PITTSTON, PA — November 17, 2014 —  The prestigious Edison Awards™ — which has recognized advances such as the Apple ipad;  Keurig Vue® single cup brewing system; and OnStar For My Vehicle (FMV)— adds a dental category for 2015.

Today, groundbreaking discoveries in dentistry and their creators might be one nomination away from joining the ranks of previous winners, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing.

Nominate a product or service for an Edison Award™ or Edison Green Award to achieve this distinguished status and gain entrée into this elite circle of visionaries. Download the 2015 Nomination Guide and complete the online Nomination Form: https://www.edisonawards.com/Nominations.php. Final deadline is December 5, 2014. Follow the instructions on the form, and submit your nomination, along with the entry fee, as directed. Winners will be announced during the April 2015 Award Ceremony and Gala Dinner.

This year, Incisal Edge, the leading lifestyle magazine for dental professionals joins forces for the first time with the Edison Awards™ in globally recognizing, honoring and fostering innovation and innovators to create a positive impact in the world.  

In the words of the magazine's founders Chuck Cohen and Rick Cohen: “Together, we are bringing dental innovations out of the shadows and giving them the international recognition they deserve. Here’s how: Edison will now feature categories honoring the year’s most innovative dental equipment, merchandise and technology. They’ll rigorously screen all nominees to determine the finalists, who will be featured in the spring issue of Incisal Edge. The finalists will then be invited to attend the annual Edison Awards Gala (the Oscars of innovation) and bask in the adulation.”

Published by Benco Dental, Incisal Edge celebrates dentists’ achievements both inside the operatory and during their hard-earned downtime. To celebrate excellence in dental design, the magazine will profile the winners of its 2nd annual Design Awards in the magazine’s winter edition. For additional information regarding Incisal Edge magazine, visit: https://www.benco.com/incisaledge/

CHICAGO, November 17, 2014 – To address the crisis currently facing older Americans relative to their oral health, the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation (DTA Foundation) recently awarded Oral Health America (OHA) a $25,000 grant to create an oral health information system for pharmacists to better prepare them to answer the questions seniors have regarding oral health. Since 70% of older adults do not have dental insurance, their access to a dentist may be limited, but they may interact with pharmacists on a regular basis, making pharmacists an ideal oral health resource.

The DTA Foundation grant recognizes that oral health impacts overall health, and that there is an unmet need in reaching older adult consumers. The grant funds the creation of an oral health curriculum for pharmacists that will be test marketed through a regional professional development summit. It also provides funding for the creation of an online toolkit with educational information designed to assist pharmacists with providing information about oral health-related topics of interest to older adults. Additionally, the grant will enable the creation of plain language materials that pharmacists can have readily available at the pharmacy counter to answer the questions most frequently asked by older adults.

“The DTA Foundation grant offers OHA the opportunity to pilot an idea that capitalizes on the need to engage an inter-professional workforce in meeting the oral health needs of older Americans,” said OHA President and CEO Beth Truett. “Pharmacists are an ideal resource because they come in contact with older adults in natural community settings. We are grateful for this generous grant from the DTA Foundation which allows OHA to engage this important group of health professionals in educating older adult consumers.”

“The DTA Foundation remains committed to creating access to oral healthcare and sees this new opportunity with Oral Health America and pharmacists as a responsible way to leverage our resources to promote real change,” said Scott Parrish, DTA Foundation Chair and President of A-dec.

OHA focuses on older adults through the Wisdom Tooth Project®, a program that connects older adults and caregivers to resources where they live and educates them about the importance of oral health. To learn more about OHA’s work for older adults, please visit www.oralhealthamerica.org and to access resources for older adults and their caregivers, please visit www.toothwisdom.org.

CHICAGO, November 14, 2014 – Oral Health America (OHA) has ended another successful Fall for Smiles campaign, educating tens of thousands of Americans about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth through daily brushing and flossing, visiting the dentist, eating healthy foods and avoiding tobacco. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, dental professionals and families had access to a variety of free resources accessible on the Fall for Smiles webpage and in the Fall for Smiles campaign booklet that was distributed to more than 100,000 dental offices across the country.

“We greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors and the dental community with this year’s Fall for Smiles campaign,” said OHA President and CEO Beth Truett. “Having a healthy mouth is key to good overall health and we’re encouraged that the campaign generated more than 90 million audience impressions this year with this important message.”

Dental offices across the country participated by offering free care and going out into their communities to educate the public about the importance of oral health. In New York City, Dr. Bernard Fialkoff held an event to engage students in Fall for Smiles at the Ivy League Early Learning Academy of Bayside. Senator Tony Avella and Eric Schmitz of Patterson Dental joined him, handing out toothbrushes and toothpaste to students and talking to them about how to care for their teeth. Dental professionals also participated in the opening Fall for Smiles webinar, two Twitter chats, a photo contest and distributed campaign booklets and other free materials to their communities.

Families were able to make learning about oral health fun with the Fall for Smiles activity booklets, brushing charts and tip sheets. Older adults and their caregivers could access a tip sheet created specifically for them, addressing the unique challenges they face when caring for their mouths. Americans of all ages shared Fall for Smiles messages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, sharing posts by OHA and utilizing the campaign’s social media guide.

This year’s Fall for Smiles campaign would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Dental Trade Alliance/Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, Patterson Dental, 3M ESPE, Crest + OralB, Midmark, Denticator, Hu-Friedy, Trident, the American Association of Dental Office Managers, OSAP and the National Dental Association. 

Geneva, 5 November 2014: FDI World Dental Federation is today launching the World Oral Health Day 2015 (WOHD 2015) ‘Smile for life’ campaign to remind people everywhere about the importance of looking after their teeth and gums.

World Oral Health Day is celebrated throughout the world on 20th March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organized by dentists, dental students, National Dental Associations (NDAs) and corporate partners.

Over 90% of the world’s population will suffer some form of dental disease in their lifetime but many of these can easily be treated or prevented with a good oral care routine. The WOHD 2015 ‘Smile for life’ is supplemented by the call to action ‘It’s time to…’, which campaigners can adapt to their local needs and circumstances.

Dentists at the FDI Annual World Dental Congress in New Delhi last September endorsed the ‘Smile for life’ campaign both literally and figuratively when they took turns to ‘Smile for life’ in front of WOHD 2015 campaign poster.

FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong commented: “The ‘Smile for life’ campaign reminds us that oral disease can be prevented by practising good oral hygiene throughout life, from childhood to mature adulthood.

After tripling the number of countries celebrating World Oral Health Day between and 2013 and 2014, we are now looking to reach an even larger audience in even more countries as well as online.”

FDI’s Executive Director Jean-Luc Eiselé added: “We want to encourage everyone to celebrate this important day. Participants can download materials such as logos, posters and toolkits to plan their activities from the ‘Smile for life’ campaign website – where they can also read inspiring stories from last year’s campaign to help them plan their World Oral Health Day 2015.”

In addition, FDI confirmed that the four key global partners of World Oral Health Day – LISTERINE®, Unilever, Henry Schein and Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program – have renewed their commitment to support the campaign in 2015.

“The continued support from our partners is essential in ensuring that World Oral Health Day keeps on having a global impact, and that our message can reach as wide an audience as possible”, emphasized FDI President Dr. Tin Chun Wong.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to innovative leadership in health care and named after the late Dr. Edward B. Shils, announced today the recipients of the 2014 Shils Awards. The Awards, which recognize individuals, organizations and programs that positively influence the dental community and the public oral health arena, were presented at the Shils Fund Dinner, held Oct. 29, at the Union League of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pa. 

"Each year we host this event, we are increasingly proud to expand the pool of recipients to include truly outstanding members of the dental community, whose creativity, vision and tenacity have pushed the boundaries and horizons for oral health care," said Steve W. Kess, President of The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund's Board of Directors. "Ed, an entrepreneur and educator of the highest caliber, would be proud of these individuals, whose pioneering work embodies Ed's indelible memory of passion and tireless commitment to fostering growth, breaking new ground, and embracing challenges as opportunities."    

Serving as the Executive Director of the Dental Manufacturers of America and the Dental Dealers of America for almost 50 years, Dr. Shils earned six degrees, including three doctorates, from the University of Pennsylvania, becoming a full professor and Chair of the Management Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was also instrumental in establishing the Wharton Entrepreneurial Center, the first institute dedicated to the academic study of entrepreneurialism.

Because of his stewardship, scholarship and encouragement of innovative business practices in dentistry, the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund was established by the dental industry to recognize those whose contributions reflect a similarly enduring commitment to innovation in the field of oral health.

The Shils Awards are broken into three categories: the Shils-Meskin Award, the Shils Award and the Special Recognition Award. Dr. Bruce Donoff, Dean of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, received the 2014 Shils-Meskin Award, named after Dr. Shils and Dr. Lawrence Meskin, a renowned dental educator and former Dean of the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Donoff was recognized for his leadership on numerous expansive initiatives that incorporated oral health into overall health care issues, and for fostering professional education and international relationships, leading to public-private partnerships, which have benefitted colleagues, the dental profession, Harvard and the public.

"Bruce's decades of service place him on the highest rung of leadership in the dental profession for the 20^th and 21^st centuries," said Dr. D. Walter Cohen, Chancellor Emeritus, Drexel University College of Medicine and Co-chair of the Shils Awards Committee. "His research, renown throughout the oral health industry, and his use of his position to advocate on behalf of the many constituencies of the dental community make him such a well-deserved recipient of the Shils-Meskin Award. Bruce's accomplishments, along with the other award winners, call attention to the high-watermark of achievement set by the best in the field."

This year's Shils Award winners, who are presented with a monetary prize, represented academics, clinicians and private sector organizations. 3M ESPE, the Dental Division of 3M Corporation, received a 2014 Shils Award for its support over the past three years of the American Dental Association's (ADA) Gives Kids A Smile® program (GKAS), which provides free oral health services to children and adolescents, through the 3M NASCAR race series. Another recipient of the 2014 Shils Award was Dr. Linda Niessen, Dean of Nova Southeastern University's College of Dental Medicine. Dr. Niessen was recognized for her advocacy of the importance of oral health for seniors and for her research into geriatric dentistry and oral health public policy. Dr. Irvin Silverstein, a San Diego-based periodontist, also received a 2014 Shils Award. Dr. Silverstein was cited for his mentorship of students in the UCSD Pre-Dental Society, which exposes undergraduate students to the profession of dentistry, and for helping place pre-dental students, dentists, other professionals and pre-professional students on U.S. Navy ships performing humanitarian outreach.

Special Recognition Award recipients included: Dr. Horst-Wolfgang Haase, Publisher of Quintessence Publishing Co., a recognized world leader in dental education, for global education and publishing in the oral health community; Dr. Marc Rothman, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, for his work as Chairman of the U.S. Alpha Omega Foundation, which funds dental health, education and research worldwide; Jeffrey Parker, CEO of Sarrell Dental Center, a non-profit that treats the dental and optical needs of Alabama children and youth ages 1-20, for transforming the Center into a thriving 14-clinic organization; and Dr. Tracy Garland, Program Director of the National Interprofessional Initiative on Oral Health (NIIOH), a consortium of funders and health professionals working to eradicate oral disease, for leading NIIOH's formation and attracting, retaining and growing its philanthropic support.

"At every Shils Award ceremony, we strive to do justice to Ed's life in all its scope and dimension," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. "This award ceremony is both a sobering and thrilling occasion, as it not only calls to mind the memory of a great man, but also underscores how that memory is honored, kept alive and burns ever brighter due to the great work of these dental professionals." 

ATLANTA, GA – Georgia-Pacific Professional is pleased to announce the winners of the “Dental Health Tips & Bites” photo contest. To raise awareness for good oral hygiene, Georgia-Pacific Professional launched the contest at the American Dental Association’s 2014 Annual Meeting in San Antonio. 

Conference attendees were challenged to share their best oral health tips on hand-written signs created at Georgia-Pacific Professional’s booth. Participants from dental practices and dental schools across the United States entered the contest.  Their photo entries are available on https://www.facebook.com/georgiapacificdental.

After two weeks of spirited online voting for the best oral health tips, the top five winners are:

1. Erin Kelly, 625 votes, Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio

2. Chase Trejo, 542 votes, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

3. Kristan Rodriguez, 530 votes, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

4. Misty Denis, 500 votes, Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio

5. Flor Rodriguez, 417 votes, Pediatric Dentistry of San Antonio

All winners will receive a Kindle Fire HD 7 tablet by Amazon. 

“Congratulations to all the winners. We’re grateful to all participants and fans that made this contest fun and helped us raise awareness for better oral hygiene," said Sean Foley, senior marketing manager – healthcare, Georgia-Pacific Professional. 

Georgia-Pacific Professional’s SofPull® Automated Touchless Towel Dispenser recently earned an impressive 4½-plus rating and was awarded "Editors' Choice" from THE DENTAL ADVISOR.  Georgia-Pacific Professional’s product line for the dental office also includes SofPull® centerpull towel dispenser, Georgia-Pacific® manual soap and sanitizer dispensers and Compact® coreless bath tissue dispensers. 

To learn more about the hygiene and efficiency products and solutions for the dental office, visit https://www.georgiapacificdental.com/.