Natick, MA - April 27, 2015 - The Edison Awards, celebrating 28 years of honoring the best in innovation and excellence in the development of new products and services, announced that Convergent Dental was voted a Gold Winner for innovation at the April 23rd event at The Capitale in New York City. CTO Nathan Monty joined hundreds of senior executives from some of the world’s most recognized companies to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all of the 2015 Edison Award winners.

Being recognized with an Edison Award has become one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business. The awards are named after Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) whose inventions, new product development methods and innovative achievements literally changed the world, garnered him 1,093 U.S. patents, and made him a household name around the world.

“Our judges recognized Solea as a true innovator out of the many products in its category,” said Frank Bonafilia, executive director of the Edison Awards.

The ballot of nominees for the Edison Awards™ was judged by a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives including past award winners, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medical.

One of the evening’s many highlights was the presentation of the prestigious Edison Achievement Award to Clayton M. Christensen, noted innovator, Kim B. Clark Professor of Harvard Business School, and founder of Innosight. Also honored with an Edison Achievement Award was Robert A. Lutz, former Vice Chairman of General Motors. The award honors innovation leaders and business executives who have made a significant and lasting contribution to innovation throughout their careers. The Edison Achievement Award serves as inspiration to future innovators and to the world at large.

In addition to the Awards Gala, the annual Edison Awards program encompassed a full-day “Meet the Innovators Forum” and the "Innovators’ Showcase,” which offered guests a hands-on experience with many of the winning products.

About Convergent Dental, Inc.

Convergent Dental, Inc., is a privately owned dental equipment and technology company and developer of Solea™, the world’s first computer-aided, CO2 laser system to ever be cleared by the FDA for both hard and soft tissue indications. The only dental laser system able to deliver virtually anesthesia-free and blood-free procedures, Solea cuts significantly quieter, finer and faster than any other laser-based system in dentistry. Solea’s speed and precision is a result of patented technologies and computer system controls that are unique to Convergent Dental, Inc. For more information visit www.convergentdental.com. Follow the company on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

About the Edison Awards™

The Edison Awards is a program conducted by Edison Universe, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering future innovators. The Awards have been recognizing and honoring the best in innovations and innovators since 1987. They honor game-changing innovations that are at the forefront of new product and service development, marketing and human-centered design, and are one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of successful innovation. For more information about the Edison Awards complete program and a list of past winners, visit https://www.edisonawards.com.

Chicago -- April 27, 2015 – A record-breaking amount of original research, including clinical cases of interest in the field of implant dentistry, was presented at the Academy of Osseointegration’s Annual Meeting. Presentations ranged from digital planning and new esthetic techniques to prevention strategies and stem cell biology.

“The outstanding research we saw at this year’s meeting – presented by clinicians from around the world – will help to shape the future of implant dentistry,” said Dr. Mehrad Favagehi, chair of AO’s Research Submission Committee. “I was particularly proud of the many young clinicians who presented research and showed a real commitment to furthering this field of dentistry and medicine.”

Dr. Favagehi’s committee brought E-Posters to AO’s Annual Meeting for the first time. To digitally view some 300 studies in this format, visit www.osseo.org. Search for each poster by its number, title, author or keyword.

“I was extremely impressed by the captivating Clinical Innovation presentations,” added Dr. Alvaro Ordoñez, chair of AO’s Clinical Innovation Committee. “I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and this is the best year I’ve seen yet. A lot of that has to do with the groundwork laid by the committee’s former chair, Dr. Joerg Neugebauer.”

“Clinical innovation is important so that we continue to improve upon the techniques and procedures that have been time tested for treatment success and patient well-being,” said Dr. J. Cameron Beck, Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, Md., who received an award for his research.

Research was recognized through a variety of honors, each selected by a committee of peers. Below is a complete list of awards and honorees.

Best Oral Clinical Presentation

Bone Adaptation Induced by Non-Passively Fitting Implant Superstructures – Results from A Randomized Clinical Trial

Matthias Karl, DMD

Best Oral Scientific Presentation

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Nano-reinforced Photocrosslinkable Adhesive Hydrogel: Novel Treatment Modality for Peri-implantitis

Alireza Moshaverinia, DDS, MS, PhD

1st Place E-Poster

A New Parameter to Assess the Osseointegration Potential of an Implant Surface

Robert Liddell, B.ASc., MSc

2nd Place E-Poster

Digital vs Conventional Implant Impressions for Edentulous Patients: Accuracy Outcomes

Panos Papaspyridakos, DDS, MS, PhD

Best E-Poster Case Presentation

Clinical, Histological and 3D Evaluation of VISTA Application of Horizontal Ridge Augmentation: A Preliminary Study

Yun Wang, BDS, MS, PhD

Best Clinical Innovations

A Custom Titanium Ridge Augmentation Matrix for Implant Site Development

Jared Beck, DMD

About the Academy of Osseointegration

With 6,000 members in 70 countries around the world, the AO is recognized as the premier international association for professionals interested in implant dentistry. AO serves as a nexus where specialists and generalists can come together to evaluate emerging research, technology, and techniques, share best information, and coordinate optimal patient care using timely, evidence-based science and methods. Follow AO on Facebook and Twitter.

Hauppauge, NY -- April 25, 2015 — Mydent International has added Disposable Soft Touch Oral Evacuator Tips, Multi-Purpose Dappen Dishes, Premium Toothbrushes and Etch Gel-38% to its growing line of DEFEND products.

DEFEND Disposable Soft Touch Oral Evacuator Tips feature new soft, flexible tips. Patient friendly, these evacuator tips are gentle on soft tissue and bone. They are packaged 50 per bag.

DEFEND Multi-Purpose Dappen Dishes are designed to prevent cross contamination for a variety of procedures. These dishes provide a quick and convenient vessel for prophy paste, composite materials, acrylics, cements and bonding agents.

Mydent’s new Premium Toothbrushes are the same quality of major brands at a fraction of the cost. The adult toothbrushes are available in 2 different styles; Premium Standard, or Premium Rubber Grip. The youth and child sizes are available in Premium Standard. Available in assorted colors, the toothbrushes are individually wrapped and packaged 72 per box.

A 38% phosphoric acid gel for etching the tooth enamel, DEFEND Etch Gel is easily distinguished from the tooth structure. The pre-bent tip allows for precise placement. This product contains 2-2ml Syringe Etchant Gel and 20 Blue Metal Pre-Bent Syringe Tips.

To learn more about these new products, visit the DEFEND marketplace for more information at www.defend.com/marketplace or call 1-800-275-0020.

Mydent International is dedicated to fully maintaining its brand promise: "To provide the healthcare professional with the highest quality infection control products, disposables, preventatives and impression material systems at affordable prices, supported by superior service and 100% Customer Satisfaction." DEFEND: Works Better. Lasts Longer. Costs Less. For more information on Mydent International and the DEFEND brand of products, call 800-275-0020, or visit www.defend.com.

April 27, 2015 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today released the final Public Health Service (PHS) recommendation for the optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. The new recommendation is for a single level of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water. It updates and replaces the previous recommended range (0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter) issued in 1962.

The change was recommended because Americans now have access to more sources of fluoride, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, than they did when water fluoridation was first introduced in the United States. As a result, there has been an increase in fluorosis, which, in most cases, manifests as barely visible lacy white marking or spots on the tooth enamel. The new recommended level will maintain the protective decay prevention benefits of water fluoridation and reduce the occurrence of dental fluorosis.

“While additional sources of fluoride are more widely used than they were in 1962, the need for community water fluoridation still continues,” said U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H. “Community water fluoridation continues to reduce tooth decay in children and adults beyond that provided by using only toothpaste and other fluoride-containing products.”

For the past 70 years, communities across the United States have found that fluoride in their public water systems significantly improved their residents’ oral health. Fluoride occurs naturally in most water systems, but often at levels too low to prevent tooth decay. The practice of adding fluoride to a community’s water system to reach the optimal level for preventing tooth decay has grown steadily over the years. Nearly 75 percent of Americans who are served by public water systems receive fluoridated water.

Community water fluoridation has led to such dramatic declines in both the prevalence and severity of tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century, click here for more.

“Community water fluoridation is effective, inexpensive and does not depend on access or availability of professional services. It has been the basis for the primary prevention of tooth decay for nearly 70 years,” said Dr. Lushniak.

The U.S. Public Health Service Recommendation for Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water for the Prevention of Dental Caries was published today in Public Health Reports: https://www.publichealthreports.org/fluorideguidelines.cfm Exit disclaimer icon.

For more information about community water fluoridation, as well as information for health care providers and individuals on how to prevent tooth decay and reduce the chance of developing dental fluorosis: https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation.

Louisville, KY -- April 24, 2015 – Whip Mix is excited to introduce MaxAlign, an android app that digitally captures patient data. In three easy steps the dentist will be able to take a photograph of the patient’s teeth, document the width of the centrals, and capture first point of contact. This information is then emailed to the lab as an easy reference for mounting models. The lab, using MaxAlign with a LabStand, will use photographic overlays to mount the models as they are on the patient. This sharing of critical data is designed to reduce rework on anterior cases and aid in providing predictable results the first time. MaxAlign the app is sold through the Google Play Store and the tablet and LabStand can be purchased from Whip Mix.

For more information on MaxAlign, contact Whip Mix at 800-626-5651 or visit whipmix.com.

New York, NY - April 24, 2015 — The Edison Awards, celebrating 28 years of honoring the best in innovation and excellence in the development of new products and services, announced today that PRO-SYS® was voted a Silver Winner for innovation at the April 23 event at The Capitale in New York City. Richard Cohen, toothbrush developer and a Benco Dental Managing Director, joined hundreds of senior executives from some of the world’s most recognized companies to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all of the 2015 Edison Award winners.

Being recognized with an Edison Award has become one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business. The awards are named after Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) whose inventions, new product development methods and innovative achievements literally changed the world, garnered him 1,093 U.S. patents, and made him a household name around the world.

“Our judges recognized PRO-SYS® as a true innovator out of the many products in its category,” said Frank Bonafilia, executive director of the Edison Awards. The ballot of nominees for the Edison Awards™ was judged by a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives including past award winners, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medical.

One of the evening’s many highlights was the presentation of the prestigious Edison Achievement Award to Clayton M. Christensen, noted innovator, Kim B. Clark Professor of Harvard Business School, and founder of Innosight. Also honored with an Edison Achievement Award was Robert A. Lutz, former Vice Chairman of General Motors.

In addition to the Awards Gala, the annual Edison Awards program encompassed a full-day “Meet the Innovators Forum” and the "Innovators’ Showcase,” which offered guests a hands-on experience with many of the winning products. Cohen and Mandy Hull, Private Label Sr. Product Manager for Benco Dental, the largest privately-owned dental distribution company in the United States, offered a glimpse of the PRO-SYS toothbrush offerings at the Showcase.

PRO-SYS leading the charge is nothing new. The flagship item in their brush line – PRO-SYS Tapered Toothbrush – presents a unique opportunity for consumers: One of the first in its category, PRO-SYS Tapered Toothbrush includes (from the inventor of the nylon bristle) DuPont® Tynex filaments arranged in a multi-level design. The design is intended to clean deeper in difficult-to-reach areas without sacrificing comfort; tapered bristles clean under the gum line.

The handle of the PRO-SYS toothbrush, three years in the making, was shown to substantially reduce debris accumulation and bacterial contamination after prolonged use. In recent clinical findings by The Dental Advisor’s John A. Molinari, Ph.D. and Peri Nelson, B.S., the rubber-free handle on the adult and junior series toothbrushes in the PRO-SYS® oral care family remains 1,500 times cleaner than other brush handles after months of use.

Find out more about the PRO-SYS oral health care products, including two new toothbrush versions: one wider, one ultra-sensitive, that are set to debut this spring. Visit pro-sys.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO.

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

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

About the Edison Awards™

The EdisonAwards is a program conducted by Edison Universe, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering future innovators. The Awards have been recognizing and honoring the best in innovations and innovators since 1987. They honor game-changing innovations that are at the forefront of new product and service development, marketing and human-centered design, and are one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of successful innovation. For more information about the Edison Awards complete program and a list of past winners, visit https://www.edisonawards.com. 

Chicago (April 27, 2015) – The American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the world's first organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of dental implants, honored Dr. Leonard Linkow, one of the pioneers in the field, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award was given at a dinner in Baltimore, April 24, 2015 during the AAID's Conference on "Implant Dentistry in a Digital World," hosted by the Academy's Northeast and Southern Districts. 

Dr. Linkow has been referred to by many as the "father of implant dentistry." He is an Honored Fellow of the AAID and a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry. He was the recipient of the Aaron Gershkoff/Norman Goldberg Award as well as the Isaih Lew Memorial Research Award – the two highest honors granted by the AAID. 

He is a past president of the AAID and has published 18 books, authored more than 100 clinical articles, and has three institutes named after him. He holds 36 USD patents in dental implants. In 50+ years of practice, Dr. Linkow has treated more than 100,000 patients.

Established in 1951, the AAID is the only dental implant organization that offers credentials recognized by federal and state courts as bona fide. Its membership, which exceeds 5,000, includes general dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists and prosthodontists from across the United States and in 40 other countries.

ST. PAUL‚ Minn. – Dentists who use the 3M™ True Definition Scanner already know it has game-changing capabilities for a practice. Now, the breakthrough digital scanning device has been recognized by the larger community of inventors. The system was honored with a silver medal Edison Award at a ceremony held April 23 in New York City.

The Edison Awards—named for Thomas Alva Edison, whose inventions earned 1,093 U.S. patents—honor excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design, and innovation. Award winners represent “game changing” products and services with innovation centered around four criteria: Concept, Value, Delivery and Impact.

The 3M True Definition Scanner earned the silver medal Edison Award based on its strength in each of the criteria. Judges recognized its marriage of cutting-edge 3D imaging, advanced optics and data analysis algorithms, and its potential to revolutionize the patient’s experience at the dentist's office. The system’s consistent accuracy with fast scan times, open architecture system with secure cloud-based data, 3D-in-motion technology, small wand, and the system’s affordability were also cited by the panel.

More than 3,000 senior business executives, scientists and academics from across the nation judge Edison Awards nominees, and their votes acknowledge the Finalists’ success in meeting the award’s stringent criteria of quality.

“The 3M True Definition Scanner is bringing advanced digital oral care and truly accurate results to patients and dentists across the globe,” said David Frazee, vice president of Digital, at 3M ESPE Dental. “Recognition from the prestigious Edison Awards is an honor and validates the commitment to research, development, and science that is so important at 3M.”

Tallahassee, Florida - The Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology has announced the winner of the 2015 Sterngold Grant: Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Washington. 

Sterngold Dental pledged $10,000 to the Foundation in both cash and product donations over a period of time to help support the future of dental laboratory technology. With this donation, Sterngold and the Foundation created this grant in order to support the Foundation’s purpose by making higher-level education more accessible. Bates Technical College will be awarded $1,250 in product donation from the following list of products: 

• QuickLineTM Long-Term Soft Relining Material

• SternTek® Duplicating Material

• SternTek® Custom Tray Material (blue or rose)

• SternTek® Base Plate Material (pink)

• InstaGums® Gingival Reproduction Material

“We are so grateful for Sterngold’s commitment to the future of dental laboratory technology. The feeling of knowing the Foundation will be able to continue to support the education of dental laboratory technology professionals by continuing to offer this grant is indescribable,” said Foundation Chair Leon Hermanides, CDT.

The Foundation is a non-profit 501c (3) organization. Its purpose is to advance the profession of dental laboratory technology by addressing industry driven needs and providing solutions that are relevant and accessible to dental technicians and other members of the dental team.

For additional information about the Foundation and its program, visit https://www.dentallabfoundation.org/. The Foundation relies heavily on donations from individuals as well as companies to fund the scholarship and grant programs. Donations are accepted throughout the year. To support the Foundation, visit https://nadl.org/dltf/donate-online.cfm.

Portland, Oregon - S-Ray Incorporated has announced the details for two important shareholder events in the second quarter of 2015 as the company progresses toward commercialization of its first dental imaging product, the ClearView LAB scanner.

The S-Ray Incorporated Annual Meeting will be held May 1 at 10 a.m. PST via webinar format. Following the Annual Meeting, S-Ray will host its annual Investor Day on May 29 from 4-7 p.m. PST. This live event will be held at Portland State University's Business Accelerator and will give shareholders an opportunity to meet company executives and discuss key topics in a more informal setting. Both events are open to all shareholders of S-Ray Incorporated.

“This year represents a pivotal time in the evolution of S-Ray as we work to commercialize our first 3D imaging product based on our patented ultrasound technology, the ClearView LAB Scanner,” said Steve Baird, S-Ray’s chief executive officer who has led S-Ray from inception to its current stage, where it is poised to either go public, sell to a major company, or possibly partner with a private equity firm.

For additional information on the events or S-Ray Incorporated, contact David Row, Investor Relations Officer, at davidr@s-rayinc.com.