Earlier this month, Oral Heath America (OHA) brought Board Members, Oral Health Advocates and staff to Capitol Hill for its annual Advocacy Week event to meet with members of Congress and recognize leaders who have worked toward oral health equity in the public sphere.

Advocacy Week is a part of OHA’s annual Fall for Smiles campaign, which strives to educate Americans every September and October about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth and is a component of OHA’s year-long Campaign for Oral Health Equity. This year’s theme, Open Your Mouth: Oral Health is Health!, seeks to empower health advocates to raise awareness of the importance of oral health as a key factor of overall health and wellness.

Thanks to the generosity of 3M, GSK, Dental Trade Alliance and Midmark, OHA offered scholarships to 20 Oral Health Advocates. Forty-five participants asked legislators and their staff to support OHA’s national oral health agenda by providing educational information and sharing personal stories and experiences. In total, Oral Health Advocates reached 84 congressional offices. Oral Health America’s 2018 Policy Priorities include funding for HRSA Oral Health Training Programs, filling the open Chief Dental Officer position at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the RAISE Family Caregivers Act and support for the Dental Health Act of 2018. Advocates also emphasized the importance of oral health for older Americans citing OHA’s A State of Decay. Vol. VI, a biannual state-by-state report that analyzes the oral health of older Americans across the United States.

At the Capitol Hill Reception, sponsored by Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an initiative of Dental Trade Alliance and the DentaQuest Foundation, OHA honored Dr. Caswell Evans with the 2018 Marvin Goldstein Outstanding Public Service Award, celebrating individuals whose leadership in improving public health in the U.S. has broken new ground and created a changed environment. Dr. Evans has a distinguished record in the field of public health including his directorship of the first Surgeon General’s report on oral health and leadership in establishing service learning externships at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.

OHA also recognized Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) as the Legislative Honoree for his accomplished work in dentistry and most recent role in leading the House passage of the Action for Dental Health Act of 2018 to bolster utilization of existing resources to improve early diagnosis, intervention and prevention treatments. His Senior Legislative Assistant, James Neill, accepted the award on his behalf.

“Twenty years after the first Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health, the effort to examine an oral health benefit in Medicare is embraced not only by many corners or the oral health community, but by health policy groups, aging organizations and increasingly by legislators,” said Beth Truett, President & CEO of Oral Health America. “There is still work to be done to elevate this issue, but the recent release of our White Paper, An Oral Health Benefit in Medicare Part B: It’s Time to Include Oral Health in Health Care is an important step in the collaborative effort to ‘open our mouths’ and address oral health’s impact on overall health.”

In addition to the legislative visits and the Capitol Hill Reception, the week included a Twitter Chat among national advocacy organizations like Children’s Dental Health Project and Families USA as well as an Instagram takeover where past OHA Fellows and Interns answered the question, “How do you advocate for oral health equity?” The week concluded with a full recap of all activities by Oral Health Advocate and OHA Associate Board member Jennifer Hasch.

Fall for Smiles is generously sponsored by 3M, Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an initiative of Dental Trade Alliance, Crosstex Dentapure, GSK, DentaQuest Foundation, Hu-Friedy, Midmark and National Dental Association (NDA).

ABOUT ORAL HEALTH AMERICA (OHA)

Oral Health America’s mission is to change lives by connecting communities with resources to drive access to care, increase health literacy and advocate for policies that improve overall health through better oral health for all Americans, especially those most vulnerable. Through Smiles Across America®, which serves 501,000 children annually, the Wisdom Tooth Project®, which reaches tens of thousands of older adults, and the Campaign for Oral Health Equity, which prioritize oral health alongside other chronic diseases, OHA helps Americans of all ages to have a healthy mouth and to understand the importance of oral health for overall health. For more information about Oral Health America, please visit oralhealthamerica.org.

Ivoclar Vivadent and the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) are raising funds for the Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology and are offering the chance to own a 1995 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom called "The Spirit of the Esthetic Revolution."

Tickets can be purchased at dentallabfoundation.org/ticket for $25, or five for $100. All proceeds go directly to the Foundation.

Since 2008, the Foundation has provided hundreds of scholarships and grants - and opportunities for dental technicians looking to further their education and skills within the field of restorative dentistry.

"This motorcycle has been on display at Ivoclar Vivadent for over 20 years," the company says in a release. "It has served as a reminder each and every day that what we do makes a difference, that what we do grows businesses and changes lives. Ivoclar Vivadent named the bike 'The Spirit of the Esthetic Revolution,' representative of its true meaning to the organization - freedom, empowerment, quality, and esthetics. In our continued effort to advance dental education, we are conducting a national fundraising drive by offering a chance to win 'The Spirit of the Esthetic Revolution' Harley-Davidson motorcycle donated by Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc."

Nearly half of all children suffer injury to a tooth during childhood. When trauma affects an immature permanent tooth, it can hinder blood supply and root development, resulting in a "dead" tooth.

Until now, the standard of care has entailed a procedure called apexification that encourages root development, but doesn't replace the lost tissue and, even in a best-case scenario, causes root development to proceed abnormally.

New results of a clinical trial, jointly led by Penn Dental Medicine's Songtao Shi and his colleagues in China, suggest that there is a more promising path for treating these types of childhood injuries: using stem cells from the patient's baby teeth. The work appeared in Science Translational Medicine.

Shi, professor and chair of Anatomy and Cell Biology, has been working for a decade to test the possibilities of dental stem cells after discovering them in his daughter's baby tooth. He and colleagues have learned more about how these dental stem cells, officially called human deciduous pulp stem cells (hDPSC), work, and how they could be safely employed to regrow dental tissue, known as pulp.

The Phase 1 trial was conducted in China. The 40 children enrolled had each injured one of their permanent incisors, and still had baby teeth. Thirty were assigned to hDPSC treatment and 10 to the control treatment, apexification.

Those who received hDPSC treatment had tissue extracted from a healthy baby tooth. The stem cells from this pulp were allowed to reproduce in a laboratory culture, and the resulting cells were implanted into the injured tooth.

Upon follow-up, patients who received hDPSCs had more signs of healthy root development, thicker dentin and increased blood flow. A year following the procedure, only those who received hDPSCs had regained some sensation. Examining a variety of immune-system components, the team found no evidence of safety concerns.

"The results are very exciting," Shi says. "To see something we discovered take a step forward to potentially become a routine therapy is gratifying."

Shi and colleagues are beginning to test the use of cells donated from another person to regenerate dental tissue in adults. They are also hoping to secure FDA approval to conduct clinical trials using hDPSCs in the United States.

Eventually, they see even broader applications of hDPSCs for treating systemic disease, such as lupus, which Shi has worked on before. 

The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to innovation in healthcare and named after the late Dr. Edward B. Shils, held its 16th annual awards ceremony and a new Social Entrepreneur Leadership conference on October 4 at the Union League in Philadelphia. The evening Included a Tribute to Dr. D. Walter Cohen and Innovator Awards Reception

"In its 16th year, the Shils Fund is taking a new direction with our annual event, as we pursue opportunities for dental students to meet with educators and members of the dental and medical industries to discuss issues that impact entrepreneurship in health care," said Steven W. Kess, President of the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund's Board of Directors. "Dr. Edward B. Shils was known for his relentless pursuit of innovation and change in the dental industry, and he would have loved this approach. We honor his legacy by helping build bridges to success for the next generation of health care leaders."

The Social Entrepreneur Leadership conference began with Dr. Bari Levine, MPH, and founder of the Growing Smiles Foundation, who delivered the first of two keynote addresses as she shared her story of being a social entrepreneur. She was followed by Christopher Lai, a University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine student and Shils Fund/Dental Trade Alliance Scholarship winner, who shared his struggle to overcome poverty, language barriers, racism, and significant personal dental health issues to become an oral health care leader in his community.

The keynote speakers were followed by an interactive panel, "The Drive for Innovation and the Potholes Along the Way," which was moderated by Julie Charlestein, President and CEO of Premier Dental Products Company. Panelists included Dr. Matilde Hernández González, Scientific Affairs Manager for Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals; Robert Mehalso, PhD, CEO & Chairman, SensoDX, LLC; Dr. Kris Volcheck, Founder, Brighter Way Institute; Fran Gallagher, CEO, the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; and Angel Figueroa, Chief Executive Officer, I-LEAD Charter School.

The conference ended with the Shils Stars Dental Student Competition, where teams from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine's Dental Innovators, Creators and Entrepreneurs DICE program pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges led by Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. The competition results were:

1st Place, $2000: "Modern Mouth" - Juliette Mann and Cole Bender

2nd Place, $1500: "Behavior Based Dental Insurance" - Soren Christensen and Sam Caruso

4th Place, $500: "Spring" - Elizabeth Soulas, Sam Caruso, Mordy Fried, Nick Bransonand Samuel Kim

The Shils Fund then held a tribute to Board Member and dental industry icon, Dr. D. Walter Cohen. The tribute was led by Mr. Bergman, who delivered remarks about his personal and professional relationship with Dr. Cohen and the impact he had on the lives of so many people.

The evening concluded with an awards reception to recognize people, organizations, and programs that safeguard the oral health of underserved communities and populations and positively influence the dental community.

The Shils Fund Innovator Awards, a monetary prize given to people and programs from all sectors of the health care community in recognition of their positive and bold impact on the field and their respective communities, were presented to:

Fran Gallagher, MEd, CEO, NJ Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics - In recognition of her passionate commitment to creative, integrated programs like HealthHome 2.0, and partnerships to ensure optimal, comprehensive health for all children and critical support for caregivers.

Dr. Kris Volcheck, MBA, Founder, BrighterWay Institute - In recognition of his vision and inventive leadership in the delivery of dental care to our nation's most vulnerable populations.

Robert Mehalso, PhD, CEO & Chairman SensoDx, LLC - In recognition of his extensive pioneering achievements in the commercialization of micro/nano/biosystems, including Lab-on-a-Chip systems which hold tremendous potential in the area of diagnostic health care.

Dr. Matilde Hernández González, MS, MBA, Scientific Affairs Manager, Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals - In recognition of her contribution and role as a driving force in delivering Colgate® MagnusCards™ to patients with cognitive special needs and in the promotion of technology to increase the effectiveness of dental and dental hygiene programs throughout the nation.

The Special Recognition Award, which acknowledges people and programs for their work to improve the oral health and well-being of others, was presented to:

John D. Kemp, President and CEO of The Viscardi Center and Chairman, Project Accessible Oral Health - For his entrepreneurial leadership of Project Accessible Oral Health and outstanding lifetime achievement as a champion of empowering the disability community.

Foundation for Endodontics - Accepted by Dr. Mary Pettiette. In honor of the Foundation's Outreach program and support of Project HOME, both exceptional models of delivering quality oral health care to underserved communities in crisis and in critical need.

The Cohen-Volpe Award is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to dentistry or its allied sciences and named for two distinguished clinicians, researchers, and educators: Dr. D. Walter Cohen and Dr. Anthony Volpe. This year's award was presented to Dr. Allen L. Finkelstein, Chief Executive Officer of Bedford Healthcare Solutions, in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime achievement and leadership in the advancement of integrated dental care to ensure optimal dental health for all and for his outstanding philanthropic commitment to Social Responsibility.

The Shils Meskin Award was presented to Dr. Jack Dillenberg, Dean Emeritus, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health - A.T. Still University, for his exceptional and relentless pursuit of innovation in education, public health leadership, health program development, and addressing oral health issues to ultimately improve our nation's oral health.

About Dr. Edward B. Shils

Dr. Shils served as the Executive Director of the Dental Manufacturers of America and the Dental Dealers of America for almost 50 years and earned six degrees—including three doctorates—from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as a professor and Chair of the Management Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was also instrumental in establishing the Wharton Entrepreneurial Center, the first institute dedicated to the academic study of entrepreneurialism. Because of his stewardship, scholarship, and encouragement of innovative business practices in dentistry, the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund was established by the dental industry to recognize those whose contributions reflect a similarly enduring commitment to innovation in the field of oral health.

About The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc.

Friends and colleagues of Dr. Shils, who are also prominent leaders in the dental industry, founded the Dr. Edward D. Shils Entrepreneurial Education Fund in 2002 because they knew that Dr. Shils wanted to leave a legacy of entrepreneurship. In 2012, the Fund was renamed the The Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc. and became a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Through annual awards, partnerships and other branded events, the Fund honors the pioneering vision of Dr. Shils and helps foster inspiration and initiative in current and future healthcare entrepreneurs. For more information, please visit www.ShilsFund.org.  

Accelerating global progress in oral health was the focus of a United Nations (UN) side event hosted by NYU College of Dentistry and its World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center, together with NYU College of Global Public Health, on Friday, September 28. The event followed the UN 3rd High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases, held September 27 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Oral diseases—which affect half of the world’s population—are rarely included in noncommunicable disease prevention efforts. The event promoted the integration of oral health in all efforts to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases. “Good oral health is a crucial element of overall health and, as such, part of the human right to health,” said Svetlana Axelrod, the WHO Assistant Director General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, during her keynote address at the event.

To ensure that oral health is no longer neglected on the global health agenda, Axelrod called upon UN Member States, the oral health community, and other stakeholders to strengthen their commitment to address oral health as a priority area. This includes integrating oral disease prevention with the prevention of noncommunicable diseases by addressing common risk factors. She also encouraged countries to mobilize resources to enhance collaborations and partnerships to implement cost-effective oral health interventions. Finally, Axelrod urged countries “to include essential oral health care services as part of Universal Health Coverage initiatives to ensure that no one is left behind.”

“The NYU College of Dentistry WHO Collaborating Center, in tandem with the NYU College of Global Public Health, is ready to provide technical expertise and capacity building to improve oral health globally,” said Richard Niederman, chair of the Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion at the NYU College of Dentistry and director of the WHO Collaborating Center.

“There is no other disease on the planet as common as untreated tooth decay. Yet, the United Nations’ 3rd High-Level Meeting on NCDs failed to recognize oral diseases. Thus, the side event was even more important to raise their importance in the noncommunicable disease context,” said event moderator and convener Habib Benzian, adjunct professor at NYU’s Colleges of Dentistry and Global Public Health and associate director of global health and policy for NYU Dentistry’s WHO Collaborating Center.

The side event was co-sponsored by the Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Morocco, Anass Doukkali, and Isaïe Medah, Director General of Public Health in Burkina Faso representing Minister of Health Nicolas Meda. They shared their respective countries’ work on noncommunicable diseases and oral health and pledged increased attention to the growing burden of oral diseases. Colgate-Palmolive and Henry Schein, Inc. provided support for the event.

Event attendees also heard from public health advocates and international oral health experts. Discussing the global public health challenges of oral diseases, Richard Watt of the University College London, highlighted the massive global disease burden and the need to include oral health in upstream policy measures. Stefan Listl of Radboud University in the Netherlands emphasized that prevention is possible and highly cost-effective. He also warned that inaction on oral diseases will be costly to all health systems and will lead to high patient out-of-pocket payments that may contribute to increased impoverishment.

In a series of presentations about how public health efforts on oral health and noncommunicable diseases can be integrated, Paula Moynihan of Newcastle University, who directs the WHO Collaborating Center for Nutrition and Oral Health, spoke of how the relation between tooth decay and sugar intake informed the WHO sugar guidelines that recommends levels of sugar intake. This was reinforced by Francesco Branca, WHO Director of Nutrition for Health & Development, who acknowledged that nutrition and sugar intake are major common risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and oral health that require joint policy responses.

NYU Dentistry’s Niederman made a case for early and low-cost investments in prevention to address the global epidemic of tooth decay, and affirmed the WHO Collaborating Center’s commitment to improving oral health worldwide.

“Next year’s UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage will provide another opportunity to join forces and to make essential oral health care available and affordable for everyone,” added Niederman.

The event concluded with a panel discussion involving representatives from different sectors and stakeholder groups to explore what each sector—government, professional, corporate, civil society, academia, and research—can contribute in order to end the global neglect of oral health. The panelists included Chris Dickey of NYU College of Global Public Health, Michael Glick of FDI World Dental Federation, Nina Renshaw of the NCD Alliance, President-elect Paula Moynihan of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), and Stanley Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein, Inc. They agreed on the importance of collaboration between sectors and discussed pathways to jointly and effectively accelerate tangible global and local action on oral health.

NYU Dentistry’s WHO Collaborating Center—the only WHO Collaborating Center on oral health in the Americas—aims to foster oral health policy dialogue globally and the translation of evidence into practice.

Images: ©Sorel: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau

Medicom®, a global health care company dedicated to the manufacture and distribution of infection control, disposables, and preventive products, has joined forces with America’s ToothFairy to educate families about oral health and help underserved children access dental care. As a Premier Partner, Medicom generously donated $25,000 to support the programs of America’s ToothFairy, a national nonprofit providing grants, donated products, educational materials, and other critical resources to nonprofit dental clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for children in need.

“We are committed to providing products that meet the highest standards for health professionals around the world and helping children in need receive quality health care,” said Gary Schmid, Medicom Senior Vice President, Customer Relationship Development and Strategic Accounts. “We applaud America’s ToothFairy for their focus on prevention and are proud to partner with them to increase access to dental services for children who are the most vulnerable to tooth decay.”

“We are very grateful for Medicom’s partnership in the fight against children’s tooth decay and educating families about the importance of a healthy smile in a child’s overall health and well-being,” said Jill Malmgren, Executive Director of America’s ToothFairy. “Last year, nonprofit dental clinics supported by America’s ToothFairy reached over 550,000 children with prevention and treatment services. Medicom’s contribution will help us continue to provide essential resources and programs to improve oral health outcomes for underserved youth.”

About Medicom

Founded by Ronald Reuben in 1988, Medicom is an entrepreneurially-driven, global health care company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. With eight (8) manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia, Medicom is dedicated to the manufacture and distribution of infection control, single use, and preventive products for medical, dental, industrial, retail, veterinary, and laboratory markets. Mr. Reuben remains Chief Executive Officer of the company and continues to bring his entrepreneurial drive and passion to the business along with his experienced leadership team and a team of dedicated individuals committed to delivering superior customer experiences. Learn more at www.medicom.com.

About America’s ToothFairy

As a resource provider, America’s ToothFairy increases access to oral health care by supporting nonprofit clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. Since its inception in 2006, America’s ToothFairy has distributed more than $19 million in donated products, educational materials and financial grants to improve oral health outcomes for children and youth in need. For more information, visit www.AmericasToothFairy.org

To help patients better understand the complicated dental process known as resorption and the types of treatment options available to them, the American Association of Endodontists is releasing a new educational video titled “Types of Resorption.”

“Resorption can seem like a confusing and frightening topic to some patients. This video is meant to help people better understand the process and put them at ease about treatment options,” said AAE President Dr. Patrick E. Taylor. “If you or someone you know is facing this dental issue, do not panic, but do take some time to become educated on the topic. And don’t hesitate to share this video with family and friends.”

The AAE’s easy-to-follow video focuses on the process of resorption, which occurs when a person’s tooth structure begins to dissolve. It can be viewed by visiting our website at aae.org/patients. Viewers of the video learn about three different types of resorption and their treatment options.

“The video assures patients that once resorption is identified, through procedures like radiographs and 3-D imaging, endodontists can provide easy treatment options. Many times, resorption can be treated with a simple root canal procedure. Lastly, resorption sometimes happens for no reason at all — not something the patient has done wrong,” Dr. Taylor said.

The video also stresses the importance of patients scheduling regular, preventative dental care visits and x-rays to monitor the health of their teeth, so they can keep their beautiful, healthy smile.

For more patient education videos, shareable graphics, latest industry news and much more, follow the AAE on Twitter and Instagram at @savingyourteeth and Like us on Facebook.

About the American Association of Endodontists

The American Association of Endodontists, headquartered in Chicago, represents more than 8,00 members worldwide. Endodontics is one of nine dental specialties formally recognized by the American Dental Association. The AAE, founded in 1943, is dedicated to excellence in the art and science of endodontics and to the highest standard of patient care. The Association inspires its members to pursue professional advancement and personal fulfillment through education, research, advocacy, leadership, communication, and service. For more information about the AAE, visit the Association's website at aae.org.

Doctors make dozens of important decisions every day about patient care and running their practices. Deciding on the best intraoral scanner shouldn’t have to be a tough decision. Evident, a global technology company focused on taking the dental industry from traditional to digital, has taken the stress out of choosing the best scanner by rigorously testing six of the top scanners on the market and the CS 3600 came out on top.

Evident conducted a completely independent evaluation of the scanners based on five criteria: Whether the scanner was part of an open system; the three-year cost of ownership; if the scanner could handle different workflows; the quality of the manufacturer’s ongoing support; and, of course, the quality of the scan itself.

“It takes time, energy and expertise to learn how different systems interact.” Paolo Kalaw, CEO, Evident, said. “We needed to grasp how a digital scan file turns into a patient record that is then processed through a lab while still producing a high-quality result. That’s not something doctors can quickly learn from a product demo, so we did the legwork for them. Now, doctors can focus on treating patients, and not agonizing about an equipment purchase or worrying about how long that equipment will last before it’s obsolete. Plus, they can be assured that their lab is calibrated with their scanner.”

After meeting with executives and talking to developers from the major scanner manufacturers, as well as following patient cases from start to finish and evaluating cost benefits, the CS 3600 intraoral scanner was selected for its open system and high-quality digital files, which are crucial for being read by different design, milling and printing systems without distortion. Its competitive pricing and Carestream Dental’s years of experience when it comes to developing and supporting digital technology also played into the final decision. The CS 3600 features three workflows, restorative, orthodontic and implant-borne restorative. It’s also known for its speed and smart features like live scanning feedback and automatic occlusal mapping.

The scanner will play a significant role in Evident’s new Evident Restorative IOS System, an open scanning system calibrated for ideal dental-lab results. Doctors capture a digital impression with the CS 3600 and upload the files to Evident’s secure dentist locker, evidentHUB. The case is then handled by Evident’s specialists and its design center or the lab of the doctor’s choice and returned to the doctor.

“We’re proud that that such a strong leader in the industry has validated the CS 3600’s design, speed and smart features,” Ed Shellard, D.M.D., chief dental officer, Carestream Dental, said. “The fact that Carestream Dental’s support and digital track record played a role in the decision-making process makes us even more proud to have been chosen. Evident’s selection process was thorough and transparent, so doctors can rely on their research when it comes time to make a decision about an intraoral scanner.”

To learn more about the CS 3600, or any of Carestream Dental’s innovative technology, call 800.944.6365 or visit carestreamdental.com. To find out more about Evident and its new restorative intraoral scanning system visit evidentlabs.com.

About Evident

Evident is a global company focused on taking the dental industry from traditional to digital by leveraging technology to bring a new level of convenience, simplicity and value to the dental industry. With more than 600+ labs, 60,000 dentists, 1.0 billion in prosthetics annually, and 15+ million patients RX’s within our system, our vision is to be the “go-to” platform for integrating a digital workflow.

About Carestream Dental

Carestream Dental provides industry-leading dental digital product lines and services, including imaging equipment, CAD/CAM systems, software and practice management solutions, for dental and oral health professionals. With more than 100 years of industry experience, Carestream Dental technology captures two billion images annually and aids in more precise diagnoses, improved workflows and superior patient care. For more information or to contact a Carestream Dental representative, please call 800.944.6365 or visit carestreamdental.com.

Podium , the leading customer communication platform for local businesses, has been named to Forbes’ Next Billion-Dollar Startups list for 2018 . An elite group of 25 companies, the list highlights those that members from Forbes’ editorial team and TrueBridge Capital Partners believe have a strong shot at reaching a valuation of $1 billion or more in the near future.

“The startup environment is incredibly demanding and competitive, and we’ve been proud of the passionate team and loyal customers we’ve accumulated in these first few years,” said Eric Rea, CEO and co-founder of Podium. “As we have gone from working in a spare bedroom in an apartment to having local businesses connect with one in eight U.S. cell phone owners using Podium’s platform, we have had a long list of humbling moments. Earning a spot on this ranking is definitely one of those moments and we look forward to continued growth in years to come.”

Founded in 2014 and now working with more than 25,000 businesses to create over 4 million customer interactions a month, Podium has quickly become one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the U.S. Recently hitting $50M in annual recurring revenue (ARR), the company is changing the way that local, offline businesses interact with their customers across a variety of markets including automotive, medical/dental, retail and home services.

Making this Forbes list adds to the widespread recognition Podium has received in 2018 so far, including being:

● Ranked No. 13 on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies for 2018

● Named the 2018 Best SaaS Product for Small Business/SMBs by The SaaS Awards

● Named to the Forbes 2018 Cloud 100

● Listed as one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces for 2018

To compile the annual list of the Next Billion-Dollar Startups, Forbes teamed up with TrueBridge Capital Partners to ask nearly 200 venture capital firms to nominate the companies they thought were most likely to become unicorns. Forbes narrowed down the field from over 100 businesses to 25 by looking at revenue, funding and their most recent valuation.

To see the full list of Forbes’ Next Billion-Dollar Startups for 2018, click here.  

About Podium

Podium modernizes the way business happens locally with products designed to help businesses be found, chosen, and gain insight into their customers' experience. By conveniently facilitating millions of customer interactions, such as driving customer-generated online reviews and providing improved customer communication tools, Podium serves 150,000+ users across more than 25,000 local businesses. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, and founded in 2014, Podium is currently backed by IVP, Accel, Summit Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Y Combinator. To learn more, visit www.podium.com or contact us at press@podium.com.

DentalEZ® is proud to present the Integrated StarETorque Electric System from StarDental®.

The StarETorque Integrated Electric System combines the power and performance you’ve come to expect from StarDental, providing a user-friendly, 16-color display and a quiet, powerful 200,00 RPM brushless motor for all procedures. With extreme versatility of e-coupling attachments and high-performance torque, the StarETorque can reduce tooth structure, porcelain, and metal much faster. The Integrated StarETorque can attach to any DentalEZ delivery units.

With a quiet 60 W LED brushless motor, the StarETorque is also lightweight, at 62 g, that minimizes fatigue. The StarETorque is fully autoclavable. If you’re looking for a new product that brings all the power, flexibility and performance you need, look no further than StarETorque, now available Integrated.

For more information about the StarETorque, visit www.dentalez.com or contact your local DentalEZ sales rep.

About DentalEZ

DentalEZ Integrated Solutions is committed to providing real solutions to everyday challenges in oral healthcare by uniquely combining innovation focused on simplification and efficiency in value-based products and outstanding customer service and support. DentalEZ manufactures a full line of products and well-known brands, including StarDental®, DentalEZ® Equipment, RAMVAC®, NevinLabs™, and Columbia Dentoform®. For more information, please visit www.dentalez.com.