With the successful validation of the Ceramill Motion 2 and Ceramill Mikro IC milling units as being "authorized for IPS e.max," Amann Girrbach and Ivoclar Vivadent already formed a partnership in the laboratory sector last year. Now the Ceramill Matik, the unique Full Service Unit from Amann Girrbach, has also been officially released for the processing of IPS e.max and thus offers users an even more comprehensive range of materials. 

Coordinated CAD/CAM solutions for use in dental laboratories are of paramount importance for both Amann Girrbach and Ivoclar Vivadent. For this reason, all the above-mentioned milling units were subjected to a precise coordination process, and specially developed milling strategies ensure the highest quality results. 

The specially developed and fully burn-out disc, ProArt CAD Wax yellow, supports the pressing technique with IPS e.max Press digitally. The smooth surfaces of the material enable precise results with a maximum accuracy of fit. Thus, Ceramill users have access to all processing options for the leading all-ceramic system, IPS e.max. As a clear sign of the cooperation, the Ceramill units will receive a specially developed blank holder for the Ivoclar Vivadent CAD/CAM materials.

At the 28th Comprix competition, the most creative healthcare campaigns of the year were awarded. In the category Dental-/Oral-Care Professionals, the vhf clip Dental from Deutschland prevailed against the competition and won the first place. Not the first prize for the short vhf video: earlier, a jury of Healthcare Marketing and Dental Marketing already awarded the clip as spot of the year 2019.

In Germany, the Comprix Award is a seal of quality for excellence and creativity for particularly outstanding works in healthcare communication – awarded by about 70 jurors in three expert juries. With 342 submissions in 48 categories in total, this year’s competition had the highest submission rate in the last ten years. The award ceremony took place in September this year, both on site in Cologne and virtually.

vhf could once again win an award with their clip Dental from Deutschland. The star of the successful video is the Z4 – a high-precision milling and grinding machine for same-day dentistry. Its futuristic housing contains state-of-the-art technology that enables perfect dental restorations to be produced within minutes. The objective was to develop a film for this dental machine which could be used at trade shows worldwide, on the homepage of vhf, and in social media. The intention is to tell Made in Germany in a completely different way and as surprisingly as possible.

The project was realized by the agency Schitto Schmodde Werbung (now Circle Kommunikation) with a humorous story about German clichés and virtues, combined with a lot of courage for self-irony. The result: high-tech from Germany is sold with a wink and an unusual sense of humor – happy ending included.

Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners, a dental support organization (“DSO”) dedicated to improving the delivery of dental services for dentists, has announced the addition of Wendy Flanagan as Vice President of Operations: Orthodontics. In this role Flanagan will plan, direct, coordinate and oversee operations in the orthodontics sector, ensuring development and implementation of efficient operations and cost-effective systems to meet current and future needs of Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners.

“With decades of experience in operations, Wendy is a highly motivated, driven and energetic professional that is dedicated to providing exceptional experiences to our clients,” said Mitchell Goldman, Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners. “Her leadership and commitment will ensure that our orthodontics team continues to provide the highest-quality dental care.”

Flanagan brings more than 24 years of dental operations experience to her role at Mid-Atlantic Dental. Prior to joining Mid-Atlantic Dental, she held multiple roles at Great Expressions Dental Centers, eventually becoming National Vice President of Team Operations in nine states, including Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, New York and New Jersey.

Flanagan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia and an Associate of Science from Clayton College and State University. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, Flanagan was recognized as a top company performer for Great Expressions Dental Centers in the Invisalign and orthodontic revenue sectors. In 2016, she was named Female Executive of the Year, Consumer Services: Bronze Award at the Stevie® Awards.

Founded in 2016, Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners offers dentists a DSO model that supports dental professionals by providing marketing, financial, practice information and other business services so dentists and other dental professionals can focus on delivering the highest quality care to their patients. In addition, Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners supported practices offers associate dentists an opportunity to participate in the financial success of the practices. The company currently has 200 practices in 17 states and will continue to expand its national footprint and tap into new markets.

About Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners

Founded in 2016, Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners is a dental support organization dedicated to improving the delivery of dental care by elevating the importance of dental care in the overall health care of patients and their communities. By providing dentists with financial management, marketing and technology services, Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners alleviates administrative burdens and allows dentists to focus on their patients.

For more information, visit https://www.mid-atlantic dental.com/. 

Planmeca USA, a leading manufacturer of dental imaging and CAD/CAM equipment, today announced that the North American part of the highly-popular Planmeca Digital Dentistry World Tour will go virtual on December 2. This show offers dental professionals an informative, yet safe way of learning how to benefit from Planmeca’s all-digital workflow.

Attendees will learn about the latest digital dentistry innovations, including the recently launched all-in-one Planmeca Romexis® 6.0 software, which ties together all Planmeca equipment and software. Attendees will also see the entire integrated workflow firsthand, beginning with CBCT imaging and intraoral scanning to treatment planning, restorative design and fabricating.

“Doctors who are thinking about going digital or are looking for ways to further expand their digital dentistry offerings will greatly benefit from joining this event,” said Jody Rodney, Vice President of Marketing and Education at Planmeca USA. “They can learn about maximizing their workflows and how to enhance patient care, which will undoubtedly generate new revenue streams for their practice.“

The online event will feature three doctors who have utilized Planmeca technology to improve workflow efficiencies. Dr. Zachary Evans will discuss the entire digital implant workflow; Dr. Walter Renne will guide participants through a complete digital smile design case; and Dr. Anthony Mennito will use a clinical case example to demonstrate how patient satisfaction and efficiency can be enhanced with same-day dentistry.

“Even during the current environment, doctors need to keep advancing their skills and dental practices still need to keep moving forward to bring patients back – and, at the same time, adopt to techniques that drive greater patient satisfaction and efficiencies,” Rodney said. “We are excited to offer this to our network and others who would like to learn more, in the comfort of their home or wherever else they may be.”

To sign up for the North American event, visit www.planmeca.com/digital-dentistry-world-tour/.

About Planmeca USA:

Planmeca USA is a subsidiary of Planmeca, the largest privately held company in the dental equipment market and one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of dental X-rays and core equipment. With a North American office located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and international headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, Planmeca is well established in high-tech dental markets and currently serves 120 countries worldwide. For more information, visit planmeca.com. 

It’s no surprise that healthcare workers are at the greatest risk for coronavirus infection, putting themselves on the front lines, with many of them having to stay under quarantine because of exposure to the virus. According to an analytical chart from the NY Times, dentists and dental hygienists are at the highest risk of contracting the coronavirus out of any healthcare worker, both in terms of exposure to disease and being in close proximity to their patients. As a result, dental offices have had to take extraordinary precautions to protect their employees and their patients.

The Trine Dental Group in Orland Park, Chicago, has found an innovative way to protect their employees and patients that Dr. Christopher J. Pavletic describes as going “above and beyond” to keep the patient safe. When re-opening their offices early in the pandemic, Dr. Pavletic and his team wanted to ensure that their office was safe and clean from the aerosolization of viruses in the air and on surfaces in the dental operatory.

“We have been using filters and safe methods, such as extraoral aerosol evacuation and rubber dams, to protect the patient during mercury and silver filling removal,” Pavletic said. “I feel like dentists, generally speaking, have always been concerned about disinfection and safety of their patients.”

In addition to adhering to strict CDC guidelines, using advanced personal protective equipment, and deploying 2 types of HEPA air filter units, Dr. Pavletic placed Krypton Far UV-C lights, on the ceiling 8-10 feet above the patient, which allows for the disinfection of COVID-19 virus particles in the air and on surfaces within the perimeter of the light. So far, they’re the only dentist practice in the Chicagoland area to utilize the Krypton Far-UV technology.

“As a practitioner, I wanted to have something that I could feel really solid and comfortable about for my patients and my staff,” Pavletic explained.

How do these lights work? At first glance, you may confuse a Krypton light with a smoke detector on the ceiling that contains a faint purple glow. Despite its small size, the light provides powerful disinfection for viruses and bacteria that are either in the air or on directly exposed surfaces. In a typical dentist operatory that is about 100 square feet in dimension, the light obliterates the coronavirus easily and effectively, with a 99.9%or 3-log kill rate, that is similar to disinfection standards seen in hospital operating rooms.

There are different kinds of UV light in the environment: UV-A and UV-B are naturally found in sunlight and can cause skin damage, while UV-C light never makes it through the ozone layer. So UV-C light has to be manufactured and can either emit a long 254 nm wavelength, which is typically used for unoccupied spaces in hospitals because it is dangerous to the skin and eyes, or a short 222 nm wavelength, like the Krypton Far-UV light, which is safe for occupied public spaces when mounted on ceilings. It is important to use certified UV-C lights as there are many counterfeit lights that don’t work or hand-held wands that can be dangerous and are available on the internet.

Far UV-C light is absorbed by proteins on the outer envelope of the COVID-19 virus which kills the virus by zapping these spike proteins. It is thought to be more effective at killing COVID in the air because it essentially pops the envelope bubble and then the naked nuclear material (RNA) dies. It also is safe because it never penetrates the skin or surface of the eye due to absorption of light by proteins on the surfaces of the skin and the tear layer of the eye.

“It does its job and knocks things down. And it's safe for us to be in here,” Pavletic described.

Dr. Pavletic highlights these safety features on his website, making sure his patients are well-informed about how Krypton UV light has no effect on any of the dental materials he uses. While many of his patients are local, he’s had others drive a couple of hours, as far away as the Indianapolis area.

“When they’re in the chair, the hygienist will point out these things. With the different filters, there’s a vacuum type sound. But the light is silent, and usually it’s not noticed until pointed out,” Pavletic said.

As safety equipment becomes more necessary for businesses, the future of Far-UV technology could make its way into other essential businesses, such as restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, offices, schools, and airports.

“Safety measures are always evolving- it's a transition, and it's an improvement,” Pavletic said. “I'm really grateful for the technology that FAR UV Technologies has come up with because I can have an environment where we can be above and beyond in terms of safety. I would recommend Krypton Far-UV light disinfection to all of my dental colleagues”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, more people than ever are without health and dental insurance in California. To address urgent dental health concerns, they have to rely on free and low-cost clinics, which provide care to our most vulnerable populations. While the demand for their services has drastically increased during the ongoing pandemic, cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) for providers has skyrocketed, leaving many free and low-cost clinics unable to treat patients, and even facing the risk of closure.

To help free clinics combat the shortage of funds and supplies, the Dr Kevin M Kenny Foundation and ASDA District 11 are organizing eight free webinars for dental professionals over the course of three months, starting in November. The courses provide CE credits. Topics are chosen to prepare dental professionals for a successful career in dentistry and practice ownership. Dental manufacturers can sponsor the courses. All donations raised from sponsors will support free clinics across California in purchasing the PPE needed to continue providing services to those in need.

"Previously we were able to obtain donations of PPE at conventions, but this year, conventions are virtual, making it difficult to solicit donations. Having sufficient PPE available is necessary to ensure that our clinics remain open, and our volunteers are able to continue to provide care at no cost."- according to a statement of the UCSD Student-Run Free Dental Clinics.

Free dental clinics serve those who otherwise would not have access to dental care. “My teeth are in poor condition. I have a big beautiful smile, but it was affected. I wasn’t getting help from anywhere. I didn’t have the resources nor the money,” says Suezy, a patient at Homeless Not Toothless. For the past year, Suezy suffered from dental pain because she couldn’t find a dentist that would take her Medi-Cal insurance. Only a free clinic was willing to help her. If free clinics cannot get PPE, many people like Suezy will be left without care.

During a time of crisis, the dental community can make a difference by coming together to help those affected by COVID-19. To learn more, please visit: https://drkevinmkennyfoundation.com/events

If you are interested in sponsoring the events or would like more information, please contact Dr. Kevin Kenny at drkevinmkennyfoundation@gmail.com.

Dr Kevin M Kenny Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides continuing education courses to dentists. All the funds that the organization raises goes towards providing medical and dental care to underserved populations and supporting humanitarian mission trips. In the past four years, the nonprofit has donated more than $135,000.

At this point in time, the American Dental Association (ADA) firmly believes dental care can continue to be delivered safely. Guidance recommended by the ADA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to safeguard the health of the public. Dental care is essential health care. Regular dental visits are important because treatment, as well as prevention of dental disease, helps keep people healthy. See the ADA’s statement from August on this topic.

To date, according to the CDC, there has been no documented transmission of COVID-19 in a clinical dental setting. Additionally, a study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association found the prevalence of COVID-19 among dentists to be less than one percent. Researchers from the ADA Science and Research Institute and the ADA Health Policy Institute are continuing to collect infection rate data among dentists and have added dental hygienists to the research as well. The preliminary data suggest the monthly incidence rate among dentists has remained below one percent. Conclusive data from a six-month period will be part of an upcoming publication.

Patient and dental team safety is always a foremost concern of dentists. The intent of the ADA’s recommendation in March to postpone all but urgent and emergency care until April 30, 2020 was to help mitigate the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, conserve essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical frontline colleagues, and avoid the need for patients requiring emergency dental treatment to go to overburdened hospital emergency departments.

During the postponement period, an expert task force of the American Dental Association examined existing research to consider standard infection control in dental offices and how it could be augmented even further during the pandemic in order for patients to safely receive the full range of dental care. This led to the development of an ADA COVID-19 interim guidance for dental professionals released in April as state and local governments began reopening certain businesses considered “essential,” including dental practices.

The CDC’s interim guidance for dental care settings—later released in May—echoed the ADA’s interim guidance. The ADA’s guidance calls for the highest level of PPE available—masks, goggles and face shields. The ADA’s interim guidance also calls for screening patients for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure before dental appointments, the use of rubber dams and high velocity suction during dental procedures whenever possible and hand scaling when cleaning teeth rather than using ultrasonic scaling to minimize aerosols.

The ADA will continue to monitor the developing situation and recognizes that local and state health departments, state dental societies and, in some cases, large urban local dental societies may make recommendations they believe are appropriate due to local conditions. In general, however, dentists and dental team members across the country have effectively implemented ADA and CDC recommendations, and dental practices should remain open to provide dental care to patients.

For more information on the measures dentists and their teams are taking to provide dental care, please visit MouthHealthy.org/backtodentist.

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

 BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, completed its leadership council meeting of the Waterlase Endo Academy on Nov. 14, forming an exclusive community of leading endodontists, dedicated to improving patient outcomes and profitability with new technology. The academy, open to all Waterlase endodontists, was created to foster peer-led learning, best practice sharing and optimal integration of Waterlase technology into clinical practice.

"The launch of Waterlase Endo Academy was a natural next step in our company journey, as we continue to pursue the mission of advancing dentistry," said Todd Norbe, President and CEO of BIOLASE. "As endodontists continue to seek out more advanced solutions for challenging cases, the academy will serve as a resource for some of the greatest minds in the field to elevate the dissemination of best practices for the integration of advanced technology like the Waterlase."

Benefits for members of the academy include ongoing mentorship from leading clinicians, didactic online meetings and interactive case reviews by Waterlase experts, in-person training experiences hosted by leading Waterlase Endo Academy clinicians, including Dr. Charles Maupin and on-demand access to clinical resources and webinars. In addition to Dr. Maupin, leadership council members of the academy include noted endodontic experts such as Dr. Francisco Banchs, Dr. Yigail Zibari, Dr. Fernando Meza, Dr. Justin Kolnick, Dr. Robert Corr and Dr. Kirk Huffaker.

The Waterlase dental laser offers various benefits for endodontists, from faster procedures to new treatment options. The Waterlase also provides greater access to lateral canals and the critical apical third in order to address this challenge, improving efficiency and patient-reported outcomes. The radial firing tip is unique allowing for success in conservative endo treatment while the overall technology delivers more predictability, reduced patient discomfort and improved patient care. The universal use of Waterlase also allows Clinicians to perform soft-tissue surgery, crown and veneer removals, apicoectomies and more.

Learn more about the benefits of laser dentistry in endodontics at biolase.com/betterendo and the Waterlase Endo Academy at biolase.com/wea.

About BIOLASE, Inc.

BIOLASE is a medical device company that develops, manufactures, markets, and sells laser systems in dentistry and medicine. BIOLASE's products advance the practice of dentistry and medicine for patients and healthcare professionals. BIOLASE's proprietary laser products incorporate approximately 259 patented and 41 patent-pending technologies designed to provide biologically and clinically superior performance with less pain and faster recovery times. BIOLASE's innovative products provide cutting-edge technology at competitive prices to deliver superior results for dentists and patients. BIOLASE's principal products are revolutionary dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications. BIOLASE has sold over 41,200 laser systems to date in over 80 countries around the world. Laser products under development address BIOLASE's core dental market and other adjacent medical and consumer applications.

For updates and information on Waterlase iPlus®, Waterlase Express™, and laser dentistry, find BIOLASE online at www.biolase.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/biolase, Twitter at www.twitter.com/biolaseinc, Instagram at www.instagram.com/waterlase_laserdentistry, and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/biolase.

BIOLASE®, Waterlase® and Waterlase iPlus® are registered trademarks of BIOLASE, Inc.

SOURCE BIOLASE, Inc.

Medit has announced an update to its Medit Link software with the release of patient communication applications. The new free applications focus on patient communication, providing visualizations of potential results to help the patient understand their options and achieve their ideal smile.

Medit Ortho Simulation, Medit Crown Fit, Medit Smile Design, and Medit Compare expand the realm of what a scanner can do

The four applications are designed to aid patient understanding, covering a wide range of uses. Medit Ortho Simulation can demonstrate multiple potential tooth movement scenarios to help the patient visualize a future smile. Medit Crown Fit helps the clinician see possible pressure points enabling a modeless workflow reducing chair time and increasing patient comfort.

Medit Smile Design takes the patients future smile and places it in their image, so they can see what digital dentistry can do for them, while Medit Compare automatically aligns two sets of scan data, allowing for comparison.

Medit Link 2.3 makes scanning easier than ever

The new update allows the user to ignore selected colors, such as the color of one’s gloves. The exact colors to be ignored can be chosen using the scanner. This reduces the number of artifacts introduced by a clinicians’ gloves during retraction, shortening the time needed to conduct a scan.

Moving digital dentistry forward

“’I am excited about what our team has been able to accomplish. Unlike a closed system, an open system such as Medit enables dentists to take advantage of any developments and improvements in software. With our focus on moving digital dentistry forward, we have worked to ensure our most recent advancements are available to all intraoral scanner users, allowing them to increase their productivity,” says GB KO, Medit CEO.

About Medit Corp:

Medit is a global provider of 3D measurement solutions for dental clinics and labs, including intraoral scanners, based on its own patented state-of-the-art technology. The company also develops platform solutions for digital dentistry, supporting collaborative workflows. Additionally, the Solutionix line provides 3D scanners and software to the industrial market. The company’s goal is to provide innovative technology and the highest quality products to ensure mutual growth for all partners.

Medit is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea since its inception in 2000. The company also has representatives located in the Americas and Europe and boasts a global network of distributors in over 70 countries.

MouthWatch, LLC, a leader in innovative teledentistry solutions, digital case presentation tools and intraoral imaging devices, recently published a highly relevant whitepaper entitled, “Teledentistry: Post-COVID-19 Use for Safe, Efficient and Evidence-Based Care.” Written by CDC Consultant and infectious disease expert, Margaret Scarlett, DMD, the paper presents teledentistry as a viable, problem-based solution for dental professionals and patients alike.

According to MouthWatch CEO and founder, Brant Herman, “Due to COVID-19, one of the long-term changes in how dental practices connect with their patients will be the adoption of a new teledentistry-driven protocol that will virtually assess the patient’s need for oral care, improve the safety and efficiency of the care provided in the dental office, and also enable the virtual follow-up with the patient on recently-provided care.”

The whitepaper goes into great detail and is organized by the following main topics:

• Introduction to Teledentistry

• Teledentistry’s Battle-Tested ROI (Military Origins)

• Successful Civilian Services (Public Health Proving Ground)

• Policy Changes (Recommended by several government agencies)

• Current Uses

• Post-Pandemic Teledentistry

“The main takeaway of this whitepaper is that teledentistry will continue to be a problem-based solution to increase patient volume and increase practice efficiency during and post-pandemic,” said Dr. Scarlett. “What’s more, teledentistry will soon take its rightful place as must-have dental technology.”

“Teledentistry: Post-COVID-19 Use for Safe, Efficient and Evidence-Based Care” is available as a free download at https://mwtch.co/gtpcw. For more information on MouthWatch TeleDent, visit www.MouthWatch.com/TeleDent

About MouthWatch LLC:

Headquartered in Metuchen, New Jersey, MouthWatch, LLC is a leader in innovative teledentistry solutions, digital case presentation tools and intraoral imaging devices. The company is dedicated to finding new ways to constantly improve the dental health experience for both patient and provider.

In 2020, the company received the following awards and accolades: The 2020 Cellerant Best of Class Award for TeleDent™, the provider-focused, patient-friendly teledentistry platform. TeleDent also won Dentistry Today’s 2020 Top Innovative Products Award and Dentistry Today’s 2020 Reader’s Choice Award. The affordable / high quality MouthWatch Intraoral Camera was honored with the Dentistry Today Top 100 Products Award. MouthWatch was also ranked #1303 in the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies. For more information, visit www.MouthWatch.com.