NC bill would increase dental board power; NJDA to fight whitening ruling

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Legislation being proposed by the North Carolina Dental Society would give the state dental board unprecedented authority over all contracts entered into by a dental practice.

Proponents of the bill say it is designed to protect dental practices from being taken over by corporations that are more interested in profits than patient care. But opponents -- including a state legislator who is also a dentist -- call the proposed legislation "overreaching" and "intrusive." Are other states considering similar legislation? Read more in this latest Practice Management Community feature.

In other legislative news, the New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA) has hit a roadblock in its efforts to keep a chain of tanning salons from offering teeth-whitening services. In response to the NJDA's lawsuit against Beach Bum Tanning, a judge has ruled the association does not have the authority to make claims of unfair competition. Click here or go to the Cosmetics Community to read what the NJDA plans to do next.

In Hygiene Community news, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have identified the protein that allows Streptococcus mutans to travel from the oral cavity and settle in heart tissue, often leading to endocarditis. Their findings could lead to new lifesaving screening tools. Read more.

Finally, it takes a village, as the saying goes. An Illinois dentist took the sentiment to heart following the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, MO, in May. He and colleagues from Edwardsville, IL, have joined forces to help rebuild the community -- some four hours away -- through a charity aptly named Joplin Spirit. Click here to read more and view images of Joplin just days after the tornado.