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April JADA compares zirconia-ceramic fixed dental prostheses with metal-ceramic

Posterior multiunit zirconia-ceramic restorations are slightly more susceptible to chipping of the veneering ceramic than metal-ceramic restorations, but they are considered a reliable treatment in the medium term, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the April issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.




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ADA Member Advantage-endorsed companies respond to COVID-19 pandemic

During these uncertain times, there is a lot of anxiety and understandably some of that comes in the form of financial worries. ADA Member Advantage-endorsed companies that provide financial services have offered information for their customers and ADA members.




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Two March 27 webinars focus on surviving financial storm caused by pandemic

The ADA is presenting two free webinars March 27, aiming to help dentists financially weather the economic downturn during the COVID-19 outbreak and illustrate how ADA advocacy has helped turn the tide.




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Labor Dept. releases new guidance in response to Families First Coronavirus Response Act

The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division released new guidance March 26 to help workers and employers understand provisions included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.




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Association offers resources on handling stress during a pandemic

Noting that we’re living through a time of uncertainty and it’s normal to feel stressed and anxious, the Center for Professional Success today posted free resources on stress management to help dentists navigate this time of uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic.




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University of Minnesota dental school appoints Dr. Keith A. Mays as interim dean

The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry announced March 19 that it named Dr. Keith A. Mays, Ph.D, as its interim dean for two years beginning May 15.




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Delta Dental member companies begin offering financial assistance during pandemic

The ADA is calling on third-party payers to support dental practices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.




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HPI poll examines impact of COVID-19 on dental practices

The ADA Health Policy Institute launched an ongoing biweekly poll the week of March 23 that shows 76% of dentists surveyed had closed their offices to all but emergency patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 19% indicated their offices are closed completely.




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ADA releases interim guidance on minimizing COVID-19 transmission risk when treating dental emergencies

The American Dental Association has released interim guidance for dentists on how to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission before, during and after treating dental emergencies.




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Code Maintenance Committee approves new codes associated with vaping, teledentistry

On the heels of the ADA’s December interim policy on vaping comes a new CDT code that references counseling services about high-risk substance use including vaping.




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ADA asks Treasury Department, Small Business Administration to clarify intent of interim rule

The Association continues to wait for clear guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration on the best way to help dentists considering applying for Paycheck Protection Program 7(a) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.




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New clinical dental licensure examination to launch in June

The Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination, or DLOSCE, is expected to launch in June, the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations announced April 2.




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Small Business Administration: Dentists can apply for both economic injury disaster and paycheck protection program loans

Dentists can apply for both Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program 7(a) loans, the Small Business Administration told the American Dental Association on April 6.




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ADA leadership answers members’ questions about minimizing risk of COVID-19 transmission

A panel of ADA experts answered members’ questions in a video released April 8 regarding the Association’s interim guidance for minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission while performing emergency and urgent dental care.




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ADA council affirms importance of code of ethics during COVID-19 pandemic

The ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs’ ethics subcommittee authored an online essay as part of its Ethical Moment series in the May issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association, affirming that the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct is just as important as ever when making the difficult decisions they encounter on a daily basis.




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Webinar on Small Business Administration loans available online

The ADA webinar, Small Business Administration Loans: Understanding the Options for Dentist Owners, is available online.




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Free ADA webinar aims to help dentists plan recovery during, after pandemic

The ADA is streaming a free webinar April 14 intended to help dentists jump-start their recovery process during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.




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ADA asks Congress to increase funding, extend dates for Small Business Administration loans

The ADA is urging Congress to continue supporting small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing funding and streamlining the application process for Small Business Administration loans.




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Homeland Security issues alert on cybercriminals increasingly exploiting COVID-19 pandemic

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an alert April 8 warning that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to target individuals, small and medium businesses and large organizations.




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ADA president appoints task force for dental practice recovery after COVID-19 pandemic

American Dental Association President Chad P. Gehani has assembled an advisory task force to oversee the ADA’s development of tools for dentists as they bounce back from the effects of practice restrictions and closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.




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North Carolina interactive map launches to help public find emergency dental treatment during pandemic

A North Carolina oral health coalition, in collaboration with multiple state partners, has developed an interactive map to help guide the public to sites where emergency dental services are available throughout the Tar Heel State both during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.




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SBA changes grant computation for Economic Injury Disaster Loans

The ADA has received updated information from the Small Business Administration regarding grant advances on Economic Injury Disaster Loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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Northern California dentist heads to Uganda, ends up becoming a humanitarian

Traveling with purpose is what has led Nevada City, California-based general dentist Dr. Jean Creasey to a rural district in the southwestern region of Uganda over the past 15 years as a member of the Kellermann Foundation, treating and helping educate the villagers on the importance of good oral health as a way to a better future.




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SBA announces funding no longer available for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Paycheck Protection Program

The Small Business Administration said that as of April 16, the agency is unable to accept any new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster Loans due to a lack of funding.




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ADA urges HHS to federally recognize licensed dentists to administer point of service COVID-19 tests

The ADA sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services April 17 asking the agency to “issue federal recognition that licensed dentists may administer point of service tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration” during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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Wisconsin dentists donate personal protective equipment amid COVID-19 pandemic

Wisconsin dentists have answered the call for personal protective equipment by organizing drives and donating their surplus supplies to hospitals and urgent care facilities treating patients with COVID-19.




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Dental groups seek federal approval to administer COVID-19 tests

The Organized Dentistry Coalition is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to “extend federal authorization for licensed dentists to conduct Food and Drug Administration-authorized, point-of-care testing” during the COVID-19 pandemic.




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Dental school during a pandemic

If this were a typical day, and if these were typical times, LaShonda would be in her pediatrics competency exam, fresh off a cup of coffee, before heading to a three-hour simulation lab.




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Delta Dental of California, Massachusetts offer financial relief to dentists in midst of COVID-19 pandemic

Two additional Delta Dental member companies announced details April 27-28 of programs that will provide economic assistance and post-COVID-19 pandemic relief for members of its independent provider networks across 16 states and the District of Columbia.




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Agencies submit final rule extending ERISA deadlines during pandemic

The U.S. Department of Labor said April 28 that it is extending the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 filing deadlines for certain notice and disclosure requirements in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.




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A post-pandemic future

There is no playbook for a pandemic. The global COVID-19 crisis is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes. There are very few, if any, practical models for us to follow. Now, more than ever, each of us is acutely attuned to the plight of our neighbors and communities.




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Maine law eliminates insurance waiting periods for kids

D 1975, An Act to Facilitate Dental Treatment for Children, enacted on March 17, enables children with private dental insurance to receive care without having to wait up to several months for coverage to start.




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Department of Labor releases Pandemic Unemployment Assistance FAQ

The Department of Labor released an FAQ April 27 that addresses common questions about work search and job refusal when an individual receives Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.




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HPI releases webinar on economic impact of COVID-19

The ADA Health Policy Institute held a webinar April 29 with leading experts from across the dental industry to discuss how COVID-19 has affected the dental economy and what they think the future will bring.




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IEA doubts Russia’s commitment to OPEC accord

The Paris-based International Energy Agency on Friday cast doubt on whether Russia would meet its agreement with OPEC to cut crude oil output to support prices.




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Crude oil prices rise amid renewed Venezuela concerns

Oil prices were higher early Tuesday amid renewed concern about Venezuelan supplies but market worries about China-U.S. trade issues prevented higher gains.




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IEA: Greater use of rail would save energy, lower emissions

Increased railway use would save energy, help the environment, and also be safer, according to reports prepared by international environmental experts.




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Oil prices rise amid ongoing concern about Venezuela

Oil prices rose Wednesday amid expectations that Venezuelan oil shipments would see some disruption following U.S. sanctions.




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Crude oil prices rise early Friday amid supply concerns

Oil prices rose early Friday amid supply concerns following reports of smaller-than-expected stocks, and amid reduced expectation of interest rate hikes.




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BP to be more transparent about climate efforts amid investor concerns

BP on Friday announced plans to increase disclosure on its efforts to fight climate change after requests from two groups of investors.




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Cancer patients on Medicaid might not benefit from experimental treatments, study finds

Cancer patients on Medicaid or who don't have insurance benefit less from experimental treatments, even if they get into clinical trials, a study published Thursday by JAMA Network Open has found.




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Researchers discover microbe that could control spread of malaria

A microbe found in mosquitoes that appears to block malaria could be used to control spread of the disease in humans, according to researchers in Kenya and Britain.




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U.S. rural areas soon might be on front lines in COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a path of destruction in urban centers throughout the northeastern United States, but the next outbreak hotspots could have even deadlier effects in rural areas.




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Arthritis drug shows promise against respiratory distress caused by COVID-19

Anakinra, a drug developed to treat rheumatoid arthritis might help patients who have developed acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19, a small study published by The Lancet Rheumatology has found.




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15-minute COVID-19 test proves accurate at confirming infection

A new, point-of-care testing kit for COVID-19 that can deliver results in 15 minutes accurately diagnoses people more than 80 percent of time, an analysis has found.




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Combination of HIV, hepatitis C, MS drugs might resolve COVID-19 infection

Combination therapy with interferon beta-1b plus lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin appears to improve symptoms and shorten hospital stays for people with mild to moderate COVID-19.




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Measles vaccinations in U.S. children fall up to 60 percent since pandemic, CDC says

Pediatric vaccination against measles has declined by as much as 60 percent nationally since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to new data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




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Sustainable Reintegration: Strategies to Support Migrants Returning to Mexico and Central America

Reception and reintegration programs for deported and other returning migrants represent a long-term investment for migrant-origin and destination countries, holding the potential to reduce re-migration and permit communities of origin to benefit from the skills migrants learn abroad. This report offers recommendations to make reintegration programs more effective in Mexico and Central America.




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Exploring New Legal Migration Pathways: Lessons from Pilot Projects

As European countries launch ambitious new legal migration partnerships with several origin and transit countries in Africa, this report takes stock of the long and mixed history of such projects. To make the most of their potential to encourage skills development and fill pressing labor gaps, policymakers will need to think carefully about the partners and sectors they choose, among other key considerations.




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Diabetes Is Associated With Worse Long-term Outcomes in Young Adults After Myocardial Infarction: The Partners YOUNG-MI Registry

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the prevalence of diabetes and associated cardiovascular outcomes in a contemporary cohort of young individuals presenting with their first myocardial infarction (MI) at age ≤50 years.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed records of patients presenting with a first type 1 MI at age ≤50 years from 2000 to 2016. Diabetes was defined as a hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or a documented diagnosis of or treatment for diabetes. Vital status was ascertained for all patients, and cause of death was adjudicated.

RESULTS

Among 2,097 young patients who had a type 1 MI (mean age 44.0 ± 5.1 years, 19.3% female, 73% white), diabetes was present in 416 (20%), of whom 172 (41%) were receiving insulin. Over a median follow-up of 11.2 years (interquartile range 7.3–14.2 years), diabetes was associated with a higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.30; P < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (2.68; P < 0.001). These associations persisted after adjusting for baseline covariates (all-cause mortality: 1.65; P = 0.008; cardiovascular mortality: 2.10; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes was present in 20% of patients who presented with their first MI at age ≤50 years and was associated with worse long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. These findings highlight the need for implementing more-aggressive therapies aimed at preventing future adverse cardiovascular events in this population.