CHICAGO, Illinois – The Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) announces the publication of DANB’s 2006 State Career Ladder Templates for Dental Assistants, a reader-friendly guide to dental assisting requirements for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This new volume is intended to guide readers to a clearer understanding of how each state defines the job titles and the legal practice of dental assistants and (in some states) orthodontic and oral and maxillofacial surgery assistants.

CHICAGO, Illinois – The ADA Foundation (ADAF) has issued a request for proposals of up to $100,000 per year under its Strategic Alliance Grant Program to raise awareness about the importance of oral health.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Melatonin could be the latest supplement to join the fight against periodontal diseases. According to a literature review in the June issue of the Journal of Periodontology, melatonin may promote bone formation and stimulate the body’s immune response, which are two factors that can affect a person’s periodontal health.

CHICAGO, Illinois – A former naval commander who gave the nation’s toughest ship an “about-face,” Capt. D. Michael Abrashoff, will be the keynote speaker for the Opening Session of the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) 2007 Annual Meeting & Exhibits in San Diego on Thursday, June 28, 2007.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Highlighted below are condensed overviews of selected sessions to be presented by top speakers during the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) 55th Annual Meeting & Exhibits being held in San Diego, Calif., June 27 through July 1, 2007. Media representatives are invited to attend any session and tour the exhibit floor.

DALLAS, Texas – As the popularity of dental implants rapidly increases, a researcher at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry is committed to testing the reliability of the technology.

WASHINGTON, District of Columbia – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled as made in China, and issued an import alert to prevent toothpaste containing the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG) from entering the United States.

GENEVA, Switzerland – On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2007 the FDI World Dental Federation urged dental professionals around the world to support smoke-free environments. The FDI leads by example through its smoke-free workplaces, congresses, continuing education sessions and meetings.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania-- “Teeth are meant to last a lifetime,” says the American Dental Association. "It is a myth that adults can expect to lose many of them later in life."

CHICAGO, Illinois – More than 92 percent of Illinois dentists provide oral cancer examinations for their patients, but many are not performing the procedures thoroughly or at optimum intervals, according to a new University of Illinois at Chicago study.