The DMD Checkup: PA Dentist Faces Criminal Charges

The Pennsylvania Board of Dentistry has suspended the license of Dr. Christpher G. Bereznak for improperly prescribing opiates. That tops this week’s news so far in the world of dentistry. Also making the list: Periodontitis could contribute to Alzheimer’s, smart chewing gum and tuberculosis in anthropological samples.

·Dental board suspends dentist facing charges. Dr. Christopher G. Bereznak,47, 520 S. Abington Road, Clarks Green, was charged Aug. 8 with seven counts of prohibited delivery of a controlled substance by a practitioner and five counts of criminal use of a communication facility. Police said he wrote several prescriptions for medications, including a muscle relaxer, for a woman with whom he was involved in an intimate relationship.

·Manhattan Dentist receives prestigious Mastership honors. The Academy of General Dentistry announced that Dr. Bret Gilsdorf, DDS, of Manhattan, received the prestigious Mastership Award during the AGD’s Convocation ceremony in July. it's a commencement celebration that recognizes AGD member’s commitment to excellence in dental education. Dr. Gilsdorf accepted this award at the AGD’s Scientific Session in Las Vegas.

·Long-term gum disease linked to Alzheimer's disease. Chronic periodontitis, a leading cause of tooth loss, is also associated with increases in markers of inflammation throughout the body. Some recent studies have suggested that chronic periodontitis might contribute to a decline in thinking ability, the authors note in Alzheimer's Research and Therapy.

·Chewing gum that detects infection could make going to the dentist MUCH less painful. Do you hate going to the dentist? You're not alone. Most of us would do anything to avoid going — and if you have a dental implant, your trips are probably more frequent than most. Now a pharmacist from the University of Wurzburg in Germany has invented a new type of chewing gum that could drastically reduce the number of repeat trips you need to make.

·Student Discovers Tuberculosis DNA in Dental Plaque of Smithsonian’s Anatomical Collection. Student researcher Soleil Young ’17, a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, discovered tuberculosis DNA in the tartar on the teeth of individuals in a collection specifically for biological research in the Smithsonian’s Division of Physical Anthropology.