Grafton, Wisconsin, November 28, 2014 – Microbrush International, a leading developer, producer and marketer of innovative consumables used in dental restorative procedures, today announced the acquisition of Dry Tips from Mölnlycke Health Care, AB. Dry Tips is a leading brand of high-quality moisture control products used in dental procedures.

“We are excited about the opportunity to add Dry Tips to our growing portfolio of restorative accessories,” said John Frymark, VP and General Manager of Microbrush. “Dry Tips represents best-in-class products which will allow us to bring a more complete offering to dental professionals that value superior and effective clinical products.”

“This acquisition is a major step in our plan to build out our restorative accessories platform at Microbrush,” said Dave Sproat, CEO of Microbrush parent-company Young Innovations. “We look to acquisitions, together with internal product development and relationships with our strategic partners, to continue to drive our long-term growth strategy.”

Following a brief transition period, Dry Tips products will be manufactured at the Microbrush facility in Grafton, WI. Current Dry Tips customers and vendors will receive updates from Microbrush in the next few days; there are no immediate changes to ordering and customer service procedures.

Microbrush International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Young Innovations, Inc., which is a portfolio company of Linden Capital Partners. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Young.

About Young Innovations, Inc.

Young develops, manufactures and markets supplies and equipment used by dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and consumers. The Company’s consumables product offering includes disposable and metal prophy angles, prophy cups and brushes, dental micro-applicators, moisture control products, infection control products, dental handpieces (drills) and related components, endodontic systems, orthodontic toothbrushes, flavored examination gloves and other products. In addition, the Company offers a line of diagnostic products that includes panoramic X-ray machines and related supplies.

About Linden Capital Partners

Linden Capital Partners is Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on leveraged buyouts in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Linden’s strategy is based upon three elements: i) healthcare and life science industry specialization, ii) integrated private equity and operating expertise, and iii) strategic relationships with large corporations. Linden invests in middle market platforms in the medical products, specialty distribution, pharmaceutical, and services segments of healthcare.

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Bisk Education, a worldwide leader in online education, and the American Dental Association®, the nation's largest dental association and trusted provider of continuing education for dentists, have launched a new, 100% online Executive Program in Dental Practice Management.

In response to ADA member requests for online practice management and business education, the American Dental Association's Center for Professional Success™ collaborated with Bisk Education to bring dentists valuable insight and instruction from experts in dental practice management, business strategy and systems, financial management, legal and ethical issues, negotiation and conflict management, and leadership.

Program courses blend material from recognized dental practice management experts with ADA-selected content from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business Stayer Center for Executive Education.

"Our goal is to provide dentists with the knowledge and skills to respond to the challenges they face every day in running their dental practice. This curriculum is a direct result of listening to our members who asked for practical business management assistance that fits their busy lives," said Dr.Maxine Feinberg, president, American Dental Association.

"We are proud the ADA has selected The University of Notre Dame lectures to incorporate in this program," said Paul Slaggert, director of Non-Degree Programs at the Stayer Center for Executive Education, located at the Mendoza College of Business. "Our lectures, paired with the ADA's practice management expertise will prepare today's dentists to effectively manage the business side of the practice."

"We're excited to help bring the best in dentistry together with the best in business education for the benefit of dental professionals," said Mike Bisk, President of Bisk Education. "By facilitating access to resources of this caliber, we make it easier for professionals to develop the skills they need with the convenience of innovative distance learning."

ADA members save more than 20% on the six courses that comprise the program, while also being able to take advantage of the member-only practice management resources and tools offered through the ADA Center for Professional Success.

To learn more or register, call 855-598-6559 or visit PMCertificate.Success.ADA.org.

About Bisk Education

Founded in 1971 by Nathan M. Bisk, Bisk Education is one of the world's leading providers of professional education online. For over 40 years, the company has been guided by a fundamental belief that learning is much more than a casual pursuit—it's a life-changing journey that never ends. By harnessing the latest technologies and developing new delivery methods, Bisk provides lifelong-learning opportunities that enable working adults to reach their personal and professional goals.

About the American Dental Association

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 157,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org. For more offerings through the ADA Center for Professional Success visit Success.ADA.org. 

PITTSTON, PA — November 24, 2014 — From operatory to laboratory, a new generation of women is changing dentistry. The Lucy Hobbs Project®, powered by Benco Dental, aims to recognize these revolutionaries with six awards that celebrate their distinctive talents.

Slated to take place at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, June 4 - 5, 2015, the Lucy Hobbs Project® Annual Celebration Honoring Exemplary Women in the Dental Community will honor those who are setting new benchmarks in the dental profession and beyond. The annual event, named for the woman who, in 1866, became the first American female to earn a degree in dentistry, will recognize and award industry professionals whose achievements mirror those established by Lucy Hobbs.

Beginning now, through the January 16, 2015 deadline, Benco Dental encourages people across the country to nominate women in dentistry who they view as an inspiration to others. Six categories for consideration include:

1. Woman to Watch: An up-and-coming leader who utilizes her position to create positive change in the industry.

2. Industry Icon: A trailblazer who is consistently recognized and admired for her work in the dental industry.

3. Mentor: An advisor who recognizes the importance of supporting, educating and encouraging others.

4. Innovator: A groundbreaker who demonstrates a willingness to implement new technologies and business processes without fear of potential failure

5. Humanitarian: An altruist who works tirelessly for a charity or cause that benefits the well-being of others.

6. Clinical Expert: A skillful practitioner who embraces advancements and adeptly integrates them into patient care.

Individuals and organizations may submit nominations. Self-nominations are accepted. Contest entrants are directed to the 2015 Lucy Hobbs Project® Awards Nomination Form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LHP2015

The Lucy Hobbs Project® empowers women in dentistry to drive change and deliver success through networking, innovation and giving back.Named after Hobbs, this project aims to bring women together from all facets of the dental industry – dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, receptionists, sales representatives and others. The project is free to join and offers networking opportunities, education programs and charitable events.

Among the 2014 Lucy Hobbs Award honorees are women whose unwavering professional dedication merits accolades: Joan Austin (1931-2013); Karen Gear, DDS; Mary Hartigan, DDS; Maria Maranga, DDS; Terryl A. Propper, DDS, MS; Katti Webb Simpson, IPDH; and Kaaren G. Vargas, DDS, PhD. Learn about their contributions to the profession in dental lifestyle magazine, Incisal Edge: https://viewer.zmags.com/publication/636592a9 - /636592a9/1

To learn more and sign up for The Lucy Hobbs Project®, visit The Lucy Hobbs Project® website at: www.thelucyhobbsproject.com

About Benco Dental

Benco Dental, headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is the largest privately-owned dental distribution company in the United States, offering a full array of supplies, equipment and services to dentists across the nation. Founded in 1930 by Benjamin Cohen, the company has remained family-owned and focused on its unique mission to ‘deliver success, smile after smile.’ Over the past decade, Benco has been the nation’s fastest growing dental distributor, now servicing more than 35,000 dentists and dental laboratories.

Within the past 84 years, the company has grown from a single downtown location to a national network of more than 65 regional locations, five distribution centers, and two design showrooms. Those design showrooms, one at the company’s PA headquarters and one in Southern California, feature North America’s largest selection of dental equipment and technology, as well as a hands-on dental design experience, to assist dentists in the planning and construction of a new office.

In addition to offering the market’s broadest choice of equipment and supplies, Benco features a suite of innovative material management tools like Painless, its industry-leading on-line inventory management system, and BluChips, dentistry’s original and most rewarding frequent buyer club. Through alliances with selected Success Partners, Benco also offers practice coaching, continuing education, equipment financing, and wealth management services.

Benco, which has been named one of Pennsylvania’s ‘Best Places to Work’ for ten of the past 11 years, is proud to boast a highly skilled team of more than 400 professionally trained sales representatives and over 300 factory-trained service technicians.

For more information, visit benco.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO.

About Lucy Hobbs

At age 26, Lucy Hobbs decided she wanted a career change. She had been teaching for ten years and felt a strong desire to pursue her true passion – dentistry. Sounds reasonable, right? However, this was 1859 and female dentists simply didn’t exist. Hobbs was promptly refused admission to dental school because of her gender. Undeterred, she convinced a professor from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery to accept her into their program. In three short years, Hobbs opened her own practice, was professionally recognized and allowed to join the Iowa State Dental Society. Hobbs was a true trailblazer who paved the way for other women’s success.

To learn more and sign up for The Lucy Hobbs Project®, visit The Lucy Hobbs Project website at: www.thelucyhobbsproject.com 

Certification acknowledges company’s commitment to quality in all areas of customer satisfaction Hoffman Estates, IL, November 19, 2014 —Leading dental equipment manufacturer NSK Dental LLC, which has established a worldwide reputation for the quality of its manufacturing, today announced that it has received ISO 13485 certification for its North American distribution and repair services. This certificate applies specifically to medical device manufacturers.

“Many companies think of quality only in the context of the products they manufacture, but at NSK we realize that our customers also need us to provide exceptional quality in how we deliver our products to them,” said Rob Gochoel, Director of Sales and Marketing for NSK Dental. “And when a NSK product needs service attention, our customers need to know they can count on our ability to restore it to excellent working condition on a timely basis.”

According to Jeremy King, NSK Quality Assurance Manager, this latest ISO certification reflects the company’s unwavering customer focus. “Every member of the NSK Dental Team took part in the certification process,” he said. “Our success is a result of the total commitment to world class customer service and quality repair support demonstrated by every employee of NSK, from our junior associates to the most senior executive.” 

Terry Cluff, Head of Global Med Tech Marketing at BSI commented: “Gaining certification to ISO 13485 is a credit to everyone at NSK and clearly demonstrates their ongoing commitment to providing a high level of customer service and quality repair support. The team should be proud of the hard work that has gone into implementing a system that enables them to put customers first.”

NSK Dental products are distributed in the United States by a network comprising ten respected dealers: Atlanta Dental, Benco Dental, Burkhart Dental, Dental Health Products, Goetze Dental, Henry Schein Dental, Midwest Dental, Nashville Dental, Patterson Dental and Pearson Dental.

Additional information about NSK Dental can be found at www.nskdental.com. 

About NSK Dental

Founded in 1984 and based in suburban Chicago, NSK Dental LLC is a leading manufacturer of turbines, contra-angles, micromotors, tooth polishing systems, and surgical and endodontic handpieces in the North American dental marketplace. The company’s products are available for sale through leading dental distributors. NSK Dental’s parent company, Japan-based NSK Inc., has manufactured a wide variety of dental products utilizing core ultra high-speed rotational technologies since 1930. In recent years, NSK Inc. has expanded its business by applying its core technologies to the industrial and medical surgical markets. The mission of the company, which does business in over 130 countries: to make contributions to the health and peace of the global community through manufacturing high quality products and foster friendships with people worldwide. 

Online Registrants Save Before Feb. 13

On Jan. 7, 2015, registration and housing for American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (ADHA’s) Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL) at the 92^nd Annual Session officially opens. The 2015 event, which takes place in Nashville, Tenn., June 17-23, 2015, features a new registration platform to improve the experience for attendees — and will easily allow attendees to go back into their registration record to add events and CE courses. And attendees who register online before Feb. 13, 2015, will receive additional “early bird” savings as well.

The 2015 event features two dynamic keynote speakers who will both inspire and engage meeting attendees. Author, comedian and Carnegie Hall headliner Mike Rayburn, CSP, CPAE, will address the audience on Thursday, June 18, 2015, challenging guests to think about all the possibilities available to them by asking the question “What if…?” His unconventional approach will help visitors look at situations in a new light, allowing them to see challenges as opportunities to improve and grow professionally. On Saturday, June 20, 2015, Colgate brings world-class swimmer, broadcaster and author Diana Nyad to share inspirational insight about never giving up on your dreams — at the age of 64, after four previous attempts, Nyad completed the 110-mile swim across the Florida Straits from Cuba to Florida in 53 hours. A member of the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, Nyad has held numerous swimming world records, authored three books, and reported for a number of outlets including NPR, Fox Sports and the New York Times.

The continuing education (CE) opportunities available in Nashville give attendees more than 28 courses to select from, with five different tracks available to help guests truly get the most value out of their meeting experience. Be sure to get signed up for the courses and programs you want to take this year by registering early. For more information about all of the CE sessions taking place, including learning objectives, session times and presenters, please visit https://www.etouches.com/ehome/adha15/ce/.

You also can see the high-level schedule overview online, including the full schedule of events, by visiting https://www.etouches.com/ehome/adha15/Schedule/. And for the latest meeting information — including more details about the always popular Community Service Day project taking place on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 — as well as online registration access beginning Jan. 7, 2015, be sure to visit the ADHA’s Annual Session webpage at www.adha.org/annual-session.

CHICAGO, December 22, 2014 – The Academy of Osseointegration (AO) expresses its sincere condolences and honors the life and legacy of Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark – the “Father of Modern Dental Implantology” and an Honorary Fellow of AO. 

“Professor Brånemark was a giant, brilliantly scientific intellect, embodied in an equally large compassionate heart. His caring focus was always on the patient,” said Dr. Edward Sevetz, Jr., Past President, Academy of Osseointegration. “His breakthrough discovery of osseointegrated titanium benefits patients throughout the world, and will forever benefit mankind.”

“Professor Brånemark’s work genuinely transformed the dental landscape and the smiles of millions of people across the globe,” said AO President Dr. Joseph Gian-Grasso. “It is because of him that the Academy of Osseointegration exists, and today we honor his memory and monumental legacy. As an organization, we aspire to encompass his passion and to continue his lifelong work to enhance oral health globally.” 

In May 1982, Professor Brånemark introduced osseointegration to North America at a conference in Toronto, Canada, sparking much interest and enthusiasm and creating ripples throughout the dental community. Proponents of the new science were determined to improve the success rate of implants.

After learning of this new technique, Dr. Charles Berman and Dr. Gerald Barrack formed the New York Osseointegration Study Group, a small conclave of friends with a shared passion to understand and share knowledge about this new science. This group evolved into AO, as it is known today.

Because of Professor Brånemark’s,and his predecessors’, ongoing commitment to research, technological advancements and proper training, dental implants are now highly predictable and commonplace with a success rate of about 95 percent.

“Today we mourn the loss of Professor Brånemark. At the same time we celebrate the honor of having known him and thank our good fortunes for the knowledge that he provided,” said Dr. Steven Eckert, editor of The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants.

Via Nobel Biocare News - Per-Ingvar Brånemark, father of the modern dental implant, died December 20, 2014, at the age of 85. Both in Sweden and abroad, Per-Ingvar Brånemark’s achievements in the field of osseointegration opened up entire new areas of promising research

Read the full tribute here. 

To pay your respects to the Brånemark family for their loss or to share a short eulogy, please send a message to news.editors@nobelbiocare.com.

Dental Learning Systems reaches a mass audience through live regional continuing education events

In 2014, Dental Learning Systems launched an ambitious program called Updates in Clinical Dentistry, a comprehensive program in contemporary oral healthcare. This series of 6 live regional continuing education events offered attendees critical and timely content, networking advantages, and career development opportunities. 

More than 1,100 dental professionals registered for these events through CDEWorld.com. Each event was sponsored by a group of partnering companies including Air Techniques, Brasseler, E4D Dentist, Henry Schein, Kuraray, Planmeca, and VOCO. The goal of these live events was to offer a unique opportunity for career enrichment through networking and continuing education. The average attendance at each program was 185 participants and each attendee received up to 6 live CE credits and gained complimentary access to receive up to an additional 12 credits online through CDEWorld.com’s on-demand activities.

Additional courses are planned for 2015. For more information on these events and the topics that will be discussed please visit our website, https://cdeworld.com/events, or contact Elizabeth Weisbrod at 215-504-1275 ext. 218. You can also follow CDEWorld on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to email updates here. 

Following the successful launch of Updates in Clinical Dentistry, Dental Learning Systems is planning a new series of educational events for 2015. This series of 5 live regional continuing education events will feature critical and timely content, networking sessions with fellow dental colleagues, and career development opportunities. 

More than 1,100 dental professionals took advantage of these events in 2014 prompting an additional series of events for 2015 in the following cities.

3/20 – Irvine, CA

4/17 – Flint, MI

5/15 – Milwaukee, WI

6/26 – New Brunswick, NJ

9/11 – Lincolnshire, IL

The goal of these live events is to offer a unique career enrichment opportunity through networking and continuing education. These events offer participants up to 18 CE credit hours, up to 6 hours for the live sessions and access to up to 12 hours on CDEWorld.com, a digital on-demand education platform. When you register with the Early Bird special, 18 credit hours are being offered for $49, thanks to our sponsors who are underwriting most of the cost (Air Techniques, DentalVibe, Kuraray, and VOCO)! Visit, cdeworld.com/events/regional-events to learn more about the course closest to you.

For more information on these events and the topics that will be discussed please visit our website, https://cdeworld.com/events, or contact Elizabeth Weisbrod at 215-504-1275 ext. 218. Follow CDEWorld on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to email updates here. 

There are opportunities for corporate sponsorship of these events, please contact Karen Auiler at 215-504-1275 ext. 204 for additional information.

December 18, 2014 – Television personality Sharon Osbourne became an unlikely poster woman for dental implant health when her artificial tooth loosened and fell from her mouth during a Dec. 16 episode of the CBS daytime chat show “The Talk.” The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) encourages those who wear dental implants to care for them through twice-daily brushing, flossing at least once a day, and regular visits with a periodontist.

“Individuals who wear dental implants should care for them the way they take care of their natural teeth,” says AAP president Joan Otomo-Corgel, DDS, MPH, who is also a practicing periodontist in Los Angeles. “Just like your natural teeth, dental implants are susceptible to periodontal disease. They are prone to infection, can become loose, and may even require removal if not cared for properly. However, with the proper individualized, implants can last a lifetime.”

Dental implants are artificial replacements for a tooth and its root, and they are often a treatment option for patients who have lost teeth due to periodontal disease, injury, or another ailment. “Implants can look and act just like natural teeth once they are properly placed in the mouth. In addition to restoring health and function, an implant can keep a person’s smile intact by filling spaces created by lost teeth.” Dr. Otomo-Corgel says.

Dental implant procedures can be performed by a periodontist, a dentist who specializes in implant placement and in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal (or gum) disease. Affecting nearly 50 percent of American adults, periodontal disease is a preventable and treatable inflammatory condition that if not treated, can damage the tissue and bone surrounding the teeth and can possibly result in tooth loss.

A person can minimize his or her periodontal disease risk through regular oral health care habits and by undergoing a yearly comprehensive periodontal evaluation, in which a periodontist assesses the health of a person’s teeth, gums, and bone structure to determine gum disease risk.

“If a person is found to have periodontal disease, a periodontist can determine the best course of treatment,” Dr. Otomo-Corgel says. “If a dental implant is needed, the periodontist—who builds and restores the foundation for teeth and implants—is the expert for placing it and making sure it stays healthy.”