Dentistry Commons^™

J Mich Dent Assoc October 2025

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADACommons. The October 2025 (Volume 107, No. 10) issue of the Journal is published in a digital-only format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions will resume in November. The October issue highlights the critical importance of advocacy through the MDA Dental Political Action Committee (PAC) and provides practical, management-focused information …

The New Professional: The Unspoken Costs Of Saying ‘Yes’ To Everything, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Amrita Patel’s regular New Professional column guides new dentists who often feel pressured to say "yes" all the time to build goodwill and prove themselves. It warns that this mindset can lead to burnout, resentment, and loss of personal time. The outdated belief that professionalism requires constant sacrifice is considered harmful. Boundary-setting is shown as a vital skill, not a character flaw, for a sustainable career. The author offers scripts for politely turning down requests when at capacity. By emphasizing well-being and demonstrating healthy boundaries, new dentists gain respect and foster a more sustainable workplace for everyone, reinforcing that …

News You Need: How Many Of These Ada/Mda Practice Resources Are You Using?

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This October, MDA offers updates and resources including support for human resources, ongoing education, and professional tools. Michigan was selected for the Medicaid Oral Health Workforce Implementation Learning Series to enhance access to care. The MDA launched HERM-E, an AI-powered digital assistant providing 24/7 access to resources and quick answers. Supporting chairside advocacy for community water fluoridation, the News reports that a national survey indicates 81% of Americans support or are neutral about water fluoridation. Applications are now open for the 2026 MDA LEAD Program, and nominations are being accepted for MDA awards and leadership positions. The News column further …

Mda Insurance: Review Your Health Insurance Plan For 2026 Open Enrollment, Craig Start

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

MDA Insurance President Craig Start urges members to review their health insurance ahead of the 2026 open enrollment period. Open enrollment is the annual window to change carriers, elect new plans, or add dependents. Dates vary by plan: the MDA Health Plan runs from October 1–November 15, while Medicare Supplements/Advantage/Medigap Plans run from October 15–December 7. Members must assess anticipated health changes, potential costly prescriptions, and financial comfort with higher deductibles versus higher premiums. MDA Insurance assists members in making informed decisions and acts as the member's agent of record to help resolve claims and issues throughout the year.

Mda Dental Pac: Why It’S So Important To You, James Mashni Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The MDA Dental PAC (Political Action Committee) supports the Michigan Dental Association’s (MDA) lobbying efforts on state legislation. It is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from MDA member dentists, mainly collected through a notice included in the annual dues statement. The PAC pools these funds to support political officials who advocate for issues important to organized dentistry, regardless of political party. Key advocacy priorities for 2025 include establishing Dental Loss Ratio laws, legislating Assignment of Benefits, regulating Virtual Credit Card Payments, addressing fees for Non-Covered Services, and increasing Medicaid Anesthesia Reimbursement. The PAC is managed by a Board of Governors …

The Science Of Sound: Studying The Cognitive, Emotional, And Physiological Effects Of Frequency, Genre, And Music, Jett Yarborough

Senior Honors Theses

Music influences emotion, physiology, and cognition, yet little is known about how the frequency it is tuned to affects these influences. Prior research has shown that music tuned to 432 Hz can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. My colleagues and I conducted two studies to investigate this. Our research found that music tuned to 432 Hz promotes a significant increase in memory retention and induces a state of focus and relaxation. These results suggest that shifting from the standard tuning frequency of 440 Hz to 432 Hz could have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives. …

Bone Marrow Endosteum In Homeostasis And Metastasis, Yuta Nakai, Wanida Ono, Noriaki Ono

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The endosteum is a thin layer of connective tissue lining the inner surfaces of bones adjoining the medullary cavity. The endosteum houses a variety of cells crucial for bone growth, repair and remodelling, including bone-forming osteoblasts, bone-resorbing osteoclasts and their precursor cells. Historically, the endosteum has been extensively studied as a key site for haematopoiesis by which blood cells are incessantly produced. However, recent studies have defined the endosteum as a niche for skeletal stem cells, underscoring the importance of the harmony between the inner endosteum and the outer periosteum in maintaining bone homeostasis. The endosteum also plays a significant …

Aadej Comm 11 3 2025

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the Journal of the American Association of Dental Editors. It is published quarterly and distributed digitally via email to members and posted on the Association’s website aadej.org. This issue of The Communicator features articles focused on organizational strategy, publishing ethics, and critical issues in the profession. The Editor-in-Chief announces his intention to step down, reflecting on the organization's history. The President advocates for shifting the organizational focus from individual benefits to collective sustainability ("What’s in it for us?"). Organizational updates include the restructuring of the Publication Membership to allow three voting members for the same fee and …

What’S In It For Us? Tell A Colleague, Christopher J. Smiley

AADEJ - The Communicator

AADEJ President Dr. Chris Smiley advocates for a reframing of volunteer organizations' focus from "What’s in it for me?" to "What’s in it for us?" to ensure viability. This change is necessary given the declining membership trends in organized dentistry, with the ADA’s market share approaching 50%. The AADEJ, operating with limited resources, concentrates on fundamental, mission-based services that benefit the collective community of dental editors and journalists. These core services include focused continuing education necessary to earn the Certified Dental Editor credential and guidance on ethical issues, such as editor autonomy and the emerging presence of AI. By focusing …

About This Time Of Year!, Denise Maihofer

AADEJ - The Communicator

AADEJ Executive Director Denise Maihofer announces key organizational expansions and updates, starting with thanks to volunteers for the 2025 Conference. The most significant change is the restructuring of the Publication Membership, which, for the same $395 fee, will now include up to three AADEJ voting members on an editorial team. This provides substantial cost savings, equating to a $350 savings compared to previous options. The message confirms that the 2026 Dental Editors University (DEU) will be held at the AAOMS Daniel M. Laskin Institute in Rosemont, Illinois, following highly praised reviews of the 2024 event. Furthermore, AADEJ is beginning its …

Engaging And Empowering Future Female Surgeons: Development Of The Medical Student Section Of The Society Of Women In Urology, Allison G Booher, Sasha J Vereecken, Erin Kim, Neharika Penmatcha, Alexandra Aponte, Eman N Chaudhri, Meghana Noonavath, Ibukunoluwa Omole, Joanna Orzel, Leigh Martin, Gina Demeo, Tyler L Overholt, Akanksha Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To describe a replicable model for a large-scale, cross-institutional, and student-driven initiative to promote gender equity within surgical fields.

Methods: To address the lack of a national infrastructure to support female medical students pursuing careers in Urology, a historically male-dominated specialty, the society of women in urology (SWIU) established its medical student section, called SWIUdents, as a student-led initiative to offer mentorship, education, and networking resources for future female urologists. In 2022, SWIUdents convened its first medical student leadership board, comprised of two co-chairs and four subcommittees focused on membership, program implementation, mentorship, and community relations. SWIUdents membership was …

Optimization Of A Mobile Imaging System To Aid In Evaluating Patients With Oral Lesions In A Dental Care Setting, Ruchika Mitbander, Jennifer Carns, Richard A Schwarz, Sean Anderson, Geethanjali Vipulanandan, Miriam Hernandez, Amelia E Hartzell, Jun Jiao, Ilona Rutkowska, Safia Durab, Sahar Sadeghi, Ashlee D Clayton, Nancy Bass, Loganayaki Anandasivam, Rachel A Giese, Ann M Gillenwater, Nadarajah Vigneswaran, Rebecca Richards-Kortum

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Significance: Oral cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage even though the oral cavity is easily accessible for examination. There is a need for tools to support early detection and help non-expert clinicians make appropriate referral recommendations.

Aim: We aim to evaluate a mobile detection of oral cancer (mDOC) smartphone-based autofluorescence imaging system by collecting data in a representative, low-prevalence population and optimizing a referral algorithm suitable for deployment in community dental settings.

Approach: Data were collected from patients at a community dental clinic using the mDOC system, which captures white light and autofluorescence images. A multi-input deep learning …

Mda At Your Service: Can I Be A Member Of Two Different Local Dental Societies?, Rachel Sinacola Dds, Ms

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This Q&A section with MDA’s Membership Committee Chair Dr. Rachel Sinacola, clarifies membership and service issues. MDA membership is tripartite, including ADA and one local dental society. Members seeking to join an additional local society may inquire about affiliate membership, usually available for a fee. The MDA also offers travel medical insurance through GeoBlue, beneficial for international mission work or leisure, especially for Medicare recipients. Due to the upcoming launch of new association management software, members who previously used auto-renewal for dues must log in to their new profile this fall to set it up again. Additionally, the MDA offers …

Structure-Activity Relationships Of A–And B-Type Proanthocyanidins In Long-Term Dentin Biomodification And Biocompatibility, Yvette Alania, Mariana Reis-Havlat, Shu-Xi Jing, Fahimeh Tabatabaei, James B. Mcalpine, Shao-Nong Chen, Guido F. Pauli, Ana K. Bedran-Russo

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To explore the structure-activity relationships of plant-based proanthocyanidins (PACs) with dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and the long-term biomechanical stability of PAC-modified dentin extracellular matrix (ECM).

Methods

Mid-coronal dentin ECM (n= 8) was treated with eight PAC tetramers and trimers with varying A-/B-type linkages. Chemo-mechanical analyses included dynamic mechanical analysis and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Viscoelastic components were calculated after PAC biomodification, 18-month incubation, and protein destabilization. Collagen structure was assessed via IR amide absorbance ratios. DPSCs were cultured with PACs at different concentrations (100, 10, and 1 μg/mL) to measure proliferation. ANOVA and post-hoc tests were used for …

Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Smart Polymer Burs With Carisolv Gel In Removing Dental Caries And Reducing Pain In Children - A Clinical Study., Nagham N. Khoury, Mohannad G. Laflouf, Mohammad S. Rikab

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Introduction The disadvantages of using conventional method in dental caries removal, such as patient discomfort, pain, and use of local anesthesia, in addition to thermal effects on dental pulp as a result of using high speed rotating burs, have increased the need for new approaches in removing caries can be more acceptable to patients and more conservative for dental tissues. Such as chemo-mechanical method (Carisolv) and smart polymer burs.

Methodology:. A total of 44 carious primary mandibular molars were selected for the study from children aged (6-8) years, they were selected from Damascus schools.

Results: Statistical analyzes of …

Evaluation Of The Irrigation Efficacy Of Chlorhexidine Gel In Disinfection Necrotic Pulp Root Canals Of Anterior Primary Teeth (Clinical Comparative Bacteriological Study), Dania K. Alkhourbotly, Mohamed Kamel Altinawi2 K. Altinawi, Rouaida Abou Samra

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Objectives: The study aimed to compare Qmix2in1 and sodium hypochlorite solution in eliminating Enterococcus faecalis bacteria within root canals of primary teeth.

Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 30 extracted primary molars, which were divided into two groups: Group 1 experimental

(n=15) Qmix²ⁱⁿ¹, Group 2 control (n=15) 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. The root canals were prepared using Kedo-S file rotary then sterilized within autoclave and then contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis bacteria. The root canals were irrigated for 5 minutes in a quantity of 3 ml using a 31-gauge irrigation needle and then bacterial sample were …

Comparing The Pull Out Resistance Of Two Typs Of Posts Used In Restoration Of Severely Damaged Primary Anterior Teeth )A Comparative In Vitro Study.(, Ayham H. Hijaz, Mohamed Kamel Altinawi2 K. Altinawi

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Background: severely damaged primary anterior teeth that require pulp therapy present a high-risk of failure due to the loss of tooth substance resulting from pre-existing decay and endodontic therapy itself. The ideal post material should have physical and mechanical properties that are similar to those of dentin . Another concern in restoring endodontically treated primary teeth is the need to find a material that can resorb in a similar way to natural tooth structure as a part of the exfoliation process allowing normal eruption of permanent successors . Accordingly there is no such material other than dentine itself.The introduction of …

Evaluation Of Dentinal Bridge Formation And Canal Obliteration After Pulpotomy In Primary Molars Using Mta And Bioceramic Putty (Well-Root-Pt), Ibrahim S. Alnassar, Mohamed K. Altinawi, Mohammad S. Rekab

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Summary: Preserving the primary teeth is important, as it plays an important role in the integrity of the dental arch, the development of the craniofacial complex, and the integrity of speech and chewing, as early loss of primary teeth leads to cosmetic, functional and verbal problems.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the formation of the dentinal bridge and canal obliteration after pulpotomy n in the primary molars using both mineral trioxides aggregate and Bioceramic putty (Well_Root PT) in the pulpotomy of the primary molars.

Materials and Methods: The study sample included forty second lower primary molars …

Assessing The Effect Of Aqueous Lavender Extract Sprays On Gingivitis In Pediatric Patients With Type 1 Diabetes (Randomized Clinical Trial), Doaa J. Sadea, Chaza N. Kouchaje

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Introduction: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents has increased worldwide over the past three decades. High blood sugar levels in diabetic patients negatively affect the inflammatory response to dental plaque, leading to gingivitis and periodontitis, manifested by periodontal abscesses, and xerostomia, which leads to cervical caries and a high carious predisposition. Several studies have shown that plaque removal is not completely achieved using mechanical methods alone, so chemical control methods have emerged as an adjuvant and enhancing method.

The aim of the research: The current study aims to evaluate lavender sprays on gingivitis in pediatric patients with …

Evaluation Of The Time Taken To Remove Caries From Immature Permanent Molars Using Brix 3000 Gel Compared To The Traditional Rotary Method (Clinical Study), Malek Rajab, Samar Alsalameh, Shadi Azzawi

Arabian Journal of Pediatric Dentistry

Background: The traditional method of removing caries using rotary instruments is associated with a number of disadvantages, such as thermal effects that are harmful to the pulp tissue and excessive preparation of the dental tissue, in addition to the feeling of discomfort, fear, and anxiety that accompany it.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the time taken to remove caries by the chemo-mechanical method using Brix 3000 compared to the traditional rotary method.

Materials and methods: The study sample consisted of 30 permanent first molars with Class I dentine caries, in 30 children between 7 and 9 years …