OF Student Travel Grant opportunity available for 4th year

Calling all researchers: the Academy of Osseointegration’s call for abstracts is now open!

Student and professional researchers are invited to submit their original research and clinical cases in the field of implant dentistry for presentation at the Academy’s 2021 Annual Meeting, to be held March 10 - 13, 2021 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Abstracts are being accepted for Clinical Innovations, Oral Research (Scientific and Clinical), and e-posters (Scientific, Clinical and Case Studies).

Abstracts must be submitted by Friday, October 2 at 11:59 pm (CT) via the electronic abstract submission site: https://osseo2021.abstractcentral.com. There are no submission fees and no limit to the number of abstracts you can submit.

The Academy’s Research Submissions and E-poster committees will review submitted abstracts for quality and appropriateness of content and presentation. Eight oral clinical, eight oral scientific and 20 clinical innovation abstracts will be selected for presentation at the Annual Meeting. An unlimited number of e-poster abstracts will be accepted. During the Annual Business Meeting on March 21, 2021, awards and plaques will be presented for the best oral presentations and e-posters.

The Osseointegration Foundation (OF), the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Osseointegration, is proud to continue the OF Student Travel Grant Program. $1,000 grants will be awarded to the top 20 scoring Oral Research and e-poster student submitted abstracts of those who apply.

For students interested in OF Travel Grants, more information is available at: https://osseo.org/student-travel-grant-program/. Only authors indicating their interest via the abstract submission site will be considered for a Student Travel Grant.

The grant is to be allocated toward travel expenses related to attending the 2021 Annual Meeting to assist in paying travel expenses including airfare, hotel and ground transportation. This award is open to both AO student members and student non-members who submit an abstract for the 2021 meeting and are currently enrolled in a dental school program. Since instituting this program, the OF has provided 70 students the opportunity to present their research at the Academy’s Annual Meeting.

Members of the AO Research Submissions and E-Poster Committee will review and score the submitted abstracts to determine the best student presentations based on the quality of the research and relevance to the field of osseointegration. The grants will be distributed to the recipients at the 2021 Annual Meeting. All recipients must be present at the meeting to receive their grant.

All authors will be notified of their abstract's acceptance via e-mail by late October, 2020. For any additional questions about the 2021 call for abstracts, please contact Kim Scroggs, AO Director of Education at kimscroggs@osseo.org or 847-725-2288.

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.

About Osseointegration Foundation

Incorporated in 1987 as the philanthropic arm of AO, Osseointegration Foundation (OF) fosters the highest standards of research and education of practitioners, who in turn, use this research and education to enrich their patients’ lives and enhance their students’ knowledge and skills. Support of the Osseointegration Foundation is essential for the continuation of existing research grant programs and to enable new programs to be launched.

Shofu Dental Corporation is proud to announce the 20th anniversary of its first restorative product containing proprietary bioactive GIOMER Technology. This groundbreaking technology features a specially engineered filler particle that allows Shofu’s restorative products to have clinically proven, long-term bioactive, and therapeutic properties. These healthful properties are unavailable in other restorative materials, including anti-bacterial/anti-plaque effect, acid neutralization, fluoride release and recharge, and more. An independent eight-year clinical research study displayed a 100% retention rate, intact aesthetics, no secondary caries, no failures, and no post-operative sensitivity.

Shofu’s President, Randy Bailey, commented about this milestone by saying, “After two decades, we are pleased to see the increased acceptance from the Dental community of bioactive and therapeutic restorative materials to support the oral and systemic health of patients. We anticipate this trend will continue.”

Bioactive GIOMER Technology is available in a complete line of Beautifil products; universal composite (Beautifil II and Beautifil II LS), flowable composite (Beautifil Flow Plus, Beautifil Flow Plus X, and Fit SA), resin cement (BeautiCem), and sealant (BeautiSealant).

More information on bioactive Giomer Technology and Beautifil products can be found on Shofu’s website at www.shofu.com.

About Shofu Dental Corporation

Shofu has been known for its excellence in abrasive and restorative dentistry. The company’s expertise in abrasive technologies and restorative materials combined with a continuous strive for excellence has led it to the development of a score of high-performance products. Five-time winner of the Cellerant’s Technology Award, the EyeSpecial digital dental camera, makes clinical photography predictable, consistent, and easy for the entire dental team. Bioactive Giomer Technology, a proprietary component of Shofu’s materials, combines the clinical benefits of bioactivity with superior physical, mechanical, and aesthetic properties. This unique technology has been rigorously vetted in 13- and 8-year clinical research studies, which recorded intact aesthetics, no secondary caries, no failures, and no post-operative sensitivity. Shofu’s expertise in dentistry translates into delivering life-transforming products that help dental professionals increase their patients’ satisfaction and, ultimately, improve the growth and profitability in their practices.

KaVo Kerr expands vital resources, support services, and significant savings to help doctors ease the transition and get back to practicing exceptional patient care.

As practices across the nation prepare to reopen and begin serving patients again, KaVo Kerr remains committed to supporting the dental community during this time of transition. As part of this commitment, the company is launching its Restart Together program that encompasses a convenient online resource center, strategies and tools for success, and exclusive savings on select Kerr products.

“Unprecedented times call for extraordinary measures,” explains Jim McGillivary, SVP and President at Kerr Consumables and Infection Prevention. “Our company has always enabled healthy, beautiful smiles. Now more than ever, we’re focused on helping doctors and practices continue to bring smiles to their patients while improving their health and lives. That is why we are thrilled to announce our new Restart Together program.”

KaVo Kerr’s Restart Together program includes the new “Recenter. Refocus. Restart Together” online resource center that provides a centralized repository of tools to help doctors reopen safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Found at www.kerrdental.com/restart, the resource center includes a host of offers and information, including:

• Additional savings up to 20% on select Kerr products purchased between June 1 and July 31, 2020.

• 30-day free trial of OperaDDS Teledentistry services — including teledentistry platform, COVID-19 pre-screen and paperless forms, and more — for Kavo Kerr customers.

• The Infection Prevention Preparedness Certification Program for dental offices

• Curated products that help reduce the risk of cross-contamination, reduce chair timing, and support aerosol as well as ambient sanitation.

• No-cost extended three-month warranties on select endodontic small equipment.

• Reopening game-plan strategies shared by Dr. Matthew Miller, Dr. Brian Harris, Dr. Brett Gilbert, Dr. John Molinari, and other experts.

“We know the dental community is eager to get back to treating patients,” adds Jim. “We also know that doctors are concerned with patient and clinician safety, as well as the challenge of meeting stringent new requirements. We’re here to support doctors, clinicians, and practices in any way we can — just as we’ve always done. Our Restart Together program is only the beginning.”

As part of its Restart Together program, Kerr is collaborating with authorized dealer partners to provide instant savings on popular Kerr restorative, endodontic, rotary, and total care products. This is the first time the company has offered these types of savings, which provide up to 20% additional discounts to customers on popular Kerr products.

“After several months of closure, we understand that practices are concerned not only about their patient’s health but also about cash flow,” says Steve Higgins, VP of Sales. “These added savings are designed to help doctors reopen while conserving critical financial resources.”

To learn more about the Restart Program and resource center, visit www.kerrdental.com/restart.

To learn more about savings on select Kerr products, visit go.kerrdental.com/restart-savings.

Zahn Dental announced today the new distribution agreement with SafeLink Consulting, a consulting organization with services designed to be customized for dental labs of all sizes on relevant industry-specific topics backed by excellent service and support.

Zahn Dental will distribute SafeLink’s portfolio of services to help assist customers reopen safely and follow proper policies and procedures to ensure staff safety and compliance. “Our relationship with SafeLink Consulting is one that we hope will bring greater awareness and resources to the necessary safety precautions that dental labs should practice, ensuring proper safety. The new relationship reinforces our commitment to helping dental laboratories so they can continue to focus on delivering quality restorations and improving patient care.” said Rita Acquafredda, President - Global Laboratory Business, Henry Schein.

SafeLink’s team of office staff and consultants are personally committed to bringing the best solution to each client. SafeLink’s consultants have an extensive background and experience in understanding and working through governmental regulations and their highly trained teams work together to foster a solid relationship and a true understanding of each dental lab’s operations to ensure maximum responsiveness. “SafeLink Consulting’s goal is to provide the highest quality services and products through innovative and cost-effective business solutions that give our clients peace of mind,” said Mary A. Bartlett, President.

For more information about SafeLink Consulting, contact your Zahn Consultant at 800-496-9500, email zahn@henryschein.com, or go to zahndental.com/safelink.

Sterngold Dental rallies behind #ReadyNow, a hashtag that sums up its proactive plan to help clinical practices and dental laboratories on their road to a faster restart.

Dental practices all across the United States have recently just started reopening after shuttering their doors following nationwide, mandated COVID-19 closure. Albeit necessary, this edict, as well as new protocols in place for the reopening, have led to clinical practices and dental laboratories being hard pressed, with some unable to resume gainful operations.

“The most important help that can be extended today is immediate support and practical solutions,” shares Gordon Craig, Sterngold’s CEO. “Sterngold looked within its current set of capabilities. We asked ourselves what we have now that can address the challenges of this crisis. What we came up with is a range of different ways to assist with immediacy, easy access, and urgency so that the dental practice and lab can avail of them, now, when they are needed the most.”

The power of #ReadyNow is in providing dental practices and laboratories with the capability to either augment their current treatment or service set or provide an alternative to those costly services that are just not affordable to patients and clinicians right now. These are ultimately attained with Sterngold’s quality and affordably accessible products. Sterngold meets the practitioner and lab at their level of readiness as well—whether they just need to restock their supplies immediately, find less expensive alternatives, access technical support via phone assistance or educational videos, or plan a new income strategy with skill development or reinforcement, the answers to these are all available today from Sterngold. #ReadyNow is all about touch-points and ideas, which can be found here: www.sterngold.com/readynow

Asked as to the motivation behind the campaign, Gordon shares: “We are also on a restart. We’ve taken a hit like everyone else with the industry closures, so we know how it is and now look at others in our re-strategizing, too. Our customers’ success being our success cannot be truer than today.”

Currently, Sterngold is proactively offering 30-minute virtual appointments to extend information on this support. Understanding the hectic schedule of practices and labs today, Sterngold decided on this time frame and works around the availability and convenience of the customer. “We carefully carved out 30-minute blocks as we are conscious of the customer’s time. Truthfully, with the new challenges presented by restarting, this is a short time investment to have someone listen and then provide immediate, effective solutions to ramp up faster than going it alone,” adds Patrick Hayden, Sr. Director of Sales.

To schedule your virtual appointment and access Sterngold's #ReadyNow solutions, call 1-800-243-9942 or email info@sterngold.com.

The school’s College of Dental Medicine was first in the country to incorporate modern method into curriculum

As new dental products, materials and techniques emerge in the industry, it’s important for educational programs to adapt in order to remain relevant within the changing dental landscape. An example of an evolving procedure is posterior restorations, with there being a steady decline in the use of amalgam restorations in favor of composite resin. Along with this transition comes the need to incorporate educational shifts that accommodate frequently changing clinical trends.

Light and great-tasting white transparent 5% Sodium Fluoride Varnish

Profluorid^® Varnish has been a success story since its introduction to the US market in 2009. With its low film thickness, subtle, great-tasting flavors and smooth feel, Profluorid Varnish quickly gained U.S. popularity and became one of the leading brands of Fluoride Varnish with dentists, hygienists, and patients. Today, VOCO expands its line of Profluorid Varnish flavors to include Cola Lime to compliment the current lineup of caramel, mint, cherry, bubblegum and melon. Packaged in the same easy-to-use SingleDose delivery system and providing the same quick uptake formulization, Profluorid Varnish’s great tasting Cola Lime flavor is sure to expand on the success Profluorid Varnish has already enjoyed.

ClaroNav announced today that it has obtained Health Canada and CE Mark approvals to expand the indications for use of its dental navigation system, Navident, to include guiding any dental procedure. In the past, Navident, like other dental navigation systems, was limited for use in guiding the placement of dental implants. This is the first time a dental dynamic navigation system has been approved for such wide usage. What enabled this approval was a set of innovations ClaroNav introduced in its most recent product release, 2.2, which include additional software functions and hardware parts enabling sophisticated planning and navigation of drilling and cutting paths by any dental handpiece in any jaw.

The most exciting new application of Navident is in the field of endodontics where it provides guidance for complex root canal treatments and microsurgery. For root canals Navident enables drilling small holes to reach narrow, highly calcified canals, instead of ruining crowns in repeated attempts to reach a tiny canal opening deep in the tooth. Jason Pardo, ClaroNav’s VP Sales and Marketing, commented: “Navident enables carefully evaluating, planning and navigating root canal treatments and apicoectomy procedures with minimal invasiveness. This shortens chair time and reduces the number of patient appointments needed. Beyond the obvious benefits to convenience and efficiency, this reduces the likelihood of cross infection between patients and dental staff, an issue made critical by COVID that will likely remain critical in years to come.”

“We are making a long term commitment to endodontics” added Doron Dekel, ClaroNav’s Co-CEO. “We are developing novel technologies that would make root canal treatments easier, faster, safer, lower cost and more predictable for everyone involved. We also continue to engage our many pioneering dentist customers in an exploration of applications of novel navigation, robotics and deep learning technologies to their practices as they transition from old ‘arts and crafts’ techniques to meticulous digital planning and precise, yet flexible, delivery of the planned treatment.”

About ClaroNav Inc.

Similar to a GPS assisting drivers, ClaroNav’s surgical navigation technology assists surgeons in visualizing, planning and executing surgeries. This enables minimally invasive (keyhole) surgeries and reduces execution errors, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful surgery and reducing pain, recovery time, cost and complications. Led by pioneers and world experts in this technology, enabled by reusable proprietary software and hardware components, and by vertically integrated efficient operations, ClaroNav is able to create innovative products with an exceptional price/performance ratio. ClaroNav is an employee-owned company headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

ClaroNav was formerly the Surgical Navigation group within Claron Technology, founded by Claudio Gatti and his partner Doron Dekel in 2001. In January 2015, following the acquisition of the balance of Claron by Lexmark, the company was renamed ClaroNav.

Visit www.claronav.com for more details.

COVID-19 Severity Score, Built with Data from China and New York City, Can Help Clinicians Identify the Most At-Risk Patients

A new mobile app can help clinicians determine which patients with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are likely to have severe cases. Created by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, the app uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess risk factors and key biomarkers from blood tests, producing a COVID-19 “severity score.”

Current diagnostic tests for COVID-19 detect viral RNA to determine whether someone does or does not have the virus—but they do not provide clues as to how sick a COVID-positive patient may become.

“Identifying and monitoring those at risk for severe cases could help hospitals prioritize care and allocate resources like ICU beds and ventilators. Likewise, knowing who is at low risk for complications could help reduce hospital admissions while these patients are safely managed at home,” said John T. McDevitt, PhD, professor of biomaterials at NYU College of Dentistry, who led the research.

“We want doctors to have both the information they need and the infrastructure required to save lives. COVID-19 has challenged both of these key areas.”

Creating a Severity Score

Using data from 160 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China, the researchers identified four biomarkers measured in blood tests that were significantly elevated in patients who died versus those who recovered: C-reactive protein (CRP), myoglobin (MYO), procalcitonin (PCT), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI). These biomarkers can signal complications that are relevant to COVID-19, including acute inflammation, lower respiratory tract infection, and poor cardiovascular health.

The researchers then built a model using the biomarkers as well as age and sex, two established risk factors. They trained the model using a machine learning algorithm, a type of AI, to define the patterns of COVID-19 disease and predict its severity. When a patient’s biomarkers and risk factors are entered into the model, it produces a numerical COVID-19 severity score ranging from 0 (mild or moderate) to 100 (critical).

The model was validated using data from 12 hospitalized COVID-19 patients from Shenzhen, China, which confirmed that the model’s severity scores were significantly higher for the patients that died versus those who were discharged. These findings are published in Lab on a Chip, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

As New York City emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic, the researchers further validated the model using data from more than 1,000 New York City COVID-19 patients. To make the tool available and convenient for clinicians, they developed a mobile app that can be used at point-of-care to quickly calculate a patient’s severity score.

A Clinical Decision Support Tool

The app has been retrospectively evaluated in the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone in Brooklyn, which serve more than 102,000 patients each year as one of the nation’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks.

“Real time clinical decision support tools for COVID-19 can be extremely helpful, particularly in the outpatient setting, to help guide monitoring and treatment plans for those at greatest risk,” said Isaac P. Dapkins, MD, chief medical officer for the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone and a co-author on the Lab on a Chip study.

After optimizing the clinical utility of the app at the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone in May, the researchers aim to roll it out nationwide in the coming weeks. It is possible that the COVID-19 severity score could be integrated with electronic health records, thereby providing clinicians with actionable information at an early stage for those diagnosed with COVID-19.

“We hope this tool can help identify those at high risk for adverse outcomes and reduce the health disparities present with COVID-19,” said Larry K. McReynolds, executive director for the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone.

Building on Innovations in Testing

The COVID-19 severity score leverages a model McDevitt previously developed to predict outcomes for patients with cardiac disease. Cardiac health is one of several priorities of McDevitt’s lab, which creates point-of-care diagnostic systems that can be programmed to test for oral cancer, cardiac disease, and now COVID-19 biomarkers.

The diagnostic system uses small, non-invasive samples—such as swabs of saliva or drops of blood from a fingertip—which are added to credit card-sized cartridges armed with bio-nano-chips pioneered by McDevitt. The cartridge is inserted into a portable analyzer that simultaneously tests for a range of biomarkers, with results available in less than half an hour.

Because this technology is currently used for research and informational purposes only, the COVID-19 app can be used with existing laboratory tests and requires oversight by an authorized clinician. However, over the next few months, McDevitt’s laboratory, in partnership with SensoDx, a company spun out of his lab, plans to develop and scale the ability to test a drop of blood for COVID-19 severity biomarkers—similar to how a person with diabetes tests their blood sugar—and produce a severity score on the spot.

“With COVID-19, point-of-care testing, coupled with a decision support system, could improve how clinicians triage patients—and potentially improve their outcomes, particularly for those who need more immediate and aggressive care,” said McDevitt.

In addition to McDevitt’s research group at NYU College of Dentistry, the study involved collaborators from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, and Latham BioPharm Group. The app was developed by McDevitt’s laboratory and OraLiva, a company founded by McDevitt, and is available for both Apple and Android devices. The app is designated for use by authorized clinicians and is not intended for general use by patients.

Funding for the research was provided by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (3U01DE017793-02S1 and 5U01DE017793-2).

About NYU College of Dentistry

Founded in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) is the third oldest and the largest dental school in the US, educating nearly 10 percent of all dentists. NYU Dentistry has a significant global reach with a highly diverse student body. Visit https://dental.nyu.edu for more.

Dental leaders respond to current events

The dental profession mourns the passing of George Floyd, who died last week while he was being restrained by police in Minneapolis. We are faced with a hurt that is, unfortunately, all too familiar. The ensuing outcry over Mr. Floyd’s death is not just about this singular incident, but instead a centuries-long history of discrimination and brutality against Black people and other communities of color. We add his name to the list of others’ whose lives have also been cut short under the heinous, yet enduring legacy of racial injustice.

And with every addition to this list, there is a wound that weeps from repeated injury. There is sadness, anger, and frustration—and rightfully so. Just think: In 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., shared his dream that our society would one day “hew a stone of hope” for his children and generations then unborn, all in the name of democracy and in the security of justice. Instead, 57 years later, we continue to reach new altitudes on what he called “a mountain of despair.”

Today, our organizations stand together to say NO MORE.

We denounce the acts of racism and violence that have occurred across our nation. We stand with our colleagues who have been affected by current events, and with those whose longstanding fears and heartaches have been stoked once again.

We implore you to embrace diversity and inclusion not as buzzwords or intellectual exercises. This is the moment for the dental community—as a robust tapestry of people from all backgrounds and walks of life—to live its values. We must live each day with intention. We must choose to live with integrity and respect toward our fellow human beings. We must choose to recognize that their lives matter, too.

We won’t dismantle systemic inequality overnight. To paraphrase Theodore Parker, the 19th century abolitionist minister whose work inspired the writings of Dr. King, the arc of the moral universe is long. We may not see what the end will be. But, today, we must do what we can—by actions and conscience—to ensure that the arc bends toward justice.

This is the moment to unravel from whatever personal biases we may harbor. To become allies. To have the hard conversations. To listen to voices that have long gone unheard. To speak up for those who have been disenfranchised. To commit to empathy and understanding. To be forces for change. To be agents of harmony. To call out wrong when we see it. And to do what’s right when we can.

Chad P. Gehani, DDS

President, American Dental Association

Daphne Ferguson-Young, DDS, MSPH

President, American Association of Women Dentists

Edwin A. del Valle-Sepulveda, DMD, JD

President, Hispanic Dental Association

Frederick Jeremy John, DMD

President, Society of American Indian Dentists

About the ADA

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 163,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org.