Introducing Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release® – a new toothpaste that significantly reduces harmful plaque bacteria, resulting in 2X less gum-harming plaque compared to regular fluoride toothpaste with daily brushing.¹

When it comes to oral health, it is important to get ahead and stay ahead of potential problems,² which is why Colgate is doubling down on proactive care with the new Colgate Total® Plaque Pro-Release. Developed by Colgate scientists, the toothpaste offers long-lasting 24-hour antibacterial protection³ and is clinically proven to significantly reduce harmful plaque bacteria⁴ between dentist visits, so consumers can Be Dentist-Ready.

Plaque bacteria is the root cause of many oral health problems like bad breath, cavities, and gingivitis. This is why it is important to be proactive and brush daily, reducing and preventing plaque bacteria to help stop these problems before they start.

"We all want to feel confident in our health, but over 75% of people say that they are concerned about plaque.⁵ Many of us have also experienced that fear of disappointing the dentist or that worry of unwanted surprises during a visit," said Victoria Mah, Head of Integrated Marketing & Brand Experiences, Health & Wellness. "That's why we are excited to introduce Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release, our newest innovation that is designed to fight plaque bacteria, so you can take control of your oral health and feel more confident going into your next appointment."

Colgate Total® Plaque Pro-Release features a breakthrough formula that uses Smart Foam Technology to penetrate hard-to-reach places and fight plaque bacteria along the gum line, improving long-term gum health and strengthening the foundation of a healthy smile. Its unique formula harnesses the power of Stannous Fluoride – an ingredient that helps reduce plaque bacteria and prevent gingivitis – in a new and revolutionary way.

"At Colgate, we are committed to relentless experimentation and creativity which has helped us develop products that promote healthy smiles for nearly 200 years," said Raj Kohli, Vice President of Global R&D. "We are proud to continue this legacy with Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release and arm consumers with a new innovation that is clinically proven to reduce plaque bacteria better than regular fluoride toothpaste.¹"

Colgate® Total Plaque Pro-Release is available in Whitening and Fresh Mint (MSRP: $7.99) at retailers nationwide including Amazon, Walmart and CVS.

To learn more about Colgate® Total Plaque Pro-Release visit www.colgate.com/colgate-total-plaque-pro-release or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

1. with daily brushing after six months

5. Kantar 12me December 2018 | Consumer Age 13+ | Dental Problems within the last 6 months 

BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022.

2022 Full-Year Financial Highlights

• Achieved year-over-year revenue growth of 24% to $48.5 million

• Increased U.S. laser sales by 39% year over year

• Achieved record U.S. consumable sales, up 25% year over year, driven by increased procedures using BIOLASE lasers

• Generated increased adoption of its industry-leading laser, with approximately 84% of U.S. Waterlase sales for the full-year 2022 coming from new customers

• Sales conversion rate continued to rise throughout the year due to the success of its Waterlase Exclusive Trial Program

"The rising demand for our industry-leading lasers, which is being driven by the execution of our growth strategy, enabled us to achieve our business objectives for 2022 while positioning us for continued success in 2023," commented John Beaver, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We reported revenue growth of 24% year over year, primarily from U.S. laser sales increasing 39% year over year and U.S. consumable sales growing 25% year over year. Our strong performance is being driven by the market's positive reaction to the Waterlase Exclusive Trial Program and the team's sales conversion rate of nearly 50%. This initiative, along with the emphasis on education and training for endodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists, and dental hygienists, generated increased adoption of our laser technology in the U.S., with approximately 84% of our U.S. Waterlase sales in the year coming from new customers.

"We expect much of the same in 2023 as we currently anticipate total revenue growth of at least 25%. Moreover, we expect our gross margins to improve significantly in 2023 due to increased sales volume and pricing increases, lower trunk fiber costs resulting from our recent acquisition, and other manufacturing cost savings. We believe all of this positions us to achieve positive adjusted EBITDA for the full year of 2023.

"Our results and future expectations clearly demonstrate that we are moving the needle, and with less than 10% of the U.S. dental community currently using dental lasers, we are confident we can leverage the enhanced capabilities of our product and our successful sales and marketing initiatives, to drive further adoption and become the new standard of care."

2022 Financial Results

Net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $48.5 million, an increase of 24% compared to net revenue of $39.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. U.S. laser revenue was $20.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 39% compared to U.S. laser revenue of $14.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. U.S. consumables and other revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022, which consists of revenue from consumable products such as disposable tips, increased 25% year over year. International laser revenue was $11.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $10.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2022, was 33% compared to 42% for the year ended December 31, 2021. Total operating expenses were $41.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $33.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a 25% increase year over year. Operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $25.3 million, compared to an operating loss of $16.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of 54% year over year.

The Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $4.2 million on December 31, 2022. Following its January 2023 equity raise of an additional $9.0 million in net proceeds, the Company believes it has sufficient liquidity to execute its near-term growth strategies and greatly improve profitability.

Net Loss and Adjusted EBITDA

The reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA at the end of this news release provides the details of the Company's non-GAAP disclosures and the reconciliation of GAAP net loss and net loss per share to the Company's Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA per share.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $28.9 million, or $4.16 per share, compared to a net loss of $16.7 million, or $2.83 per share, for the year ended December 31, 2021. Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2022, was a loss of $20.1 million, or $2.91 per share, compared with an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $14.7 million, or $2.49 per share, for the year ended December 31, 2021.

2023 First Quarter and Full Year Financial Guidance

BIOLASE is anticipating first-quarter net revenue to exceed $10.0 million, representing relatively flat revenue compared to the year-ago quarter. The Company expects 2023 full-year net revenue to increase at least 25% year over year and expects to achieve positive adjusted EBITDA results for the full year of 2023 (adjusted EBITDA is defined as net loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, patent litigation settlements, stock-based and other non-cash compensation, and the change in allowance for doubtful accounts).

Leading 3D printing company Formlabs has introduced the Automation Ecosystem to enable new levels of 3D printing productivity with Form Auto for back-to-back throughput, Fleet Control for advanced fleet management, and the High Volume Resin System for high-capacity printing. The Automation Ecosystem reduces the amount of operator labor and minimizes idle printer time with 24/7 printing so users can efficiently produce end-use parts, prototypes, and customizable products at a lower cost-per-part. The Automation Ecosystem was debuted at CES 2023, where attendees were able to see firsthand the new system’s ability to produce back-to-back prints non-stop without an operator. The company has now announced that the Form Auto is available for preorder for $3,399.00 and shipping will begin on April 14th.

Formlabs made 3D printing affordable and accessible, enabling leading companies in dental, manufacturing, consumer products, automotive, aerospace, medical, product design and other industries to innovate new product designs, test prototypes, manufacture purpose-built tools, and customize products. The Automation Ecosystem will usher in a new wave of innovation by enabling expansion from one Form 3+ or Form 3B+ 3D printer to a scalable fleet of 3D printers easily.

As users scale their 3D printing production from one to multiple printers, the Automation Ecosystem makes the transition easy without adding management complexity. With the ability to manage multi-user, multi-material printer fleets, the Automation Ecosystem enables continuous production so users can send multiple prints to run overnight and into the weekend. Together with Formlabs 3D printers, the Ecosystem provides a three-time increase in productivity while saving up to 80% on labor, lowering cost per part by 40%, and reducing packaging waste by up to 96%. Formlabs Automation Ecosystem includes:

Form Auto: Form Auto enables automated 24/7 printing with automatic part removal so users can level up production and reduce labor. When parts are complete, Form Auto seamlessly removes finished parts from the Build Platform 2 using the patented Quick Release Technology, and starts the next print in the queue as soon as possible. The hardware extension works with Form 3 or Form 3+ 3D printers.

Fleet Control: Fleet Control simplifies advanced 3D printer fleet management, optimizing workflows to maximize fleet productivity. It’s a suite of new features within Formlabs’ Dashboard and PreForm software that includes centralized queue management and automatic printer assignment to optimize production, performance and printer efficiency with Form 3+, Form 3B+, Form 3L, and Form 3BL printer fleets.

High Volume Resin System: The High Volume Resin System increases resin capacity to five liters, five times the standard cartridge size, enabling users to create more parts with fewer interruptions for cartridge replacements. This system streamlines workflows, with consistent resin dispensing with a Resin Pump while reducing downtime and user intervention to change cartridges, as well as packaging waste. This is compatible with the Form 3+, Form 3B+. Form 3L and Form 3BL.

“The Formlabs Automation Ecosystem is a seamless solution for ramping up production with 3D printer fleets, staying true to the ease of use of all Formlabs products, so anyone can make anything," says Formlabs Chief Product Officer Dávid Lakatos. "These solutions will enable companies such as dental labs, service bureaus, and internal job shops to ramp up production without increasing labor requirements, or expensive capital investment, making 3D printing for production more cost-effective. Formlabs users have recently achieved a major milestone, with more than 100 million parts printed on our 3D printers, and by adding this ecosystem, Formlabs is increasing the capacity so users can deliver further 3D printing innovation.”

Learn more about the Formlabs Automation Ecosystem by viewing a video introduction to the system here or a video demonstration here

Hispanics are at a higher risk for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes

Paso del Norte Health Foundation officials along with Richard Black, D.D.S., dean of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine have announced a new initiative to improve health care access across the Borderplex that will help prevent diabetes and empower residents with resources if diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and problems with feet, oral health, vision, hearing, and mental health.

With both National Nutrition Month and World Oral Health Day being observed in March, the announcement was well-suited for the month. Diabetes is a prevalent condition in the Borderplex region, with 16.9% of adults in El Paso County living with diabetes, compared with 12.6% in Texas and 10.6% in the U.S., according to the Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Hispanics are affected at a greater rate by diabetes, with 14.3% diagnosed or predicted to have Type 2 diabetes, and 50% more likely to die from diabetes when compared with non-Hispanic whites, according to the American Diabetes Association.

There is a well-documented connection between diabetes and oral health. The dentist is often the first health care provider to suspect if a patient has diabetes because dental visits can be more frequent than physician visits and provide an opportunity for diabetes screenings and medical referrals for diabetes care.

The Hunt School of Dental Medicine and Paso del Norte Health Foundation have been an impactful and powerful team in the Borderplex over the years, tackling oral health disparities in the community.

In 2021, in celebration of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s 25th Anniversary, and its continued work to improve the health of the region, the board of directors announced an $11 million grant to the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s $11 million commitment is made up of two gifts: a $6 million commitment in 2016 to support the startup phase of the dental school to develop an innovative curriculum, hire world-class faculty, recruit the first class of students, and help leverage state funding, and a $5 million commitment made in 2021 to support dental school operations and enable the school to be a leader in oral health care in the Borderplex.

Copenhagen-based H3D has announced it is developing dental AI CAD in partnership with Modern Dental Pacific, Andent, and Orthodonzia Estense. H3D’s entry into dental follows their strong success in the audio industry where they have become the AI CAD market leader.

Mimicking their successful approach in Audio, H3D are focusing on dental labs rather than clinics. The company’s motto is “built with labs, for labs”, and there is a strong emphasis on quality. This is welcome news for dental labs, who have been increasingly neglected as dental CAD companies prioritize clinics and chairside.

“Labs are the gold standard in terms of quality levels, and our ambition is to create the world’s best AI CAD, so partnering with them was a natural choice for us,” says Damian Png, Dental BU Director at H3D.

The strategy is certainly working in the Audio industry. H3D’s AI CAD boasts an order acceptance rate of >90%, enthusiastic product reviews, and a 100% customer retention rate. They work with iconic brands, such as Sennheiser, Amplifon, and Formlabs. Such customer fanfare is in stark contrast to existing AI CAD solutions in dental, who have a reputation for poor quality and consistency.

“H3D’s AI CAD designs look very promising—high quality standards, fast turnaround times, and competitive pricing,” explains Matt Smith, General Manager at Andent.

Labs see H3D’s AI CAD as a solution to the labor shortage of CAD technicians, which will ultimately help them scale their businesses. Currently, CAD takes x1 CAD technician 10-20 minutes per order. However, there is an industry-wide shortage of CAD technicians, so labs are forced to reject new business.

“H3D's AI CAD has the potential to be hugely impactful for our industry. It will enable us to significantly increase our production and overcome the capacity issues caused by the shortage of CAD designers. It will also facilitate the transition from thermoformed to digital splints, resulting in better quality products for dentists and patients,” says James Squirrell, CEO of Modern Dental Pacific.

With H3D’s AI CAD, hundreds of orders can be processed within 5 minutes. It’s been intentionally designed to be so simple that it can be operated by lab staff who aren’t CAD technicians.

“I started working on 3D digital technology in 2009, and it changed the whole game—staffing, quality consistency, speed, costs—and it’s clear that AI CAD is the industry’s next big innovation,” says Stefano Negrini, KOL and CEO of Ortodonzia Estense.

As the dental industry continues to embrace digital dentistry, H3D sees AI CAD further accelerating the trend towards intraoral scanners and 3D printing.

“We’re regularly approached by 3D Printing companies, IoS companies and resellers. For them, CAD is holding back the industry, so solving this bottleneck is hugely important,” says Iain Mcleod, CEO at H3D.

H3D’s AI CAD for splints will be released in Q3 2023, with crowns, dentures and aligners following shortly. The company is currently accepting expressions of interest for their Innovators program, which provides early access to the AI CAD product, as well as discounted pricing. 

The Midwinter Meeting Attracted More Than 20,000 Attendees to Chicago’s McCormick Place and Generated Nearly $28 Million in Economic Impact

Signaling a growing trend of convention revival in 2023, the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting, one of the largest scientific dental meetings in the country, experienced a 28 percent increase in attendance at this year’s event.

Held at McCormick Place West from February 23 to 25, the event, which has been hosted annually in Chicago for the last 158 years, attracted more than 20,700 registrants, generating an estimated $28 million in economic impact for Chicago.

“We are thrilled by the impressive turnout at this year’s Midwinter Meeting,” said 2023 CDS President Dr. Michael Durbin. “While last year was incredibly special, as it was the first time back in person since 2020, there was still a lot of caution about gathering in person. This year’s meeting signaled we are getting back to normal and presented a valuable opportunity for us to gather as a profession in the most productive and enjoyable way possible.”

Attendance wasn’t the only key metric that was up over the last few years. The number of lecturers, continuing education courses and exhibitors that participate in the event all increased over last year. Most notably, there were 517 exhibiting companies demonstrating the latest products, services and dental innovations this year, an increase over last year’s number of 445.

Overall, these figures reveal a broader trend. Convention travelers are returning in increasing numbers to downtown Chicago, providing a boost to the hospitality industry, which is still down overall as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

New research from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, sponsored by the Delta Dental Institute, and published in JAMA Health Forum, finds that expanding the dental workforce in Oral Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) would reduce the risk of dental caries among children in underserved areas, improve care, and cut costs.

Lead researcher Dr. Sung En Choi, SM, PhD, studied the cost-effectiveness of expanding the dental workforce in underserved areas through the NHSC to evaluate the potential impact of having more dental practitioners providing care in those communities.

"Our analysis suggests that expanding the dental workforce through the NHSC would reduce the burden of dental caries among children in underserved areas and address disparities in the social and economic determinants of oral health," said author Dr. Choi, instructor in Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

The NHSC is a federally-funded program through the Health Resources and Services Administration that offers scholarship and loan programs to medical and dental students who commit to serving in HPSAs after completing their education and training. Currently, nearly 20,000 medical and dental clinicians serve at NHSC-approved sites in urban, rural, and tribal communities.

There are approximately 65.8 million U.S. residents living in HPSAs — dental HPSAs are defined by the ratio of dental professionals to the population with high needs, where dental care is in short supply. More than 10,600 dental practitioners are needed to adequately supply the over 6,300 communities considered as HPSAs.

"Having served in the NHSC on a Native American reservation, I know first-hand the difference an oral health professional can make in the overall health of those in underserved communities. The findings from this research will be instrumental as a framework for expanding the oral health workforce in a way that improves oral health and is cost effective," said Joseph Dill, DDS, MBA, and Head of Dental Science at the Delta Dental Institute.

Recently, the Delta Dental Institute launched a new campaign, Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce, to help increase the number of oral health professionals from historically underrepresented groups. A key component of this campaign is producing actionable solutions through data-driven research, and these findings demonstrate concrete ways for the oral health workforce to be expanded and to improve health outcomes.

This research is a part of the Delta Dental Institute's previously announced oral health research awards focused on creating more equitable access to care and reducing health disparities. Learn more about the research awards here.

Orascoptic announced the launch of their line of Ergo loupes – available in 3.0x and 3.5x magnification levels.

Orascoptic’s vision is to drive the best patient outcomes by providing Superior Visualization for every healthcare procedure. The inspiration behind both Ergo loupes and all Orascoptic products is to challenge the status quo – to elevate dental and medical procedures.

Available in the RDH Ergo 3.0x and HDL Ergo 3.5x, these loupes implement refractive prisms to allow clinicians to sit up straight and reduce neck tilt. With verified 3.0x and 3.5x magnification levels, deflection optics improve posture without sacrificing vision.

Learn more about our Ergo line at www.orascoptic.com

Stets will drive expanded oral treatment opportunities, improvement in operational performance and support company growth initiatives.

Benevis, a leading dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kate Stets as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In her role, Stets will be responsible for leadership and oversight of the finance, accounting and revenue cycle management (RCM) teams to strengthen clinical and financial operations for the DSO and its 120 plus dental offices.

"We are delighted to welcome Kate Stets to the Benevis team. Her extensive financial expertise in healthcare and proven track record of driving growth and improving business performance make her an excellent leader for our finance and RCM teams," said Bryan Carey, CEO of Benevis. "We look forward to her success in strengthening our business operations to accelerate our growth."

Stets brings more than 15 years of experience improving healthcare operations through technology integration that is built to best serve patient and provider needs. With improved patient outcomes at the heart of her work, she steps into the Benevis CFO role to support its mission to provide high-quality dental care to patients in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Stets will oversee all aspects of Benevis' financial operations, including financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and risk management. She will work closely with the executive team to develop and execute the company's financial strategy.

"I am excited to join Benevis and contribute to the company's mission of providing accessible and affordable dental care to patients and build a nation of happy, healthy smiles," said Stets. "I am committed to building a strong financial foundation for the company's continued success and look forward to working with the talented team at Benevis."

Before joining Benevis, Stets served as Chief Financial Officer for NorthStar Anesthesia where she led the company's financial operations through a period of rapid growth and expansion. Previously, she helped lead significant RCM growth at Alteon Health as their Chief Revenue Officer, served as managing director for Clinovations, which was acquired by Optum, and held leadership positions at The Advisory Board Company.