Newsbites

Two independent studies that evaluated 18 intraoral sensors have found that the Kodak RVG 6000 Digital Radiography System delivers the highest image quality in the industry.

According to the study authors—Allan G. Farman, DC, and Taeko T. Farman, DC, of the University of Louisville (Kentucky)—the RVG 6000 System captured images at a resolution greater than or equal to 20 line-pairs per millimeter, which is the highest spatial resolution of any of the systems tested. The study also determined that the system provided the highest latitude ratio, 21:1, of any digital intraoral sensor; high latitude ratios indicate a wide exposure range, minimizing the risk that images will be under- or overexposed.

“Dental professionals know they can trust their diagnostic imaging needs to Kodak, because our brand signifies the highest standards of image quality, and because our customers know we back our products with excellent support,” says Paul Tucker, dental market manager, digital systems, Kodak’s Dental Systems Group. “By displaying technology leadership, Kodak is demonstrating our continued commitment to provide cutting-edge diagnostic imaging solutions to this market.”

The Orthodontist as CEO® will be the AAO’s second stand-alone conference on running an orthodontic practice. The conference will be held February 10­–12, 2006, at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The program, which will feature keynote speaker Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth and the E-Myth Revisited, will focus on creating systems within the office. Other speakers will discuss employment law and human resources, financial and tax planning, fraud and embezzlement, and technology and the use of the Internet. Randall Berning, an attorney and orthodontic practice consultant, will serve as the program moderator.

Program information will be mailed this summer. Online registration will be available beginning in August.

A 2-year study conducted at the Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health at San Diego State University’s Graduate School of Public Health has found that orthodontists’ counseling on the dangers of tobacco use and giving encouragement not to smoke have a positive effect on adolescent patients who have not yet picked up the habit.

The study, called “SMILES PLUS,” included more than 15,000 11-to-18-year-old adolescents in 154 Southern California orthodontic offices. Patients who did not use tobacco products were randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental group.

At the end of 2 years, the researchers found that while the incidence of tobacco use in the control group was higher than in the experimental group, the difference was not significant. However, the study did find that patients who were given four or more preprinted antitobacco “prescriptions” were less likely to start smoking than those who got fewer than two prescriptions. The prescriptions were messages dealing with topics ranging from tobacco advertising to the adverse effects of passive smoking.

“A lot of our members enjoy orthodontics because of the influence they have on their patients,” says Charles Wear, a member of the Council on Orthodontic Practices. “They see these individuals grow and change their behaviors and gain self-esteem. Those who take the initiative to counsel their patients on tobacco use can have an impact.”

More than 1,000 dentists, hygienists, and dental team members from Invisalign practices attended Align Technology’s first-ever Invisalign Summit for General Practitioners May 6–8 at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The Summit was the fist event held exclusively for general dental practices. The conference theme, “Science and Art in Harmony,” was reflected in the clinical sessions, company presentations, and program entertainment designed to help dentists and their staff combine aesthetic and restorative goals with the benefits of the Invisalign treatment.