The Isolite is a dental isolation system that combines the functions of light, suction and retraction into a single device solving many of the frustrations that dental professionals deal with on a daily basis. The device gently holds the patient's mouth open, keeps the tongue out of the working field, illuminates the oral cavity, and guards the patient's airway — all while continuously evacuating saliva and excess moisture. The super-soft mouthpiece used with the device makes for a more comfortable experience for the patient, and allows dental professionals to work more efficiently with greater control over the oral environment.
The list of "Fifty Greatest Game Changers in Dentistry" was the result of extensive research by the editorial team of Dentaltown Magazine who surveyed their readership and asked one simple question, "In your opinion, what person, event, story, technology, product or service do you think has been the biggest "game changer" in all of dentistry?"
More than 1,600 members of the Dentaltown community answered the question, and the editorial team pared the answers down to the most popular answers. Then, the team asked members of its Editorial Advisory Board and other well-known dental industry professionals to weigh in with their opinions, and the result was the "Fifty Greatest Game Changers in Dentistry" list which was published in the January 2011 issue.
"Dental isolation is one of the bedrock challenges in dentistry," said Thomas Hirsch, DDS, co-creator of Isolite, "The mouth is a difficult environment in which to work. It is wet, dark, the tongue is in the way, and there is the added humidity of breath which all make dentistry more difficult. Proper dental isolation and evacuation is one of the most underrated factors affecting the longevity of dental work."
Compared to other dental isolation methods, such as the rubber dam or manual suction and retraction, Isolite is faster and easier for dental professionals and easier on the dental patient providing an added measure of safety and comfort for all involved.
"I am not someone who gets too excited about new dental products, after 40 plus years of practice I have seen a lot of things come and go. I have used a rubber dam in every instance if possible; sometimes it just would not be possible. I recently received my Isolite and have found it to be almost as big an advantage as the high speed handpiece. I cannot think of a product or item for my practice that has had such an impact on the ease of practicing dentistry," said G. Craig Hart, DDS, FAGD of St. Peters, Missouri.
An increasing number of dentists are advertising ''sleep dentistry'', where patients are given powerful sedatives that make them forget their time in the chair.
The Australian Society of Dental Anaesthesiology says greater regulations are needed to protect patients from ''rogue'' dentists who do not have the appropriate training to administer the drugs.
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Also referred to as ''twilight sedation'' or ''conscious sedation'', dozens of dental practices across Sydney and NSW advertise sleep dentistry to help patients with dentist phobias or when they are having complicated or prolonged procedures.
Patients are given a combination of sedative and pain-relieving drugs to create a dreamlike state rather than a general anaesthetic.
Society secretary Douglas Stewart warned patients could overdose on the drugs, leading to airway obstruction and possible death.
Dr Stewart said there are about 80 dentists in Australia with full training in giving sedatives intravenously. The University of Sydney runs the only course in the country offering the qualification, which is completed by about six dentists a year.
Dentists without IV training either inject the sedatives straight into patients, spray it up a patient's nose or mix it with syrup or cordial.
''The dentists don't have the formal training to deal with a medical emergency if a drug overdose occurs and don't have the proper equipment to alert them if a patient is in trouble,'' Dr Stewart said.
''Some dental practices use medical doctors, who do not have training as anaesthetists, to administer the drugs.''
Dr Stewart said his organisation is urging the Dental Board of Australia, which regulates the industry, to conduct a survey of all registered dentists to determine what level of sedation they offer and what training they have had.
''We need to regulate the rogues who do not have this training,'' he said. ''There are a lot of dentists who simply don't know what can go wrong.''
The board has issued new guidelines for conscious sedation that come into effect on July 1, with requirements that include assistance either by a registered nurse with training in intensive care or a dentist trained in the monitoring of sedated patients.
Australian Dental Association president Shane Fryer said it supported dentists using sleep sedation if they had the appropriate training, qualifications and experience.
''The [board] guidelines make it clear that there is a requirement for other personnel to be present while dentists are carrying out the procedure to monitor the patient,'' he said.
Premier dentists in Mclean and Vienna, Drs. Sanati and Shahram, are pleased to announce online appointment requests as a new feature to the practice's state-of-the-art website. The new appointment requesting was created to provide patients an easier way to visit this Mclean cosmetic dentist for all of their dental needs.
To request appointment availability, patients are informed to fill out the appointment request form available via the practice's website. Once the form is completed and submitted to the database, a scheduling coordinator for this 22182 dentist will contact the patients for confirmation of their appointment.
When completing the form for this Vienna dentist, patients can select a date and time that would work best with their schedule. Additionally, patients will be instructed to enter their name, email address and phone number for further contact of the scheduling coordinator. At the end of the form patients are given the option to describe the nature of their appointment, such as if they need Vienna implants, veneers, crowns, Invisalign or any other dental problem.
"Patients today are constantly on the go and don't always have the time to call our office to schedule an appointment. With the new online appointment requesting feature, our patients are able to request an appointment without having to pick up their phone. Between meetings or before heading home from work, they can simply visit our website and request an appointment in just minutes," said Dr. Sanati, Vienna dentist.
In addition to the online appointment requesting feature, patients can visit the website for this Tysons Corner dentist for valuable educational resources to guide them in maintaining their dental health. Patients can visit the website for this 22182 dentist for information on various dental topics such as implants, veneers, teeth whitening, Invisalign and an array of other dental health information.
Whether patients are in need of implants or teeth whitening, they can turn to Dr. Sanati and his wife Dr. Shahram for the best in quality dental health care. The online appointment requesting feature, coupled with education resources are further proof of their commitment to providing excellence in dentistry.
About Dr. Ardalan Sanati: Dr. Ardalan Sanati, dentist in Mclean, works with his wife Dr. Shohreh Shahram to meet the needs of their patients in the Vienna area. Drs. Sanati and Shahram received their Doctoral of Dental Surgery degree from New York University College of Dentistry in 2008. They are licensed in the states of Virginia and Maryland to practice cosmetic dentistry. Providing services in bonding, teeth whitening and implants in Vienna in addition to several other cosmetic dentistry services, Drs. Sanati and Shahram stay on the cutting edge of dental advancements to deliver the best in quality dental care patients need.
The Faculty of Dentistry has announced the creation of a Master of Pediatric Dentistry program at the University of Manitoba.
Applications are now being accepted for the first cohorts of this unique and diverse, 36-month program that will feature an emphasis on prevention and public health in under-served and disadvantaged communities.
“We look to develop leaders in new preventive approaches for improvement of children’s oral health,” says Anthony Iacopino, Dean of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba. “We believe our combination of expertise and experience makes this an ideal addition to our graduate student programming.”
Patient care will be delivered in a modern five-chair pediatric dentistry graduate clinic with state-of-the-art computerized diagnostic equipment once renovations to the program’s permanent space are completed. Residents will also have the opportunity to treat pediatric dental patients in a hospital setting and through local community outreach clinics.
In addition to first-rate technical training, in the third year of this program students practice their skills and learn new ones in rural and Aboriginal communities. Prior to this students will study Aboriginal and rural cultures and they will also be involved in intensive research programming focused on prevention and community dentistry.
Foci of research presently includes: public health pediatric dentistry; preventive and interceptive orthodontics; preventive programs for under-served communities.
Since its inception, the Faculty of Dentistry has helped thousands of children through various outreach efforts, most recently through its Centre for Community Oral Health and the Variety Children’s Dental Outreach program.