FTC mulls NC dental board appeal; Aussie dental therapists may treat adults

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

As the recent Major League Baseball World Series demonstrated, "It ain't over 'til it's over."

After a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) judge ruled in July that the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners acted illegally in its attempts to block nondentists from providing teeth-whitening services, the dental board appealed that decision in August, contending that the judge "cherry-picked" his way through the evidence.

In a hearing October 28, the FTC heard testimony from both sides and is now considering whether to uphold or overturn the judge's decision. Will one attorney's predictions come true? Read more in this latest Cosmetics Community news feature.

Meanwhile, efforts are under way to allow the more than 1,500 dental therapists in Australia to expand their current capabilities and provide dental care -- including irreversible procedures -- to adults age 26 and older without the prescription or supervision of a dentist. Click here to read the results of a recent pilot project.

And in Restoratives Community news, while modern anesthesia techniques have reduced the risks associated with sedation, dental practitioners need to exercise added caution when treating patients with pre-existing medical conditions, according to a continuing education article in Anesthesia Progress. Read more.

Over in the Oral Cancer & Diagnostics Community, the low rate of high-risk oral human papillomavirus (HPV) found among adult patients in a pilot study conducted by researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is comparable to those of other studies of HPV prevalence. But the few who tested positive for HPV were Hispanic women, reflecting the growing rate of oropharyngeal cancer among U.S. minorities.

Finally, in our latest Dental Heroes profile, meet Dr. Donald Montano of Bakersfield, CA, who runs one of the most successful chapters of Smile for a Lifetime, a foundation that provides free orthodontic treatment to kids in need across the U.S.