The world’s largest organization for cosmetic dental professionals, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), is headed to Grapevine, Texas, for its next annual scientific session. Packed with hands-on education, networking, and social opportunities for professionals from around the globe, this best-in-class event offers a variety of ways to make meaningful connections to other passionate dental professionals and learn from experts in the field.

The conference begins on Wednesday, April 26, with a day of programming focused on excellence in the esthetic zone: AACD Accreditation and Criteria Workshops. On Thursday evening, attendees will amble over to the Glass Cactus for a special AACD Social Reception, Rhinestone Roundup. Polish up those rhinestones and get ready to sparkle and shine when the dental stars come out to play!

Exhibitor Socials on Thursday and Friday are an opportunity to network with our partners and fellow attendees while enjoying beverages and scrumptious appetizers before enjoying the wonderful surroundings at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, our host venue.

AACD Texas 2023 concludes with the Celebration of Excellence Reception and Awards dinner on Saturday evening. This gala event—Sapphire & Spurs—allows the AACD community the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the accomplishments of outstanding individuals, including newly Accredited Members, Accredited Fellows, and Evy Award recipients. After 9:00 pm, following the Celebration of Excellence awards dinner, all conference attendees are welcome to join the After Party to dance the night away with your AACD family.

In addition to social activities and educational opportunities, there will be events dedicated to giving back with the annual Give Back a Smile Fundraising Event happening Friday, April 28, where you won’t want to miss an opportunity to try America’s fastest growing sport—Pickleball—in a unique, indoor/outdoor entertainment complex! Transportation to and from the event is included with your ticket. Steps for Smiles will count participant steps throughout the conference and donate proceeds to survivors through the GBAS program, and then a conference favorite is returning: the GBAS Charity Auction. Proceeds help survivors of domestic violence receive life-changing smile restorations through the Give Back a Smile program.

AACD 2023 Texas, April 26-29, will offer a variety of activities and events for professional networking and practice-building. The Scientific Session is designed to support dental professional as they work to reach their personal and professional goals. For more information or to register for the 39th Annual AACD Scientific Session, visit www.aacdconference.com.

Intuitive surgical kit streamlines full-arch and overdenture procedures

Zest Dental Solutions, the only manufacturer of the Zest LOCATOR® Family of Abutment Systems, including the LOCATOR Implant System, and provider of clinician-trusted dental materials and small equipment, announces the release of a comprehensive Guided Surgical Kit and protocol. The intuitive kit is designed to work exclusively with the tried-and-tried LOCATOR Implant System, now delivering optimum versatility with both implant-supported FIXED full-arch and implant-retained overdenture solutions.

The Guided Surgical Kit is built for performance, efficiency, precision, and peace of mind, giving clinicians the tools they need to drill confidently and exceed patient expectations when using the LOCATOR Implant System. LOCATOR Implants are now approved for both FIXED and removable treatment plans with the recent launch of LOCATOR FIXED™.

This all-in-one kit features a modern keyless design, thereby maximizing efficiency, and includes the necessary instruments to support multiple surgical access options. In addition, a single guide sleeve is used for straightforward surgical guide creation and workflow.

Efficiency and treatment flexibility are vastly improved with three total drill lengths per size, which are supported by a color-coded, easy-to-navigate drill protocol. All of this in a compact, well organized setup helps to instill confidence and deliver an exceptional surgical experience.

“We created this new kit with the clinician in mind,” said Lindsay Huddle, Sr. Product Manager, Zest Dental Solutions. “Design simplicity, combined with an easy-to-follow, color-coded drill protocol and a compact footprint make this kit a must-have for the operatory. And, versatility is key as it works wonderfully when placing LOCATOR Implants for use with both our LOCATOR FIXED or removable treatment plans.”

To learn more about how LOCATOR Guided Surgical Kit can help you exceed patient expectations and grow your practice, call 800-262-2310 or visit www.zestdent.com.

Product Line Includes Dental R.A.T.™, BLUE BOA™ and BOOMER the Foot Mouse™

Dencept Dental, the company that specializes on providing innovative products and systems that increase workflow efficiency and improve ergonomics for the entire dental team, recently acquired the licensing, manufacturing and distribution rights of the entire product portfolio of Beckmer Products.

Beckmer Products was established in 2004 with the invention of the Dental R.A.T. by Becky Logue, RDH. According to Logue, “We are so excited to see Dencept Dental take our needed products to the next level. Our goal was always to make the lives of dental clinicians easier and more productive, We are thrilled to watch it continue to grow and flourish!”

The acquired products all share the common attribute of enabling hands-free, ergonomic operation that eliminates the need for additional assistance in a variety of clinical dental and hygiene procedures.

• Dental R.A.T. is a hands-free perio charting system that eliminates twisting and turning when charting pocket depths, and the need for an assistant.

• BLUE BOA is an amazingly light suction tubing that enables hands-free saliva evacuation.

• BOOMER – The Foot Mouse enables the hands-free operation of any PC or laptop during dental and surgical procedures. It is also used worldwide for occupational injuries and returning people to work that can’t use a typical mouse.

According to Dencept Dental Owner and CEO Karlene Bostick, “We’re proud and excited to continue the impressive legacy of these innovative hands-free dental devices and relaunch

them to dentists and hygienists. We will also be expanding our programs for serving the DSO,

school, government, distributor, and GPO markets.”

Dencept Dental will continue to manufacture these products in the United States and will also provide the highest level of customer support. Custom DSO, Distributor, GPO, school, and government purchasing programs are also available. For more information or to order online, visit www.DenceptDental.com or call 877-278-0061.

Good dental health practices are key for cavity prevention which continue to be one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in America

Benevis, a leading dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, is kicking off Children’s Dental Health Month with the new appointment of Dominique Szach, RDH, to its Clinical Oversight committee to serve as Director of Dental Hygiene. Szach’s new role will focus on preventing oral health disease in children and overseeing the development, training and mentorship of the 400 hygienists at Benevis-affiliated dental offices.

“Benevis and its locally branded offices positively impact more than 600,000 children and their families through life-changing dental care each year. Oral hygiene education is vital to the care our dentists and hygienists provide to help prevent decay and disease. I am proud to step into this new leadership role where I can focus on delivering the best possible hygiene resources to our patients in Benevis dental homes across the nation,” said Dominique Szach.

A cavity, also known as a carie or tooth decay, is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in five U.S. children experience dental caries by the age of six. To combat this issue, Benevis and its 120 locally branded dental offices are celebrating Children’s Dental Health month this February. Szach, along with other Benevis hygienists, doctors and team members, will provide patients and their communities with informative tools to educate them on the significance of good oral hygiene to protect primary teeth.

"Millions of American children, especially those from underserved communities, do not receive regular dental care due to social, economic, and geographic obstacles, which can ultimately lead to tooth decay. However, dental caries are preventable through the practice of good oral health and oral health education," explained Dr. Dale Mayfield, DMD, chief dental officer of Benevis. "We're proud to welcome Dominique to our Clinical Oversight committee to add a hygiene perspective and to celebrate Children’s Dental Health Month as we continue our ongoing mission to create a nation of happy, healthy smiles.”

In her new role, Szach will work with the executive leadership team to help guide the organization in providing clinical and hygiene service recommendations. With a focus on underserved populations across America, Benevis will be providing free dental care to uninsured families during Sharing Smiles Day this May. High quality and compliant dental care will be provided by dentists and hygienists in Benevis dental practices on a first-come, first-served basis to families in need.

Szach brings 10 years of clinical experience in delivering oral care to children and adults through her work at Dorsett Dentistry in Tucson, Arizona. She attended nursing school at Grand Canyon University and went on to get her Master of Science in Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology from Northern Arizona University.

To view Benevis’ Children’s Dental Health Month infographic, please click here: https://info.benevis.com/childrens-dental-health-month/.

Opens Access to Extensive Data Resources

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, is launching a request for proposals (RFP) to invite researchers to apply to utilize CareQuest Institute data resources to complete a peer-reviewed publication. Research proposals should align with one of six focus areas geared toward building a future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. Interested researchers can submit proposals between February 15 and March 24 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

“At CareQuest Institute, collaboration and partnership are key pillars to achieving our mission and this process will introduce us to new voices and ideas in the field,” said Eric Tranby, PhD, director of analytics and data insights at CareQuest Institute. “We are actively searching for innovative and engaging ways to work with researchers and provide them access to our extensive data resources, so that together, we can uncover findings and insights that will help improve the oral health system for everyone.”

CareQuest Institute creates and disseminates actionable research, analytics, and evaluations that providers, policymakers, and advocates use to make informed decisions and improve the oral health care system. Researchers with selected proposals will have access to data resources that include medical, dental, and hospital claims data as well as data from a nationally representative oral health survey developed and conducted by CareQuest Institute. They will also be awarded up to $10,000 for indirect costs.

Proposals should focus on one of the following topic areas:

● Population oral health;

● Health system transformation and the impact of oral health integration;

● Patient care innovations to better classify and predict oral health outcomes and evaluate alternative care approaches (e.g., teledentistry or minimally invasive care) to improve patient access;

● Factors that influence oral health equity for historically underserved and vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, people with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities; people with low incomes, residents of rural or dental professional shortage areas, pre- and post-natal people, enrollees in government insurance programs, patients with chronic health conditions, veterans, or individuals facing barriers to care due to social determinants of health;

● Value-based care approaches;

● Public policies that increase access and affordability of care for vulnerable populations, especially through safety net clinics.

There will be an Online Informational Session on February 21, 2023 at 1 p.m. ET. Members of our research team will be available to answer questions about submitting your proposal. Specific details related to eligibility, proposal requirements and evaluation criteria can be found on our Call for Oral Health Research Proposals page.

Ivoclar, one of the world’s leading providers of integrated solutions for high-quality dental applications with a comprehensive product and system portfolio for dentists* and dental technicians*, is especially keen to offer maximum flexibility in the use of its workflows and products. This is why it is essential for the company to establish close strategic partnerships with third-party suppliers of hardware and software solutions, oriented towards the long term. The long-standing, successful collaboration with vhf camfacture AG, a leading manufacturer of CNC milling machines, tools and CAM software for the dental industry, has now been taken to the next level with the approval of vhf as an “Ivoclar Authorized Milling Partner” for Ivotion. The possibility of processing the Ivotion Denture System on authorized vhf milling machines enables users to selectively use an extended range of indications while at the same time having the flexibility to choose between two leading CAD software suppliers.

Ivoclar and vhf: from long-standing collaboration in hardware to a comprehensive partnership

By appointing vhf as an “Ivoclar Authorized Milling partner” for Ivotion, Ivoclar is taking its collaboration with vhf in state-of-the-art monolithic prosthetics and digital dentistry to the next level. Offering leading-edge hardware and software solutions for Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) for dental laboratories and practices, vhf has earned a reputation as a worldwide leading manufacturer of dental milling machines. The company’s products are especially known for their ease of use and high level of innovation. These qualities are shared by both companies, Ivoclar and vhf. The expansion of the existing partnership is clearly in line with Ivoclar's aim to offer customers maximum flexibility in designing and producing digital prosthetic solutions. In line with this approach, laboratories and dental technicians are given a choice of CAD workflows: They can either use 3Shape or exocad software to design their Ivotion dentures. This ensures a seamless integration into any existing interfaces. Once completed, the design data can be imported into vhf’s “DENTALCAM” software for further processing. Approved vhf machines will process the Ivotion discs by means of a dedicated disc holder.

“We are pleased to welcome vhf, another renowned expert in CNC milling technology, on board with us,” says Tobias Specht, Senior Director Global Business Unit Labside Digital at Ivoclar. “As a new Ivoclar Authorized Milling Partner for our Ivoction discs, vhf fully meets the high standards we set ourselves in delivering perfectly finished dental prostheses. With this move, we also encourage vhf customers who have a keen interest in digital denture fabrication, to use our patented Ivotion Denture System workflow.”

Ivotion Denture System – an intelligent solution for state-of-the-art complete denture prosthetics

With the introduction of the Ivotion Denture System in 2020, Ivoclar set new standards in the fabrication of complete dentures. Many customers around the world have since been inspired by the digital system solution. The leading-edge system is part of Ivoclar’s proprietary Digital Denture workflow that enables dentists and lab technicians to take advantage of an efficient digital manufacturing process to create dental prostheses at revolutionary speeds. In addition to the user-friendly manufacturing process, it is above all the fast results that have delighted users and large numbers of patients alike. Digital Denture is becoming a central topic in contemporary dental technology and increasingly more dentists, lab technicians and dental lab owners are in the process of switching their processes to go completely digital. Hence, Ivoclar has been increasingly focusing on effective digital solutions and is hitting the mark with the Ivotion Denture System.

The innovative Ivotion disc is the centrepiece of the Ivotion Denture System. Combining a tried-and-tested denture base and tooth material in a single disc, Ivotion enables the fabrication of monolithic complete dentures based on the unique “Shell Geometry” integrated into the disc. Upper and lower dentures can be created from a single disc and the need for bonding the denture teeth to the denture base is thus eliminated, resulting in shorter manufacturing times, reduced susceptibility to plaque accumulation due to the absence of gaps and generally enhanced durability of the dentures.

For further information about Ivoclar’s digital workflow and digital solutions, please visit: https://www.ivoclar.com/en_li/company/100-years-ivoclar

Owandy Radiology Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of dental radiology hardware and imaging software, will be launching its AI-powered Ceph Analysis Orthodontic Software during the 2023 Chicago Midwinter Meeting in booth #2309.

Available as an optional module to Owandy’s I-Max Ceph panoramic digital radiography unit, the orthodontic software is available in a standard or advanced feature package. Both packages include an industry-proven artificial intelligence engine to automate orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for predictable results.

According Owandy company spokesperson Boris Loyez, “Our Ceph Analysis Software was designed to simplify orthodontic diagnosis, simulate treatment plans and deliver predictable patient outcomes. This is all possible thanks to artificial intelligence.”

Owandy’s Ceph Analysis Orthodontic Software includes the following features and benefits:

• Fully Automatic Cephalometric Tracing – Owandy’s AI-powered tracing feature automatically finds soft and hard tissue landmarks, planes, and silhouettes on lateral or PA radiographs within seconds.

• Radiograph Analysis and Image Superimposition – Analysis and patient images can be superimposed automatically or manually. The operator can manage how analysis is displayed, generate report automatically and visualize growth and treatment progress.

• Visual Growth Projections – The skull growth projection feature will track skull tracing from current skeletal age to a chosen skeletal age. Projections up to maturity are possible.

• Treatment Plan Simulations – Ceph Analysis creates treatment plans by analyzing different stages of tissue softness and rigidity to simulate orthodontic and/or surgical treatment plans. The result is excellent prediction results.

Ceph Analysis Orthodontic Software is not Owandy’s first application of artificial intelligence. In 2022, the company added AI to its QuickVision 3D software to enable auto-matching of *.dicom and *.STL files to easily create customized implant surgical guides.

During CDS 2023, Owandy will also be offering the following show special; $8,000.00 off the I-Max 3D + Medit i700 bundle and $10,000.00 off the I-Max 3D Ceph + Medit i700 bundle.

For more information about Owandy' Ceph Analysis Orthodontic Software and its full line of products, visit www.Owandy.com, call 516-858-5695, or send an e-mail to sales@owandyus.com. Distributor and DSO inquiries are always welcome. 

Polaris Healthcare Partners is pleased to announce a unique conference for group dental practice professionals titled “Building Your Enterprise Platform” that will be held at the Marriot Fort Lauderdale Harbor Beach Resort & Spa on May 10th-12th in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This event is specifically oriented towards group dental practice owners with three or more locations or whose business generates $5,000,000 in revenue and who want to take their business to the next level in terms of size, scale, and magnitude.

Attendees will learn tactics from industry leaders critical to their success in areas such as: scaling culture and systems for control over multiple locations; recruiting and leading an executive-level leadership team; executing a growth plan through business development and integration teams; creating equity on balance sheet; building a call center; and much more. The educational content will be actionable, and there will be no panel discussions.

Attendees can register/learn more at www.polarishealthcarepartners.com/build-your-platform-enterprise or by emailing Polaris at info@polarishealthcarepartners.com.

Limited to 3 principal leaders per business*

About Polaris Healthcare Partners: Polaris Healthcare Partners is a Strategic Consulting and M&A Advisory firm focusing exclusively on the group dental practice space. Their purpose is to help entrepreneurial dentists build and exit successful group dental practices. They are hyper-focused in that we only work with "doctor-founded and debt-funded" group dental practices.

vhf dental milling machines can now also manufacture monolithic full dentures.

vhf camfacture AG has always been dedicated to offering state-of-the-art dental technologies to the users of its milling machines. The open hardware and software architecture in particular provides the greatest flexibility, and vhf therefore depends on extensive networking and cooperation with other leading dental companies. Vhf is now consolidating its long-standing, successful cooperation with Ivoclar Vivadent AG, and can now offer monolithic full dentures. vhf was one of the first manufacturers to be certified as an Ivoclar Authorized Milling Partner for the Ivotion Denture System.

The Ivotion Denture System greatly simplifies the manufacture of removable full dentures. It bonds PMMA tooth material to denture base material in a single disc, thus eliminating the requirement for a manual bonding process. Its 3D shell geometry is impressive, as it is based on dental arch geometry and defines the transition between the tooth and denture base material. The bi-color, monolithic circular disc enables users to create complete upper and lower dentures in a single milling process. Dentists and dental technicians therefore benefit from significantly reduced fabrication times with fewer manual steps, and patients benefit from reduced plaque susceptibility with minimal gaps and an increased longevity of the dentures in general.

Users have a wide range of choice in the CAD workflow when manufacturing dentures: The Ivotion prosthesis can be designed in both the 3Shape and exocad CAD software, which guarantees a seamless integration into existing interfaces. For the milling process, the design data sets are imported into the DENTALCAM vhf CAM software. The precise alignment in the machine is ensured by an innovative positioning aid for the R5 and a corresponding adapter ring for the K5/K5+.

Dr. Nicolas Rohde, Chief Strategy Officer at vhf, welcomes the next step in the already highly successful collaboration: “It is a great advantage for our customers to now be able to process this innovative material from Ivoclar in addition to our wide range of materials. The overall process is validated to reassure our users that they can manufacture their Ivotion full dentures reliably and in the highest quality at all times.”

The closer cooperation is also warmly welcomed by Ivoclar: “We are delighted to have vhf, another renowned expert in CNC milling technology, with us,” explains Tobias Specht, Senior Director Global Business Unit Labside Digital at Ivoclar. “As a new Ivoclar Authorized Milling Partner for our Ivotion discs, vhf fulfills our high standards for perfectly finished dental restorations in an optimal manner. This move will also enable vhf customers with a great interest in digitally fabricated dentures to take advantage of the patented workflow of our Ivotion Denture System.”

New Clinical Study Shows the World’s First Customized and Fully Automated Oral Health System, When Paired with Brushing, Significantly Reduces Clinical Signs of Gingivitis Compared to Brushing and Manual Flossing in Just 7 Seconds of Active Treatment

Groundbreaking clinical results show use of a new transformative at-home-use device can significantly reduce plaque accumulation and the clinical signs of gingivitis, including gingival inflammation and bleeding, and improve both pocket depth and bleeding on probing compared to traditional tooth brushing and flossing.

Introducing the Proclaim™ Custom-Jet Oral Irrigator, the world’s first automated oral health system customized to fit each patient’s dentition for a more precise, thorough cleaning at home with just 7 seconds of active treatment. Proclaim uses the latest in digital intraoral scanning and advanced 3D-printing technology to design and produce a custom mouthpiece with up to 60 precisely-placed pressurized jets along both facial and lingual interproximal sites. The jets send pulsing water with precision between the teeth and below the gum line. The fully automated oral irrigator provides a 360-degree deep cleaning at the push of a button for consistent results with every use. Unlike existing manual solutions, this innovation was specially designed to offer patients a more sustainable and easier way to improve and maintain their oral health care habits at home, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes.

“For the nearly half of Americans struggling with some form of gum disease, there’s no doubt this first-of-its-kind advancement will be life changing,” said Dr. Robert Eber, Clinical Professor Director of Clinical Research, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and Diplomate and Past Chair, American Board of Periodontology. “The results of this clinical study prove that technological innovation can truly revolutionize and improve a routine, age-old practice with the push of a button. I predict it will positively impact hygiene behaviors and patient outcomes for generations to come.”

Study participants in the brushing plus Proclaim group experienced significantly greater reductions in all measured indices and achieved a more effective clean compared to those in the manual tooth brushing only group.

More importantly, the brushing plus Proclaim group showed highly significant improvements in all measures versus brushing plus daily flossing, the positive control in the clinical study. In that regard, after 30 days use, the overall results showed Proclaim was:

● 12.8 times more effective in reducing gingival inflammation 

● 8.9 times more effective in reducing gingival bleeding

● 9.3 times more effective in reducing plaque levels

In the “hard-to-reach” interproximal areas, Proclaim was:

● 13.2 times more effective in reducing gingival inflammation

● 10.0 times more effective in reducing gingival bleeding

● 7.9 times more effective in reducing plaque levels

In addition, the Proclaim group showed a 5.4 times greater pocket depth reduction and a 1.6 times greater bleeding on probing reduction compared to the brushing and flossing group. All of these differences were statistically significant and achieved after only 30 days of 7-second daily use of the novel Proclaim technology. No adverse events were reported.The published clinical trial results can be accessed here.

For dental professionals with access to an intraoral scanner who want to be one of the first to be considered to try out the Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Irrigator for themselves or to offer it to their patients, please visit Professional.ProclaimHealth.com for more information. Some of these Proclaim demos will also be live and in person at the following upcoming industry shows: American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) in Chicago, IL, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) in Grapevine, TX, and California Dental Association (CDA) in Anaheim, CA. 

About Proclaim™ by Fresh Health Inc.

Founded in 2017, Fresh Health Inc. is dedicated to pioneering breakthroughs in personalized, automated, everyday solutions that transform oral care routines for the healthiest lives. The company’s first product, the Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System is the world’s first and only custom fit, fully-automated solution that delivers 360 degree deep cleaning between the teeth and below the gumline in just 7 seconds of active treatment, every time. Proclaim is the most advanced at-home oral health system ever created and has been clinically shown to reduce gum disease in just 30 days. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, the team of world-class engineers, clinicians and designers at Fresh Health Inc. were brought together to develop breakthrough technologies that enable sustainable habits for the healthiest lives, starting with a focus on eliminating preventable oral diseases. Proclaim is not yet commercially available.

For more information, visit Professional.ProclaimHealth.com.

Methodology

192 adult subjects completed the 30-day randomized, examiner-blinded clinical trial, with 61 subjects randomly assigned to the control group (brushing only), 65 subjects randomly assigned to the brushing + floss group, and 66 subjects randomly assigned to the brushing + Proclaim Oral Care System group. All subjects were provided with an ADA reference soft manual toothbrush and ADA accepted fluoride toothpaste and were instructed to brush 2x daily according to their usual habits. Subjects in the Proclaim group visited the research site once daily to use the Custom-Jet Oral Irrigator at the maximum setting (with water). Those in the floss group were instructed to floss once daily at home. Gingivitis was assessed at six sites per tooth using the Modified Gingival Index (MGI) and bleeding on a marginal probing via Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI), and plaque was measured using the Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI). Additionally, periodontal probing depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were measured at six sites per tooth. The clinical trial referenced was conducted at Salus Research in Fort Wayne, Indiana, an ADA-qualified research site.