Today, The Dawson Academy announced that senior faculty member Dr. Leonard Hess will succeed Dr. John Cranham as the Academy’s clinical director effective immediately.

Leonard Hess, D.D.S. joined The Dawson Academy’s faculty in 2009. He owns Union County Center for Comprehensive Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina and practices full time in addition to teaching continuing education courses. Dr. Hess is a member of the editorial board for Inside Dentistry and has had over 17 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. He is also a member of The American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, AACD, ADA, AES, and NCDS.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Hess’s caliber and experience step up to lead as clinical director of The Dawson Academy,” said Joan Forrest, president of The Dawson Academy. “Dr. Hess is a visionary with a proven track record of execution. He is a strong communicator with deep leadership capabilities.”

Dr. Hess has been teaching continuing education courses since 2005 on topics including functional occlusion, smile design, treatment planning, preparation design, and practice integration of complete dentistry. He taught full-day continuing education courses at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s National Meeting, The Greater New York Dental Meeting, AACD National Meeting, Pacific Dental Conference, Ontario Dental Association Meeting, and The Yankee Dental Conference. Dr. Hess has taught courses in Japan, Germany, Poland, China, and Canada.

“I am deeply honored and excited to lead as clinical director of The Dawson Academy. I believe The Dawson Academy is the premier postgraduate educational and clinical research facility dedicated to the advancement of dentistry,” Dr. Hess said.

Dr. John Cranham stepped down as clinical director after spending 13 years at The Dawson Academy. Dr. Cranham looks forward to spending more time pursuing personal goals, such as working with his daughter who recently joined his practice after graduating from dental school.

“We are in the fifth week of practicing together and it is everything I hoped for and far beyond. Simply put, it is just awesome,” Dr. Cranham said.

For over 40 years, The Dawson Academy has remained committed to its original mission – to benefit patients and advance dentistry by creating a community of learned professionals who explore possibilities and share knowledge and experiences. Founder Dr. Peter E. Dawson assembled an interdisciplinary faculty comprised of leading practitioners who offer relevant, engaging instruction to dental professionals. The Dawson Academy instructors are practicing dentists, technicians, assistants, and hygienists who have implemented the Dawson teachings into their own practices and bring real-world solutions back to the classroom.

Anthony R. Volpe, D.D.S., who retired as Colgate's vice president of scientific affairs in 2013 and evaluated the clinical efficacy of the company's toothpastes during his 52-year career, died Oct. 8.

"The global dental community has lost a giant," then-ADA President Chad P. Gehani, D.D.S., said. "Dr. Volpe led a distinguished career as an educator, researcher and clinician, and his contributions have paved the way for countless patients and dental professionals. In 2014, the Volpe Research Center was dedicated in his honor, as his work laid the foundation for the innovations advancing dentistry today."

Dr. Volpe began his career at Colgate's Jersey City, New Jersey, facility in 1960, where he established Colgate's first dental clinic with a focus on evaluating the efficacy of Colgate anti-tartar toothpastes and created the Volpe-Manhold Calculus Scoring Index for evaluating anti-tartar products, according to a Colgate news release. In 1962, Dr. Volpe designed Colgate's second dental research clinic in Piscataway, New Jersey. He also led the documentation of the anticaries efficacy of Colgate's anticavity toothpaste, which included clinical research programs at international locations.

In 1985, Dr. Volpe was promoted to director of clinical investigations and was responsible for documenting the clinical efficacy of Colgate Total, the world's first multi-benefit toothpaste, according to the release.

"During his extraordinary Colgate career, [Dr. Volpe] personified our commitment to improving oral health, to developing products with scientific excellence and to establishing our leadership among dental professionals," Colgate stated in the release. "He was also deeply committed to building partnerships between Colgate and academia."

In addition to his work on tartar measurement, Dr. Volpe helped lead the development of other novel measurement procedures, as well as breakthrough clinical research on plaque and gingivitis control, according to the release. He published more than 200 papers in major international scientific journals and holds several U.S. patents in dental science.

In 2017, Dr. Volpe received the International Association for Dental Research Distinguished Scientist Award in Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Research.

"Along with being a pioneer in preventative dental care and a champion for public health, Dr. Volpe was also regarded for his service to international organized dentistry. But what made him special was his gift for connecting with others," Dr. Gehani said. "He was a mentor and supporter to many — whether you were a student or a peer, he was only a phone call away. He was generous with his time and talents and guided many people along their journeys in practice, teaching, research and leadership. With the news of his passing, our profession remembers Dr. Volpe's enormous legacy. Personally, I remember him as a trusted colleague, a good friend and an uncle and mentor to my own children. Dr. Volpe will be sorely missed."

"Dr. Volpe was the chair of the ADA Foundation Board of Directors and a huge mentor and sponsor for many young researchers," said ADA Executive Director Kathleen T. O'Loughlin, D.M.D., who served on the Forsyth Institute Board of Directors with him. "He had a huge influence on me personally."

Dr. Volpe was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.

The Henry Schein Cares Foundation (HSCF), in partnership with The UPS Foundation, recently launched ‘Wearing is Caring,’ a public health awareness campaign designed to raise awareness of health care disparities in underserved communities, the need for social distancing, and the importance of wearing face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The campaign is aligned with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) that encourages the use of cotton or cloth face coverings in public spaces to reduce community spread.

To help promote access to health care, HSCF and The UPS Foundation will provide financial support to long-time partners – the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA), the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), the CDC Foundation, National Urban League, and others. Funds will provide support to critically important health care programs in communities most in need. In addition, Henry Schein, Inc. also will donate and distribute cloth face coverings to NNOHA and NAFC. The organizations will select community health clinics within COVID-19 hot spots as the recipients, helping to improve public health safety.

To help address the health disparities that have impacted communities of color, Henry Schein, Inc. will also donate face coverings to local safety-net health systems and other local partners in support of CDC Foundation’s Crush COVID initiative, of which support of health equity and investing in communities disproportionately impacted by coronavirus is a key pillar.

“The ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign is another demonstration of Henry Schein Cares Foundation’s commitment to help advocate for public health, health equity, and wellness,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. “Together with non-profit organizations and valued supplier partners, the Foundation can further its efforts to help support local safety net health systems, which provide essential care for those most in need.”

The face coverings will come in a variety of styles, with messages that include: Let’s Face It, Mask Up; Superheroes Wear Masks; Wearing is Caring; Mask Me About My Smile; Just Keep Smiling; and I’m Still Smiling.

“As we continue to support pandemic relief efforts, we’re bringing our understanding of the people who are most impacted into action,” said Eduardo Martinez, President of The UPS Foundation and UPS Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. “We’re honored to collaborate with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation on their ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign, as our collective efforts will help expand access to care in communities where help is urgently needed.”

“Philanthropic and private sector support is critical for use alongside government funding to meet needs that arise in rapidly evolving situations where speed and flexibility are paramount to saving and protecting lives,” said Dr. Judith Monroe, President and CEO, CDC Foundation. “Henry Schein Cares Foundation’s ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign showcases the supportive role that corporations can enhance health equity and help protect diverse communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the U.S., the National Urban League sounded the alarm on racial disparities in terms of public health and economic consequences,” said Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League. “Public-private partnerships like this are urgently needed to bring support where it is most needed. Thanks to the foundations within Henry Schein, UPS and the CDC, that support is being delivered.”

In addition to HSCF, the following organizations contributed financial support to the ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign thus far: Bedford HealthCare, Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, Kuraray, Medicom, Crest+Oral-B, Pac-Dent, Inc., Richmond Medical & Dental, SDI, Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., Shofu Dental, UPS and The UPS Foundation, VISTA Dental Products, and Verena Solutions. As the campaign continues, Henry Schein and its partners will identify and work with additional organizations to further expand public awareness around health care disparities in underserved communities, the importance of oral health care, and the need for social distancing and wearing of face coverings.

The donated face coverings are for personal use only and are washable and reusable. The face coverings are not FDA-approved or cleared medical devices or personal protective equipment (PPE). The face masks are for use in covering the user’s nose and mouth to help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 from the user to others during the pandemic. They are not for use in surgical settings or where significant exposure to liquid, bodily, or other hazardous fluids may be expected; clinical settings where the infection risk level through inhalation exposure is high; or the presence of a high intensity heat source or flammable gas. To learn more, please visit www.hscaresfoundation.org.

About Henry Schein Cares Foundation Inc.

Established in 2008, the Henry Schein Cares Foundation works to foster, support, and promote dental and medical health by helping to increase access to care in communities around the world. The Henry Schein Cares Foundation carries out its mission through financial and health care product donations to non-profit organizations supporting health care professionals and community-based programs focused on prevention, wellness, and treatment; disaster preparedness and relief; and capacity building of health institutions that provide training and care.

The Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible as provided by law.

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.

vhf is pleased to announce the successful validation of TriLor® on its high-performance milling machines: R5, S5, and K5+. TriLor® is a technopolymer matrix with multi-directional glass fiber reinforcement for permanent, esthetic restorations on implants.

The CEO of vhf Inc., Nicolas Rohde, PhD, is proud to announce the validation: “I am very excited about this sophisticated new material. vhf prides itself on giving its users the maximum choice of materials. Because of its high glass content, TriLor® can be a challenge for some mills, but the vhf machines processed the material with ease and at a record time. Once again, we proved that high quality components and a sturdy build do pay off.”

The strength of vhf lies in the fact that users get a complete and fine-tuned CAM system. Due to the perfectly harmonized components—milling machines, milling tools, and CAM software—all common dental materials, including TriLor®, can be processed on vhf milling machines.

vhf has introduced a new milling tool specifically for the TriLor® material that allows for fast and precise processing. This new tool is particularly suitable for highly abrasive materials such as TriLor® as its diamond-cut geometry has been specifically engineered and optimized for this material. It is particularly low-wear and long lasting, and therefore outstandingly economical. As a result of this perfectly coordinated interaction, a much better surface finish can be achieved using the vhf milling machines.

TriLor®, developed by the Italian-based company Bioloren, is a new technopolymer consisting of thermo-hardening resin and a multi-directional reinforcement of fiberglass. Fiber-reinforced composites are materials that are used in aeronautics and many other fields where high strength and low weight are essential. Thanks to these characteristics, TriLor® has superior advantages in restorative dental for fixed and implant-supported prosthetics, largely due to the material’s ability to absorb forces and flex similar to natural bone, thereby potentially protecting the implant fixtures from failing. Fatigue and resistance to fracture were scientifically tested by various universities. Another highlight of the material is its dimensional stability; it is metal-free and bio-compatible, and it weighs three to five times less than metal and zirconia. TriLor® has earned FDA and CE certificates as a long-term prosthetics solution. Harvest Dental Products, who were driving the evaluation, exclusively distribute TriLor® in North and South America. Sasha Der Avanessian, CEO of Harvest, points out: “We are excited that vhf now validated TriLor® as new material for its milling machines. Both, vhf and Bioloren offer innovative products that fit perfectly to the Harvest philosophy. Our vision is to be a brand of passionate innovations seeking to refresh and revitalize the dental segment by simplifying everyday lab life.”

Daniel Alter, MSc, MDT, CDT, who is also Professor of Restorative Dentistry, evaluated the restorations made of TriLor® on vhf machines: “As an advocate to the dental laboratory profession, I am always excited about new materials and this evaluation really stands out. The results are milled beautifully, a great proof of collaboration and an advantage for all dental labs!”

Jack L. Ferracane, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and director of the Division of Biomaterials and Biomechanics at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry, has been chosen to become the founding editor in chief of the American Dental Association’s (ADA’s) new open access journal.

The new peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal will publish research findings spanning basic and clinical sciences and will provide a forum for researchers in a range of disciplines: biology, chemistry, engineering and computer science, as well as epidemiology and public health, for example. It will convey advances in basic science directly to experts in clinical dentistry and medicine, with the aim of applying new and emerging scientific ideas, tools and techniques to research questions relevant to oral health. Dr. Ferracane was chosen in part for his commitment to bringing the relevance of basic discovery to the practicing dentist.

“I have spent my entire career teaching and learning from dental students and practicing oral health care providers. I have received a few honors, but in truth, the ones that I have most cherished have been those bestowed by clinical groups or associations,” Dr. Ferracane said. “I will gear my efforts as editor to showcasing scientific discoveries that are important and useful to the practicing dentist.”

“The ADA is thrilled to be launching this new platform, which will focus on all areas of basic research that inform oral health,” said Kathleen O’Loughlin, D.M.D., M.P.H., executive director of the ADA. “We are honored to introduce Dr. Ferracane as the founding editor of our new open-access science journal and are excited to see how his vast expertise and knowledge will help the publication come to life.”

An ADA search committee launched a national effort to find an individual with a reputation as an outstanding research scientist in oral health, an educator and an editor. Dr. Ferracane was chosen from among a field of exceptional leaders in oral health research, not only for his distinguished research and academic achievements, but also for his determination to create a community of researchers, scholars and clinicians with a shared goal of accelerating the pace of discovery in oral health.

Dr. Ferracane is an honorary professor at the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry and is adjunct professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Oregon Health & Science University.

Dr. Ferracane has held national office, first as vice president and then as president of the American Association for Dental Research. He is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers, and a recipient of the Wilmer Souder Award from the Dental Materials Group of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), which is the oldest of the IADR’s Distinguished Scientist Awards. He was elected an honorary member of the American College of Dentists and the Oregon Dental Association and received the Hollenback Prize from the Academy of Operative Dentistry.

Dr. Ferracane, a prolific author of scientific papers, sits on numerous editorial boards, and currently serves on the editorial board of Operative Dentistry, and as an associate editor of the Journal of Dental Research and for Odontology.

Dr. Ferracane received a B.S. degree in biological sciences from the University of Illinois and both a M.S. and Ph.D. in biological materials from Northwestern University.  

John Timothy Wright, D.D.S., M.S., a pediatric dentist and professor in the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill was appointed to become the next editor in chief of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA). The appointment, made by the American Dental Association (ADA) Board of Trustees, follows a national search. The search committee sought an outstanding clinician scientist to fill the role, a strategist and visionary with a national reputation.

The search yielded an extraordinary field of highly gifted candidates, each of whom exemplified the highest achievements in academia, research, clinical practice and service to the dental community. From this remarkable group of candidates, the search committee felt Dr. Wright was best poised to build on JADA’s historic legacy and adapt the journal to the evolving needs of the profession.

“Through ADA’s extensive search for the next JADA editor in chief, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Wright will lead the journal beginning in 2021,” said Kathleen O’Loughlin, D.M.D., M.P.H., executive director of the ADA. “Dr. Wright’s vision for JADA to serve as an essential resource for dentists to develop and maintain their ability to provide excellent patient care aligned perfectly with the ADA’s vision and the future of JADA.”

Dr. Wright, who assumes the post on January 1, 2021, was chosen from a field of extraordinary candidates for his bold vision to take the journal forward and prepare clinicians to meet present and future challenges. The journal will build on its current foundation in evidence-based care with attention to new and developing technologies that improve diagnostics and advance therapeutics.

“Readers can expect to find transformative themes that are directed at improving both oral health and overall health,” Dr. Wright said. “I am passionate about my role as an educator, and JADA is the ultimate forum to pursue that calling.”

Dr. Wright is the James Bawden Distinguished Professor at the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he previously served as chair of the department of pediatric dentistry, interim chair of the department of endodontics, and director of strategic initiatives. Dr. Wright has held offices of national distinction, having served as vice president and then president of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR). A three-time recipient of AADR’s prestigious Gies Award, Dr. Wright has also received the Distinguished Science Award presented by the International Association of Dental Research.

Dr. Wright currently serves the ADA as a member of the ADA’s Dental Quality Alliance; he previously served as chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.

Dr. Wright studied chemistry at West Virginia University (WVU), received a D.D.S. from the WVU School of Dentistry, and a M.S. certification from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He obtained board certification by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 1990.

Dr. Wright succeeds Jeffrey Platt, D.D.S., M.S., professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care and Ralph W. Phillips Professor in Dental Materials at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, who has served as JADA’s interim editor since April 2020.

Loree Bolin, D.D.S., of Edmonds, Wash., is the recipient of the 2020 American Dental Association (ADA) Humanitarian Award. Each year, the Humanitarian Award honors an ADA member for improving the quality of life and oral health of individuals in the U.S. and internationally over a period of 10 years or more. Dr. Bolin will be honored at the ADA FDC Virtual Connect Conference, a joint meeting of the ADA and Florida Dental Association, held Oct. 15-17.

Dr. Bolin is the founder of the Health & Hope Foundation, which aims to break the cycle of poverty for women and children in Tanzania, by providing healthcare, education and economic opportunity. Prior to founding the Health & Hope Foundation in 2014, Dr. Bolin worked in private practice family dentistry, providing her with a groundwork of skills to provide aid internationally – and eventually start her own foundation.

“Dentistry gave me skills and opportunity to provide care and help lift up ultra-poor families in the developing world,” said Dr. Bolin. “Serving as an international volunteer dentist beginning in 2007, I discovered that women and vulnerable, often orphaned, children are at the greatest risk. It seemed that the care I was delivering was merely scratching the surface and not addressing many of the underlying problems that placed this population at risk.”

The Health & Hope Foundation extends to ensure that children, especially girls, are able to get an education. To do this, the foundation opened the Tumaini Tutor School, which provides free tutored instruction six days per week. To further support women, Dr. Bolin established the Women’s Business Program to offer business training and mentorship in product selection, hygiene, marketing and customer service and savings.

First established in 2008, the ADA Humanitarian Award annually honors an ADA member for creating a legacy of volunteer works, and is one of the ADA’s highest honors. Criteria for the Humanitarian Award include significantly improving the quality of life and oral health, demonstrating significant leadership and serving as an inspiration to others both in the dental profession and the general population.

“I was impressed not only for her international volunteerism, but also by her Health & Hope Foundation, which has helped countless people around the world and served as an inspiration to dentists and staff,” said ADA President Chad P. Gehani, D.D.S. “I am glad our member dentists will now get a chance to learn more about her work and perhaps even aspire to follow in her footsteps. Dr. Bolin is a shining testament to the gift that dentistry provides in her promotion of not only oral health, but also overall health."

The ADA Humanitarian Award includes a $10,000 donation to the Health & Hope Foundation.

In addition to Tanzania, Dr. Bolin has served as a volunteer dentist in the Philippines, Honduras, Haiti, Uganda and Nepal. A ten-time Ironman triathlete, she competes and lives by these three mantras and credits them as she moves forward in service: “Strength. Power. Focus. Go.” “Smooth as silk, tough as nails.” and “YES, we can do this!”

For more information about the Health & Hope Foundation, please visit: HealthandHopeFoundation.org.

Although assumed to be at high risk for COVID-19, fewer than one percent of dentists nationwide were found to be COVID-19 positive, according to a first-of-its-kind report in the U.S. based on data collected in June 2020. The result is far below that of other health professionals in the U.S. In addition, 99 percent of dentists are using enhanced infection control procedures such as screening protocols and enhanced disinfection practices when treating patients. The report, published online ahead of print by The Journal of the American Dental Association (PDF), is the first large-scale collection and publication of U.S. dentists’ infection rates and infection control practices related to COVID-19.

“This is very good news for dentists and patients,” said American Dental Association (ADA) Science and Research Institute Chief Executive Officer Marcelo Araujo, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., the senior author of the report. “This means that what dentists are doing – heightened infection control and increased attention to patient and dental team safety – is working.”

Dr. Araujo added that the authors of the report, researchers from the ADA Science and Research Institute and Health Policy Institute based in Chicago, are continuing to collect and will report infection rate data on dentists and have added hygienists to their ongoing survey, in collaboration with the American Dental Hygienists Association.

This report focused on nearly 2,200 dentists in June, finding that 82 percent of dentists were asymptomatic for one month prior to the survey and 16.6 percent reported getting a COVID-19 test. Those who tested positive were not clustered in any particular geographic region. Among those not tested, less than one percent (0.32) were given a probable COVID-19 diagnosis by a physician. The authors weighted the results to align with U.S. dentists demographically and geographically and found an estimated prevalence of less than one percent (0.9) with a margin of error of 0.5 percent.

“Understanding the risks associated with COVID-19 transmission in the dental setting is critical to improving patient and dental team safety,” said Dr. Araujo. “This study brings us another step forward in understanding what works. Dentists are following ADA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, and it’s helping to keep the dental team and their patients as safe as possible.”

In March, The New York Times listed dentistry as one of the professions at highest risk of COVID-19 based on data from O*NET, a database maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor. It was presumed that virus transmission could occur because of the close proximity between dental professionals and patients and because many dental procedures generate aerosols that may contain viral particles from infected individuals.

This newly-published report, with the extremely low rate of COVID-19 infection among dentists, supports the effectiveness of the recommendations from the CDC and ADA in preventing virus transmission.

The ADA’s guidance calls for the highest level of personal protective equipment (PPE) available—masks, goggles and face shields. The ADA’s interim guidance also calls for the use of rubber dams and high velocity suction whenever possible and hand scaling when cleaning teeth rather than using ultrasonic scaling to minimize aerosols.

“The fact that dentistry was named one of the most at-risk professions for infection, but has a far lower prevalence of infection compared to other health professions, is not a coincidence,” said Chief Economist and Vice President of the ADA Health Policy Institute Marko Vujicic, Ph.D. “The profession has taken this issue extremely seriously, and it shows. We will continue to track the rate of COVID-19 among dentists and other facets of the pandemic affecting dentistry so it can help inform the dental profession and other industries as well.”

The report is set to be presented at the ADA FDC Virtual Connect Conference, a joint meeting of the ADA and Florida Dental Association, held Oct. 15-17. For more information on COVID-19 and dental visits, visit MouthHealthy.org.  

Largent Health, LLC announced today the U.S. commercial availability of FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser, with 2% K21. Dental cavity cleansers are used for cleansing and moistening/re-wetting of prepared dental surfaces prior to completion of tooth restoration. The company included in their FDA application, compelling data supporting antimicrobial activity that reduces dentally relevant microbes.^1-3

FiteBac® technology exemplifies the marriage of antimicrobial technology to material science, enabling the manufacture of modern materials offering sustained, non-leaching antimicrobial protection across a broad range of products. “FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser represents the 1st FDA cleared antimicrobial cavity cleanser”, said Kirk Kimmerling, DDS, co-inventor of FiteBac® technology. “By utilizing a targeted approach to address local microbial issues, dental products incorporating FiteBac® technology have the potential to address local microbial issues within the oral cavity while minimizing potential negative impacts on the oral microbiome, a key component to good overall health”.

FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser, containing the patented antimicrobial K21, is intended to become part of the restoration/dentin interface by copolymerizing with the dental adhesive. Research shows FiteBac® Cavity Cleanser can not only help remove debris in carious lesion preparations, but also help reduce the presence of dentally relevant organisms within the prepared tooth structure and also penetrate exposed dentin tubules allowing restorative adhesives to tightly bind to the prepared dentin surface.

“With the commercial introduction of FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser, the first in a planned line of targeted antimicrobial and/or biofilm reducing dental products under development at Largent Health, we aim to provide new tools for the dental professional to specifically target microbial issues and their complications within the oral cavity”, said John W. Sharkey, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Largent Health. “FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser offers the dental professional a differentiated product which, besides helping to ensure the restoration site is clear of carious debris, allows them to directly address residual microbial contamination within the prepared tooth structure.”

To learn more about how FiteBac® technology is being developed for medical and dental applications please visit https://www.LargentHealth.com. Dentists interested in ordering FiteBac® Antimicrobial Cavity Cleanser are invited to visit https://www.FiteBacDental.com.

About Largent Health LLC

Largent Health, LLC, based in Marietta, GA, is a private company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative healthcare products incorporating FiteBac® technology, a superior approach to antimicrobial protection. To learn more please visit https://www.LargentHealth.com. To learn more about FiteBac® dental products please visit https://www.FitebacDental.com.

References

1) Gou YP, Li JY, Meghil MM, et al. Quaternary ammonium silane-based antibacterial and anti-proteolytic cavity cleanser. Dent Mater. 2018;34(12):1814-1827.

2) Daood U, Burrow MF, Yiu CKY. Effect of a novel quaternary ammonium silane cavity disinfectant on cariogenic biofilm formation. Clin Oral Investig. 2020;24(2):649-661.

3) Data on File

Dr. B Dental Solutions, the most innovative company in the denture care industry, just released the revolutionary new Denture & Mouth Toothbrush For Partial, Full, & Overdenture Patients.

This is the first toothbrush that includes all of these amazing features for denture, partial, overdenture, & fixed hybrid patients:

· Ergonomic Grip Handle Perfect for Seniors and Individuals with Limited Dexterity

· Unique Multi-Layered Bristle Designed for Cleaning Ridges, Tongue, Palate, & Cheeks

· Dual Side Heads for Superior Cleaning of Grooves and Hard to Reach Spaces 

· Extra Soft Bristles Safe for Cleaning Prosthetics, Gums and Implants!

The new Denture & Mouth Toothbrush was Developed by Dr. Lorin Berland after more than 40 years of treating & listening to his patients.

For more information, www.DrBDentalSolutions.com

info@DrBDentalSolutions.com