WHO wants to phase down amalgam; essential oils challenge chlorhexidine

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

More than a year after hosting a two-day meeting in Geneva to examine the potential risks of amalgam restorations and discuss alternative solutions, the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to issue a report that confirms the ongoing need for the material's use and outlines the risks of an outright ban, but that also sets the stage for phasing down its use worldwide. Read more in our latest Restoratives Community feature.

With the FDA gearing up this week for a two-day meeting to re-examine its position on dental amalgam, the WHO report comes at an opportune time. The FDA intends to ask a panel of experts to assess how much mercury dental patients are exposed to and how much exposure is acceptable. DrBicuspid.com will be in Washington, DC, to cover the hearings; stay tuned for our coverage later this week.

In other news, with one of the worst caries rates of any state in the U.S., West Virginia is taking a multipronged approach to improving the situation -- including a new school-based dental program designed to increase access to care in some of the state's poorest regions. Read more in this Practice Management Community feature.

Over in the Hygiene Community, when it comes to gingival inflammation, mouthwash that relies on essential oils may be a reliable alternative to chlorhexidine for long-term use, according to a systematic review in the Journal of Periodontology.

And in imaging news, more from the recent American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology meeting: A survey of U.S. dental schools found that nearly all of them possess cone-beam CT equipment and incorporate some degree of training in image acquisition and interpretation at the pre- and postdoc levels. Read more.

Finally, in his latest technology Q&A, Dr. Marty Jablow looks at some of the low-priced soft-tissue lasers now on the market and makes his recommendations.