Philips to acquire Discus; has U.S. oral health really improved?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Just got back from the ADA annual meeting in Orlando to discover that Royal Philips Electronics is in the process of acquiring Discus Dental. The deal is designed to enhance Philips' health and wellness business and expand Discus' reach in the global teeth-whitening market, according to the companies. Read more.

In other news, this year marks the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. surgeon general's report on oral health in America, and advocates gathered in Washington, DC, last week to celebrate. But they also cautioned that there is still much work to be done to ensure that those most challenged in terms of access to care do not get left behind. Read more in our latest Practice Management Community feature.

And some forward-thinking vendors and practitioners are recognizing that, regardless of government incentives that may or may not pertain to dental electronic health records, the Internet offers a number of ways to improve communication and workflow. As a result, new practice management software tools are emerging -- and some of the biggest vendors are behind them. Read more.

In clinical news, two sleep apnea stories caught our attention this week. Medicare and Medicaid criteria for coverage of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment may be too strict, a study in the October issue of Chest suggests -- meaning some patients lose their coverage for this common sleep apnea treatment after just three months. Read why in this Cosmetics Community story.

And early treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with nasal CPAP may speed recovery from ischemic stroke, according to a new study in the European Respiratory Journal.

Finally, in her latest Mouth Physician column, Dr. Helaine Smith worries that unless the dental community is more embracing of change, we may all end up back in the barbershop.