2-year old Yuzhe Wang from Beijing, China is in treatment with Invisalign trained doctor Jiawei Wo using Invisalign Comprehensive with Mandibular Advancement

- Accelerating adoption of Invisalign clear aligner treatment globally reflects Align's continued investment in product innovation and commitment to international expansion

BEIJING and SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Align Technology, Inc. ALGN, +1.57% today announced that over 6 million patients have begun treatment with Invisalign - the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, including 1.4 million teenage patients*. This is a significant milestone for the company and the over 150,000 Invisalign-trained doctors worldwide, reflecting accelerating adoption of Invisalign treatment by adults and teens alike.

The 6 millionth Invisalign patient, Yuzhe Wang, is a 12-year-old student of the International School of Beijing, who began treatment in October 2018 using Invisalign Comprehensive with Mandibular Advancement treatment with Dr. Jiawei Wo from Yuxueyuan Dental clinic. Dr. Wo is a Gold Invisalign trained doctor based in Beijing, China who specializes in pediatric orthodontics.

Dr. Wo prescribed Invisalign clear aligner therapy to his patient Yuzhe Wang to address her class II type of teeth misalignment and because it fit well into her busy, student lifestyle: "Invisalign treatment with Mandibular Advancement is great, because it moves the lower jaw forward, while simultaneously aligning the teeth. With the Invisalign system, my patients need much fewer appointments than with traditional orthodontic appliances. This allows them to continue their studies and daily activities without interruption".

"We are delighted to be celebrating another significant milestone with Invisalign trained doctors and their patients. This achievement is a reflection of growing demand for Invisalign clear aligners from international markets, especially China, which is our second largest market, nearly doubling each year since the Invisalign system was launched in China back in 2011. I would like to thank Dr. Jiawei Wo and all of the Invisalign trained doctors around the world for helping us make Invisalign treatment the clear aligner orthodontic method of choice among teens such as Yuzhe, as well as for giving our patients a chance to have beautiful, straight teeth and smile with confidence" - said Joe Hogan, Align Technology president and CEO.

Julie Tay, Align Technology senior vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific recognized the importance of the 6 millionth Invisalign patient coming from China: "I was absolutely delighted and proud to hear that 6 millionth patient is from Asia Pacific. China is our fastest growing country market with approximately 70% annual growth rate**. I believe there is an enormous opportunity in the region for Invisalign providers to treat millions of young patients like Yuzhe. I would like to thank Dr. Wo for his confidence in treating Yuzhe with the Invisalign system, and Yuzhe's parents for trusting that it is the best solution for their daughter."

In support of this major milestone for the company, Yuzhe will be featured in an upcoming Invisalign global campaign, entitled "6 Million Invisalign Smiles" that will follow Yuzhe and her family through her Invisalign treatment journey. The campaign will highlight key reasons why she and her parents decided to choose Invisalign clear aligners to help her achieve a new, beautiful smile.

To mark this significant milestone, Align Technology continues its commitment to Operation Smile and the non-profit's global mission of providing free surgeries to children and adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate. Align will donate to the organization. To date, Align has given close to $1 million to Operation Smile which was founded in 1982 and has provided hundreds of thousands of life-changing surgeries.

*Q3 2018 Data. **Q3 2018 Data.

About Align Technology, Inc.

Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign(R) system, the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, and iTero(R) intraoral scanners and services. Align's products help dental professionals achieve the clinical results they expect and to deliver effective, cutting-edge dental options to their patients. Visit www.aligntech.com for more information.

For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com.

About Operation Smile

Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands of safe, essential surgeries for patients born with cleft lip and cleft palate. With more than three decades of expertise, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver free surgery to people where it's needed most. As one of the largest medical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile has mobilized thousands of medical volunteers from a wide range of medical specialties from more than 80 countries. Operation Smile engages public-private partnerships to advance health care delivery, trains local medical professionals to provide surgical care for patients in their communities, donates critical medical equipment and supplies, and increases access to surgical care so that everyone living with cleft is treated. Visit www.operationsmile.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

The American Association of Endodontists recently interviewed Dr. Chad Gehani, President of the American Dental Association. Dr. Gehani, an endodontist, explains how emigrating from India as a young man and the experiences that followed prepared him to be an advocate for the ADA. Gehani discusses the bright future for the dental industry, with advances in technology and education, but also warns of the imposing barriers to entry that may now challenge other young people like himself so many years ago from entering or succeeding in our industry.

CHICAGO – For Dr. Chad Gehani, the first Endodontist to serve as president of the American Dental Association in over a decade, the future of dentistry and root canal treatment is bright.

“Dentistry is changing for the better,” Dr. Gehani said. “The doctors and health care professionals in our field are becoming increasingly more diverse and our standard of care continues to improve as the technology we use advances.”

A self-professed expert at making life’s lemons into lemonade, Dr. Gehani was elected ADA president in October, and his story is proof the American Dream is alive and well.

Dr. Gehani was one of six children and grew up in Mumbai, India. He visited his first dentist there when he was 19. It was then that he realized he wanted to be a dentist. After immigrating to America, Dr. Gehani received his dental degree from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and opened his own practice.

He is also a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU and previously served as president of the New York State Dental Association and the Queens County Dental Society. In addition to the ADA, Gehani is a member of the American Association of Endodontists.

According to Dr. Gehani, whose wife, Rehka is an orthodontist, and whose children are also doctors, the most important thing a medical care provider can do is treat their patients with the upmost respect and provide them with the best care possible. His approach and belief is not unlike the Golden Rule.

“We must treat our patients as if they were ourselves or our own mom or dad, that way we will always do the right thing,” Dr. Gehani said. “As endodontists, we must aim to provide the best care possible for our patients and give them the freedom and guidance to make informed decisions about their treatment options.”

To help provide the best care for their patients, Dr. Gehani believes it is crucial for general dentists and endodontists to maintain open lines of communication and work together.

“Endodontists are expert pain detectives. We are very good at finding the real source of a patient’s tooth pain. Many general dentists can provide treatment and pain management, but it’s paramount that they work with partners in endodontics to help their patients fully.”

While Dr. Gehani believes the future is bright, he acknowledged the dental field is not without its challenges.

“I am proud of my work to help reduce tuition to NYU’s dental school, but doctors, educators and policymakers must continue to prioritize affordable college for all students and people seeking to enter the medical field. We must also strengthen our partnerships with state dental boards and our lawmakers to ensure the public is protected from pseudo-science methodologies or unverified claims about the success of Do It Yourself oral health care products.” 

Orascoptic, the leader in superior vision solutions for dental and medical professionals, was recently granted a U.S. patent for the optical design used in each of its headlights. The granting of this patent means that Orascoptic offers customers a highly uniform spot with the least amount of weight in comparison to other solutions on the market.

Orascoptic’s Research and Development team, led by Matt Oren, recognized a need for a headlight that provides a more uniform light beam, but is also lightweight and comfortable. This need arose from the fact that previous headlights available on the market could be deficient in one or more aspects. They may exhibit poor light uniformity and/or unacceptable color separation at the edge of the light beam. In addition, some surgical headlights may be too heavy, awkward or uncomfortable for the clinician.

Knowing that clinicians consider size, weight and ease of adjustment when selecting a headlight for use in procedures, Orascoptic set out to create a solution by way of an improved design and resulting product.

“With this Orascoptic-exclusive technology, clinicians can flood oral and surgical sites with a more uniform distribution of light, using an optical design that is lighter weight than before,” said head of Research and Development, Matt Oren. “It’s a win-win!”

To view the full patent, visit https://patents.google.com/patent/US10107483B2/en.

About Orascoptic:

Each Orascoptic loupe is custom-made with meticulous precision at our headquarters near Madison Wisconsin, built to the unique facial geometry of the individual clinician. With high quality optical materials and design we are able to deliver optimal resolution and light transmission edge-to-edge across the viewing field. Combined with our revolutionary innovations in integrated lighting and adjustable magnification we are proud to offer a portfolio of products that enable our clinical customers to thrive.

We remain steadfastly committed to investing in innovation to advance the leading edge of design in the field of surgical loupes and headlights. 

Dental Recycling North American (DRNA) is pleased to release a comprehensive guide to the new EPA Dental Amalgam Rule. The new regulation requires all dental practices in the U.S (with some exemptions) to install amalgam separators by July 2020. The guide is based on articles previously written by Dr. Al Frost, DDS who is the Vice President for Scientific and Clinical Affairs at DRNA. Topics include the specifics of the regulation, exemptions, the costs of compliance, and FAQs.

To receive a complimentary copy of the guide, please visit www.drna.com/guide.

About DRNA

Dental Recycling North America (DRNA) is a leader in the dental amalgam recycling market, helping to Keep tons of harmful mercury from entering the environment each year. DRNA sells amalgam separators, waste disposal products and recycling services directly to dental offices in the U.S. It has a broad presence in the public and education sectors of the market and is the preferred choice of many private practices. The company, founded in 1998 is headquartered in New York City. To learn more visit www.drna.com.

Walgreens and Aspen Dental, the largest and fastest-growing network of branded dental care providers in the U.S., are collaborating to bring Aspen Dental-branded dental offices to two Walgreens locations in Florida.

The collaboration, which marks the first time that in-store dental services will be available to Walgreens customers, reflects Walgreens commitment to transform its stores into neighborhood health destinations that provide a differentiated, consumer-focused experience, while providing access to a broad range of affordable health care services at a trusted and convenient setting.

“Health care continues to evolve as patients demand more choice, greater value, and better access,” said Bob Fontana, chairman and chief executive officer of Aspen Dental Management, Inc. “We’re incredibly excited about this collaboration, which brings together Walgreens, a leader in understanding the intersection of retail and health care, and Aspen Dental, a brand that has made dental care affordable and accessible to millions of patients for more than 20 years.”

A floss cutting event was held at the Palatka location at 717 S. State Rd. 19 in Palatka on Thursday, December 13.

Breaking Down Barriers to Care

Aspen Dental is the largest and fastest-growing network of branded dental care providers in the U.S. today. There are currently more than 720 Aspen Dental-branded offices across 38 states, and a new location opens every five days.

“At Aspen Dental, we’re focused on breaking down barriers so that patients can get the care they need, today,” said Dr. Kevon Rennie, Aspen Dental practice owner. “Like Walgreens, we’re committed to creating healthier communities, and my team and I look forward to working together to make dentistry more accessible and affordable here in Palatka.”

Aspen Dental at Walgreens is dedicated to making it easier for patients by offering a full range of dental services, denture, implant and Invisalign® clear aligners. New patients will receive a digital dental health scan to give them a clear understanding into what’s happening inside their mouth, a service that helps patients make informed decisions about their treatment.

In addition to affordable comprehensive dental care, the new Aspen Dental office will bring:

Free new patient exams and X-rays for those without insurance;

An on-site denture lab to facilitate quick turnaround of custom-crafted dentures, repairs, relines or adjustments (on all dentures – not just those purchased at Aspen Dental), as well as a Denture Money Back Guarantee; and

A variety of financing options.

To make an appointment at the Palatka location, patients can go to www.aspendental.com and click on Schedule a New Patient Appointment; or call (386) 506-8219 or 800-ASPEN DENTAL (800-277-3633). 

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) and CareCredit, a Synchrony (NYSE:SYF) solution and a leading provider of patient financing, today announced the integration of CareCredit's financing tool into Henry Schein's dental and veterinary practice management software solutions. The integration offers dental and veterinary practices more financing options for their patients and pet owners, while improving practice efficiency.

CareCredit integrates into Dentrix® and Easy Dental®, practice management software solutions offered to dental professionals by Henry Schein One, a joint venture of Henry Schein. CareCredit also integrates into AVImark® and ImproMed® veterinary practice management software solutions from Henry Schein Veterinary Solutions. CareCredit will give Henry Schein's customers the ability to process CareCredit transactions that automatically write back to the ledger, helping to save time and minimize human error.

Helping patients and pet owners apply for CareCredit is also easier, as information is automatically transferred to the CareCredit application. As a result, practice teams can spend less time on administrative tasks, and are only required to complete a few fields of information and click "submit" to receive a credit decision within seconds. Additionally, teams can look up a cardholder account number when a patient or pet owner does not have his or her CareCredit credit card available.

"One of the value propositions of CareCredit is to ease the customer experience. The combination of CareCredit with Henry Schein's practice management software is another example of how our longstanding relationship provides value to dentists, veterinarians, patients, and pets," said Dave Fasoli, CEO, CareCredit. "It's a big win when we can improve processes and remove barriers that providers and their teams face daily, and save them time in their busy day."

Practice teams who accept CareCredit and use Dentrix, Easy Dental, AVImark, and ImproMed practice management software should contact their software provider for more information and to request a demo of the integration features.

"Integrating CareCredit into our practice management software solutions provides our customers with an easy-to-use tool they can rely on to enhance productivity, minimize downtime, and deliver solutions that make it easier for patients and pet owners to finance treatment," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. "Our partnership with CareCredit is a win-win for practices, patients, and pet owners, and exemplifies Henry Schein's commitment to helping practitioners deliver quality care and improve practice efficiency through the latest technology solutions."

About Synchrony

Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering customized financing programs across key industries including retail, health, auto, travel and home, along with award-winning consumer banking products. With more than $130 billion in sales financed and 74.5 million active accounts, Synchrony brings deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, innovative solutions and differentiated digital experiences to improve the success of every business we serve and the quality of each life we touch. More information can be found at synchrony.com and through Twitter: @Synchrony.

About CareCredit

CareCredit, a Synchrony solution, is a health, wellness and personal care credit card dedicated to helping people get the care they want and need. For more than 30 years, CareCredit has helped millions of people by offering special financing options with convenient monthly payments. CareCredit is accepted at more than 210,000 locations for a wide variety of health and wellness procedures, treatments, products and services.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 22,000 Team Schein Members serving more than 1 million customers globally, the Company is the world's largest provider of Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions to enhance the efficiency of office-based dental, animal health, and medical practitioners. The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites.

A Fortune 500® Company and a member of the S&P 500® and the Nasdaq 100® indexes, Henry Schein's network of trusted advisors provides health care professionals with the valued solutions they need to improve operational success and clinical outcomes. The Company offers customers exclusive, innovative products and solutions, including practice management software, e-commerce solutions, specialty and surgical products, as well as a broad range of financial services. Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000 additional products available as special-order items.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 34 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $12.5 billion in 2017, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 15 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, and @HenrySchein on Twitter. 

In a first-of-its kind announcement, Video Dental Concepts is officially launching the QuickScan iOS, for use in dentists’ and orthodontists’ offices. Official release is slated for February, with introductory purchasing available to Video Dental customers in January.

“Video Dental Concepts has always been about innovation,” said president and founder, Claude Berthoine. “And the QuickScan iOS is the next step in that journey. This is cutting-edge technology - laser imaging for 3000 fps videos, without radiation or impression goop.”

QuickScan iOS is a state-of-the-art 3D intraoral scanner that allows for a full, radiation-free diagnostic scan of the inside of a mouth. This is an extremely accurate piece of scanning hardware, highlighting potential health issues by taking highly-detailed digital images of the inside of your mouth.

Eliminate the need for impression goop, with high-end 3000 fps video, and generate digital images more quickly than with an impression, with the QuickScan iOS, exclusively from Video Dental Concepts.

“This is going to revolutionize the way dentists work,” commented Berthoine. “Generate picture-perfect scans for specific dental work, keep these on file for future visits, and use them to guide your clients through the process. With so much functionality, the QuickScan iOS is set to make serious waves in dentistry following its release. We couldn’t be more excited for it.”

Video Dental Concepts is a leading innovator in the dental sensor and intraoral camera industry. Making history since 1989, Video Dental has been bringing our clients more choice, better value for money, and exceptional dedicated dental imaging service for nearly three decades.

For more information, contact Video Dental Concepts.

Times Leader Media Group, a collection of print and digital products that provide coverage of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, recognizes Benco Dental as one of the 2018 Best Places to Work in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The ranking considered input from readers of The Times Leader, a seven-day publication with an audience of more than 139,495, that is the flagship of The Times Leader Media Group. Benco Dental, the nation’s largest privately-owned dental distributor, earned Gold Award status in the competition based on feedback obtained through The Times Leader print publication and website.

“We’re all very proud to be honored as one of NEPA’s Best Places to Work. Great people create great workplaces, so this award reflects the quality and engagement of our associates,” said Chuck Cohen, Managing Director at Benco Dental.

Once associates join the team, the company makes every effort to retain them. One example: Benco’s Wellness Programs continues to be successful, resulting in associates having no increase to their payroll deductions for three of the past four years. Those efforts and many others result in a credo the company stands behind: the Benco Difference. According to George Rable, Vice President, Culture and People at Benco Dental, Benco’s customer net promoter score (NPX) was at an all-time high of 68 in 2018, reinforcing that engaged associates will result in happy customers.

“It’s great when Benco receives recognition as a Best Place to Work from outside organizations,” said Rable.

The Times Leader Media Group recognized Benco Dental, among other award-winning companies at a reception on December 11 at Isabella Restaurant in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

“We’re very, very proud to be part of this community, to be involved in community activities and to promote economic development,” Mike Murray, Times Leader Media Group CEO & Publisher, said. “This is a great opportunity to recognize businesses that are part of that development and are great places to work.”

Benco Dental also was ranked as a Best Place to Work in Northeast Pennsylvania by Times Leader readers in 2017.

About Benco Dental

Benco Dental, headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is the largest privately-owned dental distributor in the United States, offering a full array of supplies, equipment and services to dentists across the nation. Founded in 1930 by Benjamin Cohen, the company has remained family-owned and focused on its unique mission to “deliver success, smile after smile.”

Within the past 88 years, the company has grown from a single downtown location to a national network of more than 65 regional locations, five distribution centers, and three design showrooms. Those design showrooms, one at the company’s Pa. headquarters, one in Southern California, and one in Texas, feature North America’s largest selection of dental equipment and technology, as well as a hands-on dental design experience, to assist dentists in the planning and construction of a new office.

Benco, which has been named one of the Best Workplaces in Health Care for the second consecutive year, and Pennsylvania’s Best Places to Work® for 12 of the past 14 years, is proud to feature a highly skilled team of more than 400 professionally trained sales representatives and over 300 factory-trained service technicians. For more information, visit benco.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO

Tara Hardin, DMD, and Kathy Sanders, DMD, have been named an Accredited Fellows in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). The purpose of Fellowship is to provide the highest level of achievement for members in accordance with the AACD's mission of education and excellence.

Dr. Hardin has been a member of the AACD since 2002 and achieved Accredited Member status in 2014. Dr. Hardin graduated from Furman University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1996, then attended The Ohio State University where she received her DDS in 2000. Dr. Hardin is a Fellow of The Academy of General Dentistry, a member of the American Dental Association, Ohio Dental Association, Cincinnati Dental Society, and several sleep organizations. She devotes countless hours of continuing education on facial esthetics, cosmetic dentistry, smile design, TMJ therapy, and sleep apnea.

Dr. Sanders has been a member of the AACD since 1998 and achieved Accredited Member status in 2006. She received her DMD from the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta. She has participated in rigorous continuing education pursuits and advanced practicum experience taught by some of the world’s most talented cosmetic dentists. Dr. Sanders is a Give Back a Smile volunteer and was also recognized in 2015 with the Milligan College Leaders in Christian Service Award.

“Drs. Hardin’s and Sanders’s commitment to responsible esthetics and cosmetic dentistry is undeniable with his most recent achievement as an AACD Accredited Fellow,” said AACD Fellowship Chair Bradley J. Olson, DDS, FAACD. “Our Accredited Fellow members must complete one of the most rigorous, yet life-changing journeys of their career—and of their lives.”

Hardin and Sanders will be honored for this achievement at the 35th Annual AACD Scientific Session in San Diego on April 27th, 2018.

About the AACD

The AACD is the world’s largest non-profit member organization dedicated to advancing excellence in comprehensive oral care that combines art and science to optimally improve dental health, esthetics, and function. Comprised of more than 5,000 cosmetic dental professionals in 80 countries worldwide, the AACD fulfills its mission by offering superior educational opportunities, promoting and supporting a respected Accreditation credential, serving as a user-friendly and inviting forum for the creative exchange of knowledge and ideas, and providing accurate and useful information to the public and the profession.

Darby Dental Supply, LLC, one of the largest dental distributors in the United States, announced that Gary Mahr, former Chief Operating Officer of Mydent, has been named Darby’s Director of Vendor Relations. Gary is an experienced professional who oversaw daily operations in warehousing, purchasing, customer service, and regulatory processes throughout his 28 year career in the dental industry.

As Director of Vendor Relations at Darby Dental Supply, Gary Mahr will be reporting to Liz Meyers, Executive Vice President Purchasing & Global Sourcing. Gary will be responsible for managing vendor rebates, growth and chargeback programs, along with negotiating buy/get programs to defray purchasing costs. He will also be working on product master standardization, range rationalization and returns analysis projects. As Director of Vendor Relations, Gary will work closely with vendors to ensure sell-through on new products and that buy-ins are successful. Liz Meyers stated “Gary’s long-term industry relationships coupled with his product and operational knowledge make him a perfect fit for this position. We couldn’t be happier that he chose to join the Darby family.”