The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation that affects all of us. To confidently navigate through these difficult times, HeyGears has enhanced collaborative innovation with its global partners and customers across industries. Together, they have been exploring a range of possibilities and accelerating the digital transformation into industries like digital dentistry, hearables, O&P (Orthotics and Prosthetics), and healthcare.

At TCT Asia 2020, July 8th -10th, HeyGears introduced more than 50 types of dental appliances and custom 3D printing solutions for a variety of consumers. From a user-friendly chair-side solution and a validated clear aligner workflow to a mass customization solution for dental labs, HeyGears enables its customers to maximize efficiency and to scale up their businesses.

HeyGears' chair-side 3D printing solution empowers Chongqing West China Dental Hospital to produce a variety of surgical guides for dental implants, exploring 3D printing applications in digital dentistry together. “We have been using UltraCraft DS (HeyGears’ Desktop 3D printer) to print different types of surgical guides. The whole process has been easy and smooth, making it such a great experience,” said Dr. Chuanshu Li, the vice president at the hospital.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, HeyGears has been collaborating with universities, hospitals, and leading companies to provide much-needed medical devices and PPE. From 3D Printing "RapidVent" portable ventilators (courtesy of the University of Illinois), mask strap extenders, hands-free door openers (courtesy of Materialise) to Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, it spared no effort to fight against the spread of the pandemic.

At HeyGears, they believe that through collaborative innovation, we can fight this pandemic together. View the 360-degree tour of HeyGears’ booth at TCT Asia: https://lnkd.in/gvv7chK

America’s ToothFairy will host their annual fundraiser with a special focus this year. Bid For Smiles, an online auction benefiting children in need of dental care and preventive services, will shine a light on products and equipment that help dental offices operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s no secret that the Coronavirus has made life more difficult for businesses, but dental offices have been hit quite hard,” said Jill Malmgren, Executive Director of America’s ToothFairy. “Not only were they required to shut down for months, but now they’re challenged to provide care while protecting their staff and patients from infection. On top of that, the nonprofit dental clinics we support are also experiencing an increase in demand for services as more families face financial hardships.” Bid For Smiles raises funds safely online to provide aid to these organizations, and offers an excellent opportunity for companies to showcase their products—especially those that are needed to treat patients during the pandemic—to dental professionals across the country.

Since 2014 the auction has raised more than $600,000 to support nonprofit dental clinics serving kids in need. This year the organization hopes to raise $70,000 to help kids access a dental home and the system of care that is necessary to have a healthy smile and a brighter future.

The online event is widely publicized thanks to the generosity of major dental publications. “We are especially grateful for the relationships we have with the dental media,” Ms. Malmgren added. “The promotional support they provide not only helps raise awareness within the dental community, but also adds value for our sponsors and donors.”

The online auction will be held September 18-25th. To register as a bidder visit BidForSmiles.org. To learn more about becoming a sponsor or donating an auction item, contact Jill Malmgren at jmalmgren@ncohf.org or call 704-965-2070.

About America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation

As a resource provider, America’s ToothFairy increases access to oral health care by supporting nonprofit clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. Since its inception in 2006, America’s ToothFairy has distributed more than $21 million in donated products, educational materials and financial grants to improve oral health outcomes for children and youth in need. For more information, visit AmericasToothFairy.org.  

Zahn Academy is presenting two upcoming encore webinars from Katana on Thursday, August 13, and Thursday, August 20. 

"Katana: Techniques, Tools, Tips, and Troubleshooting for Optimal Results" will take place on Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 2 PM EDT. It will be presented by recognized industry expert Jean Chiha, CDT. Attendees will learn the differences and advantages of the various types of Kuraray / Noritake KATANA zirconia. Mr. Chiha will discuss and demonstrate proper design, milling strategies, his choice of ideal tools used throughout the process, correct sintering parameters, and what to check and correct if problems are encountered. Additionally, the demonstration will show the proper finishing techniques and material options available for use with KATANA. Register here.

"Achieve the Next Level of Esthetics with Skeleton Build-Up Technique" will take place on Thursday, August 20, 2020, at 2 PM EDT. Mr. Sean Park, MDC, DTG, will present how to achieve a high level of esthetic results by utilizing the “Skeleton Build-Up Technique.” This technique replicates nature in hand layering Noritake EX-3 porcelain veneers to a feldspathic model, and this technique can be followed when applying Noritake CZR porcelain to KATANA zirconia. All manner of case planning, model work, material selection, overcoming challenges, lab workflow, and final finished results, including cementation with Kuraray Noritake Panavia V5, will be discussed. Attendees will receive 1 CE credit. Register here.

This week, ClearCorrect, a Straumann Group brand and a leading manufacturer of clear aligners announced it will elevate its partnership with 3Shape, a developer and manufacturer of 3D scanners and software. The expanded partnership will include seamless integration that will allow for a simplified connection between ClearCorrect and TRIOS, resulting in faster, more efficient results – where providers can create a better patient experience and enable a flexible workflow.

Expansion of services stemming from this partnership include a 3Shape TRIOS Treatment Simulator that will allow for the patient to see their current smile alongside results offered by ClearCorrect aligners and/or whitening treatment. In addition to the new simulator, providers can also now pair their TRIOS scanner to their ClearCorrect account and upload the scans to their patient’s case page.

In addition, a free on-demand learning and continuing education course about the new 3Shape integration functionalities will be available for 3Shape users and their teams.

Apex's PinkWave™ is the next generation of curing lights. Equipped with patented QuadWave™ Technology, this curing light decreases the shrinkage of your favorite composite materials by up to 37%, while simultaneously increasing composite hardness by up to 23% when compared to standard blue light curing. QuadWave technology employs four different wavelengths: UV, Blue, Red and Near-infrared (NIR), making PinkWave the first of its kind.

PinkWave stands out from the competition by having the largest curing area capability on the market at 113m2, allowing you to fully cure any size restoration in a single curing cycle. Due to its’ slim design, PinkWave is easily accessible for posterior restorations, without creating patient discomfort.

Featuring a built-in transilluminator for crack and caries detection, this curing light offers improved diagnostic capabilities. PinkWave features two ergonomically friendly on/off buttons placed on both sides of the handpiece. The light features three modes (standard, ramp, boost). The output of PinkWave is 1640mW/cm2 on standard and ramp and 1865mW/cm2 on boost mode.

Find out more by visiting www.apexdentalmaterials.com, call 877-418-4782 or email info@apexdentalmaterials

vhf has announced that California-based Alien Milling Technologies is adding two vhf dry milling machines to their US portfolio. The well-known provider of milling services and supplies distributes the machines under the name AK5+ and AK4.

The CEO of vhf Inc., Dr. Nicolas Rohde, welcomes the new partnership: “We are extremely confident of Alien Milling Technologies as a new reseller since they have many years of experience with our machines in their milling center. The fact that Alien Milling now offers our machines to their customers is the greatest compliment and sign of confidence that we as manufacturer can get. I am sure customers will greatly benefit from Alien’s expertise, may it be through expert training or support. vhf and Alien Milling Technologies share the same passion for premium milling solutions at a non-premium price.”

Saro Hatz, CEO of Alien Milling Technologies, is excited about the expansion of their offering: “After several years of success and tremendous growth with our milling center, it is time to give back to those who we owe the success: our valued customers. We not only want to share with them our secrets of success, but also provide them with the tools and train them on how to use the tools in order to become as successful as we have been. vhf milling machines, their CAM software and milling burs play a crucial role in our operation. We now have more than 30 vhf mills, and counting, and the machines have been truly a key to our success.”

vhf machines offer reliability in digital production with great predictability and fast workflows. vhf prides itself on offering the greatest possible freedom to their users with an always-expanding material database and a wide range of supported indications. Users benefit from the decades of experience that vhf has obtained through the development of CAM software, the creation of sophisticated milling strategies, and the manufacturing of tools.