Neocis®, manufacturer of Yomi® and the global leader in robot-assisted dental implant surgery, announced today that their latest software offering, YomiPlan Go™, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after the successful completion of a recent clinical study. This marks the 13th FDA clearance Neocis has received to date.

Yomi, the first and only FDA-cleared robotic system for dental surgery, assists clinicians in both planning and operative phases of dental implant placement via interactive digital planning (using YomiPlan™ software) and robotic guidance of surgical instrumentation, respectively.

YomiPlan Go, which is expected to be commercially available later this summer, is a software-based workflow that allows doctors to directly visualize a patient’s anatomy, set the desired location and angulation of an implant using their drill tip, and then perform an osteotomy under robotic guidance. This mode differs from the platform’s other workflow options (YomiPlan Complete™ and YomiPlan Dynamic™) as it frees clinicians from having to take a CT scan for case planning in YomiPlan, allowing them to get underway with surgery faster.

“This new FDA-cleared workflow demonstrates our commitment to continuous innovation,” said Alon Mozes, Neocis Co-founder and CEO. “We are dedicated to providing all of our partners with versatile solutions that allow them to use Yomi for the wide variety of clinical cases they take on every day.”

YomiPlan Go’s fast, flexible workflow is similar to freehand surgery but offers the enhanced precision and repeatability of robotic assistance. In this mode, Yomi’s guide arm stabilizes the drill, maintains positional and angular precision as the clinician changes bits, and prevents overdrilling. Users can also accurately parallelize multiple fixtures by using the initial implant as a reference point.

"By combining the feel of freehand surgery with the advantages of haptic guidance, YomiPlan Go adds a human touch to robotic implant placement,” said Massachusetts-based general dentist Dr. Sathish Palayam. “It’s as simple as point and place.”

The growing YomiPlan software suite gives dental practices the flexibility to choose a robotic workflow that best fits their needs, so they can perform robot-assisted surgery with minimal disruption to their existing clinical processes and techniques. “We’re thrilled to introduce another innovation that directly resulted from our users’ input,” said Wayne Craig, Chief Commercial Officer at Neocis. “I’ve never been with a company that so closely partners with and listens to its clients to develop innovative, solution-oriented offerings. We’re excited to provide freehand surgeons with a more precise and versatile alternative to this method, without sacrificing speed and clinical efficiency.”

Neocis continues to advance implant dentistry, having secured more than 40 patents since the company’s founding. Earlier this year, Neocis released its latest software update, YomiPlan 2.3, which includes YomiPlan Dynamic–a CT-based workflow that allows clinicians to plan a case intra-operatively using just a day-of scan.

About Yomi

Yomi is a computerized robotic navigational system intended to provide assistance in both the planning (pre-operative) and the surgical (intra-operative) phases of dental implantation surgery. The system provides software to preoperatively plan dental implantation procedures and provides robotic navigational guidance of the surgical instruments. Yomi is intended for use in partially edentulous and fully edentulous adult patients who qualify for dental implants.

Since 2016, Yomi has been helping clinicians around the country plan and place dental implants with a high level of precision and efficiency, so they can operate with confidence, expand their implant practice, and deliver an excellent patient experience. The platform has assisted in the placement of more than 13,000 implants. Visit neocis.com to learn more about Yomi or schedule a hands-on demo. 

Dr. Ross Fruithandler’s family and El Paso dental community welcome class of 2026

The life and legacy of a beloved El Paso-area dentist was celebrated as the second class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine was formally introduced on Monday.

Family and friends of Ross C. Fruithandler, D.D.S., who passed away at the age of 59 on March 31, 2021, were on hand to welcome the class of 2026 to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Before welcoming the new class of dental students, the Fruithandler family was present for the unveiling of the Dr. Ross C. Fruithandler Dental Suite at the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic.

Dr. Fruithandler’s wife, Linda, said it was a touching tribute to her late husband, who had a successful career while making time for the important things such as his community, friends and, above all, family.

“In between your birth date and death date, there is always a dash. Well, Ross made that dash count,” said Linda Fruithandler, who was accompanied by her son Corey. “It may not have been as long as we wanted it to be, but he made it count. I want to say to the dental students who are about to start their journey to do the same. You will be stressed at times and constantly challenged, but you got to make that dash count.”

Dr. Fruithandler served the El Paso community as an endodontist from 1989 to 2019. He held membership in the El Paso District Dental Society for 31 years. Dr. Fruithandler was a supporter of the new Hunt School of Dental Medicine and helped select the inaugural class by generously volunteering to serve on the Applications and Interview Committee in 2020.

The dental suite that bears Dr. Fruithandler’s name will include a plaque detailing his career and dedication to his patients, so every patient who visits the clinic will have the opportunity to learn more about his contributions to his beloved community. The 38,000-square-foot public dental clinic has 145-treatment chairs, where students train under the supervision of faculty providers to deliver high-quality oral health care to patients.

“Everything about this dental clinic is absolutely gorgeous. When we arrived here 33 years ago, I would have never imagined El Paso would have a world-class clinic, dental school or even the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso campus. It’s amazing to see it come together,” Linda Fruithandler said. “And it’s all thanks to local leaders and donors. Ross is the one who brought me here, but even though he is gone, I can’t imagine ever leaving El Paso because of how special this place is. The dental community here always had open arms. They welcomed us early on in Ross’s career and it’s always been home.”

Last year, TTUHSC El Paso community partners Robin and Tony Furman, who were close friends of Dr. Fruithandler, established the Furman Family-Dr. Ross Fruithandler Memorial Endowment. Through the generosity of community dentists, family and friends, the endowment has raised more than $66,000, which goes to scholarships for Hunt School of Dental Medicine students, many of whom are expected to serve the Borderplex after graduation.

Welcoming the new class

Linda Fruithandler said she hopes her husband’s legacy will inspire members of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine’s class of 2026. The second class in school history will begin their studies this summer and start hands-on training in the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic this fall.

Several of the students had visited and toured the campus prior to Monday’s event, but now that the school year is officially underway, TTUHSC El Paso is starting to feel like a second home.

“It was emotional to hear Dr. Fruithandler’s story. Seeing that he was such an integral part of the El Paso community and that his legacy continues with the dental school is inspiring. I’ve got to make the ‘dash’ count,” said Skylar Gallegos, a graduate of Texas A&M University and Americas High School. “The El Paso community is important to me as it was to Dr. Fruithandler. We have a dental school and dental clinic that is serving the community, which was one of the biggest reasons why I chose the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.”

Hunt School of Dental Medicine faculty, community leaders and Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic staff were also on hand to welcome the new class. Hunt School of Dental Medicine Dean Richard Black, D.D.S., M.S., told students that the El Paso community – which has long faced a shortage of dentists – will embrace the new students.

“I’ve been anticipating this moment for a long time. The preparation and admission process has been worth it because this school is absolutely excellent, and everything, including the faculty and staff, is top-notch,” said Angelica Quinones, a University of Texas at El Paso and Parkland High School graduate. “Hearing everyone talk today highlighted the amount of care and generosity in the El Paso dental community. Everybody is supportive and willing to lend a hand, and I’m excited to one day be a dentist here.”

Class of 2026 by the numbers

Of the 62 new students, 34% are first-generation college students, and 61% speak more than one language. More than a third come from the West Texas and Texas border regions, including 11 from El Paso. The class of 2026 includes the school’s first three students from southern New Mexico. Thanks to a partnership between the Hunt School of Dental Medicine and the New Mexico Higher Education Department, all three students from the neighboring state will receive tuition assistance. As part of the partnership, the agency covers the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for New Mexico students who otherwise would be required to pay the higher out-of-state tuition to attend the Texas school.

The class of 2026 joins the school’s first class of 40 students, who in one year experienced more than 2,490 first-time patient encounters in the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic.

“Our inaugural class has spent the past year setting a high bar. However, the class of 2026 is up to the challenge and will help us further establish our school as the premier dental school in region,” Dr. Black said. “It was a joy to interview and admit the second class. They’re intelligent, hungry and excited to learn. I believe they’ll set the tone for generations to come.”

The class of 2026 brings an average GPA of 3.7 and an average Dental Admission Test score of 20 out of 30. According to the American Dental Association, the national average score for the DAT is 18.

About the Hunt School of Dental Medicine

The Hunt School of Dental Medicine opened in 2021 and is housed in Medical Sciences Building II, a new building on the TTUHSC El Paso campus where students train in the school’s Dental Learning Center. The center features 80 stations equipped with high-tech simulation manikins and a fabrication laboratory where students craft dental appliances using 3D scanners and advanced CAD/CAM machines. This state-of-the-art facility offers students training in the latest advances in dentistry. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation and the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation provided inaugural grants to TTUHSC El Paso that have been essential investments to establish the dental school for El Paso.

The Hunt School of Dental Medicine offers the most innovative curriculum in the country, just as the Foster School of Medicine did when it was established more than 10 years ago. A first for any dental school in the nation, students begin clinical training and patient interaction during their first semester. It’s also the first and only dental school in the nation that requires Spanish language courses.

Across West Texas, many suffer from poor dental health due to a lack of access to affordable care – in 2017, only 50% of El Paso residents visited a dentist. In El Paso County, there’s only one dentist for every 4,840 residents, compared to the national average of one dentist for every 1,638. Currently, more than 50% of Texas’ general dentists are located in the state’s five most populated counties, hundreds of miles from West Texas.

In the past 10 years, only 22 out of 2,390 Texas dental school graduates have chosen to practice in West Texas. Because most graduating dentists establish their practices in proximity to their dental schools, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine will help alleviate the severe shortage of dentists in the Paso del Norte region. 

The Forsyth Institute announced today a special 2-day orthodontic conference entitled Forsyth Orthodontic Symposium: In Honor of Dr. Moorrees, which will take place October 7-8, 2022. The symposium will feature four sessions with presentations from leading experts in the field of orthodontics. Sessions include a panel discussion with global leaders and sessions with leading experts on translational research, technology innovation, and innovative clinical care.

“It is apt that Forsyth’s first orthodontic conference will be held in Dr. Moorrees’ honor,” said Dr. Tingxi Wu, Forsyth’s Director of Orthodontic & Craniofacial Development Research and one of the conference’s leading organizers. “He was a leader in the field, and his groundbreaking orthodontic research and education form the foundation of the field as we know it today.”

Dr. Coenraad F.A. Moorrees was the Chief of Orthodontics at the Forsyth Institute from 1948 to 1987. He also held a joint appointment at Harvard University and created the first 3-year orthodontic training program in the United States.

“The symposium will provide a platform to critically assess the state of the orthodontic industry, systematically identify gaps in current knowledge, and forge new collaborations,” said Dr. Ravindra Nanda, another leading organizer of the symposium and a member of Forsyth’s orthodontic faculty.

Dr. Moorrees’ pioneering and innovative work in craniofacial and dental development continues to have worldwide impact in the orthodontic field, not only through his publications but also through the countless postdoctoral fellows who trained with him. It is estimated that over half of those fellows went on to achieve professorial rank at academic institutions, and at least 15% became heads of orthodontic departments.

“We are pleased to be able to continue Dr. Moorrees’ legacy here at Forsyth,” said Forsyth CEO, Dr. Wenyuan Shi. “Forsyth continues to be a pioneer in orthodontic research, clinical, and technology innovations. We continue build on Dr. Moorrees’ work today, including impactful research using the data he collected in his famous Forsyth Institute Twin Study.”

The International Orthodontics Foundation will be a platinum sponsor for this event. The foundation serves as a global academic platform for the orthodontic industry, focusing on improving education, providing research grants, and encouraging lifelong learning in the field. The Forsyth Institute is incredibly pleased to have them as a partner in this event.

Registration is now open. This hybrid event is expected to draw a global audience.

Cellerant Consulting Group is pleased to announce the 2022 Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award winners. “These extraordinary companies have earned the right to celebrate for their innovative technologies that continue to elevate the standard of care in dental hygiene,” said Dr. Lou Shuman DMD CAGS, CEO of Cellerant Consulting Group and creator of the Best of Class Hygiene awards program. “Our panel spent many hours in close discussion identifying these standout products. This list of winners truly points the way to assist dental hygienists to best equip today’s contemporary practice”.

The 2022 Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award Winners are:

Advantage Arrest SDF 38% Elevate Oral Care	AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master Electro Medical Systems
Allday Dry Mouth Spray Elevate Oral Care	Cavitron 300 Series Dentsply Sirona
Cocofloss Cocofloss Inc.	FluoriMax Fluoride Varnish Elevate Oral Care
GC Fuji TRIAGE EP GC America	GC Tri Plaque ID Gel GC America
Harmony Ergonomic Scalers HuFriedyGroup	OraCare Health Rinse OraCare
PerioProtect Perio Tray Therapy PerioProtect LLC	QuickPass In-Office Dental Water Test ProEdge Dental Water Labs
Silver Raven Nu-Bird Inc.	Swivel Ultrasonic Inserts Hu-Friedy Group
TePe Original Interdental Brush TePe Oral Health Care	Xlear Sinus Care Xlear, Inc.
XyliMelts OraCoat

“Clinical dental products have the chance to positively impact the lives of dental hygienists and our patients every single day,” states Melissa Turner, Best of Class panel member and Cellerant Chief Hygiene Officer. “Our hygiene panel spent this past year discovering emerging and existing technologies that should be a part of every hygienist’s toolkit. With this prestigious award, we’re thrilled to bring recognition to the best of the best manufacturers and their teams who go above and beyond to innovate.”

The Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Voting Panel is comprised of Amanda Hill, BSDH, RDH, Andrew Johnston, RDH, BSBM, BSDH, RDH, Brooke Crouch, RDH, Kristin Goodfellow, RDH, BA, Melissa Turner, BASDH, RDHEP, EFDA, Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, RDH, DMD, FACP, Nancy Miller, RDH, BA, and Sarah Crow, RDH.

The Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award is the only program of its kind, earning coverage from the dental media across North America. This year, winning products will be showcased at RDH Under One Roof’s annual meeting, which will be held in Orlando Florida July 21-23. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience these Best of Class technologies first-hand on the Under One Roof exhibition floor, in addition to meeting the voting panel and learning more about why the winners were selected.

About the Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award

Since the inaugural presentation in 2009, the Best of Class Technology Awards have grown to occupy a unique space in the dental industry by creating awareness of manufacturers that are driving the discussion as to how practices will operate now and in the future. We are very excited to have initiated the Best of Class Hygiene Awards as of 2021.

Over the course of each year, the panel members seek out and conduct research on potentially practice-changing technologies, with deliberations on nominees and final voting typically taking place in February. Panelists are precluded from voting in any category where they have consulting relationships. The entire selection process is conducted and managed on a not-for-profit basis and is transparent and rigorous.

For more information on the Cellerant Best of Class Awards go to cellerantconsulting.com 

Expanding its outreach within the community, Penn Dental Medicine announces a new partnership with Woods Services to provide dental treatment for its clients and residents; Woods is a Pennsylvania- and New Jersey-based nonprofit that serves children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Woods’ existing dental care center within its Langhorne, Pa.-based campus will be undergo extensive renovations over the next six to eight weeks, reopening later this summer as Penn Dental Medicine at Woods Mikey Faulkner Dental Care Center.

Renovations to the clinic will add two operatories (expanding from three to five), provide state-of-the-art equipment, enhance the waiting area and reception check-in, and migrate current patient files into a new electronic health record system utilized by Penn Dental Medicine.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our service and care within the community through this Woods partnership,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark Wolff. “It not only allows us to help provide comprehensive care to the Woods clients, but also offers an invaluable setting for our students to gain experience caring for individuals with a wide range of disabilities.” Postgraduate students within Penn Dental Medicine’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry program will provide clinical care at the center under close faculty supervision. 

“Woods is pleased to work with Dean Wolff to enhance dental services for our clients and residents,” says Tine Hansen-Turton, president and CEO, Woods Services. “Penn’s personalized care and interdisciplinary team approach are perfectly aligned with Woods, as is its emphasis on preparing the next generation of dentists to care for patients with special needs. Penn’s dentists will be able to perform procedures at our on-campus dental clinic that in the past would have required a visit to a specialist for treatment. This expansion of services will be less disruptive for our clients, further enhancing their quality of life.” 

With Dean Wolff’s appointment in 2018, he established dental care for persons with disabilities as a priority for the School, and in 2021, Penn Dental Medicine opened the state-of-the-art Care Center for Persons with Disabilities at the School. Under his leadership, Penn is developing a national reputation for excellence in treating the dental needs of people with disabilities and in training dental students to care for these individuals.

Woods is organized around the principles of population health management and addresses the social determinants of health through a comprehensive continuum and system of care that connects prevention, wellness, education, behavioral health, and social services with coordinated and integrated healthcare delivery. 

“The Medical Center at Woods serves as a national model for providing comprehensive, coordinated personalized care for people with complex diagnoses and medical conditions, like Mikey Faulkner, current Woods client and the clinic’s namesake,” says Hansen-Turton. “The opening of Penn Dental Medicine at Woods Mikey Faulkner Dental Clinic continues Woods’ commitment to providing an integrated healthcare experience for our clients – an approach that optimizes outcomes for individuals.”

This new care center will add to Penn Dental Medicine’s ongoing community care programs, which also include dental centers at Mercy LIFE, serving seniors in West Philadelphia; Puentes de Salud, serving the Latino community in South Philadelphia; and the PennSmiles mobile dental bus, serving children within the Philadelphia School District and area community health centers. 

About Woods Services

Woods Services is a nonprofit, life cycle care management and advocacy organization that, along with five affiliate organizations located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey – Allies, Inc., Archway Programs, Legacy Treatment Services, Tabor Services, and Woods Community at Brian’s House – provides innovative, comprehensive, and integrated health, education, housing, workforce, behavioral health, and case-management services to more than 20,000 children and adults in the intellectual and developmental disability, behavioral, child welfare, and brain trauma public health sectors who have complex and intensive medical and behavioral healthcare needs. Founded in 1913 by Philadelphia schoolteacher Mollie Woods with two simple goals – to advance quality of life and standard of care for individuals with disabilities – Woods Services continues its mission today by helping children and adults with disabilities or challenges achieve their highest potential. Among the ways Woods does this is through its population health management strategy, which includes the integration of primary and specialty medical care with behavioral health in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. For more information, visit woods.org.     

About University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Founded in 1878, the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (Penn Dental Medicine) ranks among the nation’s leaders in oral-health education, research, and patient care. The school’s educational programs include: a four-year DMD program; postgraduate study in all the major clinical specialties as well as general dentistry; advanced graduate degree programs, including Doctor of Science in Dentistry, Master of Science in Oral Biology, Master of Advanced Dental Studies, and Master of Oral Health Science; and the Program for Advanced Standing Students in which foreign-trained dentists earn a DMD. As one of 12 schools within the larger urban campus of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Dental Medicine is uniquely positioned to provide a depth of opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research across other professional disciplines. The school is a major provider of oral healthcare for the Philadelphia community, serving approximately 31,000 patients each year in its care centers. 

Ceramill FDS now also offers the option of milling dental arches and tooth segments

Amann Girrbach is expanding its Ceramill Full Denture System (FDS) to include the validated Ivotion materials from Ivoclar and is updating the Ceramill Mind software accordingly. This allows even more components to be individually combined in the fabrication of removable full dentures. Users thus benefit from greater flexibility as well as time and cost efficiency.

The Ceramill Full Denture System offers the industry's broadest range of options for fabricating dentures digitally. By adding the proven dental materials Ivotion Dent and Ivotion® Dent Multi as well as the impact-resistant denture base material Ivotion Base from Ivoclar, users can now also mill individual dental arches and tooth segments for the first time - and all within a validated workflow. Whereby the pearl structure effect of Ivotion® Dent Multi creates a particularly harmoni-ous color gradient. The previous options of milling denture bases or fabricating them via 3D printing technology and then combining them with the prefabricated teeth of leading manufactur-ers, are now extended to include an esthetic and cost-effective alternative.

In addition, the Ceramill FDS is distinguished by an end-to-end digital workflow and the seamless interaction of software and hardware. In this context, the Ceramill Mind Software has been updated so that all components, materials and the stored gap dimensions and milling strategies are precisely matched. "With the expansion of tooth libraries, fabrication possibilities and design options, the Ceramill FDS offers maximum flexibility. Thanks to the update, we are now in an even better position to cover different cost segments, so that individual patient wishes can be optimally addressed," says a delighted Maria Stroppe, Product Manager for Laboratory CAD/CAM Software and 3D Printing at Amann Girrbach. 

On June 1st, 2022, a paper, entitled “The Effect of MI Varnish™ on Caries Increment and Dietary Habits among 6- and 12-Year-Old Children in Riga, Latvia: A 3-Year Randomized Controlled Trial” was published in the Dentistry Journal (Dent. J. 2022, 10(6), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/dj10060096). The paper reported on a 3-year clinical trial on reducing the incidence of tooth decay in 6 and 12 year old children in Riga Latvia by applying GC Corporation’s MI Varnish (5% sodium fluoride and Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate) every 3 months. This study was led by Dr. Jekaterina Gudkina and her colleagues, Dr. Stephen Abrams, Dr. Bennett Amaechi, Dr. Anda Brinkmane, and Dr. Eva Petrosina. The paper demonstrated that a simple application of MI Varnish every 3 months reduced the decay rate in the 6 year old group by 10.8% and reduced the caries increment in the 12 year old group by 8.6% over a three year period. The paper concluded that the application of MI Varnish was able to reduce the decay rates in these high-risk populations.

Tooth decay or dental caries is a very common disease and some studies show that it affects over 40% of primary or baby teeth. In a previous study, Dr. Gudkina and colleagues found that the decay rates in 6 and 12 year old children in Riga, Latvia was very high. Two of the major drivers for that tooth decay were diets high in sugar and lack of fluoride in the water system. The children had at least 3 – 4 cups of tea per day with two teaspoons of sugar per cup. (Gudkina J, Brinkmane A, Abrams SH, Amaechi BT. Factors influencing the caries experience of 6 and 12 year old children in Riga, Latvia. Stomatologija, Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal, 18: 14-20, 2016).

Dr. Bennett Amaechi concluded that “There are many tools and approaches to managing tooth decay. Placing restorations only treats the effects of tooth decay. One needs to develop a preventive program for the family that engages the child, changes behaviors and uses products to help prevent new caries and reverse existing tooth decay.” Dr. Stephen Abrams felt that “MI Varnish is one tool that will help to control tooth decay, but one also needs to access regular preventive / dental care through a dental home and use devices that detect, measure, and monitor changes in tooth structure over time. These devices will then help to monitor the success of a preventive program. The “dental home” will allow a team to monitor ongoing dental health of the patient.”

PDA’s Newest Strategic Initiative and Coinciding IGP™ Summit to Vastly Impact Optimization, Options and Optimism for Independent Dentists

Productive Dentist Academy (PDA), the nation’s leading dental business consulting and marketing firm, recently announced its newest strategic initiative – Investment Grade Practices™ (IGP™) – which teaches independently owned dental practices how to create maximum value in their practices so they can maintain their current lifestyle in retirement.

“According to the American Dental Association, 95-96 percent of dentists cannot retire and maintain their lifestyle. It does not have to be this way,” says Dr. Victoria Peterson, co-founder & CEO of PDA. “Investment Grade Practices™ allow the owner and team to enjoy personal freedom today while building assets and value for tomorrow. IGP™ practices are built on patient and team-first principles, putting people and relationships before anything else.”

IGP™ practices learn how to successfully optimize earning potential, create predictable growth year over year, balance debt, build durability into the systems and a structure for ongoing success. What sets IGP™ practices apart from others boils down to two important criteria: profits and career satisfaction.

“Building an Investment Grade Practice™ requires the willingness to allow yourself to dream big, and the discipline to invest in yourself and your team in order to bring the dream to life,” says Dr. Peterson. “Implementing IGP™ principles brings peace of mind to the practice owner, transforms the team into patient advocates, creates unparalleled patient experiences, builds great team culture and competitive compensation, prepares the practice to be sold at any time for top dollar, and creates continuity and profit after a sale.”

Coinciding with the launch of IGP™, Productive Dentist Academy has announced its IGP™ Summit, taking place September 22-24, 2022, in Frisco, Texas, alongside the PDA Productivity Workshop. The IGP™ team of Business Advisors and Coaches will be on hand to support annual business planning, goal planning, and marketing strategies. Special breakout sessions will help elevate dentists’ office managers to business managers, and marketing coordinators will be fully prepared to disseminate dental practices’ messages to the market.

“The IGP™ Summit is available exclusively to PDA clients and runs concurrently with the acclaimed PDA Productivity Workshop, which is open to all independent dentists and their teams,” says Dr. Peterson. “All IGP™ Summit attendees will receive an updated business plan, a comprehensive practice valuation (a $5,000 value), review of financials for the past three years to make sure your practice is set up properly, and a deep understanding of your financial freedom number – and how to make it a reality.”

Tuition for the IGP™ Summit is $995 per person. Dentists who are interested in attending the IGP™ Summit can register by e-mailing brent@productivedentist.com.

“We designed the IGP™ Summit to run alongside the PDA Productivity Workshop to allow independent dentists and teams the opportunity to learn from one another,” says PDA Chief Strategy Officer Dr. David Porritt.

The PDA Productivity Workshop – open to all independent dentists and their teams – delivers guaranteed growth for attendees. It is designed to help dentists improve profitability and time management through productive scheduling, smooth hand-offs and co-diagnosis with their team, treatment plan communication and case acceptance, authentic dental marketing, and seamless integration of new dental technology. In its 18th year, this workshop has helped thousands of dentists from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, France, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom.

“We strategically chose to hold the PDA Productivity Workshop at the same location and time as the IGP Summit so dentists and teams can interact and experience in real-time the mindset and behaviors of the productive dentist,” says Porritt. “If you have ever wondered why PDA dentists own some of the highest performing and deeply satisfying dental practices in the world, this is your chance to learn first-hand. As the old adage goes, ‘You are the friends you keep,’ and we believe at PDA, every independent dentist deserves to be surrounded by greatness.”

Tuition for the PDA Productivity Workshop is $2,195 per doctor and $1,295 per team. Dentists who are interested in attending the workshop can register by calling 800-757-6077 ext. 135, visiting www.productivedentist.com/workshop or e-mailing brent@productivedentist.com.

University of the Pacific has received a $4 million lead gift from Stephen and Pamela Thorne to help create the Pacific Dental Services Health Care Collaborative, an innovative teaching and patient care facility that will be one of the first of its kind at a university.

The project will include construction of a new clinical and academic facility on University of the Pacific’s Sacramento Campus designed to provide comprehensive health care services to the public, alongside integrated teaching and learning environments for students.

The clinical model, designed around value-based personalized care, will offer students who are training to be dentists, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, social workers and other health care providers the opportunity to learn and work together.

Stephen E. Thorne IV is the founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services, one of the nation's leading dental support organizations with more than 875 supported practices located across the United States. One of the company’s main initiatives is raising awareness about the critical link between oral health and overall health, and being a leading voice in advocating for better collaboration among medical and dental professionals to improve health outcomes for patients.

“Pacific Dental Services cares about supporting dentists and creating a perfect patient experience, but we also strive to mentor and assist the next generation of health care professionals to become the leaders of tomorrow,” Thorne said. “This new center will serve as the future of oral health and is an example of the dental-medical integration that will provide better health care to the patients who will utilize this amazing new facility.”

University of the Pacific holds special significance to the Thorne family. Stephen E. Thorne III, the donor’s father, graduated from the university’s School of Dentistry in 1966. Two of Stephen Thorne’s brothers also are alumni.

The Thornes’ gift was made to University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, which is collaborating with the university’s School of Health Sciences to develop the project. The initiative will include expansion of the Dugoni School’s successful International Dental Studies program as well as programs in the School of Health Sciences such as the highly sought-after Physician Assistant Studies.

In addition to the integrated dental-medical care approach, the facility will serve as a safety net for vulnerable and underserved populations in Sacramento’s Oak Park and surrounding neighborhoods. It will offer patients preventive, acute and ongoing dental and medical care, conveniently located in one setting. Approximately 20,000 medical patients and 10,000 dental patients from across the northern Central Valley region will be able to be served annually.

“This generous gift from Stephen and Pamela Thorne will help us build a visionary health care complex to serve the needs of thousands of people in Sacramento for many years to come,” University of the Pacific President Christopher Callahan said. “With a long-standing reputation for excellence in health sciences and a growing health care academic portfolio, the university is uniquely positioned to integrate medical and dental care in this forward-looking model.”

Callahan said the health care collaborative was the brainchild of Dugoni Dean Nader A. Nadershahi.

“Thanks to the generosity of Stephen and Pamela Thorne, we are a giant leap closer to our vision for equitable access to a collaborative delivery model focused on overall health for our community and training leaders for the future of healthcare delivery,” the dean said.

Architectural plans for the facility are currently being developed. The Pacific Dental Services Health Care Collaborative expects to break ground in 2023 and open in 2024.

The PDS Foundation awarded over $40,000 to a total of 10 dental assisting students from across the country.

The Pacific Dental Services® (PDS) Foundation is proud to announce the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship recipients for Summer 2022. On Friday, June 17, the PDS Foundation awarded over $40,000 to a total of 10 dental assisting (DA) students from across the country who are pursuing their academic dreams and representing the future of the dental industry. Since the start of the year, the PDS Foundation has awarded over $120,000 to 27 dental assisting students in 12 states.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of DAs is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030. However, financial hardship often prevents many students from finishing school. Recognizing the importance of DAs to the future of dentistry, the PDS Foundation created this scholarship to provide students with the financial support they need to complete their education. Named after Carolyn Ghazal, DDS, a member of the PDS Foundation Board of Directors, this educational scholarship provides DA students with need-based financial aid, mentorship, on-the-job training, and aims to mold the next generation of passionate, servant-hearted dental leaders.

“I am so honored to have my name associated with such a worthwhile endeavor that is investing in the lives, education and futures of DA students throughout the nation,” said Dr. Ghazal. “My hope is that this financial support can help remove a barrier for students, and the mentorship they receive through the program will allow them the opportunity to pursue a noble career in dental assisting.”

Summer 2022 Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship Recipients:

Student	Academic Institution	City, State
Kelly Armstrong	Concorde Career College	Jacksonville, Fla.
Izella Campos	Concorde Career College	Aurora, Colo.
Kimberley Do	Carrington College	San Jose, Calif.
Zakeriah Jacobs	Concorde Career College	Memphis, Tenn.
Maria Jessy Rose Jimenez	Carrington College	Citrus Heights, Calif.
Tylee Johnson	Concorde Career College	Kansas City, Mo.
Elizabeth Miller	Concorde Career College	Aurora, Colo.
Bethany Morrow	PIMA Medical Institute	Seattle, Wash.
Zolangel Rodriguez	Atlantic Technical College	Coconut Creek, Fla.
Claudia Young	Concorde Career College	Memphis, Tenn.

Scholarships are awarded on a quarterly basis to DA students to help cover tuition expenses. The Scholarship Review Committee awards scholarships based on applicants' financial need, heart for service, career aspirations, and other criteria.

“We are so excited to see what the future holds for these 10 impressive scholarship recipients. The PDS Foundation is honored to be a part of their journey,” said Kyle Guerin, Executive Director of the PDS Foundation.

The Pacific Dental Services Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to improve overall health by creating opportunities to serve locally, nationally, and internationally. Since the scholarship’s founding in 2016, the PDS Foundation has granted more than $1 million to DAs in pursuit of advancing their careers within the dental industry.

Click here to learn more about the PDS Foundation and make a tax-deductible gift today.