Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials and equipment, is unveiling a new 168,000 sq. ft. facility on its South Jordan campus.

The building’s grand opening will feature a 10amMT ribbon cutting on May 3, 2023. Ultradent’s leadership, South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, as well as numerous state and local officials will be in attendance—including representatives from the offices of Senator Mitt Romney and Gov. Spencer Cox.

The 168,000 square feet, state-of-the-art building, which Ultradent broke ground on last year, makes room for the company’s tremendous growth—housing its injection molding, equipment manufacturing, repair facilities, and more. The building will support 24/7 operations to facilitate Ultradent’s increasing domestic and international presence. PGA&W Architecture headed up the structure’s design, and Layton Construction led the contracting work.

Of the new building, South Jordan’s Mayor Ramsey says, “Ultradent has been an incredible part of the community, both as an employer, and with their longstanding tradition of giving back. We are thrilled for their success and continued expansion. This new building marks an exciting growth benchmark for not only Ultradent, but also for South Jordan.” Ultradent invites media to attend the ribbon cutting, which will take place at 10:00am MST today, at 10193 S. Jordan Gateway, in South Jordan, Utah. Attendees should enter at the Southeast corner of the building. Following the ribbon cutting, Ultradent will host an open house, tours of the new building, and serve refreshments and drinks to guests and media.

The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is excited to be featuring Jon Dorenbos as its AAE23 Keynote Speaker. Jon will speak at 4:30 p.m. on May 3, as part of the General Session of the annual meeting.

Jon Dorenbos played 14 seasons in the NFL, notably making the Pro Bowl twice as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2016, Jon competed on America’s Got Talent where he showcased his skills as a sleight-of-hand magician, making it to the finals and placing third overall in the competition amongst tens of thousands of competitors. He then put his talent on display as a guest on Ellen, who quickly became one of his biggest fans and advocates. Jon has appeared on Ellen’s show in various capacities as well as on The Today Show.

Jon recently headlined a Cirque du Soleil production on the Las Vegas Strip and is a frequent guest Keynote for Tony Robbins’ exclusive events.

Known for his great sense of humor and positive outlook on life, Jon uses his skills as a magician and his incredible life story to inspire audiences around the world. He wrote a book entitled Life Is Magic that draws a roadmap for how to shut that self-doubting voice up by choosing happiness.

For more information please go to www.jondorenbos.com.

Events also include the Association President's Breakfast, the AAE award ceremony and a variety of hands-on, educational opportunities for endodontic and dental professionals. To learn more about AAE23 or view all the program offerings, please visit: aae.org/aae23. 

Event to Offer Interactive Experiences Featuring Innovative Dental Technology, Educational Courses, and Networking Opportunities

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today kicks off THRIVELIVE™ 2023, an annual event that provides a comprehensive educational experience that offers every member of dental teams the opportunity to learn, network, and enhance their practices. This year’s THRIVELIVE will take place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, from May 3-6.

Now in its third year, THRIVELIVE brings together dental professionals to learn from well-known speakers, educators, and leading dental technology experts from around the world. With an extensive lineup of the latest dental technologies from various leading manufacturers, THRIVELIVE provides an informative and immersive experience that is designed to help dental professionals elevate their practice workflows. Interactive booths and customized walkthroughs offer ample opportunity to explore the latest clinical education advancements and network with peers and industry experts.

Throughout the duration of THRIVELIVE, there will be more than 80 courses available to attendees. The topics covered will include Business, Clinical, Technology, Health and Wellness, Multi-Practice/DSO, Software Training, Practice Design, and Team Development. As the dental profession continues to evolve, these curated courses will offer dental teams the skills and knowledge to keep their practices current with the latest patient care and service trends.

“After a successful return to an in-person THRIVELIVE in 2022, we are thrilled to bring together the best and brightest dental professionals and thought leaders once again for THRIVELIVE 2023,” said Mark Hillebrandt, Chief Digital Revenue Officer of Henry Schein. “We at Henry Schein are committed to providing dental professionals with an unparalleled educational experience that will equip them with the latest knowledge and technologies and empower them to make informed decisions about their practices.”

New to THRIVELIVE this year, attendees can join Team Schein in supporting Carry the Load, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides active ways to recognize and honor the sacrifices made by the U.S. military, veterans, first responders, and their families through an “Honor March,” at Caesars Palace on Friday, May 5. Included with attendees’ paid admission ticket are the educational and philanthropic opportunities.

THRIVELIVE will also feature entertainment events, such as the “THRIVELIVE Bash” at Drai’s Night Club, and “Club THRIVELIVE,” headlined by renowned comedian Sebastian Maniscalco. Attendees can purchase tickets to enjoy evenings of laughter and entertainment after spending their days expanding their knowledge and networking with colleagues.

To learn more about THRIVELIVE 2023, visit https://thrivelive2023.com.

Announces Partnerships in Two New States

U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) – a specialty management services company that exclusively serves premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons – is excited to announce partnerships in two new states: Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The new partners are Stopperich Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of McMurry, Pennsylvania, and Southwest Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

USOSM was the first company of its kind, and it continues to lead the industry today. Currently, the shared-services organization has more than 190 surgeon partners across 26 states. It has the largest and fastest growing network of premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons, nationwide.

“We’re honored to announce our first partnerships in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Our new partners – Stopperich Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Southwest Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – are exceptional OMS (oral and maxillofacial surgery) practices, who put patients first. They are leaders in their field and we welcome them to our network of like-minded surgeon partners,” said USOSM President and CEO Richard Hall.

About the new partners:

Located in McMurray, Stopperich Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery primarily serves patients in Western Pennsylvania, providing comprehensive, compassionate and highly personalized care for a wide variety of OMS needs. Led by P. Shawn Stopperich, DMD, the practice offers the full scope of oral and maxillofacial procedures from dental implants to wisdom teeth removal, bone grafting, diagnosing and treating facial pain and injuries, and much more. The office is outfitted with the latest technology and equipment, designed with patients’ safety and comfort in mind.

“Our passion and our expertise is caring for patients, providing them with the best care possible,” said Dr. Stopperich. “Partnering with USOSM will enable us to do that on an even deeper level, and that’s something we’re all excited about. USOSM can provide the behind-the-scenes business support we need, so we can spend more time focused on patient care.”

Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Southwest Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery offers a full-scope of oral and maxillofacial procedures, such as dental implants, wisdom teeth removal and bone grafting. Led by Wai Pong Ng, DMD, and Jeffrey Hagen, DMD, the practice specializes in complex orthognathic or corrective jaw surgery. They provide highly personalized and exceptional patient care in a comfortable and technologically-advanced setting.

“Our patients trust us to provide the highest quality patient care possible, and that’s what we do,” said Dr. Hagen. “That’s why we need a partner like USOSM, to take care of the administrative details, so we can give our patients our full attention.”

Dr. Ng echoes Dr. Hagen’s sentiments, saying: “We’ve always been intentional about what we’re doing here. We’ve built a carefully crafted, state-of-the art practice to serve our community well and meet each patient’s individual needs. Partnering with USOSM will help us to keep doing that more effectively. They will allow us to be more streamlined, so that our practice continues to flow like it should.”

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USOSM has partner practices spanning 26 states. A shared services organization, USOSM collaborates with premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons to offer a partnership solution for continued and accelerated practice success. USOSM provides operational, marketing and administrative support services, reinvests resources, and applies best practices to improve clinical and financial performance and produce steadier, more profitable growth for all. For more information, visit https://www.usosm.com/. 

Pacific Dental Services Founder and CEO Stephen E. Thorne IV recently was inducted into the inaugural Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) Hall of Leaders at the association’s recent conference that featured the first-ever ADSO Awards. According to the ADSO, members of the Hall of Leaders are industry leaders who have performed outstanding service, demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the ADSO, and made outstanding contributions that have led to the profound advancement of the best interests of the DSO industry.

"It is an honor to be inducted into the ADSO's Hall of Leaders and stand shoulder to shoulder with such an esteemed group of colleagues with whom I have had the tremendous privilege of working to establish the ADSO. Together, we have the opportunity to shape oral healthcare in ways that will have a lasting impact on patient care and health care as a whole," said Thorne. "One of my hopes for the future of the dental industry is full integration across the health care spectrum, with patient-centered care, unified health insurance plans, coding systems, and much more. We are continuing to take steps toward this at Pacific Dental Services now more than ever."

Pacific Dental Services also received the 2023 ADSO Service Award at the event. The recognition is given to ADSO member companies that have shown excellence in meritorious service, corporate/social responsibility, and/or contributions to greater society over the past year.

More than 1,000 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) members, dental professionals, students, sponsors, and exhibitors attended the 39th Annual AACD Scientific Session in Grapevine, Texas, April 26-29.

AACD 2023 delivered an exceptional continuing education experience for dental professionals who are passionate about pursuing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry and those committed to beginning their AACD Accreditation journey—the only advanced credential in cosmetic dentistry. With headline educators including Pascal Magne, DMD, PhD, Sam Alawie, MDT, and Frank M. Spear, DDS, MSD, attendees were treated to dozens of hands-on workshops and clinical lectures.

AACD members were also treated to social events like the Rhinestone Roundup reception complete with line dancing, a tequila tasting bar, and plenty of fun photo opportunities.

The Academy also welcomed its new President, Gregory Wright, DDS, FAACD, who has practiced in Southlake, Texas since 1992. A native Texan and an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma, College of Dentistry, in 2000, Dr. Wright become an Accredited Member of the AACD, and in 2008, he completed the demanding protocol required to become an AACD Accredited Fellow. “I enjoy serving my family, patients, church, community, and now the AACD,” said Wright. “I look forward to representing my fellow members this leadership year.”

The conference concluded with the always memorable Celebration of Excellence gala event, Sapphire & Spurs, honoring AACD’s newly Accredited and Accredited Fellow members, AACD Evy Award winners, and President’s Award winners.

New AACD Leaders for 2023-2024

At the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s Annual Member Meeting, held Wednesday, April 26, 2023, during their Annual Scientific Session in Grapevine, Texas, the following leaders were elected by acclamation:

Board of Directors

Amanda N. Seay, DDS, FAACD– Vice President

Mohan Bhuvaneswaran, MDS, AAACD– Accredited Member

Keerti Sahasrabudhe, DDS, AAACD – Accredited Member

Steve D. Hoofard, CDT, AAACD – Laboratory Member

Thomas T. Doan, DMD – General Member

American Board of Cosmetic Dentistry

Steven B. Andreaus, DDS, AAACD

Erik R. Haupt, FAACD

Zach Sisler, DDS, AAACD

Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (Elected Position)

Jorge R. Blanco DDS, AAACD

The AACD is excited to work with these new volunteer leaders who will be instrumental in the continued success of the Academy and its charitable foundation.

Through its charity auction and fundraising event at the Chicken ‘n Pickle, the AACD Charitable Foundation raised more than $75,000 for its Give Back a Smile program! Give Back a Smile restores damaged smiles of adult survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The Charitable Foundation’s incoming volunteer leaders also took office. Jeffery W. Lineberry, DDS AAACD, was reappointed to serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees, and Alexandra H. Arnold, DMD, was appointed for a three-year term. Dwight G. Rickert, CDT, FAACD, will serve as Chair for the upcoming year.

The Academy is already looking forward to AACD 2024 National Harbor, which is scheduled for April 3-6, three weeks earlier than usual. This 40th Anniversary event will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on the banks of the Potomac River, just minutes from Washington, D.C., and Old Town Alexandria.

For more information, visit aacdconference.com.  

Twenty-eight locally branded dental practices will open their doors to uninsured or underinsured children to provide oral health treatment at no cost on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

Benevis, a leading dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, is proud to announce it will host its eighth annual Sharing Smiles Day on Sunday, May 21, 2023. The volunteer event features 28 locally branded Benevis dental practices that will provide free dental care to uninsured or underinsured children and their families. Benevis encourages families to register at www.SharingSmilesDay.com in advance of the event.

In the U.S., rates of untreated tooth decay are twice as high for children from low- or limited income families compared with children from middle- or high-income families, according to the JAMA Network. Over the past seven years, Sharing Smiles Day has provided dental relief to more than 2,500 patients across 11 states to help combat poor oral health in children and educate families on healthy dental habits. More than 1,200 volunteers from Benevis and partner practices will proudly participate in the eighth annual event.

“Creating a nation of happy healthy smiles starts with one patient at a time; however, there are too many disadvantaged families in the U.S. that face coverage gaps and financial challenges, putting necessary care out of reach,” said Bryan Carey, CEO of Benevis. “Sharing Smiles Day enables our clinical teams to expand access to care and give back to the communities and families we serve.”

Central to the mission at Benevis is improving access to essential dental healthcare and creating dental homes for families with various forms of insurance, including Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). To deliver on its mission, Benevis supports a network of like-minded, community-focused dentists that prioritize patient health to make a national impact. In addition to providing compassionate care, clinical teams prioritize educating children and families about daily brushing, flossing, and the importance of good nutrition for a healthy smile.

“Benevis is committed to breaking down oral healthcare barriers by expanding access to affordable, high-quality dental care for children and families in disadvantaged communities across the country,” shared Dr. Dale Mayfield, DMD, chief dental officer of Benevis. “We’re delighted to provide oral health care services to families in need each year.”

Sharing Smiles Day is open to children up to age 18 and adults who do not have Medicaid or other forms of dental insurance. The available free treatments will include dental exams, limited emergency care, extractions, and restorative care, with cleanings offered on a limited basis. To learn more please watch this video, or to register, please click here.  

Roland DGA’s DGSHAPE Americas business group, a leading provider of innovative dental milling solutions, 3D printers, and accessories for laboratories and clinicians, has announced the launch of two next-generation milling machines – the DWX-52D Plus dry mill and the DWX-42W Plus wet mill. Both devices incorporate technology and feature enhancements that maximize overall efficiency, productivity, reliability, and ease of use.

The new five-axis DWX-52D Plus boasts an all-new redesigned and optimized spindle and assembly as well as material management, tool control, and improvements for optimum dry-milling performance. The newly engineered spindle offers several advantages over the previous DWX-52D spindle, including 1.9 times greater gripping power, the ability to accommodate 3.0 mm tool sets, increased compatibility with polycarbonate denture and provisional materials, and faster milling of hybrid resins, PMMA, and zirconia.

Users will also appreciate how the DWX-52D Plus makes material management easier and more efficient than ever before. An included disc adapter rack allows for cleaner, expandable material storage, while the mill’s optional C-Clamp accessory and included standard material adapters speed up material disc exchanges, allowing you to move quickly from one job to the next. The snap-in system reduces the amount of time required to reset partially used material discs.

For expanded tool setup and control, the DWX-52D Plus is equipped with a 15-station Automatic Tool Changer (ATC) with a dedicated 16th position slot for a cleaning tool and a micro-switch tool length sensor. In addition, these enhanced tool controls give you the flexibility to select any tool setup combination, customize tool sets, and create unique tooling combinations. It’s also simple to track your tools, monitor tool life, and custom name your carbide, hybrid, and diamond tools. When your tools reach their life expectancy, Intelligent Tool Control within the DWX-52D Plus mill’s included VPanel software automatically replaces them. Burs are exchanged during the milling process – when the new bur is in place, the job continues where it left off.

The VPanel software also offers Multicast control, allowing you to manage up to four DWX Series devices on one PC. Additionally, VPanel enables you to operate any of DGSHAPE’s DWX Series mills – including the DWX-52D Plus, DWX-52D, DWX-52DCi, DWX-42W Plus, DWX-42W, and DWX-53DC models – simultaneously. 

Like the DWX-52D Plus dry mill, the new DWX-42W Plus wet mill boasts new features and capabilities that take performance and versatility to a higher level. The DWX-42W Plus mill’s newly designed spindle has a shaft wall that is approximately four times thicker than its predecessor, significantly increasing rigidity. Reduced air requirements and having the air flow closer to the spindle shaft help minimize issues caused by milling waste. The new spindle also increases material compatibility, allowing for the wet milling of harder materials like Amber Mill Direct – Powered by Roland DGA and Pre-Sintered Zirconia.

The DWX-42W Plus offers users increased milling speed for maximum productivity as well as greater accuracy and improved quality when milling a variety of materials. Further enhancing accuracy and versatility is the wide selection of precision milling tools available for this device, including ZGB tools for harder materials like Amber Mill Direct or pre-sintered zirconia, and ZGB2 tools for traditional glass ceramics, hybrid, and nano-composite materials. In addition to ensuring fine detail and consistent quality through multiple jobs, these state-of-the-art burs lower the frequency of chipped margins and failed milling jobs, while also reducing the need to modify cement gaps for tighter fitting restorations.

The DWX-42W Plus comes bundled with new MillBox DGSHAPE Edition CAM Software created specifically for wet mills. This powerful, user-friendly software improves workflow by providing a host of advanced tools and features, such as a quick mill option that lets you select frequently used materials and start milling quickly, a choice of fast or high-quality milling applications, Multiple Job Setup for significantly reduced milling times, and much more.

“With our next-generation DWX-52D Plus and DWX-42W Plus dental mills, we’ve taken two great digital dental solutions and made them even better,” said Roland DGA’s Dental Marketing Manager, Lisa Aguirre. “These state-of-the-art dry and wet milling machines feature improvements that enable any size lab or clinic to optimize production, increase quality, and work more effectively with a wider range of materials.”

Users of the new DWX-52D Plus and DWX-42W Plus mills also have free access to DGSHAPE CLOUD performance visualization software. DGSHAPE CLOUD is an added value of ownership with an enhanced dashboard feature that allows users to monitor and collect data for multiple DGSHAPE mills from one location as well as upgrade their experience with the new Inventory Management Software (IMS) function.

For more information on the new DWX-52D Plus and DWX-42W Plus mills, or the complete DGSHAPE line of dental products and accessories, visit www.dgshapeamericas.com.  

The American Association of Endodontists (AAE), announced it is looking forward to welcoming thousands of its member endodontists and dental professionals to its annual meeting, AAE23, in Chicago May 3-6.

Endodontists are dental specialists who relieve patients’ tooth pain and save their natural teeth via root canal treatment.

The AAE provides its members with the highest quality continuing dental education programs and opportunities to hear from industry experts about new technologies. AAE23 will also feature a Keynote address from former NFL player, Jon Dorenbos.

AAE23 also includes several special events, including the President's Breakfast, the Edgar D. Coolidge Award Ceremony, and the annual General Assembly Business meeting, not to mention several evening receptions. To learn more about AAE23 or view all the program offerings, please visit aae.org/aae23.

This year is extra special for the AAE, as the stars have aligned to place members in the Association’s home city of Chicago during Save Your Tooth Month.

“May is our annual month-long celebration of saving teeth, and, coupled with our annual meeting taking place in our home city, the place where it all began, we knew we had to do something big to mark the occasion,” said AAE President Dr. Stefan I. Zweig.

And the Association did just that: On April 26, a special pop-up event took place outside of the Association’s offices at 180 N. Stetson (Two Prudential Plaza), complete with games, giveaways, and even “superheroes of saving teeth.”

The celebrations are only just beginning.

“We urge Chicagoans to LOOK UP,” Dr. Zweig advised. “Look up at someone’s smile (after all, according to our recent survey, teeth are among the first things we notice about a person – almost instantly!). Look up an endodontist on findmyendodontist.com. Look up at the sky for long enough on May 5-7, and you will see the AAE’s special tooth-saving message and colors light up the skyline of Chicago! That’s right; our home city will truly glow in honor of Save Your Tooth Month, making our important message known to all Chicagoans: Smiles Are Worth Saving.”

For more information about Save Your Tooth Month, visit aae.org/saveteeth.  

On Thursday, April 27, AAE President Dr. Stefan I. Zweig appeared on Chicago's WGN-TV to represent the AAE on two different programs: WGN's Morning News and the Daytime Chicago show.

Dr. Zweig emphasized the importance of saving natural teeth and explained the significance of May as Save Your Tooth Month. Watch the full clips below! 

The TV appearances occurred on the heels of a very successful, first of its kind "Save Your Tooth Day" pop-up event held April 26 at AAE headquarters, Two Prudential Plaza, where the public was able to grab swag, play games, take photos against a virtual backdrop -- and meet superheroes! The event was visited by another local news station, FOX 32 Chicago.  

This week has been a ramp-up not only to Save Your Tooth Month, but also to the AAE's Annual Meeting, which takes place in Chicago NEXT WEEK: May 3-6 and will bring thousands of endodontists to the Windy City.