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American Dental Hygienists’ Association Announces the Passing of ADHA® CEO, Ann Battrell

Posted on Friday, June 9, 2023

It is with profound sadness that the American Dental Hygienists’ Association announces that ADHA CEO, Ann Battrell, MSDH, passed away June 7, 2023. She had recently announced to ADHA leadership that she was extending her medical leave to focus on her health.

Battrell became the first registered dental hygienist and first former ADHA president to assume the position of CEO of the organization. She served as ADHA’s President from 1996-1997. Battrell began her career with the ADHA in 2000 as manager of education and moved into the role of director of education four years later. In 2009, the Board of Directors selected her to fill the executive director opening and in 2016 she was named CEO. In her leadership role, she worked tirelessly to advance the dental hygiene profession, evolve the scope of practice, empower dental hygienists, eliminate inequities and improve access to care.

ADHA 2022-2023 President Dawn Ann Dean, RDH, MSDH, describes Battrell as a strategist, innovator and collaborator who believed in the collective power of the profession, determined to ensure dental hygiene was represented and heard.

“Ann was a champion for the association and dental hygiene, always pushing to raise the important issues, promoting our accomplishments and bringing our profession’s voice to the table,” said President Dean. “Our lives and the dental hygiene community are better thanks to Ann – an extraordinary leader, inspiring mentor and friend. She will be greatly missed and remembered for her passion and dedication to public service.”

Among many notable accomplishments during Battrell’s tenure, ADHA launched a new online education platform, elevated the acknowledgement of oral-systemic health connections, worked to broaden the dental hygiene curriculum to address the oral health needs of diverse populations and improve access to care, and championed efforts to broaden the scope of practice for dental hygienists to practice to the fullest extent of their education. Battrell also became a regular voice for the profession throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ann and the entire ADHA staff worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, to ensure that the dental hygiene community had the relevant information, accessible resources and practical guidance to find ways to deliver essential care across the country,” recalls President Dean. “Ann appeared wherever she could, on webcasts, podcasts, interviews and social media to ensure the research and the guidance specific to dental hygiene could reach as many as possible.”

Most recently, Battrell was recognized by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research/NIH for her outstanding contributions to their 2021 publication “Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges.”

During Battrell’s leave, day-to-day operations of ADHA were designated to members of senior staff who now report directly to the ADHA President. These interim roles, held by ADHA Senior Director of Strategic Operations Jennifer Hill, and Governance Manager Kathy Pujol, will remain in place while the 2023-2024 Board of Directors oversees leadership continuity planning under incoming President, Becky Smith, CRDH, EdD.

A tribute is planned July 7, 2023, during the Opening General Session of the ADHA 2023 Annual Conference at McCormick Place in Chicago, to celebrate Ann Battrell’s life, leadership and legacy in the dental hygiene profession and ADHA.







DentaQuest’s Dr. Steven Barefoot to Present on the Benefits of Curodont, the First Drill-Free Regenerative Caries Treatment

Posted on Thursday, June 8, 2023

Presentation will be given at the Hispanic Dental Association’s 2023 Annual Meeting

A clinical leader from DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., will present at the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) 2023 Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 10. The presentation, “Innovative Strategies to Drive Improved Health Outcomes,” will focus on Curodont, the first non-invasive regenerative caries treatment, and discuss the value of identifying, trialing and implementing unique treatment plans that can yield better patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Steven Barefoot, DDS, Associate Director, Value-Based Care at DentaQuest will be leading the presentation.

HDA is the leading voice for Hispanic oral health and promotes overall health of Hispanic and underrepresented communities. DentaQuest has been a member and supporting sponsor of the HDA since 2021.

WHAT: DentaQuest’s “Innovative Strategies to Drive Improved Health Outcomes” presentation

WHEN: Saturday, June 10, 2023

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM CT

WHERE: San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk

889 East Market Street

San Antonio, TX

WHO: Steven Barefoot, DDS, Associate Director, Value-Based Care, DentaQuest

Laura Skaret, BS, RDH, Manager, Clinical Innovation, CareQuest Innovation Partners  







Sage Dental Announces the Opening of Its 100th Practice

Posted on Thursday, June 8, 2023

Now the Largest DSO in South Florida, Sage Dental Has Nearly Doubled Its Number of Practices Since 2020

Sage Dental, a leading dental service organization (DSO) committed to providing consistent, high-quality care, as well as non-clinical business and administrative services to affiliated practices, today announced that it has opened its 100th location, following its acquisition of Kendall Dental Care in Miami.

As part of the company’s ongoing expansion strategy to increase its presence in the Southeastern United States, this milestone represents a critical moment in the evolution of Sage. Since 2020, Sage has nearly doubled the number of practices in its network in Florida and Georgia and, in terms of locations, it is now the largest DSO operating in south Florida.

“Everyone on our team is very proud to achieve this milestone as Sage Dental continues in its mission to make high-quality, affordable dental care available to an increasing number of families and individuals in the regions that we serve,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Marler. “Our modern facilities and highly skilled clinicians and support staff, combined with best-in-class dental technologies, have helped to propel our rapid growth. Since Sage was founded more than 25 years ago, dentistry has evolved exponentially, and Sage has continually evolved with it to ensure we deliver patients the best dental care possible.”

Sage, which has served more than 1 million patients since 2020, offers general, specialty, and cosmetic dental care, including restorative, prosthodontic, endodontic, pediatric, and orthodontic treatment. As the DSO continues to expand, its leadership team expects to add at least 20 more practices to Sage’s network by the end of 2023.

“In comparison with some of our competitors, Sage has taken a unique approach to executing our expansion strategy by incorporating, as evenly as possible, a blend of new and acquired practices into our universally branded network,” said Chief Development Officer and Senior Vice President Jim Mizouni. “As we continue to fine-tune and execute our plans to scale the business, our long-term strategy includes expanding into the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.”

As it maintains its focus on future growth, Sage's dentists, hygienists, and dental support staff will continue providing personalized care combined with the latest tools and technologies – including artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostics – to deliver the best possible oral health care to patients.

“Across all our practices, our team is constantly revisiting ways to help our patients have a better understanding of their oral health and the best treatment options that are available to them,” said Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President Dr. Cindy Roark, DMD, MS. “Using state-of-the-art technologies, our dental professionals foster trust with patients by making more well-informed prognoses and better treatment decisions.”

To learn more or to schedule an appointment at any of Sage Dental’s locations, please visit www.mysagedental.com.  







Dentsply Sirona Collaborates With America’s ToothFairy on “Bid for Smiles” to Raise $26,000 to Support Dental Care for Children in Need

Posted on Thursday, June 8, 2023

Dentsply Sirona continues to partner with America’s ToothFairy to support their shared mission of increasing access to dental care for children in need.

When children have healthy smiles, they have a better chance of reaching their potential. Unfortunately, millions of kids across the United States lack access to a dental care provider, resulting in higher rates of untreated tooth decay and risk of dangerous infections. America’s ToothFairy helps improve the lives of these children by providing essential resources that help nonprofit dental organizations serve more kids each year.

One way the nonprofit organization funds its mission is through an online auction of dental supplies and equipment. Most recently held in March 2023, “Bid For Smiles” raised $26,000 to support prevention resources and services for 5,000 children who otherwise might not receive the dental services they need to be healthy.

Sponsoring for a good cause

“We count on the generosity of our sponsors and donors in order to make our auction a success,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy. ““Bid For Smiles” would not have been as successful without the support of its major sponsor, Dentsply Sirona. Their $10’000 financial support helped us procure product donations, promote participation, and ultimately raise enough to help an additional 5,000 kids get the dental services they need to prevent tooth decay.”

“We believe every child should have access to the dental care they need to be healthy,” added Lisa Yankie, Chief Human Resources Officer and Communications at Dentsply Sirona. “We’re proud to partner with America’s ToothFairy to help children in communities that lack adequate dental services get the preventive care they need to grow up with a healthy smile.”

A shared mission of improving oral health for children in need

Dentsply Sirona’s support of this cause is encompassed in its Sustainability strategy, BEYOND, which builds on the company’s long-established Corporate Social Responsibility Platform. At the heart of BEYOND is the ambition to improve oral health around the world, protect the environment, be a trustworthy corporate citizen, and foster a diverse and inclusive environment within the workplace and society. To achieve this, Dentsply Sirona has set for itself ambitious sustainability goals, supports industry-wide cooperations and brings to the table the willingness to go above and beyond to achieve real changes for a more sustainable future in dentistry.

“Bids for Smiles”: Save the Date for 2024

Since 2016, “Bid For Smiles” has raised more than $726,000 to support the delivery of dental care and oral health education for kids in need nationwide. The next auction will be held March 20-22, 2024. Visit BidForSmiles.org to sign up to receive reminders.







Smile Generation-Trusted Dental Practices Partnered with charity: water to Raise Over $1.14 Million for Clean Drinking Water

Posted on Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Campaign proceeds will fund clean, safe drinking water for nearly 28,700 Ethiopians in need

Smile Generation® and its nationwide network of trusted dental practices recently completed a two-month fundraising campaign in support of charity: water, a non-profit organization that brings clean, safe drinking water to people in need around the world. The campaign, “Give Water, Give Health,” ran April 1 – May 31 and raised a total of $1,148,578, surpassing the initial goal by over $480,000. All funds raised go towards providing clean drinking water to vulnerable populations in Ethiopia through the construction of community-owned, sustainable, and safe water sources built to last for generations. The amount raised this year will fund clean water sources for an estimated 28,700 people in need.

Founded in 2006, charity: water has funded water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs for rural communities in 29 countries around the globe – in Africa, Asia, Central and South America – serving 16.9 million people. In Ethiopia, over 72 million people are living without basic access to safe drinking water. That’s 68 percent of the population in the East African country.

Smile Generation has proudly partnered with charity: water since 2009, contributing a total of over $8.6 million in donated support over 15 years. These efforts have successfully provided clean drinking water to over 275,000 individuals in need across six different countries.

“We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering commitment, collaborative spirit, and immense generosity displayed by the Smile Generation community,” stated Scott Harrison, CEO of charity: water. “Once again, they have come together, leveraging their network to provide clean water to communities in need. We extend our heartfelt thanks for their invaluable support in helping others lead prosperous and fulfilling lives.” 

Smile Generation-trusted dental practices are supported by Pacific Dental Services® (PDS), one of the country’s leading dental and medical support organizations. Smile Generation helps connect patients to trusted dentists – oral health care professionals who are dedicated to providing patients with an exceptional dental experience utilizing advanced clinical care and proven technology. It also provides helpful financial options for patients so they can afford the dental care they need and want, and education about the link between oral health and overall health, or what PDS and its supported practices call the Mouth-Body Connection®, while also working to be a force for good in the communities it serves.

“The efforts of Smile Generation-trusted practices and supporters this year have had our largest impact yet, providing clean water to over 28,000 people in Ethiopia,” said Carli Casey, Sr. Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at PDS. “This milestone in our 15-year partnership with charity: water is a testament to our commitment to serving others. We are immensely grateful for the dedicated individuals who made this possible. Together, we are ensuring that a new generation will never know a life without water.”  







Urbanek TMJ Device Announces Launch of Commercial Operations

Posted on Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Revolutionary Technology Effectively Eliminates TMD In As Few As Two Office Visits


The Urbanek TMJ Device and Protocol announced today the official launch of its commercial operations in North America, offering dentists a new way to treat the 10+ million TMD/TMJ sufferers in the United States.

“After more than 4,000 cases treated with a 95% success rate, we’re excited to finally offer this solution nationwide to treat the growing epidemic of TMD.

With this FDA-cleared medical device and our comprehensive training and support, dental care providers can now offer their patients an easy and affordable solution,” says CEO and Founder Dr. Anthony Urbanek.

Developed by an Oral Maxillofacial surgeon with over 40 years of experience, the Urbanek Device and Protocol is the only non-surgical, custom CAD-CAM, 3D-printed resin device that alleviates the inflammation of the TMD joint. Unlike a nightguard, this FDA-cleared medical device was specifically designed to treat the root cause of TMD.

“It’s our mission to provide dental care professionals with a system to safely eliminate TMJ/TMD for their patients without surgery or medications,” says Dr. Urbanek.

For more information, visit www.UrbanekTMJ.com or register for Dr. Urbanek’s CE webinar here: https://bit.ly/3WHfb2W.

*Pat.9314320 







Learn Composite Dentistry at the Center for Esthetic Excellence in Chicago

Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Announcing New Fall 2023 Continuing Education Lectures and Hands-on Workshops

Cosmedent’s Center for Esthetic Excellence, (CEE) has scheduled a lecture and hands-on workshop, entitled, “Composite Bonding for Smile Makeovers: Designed for Accreditation Case Type 5,” presented by Dr. Corky Willhite, on October 5-7, 2023, Thursday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

This course is designed specifically for members of the AACD to help with challenges of the  “six or more direct resin veneers” case. Learn strategies for managing Accreditation patients and reducing appointment time. Case selection: Recognize which cases work best and how to find those patients. Step by step procedure for individual tooth changes (color change, class IV’s, and more).

For more information regarding this course, please contact Erika Heier at 800-837-2321 or cee@cosmedent.com.

 







Colgate-Palmolive Announces 2023 Recipients of the Colgate Award for Research Excellence (C.A.R.E.)

Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all, is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Colgate Award for Research Excellence (CARE), who will each receive a 1-year research grant ($30,000.00 USD) to foster the development of their areas of interest in dental, oral and craniofacial research. The 2023 CARE Program recipients and their research topics are:

Heidi Steinkamp, PhD, DDS, MS – The University of Iowa College of Dentistry

“Impact of Stress on the Oral Microbiome of Children”

Cheryl Paulo Malave, BS, DMD – University of Puerto Rico

“Vitamin D Levels and Severe Early Childhood Caries in Puerto Rican Children”

Mateus G. Rocha, DDS, MS, PhD – University of Florida, College of Dentistry

“Restorative Dental Materials with Wavelength-controlled Light-responsive Release and Recharge of L-arginine”

Bhakti Desai, DMD – College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago

“Assessing Infant Fluoride Use and Caries Experience”

Justin Kaspar, PhD – The Ohio State University, College of Dentistry

“Correlation of Streptococcus mutans Microcolony Size to Disease Potential and Therapeutic Tolerance”

Proposals were reviewed by an independent, esteemed panel of senior academic dental researchers. Winners were selected based on the program’s criteria, which includes innovation, clinical significance, originality and scientific quality.

“The CARE Program, now entering its 7th year, fosters the development of much needed dental academicians by providing seed research funding to emerging leaders at a time in their career path when it is most needed,” said Dr. Maria Emanuel Ryan, DDS, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer, Colgate-Palmolive. “We recognize the importance of fostering the careers of young academics and researchers as they are essential to the education of the next generation of dental professionals and play an important role in advancing the science of dentistry. This is more important now than ever before as the need for faculty is acute, with several hundred faculty positions unfilled throughout the country. The shortage in research focused faculty in dental schools carries over into other sectors, such as industry and government, where a significant amount of research is conducted.”

Established in 2016, the Colgate CARE Program is designed to foster and provide financial support to young academic researchers. In order to be eligible for the Colgate CARE grant, faculty applicants must be in the first five years of an academic appointment. To date the CARE program has supported the research projects of 31 academicians in numerous areas of oral health research.

Colgate is also instrumental in other programs to support dental researchers. In conjunction with the National Dental Association Foundation, the Audacity to Dream Program and TORCH Program have the important goal of helping address racial disparities in oral health research.

Every year Colgate-Palmolive celebrates the research projects at Colgate’s Clinical Research Innovation Day, where recipients of the CARE program, the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program, the Audacity to Dream Program and the TORCH Program all come together at Colgate-Palmolive’s global technology center in Piscataway, New Jersey, to present and celebrate their research. This year's Clinical Research Innovation Day took place on May 24th, 2023.

“On behalf of Colgate’s 34,000 people around the world, we offer sincere congratulations to the winners of this year’s grant awards,” said Dr. Ryan.

For more information about the Colgate CARE Program for Young Academic Researchers and application guidelines, visit https://www.colgateprofessional.com/care-program for US and https://www.colgateprofessional.ca/en-ca/care-program for Canada. 







America’s Toothfairy Adds Armor Dental Founder and CEO to Board

Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Dental Industry Leader and Advocate for Individuals With IDD, Cherie Le Penske Joins the Esteemed Board of Directors of America’s ToothFairy

America’s ToothFairy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to oral health care for children in underserved communities, is pleased to announce the addition of Cherie Le Penske to their esteemed Board of Directors. Le Penske is the Founder and CEO of Armor Dental, a dental manufacturer of a proprietary line of soft retraction and non-reflective instruments for dental and medical procedures.

The team at America’s ToothFairy is excited to apply Le Penske’s expertise to elevate awareness of the organization outside of the dental marketplace and channel her passion to improve the consistency of dental care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in support for their Special Kids Program.

“We are so fortunate to have such a distinguished group of people on our Board who volunteer their time because they are devoted to providing the resources kids need to grow up with healthy smiles,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy. “When I first met Cherie, I knew she had to join our board. Her passion, energy, and relentless drive to make dental care inclusive make her a perfect fit for our mission and organization.”

America’s ToothFairy was founded in 2006 with the idea that dental professionals can work together to improve the oral health of children who do not get the dental services they need to be healthy and whose oral health literacy is limited. Since then, the organization has helped its program members dramatically increase access to dental services for more than 8.6 million kids and has provided oral health education resources to reach more than 13 million kids and caregivers across the country.

“I am honored to join the Board of America’s ToothFairy because I believe improving the daily oral hygiene of underserved and IDD youth is fundamental to their health,” Le Penske said. “The IDD community deserves greater industry attention and contributions. My intention is to help the foundation galvanize corporate awareness and contributions to expand dental access for these patients, improve their oral health outcomes, and support their caregivers.”

“As a CEO and an entrepreneur, I’ve learned to surround myself with people who actually do something to help those in need, not those who only talk about it,” Le Penske added. “That’s why I’m delighted with work with the team at America’s ToothFairy. They are a small team but have tremendous drive to improve the oral health of children in communities that are often overlooked.”

It was Le Penske’s commitment to improving patient comfort during procedures at the dental office and the quality of oral care at home that inspired her to create what is now Armor Dental’s complete line of soft tissue retraction tools. The tools are also a natural fit for assisting with the oral care of people with physical and intellectual disabilities—a group that Le Penske is a champion for.

“Dental care is the leading unmet health care need for children and adults with special healthcare needs,” says Allen Wong, DDS, EdD, DABSCD, Professor, Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Director AEGD Program Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. “We must do everything we can to ensure that patients with special healthcare needs can access the dental care they need because an unhealthy mouth can have a detrimental impact on their overall health. I look forward to seeing Cherie work with America’s ToothFairy to make a strong difference in the oral health of our nation’s kids and especially those who have exceptional needs.” 







Ultradent Adds Jiffy™ Spin Disks to Finishing and Polishing Line

Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, is introducing Jiffy™ Spin disks, the latest innovative product in its restorative dentistry line-up. This new shaping and finishing disk system offers dental professionals a rapid and efficient solution for high-quality restorations.

Jiffy Spin disks feature precise, ultra-thin disks designed for interproximal finishing and shaping. The system includes aluminum oxide coated disks ranging from coarse to fine for smoothing and finishing, as well as a unique disk exclusive to Jiffy™ Spin disks: diamond grit for rapid shaping and gross removal.

Jiffy Spin disks help clinicians achieve esthetic restorations at an affordable price, with efficiency and speed. The extra-coarse diamond grit disk ensures even faster removal, allowing dental professionals to transition seamlessly to finer grits for that perfect finish. Designed for use on both composite and ceramic materials, Jiffy Spin disks maintain the exceptional quality and long-lasting shine synonymous with the Jiffy family of products. The ultra-thin design ensures the disks can fit into any restoration area, making quick work of those challenging interproximal regions.

“The extra-coarse disk is a unique product that I absolutely love having around,” says Dr. Brett Richins, an early adopter of Jiffy Spin disks. “It allows me to make large adjustments to the length or contour of a restoration quickly, predictably, and with only one disk. Before I started using the extra-coarse disk, I would often have to use several disks if I was doing multiple anterior restorations."







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