Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Exciting news this week from the National Cancer Institute: Researchers there have found what they say is a promising biomarker for predicting who is at risk for developing HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer more than 10 years before diagnosis.
These findings raise the possibility that a simple blood test might one day be able to identify patients with this type of cancer. Read more.
In other clinical news, obstructive sleep apnea has been shown to contribute to a host health issues, but is temporomandibular disorder (TMD) among them? Researchers delved into a five-year, $17 million epidemiological study to learn more and found evidence of an association between the two conditions.
Finally, the suggestion that dental therapists are a viable solution to the access-to-care issue stirs both cheers and jeers among dental professionals. For veteran dentist Dr. Bill Brown, the debate prompted him to take an in-depth look at the pros and cons; click here to read his analysis, plus his suggestions for how to address the issue without creating a new category of dental care provider.
