HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Third-graders across Pennsylvania will combine oral health education and creativity this February during the Pennsylvania Dental Association's annual poster contest in celebration of National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM). Those who participate will have a chance at winning several different prizes.

Three statewide winners will be selected from the entries. The first-place winner will be awarded $500. In addition, the first-place winner's school and teacher will each receive a $250 prize. The grand prize will be awarded to the first-place winner at a school function. The second place winner will receive $250, while the third-place winner will receive $100.

The NCDHM lesson plan kits are distributed electronically. The kits are designed for third-grade teachers in Pennsylvania public, private and charter schools, and contain a lesson plan featuring information on dental health topics, fun classroom activities and instructions for the PDA-sponsored poster contest. Please contact Sara Mattrick at slm@padental.org to receive these materials and to request a complimentary NCDHM poster for your participating classroom.

All entries for the poster contest must be submitted by Friday, March 13. Please select only one classroom winner and submit the winning entry to: Pennsylvania Dental Association, Attn: NCDHM Poster Contest, 3501 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110. PDA will announce the top three winners in April.

FORT COLLINS, CO – Water Pik, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative personal health care products, has expanded its new Aquarius™ Designer Series to four stylish colors. The new Aquarius Designer models make the act of flossing as aesthetically pleasing as the end results they provide.  

Expanding on the introduction of its "Radiant Pink" Aquarius model, which was launched in October with conjunction to a charity program during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Aquarius Designer Series now comes in three more attention-getting colors: "Vibrant Teal," "Brilliant Black," and naturally, "Pearly White," a shade which aptly describes the healthy smiles that come from these high tech, high-performance oral care products.

"We're happy to introduce these exciting new additions to our Aquarius line," said Suzanne Carranza, Senior Marketing Manager for Consumer Oral Health at Water Pik. "They will bring beauty to both their surroundings and to the people who use them, Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but nothing touches hearts more than our smiles. Now everyone can have a brighter smile this holiday season, from a variety of colorful Waterpik® Water Flossers."

For brighter, healthy smiles, brushing alone is unfortunately not enough. The Waterpik® Water Flosser is the easy and more effective way to floss.  Clinically proven to be up to 50% more effective than traditional string floss, the Waterpik® Aquarius Water Flosser removes up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas. The system cleans 3 times deeper than regular brushing and flossing, and removes hard-to reach bacteria and debris that cause bad breath. With the Waterpik® Aquarius Designer Series, consumers can now have a professional quality flosser at home.

Whether in Pearly White, Brilliant Black, Vibrant Teal or Radiant Pink, the Aquarius Designer Water Flossers add style and distinction to their surroundings. In addition to an elegant satin finish and chrome accents, they offer a host of exclusive convenience and performance features that make optimal daily oral hygiene a breeze for the entire family. Ten pressure settings allow for new levels of personalized control, and an on/off water switch built into the handle eliminates mess. Seven flossing tips are included, along with a tip storage case, and the Aquarius reservoir has a generous 90 seconds of water capacity for a fully satisfying hygiene experience.

The Aquarius also features a new control pulse-modulation technology by Water Pik that provides maximum plaque removal and enhanced gum stimulation. A 360-degree rotating tip allows easy access to all parts of the mouth, and a convenient one-minute timer with a 30-second pacer ensures thorough water flossing of all areas of the mouth for a sparkling smile.

The new Waterpik® Aquarius Designer Series ($89.99 SRP for each color) is the most convenient, effective, and stylish way yet to achieve a brighter smile and healthier gums -- in just a minute a day.

For more information on Aquarius and other Waterpik® Oral Health products and clinical research results, visit www.waterpik.com.

Grafton, Wis., Dec. 19, 2014– Microbrush International, one of the world’s leading disposable applicator producers, has once again revolutionized clinical applications with the introduction of the new TRU by Microbrush.

TRU by Microbrush is the first in Microbrush International’s extensive line of disposable applicators to feature a double-bending tip, a longer 12-centimeter handle and an Ultrafine 0.5-millimeter tip size option. Clinicians who have tried TRU by Microbrush said the new micro-applicator gave them greater control and access during procedures.

“I love the smaller size [option] – excellent for tight interproximal areas,” said Cynthia Sanderson, a clinician in Avondale, Ariz.

“Great product, overall,” said Rosie Felan, a registered dental hygienist in Houston, Texas.

The applicator’s unique double-bending tip is engineered to give clinicians greater access to hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. The cutting-edge double-bend is held in place with stay-put strength engineered to eliminate rebound, while the long handle is designed to give clinicians maximum tactile control.

TRU by Microbrush is also the first Microbrush International applicator to feature the new Ultrafine 0.5-millimeter tip size for procedures that require utmost precision. The Ultrafine tip is manufactured to pick up a consistent amount of material and help reduce waste.

TRU by Microbrush also comes in Regular (2.0mm), Fine (1.5mm) and Superfine (1.0mm) tip sizes so it can be used in a variety of clinical indications. The new micro-applicator also comes in a unique diamond-shaped package, which features an easily accessible dispenser with a lock-in-place top designed for easy dispensing.

All Microbrush products are made to exacting standards in Microbrush International’s state-of-the-art facility in Grafton, Wis., USA under ISO 13485 certification for the production of medical devices.

New York, NY – December 23, 2014 – Over 600 dental team members from across the US gathered together to learn about the latest perspectives on evidence-based dentistry as part of Colgate®’s first “Science to Cities” five-city educational lecture tour. 

With presentations spanning Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston and Chicago, dental professionals nationwide were offered access to informative lectures presented by an impressive lineup of key industry thought leaders, including John Comisi, DDS, MAGD; JoAnn Gurenlian, RDH, PhD; Angelo Mariotti, DDS; and Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, RDH, PhD. 

“We were extremely pleased with the number of attendees and the interest in the lectures,” remarked Dr. Barbara Shearer, Director of Scientific Affairs for Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals. “Attendees in all cities were extremely engaged in the presentations which in turn created a truly interactive environment. The information was delivered by some of the most dynamic speakers in our profession today and they were all very effective in providing the most current, relevant information pertaining to evidence-based dentistry in a detailed yet interesting manner. We received extremely positive feedback and we hope to continue our efforts throughout even more cities in the near future.”

Entitled, “New Perspectives on Evidence-Based Dentistry,” the lectures offered timely, applicable, and educational information featuring new approaches to the practical application of evidence-based dentistry in clinical practice. Each lecture revealed the ongoing prevalence of the gum disease epidemic among the US population while helping dental professionals make informed evidence-based recommendations for patient home care. The fundamentals of systematic reviews were also discussed including how to interpret results and the role these reviews play in evidence-based dentistry. 

Moreover, new insights on implant maintenance and the role of triclosan with respect to inflammation were thoroughly examined as well as a review of the safety and efficacy of triclosan for use in Colgate Total® toothpaste. 

For information about upcoming Colgate events, please visit colgateoralhealthnetwork.com.

Brea, CA - Harvest Dental Products has named Donald D. Park its Senior Vice President of Global Business Development. Park will lead strategic growth initiatives for Harvest as well as be part of the executive management team.

“Donald brings a dynamic background to this role that will help impact industry and channel development,” said Sasha der Avanessian, Managing Director of Harvest Dental Products. “His background is perfectly matched to the strategic initiatives we have as an growing organization to align the Harvest brand with innovation, product development and growth.”

Park’s background in the dental industry spans implants, materials, new technologies, manufacturing, and general laboratory operations. He worked on strategic partnerships while at Biomet Inc., Biomet 3i LLC, and DenMat Holdings LLC with global organizations, including Align Technology, 3M ESPE, Sirona GmbH, 3Shape, and many others.

“This position is a unique opportunity for me to help strengthen and develop brand synergies between Harvest, our distributors and large manufacturing clients” Park said. “These types of collaborations will help develop long-term strategies with our current and future customers and can provide a source of significant competitive advantage.”

Park’s entry into the dental industry started with etkon USA as Vice President of Operations and transitioned into the head of operations for North America for Straumann’s CAD/CAM manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas. Recently, he was responsible for marketing, revenue growth, operations, and new technologies at DenMat’s large dental laboratory in Lompoc, CA. He led a team of more than 120 members, including construction and a move to a brand new multi-million dollar facility. He has consulted for many dental implant and materials companies, offering support in quality systems, product development, market development projects, and M&A. Park holds a BSc in Physiology from McGill University. He later continued his education in marketing at McGill and other executive programs at Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University.

Tallahassee, FL –  The Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology announced the launch of a new comprehensive Virtual Full Denture Training Program. The program was underwritten and produced through the generosity of DENTSPLY Prosthetics to provide new learning tools for dental technicians in removable technology that will enrich the Foundation’s removable curriculum.

This 5-module removable video program documents a patient case from initial chairside assessment through placement of the final dentures.  Each individual module was scripted and produced to document each step of the denture process between the dentist and the dental laboratory technician. Dr. Lars Bouma and Jerry Kaizer, CDT (Murray-Kaizer Dental Lab) provided clinical and technical guidance throughout the program development and production. This unique program provides a visualization of the chairside and labside protocols and delivers key insights into the collaboration needed between the dentist and the technician to ensure the best denture solution for the patient. 

“The Foundation’s mission is to ensure accessible high-quality education to meet ever-changing workforce needs. Removables continue to be a growing segment of the dental laboratory market, and many technicians, who focus on crown and bridge, are getting to this arena and have skills gaps on dentures. Additionally, today’s dental school graduates receive less hands-on training in removable prosthetics. This program will serve as a valuable resource for both target audiences” says Leon Hermanides, CDT, foundation chair.

The new program will be available formally through the online education platform on the Foundation website by the end of the 1^st quarter, 2015.

“Dentsply Prosthetics has been committed to removable product solutions for more than 110 years. As part of our corporate commitment to give back to the industry, we are pleased to have this opportunity to work with the  Foundation to enrich their training tools and curriculum in Removable Technology Programs. We believe this new virtual training program and live video materials will  provide significant value to a broader base of dental professionals” says Catherine Bonser, Director of Marketing, DENTSPLY Prosthetics.

For more information on the Foundation (to donate, learn about grants and scholarships and continuing education programs), visit www.dentallabfoundation.org.

Oldsmar, FL, - Knight Dental Group, Inc. announced that after having entered a definitive agreement last month, it has sold its dental laboratory solutions business to Leixir Holdings, Inc.

“Although our business has seen above-average growth in the past few years within the regions that we do business, the integration of Knight Dental Group with the Leixir Lab Group of North America will give us great opportunity to expand our brands throughout the United States and Canada.” said Warren Rogers, Knight CEO.

Harmeet Bindra, Leixir CEO, said: “We are excited to add the Knight Dental Group brand to our current North American network of dental laboratories. This will give Leixir the opportunity to expand our market share and provide a broader range of dental laboratory solutions and products to our dentist clients.”

Barbara Wojdan, Knight President, said: “I am personally excited about the resources and growth opportunity for Knight that the Leixir Lab Group will provide."

Knight will serve as the company headquarters and center of technical competency for the Leixir Lab Group.

Knight Dental Group, Inc. is a full service dental laboratory with an ISO 13485 quality management system, based in Florida and started in 1972. Knight is well known for its high quality, cosmetic brand of dental restorations and has dentist clients in 25 states.

Leixir Lab Group is one of the fastest growing dental laboratory networks in North America focusing on high quality restorations for the dental community. It has operations in the United States and Canada.

Nobel Biocare has announced that effective February 1, 2015, Tullio Di Dio will be appointed Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Oliver Walker, who has decided to leave the company to pursue his career interests outside Nobel Biocare.

Di Dio joins Nobel Biocare with 23 years of finance experience, including assignments at United Technologies, Roche, and during the past 12 years with Danaher. Most recently, Di Dio served as Vice President, Finance for Beckman Coulter EMEA. He played an important role in integrating Beckman Coulter into Danaher.  

Richard Laube, CEO of Nobel Biocare, said: “I wish to welcome Tullio Di Dio, who will provide valuable experience as Nobel Biocare integrates into Danaher. At the same time, I wish Oliver Walker much success in his new endeavors and would like to thank him for his efforts and contributions in helping to turn Nobel Biocare around and make it a more predictable and performing business during his two and a half years of service. Our finance team has become a significantly more capable and effective organization with his leadership.”

Quebec City, Canada - Panthera Dental announced that Andreas Klie has been contracted as Regional Sales Director, Ontario. He will also act as a sales representative in the province of Ontario. Kile is a certied dental technician with more than 28 years of experience in the dental field.

Klie graduated from Technikon School of Dental Technology in South Africa in 1986 and became an RDT in Ontario in 2005. He spent 10 years working as a Technical Consultant for BEGO Canada, a leading dental equipment company having its headquarters in Germany. Prior to this position, he worked for Progenic Dental Laboratory (2001-2004), founded La Lucia Dental Laboratory (1991-2001) and was also employed in 2 military hospitals (1987-1991).

Klie will play a major role in Panthera Dental’s strategy to incorporate more technical guides and articles in its portfolio.

“I have known Andreas for many years, and I am very proud to have him onboard in our team. His dental technician experience combined with his eld experience will give us an asset to offer our customers more precise and detailed solutions. The fact that the majority of Canadian labs and many US labs know him is also a huge benefit for the growth of our company,” said Bernard Robichaud, co-founder of Panthera Dental.

CHANTILLY, VA - MIST Inc., a leading provider of advanced CAD/CAM implant prosthetic technology and primary Dyamach US distributor, is introducing the new Dyamach DT2 Wet Mill to the US dental laboratory market.

This compact, patented, and fully open CNC Vertical System uses state-of-the-art 5-axis technology to create high-precision metal millings for cemented, screwed, and removable prostheses. Known as a “Titanium Powerhouse” for its exceptional ability to wet-mill titanium implant prosthetics for abutments and bars, the Dyamach DT2 Mill also gives technicians the ability to process materials such as CrCo, PMMA, and Wax.

The Dyamach Mill allows for an easy “plug and play” laboratory installation. Designed to use a low-power system (220v, 3kW), the Dyamach DT2 Mill, unlike its leading competitors, requires no special electrical power configurations. And it features a far more economical price-point than comparable systems.