.

We continue to bring you coverage from the recent International Association for Dental Research (IADR) conference as well. While no one has nailed down the exact cause of nonsurgical paresthesia, researchers from the University of Toronto warned at the meeting that a particular type of injection -- 4% mandibular blocks -- might be the culprit. Read more.

In other research presented at the IADR conference, a team of investigators from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Puerto Rico found yet another link between periodontal disease and systemic issues: obesity.

And in her defense of third-molar extractions, Dr. Helaine Smith says the dental community needs to stop perpetuating the public's perception that dentists are trying to scam them by performing "unnecessary procedures." Read more in her latest Word of Mouth column.

And don't forget to check out our new FREE online CE course, "Global Trends in Dentistry: The challenges of 2009 and the decade that follows," by Dr. H. Edward Lyon. Following our acquisition of ProBusiness Online earlier this year, we are now an ADA CERP recognized provider.