Greetings from New York! And, will the WHO ban amalgam worldwide?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

We're at the Greater New York Dental Meeting this week, and we're happy to report that it's bigger and more vibrant than a year ago. The Exhibit Hall was packed on opening day, with a number of new products being touted amid an overall upbeat mood. Click here to read our Day 1 report.

In other news, the World Health Organization (WHO) is dipping its toe into the dental amalgam debate. Concerned about mercury poisoning, the organization recently convened a meeting of experts to discuss possible new guidelines regarding amalgam use worldwide. But while antiamalgam activists say the WHO will push for an eventual ban, others present at the meeting beg to differ. Read more.

And the ADA last week announced that it is partnering with Temple University in Philadelphia to launch the first pilot program testing the Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) model in an urban environment. Organizers say the city setting poses some unique challenges compared to the rural CDHC pilot programs already under way. Read more.

On the clinical front, a pilot study in Pakistan found that treating periodontal disease can lower a person's risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). While the study focused on the need to implement new perio treatment programs in developing countries to combat CHD there, the findings could have broader implications as well. Read more.

Finally, over on the Second Opinion page, Dr. Don Deems notes that, with the holidays upon us, it's a perfect time to reflect on where we put our energies, and why.