Colgate is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Colgate Award for Research Excellence (CARE). The CARE Program recognizes a new generation of academic researchers by providing up to $30,000 USD (per project) to support oral health research projects across multiple disciplines.The five proposals were selected by an esteemed group of senior academic dental researchers from a large pool of submissions. The five researchers to receive Colgate’s CARE program funding this year are:

• Dr. Jin-Hee Kwak--University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Dentistry

Research Topic: “ BP-NELL-PEG Therapy to Regenerate Craniofacial Bones.”

• Dr. Kuei-Ling (Christine) Hsu—University of Maryland, School of Dentistry

Research Topic: “Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling of the Oral Microbiome in Socially Disadvantage African American Children with Early Childhood Caries.”

• Dr. Tamanna Tiwari--University of Colorado, School of Dental Medicine

Research Topic: “A Participatory Approach in Improving Dental Health in African Immigrants.”

• Dr. David Prince—Roseman University, College of Dental Medicine

Research Topic: “Silver Diamine Fluoride and the Elderly.”

• Dr. Cristina Vidal--University of Iowa, College of Dentistry

Research Topic: “Development of Therapeutic Nanoparticles for Sustained Delivery of Proanthocyanidins in Adhesive Interfaces.”

Proposals were reviewed by a panel of independent reviewers who are non-Colgate researchers. Winners were selected based on program criteria which included innovation, clinical significance, originality and scientific quality. CARE grants are typically offered for periods of 12 months.

“The CARE Program fosters the development of junior faculty by providing seed research funding to emerging leaders in academia at a time in their career path when it is most needed,” said Maria Ryan, Vice President and Chief Dental Officer, Global Technology at Colgate. “Every year, we look forward to meeting and supporting talented researchers in the early stages of their careers by helping to fund innovative projects that promise to advance industry knowledge and perhaps even revolutionize the field of dentistry. On behalf of Colgate, sincere congratulations to the winners of this year’s grant awards.”

Established in 2016, the Colgate CARE Program is designed to foster clinical and scientific research by providing financial support to young academic researchers. In order to be eligible for the Colgate CARE grant, faculty applicants must be in the first five years of an academic appointment.

For more information about the Colgate CARE Program for Young Academic Researchers and application guidelines, click here or visit ColgateProfessional.com/research.

Dental Care Alliance (DCA) is pleased to announce the recent affiliations of five dental practices located in Florida, Georgia and Virginia:

· Argyle Dental Center in Jacksonville, FL, was established in 1992 by Dr. John Bibb. Dr. Bibb, now a DCA-partner doctor, and his team focus on cosmetic and implant dentistry, and plan to continue to grow the practice with DCA’s support.

· Tioga Dental & Orthodontics in Gainesville, FL, is a four-doctor, multi-specialty practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, Orthodontics and Periodontic treatment for their patients. Dr. Cynthia Brush, who started the practice in 2001, is also a DCA-partner doctor.

· Orange Avenue Dentistry and Dr. Nabil Youssef offer comprehensive family dental care in the heart of Orlando, FL. Dr. Yousef was a former associate dentist at another DCA-supported practice several years ago, prior to opening Orange Avenue Dentistry. When looking for support to grow his private practice, we’re happy he chose DCA again.

· Dr. Duke H. Kim of Ballston Dental Arts in Arlington, VA, provides his patients with comprehensive general and cosmetic care including dental implants, sedation dentistry and sleep apnea treatment. Dr. Kim will continue to practice as a DCA-partner doctor. In 2017 he was recognized as an Invisalign Preferred Provider and named a “Top Dentist” by Northern Virginia Magazine.

· Buford Family Dentistry is a full-service dental practice located in Buford, GA. Dr. Sunil Mittal, a DCA-partner doctor, has been treating families in the Buford area for more than 12 years. Dr. Mittal and his team offer comprehensive care including dental implants and braces.

"DCA is thrilled to welcome our most recent practice partnerships to our family. Each of the practices and providers embody our collective commitment to growth, first class patient experience and clinical excellence,” said David Pegg, DCA’s Chief Development Officer. “DCA strives to establish itself as the partner of choice to the dental community, and the addition of these outstanding practices is symbolic of our continued commitment to achieving that goal."

Established in 1991, DCA is one of the country’s largest and most respected multi-brand dental support organizations. Today DCA supports more than 265 affiliated dental practices in 13 states. DCA-affiliated dentists join a family of more than 660 like-minded associate and partner dentists, along with a support team of industry experts working together to advance dental service without compromising patient care. DCA-supported practices encompass all facets of general dentistry and all recognized dental specialties. DCA offers dental professionals groundbreaking affiliation and partnership opportunities for every career stage.

To learn more about the benefits of affiliating or partnering with DCA, contact David Pegg at dpegg@dentalcarealliance.com, or visit www.dentalcarealliance.com. 

Darby Dental Supply, one of the nation’s largest dental distributors, announces the launch of a new surgical division. The comprehensive division encompasses over 5,000 top-tier branded products in categories such as instrumentation, sutures, bone grafting, and other surgical-specific areas.

To accommodate the new division, Darby hired a dedicated team of Surgical Account Managers, each of whom have undergone a full year of specialized surgical product training in order to provide expert customer service and knowledge regarding dental surgery and implant procedures.

“In the past, customers in the oral surgery space might have had to call one company for surgical instrumentation, another for bone grafting, a third for sutures, and sometimes others just to fulfill all their surgical needs,” stated Brian Kacerow, Surgical Category Manager, Darby Dental Supply. “Darby’s surgical division eliminates the inconvenience of shopping around by providing a one-stop shop for GPs, Implantologists, and Surgical Specialists.”

The new division is the latest in Darby’s expansion into a full-service solutions provider, further meeting the needs of general practitioners and specialists by adding to the Company’s growing ecosystem of offerings. The Company recently expanded its capital equipment division, formed an exclusive partnership with Dental Fix Rx to provide equipment service, and launched Darby TechForce®, the Company’s new technology services division providing HIPAA compliance, IT managed services, installations, digital integration, and network security solutions.

For more information on Darby’s surgical division as well as its ever-expanding solutions for dental professionals nationwide, please visit www.darby.com.

Hu-Friedy, the 100-year-old global leader in the manufacturing of dental instruments and products, today announced the latest offering in their line of infection control products – AdvantaClear Surface Disinfectant. Available as wipes, liquid, or spray, AdvantaClear features a one-minute kill time for 30 of the most common pathogens, including HIV-1, HBV, HCV, MRSA, Influenza A Virus (H1N1), Salmonella enterica, ESBL E. Coli, and other pathogens with a two-minute kill time for Tuberculosis (TB). AdvantaClear expands Hu-Friedy's reach as a primary source of infection control products, which now covers instrument processing, cleaning and sterilization monitoring, waterline cleaning, and hand care, as well as this new entry into surface disinfection.

AdvantaClear is a convenient, ready-to-use, intermediate level disinfectant designed to clean and disinfect surfaces with a low-alcohol formula that will not affix blood or debris to surfaces. Its fragrance-free formula helps eliminate odor-causing bacteria with no harsh fragrance, making it less irritating to clinicians and patients alike. Designed to be compatible with a wide range of surfaces such as acrylic, aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, chrome, plastics, and more, AdvantaClear is an ideal solution for disinfecting surfaces in the dental environment.

"Increasingly, the concept of performance is extending significantly beyond clinical patient outcomes,'" explains Jennifer Naylor, Executive Vice President of Hu-Friedy. "Today, performance has come to encompass productivity, efficiency, and safety. A key component of performing at your best in the dental practice is ensuring staff and patient safety through robust infection control measures. Surface disinfection plays a major role in infection prevention, which is why we felt strongly about developing the best product for the job. With one-minute kill times across a broad range of pathogens and superior surface compatibility, clinicians can feel confident that the surfaces in their operatory will be disinfected quickly and effectively."

Hu-Friedy has long been a leader in the dental infection control space. From developing the optimal design for instrument cassettes, to offering numerous infection control webinars and continuing education courses, to publishing e-books detailing the intricacies of efficient and effective cleaning and sterilization, Hu-Friedy continually renews its commitment to patient and clinician safety. Recognizing that clean and safe surfaces are just as important as sterile instruments in the promotion of safe dentistry, Hu-Friedy developed the AdvantaClear line as a logical expansion of their already-robust infection control offerings.

AdvantaClear Surface Disinfectant is convenient and easy to use. It is available as a spray, a ready-to-use liquid, or wipes (individually wrapped or in a 160-count canister). AdvantaClear products are immediately available for sale in the United States from authorized Hu-Friedy representatives or dental distributors.

Dental Whale, the nation’s first comprehensive resource company designed to help dentists get out of their chairs and grow their dental legacy, has merged with Tralongo, a firm specializing in dental practice acquisitions. Tralongo, founded and led by Dr. Ken Tralongo, has more than 25 years of experience in practice management. He is focused on identifying, acquiring and supporting a network of high-performing, profitable practices in partnership with entrepreneurial-minded dental professionals.

Dental Whale provides dentists with a wide range of practice management solutions to help them build efficiencies, grow profitability, acquire practices, create an exit strategy and more. Tralongo partners with dentists throughout the United States to help them expand their practices through the acquisition of existing dental offices. This includes helping dentists find the right dental practices to acquire, assisting in obtaining the appropriate financing, and working with them during the transition from old to new ownership.

Through its merger with Dental Whale and the innovative platform created by the Dental Whale leadership team, Tralongo helps dental entrepreneurs and partners optimize operations and efficiencies throughout the acquisition and practice life cycle to maximize profits. Dental Whale and its partners also provide clients with behind-the-scenes management support, including finance, human resources, marketing and ongoing education.

“Dental Whale brings new opportunities and a broader reach as Tralongo continues to offer a unique, proven set of tools to support our dental partners as they find practices that meet their criteria, perform due diligence, get the appropriate financing and acquire new practices,” said Dr. Ken Tralongo DDS, co-founder of Dental Whale.

With the merger of Tralongo, existing dental partners now have access to all that Dental Whale provides. The innovative dental company that provides a new category of group private practice ownership and management offers customizable outsourcing options for dentists to choose from:

· Front and Back Office Functions – inbound & outbound call centers, insurance verification, billing and insurance claims, IT support and accounting

· Marketing & Lead Generation - website design, digital marketing strategies, social media and reputation management, direct mail, email drip campaigns

· Seminars & Workshops - practice management education for dentists, building and growing successful startups, and clinical continuing education

· Dental Practice Acquisition – help obtain financing, merger & acquisition consulting, assistance with the transition process and ongoing support for operation of multiple practices

· Dental Partnership - unique opportunity for dental entrepreneurs to partner with a practice management group that provides innovative operations, training, and an attractive exit strategy.

· De Novo Specific Support – demographic analysis, negotiations, design and construction management services

· On-Site Equipment Repairs, Service and Sales - for all dental office equipment (including handpieces) and unique ability to loan equipment  

The Flexipalette set is an assortment of very unique and innovative contrastors intended for inra-oral photography. The contrastors are made out of a bendable copper sheet 100% over moulded with medical grade silicone rubber, latex free, safe and hypoallergenic. The Flexipalette is completely opaque and reflection-free, so it is perfect for a black background when taking color matching photos. Your patients will love that they are gentle and soft in the mouth, plus the Flexipalettes can be sterilized with chemical sterilization or autoclave.

Order yours now 877-755-6868, www.smilelineusa.com.

CareCredit, a leading patient financing company, is expanding its educational library with the addition of a new audio program The Art of Successful Patient Conversations by Katherine Eitel Belt, CEO and Founder of LionSpeak, a company that helps professionals communicate in a powerful and authentic way. This educational audio program is available free to dentists and teams who accept CareCredit.

In the new audio program, Katherine Eitel Belt provides insight and practical tools that enable dental teams to have comfortable and effective financial conversations, on the phone and in the practice. Ms. Belt shares how to uncover the team’s belief systems about money and how those belief systems can impact the financial conversation. She also shares how the team can inadvertently discourage treatment acceptance, her 4-step telephone protocol and how to effectively respond when a new patient’s first question is, “Do you take my insurance?”

“What I’ve discovered is that most dental teams innately want to connect and want to help patients. All they need is an environment that enables them to expand and leverage this innate talent. When it comes to financial conversations, good things happen when we provide our team with effective protocols and a framework that they can then infuse with their own voice,” says Ms. Belt. “This gives teams the ability to communicate with the patient in a way that is authentic, yet provides consistency, accountability and predictable outcomes.”

CareCredit’s educational library features leading practice educators sharing insights on key practice management issues. “CareCredit continues to be committed to helping dentists and teams by connecting them to practical solutions on topics such as overhead management, attracting new patients and increasing referrals,” said Bete Johnson, Senior Vice President of Business Development, CareCredit. Practices that currently accept the CareCredit healthcare credit card can request a copy of this complimentary audio program by contacting their Practice Development Team at 800-859-9975, option 1, then 6. Practices that have yet to add CareCredit as a financing solution can call 800-300-3046, option 5, to request their complimentary copy.

Ivoclar Digital was officially launched last week in Chicago when Ivoclar Vivadent hosted two capacity-filled days of events at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. More than 1,500 dental professionals participated in the company's VIP receptions and educational programs.

Ivoclar Digital is a new brand from Ivoclar Vivadent that includes milling machines, CAD/CAM materials, patient communication tools, and world-class training for dental laboratory technicians and dentists.

"Start it Up," proclaimed Robert Ganley, CEO of Ivoclar Vivadent. "We are focused on creating new opportunities for dental professionals that include improved workflows for efficiency, better predictability, and outstanding esthetics. At the end of the day, it's all about the patient. They deserve these outcomes and we intend on delivering. Ivoclar Digital is our promise to the profession and the patient."

The centerpiece of Ivoclar Digital includes four new PrograMill CAD/CAM milling machines, especially designed for fabricating IPS e.max. During the meetings, the organization unveiled two of these units - the PrograMill One and PrograMill PM7. Ivoclar Vivadent also showcased its new "Digital Denture" strategy and augmented reality patient education software by Kapanu.

"The dental industry remains a consistently growing, attractive, and important sector of the healthcare industry," said Ganley. “This is supported by the leadership of dentists, dental laboratories, and dental product manufacturers, which has resulted in significant opportunities for more predictable, functional, and esthetic outcomes. Ivoclar Digital embodies these trends.”

Ivoclar Vivadent is currently taking pre-orders for the PrograMill One and PrograMill PM7. The company plans on shipping these mills starting in June.