Seeing is believing: imaging and visualization capabilities of the iTero Element 5D Imaging System are designed to enable better patient engagement and lead to increased patient acceptance of recommended dental treatment

     • First intraoral scanner with near-infrared imaging (NIRI) technology that scans the internal structure of a tooth (enamel and dentin) in real time¹.

     • First integrated dental imaging system that records 3D, intra-oral color and NIRI with a single scan, and enables comparison over time using iTero® TimeLapse¹.

     • NIRI technology of the iTero Element® 5D system aids in detection and monitoring of interproximal caries lesions above the gingiva without using harmful radiation¹.

Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the award winning iTero Element 5D Imaging System for commercial availability in the United States. The iTero Element 5D Imaging System expands the suite of existing high-precision, full-color imaging and fast scan times of the iTero Element intraoral scanner portfolio with a new clinical approach, optimized orthodontic and restorative dental workflows, and an improved doctor experience. In addition, iTero Element 5D Imaging System visualization tools improve patient engagement and communication by helping patients see and better understand their current dental health, their treatment plan options, and prescribed outcome on the iTero touchscreen, enabling better patient education, engagement, and compliance during treatment.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Yuval Shaked, Align Technology senior vice president and managing director, iTero scanner and services business said, “The iTero Element 5D Imaging System seamlessly combines three key scanning technologies (3D data, intra-oral color photos and NIRI images) into one, integrated scan, and we are excited to bring this advancement in intraoral scanner technology to the U.S. market to help doctors provide better oral care for their patients. At the same time, we are mindful of the current environment and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having across the world, and are focused solely on customer education regarding this new technology while so many dental practices in the U.S. are operating on a limited schedule.”

iTero Element 5D Imaging System: better clinical care

The iTero Element 5D scanner is the first integrated dental imaging system that simultaneously records 3D, intra-oral color and NIRI images and enables comparison over time using iTero TimeLapse1. Integrated 3D, intra-oral color and NIRI technology of the iTero Element 5D Imaging System aids doctors in detecting and monitoring the progression of interproximal caries (cavities or tooth decay) above the gingiva without using harmful radiation¹, thereby helping to ensure that their patients receive even better care with visualization, education, and treatment acceptance.

The diagnosis of carious lesions or “caries,” especially interproximal lesions or those between teeth, can be hampered by several factors, including variations in the shape and alignment of teeth, traditional limitations of X-ray examinations that include variability in exposure level, bad angulations in the captured image, or overlapping contacts in the image, among other factors. With the iTero Element 5D Imaging System, doctors can scan patients at each visit to view a patient’s progress over time and together view treatment options that result in clearer decisions for better clinical care.

A survey of doctors outside of the U.S. who had used the iTero Element 5D Imaging System for at least six months reported increases in interproximal caries detection, patient acceptance of treatment recommendations, and practice revenue.

More than just a scanner

With one full arch scan, completed in as little as 60 seconds², the iTero Element 5D Imaging System provides doctors with powerful visualization capabilities, including:

     • NIRI (near infrared image)

     • Intraoral camera

     • 3D impressions for restorative and orthodontic work

     • Analysis instruments, such as the Occlusogram occlusal clearance tool

     • iTero TimeLapse technology

     • Invisalign® Outcome Simulator and Progress Assessment

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has recently issued two patents that cover the advanced features in iTero Element 5D Imaging System: patent no. 10,390,913, entitled “Diagnostic Intraoral Scanning” and patent no. 10,507,087, entitled “Methods and Apparatuses for Forming a Three-Dimensional Volumetric Model of a Subject’s Teeth.” Additional patents covering other innovations in the iTero Element 5D Imaging System are pending.

The iTero Element 5D Imaging System will be commercially available in the United States in the second quarter of 2020 and is currently available in Canada, Latin America, European Union (EU) countries and EU EFTA countries, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

¹Data on file at Align Technology, as of December 4, 2018.

2Data on file at Align Technology, as of February 10, 2017.

Information about the iTero Element 5D Imaging System can be found at https://www.itero.com/en/products/itero_element_5d.

For a complete list of U.S. patents covering the iTero family of scanners see www.aligntech.com/patents.

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.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the capabilities and performance of Align’s products, the timing of their availability including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and estimates and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including, but not limited to the risk factors under the heading “Risk Factors” in the company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Statements using words such as “estimates,” “projects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “targeted” and similar words and expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Align undertakes no obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Zest Dental Solutions, the only manufacturer of the Zest LOCATOR® Family of Attachment Systems, provider of clinician trusted dental materials and small equipment, enters the digital workflow with the launch of abutment level Scan Bodies for LOCATOR®.

The Scan Body for the Zest LOCATOR Attachment System was designed to automatically create the exact dimension and undercut required to retain the LOCATOR denture attachment housing within a 3D printed or milled prosthesis. The precise location of the LOCATOR and implant are captured through the scan, either intraorally or in a lab setting, for easy case planning and design. The overdenture is then 3D Printed or milled with the recess for the LOCATOR housing, allowing for easy, and quicker pick-up.

“At Zest, we are always striving to deliver products and solutions that help clinicians practice smarter and provide better dentistry resulting in happy patients,” says Tom Stratton, CEO Zest Dental Solutions. “By bringing LOCATOR into the digital workflow, clinicians can save time while improving the accuracy and consistency of their overdenture cases.”

The LOCATOR Scan Bodies are made of a durable PEEK material which can be sterilized and reused. They are available for all LOCATOR Attachments Systems, including LOCATOR Root, LOCATOR abutments and LOCATOR abutments for LOCATOR Implants.

To learn more or to purchase Scan Bodies for the LOCATOR Attachment System visit https://www.zestdent.com or call 800-262-2310.

About Zest Dental Solutions

Zest Dental Solutions is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of diversified dental solutions for a continuum of patient care from the preservation of natural teeth to the treatment of total edentulism. The company's product offering consists of a range of solutions including the LOCATOR® Family of Attachment Systems, LOCATOR Implant Systems, Consumables and Dental Equipment, with global distribution through Implant Companies, dealer/distributor networks, as well as a domestic retail sales operation. Zest Dental Solutions is headquartered in Carlsbad, California with operations in Anaheim and Escondido, California. Zest Dental Solutions is a portfolio company of BC Partners, a leading private equity firm. For more information, please visit www.zestdent.com

Clark M. Stanford, DDS, PhD, MHA, prosthodontist and distinguished professor and dean, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, has been elected as the Academy of Osseointegration’s (AO) 34th president.

Dr. Stanford succeeds Jay P. Malmquist, DMD, from Portland, OR at the helm of the Academy.

Approval of the Academy’s 2020/21 slate of officers as submitted and approved by the AO Board of Directors was scheduled to occur at the Academy’s Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, March 21, 2020 in Seattle, WA. As a result of the cancellation of the Academy’s 35th Annual Meeting, the slate was instead presented for, and received, membership approval via electronic voting. This was conducted under Article V. Meeting of Members, Section 5 of the Academy’s bylaws.

A director on the board since 2010, one of Dr. Stanford's most significant contributions has been serving as chair of the Academy’s summits in 2014 and 2018.  During his time as a member since 1994, Dr. Stanford has also served as chair of the 2011 Mini Summit and White Paper task forces, and 2011 Sponsorship of Symposia, as well as a member of the Website Education, 2014 Mini-summit Planning, Finance and Audit, and AO/OF Research Grant committees.

A new at-large director and treasurer were among those elected to the Academy’s board of directors. Those included Lambert J. Stumpel, DDS, a general practitioner maintaining a private practice in San Francisco, CA as at-large director, and Joerg Neugebauer, DDS, PhD, an oral surgeon from Landsberg am Lech, Germany as treasurer, who has served as a director on the board since 2016. The full new slate of officers elected includes:

Officers

     • President: Clark M. Stanford, DDS, PhD, MHA; AO Fellow, prosthodontist and distinguished professor and dean, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL;

     • President-elect: Tara L. Aghaloo, DDS, MD, PhD; AO Fellow, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, UCLA Medical Center from Los Angeles, CA;

     • Vice President: Amerian D. Sones, DMD, MS; AO Fellow, prosthodontist, and executive director, Continuing Education Texas A&M University, College of Dentistry in Dallas, TX;

     • Secretary: Hom-Lay Wang, DDS, MSD, PhD; AO Fellow, periodontist and endowed collegiate professor of periodontology at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, MI;

     • Treasurer: Joerg Neugebauer, DDS, PhD; AO Fellow, oral surgeon from Landsberg am Lech, Germany;

     • Immediate Past President: Jay P. Malmquist, DMD; AO Fellow, oral and maxillofacial surgeon from Portland, OR.

Directors

     • Joseph P. Fiorellini, DMD, DMSc; AO Fellow, periodontist and professor of periodontics, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia, PA;

     • Jeffrey Ganeles, DMD; AO Fellow and periodontist from Boca Raton, FL;

     • Joseph Y. K. Kan, DDS, MS; Prosthodontist and professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry Implant Dentistry Program at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA;

     • Robert R. Lemke, DDS, MD; Oral and maxillofacial surgeon from San Antonio, TX;

     • Lambert J. Stumpel, DDS; General practitioner from San Francisco, CA;

     • Robert C. Vogel, DDS; General practitioner from Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

About Academy of Osseointegration

With approximately 4,500 members in more than 70 countries, AO is recognized as the premier international association for scientists and professionals interested in osseointegration and implant dentistry. AO serves as a nexus where specialists, generalists and scientists can come together to evaluate emerging research, technology, and techniques; share best practices; and define optimal patient care using timely science and evidence-based methods. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AcademyOsseo; @AcademyofOsseointegration on Linkedin; and subscribe to us on YouTube.

New Indication for Epic Hygiene Laser Provides Highly Effective, Noninvasive Reduction of Bacterial Level and Inflammation

BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, is pleased to announce the Epic Hygiene™ laser received regulatory clearance for Laser Bacterial Reduction (LBR) therapy indication from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This new indication now allows for the early management of periodontal disease utilizing laser light energy to reduce bacteria and thus decreasing inflammation and enhancing periodontal health.

The Epic Hygiene laser, designed specifically for dental hygienists by dental hygienists, has continued to arm the hygienist community with more access to the advantages of laser technology since it was first introduced in December 2019. The new indication allows hygienists to perform gentler, highly effective treatments for bacterial reduction and managing periodontal disease.

"We are extremely pleased that this new indication has been cleared by the FDA for the Epic Hygiene Laser," said BIOLASE CEO, Todd Norbe. "With this clearance, we can further expand the types of procedures hygienists can perform, directly aligning with our mission of advancing dentistry across all fields. We also believe this new indication will directly benefit patients by providing a virtually-pain free and faster treatment option."

In addition to the reduction of bacterial level and inflammation, the Epic Hygiene laser has also received clearance for the removal of highly inflamed edematous tissue affected by bacteria penetration of the pocket lining and junctional epithelium.

To learn more about the Epic Hygiene laser, visit go.biolase.com/EpicHygiene or call 855-292-5690.

About BIOLASE, Inc.

BIOLASE, Inc. is a medical device company that is a global market leader in the manufacturing and marketing of proprietary dental laser systems that enable dentists and dental specialists to perform a broad range of minimally invasive dental procedures, including cosmetic, restorative, and surgical applications. BIOLASE's laser systems are designed to provide clinically superior, patient-friendly results for many types of common dental procedures compared to those achieved with traditional instruments. BIOLASE has sold over 41,000 laser systems to date in over 80 countries around the world.

For updates and information on Epic Hygiene and laser dentistry, find BIOLASE online at www.biolase.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/biolase, Twitter at www.twitter.com/biolaseinc, LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/biolase, Instagram at www.instagram.com/waterlase_laserdentistry, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/biolasevideos.

Amann Girrbach has announced a change in its North American Management Team to support the company’s growth strategy. Dave Hancin, former Vice President of Dentsply in Canada and Midwest in Chicago, will take over the role as President for Amann Girrbach North America. Dave assumes his new role, effective immediately.

"I am very pleased to have Dave join our team, and I am convinced that he will take Amann Girrbach North America to the next level of growth in the business of digital dental prosthetics," said Thomas Scherer, CCO (Chief Commercial Officer) of Amann Girrbach AG.

Company to Provide Education Oral Health Professionals Can Rely On To Ensure Business Continuity During COVID-19 Crisis

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today announced a new webinar series to help oral health professionals maintain operational success during the coronavirus outbreak. The free webinar series, entitled “COVID-19 and Dentistry,” will kick off on Monday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m. and will feature Dr. David Reznik, Director of the Oral Health Center of Grady Health System’s Infectious Disease Program, and Gary Severance, DDS, Henry Schein Dental.

To register for the event or to access on-demand, practitioners can visit, https://pages.henryscheindigital.com/COVID19-webinar.

During the webinar, presenters will address the origins of COVID-19 and modes of transmission of COVID-19 in the dental setting; provide clinicians with updated information on implementing infection prevention and control measures; and assess risks for exposure and how to optimize the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in dental settings to prevent transmission and provide a safe environment for patients and the dental team.

“As a trusted advisor to our customers, Henry Schein is committed to providing the educational resources and business acumen dental professionals can rely on to maintain a successful practice, especially during times of crisis and uncertainty,” said Jonathan Koch, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Dental Group, Henry Schein. “COVID-19 has created many challenges for our customers, and it is our job to help navigate the public health issues that continue to unfold. This webinar is just one example of the ongoing efforts our company is making to provide relevant and timely education that our customers can quickly implement into their practice and share among their team and patients.”

For ongoing information about what Henry Schein is doing to address this unprecedented situation and the actions the Company is taking to get more product into the hands of those who need it most – health care professionals – please visit: www.henryschein.com/COVID19update.

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 19,000  Team Schein Members  worldwide, the Company's network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based  dental  and  medical  practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support  dental laboratories,  government and institutional healthcare clinics,  as well as other alternate care sites. 

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. 

A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® index, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 31 countries. The Company's sales from continuing operations reached  $10.0 billion in 2019, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 13 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. 

"Based on continuing developments by California, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois and New York, and soon to be more state Governors and in some case local county/city ordinances, NADL is receiving questions on how businesses are defined as it relates to essential or non-essential.

"In most of the state Governor executive orders executed thus far, dental offices are mentioned within the essential category, further, most orders use the wording that essential businesses includes but is not limited to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, dental offices….key words are includes but is not limited to;

"It is NADL’s belief that in most cases depending on the specific wording in your state, county or city, dental laboratories likely fall into the essential business category (that is if you make the business decision to actually stay open).

"This assessment is based on several arguments:

"1. Dental laboratories according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts are defined as a "health care provider."

"2. Under the North American Industry Classification Code, NAICS Code 339116: dental laboratories are defined as establishments that are primarily engaged in manufacturing dentures, crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances customized for individual application. The parent NAICS code where dental laboratories is NAICS 33911 which is listed under - Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing

"3. In those states where dental laboratories are required to register in order to operate, they pay registration and or license fees to either state Boards of Dentistry and/or state Departments of Health.

"Lastly, if dental offices are allowed to stay open even if it’s just to perform emergency or urgent care, there are specific procedures that have been listed as allowable, that would require the services of a dental laboratory to assist in completion of such work, in order for the dentist to treat the patient.

"This is not meant to construe a legal opinion, as each city, county, state may have different and or more specific wording in the essential business definitions. However, absent dental laboratories not being specifically named as non-essential in city, county, state orders, these factors should provide positive footing if you choose to keep your dental laboratory operational in some capacity."

"The unprecedented circumstances presented by the coronavirus, the increasing health and safety concerns as well as travel restrictions in place have made it impossible for us to hold a global event like the Nobel Biocare Global Symposium at this time,” the company says in a statement. "We believe this decision is in the best interest of the health, safety, and well-being of our customers, employees, and business partners."

Nobel Biocare says it will communicate a specific 2021 date and location for the symposium as soon as available.

Anyone who has already registered will have that registration automatically transferred to count for the 2021 event. If anyone wishes to cancel their participation, Nobel Biocare has relaxed its original cancellation policy and will refund registration fees in full. Questions can be referred to local customer service teams or symposium.lasvegas@nobelbiocare.com.

"At Nobel Biocare we are committed to helping you advance at every level and education is an essential tool to achieve this goal,” the company’s statement says. "On April 16 to 18, we will host a series of virtual educational sessions and make them available to all that had registered to the Nobel Biocare Global Symposium. Access to these virtual educational sessions will be communicated soon.

"We would like to thank you in advance for your understanding of the current circumstances, and we ask for your patience as we work diligently to address questions and provide additional information to our participants and guests."