The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized authority in children's oral health, today announced the appointment of Dr. Chelsea Fosse as Director of the AAPD Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center (POHRPC).

Established in February 2011, the goal of POHRPC is to inform and advance research and policy to promote optimal oral health care for children. Through the AAPD, POHRPC conducts research studies and policy analysis to further the understanding of practices to improve oral health for all children.

"For nearly 12 years, AAPD's Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center has been the thought leader on children's oral health policy," said AAPD President Dr. Amr M. Moursi. "The addition of Dr. Chelsea Fosse strengthens POHRPC in its effort to advance pediatric oral health care utilizing research and data to positively impact all children."

Dr. Fosse received her dental degree from Rutgers University in 2017 and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University in 2019. She completed her dental public health residency at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, NY in 2020 and she is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to be a steward of the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center's agenda of optimizing pediatric oral health," said Dr. Chelsea Fosse. "Access to high quality, evidence-based dental care impacts the overall health, quality of life, and future prosperity of children, families, and communities. I look forward to leading the Center's efforts and working alongside other partners as we together strive for optimal, equitable oral health for all children."

Most recently, Dr. Fosse was a Senior Health Policy Analyst at the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute specializing in health policy analysis for critical policy issues related to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and other public health issues. She also previously was a Program Manager at the American Academy of Pediatrics where she supported the Division of Children with Special Needs. She has authored numerous publications and been an invited presenter on the topics of oral health and dental care, specifically in the areas of dental care access and coverage for children, adults, and people with disabilities.

For more information on POHRPC developments and initiatives, please visit www.aapd.org/research/policy-center/. 

A cross-kingdom partnership between bacteria and fungi can result in the two joining to form a "superorganism" with unusual strength and resilience. It may sound like science fiction, but these microbial groupings are very much part of the here and now.

Found in the saliva of toddlers with severe childhood tooth decay, these assemblages can effectively colonize teeth. They were stickier, more resistant to antimicrobials, and more difficult to remove from teeth than either the bacteria or the fungi alone, according to a research team led by University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine scientists.

What's more, the assemblages unexpectedly sprout "limbs" that propel them to "walk" and "leap" to quickly spread on the tooth surface, despite each microbe on its own being non-motile, the team reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This started with a very simple, almost accidental discovery, while looking at saliva samples from toddlers who develop aggressive tooth decay," says Hyun (Michel) Koo, a professor at Penn Dental Medicine and a co-corresponding author on the paper. "Looking under the microscope, we noticed the bacteria and fungi forming these assemblages and developing motions we never thought they would possess: a 'walking-like' and 'leaping-like' mobility. They have a lot of what we call 'emergent functions' that bring new benefits to this assemblage that they could not achieve on their own. It's almost like a new organism—a superorganism—with new functions."

In the past, Koo's lab has focused on the dental biofilm, or plaque, present in children with severe tooth decay, discovering that both bacteria—Streptococcus mutans—and fungi—Candida albicans—contribute to the disease.

The new set of discoveries came about when Zhi Ren, a postdoctoral fellow in Koo's group, was using microscopy that allows scientists to visualize the behavior of living microbes in real time. The technique "opens new possibilities to investigate the dynamics of complex biological processes," says Ren, a first author on the paper and part of the first cohort of the NIDCR T90R90 postdoctoral training program within Penn's Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry.

Because these assemblages are found in saliva, targeting them early on could be a therapeutic strategy to prevent childhood tooth decay, says Koo. "If you block this binding or disrupt the assemblage before it arrives on the tooth and causes damage, that could be a preventive strategy."

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Again, Neoss takes a new step in the dental implant industry by launching a new website and online store in one integrated solution.

Created with the user experience in mind, the new site features a modern design, improved functionality, and easy access to a hub of essential information to help dental professionals find what they need and at the same time buy products.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website and online store. Our goal is to provide our visitors with an easier way to learn about how we at Neoss can help dental professionals and their patients and at the same time buy the products they need 24/7. The redesigned website has a new look with improved functionality to ensure a simple and more engaging experience for the user,” said Mattias Flodin, Vice President Global Marketing Neoss Group.

The design is more modern, intuitive and with the integration of the online store, we wanted to make the user experience as simple as possible. The new site is faster with an intuitive layout that is more user-friendly. We’ve streamlined menus, simplified navigation, and improved visual imagery. Combined with enhanced content and optimization for mobile devices allowing customers and prospects to better interact with Neoss online.

Users can also stay updated with the latest news, featured products and events all around the globe. Neoss invites you to sign up today and explore! Sign up today! To register for your Neoss online account go to: https://www.neoss.com.

The Ivoclar Group confirms that it will exhibit at IDS 2023 in Cologne. From March 14 to 18, the company will showcase innovative workflows and much more at the world’s leading trade show for the dental community. The year 2023 will be a significant year for the Liechtenstein-based company, as it will celebrate its centenary, just as IDS will look back on one hundred years of history.

The history of Ivoclar and IDS are woven together by a long-standing successful partnership. Over the years, the company has often used the trade show as a canvas to debut its latest innovations. More than that, IDS has always offered an excellent platform to meet up with customers and partners from all over the world as they visit the world’s leading dental trade show. Next year, IDS and Ivoclar will have something else in common: Both of them can look back on a 100-year success story that has left a lasting mark on the dental industry.

Against this background, the Ivoclar Group is not only looking forward to showcasing new products from its innovation pipeline but also to celebrating its centenary together with its customers.

Featuring high at Ivoclar’s exhibition stall: end-to-end workflows and solutions

Customers are at the centre of everything Ivoclar does. The Liechtenstein-based company places special emphasis on recognizing and understanding the challenges that dentists, dental technicians as well as dental hygienists face in their day-to-day work and delivering effective solutions for them. Ongoing exchange of information and direct dialogue form the source of inspiration for the company’s product innovations and developments.

“Liaising with customers, networking and presenting innovative products and workflows will be at the focus of our appearance at IDS 2023,” says Diego Gabathuler, CEO of the Ivoclar Group. “We are looking forward to playing our part next year and we are confident that it will be an exciting trade show. Our planning and preparations are in full swing to offer our customers and other stakeholders information and solutions of the highest quality, especially in our anniversary year,” Diego Gabathuler continues.

Customers and interested parties can visit Ivoclar at Stand A20/A10 in Hall 11.3 for a detailed consultation.

For more information, visit https://www.ivoclar.com/en_li/ids-2023

Further information on IDS 2023 is available at www.ids-cologne.de/

* For reasons of better readability, the simultaneous use of male, female and diverse (m/f/d) gender forms is waived. All references to persons apply equally to all genders. 

Roundup highlights B2B partners that support startups across all business functions and empower growth

Inc. Business Media today announced the inaugural Power Partner Awards, honoring business-to-business (B2B) organizations across the globe that have proven track records supporting entrepreneurs and helping startups grow. Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions for dental practices and groups, is on the list, which recognizes 252 firms in marketing and advertising, health and human resources, financial planning, engineering, logistics, and security, as well as other areas of business.

All 252 companies received top marks from clients for being instrumental in helping leadership navigate the dynamic world of startups. These B2B partners support organizations across various facets of the business, including hiring, compliance, infrastructure development, cloud migration, fundraising, etc., allowing founders to focus on their core missions.

“Trusted B2B partners provide guidance and expertise that founders rely on at various steps of their organization’s journey. Partners that possess a demonstrated ability to deliver quality support are at the core of entrepreneurship and help bring big ideas to life,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Business Media.

Pearl has established itself at the forefront of the dental AI revolution with a suite of computer vision solutions aimed at elevating the standard of dental care by improving precision and consistency. Bridging proprietary radiologic disease detection technology and insights into patient treatment and practice performance, Pearl’s solutions Practice Intelligence® and Second Opinion® are tailored to help its partner practices make better, data-backed decisions that elevate clinical care, improve operational efficiency, and increase production.

“AI-informed decisions are elevating the standard of care in dentistry, but they are also elevating the practice ownership experience,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “Practice owners wear multiple hats as clinicians, entrepreneurs, accountants, managers, and more and our technology brings peace of mind to judging so many responsibilities. We’re honored for this recognition of the work Pearl does each day to make dentistry a more pleasurable and profitable enterprise for our partners.”

Inc. partnered with leading global social and media intelligence platform Meltwater to develop a proprietary methodology that uses sentiment from online conversations about organizations and translates it into numerical scores. Companies were evaluated on commitment, reliability, trust, creativity, supportiveness, and other virtues that offer value to clients. Inc. also conducted surveys to gather client testimonials as part of the process.

To view the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/power-partner-awards/2022

The November 2022 Issue of Inc. magazine is available online now at https://www.inc.com/magazine and will be on newsstands beginning November 8, 2022.

Gen4 Dental Partners, a Thurston Group portfolio company, announced today the acquisition of New Horizons Dental Practice Management, a Dental Service Organization with eight locations in Kansas.

Founded by Drs. Guy and Kate Gross, the Salina, KS, DSO emphasize a positive, caring, patient-centric corporate culture – similar to Gen4 Dental Partners.

“Because we deeply support one another’s careers and well-being, we find our lives being touched by each other,” said Dr. Kate Gross. “The effect is an overflow into caring, supporting, and touching the lives of our patients.” Or, as summed up, the company’s motto: Happy Docs + Happy Teams = Happy Patients.

Her husband, Dr. Guy Gross, said Gen4 promotes similar values, a quality that initially attracted them to join forces. “Lamonte, Mitch, and their team are terrific people who are building a terrific culture,” he said, referring to CEO Lamonte Jensen and CCO Mitch Ellingson. “We are excited for the opportunity to grow with them.”

New Horizons has dental offices in Salina (two locations), Olathe, Rossville, Newton, Abilene, Wichita, and Wellsville, KS. The company’s positive culture reflects its founders’ passion for dentistry.

Jensen said many of the values created within Gen4 are already prized at New Horizons, so the move was a natural fit. “I can’t say enough good things about the Grosses and their team,” he said. “We are ecstatic to bring them on board. Good things are going to happen.”

In the first major survey since the pandemic, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) 2022 State of the Cosmetic Dentistry Industry Survey includes new findings on popular cosmetic procedures, practice revenues, demographics, and other considerations that can inform owners, associates, suppliers, and more. See how esthetic dentistry has been affected in a post-pandemic world and what we can expect ahead.

The AACD has conducted the biennial State of the Cosmetic Dentistry Industry Survey for the past 16 years, and the data collected is used to determine the size and impact, in terms of procedures and revenues, of the cosmetic dentistry market. The 2022 State of the Industry Survey supports earlier data that the field of cosmetic dentistry continues to thrive and show sustained growth.

The survey includes a snapshot of current dentist and practice demographics, plus promising findings relating to the growth of cosmetic dentistry, including an increase in average patient spend. This is partly driven by AACD Accredited Members, whose average patient spend of more than $10,000 increased from 22% in 2019 to 30% in 2022. Among six specific procedures in question, AACD Accredited members are able to charge the most, while AACD General members charge more than nonmembers.

One inevitable change is an increase in use of CAD/CAM and 3-D Printing. In 2022, respondents have mentioned an increase in digital imaging, most often for impressions (15%). While better materials and better smile design also remain as expected trends, Artificial Intelligence diagnosis and better implants are increasingly on the horizon in 2022 and beyond.

Related, the use of digital smile design (42%, up from 34% in 2019) and 3-D printing (32%, up from 19% in 2019) increased significantly. These increases were larger among AACD members and group practices.  

Overall, AACD Accredited Members’ practices average $1.45 million in revenue, compared to $1.28 million for General Members and $840,000 for non-members. This may suggest that, as more and more general dentists add cosmetic procedures to their repertoire, AACD membership may be the differentiating factor for discerning cosmetic patients.

The survey will also help practice owners, associates, and dental suppliers to better answer the questions:

• What would allow my practice to charge more for our services?

• What were the most common dental procedures of 2021-2022?

• What are some must-have dental tools for 2023 and beyond?

• How do I grow my profit margin?

• Should my practice focus more on cosmetic dentistry?

• Where is the cosmetic dentistry market going?

To download and read the survey results, click here: https://bit.ly/3zaRmpV