Connecting dental professionals, technology, and services to create digital dentistry workflows that just flow!

3Shape launches 3Shape Unite – a new open platform that brings world-leading dental companies, solutions, and labs together, enabling dentists to manage all their cases with choice and ease - from 3Shape TRIOS scan to treatment completion.

Included free with every TRIOS, the Unite platform allows practitioners to enjoy the freedom to effortlessly manage and expand their digital dentistry via an ever-growing Unite Store app library.

Fully integrated with the multiple award-winning TRIOS intraoral scanner, the Unite platform and apps deliver an intuitive user interface including: a simplified lab order form with built-in chat and best in class workflow between the dental practice and over 1000 labs; integrations with 50 plus clear aligner providers and patient management systems, and easy-access to patient images - making digital dentistry more straight-forward and accessible than ever.

“3Shape Unite is a tremendous launch for 3Shape! It brings to life our historic vision of giving dentists freedom and open options. It is digital dentistry united under one platform. From labs and treatment solution partners to managing patient care, 3Shape Unite creates workflows that just flow,” says Jakob Just-Bomholt, 3Shape CEO.

He adds, “For dentists, 3Shape Unite simply and openly connects them to the right dental partners and makes digital dentistry easy, end-to-end.”

In the true spirit of unity and openness, industry leaders, Henry Schein, Ivoclar Vivadent, and the Straumann Group, have teamed up with 3Shape as Unite founding partners to launch the platform.

The partnership enables 3Shape Unite users to directly access with optimized integrations to: Henry Schein’s Practice Management Systems, clear aligners, implants, and restorative solutions.; Ivoclar Vivadent’s dental applications for both dentists and dental technicians, and the Straumann Group’s clear aligner, implant, prosthetic solutions, and services.

For dental laboratories, 3Shape Unite provides a platform and directory for them to become more visible to dental practices, market their services with a profile they create, and take advantage of an optimized order workflow with practices.

Professionals can access the 3Shape Unite platform from their laptop and TRIOS MOVE via a software update. The platform will be available globally in mid-December 2021.

Learn more about 3Shape and the 3Shape Unite launch at https://unite.3shape.com/

On October 7th 2021, friends and colleagues of Neoss® Ltd. and ARC Solutions AB came together to celebrate the opening of a new state of the art facility; the new ARC Solutions milling centre.

Since the acquirement of ARC Solutions in 2018, Neoss®’s bid to expand the offering of digital implant solutions has gone from strength to strength, seeing ARC produce thousands of high quality advanced customized implant retained prosthetics and abutments, resulting in quickly outgrowing their former facilities.

Dr. Robert Gottlander, President and CEO of Neoss® said: "With the high demand of advanced customized implant retained prosthetics and advanced engineering solutions, we want to offer more of ARC’s products and services to our customers."

He added: "ARC’s advanced customized implant retained prosthetics and advanced engineering solutions are a perfect fit with our leading Neoss ProActivce® dental implant offerings."

Joakim Svensson, CEO of ARC Solutions said: "This new centre will allow our team to be much more efficient, and facilitates the room for our new equipment, allowing us to produce precision milled dental implant constructions, focusing on quality and reliability."

To learn more about ARC Solutions and their world-class precision milled dental implant constructions, visit: https://www.arcsolutions.se

Open Implants hired Pamela Hanneman as their Manager of Product Development and Technical Education. Pamela brings with her nearly 29 years of hands-on CDT experience developing novel components for the dental industry. She is a published author, key opinion leader, and PTC trainer.

Prior to joining Open Implants, Hanneman grew multiple milling centers increasing efficiencies and profitability. In addition, Ms. Hanneman has traveled throughout North America to educate and train technicians and clinicians on material handling, improving analog and digital workflows, and standardizing operating procedures. “I am thrilled to be the Manager of Product Development and Education for Open Implants” Hanneman said. “I look forward to educating current and future customers of Open Implants on the benefits of the company's proprietary components.”

Gregg M. Gellman, Chief Executive Officer of Open Implants, said, "We are honored to have Pam on board. Her clinical and technical experience in conjunction with her dental component product knowledge will only serve to complement the mission of Open Implants…To bring thoughtfully designed, high quality implant components to the dental community that are designed by dental technicians for dental technicians."

More information about Pamela Hanneman is available at the company's About Us page.

Open Implants designs solutions to help simplify lab operations, reduce costs, and increase reliability. Open Implants products are designed by a lab owner and technicians with over 50 years of combined experience.

For years, Dentsply Sirona has been committed to promoting women in dentistry. Through various programs, the world's largest manufacturer of dental products and technologies supports the professional development of female dentists and dental technicians, advocates for equality, and helps give them a strong voice in the dental community. As part of its sustainability strategy, the Company is going Beyond its historical commitments as a founding partner of the nonprofit organization Women in DSO. Dentsply Sirona will henceforth also advocate for female leaders in dental service organizations.

As of October 1, Dentsply Sirona is a founding partner of Women in DSO (WinDSO), a new dental service organization founded in 2020. Women in DSO's mission is to highlight the achievements of women in dental service organizations and empower women leaders. To that end, the nonprofit organization provides a powerful network, professional mentoring and learning and development programs.

Through the new partnership, Dentsply Sirona will further contribute its strength and experience in the field of women's advancement and significantly contribute to measures that recognize and develop female leaders in the DSO sector. Dentsply Sirona supports the work of Women in DSO with five mentors and its board members provide strategic support to advance the organization’s mission.

Women are still underrepresented in leadership positions, and this also applies to the dental industry," says Lauren Seymour, Vice President of Sales-US Commercial at Dentsply Sirona. "With our involvement in Women in DSO, we want to help change this. The partnership complements our own programs for women in dentistry and is another milestone towards gender equality." Seymour will represent Dentsply Sirona as a board member of Women in DSO.

Dr. Aman Kaur, founder and president of WinDSO, is pleased to have a strong new partner: "With Dentsply Sirona, we have a company on our side that can support us with its experience and expertise to effectively grow and empower the next generation of female leaders.

Numerous measures for diversity in dentistry

Dentsply Sirona offers various programs, measures and events specifically tailored to the needs of women and their career development. They range from speaker support programs and competitions for extraordinary research achievements to networking opportunities and the exchange of experiences at panel discussions and conferences. An outstanding current action is the Smart Integration Award 2021 in November, which recognizes innovative ideas as well as successful and visionary treatment concepts of women in digital dentistry worldwide. Another is First to 50, a global women’s speaker development program designed by Dentsply Sirona to elevate the voices of women in dentistry, working with a well-respected coach.

Internally, Dentsply Sirona also consistently pursues the goal of achieving integration and equal opportunities for all employees. To this end, the Company is proud of its Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) - interest groups to promote diversity and inclusion. One of these is DS Women, which was founded in October 2020 and already has 750 women from 30 nations as members. The stated goal of DS Women is, among other things, to promote more women to management positions at Dentsply Sirona. In addition, the company established a global Diversity & Inclusion Council to develop organizational awareness through training, career coaching, networking, ongoing communications, and talent development to ensure all employees feel empowered to do their best work. The D&I Council comprises 14 demographically and functionally diverse employees from around the globe.

Equal opportunities as a pillar of sustainability

In its new sustainability strategy published in September 2021, Dentsply Sirona also makes a clear commitment to equality. Among other things, the company defines the achievement of gender parity and gender pay equality by 2025 as a milestone on the way to a "brighter world." Currently, at Dentsply Sirona, 50 percent of board members are gender and/or ethnically mixed and 60 percent of board committees are chaired by women.

The forces that Dentsply Sirona is combining to achieve its diversity goals will also be used by the company in the future to cooperate with Women in DSO and support them in fulfilling their mission of empowering female leaders in dental service organizations.

For more information on Women in DSO, visit: https://womenindso.org/

Further information on Dentsply Sirona's commitment to women in dentistry: https://stagingnews.dentsplysirona.com/en/corporate-news/2021/dentsply-sirona-continues-to-empower-women-in-dentistry.html

The Dentsply Sirona Sustainability Report and our sustainability strategy and goals are available here: www.dentsplysirona.com/sustainability 

Portable whitening products for home use deliver practice growth with menial investment

Zest Dental Solutions, the only manufacturer of the Zest LOCATOR® Family of Abutment Systems, including the Zest LOCATOR Overdenture Implant System, and provider of clinician-trusted dental materials and small equipment, has partnered with Smile Source, L.P. to develop ClariSmile whitening products, available exclusively to Smile Source® members. Available now for preorder, ClariSmile products will begin shipping October 22, 2021.

The exclusive ClariSmile suite of whitening products includes an all-in-one take home Whitening Speed Kit, Syringe Refills, and Whitening Pens for on-the-go. Together, these professional-grade whitening offerings help to create patient confidence and are cost-effective solutions to help generate practice growth. Because the ClariSmile products are designed for use outside of the dental office, they are an outstanding way to grow revenue without giving up valuable chair time.

The ClariSmile line stems from an ongoing partnership between Zest Dental Solutions and Smile Source®, a family of over 1,000 dentists and 600 private dental practices working together to provide world-class patient care. Sold exclusively by Zest and available only to Smile Source® members, a portion of the ClariSmile proceeds benefits the Smile Source Foundation. The Foundation’s charter allows for contributions received by the Foundation to be disbursed, as determined by the Board of Directors, to dentists and their family members who have been impacted by catastrophic events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires or from health-related events such as death, cancer, and stroke.

“ClariSmile is a great way to catalyze practice growth with virtually zero chairtime investment,” said Tom Stratton, Zest Dental Solutions CEO. “The ClariSmile products are highly effective and designed to be used by patients outside the dental office to create confident, bright smiles. Zest is particularly pleased to be partnering with Smile Source® to launch a product that will help to give back through the Smile Source Foundation.”

“Smile Source is proud to partner with Zest Dental to bring our members a top of the line experience in teeth whitening at a fraction of the price. We’re looking forward to changing the game in whitening speed kits with ClariSmile and Zest,” said Dan Walker, Smile Source COO.

Smile Source® members can preorder ClariSmile by going to www.zestdent.com/clari-smile. To learn more about how Zest Dental Solutions can help you exceed patient expectations and grow your practice, call 800-262-2310 or visit www.zestdent.com.

Coveted Education Awards Honor the Timeless Legacy of William J. Gies, Ph.D.

Today the ADEAGies Foundation® announced recipients of the 2022 William J. Gies Awards (the Gies Awards) for Vision, Innovation and Achievement. The Gies Awards, named after dental education pioneer William J. Gies, Ph.D., honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the highest standards in oral health and dental education, research and leadership.

“The 2022 Gies Awardees are contributing solutions to a variety of challenges in dental education and oral health, from serving marginalized communities to supporting advanced disciplines,” said Marsha Pyle, D.D.S., M.Ed., President of the ADEAGies Foundation and ADEA Senior Scholar in Residence. “They are advancing dental education and elevating the dental professions.”

The seven honorees were chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts, including the ADEAGies Foundation Board of Trustees.

The 2022 Gies Awards recipients are (in alphabetical order):

AAO Foundation

Gies Award for Achievement – Public or Private Partner

Patricia Blanton, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Gies Award for Vision – Educator

Sylvia Frazier-Bowers, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Gies Award for Innovation – Educator

Jessica A. Rickert, D.D.S.

Gies Award for Achievement – Public or Private Partner

Leo Rouse, D.D.S.

Gies Award for Achievement – Educator

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine

Gies Award for Vision – Institution

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics

Gies Award for Achievement – Institution

The 2022 Gies Awards will be presented on March 21, 2022, in tandem with the 2022 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition.

About the ADEAGies Foundation: As the only philanthropy dedicated solely to dental education, the ADEAGies Foundation’s mission is to enhance the oral health of the public by funding programs that support innovations in dental education, research, leadership and recognition. To achieve its mission, the Foundation awards grants (over $1.8 million to date) and holds The William J. Gies Awards for Vision, Innovation and Achievement each year. Building on these successes, the ADEAGies Foundation has committed to increase funding for innovations within academic dentistry, and to ensure that those ideas are disseminated throughout the profession to reach their full potential for change. The Foundation’s funding will support leadership programs and transformational advances throughout dental education to improve oral and systemic health.

About William J. Gies, Ph.D. and the Gies Report: William J. Gies was a Columbia University biochemistry professor and founder of the College of Dental Medicine at Columbia University. In 1926, funded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Dr. Gies published a landmark report that established the importance of dentistry as a healing science and an essential component of higher education in the health professions. The Gies Report remains to this day the most relevant survey of dental education and critical issues within the field.

About ADEA: The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is The Voice of Dental Education. Our mission is to lead and support the health professions community in preparing future-ready oral health professionals. Our members include all 78 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 50 corporations and approximately 18,000 individuals. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings and communications, including the esteemed Journal of Dental Education®, as well as the dental school application services ADEA AADSAS®, ADEA PASS®, ADEA DHCAS® and ADEA CAAPID®. For more information, visit adea.org.

The American Laser Study Club (ALSC), a specialty laser surgery and laser dentistry training organization, is pleased to become a Collaboration Cures Affiliate at the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD). The ALSC is joining an outstanding group of organizations focused on interdisciplinary collaboration and education for optimal airway growth and function.

“We appreciate AAPMD for inviting us to become a Collaboration Cures Affiliate. As dental professions start to focus more on airway disorders, the ALSC is seeking to partner with like-minded professional organizations that put airway health at the forefront of patient care. We will continue to focus our efforts on supporting dentists and other health care professionals with science-based laser surgery, laser dentistry, and laser safety education that is required to provide optimal patient care” stated Dr. Peter Vitruk, ALSC founder.

About the ALSC

The American Laser Study Club (ALSC) was founded in 2017 with the goal to fill the void in current Laser Surgery and Laser Dentistry Education (i.e., the physics of laser-tissue interaction, such as absorption, scattering, ablation, coagulation and hemostasis, soft and hard tissue ablation, laser safety, etc.) and help Physicians, Dentists, Veterinarians, and Practice Staff Members to excel at the efficient and safe application of laser energy in everyday practice. The American Laser Study Club designed its curriculum based on peer-reviewed physics reviews and on the foundations of laser-tissue interaction and laser surgery. The ALSC’s upcoming 2022 Annual “Breathe and Thrive” Symposium takes place February 11-13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Learn more about the ALSC at www.americanlaserstudyclub.org

About the AAPMD

Founded in 2012, the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing its professional membership tools and ability to recognize the role and importance of optimal airway physiology and sleep in the areas of health, development, performance, and function. You are invited to join us at the Collaboration Cures 2022: Linking Medicine & Dentistry to Deliver Optimal Health. This event is held September 15-18, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Learn more about the AAPMD at www.aapmd.org

Software update for greater efficiency and clarity

With the Ceramill 4.0 update, Amann Girrbach integrates the Exocad Galway Update and numerous other functions. Users can now work more intelligently and with greater clarity and efficiency in a uniform workflow - from the Ceramill Scan software and the Ceramill Mind through to the Ceramill Match 2 and Ceramill Motion.

With the Auto-Morphing and Auto-Antagonist features, Amann Girrbach comes yet another step closer to Auto-Design. First, the Auto-Antagonist function determines the exact alignment of the two jaws based on an algorithm. Then the Auto-Morphing function automatically adapts the tooth anatomy to the antagonist and the surrounding area, as well as automatically changing the spacing and fissures. And finally, the result is harmonious integration into the patient's dentition.

The update offers a number of additional functions. For example, the insertion direction can be adjusted intuitively and conveniently. And an improved view on the indication provides the opportunity for an immediate assessment of the impact. Scaling, rotating, modifying as well as copying the connectors is possible from three different perspectives due to the Multi-View feature enabling their adaptation to the restoration with perfect precision. The M-Smile feature not only recognizes the eyes and lip lines, but also allows fabricating the matching mock-up for the patient with the aid of the 3D printer for a direct fitting - even before the final restoration.

Other new features include the option of saving full dentures as standard libraries, the time-saving Auto-Articulation, as well as a more efficient algorithm which can reduce matching time by 37 percent (when using the Ceramill Map 600+) or up to 65 percent (when using the Ceramill Map 200+).

An overview of the new update is presented in this video: https://www.amanngirrbach.com/mind-update-2021/

SprintRay to provide industry-leading digital 3D printing ecosystem to more than 900 Aspen Dental locations nationwide

Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI), a national network of more than 900 dental practices, and SprintRay Inc., an industry leader in digital dentistry and dental 3D printing solutions, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership that will equip every Aspen Dental practice with SprintRay's state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. SprintRay's innovative 3D printing technology will be added to Aspen Dental facilities across 45 states.

"Innovation in dentistry is about leveraging technology, new biocompatible materials and big data to enhance the speed of high-quality treatment," said SprintRay CEO and Co-Founder Amir Mansouri. "By equipping every Aspen Dental practice with SprintRay's industry-leading, frictionless 3D printing workflow, more patients will have access to transformative, high-quality dental care, delivered arm's length from the patient and chairside in each Aspen dental practice."

"As part of Aspen Dental's ongoing effort to integrate technological innovations into our care delivery process, we are excited to partner with SprintRay to embed their end-to-end 3D printing ecosystem in every Aspen Dental practice nationwide," said Aspen Dental Management, Inc. Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Arwinder Judge.

The companies share a mutual commitment to equipping dentists with leading-edge technologies that support the delivery of high-quality dental care for more patients.

Last Friday, SprintRay announced its multi-year partnership with eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt, who will represent SprintRay as its Global Brand Ambassador. In addition, SprintRay Foundation, in association with Bolt Foundation, will launch Bolt Labs Powered by SprintRay – an initiative with a mission to make world-class digital dental care accessible and affordable to patients across the world, starting with Jamaica.  

MEDIT is pleased to announce that its i700 intraoral scanner was chosen as a 2021 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award. The i700 was selected by a panel of the most prominent technology leaders in dentistry. This prestigious award is given to select new products that demonstrate groundbreaking technological innovation and the potential to positively change the course of dentistry for the better.

“During what is once again proving to be a very challenging year for the dental industry, each of these extraordinary companies and their award-winning technologies have earned the right to celebrate. I strongly encourage dentists to take the opportunity to engage with these companies and their innovations both virtually and in person,” said Dr. Lou Shuman, CEO of Cellerant and founder of the Best of Class Technology Awards. “Our panel spent many hours in close discussion in order to identify these standout products. Pay close attention to our winners as they are truly leading the way to provide you what is best in today’s contemporary practice.”

Paul Feuerstein, DMD, Editor-In-Chief for Dentistry Today and one of the product evaluators on Cellerant’s panel of experts says this about the i700: “The new i700 model is lightning fast, accurate and is loaded with new features. And its price point makes it even more attractive. New features such as direct USB connections, a detachable cable and UV-C LED disinfection are only some of the advancements. Its Medit Link software allows totally open access to all digital products for treatment planning, design and manufacturing. Their website has technical information as well as videos of some very interesting cases.”

Brian Connolly, VP of Business Development for Medit USA, has this to say about the award: “I’m grateful for the acknowledgement and further validation from dental industry experts regarding the merits of the i700 intraoral scanner,“ states Mr. Connolly, “Medit’s commitment to innovation and offering dental professionals the solutions they need to provide patients with exemplary dentistry and optimal outcomes is the driving force behind everything we do.”

Powering the i700 is a super-fast camera that captures up to 70 frames per second. This means more data with each pass resulting in a smooth and quick scanning experience with realistic colors and a crisp image. The camera and other internal components have been reduced in size creating a new handpiece that is smaller and lighter, weighing just 245g (8.64oz). The tips have been redesigned and are now reversible and autoclavable 100 times, increasing comfort of use and ease of maintenance. The cable is also now detachable for easy maintenance and improved portability.

More information about the i700 intraoral scanner can be found at www.medit.com.