Dentistry and dental technology are becoming more female. The number of female dentists and dental technicians has increased steadily during the past few years. Women usually have a different understanding of esthetics than their male colleagues, and this also manifests itself in their approach to the design of dental restorations. This is exactly where the workshop for advanced dental technicians held by Kim Lucka, CDT, from Speyer, will take off. Building on the zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate Celtra Press for restorations with perfect esthetics, Lucka will demonstrate the fascination of the Celtra light play and the perfect surface of the material and share tips and tricks on how to achieve the best possible results. Celtra Press helps dental technicians to get as close to nature as possible.

This advanced training course was specially designed for female dental technicians. So it would seem only logical that on the second day of the workshop, Grit Müller, a coach for personal growth, will show participants how successful women have gone about developing their personality. This workshop will be a very special experience revolving around the esthetics of fixed restorations, that no woman active in dental technology should miss.

Workshop leader: Kim Lucka, Speyer, Germany

Date: September 7–8, 2018 (Fri/Sat), 9 AM – 5 PM

Venue: Trainings-Zentrum Ästhetik Center

             Wendenschloßstraße 340

             12557 Berlin

             Germany

Registration fee: €498.00 per person plus VAT; includes workshop framework

Biolase announced a new comic series that will serve as a creative resource about dental lasers.

The series, which will focus on benefits such as fewer injections and faster recovery times, was drafted and put together by a member of Biolase’s finance team who believes so much in the product that he undertook the project on his own in hopes of helping patients.

A second comic is currently in development, and Biolase hopes to release one every couple months. The end goal is to spread the word about the benefits of laser dentistry in a fun and engaging way.

For more information, go to biolase.com.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) will launch a cosmetic dentistry residency pilot program this August with three dental residents, each learning from an AACD Accredited Fellow. Elizabeth M. Bakeman, DDS, FAACD; Susan Hollar, DDS, FAACD and Brian P. LeSage, DDS, FAACD will each be instructing a dental resident and providing experience relating to all facets of an esthetic restorative dental practice including effective practice management, diagnostic tools, and restorative considerations.

Residents will acquire the clinical and business experience needed to jump start a career in a cosmetic-oriented restorative dental practice by completing a series of requirements including studying dental literature and implementing simple to complex restorative cases. “The AACD Residency program is designed to expose young dentists to the clinical and business side of a fee-for-service style private practice,” explains preceptor Brian LeSage, DDS, FAACD.

The AACD is excited to announce the first AACD Cosmetic Dentistry Residents:

Natalie Downs, DDS graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 2017 and has been practicing as an Associate at James C. Peurach DDS and Cascade Village Dental. Dr. Downs will be studying under the guidance of Elizabeth M. Bakeman, DDS, FAACD at her practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Amirali Zandinejad DDS, MSc completed his dental training in 1996, a residency program in operative dentistry and a master’s degree in restorative dentistry from Sheffield University in the United Kingdom, and the AEGD residency and prosthodontics program from the University ofRochester in New York. He currently serves as the director of the AEGD residency program at Texas A&M College of Dentistry. Dr. Zandinejad will be studying under the guidance of Susan Hollar, DDS, FAACD at her practice in Arlington, Texas.

Caroline Girard, DDS graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in 2015 and currently practices as an Associate at La Canada Smiles Dentistry. Dr. Girard will be studying under the guidance of Brian LeSage, DDS, FAACD at his practice in Beverly Hills, California.

These dental professionals will have the unique opportunity to learn one-on-one from some of the most successful restorative dentists in the country and to observe, document, and execute a variety of cosmetic restorative solutions. In addition to gaining knowledge and experience relating to all facets of an esthetic restorative dental practice, these residents will gain the skills and confidence they need to enjoy the professional and financial successes that comes with a responsible, esthetic dental practice.

For more information about the AACD Residency pilot program, visit www.aacd.com/residency or email residency@aacd.com.

Oral Health America (OHA) is the recipient of a three-year, $500,000 commitment from Ivoclar Vivadent, including an annual $50,000 grant as well as a commitment to provide $117,000 of dental product to OHA’s Smiles Across America® Program Partners to help them serve more children by lowering their operating costs for supplies.

This commitment mutually supports Oral Health America and Ivoclar Vivadent’s vision of a future in which all Americans, particularly the growing cohort of older Americans, experience good oral health as a critical part of their overall health and well-being.

“Ivoclar Vivadent’s early investment in OHA’s older adults program, the Wisdom Tooth Project®, allowed us to expand the program from a single strategy to five. Their continued commitment allows us to further our reach, bringing our programs to those who need them the most,” said Beth Truett, President and CEO, Oral Health America. “Thanks to their continued support as a Guardian Sponsor, we are able to serve children, families and older adults across the country. We are grateful for Ivoclar Vivadent's ongoing investment in our work.”

The three-year commitment also contributes to OHA’s collaboration with the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and community organizations in Western New York to offer Tooth Wisdom®: Get Smart About Your Mouth and oral screenings to older adults aging-in-place in the Greater Buffalo community. This initiative is designed to improve the oral health of older adults in that region, especially those most vulnerable. Tooth Wisdom: Get Smart About Your Mouth is OHA’s older adults' oral health education curriculum.

"Our work with Oral Health America is very rewarding," said Robert Ganley, CEO of Ivoclar Vivadent. "The programs we are developing together serve a population of people that deserve proper oral care. However, we have witnessed that the growing older American population does not always receive the care they deserve. The Wisdom Tooth Project is an invaluable initiative and we will continue to find solutions for supporting our older adult population and their oral care needs."

Ivoclar Vivadent also sponsored a challenge grant for OHA’s Older Adults Campaign, Leading by Living, part of the Campaign for Oral Health Equity. The campaign featured older adults in a variety of roles, focused on their own oral health, that of their grandchildren for whom they’re caring, and the supports needed to create an equitable playing field.    

Obviously new, surprisingly different – the Dentsply Sirona Academy awaits visitors in completely renovated premises that make training of an exceptionally high quality not only possible, but accessible and modern. Every year, the academy will provide training for up to 10,000 professional consultants, dentists, dental technicians, and employees of dental practices, with the addition of Dentsply Sirona internal employees, in approximately 2,000 square meters of entirely renovated and equipped space.

In the completely redesigned showroom, sections for each of the specific product areas have been set up respectively. Within these areas, the ten Dentsply Sirona business units are also found, which reflect the company's character as the Dental Solutions Company. Here, the products are available for demonstration and hands-on use with clinical models to simulate an in-office experience. In addition, all of the treatment units within the academy are digitally connected to the X-ray and laboratory sections, so that the digital workflow and connectivity of our product portfolios can be optimally demonstrated. The furnishings have been fully optimized to be flexible so that the rooms can be easily adapted to new products and solutions at any time.

"As a leader in innovation, it is important to us that with the Dentsply SironaAcademy, we can offer a pioneering center for further education and training," said Michael Geil, Managing Director in Bensheim and Group Vice President Treatment Centers at Dentsply Sirona, at the festive reopening ceremony in Bensheim. "The professional, needs-oriented, and dynamic program sets new standards."

The focus, in addition to products, is above all on solutions that are well-conceived from the diagnosis to the final treatment. All of the sections have an open design and bring the concept of how the products work together to life.

Courses and training at the clinic level

The products and treatment workflows are demonstrated in a clinical setting in the new academy, so that theory and practice interact directly with one another, making the integrated workflows tangible across all disciplines. A large classroom with 20 simulation units has been set up where digital interfaces enable multimedia training support of the highest standard. An auditorium, which is separated from the treatment room by a glass wall, has also been set up. In the future, it will also be possible to do live treatments here.

Overall, the capacity for hands-on demonstrations and training sessions at the academy in Bensheim has been increased significantly. The academy views itself as both a training center and a meeting place for partners and customers, where they can intensify their contact and get direct feedback.

Setting training standards with concept and quality

Professional knowledge and well-practiced skills are the building blocks of successful dentistry. In order to make the best possible use of the innovative products and solutions, there is a great need for high-quality teaching and learning opportunities. "By redesigning the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Bensheim, we accommodate the future requirements of our customers and partners because we are convinced that further education and training puts them in a position to implement the available technologies and solutions optimally for themselves and their patients," Michael Glemser, Director of the Dentsply Sirona Academy, told numerous guests and media representatives at the opening ceremony.

"For us, it is important that the users of products and processes are able to apply them directly, efficiently, and successfully in their daily work. Continuous further education and training make the difference for us as a company," says Dominique Legros, Senior Vice President, Equipment, Technologies and Healthcare at Dentsply Sirona. "At the Dentsply Sirona Academy, the knowledge necessary for this is imparted, enabling new perspectives for the benefit of the patients and improving profitability of practices and labs."

A virtual impression of the Dentsply Sirona Academy is available here.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) will host its 95th Annual Conference from June 20-23 in Columbus, OH. ADHA’s Annual Conference is North America’s premier dental hygiene event. The Conference will feature over 35 unique seminar courses, 24 hands-on workshops and top exhibitors showcasing the most recent advancements in products and services in dental hygiene and oral healthcare. This exhilarating three-day event will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center with more than 1,500 dental hygienists from all across the U.S. in attendance.

This year, ADHA announced their new all-inclusive pricing model that gives attendees more registration options to choose from with the opportunity to earn up to 22 CE credits at no additional cost. Sessions at ADHA’s Annual Conference cater to dental hygienists in all different industries and stages of their careers, including public health, research, clinical, education, new professionals and students. Some of this year’s sessions include:

· From the Inside Out: Where Perio-Systemic “Links” with Oral Pathology

· Successful Grant Writing

· Tools & Technology for Peri-Implant Therapy

· Promoting the Oral Health of Young Children by Working in Dental Public Health

· Cultural Competency: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Dental Office and Beyond

ADHA’s Annual Conference will include keynote addresses from comedian Michael Jr. (sponsored by Crest + Oral-B) and Futurist Mike Walsh (sponsored by Philips).

Dental hygiene professionals have even more opportunities to learn, engage and advance at Annual Conference with a newly added Career Center and more networking and social events available to attendees, such as the In Motion 5K: Run, Walk, Fun, Community Service Day and President’s Dinner.

To learn more about ADHA’s 95th Annual Conference and find registration information, please visit adha.org/annual-conference.

DryShield announced the launch of 3 new products. Each of these is the direct result of hearing the voice of their customers about their needs.

The following 3 new products are available now:

DS Lite ($350): Just the DS1 Isolation System, without accessories. For doctors looking for an easy way to implement modern isolation into their practices, the DS Lite provides a quick, no-frills solution. For current DryShield owners, the DS Lite represents a budget-friendly way to convert additional operatories at a lower entry point ($350) and make them DryShield-ready.

X-Pedo Mouthpiece ($100): Extra-small autoclavable silicone mouthpieces; ideal for very young children 4 years or younger. After hearing from our community that some of our tiniest patients needed a smaller size than Pedo, we are thrilled to announce the release of the all-new X-Pedo size mouthpiece. Designed for the smallest mouths, the release of X-Pedo brings the number of DryShield mouthpiece sizes to a total of five (Large, Medium, Small, Pedo, X-Pedo), giving doctors even more flexibility when selecting a mouthpiece for their patient. Each size is sold with 4 mouthpieces per box.

Whisper Hose ($100): Thinner hose to reduce suction sound. Feedback from our doctors led us to develop our new Whisper Hose, which significantly reduces the sound level from the HVE, enhancing both the clinician and patient experience while still enabling that all-important suction. 

For more information, visit dryshield.com or call 888-379-0300.

In order to make servicing existing patients with 3M mini-implant supported prostheses simpler, PREAT Corporation introduces the Mini Implant Servicing Kit. The kit will work with all 3M / Imtec 1.8mm sphere size mini implants and provides the impression copings, laboratory analogs, metal housings, and three different retention of final o-rings. This ideal kit contains everything the Clinician and Technician need to fabricate a new prosthesis on existing mini-implants. For information, www.preat.com or 800-232-7732.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is pleased to announce that members Hsun Liang Chan, DDS, MS, and Jeff C.W. Wang, DDS, DMSc, are the 2018 recipients of the SUNSTAR Innovation Grant. They will each receive $30,000 for their research projects as part of the AAP’s partnership with oral health and technology company SUNSTAR, which has committed to awarding scientific grants to AAP members whose investigations show significant potential to advance the specialty periodontics.

Dr. Chan’s research project, “In-Situ Evaluation of Periodontal Inflammation with Ultrasonography,” aims to utilize ultrasound imaging to assess periodontal inflammation with the long-term goal of developing a point-of-care device to diagnose and monitor inflammation. “The ultrasound method may be able to detect disease at earlier stages so that treatment can be rendered in a timely manner. It intends to provide information about what is going to happen instead of what has already happened. Therefore, tooth longevity and quality of life can be improved,” Dr. Chan says.

Dr. Wang’s research project, “Development of Patient-friendly Oral Health Report with Customized Oral Hygiene Instructional Video for Enhanced Patient Education Modalities,” hopes to eventually improve patient education, motivation, and compliance with the use of technology-based visual aids and reports. “This [research project] is one step towards future personalized precision patient education, using a tailored oral and periodontal health report as a platform to educate patients about their own clinical, periodontal, and radiographic findings,” Dr. Wang says. “Without patient health literacy, patient motivation, and compliance, the goal of long-term oral health is negated.”

As part of the Innovation Grant program, SUNSTAR has committed $250,000 towards six research grants to select AAP members over a three-year period, which began in 2017. Members of the AAP’s Research Submissions Committee examine all abstracts against criteria established by SUNSTAR and the Academy. Dr. Chan and Dr. Wang are the second and third recipients of the award.

“These investigations have the potential to transform periodontal disease diagnosis and patient literacy,” says Steven R. Daniel, DDS, president of the AAP. “SUNSTAR’s generous backing of this novel research accelerates the innovation that will define the future of the specialty. The Academy applauds SUNSTAR for its longstanding dedication to furthering the science and practice of periodontics.”

“The work of this year’s Innovation Grant recipients will influence the treatment and prevention of periodontal disease,” says Jackie Sanders, manager of professional relations at SUNSTAR. “We are pleased to unite with the AAP in providing a platform for scientific research and, subsequently, the improvement of patient health.”

Dr. Chan, clinical assistant professor, and Dr. Wang, predoctoral director and clinical assistant professor, are both faculty at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine. They will present the results of their studies at a future AAP Annual Meeting.

The Academy encourages members who are actively conducting scientific research in a clinical setting to submit research abstracts and proposals for consideration of future grant awards. The application period begins in September 2018. For more information on the SUNSTAR Innovation Grant, contact project coordinator Maggie Matamoros at maggie@perio.org.

About the American Academy of Periodontology

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) represents more than 8,000 periodontists—specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Learn more at perio.org.

About SUNSTAR Americas, Inc.

Chicago-based SUNSTAR Americas, Inc. is a member of the SUNSTAR Group of companies. SUNSTAR, a globally recognized leader in the oral care industry, has been providing research-based products and services in 90 countries for over 80 years. The company is committed to partnering with dental professionals and scientists to enhance the health and well-being of people everywhere. SUNSTAR manufactures an extensive line of preventive and therapeutic products under the brands GUM®, BUTLER® and GUIDOR®. For more information about SUNSTAR and its products, please visit sunstar.com or gumbrand.com.

Zest Dental Solutions, the leader in full-arch overdenture solutions for edentulous patients since 1977, announced today that it will now offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee to clinicians when they purchase the next generation of LOCATOR®, the LOCATOR R-Tx Removable Attachment System.

LOCATOR R-Tx was designed and developed based on 17 years of cumulative clinician and implant manufacturer input on the original LOCATOR Attachment System. Leading clinicians, and patients alike, are excited about the improvements incorporated into the new System including the new Abutment surface technology, increased angle correction, industry standard .050”/1.25” hex drive mechanism and convenient all-in-one packaging. In fact, Zest so strongly believes that LOCATOR R-Tx is a better, simpler and stronger System than its predecessor, Legacy LOCATOR, that the company has implemented a 100% satisfaction guarantee to all customers.

“We understand it can be difficult for clinicians to adopt a next generation technology after successfully using a product for many years”, stated Russ Bonafede, Zest Dental Solutions President. “While LOCATOR R-Tx is the next generation LOCATOR, the restorative technique and the predictability they have come to expect remains the same. LOCATOR R-Tx is another world-class overdenture attachment option – the fourth generation for Zest – so we are offering this 100% satisfaction guarantee to demonstrate our confidence in the product.”

To learn more about LOCATOR R-Tx, please visit WWW.ZESTDENT.COM/RTX. To place an order and learn more about the LOCATOR R-Tx 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Program, please call Zest Customer Service at 800-262-2310.

About Zest Dental Solutions

Zest Dental Solutions is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of diversified dental solutions for a continuum of patient care from the preservation of natural teeth to the treatment of total edentulism. The company’s product portfolios consist of Zest Anchors, Danville Materials, and Perioscopy with global distribution through OEMs, dealer/distributor networks, as well as a domestic retail sales operation for the Zest Anchors Portfolio. Zest Dental Solutions corporate headquarters is in Carlsbad, California with satellite operations in Anaheim and Escondido, California.