Nonprofit Urges Improvements in Dental Coverage to Reduce Health Disparities

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® — a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system — today released new data on racial and ethnic disparities in oral health care from its second annual State of Oral Health Equity in America survey. The organization is advocating for improvements in dental coverage to reduce health disparities that can lead to significant consequences within and beyond oral health.

The State of Oral Health Equity in America survey is the largest nationally representative survey focused exclusively on adults’ knowledge, attitudes, experiences, and behaviors related to oral health. That survey and other research from CareQuest Institute gathered in the past two years reveal the disproportionate impact of oral health disparities on Black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals.

“New insights from our survey confirm the stark reality that race and ethnicity are closely linked with the health of an individual’s mouth and their livelihood,” said Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, president and CEO of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. “To eliminate these disparities and advance health equity, we must make dental coverage more available and accessible to everyone, including through Medicare and Medicaid.”

Key insights from the research include:

· Nearly 1 in 6 Black adults (16%) reported having lost at least six teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease. This degree of tooth loss is much higher than the proportions among adults who are white (12%), Hispanic (9%), or Asian (3%).

· Black (17%) and Hispanic (16%) adults were more likely than white adults (14%) to say they had felt “self-conscious or embarrassed because of [their] teeth, mouth, or dentures” either very often or fairly often over the past year.

· Black (9%), Asian (5%), and Hispanic (4%) adults were more likely than white adults (2%) to believe they “did not get a job” because of their teeth, mouth, or dentures.

· Black adults were at least 2.5 times more likely than white, Hispanic, or Asian adults to have visited a hospital emergency department for dental care.

The data also spotlight the economic and educational implications of these disparities, challenges for providers of color, and the importance of expanding oral health coverage through Medicaid and Medicare.

To read the full brief, click here. More information on the 2022 survey can be found here, and 2021 survey information can be accessed here. 

The New England-based DSO adds Overjet's AI-powered, real-time X-ray analysis to its practices to improve patient care and practice efficiency.

Overjet announced today it has partnered with Affinity Dental Management to provide its practices with Overjet's AI-powered radiograph analysis solution designed to help drive optimal patient care, clinical excellence, and practice efficiency.

Overjet is the only dental AI company that is FDA-cleared for both quantifying bone level measurements to aid in the diagnosis of periodontal disease and for detecting and outlining caries (cavities) on X-rays.

"As clinicians, we are trained to utilize radiographs to help us find and visualize dental disease or anomalies," said Dr. Mariz Tanious, Dental Director for Affinity Dental Management. "Overjet is a tool that adds quantification and will assist in identifying areas that may have potential dental disease."

"As a company, we want to stay on the cutting edge of dentistry by implementing technology in our offices," Dr. Tanious said. "Overjet's dental AI platform will provide our doctors with an advantage like no other."

Affinity Dental Management has 35 affiliated practices and more than 70 dentists providing general dentistry and specialty services to families in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. Its mission is to provide superior service, advanced training, and cutting-edge technology to its providers and patients. It was recently named to the Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Companies list for the third time.

"Affinity Dental Management has a well-earned reputation for providing comprehensive dental care under one roof," said Dr. Terri Dolan, Chief Dental Officer at Overjet. "We're proud to partner with them in their mission to improve patient care and practice efficiency."

Every day, Overjet's dental AI products are used by some of the largest dental groups to enable better clinical decision-making and outcomes. To learn more, visit www.overjet.com.

123Dentist combines with Altima Dental and Lapointe Group, solidifying its position as one of the largest dental support organizations in Canada

123Dentist, Altima Dental, and Lapointe Group have entered into a merger agreement to create one of the largest dental support organizations in Canada, with nearly 350 supported dental practices. The transaction is being financed through equity capital provided by 123Dentist’s existing financial partner, Peloton Capital Management; new investors KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Heartland Dental, a KKR portfolio company and the leading dental support organization in the U.S.; and Sentinel Capital Partners, Altima Dental’s existing financial partner.

123Dentist will continue its dentist-first, patient-focused growth strategy and pursue attractive opportunities with dentists looking for long-term partnership solutions that provide flexibility and autonomy to operate their dental practices in a manner that reflects the unique needs of each clinic and dentist partner. This includes opportunities for clinic level ownership by dentists, a feature incorporated at a majority of 123Dentist’s supported practices today and designed to promote the continued delivery of high-quality care to patients. 123Dentist’s leading platform provides its supported practices a wide range of administrative support services facilitated through a team of locally based regional managers and support centres in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

“We expect this merger to benefit Canadian dentists, dental professionals and patients alike, greatly expanding support services for an already thriving dentist community that focuses on the delivery of exceptional care, improving access to high quality dentistry services, and increasing opportunities for career advancement and mentorship for our team members,” said Dr. Amin Shivji, CEO of 123Dentist.

The values and operating philosophies of 123Dentist align closely with those of Altima Dental, a leading dental support organization founded in 1993 and currently comprised of over 100 dental practices. As a result of this transaction, the combined business will have a national footprint and support dental practices that provide a wide range of dental care to more than 800,000 Canadian patients, with over 2.5 million patient visits annually.

“As a dentist-led organization for nearly 30 years, we know how important it is for patient care to have the dentist perspective when building a successful platform of supported dental practices. This is one of the many reasons why this combination will enable our supported dentists to continue to deliver an exceptional patient experience to Canadians,” said Drs George Christodoulou and Sven Grail, co-Founders and co-CEOs of Altima Dental. “Now, as part of the 123Dentist family, we are incredibly well-positioned to further develop our capabilities as one of the leading dental support organizations in Canada.”

Heartland Dental to support the expansion of education, training, supplies and equipment strategic sourcing

As part of this transaction, Heartland Dental and 123Dentist will work together to facilitate the expansion of education and training at 123Dentist for its supported dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and administrative team members. 123Dentist will gain access to Heartland Dental’s world-class continuing education programs to expand the capabilities of its supported practices, improve the patient experience, and provide supported dentists the tools to enhance the quality of care. Additionally, Heartland Dental’s deep relationships with leading dental manufacturers and distributors will support an expansive, world-class formulary of clinical supply, equipment, and clear aligner options to 123Dentist supported dentists and hygienists.

“This is an important strategic partnership for Heartland Dental and our first outside of the U.S. We have always respected the dentist-led successes of 123Dentist and Altima Dental and believe this is a great opportunity to not only invest in 123Dentist but also bring our full suite of capabilities to Dr. Amin Shivji and his team across all aspects of non-clinical support, anchored by our 25 years of experience,” said Pat Bauer, Heartland Dental President and CEO.

Peloton Capital Management and KKR to provide further industry expertise and financial support

Toronto-based private equity firm Peloton Capital Management, which first partnered with 123Dentist in June 2019, will be raising additional funds to support the transaction. “This is a transformative transaction for 123Dentist, and we look forward to continuing to support Dr. Amin Shivji and the management team,” said Steve Faraone, Managing Partner at Peloton Capital Management. “123Dentist has established itself as one of the largest dental support organizations in Canada, providing a sustainable partnership model that allows its dentist partners to put patient care at the forefront. Expanding the relationship with Pat Bauer, Dr. Rick Workman, and the Heartland Dental team will be an incredible benefit to 123Dentist, allowing the team to learn from them to support its growth.”

KKR, which is acquiring an interest in 123Dentist through its investment funds, brings deep health care and dental industry expertise. Since acquiring a majority interest in Heartland Dental in 2018, KKR has helped the company scale and double the number of practices it serves to over 1,600 in 38 states. Vishal Patel, a Managing Director at KKR, said “we believe this is an excellent strategic partnership that shares a common mission of supporting dentists providing high-quality dental care to Canadians. Working alongside Dr. Amin Shivji and the talented teams from 123Dentist, Altima Dental and Lapointe Group, as well as Peloton and Heartland Dental, the company is primed to scale to the benefit of thousands of supported dentists and patients across Canada.”

Sentinel Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that invested in Altima Dental in December 2016 as well as multiple dental support organizations over the last 20 years, will also maintain a minority ownership position in the combined entity, alongside the founders of both Altima Dental and Lapointe Group. “We are grateful for the strong partnership we have had with the founders and management teams at Altima Dental and Lapointe Group,” said Paul Murphy, Partner at Sentinel Capital Partners. “We are looking forward to supporting Dr. Amin Shivji and the combined 123Dentist team as they continue to build a leading dentist-centric organization.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including clearance under the Competition Act (Canada), and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022.

Advisors

RBC Capital Markets acted as financial advisor to 123Dentist. KPMG LLP and E&Y LLP acted as accounting and tax advisors, Torys LLP acted as legal advisor on the transaction, and Miller Thomson LLP served as corporate legal advisor to 123Dentist.

Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisor to Altima Dental. Stikeman Elliott LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP were legal advisors and Grant Thornton LLP was tax advisor to Altima Dental on the transaction.

Dentsply Sirona is delighted to announce that the merits, talents, and contributions of Erania Brackett, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, and Cherée H. Johnson, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary and Chair of Sustainability, have been honored in a list that celebrates the achievements of influential Black executives in corporations across America.

Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, congratulates Erania Brackett and Cherée H. Johnson on being recognized in Savoy Magazine’s 2022 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America. Savoy Magazine is a well-known publication for Black communities in the USA that aims to showcase and drive positive dialogue on and about Black culture.

Cherée H. Johnson joined Dentsply Sirona in February 2022 and has already made her mark, using her extensive legal experience and expertise in ESG. In addition to her roles as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel & Secretary, she recently became the Chair of Sustainability and drives the company’s sustainability strategy: “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World.”

Erania Brackett was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer in August 2021, bringing 20+ years of experience leading global operations and marketing in the healthcare and consumer products industries. Erania is focused on elevating the Dentsply Sirona brand for dental professionals across the world, so that they can give patients healthy smiles and the very best care in oral health.

“I feel honored to be in such a list of inspiring leaders,” says Erania Brackett, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “I hope to empower and encourage the next generation by showing them that it is possible to achieve their goals and succeed in their respective fields of work.”

“It is wonderful to be recognized in Savoy Magazine,” says Cherée H. Johnson, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary and Chair of Sustainability at Dentsply Sirona. “We cannot underestimate the importance of seeing people who look like you in executive leadership positions of global companies. I hope that those who see this list, and particularly young Black and Brown women, are inspired and believe that they too can reach the top.”

Driving change for an equal and equitable future

Dentsply Sirona embeds diversity, equity, and inclusion into every aspect of its work through several company-wide programs and external initiatives to help bring about change in the dental community. These include furthering Employee Resource Groups (ERG), such as DS Women that supports female employees and ensures that more women reach senior roles, lead practices, and take center stage in the company. Another ERG is the Black Organization for Leadership and Development (BOLD), which connects, fosters, and grows a tight knit Black community and allies within Dentsply Sirona. BOLD, for which Erania serves as Executive Sponsor, strives to cultivate the next generation of Black leaders and provide opportunities for professional development.

Dentsply Sirona is also a partner of Women in DSO, an association that provides mentoring, learning and development programs to women in dental service organizations. The company supports BrownGirl RDH, a US non-profit which aims to shift the mindset about who can work in the dental industry.

“We are proud to see Erania and Cherée’s talent being recognized. They are both pivotal in shaping Dentsply Sirona, taking our company to the next level as a brand, as an employer and as a corporate citizen,” says Lisa Yankie, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. “We are dedicated to nurturing talent, encouraging and supporting employees, so that they can achieve their fullest potential with us.”

Brackett and Johnson’s accomplishments will be featured in a special section of Savoy Magazine's Summer 2022.

CareStack, a leading cloud-based technology company serving the dental industry, is proud to announce strategic equity investment and commercial partnership with the Straumann Group. As a result of this partnership, CareStack will expand its service offering and presence in the United States market and beyond. Working closely with practitioners around the world, CareStack has developed a streamlined digital practice solution for the modern, growth-ready dental practice. With CareStack, clinicians can now trade multiple service subscriptions for an end-to-end, seamless practice management experience that integrates with and enhances clinical, business, and marketing operations.

“We are steadily marching forward on our mission to empower the entire dental community - whether it’s private practitioners, DSOs or dental startups – with powerful software offerings that boost growth and streamline operations,” said Abhi Krishna, CEO of CareStack. “Our customer traction to date shows that the industry is ready to fully embrace digital transformation, and we will continue to invest in our people, products, and customers to realize a better future for dentistry.”

CareStack's customers span every segment in the dental industry, including doctor-owned private practices, private equity backed dental groups, and dental startups. An increasing number of groups and practices have made the move to CareStack in the past year, as the company continues to displace legacy, “onpremise” dental software with modern cloud based solutions. As an experienced cloud-native service provider, CareStack can offer its customers frequent product innovations, a modern user experience, and world-class, real time customer service.

“This partnership will support dental practices in simplifying treatment planning, scheduling, and payment options, thereby helping Straumann Group clinicians to provide high-quality care in a more efficient way to their patients. Combining our clinical excellence with CareStack’s advanced business intelligence and comprehensive practice operations will offer clinicians a seamless, end-to-end experience. CareStack’s practice management software is suitable for individual practices, groups and DSOs. Together with CareStack we will drive internationalization of this software which will help increase penetration in different geographies,” said Guillaume Daniellot, CEO from Straumann Group.

The strategic partnership with Straumann will help dental practices simplify treatment planning, scheduling, and payment options, helping Straumann Group clients offer their patients high-quality care in a more efficient way. Internationalization and product work across all customer segments will be done jointly by the two companies to penetrate diverse geographies, standardize practice management, enable a consultative approach, and strengthen customer retention.

The partnership is also expected to create additional growth opportunities in oral health management. The organizations will work together closely to generate new demand, address opportunities in existing patient cohorts, sustain clinical excellence by reducing variability in care delivery, and improve operational efficiency by streamlining operations and existing workflows.

CareStack had previously raised capital from leading investors including Steadview Capital, Delta Dental of California, Accel Partners, Eight Roads and F-Prime Capital.

New Version of Dentrix Voice Helps Entire Dental Team Use Advanced AI Speech-to-Text with Dentrix System

Henry Schein One today announced enhancements to Dentrix® Voice, powered by Bola AI, which will now allow dental team members to dictate clinical notes and other essential correspondence and documentation, in addition to periodontal (perio) exams. Formerly known as Dentrix® Voice Perio, Dentrix Voice lets dental teams use advanced speech-to-text technology to help save valuable time by simplifying data entry.

With Dentrix Voice, every member of the dental team can help streamline the practice workflow by using speech to enter perio exam numbers, clinical notes, billing notes, and other documentation. This can help improve practice efficiency, save time, and eliminate the frustration of typing notes manually.

As dental practices continue to implement safety regulations to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and other airborne pathogens, using Dentrix Voice’s hands-free technology can also help reduce the risk of infection for dental team members and patients.

“Henry Schein One is committed to delivering software that automates the practice workflow, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes and increased practice efficiency,” said Mike Baird, Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein One. “Our new enhancements to Dentrix Voice bring a new level of automation for the entire dental team, so they can simplify tedious tasks and focus on patient care.”

Using artificial intelligence, Dentrix Voice adapts to the speaker and environment regardless of who’s speaking, their particular phrasing, or which microphone is used — all at conversational volume to preserve patient privacy. The Dentrix Voice commands are intuitive, and the user-centric design features preferred workflow for maximum efficiency. Online self-training videos and remote mentoring are available to assist dental staff members.

To learn more about Dentrix Voice and other Henry Schein One solutions, please visit http://dentrix.com/voice.

an Open-Technology Digital Dental Solution for Dental Clinics

Today, Imagine USA announced the immediate availability of Imagine OPEN™ Go Digital Mill™, a digital dental solution that provides dental clinics with a proven digital workflow from intraoral scanning through in-house milled restorations. This system includes the hardware, software, and training needed to get started immediately. Go Digital Mill™ gives doctors the ability to design and produce same-day crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, veneers, provisionals, and custom abutments — all in-house, to reduce wait times, ordering, shipping, and other delays associated with outsourcing. These time savings can be passed along to patients through expedited, and in many cases, same-day completion of treatment.

Felix Chung, CEO at Imagine USA said, “Imagine OPEN™ Go Digital Mill™ is designed for general and comprehensive dentists who aren’t yet benefitting from the open digital workflow or doctors who are but want to take it to the next level. It provides them with reliable and proven open CAD/CAM system that we have tested, perfected, and can quickly train them to use proficiently. Because our solution is based on all “open” technology the CAD/CAM files can be used by anyone with an open digital system, which gives doctors tremendous flexibility to produce restorations and appliances in-clinic if they choose, send cases out to labs when they prefer — or do both.”

Go Digital Mill™ is stand-alone system that is part of Imagine OPEN™, an ecosystem that gives clinics the flexibility to integrate their existing open-technology or any open-technology that they may acquire in the future. Other Imagine OPEN™ packages like Go Digital Print™ allow for in-house printing of impression trays, models, night guards, crowns, bridges, shell temporaries, and surgical guides.

Brent Harvey, Chief Business Officer at Imagine explains, “Most dentists know that the era of digital dentistry is upon us and are ready to add intraoral scanning to their capabilities. But the idea of designing or even producing restorations in-house can seem daunting. As digital dental experts, we partner with these doctors and their staff to train them and implement a digital workflow that is optimized for them. We make sure that they start benefiting from digital dental technology as soon as Imagine OPEN™ is installed in their clinic.”

The Foundation of Imagine OPEN™

While Imagine OPEN™ is a completely scalable solution, iTero scanning technology is at the heart of all Imagine OPEN™ packages. Being a product of Align Technology, the makers of Invisalign, iTech intraoral scanning technology gives doctors with Imagine OPEN™ the unique ability to offer premium orthodontic aligners to their patients. iTero intraoral scanners are designed to deliver speed, reliability, intuitive operations, and outstanding visualization capabilities for general practitioners. iTero scans have been used in more than 7.5 million restorative crowns, bridges, and custom implant abutment cases.

Plus, iTero intraoral scans can be easily imported to exocad Chairside CAD software which sets a new standard for flexibility and productivity specifically for the dentist and clinical professional. With this pairing, a full range of restorative indications and materials can be used, and restorations are designed within an intuitive user interface and then manufactured from connected 3D printing and milling systems, or sent to an external production center. 

For more information on Imagine OPEN, visit www.imagineopen.com

At the urging of 112 lawmakers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded Medicare coverage of medically necessary oral and dental treatment. The move will affect an estimated 24 million people who currently have no access to dental coverage.

Pacific Dental Service (PDS) Foundation started this journey with a then-small group of partners more than 20 years ago. Today, the partnership that advocated for this expansion is 230 members strong, including the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association and the American Public Health Association.

“This is a great day and proud moment for me personally and professionally. Medically necessary dental care will save money and reduce hospitalization. And more importantly, it will save lives,” said Stephen E. Thorne IV, founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services.

As a coalition, PDS has advocated for this legislation, explaining that expansion of medically necessary dental coverage will save lives, save money and reduce hospitalizations. It is estimated that providing coverage for the treatment of periodontal disease for people with heart disease, stroke, or diabetes could save Medicare $63.5 billion over 10 years. This is because the Mouth-Body Connection is stronger than many people realize. Oral/dental bacteria are a major contributing factor in cardiac care, diabetes, dementia and other health issues. 

BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, announced a partnership today with TeamSmile. This partnership will provide children at TeamSmile events with dental treatment free of cost with the help of Waterlase technology. BIOLASE donated iPlus Waterlase laser systems to provide these children with free preventative dental care and oral education at TeamSmile events throughout the United States.

TeamSmile launched in 2007 by Dr. Bill Busch of NKC Dental and Jason Krause of Henry Schein, Inc. Since their inception, it has held over 250 programs, served over 45,000 children, and provided over $18 million in free dental care and oral health education.

"Through the support of BIOLASE, we are now able to perform laser dentistry at our TeamSmile events. Using BIOLASE's iPlus Waterlase lasers allows our dentists to provide their services pain free and shot free," said John McCarthy, TeamSmile's Executive Director. "It is a wonderful enhancement, and what a great service to the children that attend our events. We are so grateful to BIOLASE for their support of TeamSmile."

BIOLASE's Waterlase technology allows the TeamSmile dentists to perform minimally invasive procedures with less anesthetic and without the need for drilling. Since the most common treatment for children during TeamSmile events is cavity removal, children in attendance will benefit from the use of Waterlase laser systems, thanks to the removal of injections of anesthetic in the gums, loud drills are not needed to perform the procedures either.

"We are eager to help TeamSmile provide life-changing dental care procedures to underserved children in our communities at no cost," commented John Beaver, BIOLASE's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This partnership is an inspiring and engaging opportunity to treat children with less invasive treatments that improve their oral and overall long-term health."

32,219-square-foot facility will quintuple growth and create local jobs

All ProSomnus medical devices are made in Pleasanton, CA, USA

ProSomnus, a leader in patient-preferred medical devices for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), today announced plans for a new 32,219-square-foot facility in Pleasanton, California, USA. The facility will serve as the company’s global headquarters and manufacturing center of excellence. The move will quintuple manufacturing capacity, enabling ProSomnus to meet the rapidly growing demand for the company’s FDA-cleared oral appliance therapy devices. ProSomnus expects to begin operations at the facility in January 2023.

In addition to expanding capacity, the purpose-built facility will allow ProSomnus, a pioneer in precision oral appliance therapy, to enhance production workflows. The facility will be optimized for mass-customized manufacturing, artificial intelligence-driven medical device design, and 3D robotic milling, with the intention of enhancing production flow, product quality, manufacturing service and logistics.

“Our new Pleasanton facility will be engineered to improve productivity and process efficiency by applying the latest technologies and lean workflow,” stated Sung Kim, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of ProSomnus. “Our enhanced manufacturing facility will allow the advancement of disruptive ideas that turn into innovative products.”

The new facility location was selected with employees, customers and suppliers in mind. The facility is within walking distance of rail and bus commuter centers, offers easy access to two major highways, and is near key shipping and logistics partners. Employees will enjoy outdoor break space and easy access to many local shops and restaurants.

“Expanding our footprint in a logistical hub such as Pleasanton is a critical step in making our patient-preferred Oral Appliance Therapy devices available to as many patients as possible,” said Len Liptak, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ProSomnus. “Our new facility will help ProSomnus meet the growing, global, demand for our medical devices, optimize our workflows, offers new jobs for the local economy, and provide employees with new career opportunities.”