As registrants of the Academy of Osseointegration’s 2020 Annual Meeting were not able to hear from world-renowned dental implant experts in person as planned earlier this year, the Academy has been delivering these presentations via its live webinar series, with more being added on a regular basis.

A valued benefit of membership, the Academy’s very popular and comprehensive live webinar program provides members and dental professionals an essential portal through which to receive cutting-edge, evidence-based insights in implant dentistry, and gain valuable ADA-CERP credits. The Academy’s upcoming schedule featuring 2020 Annual Meeting experts includes:

September 15 - Noon ET

Referral Relationships: How to Become the Specialist in Your Area

Martin Mendelson, DDS

September 24 - Noon ET

Bone Augmentation Simultaneously With the Placement of Implants in the Esthetic Zone

Ueli Grunder, DMD

Just confirmed: October 9 – Noon ET

Clinical Partnership at Its Finest

Ashley Hoders, DMD, MSD and Jill Kinzer, DDS

October 13 – Noon ET

Implant Supported Telescopic Hybrid Prosthesis: Indications, Contraindications and Challenges

Marco Brindis, DDS 

October 22 – Noon ET 

The Dark Side of Dentistry 

Kyle Stanley, DDS

Just confirmed: October 29 – Noon ET

Orchestration of Static-guided Surgery, Dynamic Navigation and Guided Prosthesis. A Novel Minimally Invasive Treatment for Edentulous and Terminal Dentition Patients 

Alessandro Pozzi, DDS, PhD

November 5 - Noon ET

The Virtual Patient

German Gallucci, DMD, PhD

November 10 - Noon ET

Polymer Alternatives to Metal Implant Frameworks

Bill Marais, RDT, DTG

In addition to the above live webinars, the following annual meeting presentations held earlier this month are available as recordings via the Academy’s online e-learning center:

Relationship Between Restoration Contour/Margin and Peri-implantitis (August 14)

Michitsuna Katafuchi, DDS, MSD, PhD

Biologically-oriented Esthetic Implant Restorations (August 20)

Nitzan Bichacho, DMD

Laboratory Challenges of the Digital Workflow (August 27)

Lee Culp, CDT

Furthermore, the following live webinar will be presented by one of the Academy’s recurring speakers:

September 29 - Noon ET

Perio-implant Surgical Procedures: Any Changes?

Tolga Tozum, DDS, PhD

To register for and check out the details of all upcoming live Academy webinars, as well as its comprehensive video library of archived presentations, please go to: https://osseo.org/online-learning-center/. All presentations are complimentary as a member benefit to active AO members. For non-members, there is a $50 fee for all live webinars up to 90 days following the live broadcast.

To date, the Academy has offered its most extensive schedule of live webinars – 25 or twice as many offered to date in 2020 than it normally does in a given year – which have generated an aggregate total of nearly 4,800 registrations. Each webinar is recorded, with ADA CERP credit available for 90 days following each session. The video library is available to members only.

For questions regarding the Academy’s online educational programming, please contact Kim Scroggs, the Academy’s Director of Education at kimscroggs@osseo.org.

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.

Apteryx Imaging Inc. (“Apteryx” or the “Company“) (TSXV: XRAY) is pleased to announce the closing of the previously announced acquisition of the Company by a PDDS Buyer, LLC (“Planet DDS”) subsidiary. Planet DDS has acquired 100% of the Company’s outstanding common and preferred shares for CAD$0.65 per share in an all-cash transaction (the “Transaction“).

“Planet DDS and Apteryx offer substantial value propositions to the dental industry, which this acquisition will allow us to enhance moving forward,” stated Eric Giesecke, chief executive officer for Planet DDS. “Today is the beginning of a bright future for both Planet DDS and Apteryx. The entire Planet DDS family is excited to welcome Apteryx to our team.”

Founded in 2003, Planet DDS is the largest independent provider of cloud-native practice management systems to the dental industry with their Denticon software. Apteryx develops a line of award-winning imaging software technologies, including XrayVision and XVWeb, along with the VELscope oral screening device and TUXEDO intraoral sensors.

“The Planet DDS team has been instrumental in the growth of our company as a key partner for our XVWeb cloud imaging software,” stated Dr. David Gane, CEO of Apteryx Imaging. “We feel the synergies between the Planet DDS and Apteryx teams will have a very positive impact on the growth of both organizations moving forward.”

The Apteryx common shares are expected to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange at the close of business on or about August 13, 2020 and Apteryx will apply to cease to be a reporting issuer in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Full details of the Transaction are set out in the management information circular of the Company dated July 6, 2020 (the “Circular”). Registered Apteryx shareholders should send their completed and executed letters of transmittal and Apteryx share certificates to the depositary, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as soon as possible in order to receive the consideration to which they are entitled to in connection with the Transaction. For those shareholders of Apteryx whose shares are registered in the name of a broker, investment dealer, bank, trust company, trust or other intermediary or nominee, they should contact such nominee for assistance in depositing their shares and should follow the instructions of such intermediary or nominee.

For more information on Planet DDS and Denticon, please visit www.planetdds.com. For details on Apteryx products and services, visit www.apteryx.com.

About Apteryx Imaging Inc.

Apteryx has provided dentists and oral health specialists with advanced diagnostic imaging software and device technologies for over 20 years. Apteryx’s proprietary technologies include XrayVision, XVWeb and XrayVision DCV imaging software solutions, the VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment and TUXEDO Intraoral Sensors.

Backed by an experienced leadership team and dedicated to a higher level of service and support, Apteryx is committed to providing dental practitioners with the best technology available by identifying and adding leading products to its growing portfolio.

For more information about Apteryx, its products and services, please visit www.apteryx.com or call 877-278-3799.

About Planet DDS and Level Equity

Planet DDS is the largest independent provider of cloud-native practice management software to the dental industry. The company’s flagship product, Denticon, is the only proven, time-tested software offering that was built from the ground up for multi-location groups in the cloud. Denticon has the largest footprint among emerging and established dental groups of any cloud software provider, allowing clients to break free from the constraints of desktop software with a comprehensive solution that includes the tools needed to standardize, centralize, and grow. All while reducing IT cost and enhancing security. Learn more about Denticon at www.planetdds.com. Planet DDS is a portfolio company of Level Equity Management, LLC (“Level Equity“).

Level Equity is a growth equity firm focused on providing capital to rapidly growing software and internet companies. The firm has raised over $1.7 billion across a series of long term committed investment partnerships with offices in New York, NY and San Francisco, CA. For more information about Level Equity, visit www.levelequity.com.

The world’s largest organization for cosmetic dental professionals, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), has just opened registration for their flagship global conference, The Annual AACD Scientific Session, April 14-17, 2021, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colorado. Registration is available at aacdconference.com

“The 37th Annual Scientific Session boasts education offered by the best and brightest dental educators in the industry presenting the latest techniques and technologies,” says Courtney Lavigne, DMD, AAACD, chair of the Professional Education Committee. From foundational level to advanced, AACD 2021 Rockies offers something for everyone, with clinical and nonclinical options for every skill level. This conference promises to be the place where experts come together to “Join the Esthetic Revolution.”

Between elite educators and hands-on workshops, an advanced session for Accredited members, there are also multiple chances to support the AACD’s Give Back a Smile program for survivors of domestic violence, and fun events for the whole family. AACD 2021 Rockies is a chance for dentists, dental teams, and their families to get away and relax against the backdrop of awe-inspiring vistas as they show support for and network with colleagues, learn and earn CE, and take a reprieve from the usual.

AACD promises a safe space for the 2021 event for dental professionals to reconnect, reenergize, and reengage. The AACD and Gaylord Rockies are committed to offering the safest possible experience for attendees, team members, and families that begins with a multi-pronged approach to health and safety.

For more information or to register for the Annual AACD Scientific Session, visit www.aacdconference.com

About the AACD

The AACD is the world’s largest non-profit member organization dedicated to advancing excellence in comprehensive oral care, combining art and science to optimally improve dental health, esthetics, and function. Comprised of more than 4,500 cosmetic dental professionals in 70 countries worldwide, the AACD fulfills its mission by offering superior educational opportunities, promoting and supporting the respected Accreditation and Fellowship credentials, serving as a user-friendly and inviting forum for the creative exchange of knowledge and ideas, and providing accurate and useful information to the public and the profession.

Flow Dental, a pioneer in protective apparel and a leading manufacturer of infection control products, introduces Safe-T-First face shields. Safe. Comfortable. Effective. Safe-T-First face shields are made from quality sourced materials and meet the highest standards for safety, clarity and reliability.

Our shields are not only scratch resistant, and anti-fog, but include 2 peel off layers of safety film to insure your shield will provide you with the clearest possible viewing area. And our latex-free forehead cushion band allows you to wear your face shield comfortably for hours.

Protect your eyes from aerosol and fluid contamination and add a second layer of protection!

Flow’s Safe-T-First face shields are economically priced and come 24 to a case.

For more information please visit us at www.flowdental.com, call us at 800-356-9729, or contact your local Dental products Distributor.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and after thoughtful deliberations, the Chicago Dental Society Board of Directors has decided that the 2021 Midwinter Meeting ‘Heart of Dentistry’ will be a virtual event.

The Chicago Dental Society asks that you join 2021 CDS President Dr. Dean P. Nicholas for the 156th Midwinter Meeting to experience industry-leading education and scientific information from the comfort and safety of your home or office. As the Respected Leader in Scientific Dental Meetings, the Chicago Dental Society will once again deliver the familiar quality and energy attendees and exhibitors have experienced for 155 years.

Attendees of the 156th Midwinter Meeting will be able to participate virtually in dynamic scientific programs and exhibits with access to renowned clinicians and leaders in dental innovation presenting programs on a variety of topics geared for all members of the dental team. The virtual platform will allow attendees to quickly and efficiently navigate between interactive exhibitor booths to explore new products, speak with company representatives, and network and engage with colleagues.

As one of the dental industry’s premier annual events, the CDS looks forward to once again delivering a Midwinter Meeting featuring an outstanding program for dental professionals that will continue to be the valuable and scientifically stimulating event that attendees have come to know. The 156th Midwinter Meeting will take place virtually Thursday, February 25, through Saturday, February 27.

Registration opens on Monday, November 2, 2020. CDS members are reminded that 2021 is a CE year in Illinois.

Additional updates will be available at www.cds.org.  

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago couldn’t stop thinking about the spinning, vibrating tools in a dentist’s office that turn water into mist and send it flying into the air. If that mist contains a virus or some other pathogen, it is a health hazard for dentists and patients.

In a paper published this week in Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, Alexander Yarin and his colleagues discovered that the forces of a vibrating tool or dentist’s drill are no match for the viscoelastic properties of food-grade polymers, such as polyacrylic acid, which they used as a small admixture to water in dental settings.

Their results were surprising. Not only did a small admixture of polymers completely eliminate aerosolization, but it did so with ease, exhibiting fundamental polymer physics, such as coil-stretch transition, that served the intended purpose beautifully.

They tested two FDA-approved polymers. Polyacrylic acid proved more effective than xanthan gum, because in addition to its high elongational viscosity (high elastic stresses in stretching), it revealed a relatively low shear viscosity, which makes pumping it easy.

“What was surprising is that the very first experiment in my lab completely proved the concept,” Yarin said. “It was amazing that these materials were capable of so easily and completely suppressing aerosolization by dental tools, with significant inertial forces involved. Nevertheless, the elastic forces generated by small polymer additives were stronger.”

Their study documented the violent explosion of pockets of water supplied to teeth and gums that the dental tool aerosolizes. The spraying mist that accompanies a visit to the dentist is the result of water encountering rapid vibration of a tool or the centrifugal force of a drill, which bursts water into tiny droplets and propels these.

The polymer admixture, when used to irrigate, suppresses bursts; instead, polymer macromolecules that stretch like rubber bands restrict water aerosolization. When the tip of a vibrating tool or dental drill plunges into polymer solution, the solution threads into snakelike strands, which are pulled back toward the tip of the tool, altering the usual dynamics seen with pure water in dentistry.

“When droplets try to detach from a liquid body, the droplet tail is stretched. That’s where the significant elastic forces associated with the coil-stretch transition of polymer macromolecules come into play,” Yarin said. “They suppress tail elongation and pull the droplet back, completely preventing aerosolization.”

The article, "Reopening dentistry after COVID-19: Complete suppression of aerosolization in dental procedures by viscoelastic medusa gorgo," is authored by Jevon Plog, Jingwei Wu, Yasmin J. Dias, Farzad Mashayek, Lyndon F. Cooper and Alexander L. Yarin. The article will appear in Physics of Fluids on Aug. 25, 2020 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0021476). After that date, it can be accessed at https://aip.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1063/5.0021476.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Physics of Fluids is devoted to the publication of original theoretical, computational, and experimental contributions to the dynamics of gases, liquids, and complex fluids. See https://aip.scitation.org/journal/phf.

Henry Schein One announced today the availability of Easy Dental® 12.2, the latest upgrade of the Easy Dental practice management system. The new upgrade features a simplified patient module, making it easier for dental office managers to view and manage patient records and insurance information.

Designed with practice organization and efficiency in mind, Easy Dental 12.2 expands the intuitive user interface elements enabling dental teams to see more patient information in a single view without clicking through menus. For example, the patient banner now features a comprehensive display of the patient’s history, medical alerts, and future appointments without any additional clicks. In addition, users are no longer required to switch between the schedule and patient module when creating a new patient file, helping to reduce human error and expedite administrative procedures.

“Henry Schein One is committed to creating and improving practice management solutions that help office administrators manage patient records more efficiently, and enable dental professionals to focus on delivering quality patient care,” said Kevin Bunker, President, North American Dental Practice Solutions. “With ongoing upgrades to our dental practice management software, such as Easy Dental 12.2, customers can rely on us to help automate their standard operating procedures into one seamless workflow.”

In addition to a simplified interface, the patient module in Easy Dental 12.2 features a dedicated insurance tab that shows outstanding claims, primary insurance, and secondary insurance in a single view.

For more information about Easy Dental 12.2, please click here.

About Henry Schein One

Henry Schein One, a subsidiary of Henry Schein, Inc. established in partnership with Internet Brands in 2018, is a software company providing integrated software and services to the dental industry. Headquartered in American Fork, Utah, the company offers market-leading solutions for dental practices, including Dentrix®, Dentrix Ascend®, Dentrix® Enterprise, Easy Dental®, TechCentral™, Demandforce®, Sesame Communications, Lighthouse360®, Officite, and DentalPlans.com® as well as international companies, including Software of Excellence, Logiciel Julie, InfoMed, Exan®, Power Practice and LabNet, among others. For more information, visit www.henryscheinone.com.

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 approximately 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.  

Newswise — A new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences documents dietary shifts in herbivores that lived between 1-3 million years ago in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley. The research team, led by Enquye Negash, a postdoctoral researcher in the George Washington University Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, examined stable isotopes in the fossilized teeth of herbivores such as antelopes and pigs and found a shift away from C3-derived foods, characteristic of woody vegetation, to C4-derived foods, representative of grasses and sedges. The shift happened at two distinct time periods, approximately 2.7 million years ago and 2 million years ago, when the environment of the Lower Omo Valley was transitioning to open savanna.

The study, “Dietary trends in herbivores from the Shungura Formation, southwestern Ethiopia,” served as a comparative framework to an associated hominin diet study, also published this week, of which Negash was a co-author. The associated study, “Isotopic evidence for the timing of the dietary shift towards C4 foods in eastern African Paranthropus,” examined carbon isotope data from the fossilized tooth enamel of Paranthropus boisei, a nonancestral hominin relative. Led by Jonathan Wynn, now a program director in the National Science Foundation’s division of Earth sciences, the research team behind that paper found a profound shift toward the consumption of C4-derived foods approximately 2.37 million years ago, which preceded a morphological shift of P. boisei’s skull and jaw. Given the direct evidence provided by the abundant, well-dated fossilized teeth and their chemical composition, the new findings suggest behavioral dietary changes can precede apparent morphological adaptations to new foods.

FROM THE RESEARCHERS:

“Major dietary shifts that are observed in our study reflect the response of the herbivores to major ecological and environmental changes during this time. This allowed us to better understand the environmental context of similar dietary changes in hominins.”

- Enquye Negash

“Although we’re interested in how the diets of our immediate and distant ancestors evolved to produce our modern human diet, it is very important to consider these hominins as a small part of an ecosystem that included other plant and animal species that responded to changing environments in an interconnected way.”

- Jonathan Wynn

This work was supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) award 1252157. Wynn was also supported by an NSF Independent Research and Development (IR/D) program.

The software-as-a-service solution known as Carestream Dental’s “Care Management Platform” is getting a new brand identity that alludes to the guidance it can offer practices as they seek to strike the balance between managing patient expectations, providing exceptional care and operating efficiently as a business: Sensei Cloud.

Sensei Cloud combines powerful imaging, practice management, clinical workflows and intuitive design into one platform that offers anytime, anywhere access. The name Sensei was chosen because the word conveys the sense of a trusted guide. By analyzing practice data, Carestream Dental’s software can report on KPIs and provide actionable steps that practices can take to improve patient engagement and revenues.

“Sensei Cloud perfectly represents where the dental industry is headed,” Lisa Ashby, CEO, Carestream Dental, said. “Cloud-based and data-rich, it acts as a digital mentor with a focus on analytics so doctors, practice owners and practice groups can make smarter decisions regarding patient care and practice management.”

Designed to work the way busy modern practices operate, Sensei Cloud features user-focused design, inherent scalability, advanced multi-tasking and powerful business functionality, all built on feedback from real practices.

In addition to clinical data, business performance metrics and analytics are a key feature of the platform. With Sensei Cloud, owners and office managers can make smarter business decisions based on actionable reporting that summarizes how a practice is performing. This high-level business-focused view makes it ideal for practices with multiple locations or DSOs and provides industry-leading opportunities for benchmarking and multi-practice management.

“Software will play a huge role in the future of dentistry,” Andrew Malcolmson, general manager of practice management solutions and CS Solutions, Carestream Dental, said. “By developing practice management solutions and additional modules, we can help practices fill their schedule, take actions based on metrics and improve their overall cashflow. Going forward, we’ll also see the merger of clinical and management software, so a robust platform—like Sensei Cloud—will be necessary to handle all that data.”

Description automatically generatedAlong with the modern look and feel of the platform, users will notice the new Sensei Cloud logo that supports the rebrand. Carestream Dental’s immediately recognizable “boomerang” has been shifted to portray a new, infinite journey into the future, while also balancing the iconic nature of a tooth.

Ultimately, the rebranding of the care management platform is more than a name change and new logo. It represents the acceleration of a core Carestream Dental investment strategy and commitment: Focusing on delivering data-driven solutions that help practitioners, practice owners and groups make smarter decisions and do more. Sensei Cloud provides an industry-leading native cloud-based practice management solution, but as importantly it provides the opportunity for existing software users to experience new capabilities delivered in their current environment and transition to a SaaS-based model at their own pace.

For practices interested in learning more about Sensei Cloud, Carestream Dental is offering a free webinar on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 5:30 pm EST. This interactive webinar demonstrates how Sensei Cloud works the way modern practices do and how it can help teams better manage their clinical and patient care workflows. The webinar will also review Sensei Cloud’s new orthodontic functionality, ePrescriptions and COVID-19 screening forms. Oral health care professionals can register at carestreamdental.com/senseiwebinar.

To learn more about Sensei Cloud, or any of the Carestream Dental’s other practice management solutions, visit carestreamdental.com.

About Carestream Dental

Carestream Dental is committed to transforming dentistry, simplifying technology and changing lives. In this pursuit, we focus on providing the latest in high-quality scanning technology, the smartest chairside systems, the most intuitive practice management software, incredibly accurate imaging software and the data intelligence that helps continually refine patient outcomes. And we offer these solutions for the full range of dental and oral health professionals. For more information please visit carestreamdental.com.

Whip Mix, a dental product manufacturer, is proud to make and supply nasopharyngeal swabs for the state of Kentucky in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The company sells and uses 3D printing technology in its own operations, which enables it to help to meet the overwhelming demand for testing swabs.

“We were aware that the nasal swabs were in high demand everywhere, so we set out to do what we could to help remedy the problem. As a manufacturer in the state of Kentucky, we approached the state health organization to offer our services, and they accepted. Whip Mix is proud to be able to help our state test as many people as possible, in order to begin to control the spread of the virus,” said Jim Myers, the President of Whip Mix.

Whip Mix dedicated its resources and research team to design a special formula for the swabs. The design, which was provided by the University of Louisville, was tested and validated on patients in the University of Louisville Hospital and at Norton Healthcare.

Whip Mix 3D printed swabs are made of a clear, flexible lattice and were developed for the optimal balance of patient comfort and reliable sample collection.