NEW YORK, New York – A new initiative from Columbia University Medical Center will be the first to target chronic oral health problems in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority of chronic diseases are left undetected and untreated. The initiative is the result of an anonymous $1.5 million gift to support the Millennium Villages, which aims to fight extreme poverty and related challenges such as disease, hunger and lack of access to water and sanitation though scientifically sound and sustainable interventions. A third of the gift will be devoted to supporting the oral health program.

NEW YORK, New York – Colgate-Palmolive announced today additional developments and actions by the Company to protect consumers against possible risk from recently reported counterfeit toothpaste. The Company yesterday warned consumers that the counterfeit toothpaste, which has been found in some small, independent dollar-type discount stores, may not contain fluoride and could contain Diethylene Glycol, an ingredient not used in Colgate toothpaste anywhere in the world.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania--Americans of all ages continue to experience improvements in their oral health. However, decay in baby teeth increased from 24 percent to 28 percent among children two to five years of age, according to a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which compared data collected in 1999-2004 to data gathered 10 years earlier.

BUFFALO, New York – A study conducted in a large sample of postmenopausal women by University at Buffalo epidemiologists has provided new information on the prevalence of certain gum-disease-causing oral bacteria in this population and the association of the bacteria with oral bone loss.

BETHESDA, Maryland – Crystal methamphetamine use among young adults in the United States is considerably higher than previous surveys indicate, according to new research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, published in the July issue of the journal Addiction, found 2.8 percent of young adults (ages 18-26) reported use of crystal methamphetamine in the past year during 2001-2002. This is higher than the annual prevalence of crystal methamphetamine use by young adults (ages 19-28) of 1.4 percent reported by NIDA’s 2002 Monitoring the Future Survey.

ANN ARBOR, Michigan – Amateur athletes ages 5 and older can be fitted for a free, customized mouth guard at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry on Saturday, July 14. From 9:00 a.m. until noon, dental and dental hygiene students, who will be supervised by faculty members, will make the customized mouth guards at the dental school located at 1011 N. University Avenue (directly across the street from the Michigan League).

ANN ARBOR, Michigan – A University of Michigan School of Dentistry postdoctoral fellow is the first and only dentist in the nation to receive a new award presented by a foundation committed to fostering and developing the next generation of faculty members and research scientists.

Nearly 900 registered dental hygienists (RDH) from across the United States will discuss key trends in their profession at the 84th annual session of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) in New Orleans, La. June 20-27.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Two new studies in the June issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) suggest that periodontal diseases are a threat to women of all ages due to hormonal fluctuations that occur at various stages of their lives.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Updated guidelines for the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE) appear in the June issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association—and they reflect quite a change in direction.