For 102 years, the CincySmiles Foundation has been providing access to professional dental care for children and families who need it most in our community. We help people put their best face forward through programs that include a school-based dental sealant program, donated professional services, community dental clinics, and mobile dental van that provides comprehensive treatment to Cincinnati Public Schools, and Hamilton County Head Start Programs.

We provide 20,000 Greater Cincinnati residents with oral health education, prevention and treatment services each year.

IN THE NEWS

New Study Associates Dental X-Rays with Risk of Brain Tumor

A study published today in Cancer, a scientific journal of the American Cancer Society, associates yearly or more frequent dental X-rays with an increased risk of developing meningioma, the most commonly diagnosed brain tumor. This type of tumor is usually not malignant. The study has received widespread media coverage, and a number of the stories cite the ADA's dental x-ray recommendations that help dentists determine how to keep radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable. In addition, the ADA has also published in The Journal of the American Dental Association, recommendations on dental radiographic procedures.

The ADA issued a press statement about the study, noting that the findings were based on patient recall of x-rays taken years ago and citing the ADA's long-standing position that dentists should order dental X-rays for patients only when necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Note this quote from the study's lead author in an MSNBC story:

"Our take home message is don't panic. Don't stop going to the dentist," said the lead author of the study Dr. Elizabeth Claus, a neurological surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the Yale School of Public Health.

In a U.S. News and World Report story, ADA media spokesperson Dr. Matthew Messina states that one of the weaknesses of the study is that people's memories about their X-rays are unclear. "It's difficult to pin this down," he said, especially without dental records.

Dr. Messina added that the amount of radiation in dental X-rays has gone down significantly over the years, thanks to factors such as advancements in X-ray technology, faster speed X-ray film and the advent of digital X-rays. The study was also observational in nature, meaning it can show an association but not cause-and-effect.

"It's always good for patients to talk to their dentists about why they're getting X-rays and what is being done to shield the patient," Dr. Messina concluded.

In addition to the links provided above to the ADA press statement and dental x-ray recommendations, feel free to direct patients who may ask you about the study to general information about dental x-rays posted on ADA.org