TAUB Products, a long-time manufacturer of dental consumable products, has announced the sponsorship of an additional educational series for The Atlantic Beach Continuum for Dental Education (ABC4DE.org). The lecture will be held on November 3, 2017 at the Sands Hotel in Atlantic Beach, New York, and will feature Dr. Paul Bylis. Main lecture topics will include direct resin artistry-anterior/posterior and multidisciplinary, and case studies involving guided bone regeneration and implants will be presented.

Dr. Bylis has been in private practice in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, since 1987. The focus of his practice is on comprehensive care with a strong emphasis on cosmetics. Dr. Bylis also serves as clinical instructor in the Advanced General Dentistry Residency at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He lectures on many restorative techniques. Dr. Bylis also lectures with Dr. Ross Nash at the Nash Institute for Dental Learning“We are very pleased to be able to sponsor this lecture by Dr. Bylis,” stated Ed Matthews, Vice president of Sales at Taub Products. “It shows our company’s continued effort to bring clinically relevant information to the general dentist.”TAUB Products provides innovative, high-quality solutions for dental professionals. For more information on TAUB and its products, call 800-828-2634, or go to www.taubdental.com. TAUB Products will be featured at the 2017 Greater New York Dental Meeting.

Premier Dental Products Company, a leading provider of innovative dental products, today announced it has implemented a campaign to evolve the company and its brand with the goal of connecting with the oral health professional in a more comprehensive and meaningful way. The company is focused on creating “inspired solutions for daily dentistry” by embracing four pillars: forging deep connections with dental professionals; pursuing meaningful innovation of dental solutions; delivering solutions with proven effectiveness and undeniable success; and providing products that set the standard for the industry. Embracing these four pillars has uniquely positioned Premier Dental for future growth.

“Premier Dental Products Company delivers the best products to dental professionals, and we are proud of our reputation as a trusted provider of excellent solutions,” said Julie Charlestein, President and CEO, Premier Dental Products Company. “We are focused now on developing our company to continue to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of today’s dental professionals and their patients, by forging closer relationships with our customers and continuing to deliver inventive solutions.”Charlestein took over as CEO and President of Premier Dental in April 2016. Since then, she has been working tirelessly towards the goal of evolving the company to meet the needs of the current marketplace in new and effective ways.

Charlestein has undertaken a number of initiatives to bolster brand awareness, further boost Premier’s reputation for quality and state-of-the-art solutions, and continue to reach out to dental professionals to build lasting relationships. Premier has invested in innovation for new products and sought out new channels for communicating with customers, including podcasts, webinars and educational seminars. These and other investments are raising the profile of Premier Dental and forging deeper relationships with dental professionals that will uniquely position Premier Dental for future strength.

Premier is a family-owned business, founded in 1913 and led by the Charlestein family for four generations. With product sales in 75 countries, Premier Dental is one of the most trusted names in dentistry, and its products can be found in dentists’ offices around the world.

For more information visit www.premusa.com.

Day two of Dentsply Sirona World was chockfull of top-notch educational content and speakers, exhilarating activities and outstanding entertainment for the thousands of event attendees.

Beachbody™ Super Trainer Joel Freeman kicked the morning into gear for hundreds of guests with his MMA-styled workout session, which was sponsored by ClearCorrect. The energizing workout was followed by a special meet and greet on the trade show floor. Freeman’s workout was designed to suit attendees of all ages and comfort levels, making this event the perfect start to day two of the Ultimate Dental Meeting.

Commencing the day’s educational sessions, General Session with Dr. Frank Spear and Dr. Gregg Kinzer began at 9 AM. Both presenters discussed the age of digital dentistry, the best means to better your performance and practice, and shared advice on how to obtain the best clinical outcomes with some of the best products and technologies on the market. Doors opened to the comprehensive trade show floor after the conclusion of Drs. Spears’ and Kinzer’s presentation.

After exploring the trade show, attendees took their seats to hear from award-winning author and TED Talk legend Simon Sinek during the day’s second General Session. Sinek, the pioneer of ‘leading with why’, spoke on different leadership styles and how to better encourage employees through trust and empowerment.

Various Breakout Sessions scheduled throughout the remainder of the day provided exceptional content to attendees eager to absorb the quality education presented before heading to the evening reception, and then to the highly-anticipated private concert by Imagine Dragons.

Before the Grammy-winning band rushed the stage, attendees flooded into the Venetian Ballroom elated to experience what was undoubtedly a highlight of the three-day extravaganza. Imagine Dragons slayed with their electrifying performance, which included chart-topping hits Radioactive, Thunder, On Top of the World and Believer. This exclusive concert was sponsored by Fortune Management.

Day three of Dentsply Sirona World promises to deliver extraordinary education in conjunction with spectacular activities and entertainment as the second annual Ultimate Dental Meeting draws to a close.

Stay up to date on daily activities, course schedules and more with the Dentsply Sirona World app, available for iOS and Android devices.

The sold-out Dentsply Sirona World is located at The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas and spans from Thursday, Sept. 14 to Saturday, Sept. 16. To learn more about this event and next year’s event, Dentsply Sirona World 2018, visit www.dentsplysironaworld.com.

Sonendo, Inc., a leading dental technology company, announced today that General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, has made a strategic investment in the company. General Atlantic will be joining existing investors Fjord Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors LLC, Meritech Capital Partners, CVF LLC, and NeoMed to lead the company's latest fundraising round valued at $50 million. In its next phase of growth, Sonendo plans to accelerate ongoing commercialization efforts and further expand and diversify its current product portfolio.

"Sonendo is committed to developing technologies that are transformative and align with our mission of Saving Teeth Through Sound Science^®," said Bjarne Bergheim, President, and CEO of Sonendo. "With its strong track record partnering with successful, high-growth companies in the healthcare sectors, General Atlantic is an ideal partner for our next phase of growth."

Founded in 2006 by Fjord Ventures, Sonendo, Inc. is devoted to developing innovative technologies to help dentists save more teeth for more patients. Sonendo's flagship technology, the GentleWave^® System, presents an alternative to standard root canal treatment and a departure from the standard file-based method of tissue removal and disinfection for root canals.

"We believe there is a unique opportunity for Sonendo to transform the dental industry with its innovative technology that benefits both dentists and patients alike," said David Caluori of General Atlantic, who will be joining the company's board of directors. "We look forward to partnering with Bjarne and the entire management team to support the company's growth and commitment to developing unique technology intended for a market of underserved consumers and dentists."

Drawing from 37 years of experience investing in over 250 global growth companies, General Atlantic partners with entrepreneurs and management teams who are building leading, high-growth businesses. The firm has $21 billion assets under management as of June 30, 2017. General Atlantic focuses on investments across five sectors, including Internet & Technology, Financial Services, Business Services, Retail & Consumer, and Healthcare, with support from the firm's global team of experts.

General Atlantic has deep expertise in the Healthcare and Technology sectors and is currently invested in leading healthcare companies including Alignment Healthcare, CitiusTech, eviCore Healthcare, Oak Street Health, Ourofino, Sanfer, and Synaptive.

Reed Smith LLP served as legal advisor to Sonendo, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal advisor to General Atlantic.

Kleer, a cloud-based dental membership platform, announced today the pilot launch of their in-house dental platform. The three month pilot is invitation-only with dentists participating from around the country. Kleer's business model is to eliminate the need for insurance and connect dentists directly to their patients with customized dental membership plans that offer affordable, comprehensive dental coverage.

Kleer's platform is aiming to connect dentists to the 50 percent of US consumers that do not visit a dentist each year primarily due to cost, fear of cost, and lack of dental coverage.

Upon the successful completion of the pilot program, Kleer's platform will be available to all dentists starting in January 2018.

Update: In response to the catastrophic devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and the most recent damage done by Hurricane Irma, Ultradent Products, Inc., has increased the company’s donations to the Saint Bernard Project (SBP) and to the All Hands Volunteers organization from $250,000 to $300,000. The Saint Bernard project will use the funds to aid in the rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts of all those affected by the storms. The All Hands Volunteers organization will also use the donation funds to help restore and rebuild the communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 

CHICAGO – Showing the opioid epidemic knows no age limits, new research suggests more than 100 children test positive for opioid addiction or dependency each day in U.S. emergency departments.

The study abstract, "Opioid abuse in children: An emerging public health crisis," will be presented on Monday, Sept. 18, during the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2017 National Conference & Exhibition in Chicago. Researchers performed a retrospective analysis of the 2008–2013 data from the Nationwide Emergency Department (ED) Sample, the largest all-payer ED database in the United States.

They found the number of ED visits by patients age 21 and younger for any reason who were diagnosed with addiction or dependency on opioids – which include prescription painkillers as well as illicit drugs such as heroin -- rose from 32,235 in 2008 to 49,626 in 2013.

"It was very concerning to see that by the last year we studied, an average of 135 children each day were testing positive for opioid addiction or dependency in emergency departments," said Veerajalandhar Allareddy, MD, MBA, one of the abstract's authors and medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.  " In our opinion, this is a pediatric public health crisis," he said.

Allareddy said nearly one-third of the children were admitted as inpatients, regardless of cause, to the same hospital as the ED visit. Pediatric patients living in high-income households were more likely to be hospitalized rather than routinely discharged, the data show, while uninsured patients were less likely to be hospitalized.

This apparent income-based difference in the likelihood patients were to be hospitalized and potentially treated for their opioid addiction or dependency, Allareddy said, was among the many reason youth opioid addiction merits further study.

"This was intended to be an exploratory study," Allareddy said, "one that we hope will help alert the public, researchers, and policymakers of the need to fully define and address this important, emerging public health problem among children in the United States."

Allareddy will present an abstract of the study, available below, between 5:10 and 6 p.m. in room S106 of McCormick Place West, 2301 S King Dr, Chicago.  To request an interview with Dr. Allareddy, authors may contact him at veerajalandhar-allareddy@uiowa.edu or 216-333-5196 (cell). 

In addition, highlighted abstract authors will be available to the media from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. during an informal Media Meet-and-Greet session Saturday, Sept. 16, from 12:15-1:15 p.m. CT in room Grant Park CD of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (Press Office). 

As much as 20 percent of the North American population is affected by a sleep-related breathing disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). While oral appliances are a well-known and often preferred treatment option, only about 60 percent of OSA cases can be effectively treated through their use. Zephyr Sleep Technologies has developed the MATRx Plus system, which allows for testing treatment response beforehand, rather than after an expensive, time-consuming process. MATRx Plus is cleared in the US for diagnostic indications and approved in Canada for both diagnostic and theragnostic indications.

The introduction of the MATRx Plus marks the beginning of the partnership between Dentsply Sirona and Zephyr. This cooperation will be spearheaded by Dr. Stefan Hehn, Vice President Imaging Systems, who has been appointed to Zephyr’s board of directors by Dentsply Sirona.

“I’m excited to work closely with the Zephyr team to integrate existing Dentsply Sirona products and technology with the MATRx and MATRx Plus to make a better, safer and faster dental solution to treat OSA. This will not only make dentists more productive, but also significantly enhance the patient experience,” stated Dr. Hehn.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Hehn join our board of independent corporate directors. Dr. Hehn not only brings a wealth of experience, but he also has a track record of successfully bringing new technologies and applications to the dental market”, said Greg Ogrodnick, Zephyr’s Board Chairman.

“Bringing on Dentsply Sirona as both an investor and strategic partner opens up a whole new world of opportunity. A significant challenge to any emerging technology company is building a path to market, and by partnering with a company of Dentsply Sirona’s stature it increases credibility with our customers and provides an established and extensive network to create, build and deliver the best treatments possible for sleep-related breathing disorders,” said Paul Cataford, Zephyr’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are now one step closer to helping more people lead healthy and productive lives through better sleep.”

For Dentsply Sirona’s part, they offer the SICAT Air, the first 3D solution that enables the analysis of the upper airways in the 3D volume and illustrates the workflow of an appliance-based treatment completely digitally through the combination of 3D imaging systems like Galileos and selected Orthophos SL 3D units, digital impressions of the CEREC Omnicam, and the SICAT Air software. With this workflow, dental practitioners can quickly and easily order mandibular advancement appliances like OPTISLEEP by SICAT that reduce or alleviate the symptoms of mild to moderate OSA.

After months of anticipation, Dentsply Sirona World 2017 has officially begun! This three-day event is the industry’s only educational festival, and those in attendance have now experienced the Dentsply Sirona difference.

The day started with the magnificent Opening General Session. With a ballroom submerged in darkness, LED light dancers wowed the audience with incredible illusions and captivating choreography. Immediately following, Group Senior Vice President of the U.S. Commercial Organization Michael Augins welcomed scores of people to one of the largest gatherings in dentistry. More than 7,000 people joined Dentsply Sirona in Las Vegas for this spectacular event; a record-breaking number for the company.

Throughout Opening General Session, industry titans Dr. Joshua Austin, Dr. Erin Elliot, Dr. Sarah Jockin and Dr. Cliff Ruddle offered a taste of what attendees could expect throughout this experience. New to General Session this year, Dr. Neal Patel performed lived surgery from the trade show floor just feet away while the audience watched via live stream.

At the close of Opening General Session, the vast trade show floor opened and eventgoers ventured the aisles, exploring the latest and greatest in dental technologies, products and services. In addition to top-notch exhibitors, the popular media panel was located on the trade show floor, allowing attendees to hear from some of the industry’s best.

The first group of Breakout Sessions opened for attendees in the early afternoon following lunch and the opening of the trade show. Sessions within 11 educational tracks were available throughout the afternoon into the early evening. Per tradition, attendees designed their schedules as desired and select the courses in which they were interested. Some chose to stick with one track while others selected courses within multiple tracks for a more comprehensive experience.

The second General Session, sponsored by Implant Seminars, featured Academy Award-nominated actor, producer and philanthropist Will Smith. Smith entered the stage ‘gettin’ jiggy wit it’ to a ballroom roaring with applause. One of the most popular celebrities of this generation discussed his climb to fame, and the successes and failures that steered the trajectory of his career.

As Smith reflected on an event in his childhood in which his father directed him to build a wall, Smith shared an inspiring metaphor on career growth: “Building a wall can be daunting, but if you focus on laying one perfect brick each day, the bricks eventually form a wall.”

Sponsored by Dental Product Shopper, the Welcome Reception- a wonderful opportunity for guests to network and socialize with peers- followed Smith’s session. Food and beverage were provided for guests as they geared up for the evening’s comedic entertainment.

Laughter permeated the ballroom as Jeff Dunham, a Forbes-listed comedian, performed his live standup for audiences later that evening. Dunham had his sidekicks in tow and re-energized the room after a full first day of Dentsply Sirona World. Dunham’s performance was sponsored by OperaDDS and included fan-favorite characters Walter, Bubba J, Peanut and Achmed, but not before he shared hilarious pictures from his past. Walter and Dunham’s satirical banter about dental professionals and the Ultimate Dental Meeting was perfectly tailored to fit the audience. Dunham’s performance concluded the first day of Dentsply Sirona World. 

The sold-out Dentsply Sirona World is located at The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas and spans from Thursday, Sept. 14 to Saturday, Sept. 16. To learn more about this event and next year’s event, Dentsply Sirona World 2018, visit www.dentsplysironaworld.com.

Dentists, dental laboratories and milling centers looking to succeed in the world of digital dental manufacturing have one shared common challenge – sorting through the mountains of choices and misinformation in order to make educated decisions for the betterment of their business.

Axsys, the trusted authority in digital manufacturing for over 40 years across a wide variety of industries, has launched a refreshed website to address this challenge and is completely devoted to the service and education of those interested in digital dental manufacturing.

Aside from many aesthetic improvements, the website features free educational resources such as whitepapers, complex case studies, success stories, educational videos, ROI calculators, questions to ask a potential supplier, and other helpful resources.

Website visitors will find the website effectively showcases a fresh look with its mobile-responsiveness, easy-to-navigate design and multimedia presentations and videos. They will also find a variety of new products in the online store including a huge selection of “right-priced” materials and consumables, as well as a myriad of CAD/CAM software, scanners, tooling, furnaces, and milling machines. All machines include propriety enhancements that will serve a customer’s needs both now and in the future and enable them to process new dental materials as they are introduced. All products are developed on an OPEN platform to provide the freedom to choose any material, scanning, and software solution that best fits customer needs and objectives.

President Steve Braykovich of Axsys Incorporated stated, “Whether you are a doctor just entering the world of digital dental manufacturing or a seasoned dental lab looking to improve your digital workflow, our new website offers a variety of educational resources to help you make the best possible decisions for your business. We’ve worked in manufacturing for over 40 years — across a wide variety of industries — and we’re taking all of that accumulated knowledge to help those in the world of dentistry. Time and time again our customers tell us that working with Axsys has given them and a distinct and powerful edge over their competition. Our website is just a natural extension of our value proposition and Axsys Advantage™.”

Visit Axsys Dental Solutions new website at www.axsysdental.com.