3DISC is presenting the Heron™ IOS solution at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2019 in Cologne, Germany.

“We wanted to exceed all expectations and have worked hard to further develop our scanner technology. We will show the latest upgrades and features, including an improved overall scanning experience,” says Thomas Weldingh, Deputy Group CEO of 3DISC.

Improved Performance and Scan Experience

The upgraded scanner delivers significant improvements in providing margin line detail and accuracy, as well as bilateral bite alignment to optimize accuracy of the bite when scanning full arches. In addition, the solution now includes more types of indications, such as an implant workflow where we scan with and without a scan body, as well as abutments.

The scanner can also determine if and where data is missing during a scan, guiding the dental professional visually to complete the scan, resulting in seamless data acquisition.

A new camera feature is available, capturing images as you are scanning, giving a clear thumbnail preview, with the option of deleting images you do not need, as well as reviewing the image captured in full-screen. Images are saved automatically in PNG, BMP, TIFF, JPEG.

The scanner is among the smallest and most lightweight color scanners on the market and is unsurpassed when it comes to ergonomics. Real-time scans help create a 3D image of the oral cavity, allowing it to be examined from any angle. It’s a truly flexible solution that integrates with most lab systems, optimizing the collaborative approach to dental treatment.

Worth the Investment

The latest Heron™ IOS comes with a free software upgrade program that automatically updates when new upgrades become available. The upgrades improve scanner performance parameters such as scanning speed, scan accuracy, color rendering and usability. It is a safe investment to make for any dental clinic, with assurance that the scanner will always be the latest generation of itself, even years from now.

The Heron™ IOS is a highly competitive solution when it comes to total cost of ownership. The initial investment is affordable and is a one-off payment. It essentially pays itself off with the savings made on impression materials.

IDS visitors have the chance to win a Heron™ IOS

3DISC is holding a raffle during IDS and the new Heron™ IOS is up for grabs. Here is a chance to give the upgraded scanner a try, simply by entering the raffle at our stand. The winner will be announced on our Facebook page on Saturday, March 16, 2019.

The Heron is designed and manufactured in the United States.

For more information, please visit www.3DISC.com 

Keystone Industries and Carbon, Inc., have collaborated to optimize Keystone’s patent-pending KeySplint Soft™ 3D printing resin for night guards and bite splints with Carbon’s ground-breaking Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS™) technology. The combined unique technologies allow for an efficient additive manufacturing workflow to produce durable yet flexible clear appliances.

Unlike any other 3D printing material, KeySplint Soft is anticipated to be the first FDA-510k cleared 3D printing resin for night guards and bite splints. KeySplint Soft combines the strength and toughness needed to protect teeth with added flexibility for improved patient comfort, all with a transparent and esthetic appearance. The printed splints are not brittle, but are abrasion and stain resistant, polishable, and easily cleaned by the patient. The formula has two years of guaranteed shelf life and long-term color stability.

Keystone has been a trusted dental manufacturer since 1908 and has developed an expertise over several decades in manufacturing photopolymer formulations. The KeyPrint® dental 3D printing solutions are manufactured in the USA and stocked in Keystone’s US and EU fulfilment centers. The company has partnered with Carbon to validate its state-of-the-art resins and increase its market presence.

Keystone’s KeySplint Soft resin leverages Carbon’s advanced printers and innovative DLS technology for high-resolution output to take the next evolutionary step in dental splint fabrication - a 3D-printed, flexible, clear protective dental appliance. Using its expertise in manufacturing both dental acrylics (like Diamond D® high-impact denture base) and night guards and splints (like the industry-leading Pro-Form® line of thermoplastics), Keystone Industries has seen splint fabrication evolve from tedious hand-crafting of cured acrylic splints to thermoforming laminate sheets over hand-poured stone models. With the digital dental revolution, 3D printing Keystone’s dental splint material using the Carbon Platform is designed to yield a high quality, accurate, and safe device at significantly reduced labor and material costs compared to other methods. With digital storage available, a lost or damaged splint can be replicated easily using a Carbon printer without any additional rework or patient visits.

“We’re excited to partner with Keystone and combine our innovative, cutting-edge technologies to exclusively offer the KeySplint Soft Clear material to Carbon’s global network of dental partners,” said Brian Ganey, General Manager of Carbon’s Dental Business. “We believe the SoftSplint Clear resin is a best-in-class material for night guards and bite splint applications.”

Carbon DLS technology uses light and oxygen to rapidly produce high-quality, end-use products from a pool of liquid resin. Carbon’s robust and reliable family of printers, coupled with its innovative software and broad portfolio of materials, delivers a complete and comprehensive digital manufacturing solution for all dental production needs. The Carbon Platform significantly improves efficiency and accuracy, reduces time from design to manufacture, and provides important features such as part traceability and serialization through next-gen software design tools. With Carbon, everything is digitally traceable, down to a unique ID that can automatically be engraved or embossed on any part. This capability is particularly valuable for highly regulated industries like dental, where the FDA will increasingly require part-specific data to ensure product performance and patient safety.

“Carbon has become an industry leader because of its exceptional technologies and customer service, driven by a team of dedicated and smart professionals committed to innovation,” said Ira Rosenau, President of Keystone’s dental group. “They have developed a loyal and satisfied dental customer base, and we at Keystone are very pleased to have optimized our unique KeySplint resin for Carbon’s Platform. We hope our teams will lead the way for efficient delivery of splint devices to patients who need relief from bruxing and TMJ disorders.”

Carbon and Keystone will be showcasing the full Carbon Platform and KeySplint Soft™ at the IDS show in Cologne, Germany from March 12-16, 2019. Please stop by booths Hall 10.2 – S058 (Keystone) and Hall 2 -A011 (Carbon) to learn more.

Podium, the leading interaction management platform for local businesses, has been named to Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2019.

The list honors the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today's volatile world. Half of the companies on this year's MIC 50 list are appearing for the first time.

"The economy has grown and evolved in a way that requires local businesses to modernize the way they interact," said Eric Rea, CEO of Podium. "This award is confirmation that Podium is providing real innovation to modernize these businesses that we work with everyday, and we're excited to share what else we have in store for 2019 in the coming months."

Founded in 2014 and now working with 30,000+ 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. As the leading interaction platform helping local businesses cross the offline-to-online chasm, one in seven U.S. cell phone owners have connected with a local business via its platform.

The award is the latest in a series of recognitions and milestones for Podium over the last year. In the fall, the company was named to Forbes' Next Billion-Dollar Startups List for 2018, a list of the 25 companies the media giant predicts have the best chance of reaching $1 billion valuation or more in the near future. Podium was also named to the Forbes 2018 Cloud 100. In addition, Podium ranked No. 9 on the 2018 Deloitte Technology Fast 500, as well as No. 13 on the Inc. 5000—both honors the company got with its three-year growth margin of over 13,000 percent. In August, Podium cut the ribbon on its new 125,000 square foot headquarters in Lehi to house the company's 430 existing employees, as well as the 375 more it plans to hire through the end of 2019.

This year, Fast Company's editors and writers sought out groundbreaking businesses across 35 industries and every region. They also judged nominations received through their application process.

The World's Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company's signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides both a snapshot and a road map for the future of innovation across the most dynamic sectors of the economy.

"Established players are showing the same kind of nimbleness that we've generally associated with startups," said Fast Company deputy editor David Lidsky, who oversaw the issue with senior editor Amy Farley.

Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies issue (March-April 2019) is now available online at https://www.fastcompany.com/MIC, as well as in app form via iTunes and on newsstands beginning February 27th. The hashtag is #fcmostinnovative.

About Podium

Podium is an interaction management platform that enables companies with a local presence to conveniently connect with their customers at critical touchpoints to help them strengthen their business. By conveniently facilitating millions of customer interactions, such as driving customer-generated online reviews and providing improved customer messaging tools, Podium serves more than 30,000 local businesses to create over 4 million interactions with their customers a month. 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.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for "Magazine Of The Year," Adweek's Hot List for "Hottest Business Publication," and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

exocad announced that the DentalCAD 2.3 Matera release with many new and optimized features, including the new Smile Creator add-on module, is now available. With this new release, the company introduces next-generation esthetic planning for users of its leading dental CAD software, offering real in-CAD smile design. Smile Creator enables easy-to-use, time-saving and predictable virtual planning of highly esthetic restorations by combining patient photos, outlines, and 3D situations. Simple 2D tools can be used to edit tooth shapes, while the 3D result is visualized in real time from different angles. The advantage is clear: highly predictable esthetic and functional results.

“Smile Creator enables users to plan and realistically visualize the final result even before they start treatment. This product sets the new benchmark for future communication between dental technicians, dentists and patients – particularly when it comes to designing esthetic anterior restorations,” said Tillmann Steinbrecher, CEO of exocad. “Even before starting treatment, patients can get a sure-shot impression of their new smile. Thanks to our innovative 2D/3D technology, the prosthetic feasibility can be assessed reliably as early as during the esthetic planning phase. This means that any adaptations desired by the patient can be implemented easily and quickly.”

Smile Creator is fully integrated into the DentalCAD software platform. “Users benefit from the intuitive operating concept of our tried-and-tested open exocad software platform, offering high performance and results they can fully rely on,” added Maik Gerth, CTO of exocad.Smile Creatoris now available as an add-on module for DentalCAD 2.3 Matera or as a stand-alone version.

Further highlights of the new Matera release include:

• FullDentureModule now supports different types of production processes, including two-step milling, printed denture bases and monolithic printed dentures (e.g. for try-ins)

• New exoprint tool for a seamless workflow with 3D printers. Designs and associated information can be passed directly from DentalCAD to 3D printing software, using an open XML-based interface

• Implant libraries are now delivered separately from the software which greatly reduces the download package size. End users with a valid upgrade contract can download up-to-date implant libraries via https://exocad.com/integration/dentalcad-library-integration

• Improved digital pen support (including dynamic pressure) based on Windows Ink. Dedicated presets are available for a variety of WACOM devices  

• Optimized support for 3D face scans, including 3D face modelling

• Increased flexibility: scene files can now be freely transferred between most OEM versions of exocad (including Amann Girrbach, Zfx, Schütz Dental, Vatech, etc.)

• Smarter implant libraries with more predefined design parameters and optimal integration with exoplan

• DentalCAD 2.3 Materacontains the “Immediate Load” feature as BETA which allows importing of implant planning data from exoplan e.g. to design a crown prior to implant placement

The new DentalCAD 2.3 Matera software version is available immediately worldwide and can be accessed by all users with an upgrade contract. exocad names its releases after European Capitals of Culture and the new DentalCAD 2.3 Matera release is named after Matera, the 2019 European Capital of Culture, also known as The City of Caves, located in Southern Italy’s Basilicata region.

Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center announced today that they have united decades of experience and expertise in infectious disease research and clinical care to create the new Tufts Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance (CIMAR) in order to more effectively address the rise and spread of dangerous superbugs. On March 18, Tufts CIMAR will host a symposium honoring Stuart B. Levy, M.D., a pioneer in fighting antibiotic misuse and resistance.

“As the rate of antimicrobial resistance continues to grow worldwide, drug-resistant microbes are increasingly affecting clinicians’ ability to care for patients,” said Helen Boucher, M.D., co-director of Tufts CIMAR, director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Tufts Medical Center and clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. “Globally, we’ve had more and more cases in which we have to tell patients that they can’t have chemotherapy for their cancer or are not eligible for a needed organ transplant or hip replacement, because we can’t control their infection. This is the biggest reason we need to act immediately and decisively.”

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human health; 700,000 deaths worldwide—including approximately 23,000 in the United States alone—are attributed to AMR every year. The death toll has the potential to reach 10 million annually by 2050 if substantial progress is not made in developing new classes of antimicrobial drugs and limiting unnecessary antimicrobial drug usage.

Fueled by microbiological, evolutionary, environmental and societal factors, antimicrobial resistance management and prevention requires a multidisciplinary response.

Tufts CIMAR will take a “One Health” approach—respecting the critical relationship between people, animals and the environment—in conducting research, formulating policy recommendations, and designing educational programs to combat multi-drug resistant infections. With its experts’ proficiency in research, patient care and health care policy, the center’s goal is to make a meaningful and enduring impact on the fight against AMR, locally, nationally and internationally.

The center has three founding priorities:

Investigate combination drug therapies that both treat infection and reduce the emergence of resistance in humans and animals. Some of this work will use the DiaMOND method, a framework to efficiently measure how multiple drugs act in combination, developed in the lab of Bree Aldridge, Ph.D., an assistant professor of molecular biology and microbiology and adjunct assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Tufts University;

Utilize tools from epidemiology, engineering and the social sciences to develop new methods for controlling and preventing the spread of AMR. This research will seek to inform the design and evaluation of antimicrobial stewardship strategies and shape policy development in the U.S. and abroad. Tufts Medical Center clinicians are already working with colleagues from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine on stewardship in companion animals and humans and other projects; and

Develop educational programs for high school, college, graduate and professional students in order to increase AMR awareness and cultivate a future generation capable of responding to the crisis. This work will leverage established curricula from Tufts University’s Center for Translational Science Education.

Researchers from the School of Medicine, Cummings School, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, School of Engineering, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Dental Medicine will work alongside colleagues at Tufts Medical Center, the principal teaching hospital of Tufts School of Medicine. Tufts CIMAR initially will be funded equally by the university and the Medical Center.

“We want to use Tufts CIMAR to get people talking to each other to see how our research interfaces,” said Ralph Isberg, Ph.D., co-director of Tufts CIMAR and professor of molecular biology and microbiology at the School of Medicine. “The goal then is to start collaborative projects that will allow us to make major contributions to attacking multi-drug resistant organisms.”

Tufts CIMAR initially evolved out of the university’s strategic plan for research and scholarship, an effort to identify priorities that build on the university’s core areas of work and seek opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration in order to create innovative solutions to pressing societal and global challenges.

“We wanted to identify projects that build on our existing strengths, enable collaboration and growth, and have the potential to develop innovative solutions,” said Anthony P. Monaco, M.D., Ph.D., president of Tufts University. “With Tufts CIMAR, our researchers can unite their expertise and passion to devise a multifaceted response to AMR.”

“Antibiotic resistant superbugs are a clear and present threat to the future of health care delivery,” said Michael Apkon, M.D., president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children. “We are honored and excited to help launch this critically important joint venture. We see it as our duty to exhaust every possible avenue in pursuit of long term solutions to this growing global crisis.”

The center builds on work done by School of Medicine professor emeritus Stuart B. Levy, M.D., a long-time researcher-physician and advocate on the dangers of antibiotic misuse and resistance. Levy’s work centered on the mechanisms and control of drug resistance, in both bacterial and mammalian cells, and provided the first evidence that low-dose antibiotics in animal feed led to the rise of resistant bacteria that could transfer from farm animals to humans. Levy, who was also a staff physician at Tufts Medical Center, retired as professor of molecular biology and microbiology in 2018 after 47 years at the school.

On March 18, Tufts CIMAR will host the Stuart Levy Tufts CIMAR Symposium, bringing together Tufts researchers working across the field of antimicrobial resistance including Dr. Levy and his siblings Jay Levy, M.D. and Ellen Koenig, M.D., both of whom conduct HIV research. The event will include a keynote by Dr. Lonnie J. King, professor and dean emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, and vice chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria.

Photo credit: Melody Ko/Tufts University

About Tufts University

Tufts University, located on campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville and Grafton, Massachusetts, and in Talloires, France, is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States. Tufts enjoys a global reputation for academic excellence and for the preparation of students as leaders in a wide range of professions. A growing number of innovative teaching and research initiatives span all Tufts campuses, and collaboration among the faculty and students in the undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across the university's schools is widely encouraged.

About Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children

Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. The Medical Center features a level one trauma center with rooftop helipad, the largest heart transplant center in New England and a renowned research program, ranking among the top 10 percent of independent hospitals to receive federal research funding. A physician network of 1,800 New England Quality Care Alliance doctors represents our strong commitment to health in the community. Tufts Medical Center is a founding member of Wellforce. For more information, visit www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org. 

Robert J. Genco, DDS, PhD, a pioneer in periodontal research and a leader in the broad recognition of the perio-systemic link, died on March 6, 2019, at the age of 80.

Dr. Genco earned his dental degree from The State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 1963. He went on to simultaneously pursue both specialized periodontal training and immunology at the University of Pennsylvania where he was mentored by periodontist D. Walter Cohen, DDS, and immunologist Fred Karush, PhD. Dr. Genco received his certificate in periodontics and doctorate in microbiology and immunology in 1967.

As a result of this unique educational background, Dr. Genco would go on to become an internationally recognized expert in oral biology. He was one of the first researchers to connect periodontal disease with other diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes), and his more than 370 scientific papers are regarded as some of the most important work establishing a link between periodontal health and systemic health.

Dr. Genco’s research earned him many awards, including the 1991 Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research and 2003 Norton M. Ross Award from the American Dental Association (ADA), and the 1993 Gold Medal Award and 2012 Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).

Dr. Genco was also a seasoned educator, serving as chairman of the University at Buffalo Oral Biology Department for 25 years and being named Distinguished Professor of Oral Biology, Microbiology, and Immunology in 1994.

Dr. Genco’s contributions to the specialty of periodontology have been significant. For more than 18 years, Dr. Genco served as editor-in-chief of the AAP’s Journal of Periodontology (JOP). In addition, he served on many AAP committees and supported several AAP initiatives, most notably its efforts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a mechanism to measure the prevalence of periodontal disease in the US adult population.

Current JOP Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Kornman, DDS, PhD, believes that Dr. Genco’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of periodontists. “There are few periodontists who have impacted dentistry like Bob Genco,” Dr. Kornman said. “His significant and numerous contributions to periodontal science have paved the way for even more groundbreaking research that may positively affect the overall health of millions.”

“The ADA and the entire profession of dentistry lost a giant in Bob Genco,” said ADA Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, DMD, MPH. “Bob had a tremendous impact on patient care and the dental research community, and he supported the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs through many years of contributions through his research. He was a man of integrity and a brilliant scholar, and he will be greatly missed.”

Panthera Dental is proud to reveal the participants of the Panthera Master Cup 2019. Here they are:

Kostaninos Iliopoulos, Greece

Sherri Rumpsa, United States

Haluk Tasdemir, Turkey

Renata Vano, Brazil

Amir Hossein Nejat, United States

David Martinez Lopez Corton, Spain

Yuichi Chimura, United States

Stevie Pasquier, France

Alexia Gausmann, Germany

Sebastien Teffanie, France

"We have received a lot of great applications this year, but I think these 10 participants will impress you. They all have a lot of talent."

-Beatrice Robichaud, Panthera Dental Co-founder

If you want more information about the Panthera Master Cup, please contact us or visit: www.pantheradental.com/mastercup

About the Panthera Master Cup

The Panthera Master Cup is a contest open to any dental technician, dentist or denturist who wants to compete with the best. Knowledge and skills are evaluated on a full upper and lower case involving implant bars. Each contestant must include documentation with their final submission. A Jury composed of a group of experts in the field uses a predetermined criteria list to evaluate all cases and select the first three winners.

Pacific Dental Services (PDS®), a dental support organization that provides business and administrative services for dental offices, will join the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) during the 42nd annual Dental Assistants Recognition Week in celebration of the hard working Dental Assistants (DAs) who greatly contribute to the quality of dentistry provided to patients. This year’s recognition takes place March 3-9 with the theme "Today's Dental Assistant — Polished, Poised and Professional," chosen by the ADAA to acknowledge the growing importance of dentistry's role in health care and the responsibilities of dental assistants. “Dental assistants are the backbone of supporting dentists with patient outcomes,” shares Rosalinda Olague, Dental Board of California appointee and Senior Specialist of Dental Assistant National Strategy and School Relations at PDS. “They take quality x-rays and intra-oral photos, handle charting and chairside assisting, educate patients, and support dentists in delivering quality oral health care.”

DAs are responsible for a significant portion of the patient experience in dental offices. “Dental assistants’ people skills are crucial when serving patients,” Olague explains. “A dental assistant’s connection with a patient goes beyond having clinical knowledge to support the patient’s questions and concerns with treatment. Their compassion for their patient’s needs directly affects the patient’s decision to accept treatment.” This patient connection is essential to a dental practice’s success. In a national survey conducted by The DALE Foundation®, an affiliate of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc., of nearly 3,000 dentists, hygienists, and dental office managers, more than 97% agreed that DAs make great contributions to practice productivity, efficiency, team synergy, and patient retention.

As the celebrations in honor of Dentals Assistants Recognition Week kick off in over 700 PDS-supported practices across the United States, Stephen E. Thorne, IV, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at PDS, shares words of gratitude, “ To the dental assistants who make a difference every day, our team members and patients appreciate your dedication to providing the best dentistry possible. Thank you for the extraordinary work you do to create Healthier, Happier Patients®.”

About Pacific Dental Services®

Founded in 1994, Pacific Dental Services (PDS) is one of the country’s leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that enables dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective comprehensive patient care. PDS originated the Private Practice+® model to enable dentists to focus on their passion: serving patients. PDS also pioneered the concept of Modern Dentistry so that dentists are equipped to combine advances in the latest technology with the best operational practices and procedures, highly skilled support staff and a commitment to ongoing training and education. PDS continues to grow, with more than 700 supported dental offices across the United States and plans to expand into several new markets. PDS has been on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America 13 times. PDS supported dentists aim to be the provider of choice in all the markets they serve and to develop Patients for Life™. 

In accordance with the goals of the International Women’s Day under this year´s campaign theme #BalanceforBetter, Dentsply Sirona´s global empowerment program is an essential driver of promoting the interests of women within the dental industry. Worldwide, hundreds of women have already participated and benefited from these activities. “We want to empower all women in dentistry with the most engaging clinical education and comprehensive dental solutions. And we want to do all we can to support and empower women– professionally and personally,” says Terri Dolan, Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “We offer several outstanding and diverse programs that are tailored to the needs of women dentists, hygienists, and technicians around the world.” 

Programs that Dentsply Sirona sponsor for the advancement of women include: 

The Woman Workshop: Beauty in Everything 

The first Woman Workshop for female dental technicians took place on November 22, 2018, in Berlin. This program focused on dental and technical analysis for perfect esthetic results. In addition, the workshop included basic knowledge about personality development for women on the job as dental technicians and how to improve their communication skills as they interact with dentists. 

Women in Dental Technology (WIDT) Breakfast at the Chicago Midwinter Meetings 

The annual Women in Dental Technology (WIDT) Breakfast has become a sought-after event for female dental industry leaders attending the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting. The event took place on February 21, 2019, in Chicago for the seventh time, with Dentsply Sirona serving as one of the exclusive sponsors. With more than 80 participants, the event aims to raise industry leaders’ awareness of women in dentistry, as well as highlight their roles as speakers at conferences and other industry events. Furthermore, it provided an excellent opportunity for colleagues to network, exchange experiences, and forge business connections. "It's about women supporting women. I truly believe this is what women at Dentsply Sirona are doing for each other," explained Tiffany Readinger, Senior Business Development Manager at Dentsply Sirona. 

Dentsply Sirona Smart Integration Award 

The Smart Integration Award aims to honor women in dentistry who are interested in an optimum workflow at their treatment centers as well as digitization and the integration of new technologies. Through March 15, 2019, applicants can submit for the Smart Integration Award by sharing their ideas relating to the convenient, efficient design of work processes, describing treatments or diagnoses that have truly impressed their patients, and outlining what they consider to be the most efficient treatment process in future practices. Winners can take part in Dentsply Sirona’s Expert Development Program 2019, which consists of training sessions, workshops, and seminars on numerous specialist subjects related to treatment centers. 

EPIC Women’s Dental Meeting 

EPIC stands for Educate, Practice, Innovate, and Connect, and describes the goals of this program for female dentists. In 2019, the event is planned for the third time already, from July 26-27, in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is an exclusive program for female dentists and CEREC® owners combining clinical breakout sessions and organizational and product insights, as well as networking opportunities. 

WIN – Women Inspired Network 

The Dentsply Sirona Women Inspired Network (WIN) was founded in 2016 and focuses on accelerating career growth for female talent across the organization. The Network looks at ways to enhance engagement and effectiveness for our female leaders and nurtures and supports the development of their skills in areas where women typically face career barriers. Over the course of their 12-month learning journey, participants continue to develop a set of tools through virtual learning that they can utilize as they lead themselves and their teams. To date, a total of more than 100 women across 16 countries are part of WIN and the Network continues to grow. 

Benco Dental, the largest privately-owned dental distributor in the United States, today announced a distribution agreement with Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN), for Align’s family of iTero Element intraoral scanners. This agreement expands Benco’s offerings to the general dentist community with iTero® scanner’s proven digital technology including exclusive visualization software with the Invisalign Outcome Simulator. The iTero Element scanner enables dentists and their patients to visualize changes in dentition, and enables dentists to perform restorative and orthodontic workflows that enhance patient care. To date, over 10 million scans have been submitted with the iTero Element family of intraoral scanning technology.

“We believe that comprehensive dental care starts with an iTero digital scan of every patient,” said Rob Walker, Align Technology, general manager for iTero North America. “In the hands of dental professionals, the iTero Element scanner can help dentists perform a wide range of restorative and orthodontic procedures with greater precision and visualization capabilities that help them deliver better treatment experience to their patients and expand their practice. Our agreement with Benco provides a greater number of dentists with access to our smile changing technology that puts more dentists on a path to streamlined digital workflows.”

"The iTero Element scanner is an exciting addition to our portfolio of open-architecture, OneVisit™ chairside CAD/CAM products," said Terry Barrett, Benco Dental, chief marketing officer. "Align Technology has long been a leader in this sector and shares our commitment to continually advancing the science of dentistry."

The iTero Element, iTero Element 2 and iTero Element Flex™ intraoral scanners all have high precision, full-color imaging and fast scan times. The next-generation iTero Element 2 is designed for greater performance with 2X faster start-up and 25 percent faster scan processing time compared to the iTero Element. The iTero Element Flex is a wand-only device that transforms compatible laptop computers into a highly portable scanner that works anywhere - it's ideal for practices with multiple locations who need a scanner that is convenient and easy to transport.

The iTero Element scanners will be available to dental customers through Benco Dental in the U.S. beginning April 1. The distribution agreement with Benco is a non-exclusive arrangement. Additional details of the agreement are confidential.

About Align Technology, Inc.

Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® system, the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, and iTero® intraoral scanners and services. Align’s products help dental professionals achieve the clinical results they expect and 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 Benco Dental

Benco Dental, headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is the largest family-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.” Benco, which has been named one of Fortune Best Workplaces in Health Care and Biopharma for the past three years, one of the NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women 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.

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In the United States, these statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks detailed in our public filings with the SEC. Except as required by applicable law, Align undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.