The ADA National Fluoridation Advisory Committee is inviting dentists and others who promote the adoption and continuation of adding an optimal amount of fluoride to water to celebrate this year.

As the American College of Dentists celebrates its 100th anniversary, its leaders are ready to continue their mission of advancing excellence, ethics, professionalism and leadership in dentistry.

Dr. Loree Bolin’s humanitarian work has drawn accolades from the dental community in her home state of Washington, and now Dr. Bolin is being recognized nationally by being named the recipient of the ADA’s 2020 Humanitarian Award, bestowed by the ADA Board of Trustees.

Those interested in developing dental standards that ensure product safety and efficacy and offer useful information on new and emerging technologies can attend upcoming meetings of the American Dental Association's standards committees.

The American Dental Association Standards Committee on Dental Products has approved the document for circulation and comment.

The ADA will present a free webinar Feb. 6 on dental sealants, especially designed to help dental providers in communities that do not yet have sealant programs in place.

The Central Arizona Dental Society hosted a Mission of Mercy event Dec. 13-14 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, providing treatment to 1,785 patients totaling just over $2 million in free dental service.

The Association’s Washington office covered a wide range of advocacy issues in 2019 — from vaping to student loan reform to making sure dentistry was exempt from the U.S. Mexico-Tourism Act.

Greater compliance with dietary guidelines may reduce the chance of untreated caries in adults, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

“Our nation’s veterans deserve the best.” Those were the words of ADA President Chad P. Gehani following his Jan. 7 visit to the Orlando VA Healthcare System’s dental clinic.

This year’s Institute for Teaching Learning program is scheduled for Aug. 23-26 in Atlanta. Now in its 14th year, with over 700 alumni, the program combines presentations, discussions, small group activities and peer-to-peer learnings to give participants new teaching skills. The onsite program is followed by a six-month distance learning experience that include online activities and interactive webinars.

Service With A Smile was among 10 programs from nine universities to receive funding this year through the ADA Foundation’s E. “Bud” Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Awards.

It’s a conviction that was published in the November issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association and the basis for the October 2019 forum that Dr. Francisco Ramos-Gomez fostered, where dentists, physicians, nurses and public health and public policy experts proposed, discussed and recommended solutions for preventing early childhood caries through the lens of social justice, health equity and human rights.

The Duluth Dental Forum in northeastern Minnesota celebrated its 75th anniversary in late 2019, stating that it was the second-oldest study club of its kind in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide interim guidance to clinicians regarding the coronavirus outbreak during a webinar at 2 p.m. EST Jan. 31.

In light of the “emerging, rapidly evolving” outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reminding clinicians to use standard precautions consistently and advising they isolate patients who show signs and symptoms of the virus.

Following a ruling in federal court two days prior, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Jan. 25 that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule fee limitations do not apply to requests to transmit copies of records to third-parties.

The ADA Council on Dental Practice is encouraging dentists to acknowledge the dedication and contributions of their dental assistants during Dental Assistants Recognition Week.

Of the more than 3 million profile views, the program found that 17% resulted in action, which include potential patients visiting a dentist’s website, calling or emailing the practice and sharing their profile. Industry average for similar sites is only 1-4%, so patients are nearly six times more likely to contact an ADA dentist through Find-a-Dentist.

Circulating levels of perfluorodecanoic acid, a type of perfluoroalkyl acid, may be associated with dental caries in children, according to a study published in the fall 2019 issue of the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.

Dr. Emily Mattingly, chair, New Dentist Committee, 6th District, shares her experience as a new dentist in a rural Missouri town. Three other NDC members also shared new dentist perspectives.

The ADA is hosting a free webinar in March on how to effectively advertise and market services and dental practices on Facebook and Instagram.

The ADA Foundation will award up to three scholarships worth at least $11,000 each to dental students in 2020.

The deadline for abstracts for the upcoming National Summit on Smokeless Tobacco Prevention is Feb. 29.

The American Dental Association is accepting submissions for awards that honor standards-based research.

A new California law is requiring dental benefit companies to be more transparent about the leasing of dental networks, making California the 20th state to pass or amend such legislation.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is seeking comments on a proposed research initiative on dental fear and anxiety.

The Association is calling for nominations of qualified individuals to serve as the ADA appointee to the Joint Commission Board of Commissioners.

Results from a NYU College of Dentistry study suggest how excess fluoride exposure affects the cells forming tooth enamel — possibly explaining how dental fluorosis arises.

Formerly incarcerated people in the U.S. have worse oral health outcomes than those who have never been in prison, according to a study published in the March issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is hosting a virtual job fair March 4 from 6:45-10:15 p.m. ET. In addition, HRSA’s National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program is now accepting applications for 2020 through April 23.

The deadline for submission of abstracts for the FDI World Dental Congress is March 25.

Registration opens April 22 for the ADA FDC Annual Meeting, which will offer a variety of learning and social opportunities for dentists and their teams to enjoy.

Dr. Martin Nweeia began researching narwhals in 2000. He came to the conclusion that the prevailing research available about the narwhal’s tooth — such as Charles Darwin’s belief that the narwhal’s tooth was a secondary sexual characteristic like an antler or a horn — was only part of the story.

ADA Practice Transitions, a service offered by the ADA focused on helping dentists make the process of joining or leaving a practice successful, is offering a free three-month trial.

The American Dental Association's Standards Committee on Dental Products and Standards Committee on Dental Informatics are looking for volunteers to help in the development of new projects.

The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards announced March 4 it recognizes the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology as the national certifying board for dental anesthesiology.

Trying to navigate the world of dental benefits can be full of choppy seas, and the ADA is holding a free webinar in April to help dentists and their staff find a safe harbor full of information.

Titled “Compendium of Innovations in Oral Health Service Delivery,” the 64-page digital booklet features organizations from across the country that have found success through varied measures in expanding oral care to underserved populations.

The American Dental Association is applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to appoint a chief dental officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid but would like to confirm the position is exclusive to CMS.

An Illinois orthodontist won the American Dental Association's 2019 John W. Stanford New Investigator Award for her research paper evaluating the effects of eight cleaning methods on copolyester polymer, a material commonly used in clear thermoplastic retainers.

The Howard University College of Dentistry treated 35 students from Washington’s Raymond Elementary School at a Feb. 7 Give Kids A Smile event.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced March 5 that it does not find that the National Toxicology Program adequately supported its conclusion that fluoride is “presumed” to be a cognitive neurodevelopmental hazard to humans.

The American Dental Association launched the new ADA Science & Research Institute LLC on Jan. 1, bringing together the Science Institute in Chicago and research group in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that previously reported to the ADA Foundation.

The Association is asking member dentists and their dental teams to increase their vigilance over phishing emails as a result of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19.
Attackers often use emergencies as an opportunity to send fake emails tailored to that situation, the association said.

The ADA is partnering with the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention in providing a free on-demand webinar on Friday, March 20, with content for the program based on questions the ADA has received from members looking for guidance while navigating the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The ADA provided its members and their patients detailed guidance on March 18 on what to consider dental emergencies and nonemergencies dental care as part of an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, and alleviate the burden on hospital and emergency departments.

On March 20, the ADA will release an on-demand webinar offering answers to frequently asked questions about infection control protocol and procedures related to COVID-19.

The ADA, along with a large group of other dental organizations, told the U.S. Department of Labor that they are concerned about provisions in HR 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act as related to family and medical leave and paid sick leave.

The ADA posted an on-demand webinar March 20 offering answers to frequently asked questions about infection control in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.