All Moved In . . .

Finally got everything moved in to our new apartment. I can't tell you how glad I am to be all moved. It was a long weekend. I'll have some news posted by tomorrow and I'll try and get a diary entry up at the same time.

Majority of People Want UNLV Dental School To Stay Open

Just found this article today. A poll taken in Nevada finds that most people want the dental school to remain open.

Hawaii Relaxes Licensing Standards . . . New National Licensing Exam NEXT YEAR

According to this MSNBC article, the national licensing exam will be offered next year. States like Hawaii are writing legislation to allow dentists who pass this test to practice in Hawaii, which has the second highest number of dentists per capita in the United States.

"The main reason given by 40 percent of the respondents for not treating patients with HIV was thatDentists in Japan Refuse to Treat Patients With HIV

"The main reason given by 40 percent of the respondents for not treating patients with HIV was that disinfection and sterilization practices were difficult." I don't think we can get away with this in the states.

5 People You'd Meet In Hell

This article was entertaining. I had dental hygenists put me through the same lecture when I was a teenager.

Star Wars will cost US employers over 620 million this thursday

"A Chicago outplacement consultancy says "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" will cost U.S. employers up to $627 million in absenteeism." Ouch!

Paranormal Car Commercial

This is pretty strange. They say this car comercial never aired due to ''paranormal activity'', or something. I have no idea why film would show this sort of thing, but perhaps they just felt it was best to scrap it and start over. See for yourself.

Sports' Drinks Are Worse For Teeth Than Colas?

"A study done at the University of Maryland Dental School showed that energy drinks, bottled lemonades, even iced teas, did far more harm to tooth enamel than colas did." Looks like I'll need to cut back on the gatorade.

UF study: Expect pain after delaying trip to see dentist

"Overall, men were 20 percent less likely to seek and receive dental care at all, even when they were in severe pain." Interesting . . .

Dentists Robbed and Kidnapped

They are fortunate they survived this incident.

You'll have to enter your zipcode and birthday to view this story.

Getting a handle on the next generation of dental X-rays

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants patients to ask the dentist or dental technician if they use “fast” or “slow” film for dental X-rays. The FDA, which regulates medical devices that use X-rays and other kinds of radiation, says that faster film can reduce patients’ exposure to radiation."

Need to Register for the DAT?

I am reposting this for those who may be interested...

This is for my Kaplan class that ended tonight (good luck with the test). Here are the web addresses I promised. This link will take you to more information about the DAT. And, this link will take you to the registration page.

Tattoo on Your Tooth

"The tiny pictures are painted using a dentist's tool traditionally used for scraping and small paint brushes with only one or two bristles." I wonder how much he charges.

Guess-The-Google Game

This is pretty addicting and fun. Try it out.

Robots of the Future

Absolutely ingenius. I actually got a kick out of reading about this student's experiment.

Do-It-Yourself Dentistry

"Dental problem? You don't have to be MacGyver to save a lost filling or replace a crown."

Should Removing Wisdom Teeth Be Routine?

"Teens often have their wisdom teeth removed. But there's no evidence this painful procedure prevents future trouble."

Do Toothbrush Sanitizers work?

"The claim: There are “millions” of potentially harmful bacteria (including, perhaps, scary ones such as salmonella and E. coli) living and breeding on the bristles of our wet toothbrushes between uses. And, according to these claims, we’re sticking those germs not only into our mouths the next time we brush, but potentially into our bloodstream should we abrade our gums with the bristles."

Dentist Out On Parole

A Denist who killed his wife 14 years ago is out on parole.

New Diary Entry Is Up

I finally got the diary entry written. I used it to explain the different lending options. I also got some other information from Pacific regarding computers, Big Brother/Big Sister, and what to expect the first couple of days.

New Diary Post Tonight And Financial Aid Packet Arrives Finally

Didn't quite get to the diary entry last night. My wife came down with Strep Throat on Mother's Day--poor gal. We got her some furniture (including two banana chairs).

My financial aid packet came today too. So, stay tuned to find out what I think about the lenders and who I choose.

As a side note, I also got my scanner from BestBuy.com in the mail today. It was supposed to be here last Friday, but the train that was transporting it from the east cost was derailed!!! And, I dont' get a credit for the delay either. Oh, well...

Chicken Gets A Ticket From Cop

Uhhhh, I'm not sure what to think of this. Apparently, the cops don't have enough to do in this little town.

What's A Prosthodontist?

Ever wonder? This interview with a prosthodontist out in Rhode Island fleshes it out a little. Take a look.

Connecticutt Considers Banning Amalgam

If they did, Connecticutt would be the first state in the country to ban the use of amalgam as a filling material. Here is the story.

New Drug May Help Dentists

I found the following extract here.

Novel Dentistry Drug Enters Phase II


Acologix Inc., Hayward, Calif., a privately held biopharmaceutical company, announced today the initiation of the first phase II study using AC-100 (Dentonin) in dentistry. This study is being conducted under an Investigational New Drug Application in the United States. Based on activities observed in preclinical studies, it is expected that AC-100 can be used as an adjunct to many common dental procedures. AC-100 is a synthetic peptide derived from an endogenous human protein produced by bone and dental cells. In several preclinical models, AC-100 has demonstrated potent and selective dental tissue and bone formation activity. The company says that the drug uses a natural, biological approach to solving dental problems, unlike the mechanical restorative approaches that dominate dentistry today. AC-100 appears to work by stimulating the innate biological defenses of the tooth reducing both post-operative pain and the occurrence of complications after restorative dental procedures, resulting in less pain and more predictable dentistry, they say.

Golden Age of Dentistry?

That's what this article asserts. Dentists are that aren't "fat and happy are sinful." According to this story, cosmetic dentistry is in high demand.

Still No Financial Aid Packet From Pacific

So, I think I'm the last person attending Pacific this Fall to not recieve the financial aid packet. I'm anxious to get the paperwork started so I can make sure we have money mid-July. Hopefully, something will come in the mail today.

A Good Smile Ranks High On List Of Must Haves

According to a report by Lexus, having perfect smiles are becoming a luxury many people are willing to pay for.

Bad Breath?

Here's an interesting article about why people stink and what can be done about it.

Do You Use Mouthwash?

This article talks about some of the reasons why mouthwash is good and sometimes bad. It also indicates the right way to brush, floss, and rinse.

Useful Loan Information

I'm posting a link to an article that you might find helpful in understanding the difference between the Prime rate and LIBOR. For current rates or rate trends, a site I use often is www.bankrate.com. You can find lots of information there. I'll also put the link in the right sidebar for you all to use later, since this post will work it ways down the list very quickly.

For a graph comparing the Prime rate vs. the LIBOR over the last 20 years, click here.

Some People Think...

Some people think their dentists are out to make a quick buck. In Australia, a television news channel did an undercover report on dentists.

A Very Good Reason For Avoiding Meth...

I couldn't believe this picture when I saw it. Think of the pain he must be in. I imagine not too many meth addicts visit their dentist regularly--mostly because they spend all of their money on meth. So, the only dental care they must get is during their prison stay. Read the full story here.

Bill Gates Envisions A Future Without Car Wrecks

Bill Gates and Ford said that it's a very real possibility to create software that will actually prevent the car from wrecking. Read more here.

New Comic

First Day of Clinic . . . 

100-lb College Girl Eats 11-lb Burger

I honestly can't believe that such a thin girl could put down 11 pounds of burger, but this restaurant owner claims she did--the only one to ever do it! Now he's got a 15-lb burger, but no one has stomached it yet.

What Would You Use This For?

Some genius invented a 110,000 volt Taser Cannon!! Check it out.

Wishing She Had Listened To Her Dentist

I thought this story was funny. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Man Rides Across Country and Dies . . .

What an incredible way to go. Ride your bike 2400 miles and then die while you are sitting in the van!

Here is the backpack for the Class of 2008. Click here for more info. 

Computer for the Class of 2008

Here is the computer the Class of 2008 will be using. Click here to see more specs. 

School Goes Into Lockdown Over A Burrito

You have to look at this story. Looks like a kid was bringing in burrito that everyone thought was a gun. This should give you a laugh.

Dentists and Hygenists In A Tug of War...

In South Carolina, dentists and hygenists have been battling over what procedures and diagnosis hygenists can provide on their own. Dentists don't want them to be able to do anything without supervision, but so far the hygenists are winning the battle...