Brant Herman, CEO and Founder of MouthWatch LLC and Dentistry.One, Inc was recently named one of “2023’s People to Watch in Healthcare” by leading New Jersey business publication, NJBIZ.

MouthWatch, LLC, is a recognized leader in teledentistry software and digital imaging devices, while Dentistry.One is a virtual-first dental care network introduced by MouthWatch earlier this year.

The nominations were based on successfully meeting the challenges facing the New Jersey healthcare industry in a post-covid world. The recipients were selected based on three main criteria:

• Implementing and evaluating new technology during and after the pandemic to see and treat patients.

• Answering the need to reach out to the communities that providers serve. In other words, to deliver care to people where they are rather than expecting them to go to a hospital or doctor’s office.

• Providing solutions for the difficulties that New Jersey hospitals and private practitioners are facing in attracting and retaining talent due to pandemic-related burnout.

“I’m very honored to be included in this prestigious list of forward-thinking New Jersey healthcare leaders,” said Mr. Herman. The NJBIZ criteria for nominations are in perfect alignment with the core mission of MouthWatch and Dentistry.One - to improve access to oral care and make the patient/provider encounter easier and more efficient for both parties. We are dedicated to continuing this mission not only in New Jersey, but across the United States.”  

LightForce Orthodontics will expand its manufacturing capabilities to advance production and further its custom orthodontic treatments using AI and 3D printing.

LightForce Orthodontics, makers of the world’s first fully personalized 3D printed braces system, today announced it raised an $80 million Series D round led by Ally Bridge Group, Transformation Capital, and CareCapital. Omega Venture Partners, Matter Venture Partners, and the American Association of Orthodontics also participated in the round, as did existing LightForce investors, including Kleiner Perkins, Tyche Partners, and Matrix Partners. With the funding, LightForce will advance its mission to empower orthodontists to deliver personalized care with custom 3D printed brackets by scaling production with a new facility, advancing the use of AI in its workflows, and investing in education.

LightForce, the world’s largest manufacturer of directly 3D printed functional medical devices by volume, provides orthodontists with a comprehensive braces solution that improves treatment efficiency and outcomes for patients. LightForce’s 3D printed hardware is custom-made according to a personalized, digital treatment plan. From Intraoral and CBCT support to final prescription, the LightForce software incorporates powerful AI for generating accurate digital representations of patient anatomy, and optimal teeth positions for clinical efficiency and aesthetics. With the new funding, LightForce will continue to grow its world-leading team of engineers and scientists to further develop its software and hardware to improve patient experience with shorter treatment times and better clinical outcomes. The Series D round will also prepare the company to grow and scale production capabilities, with a new, 36,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

Launching commercial operations in 2020, LightForce is changing a nearly century-old approach to braces with 3D printing and AI, enabling a new wave of personalization and efficiency for orthodontists. As LightForce scales production and advances its technology, it plans to address the need for education in the orthodontic industry by investing in clinical education resources that will provide orthodontists with the skills and technology required to transition from stock one-size-fits-all braces to a fully digital practice.

“This incredible syndicate of investors brings diverse expertise from the medical device, health IT, AI, and advanced manufacturing sectors to provide critical resources and expert guidance that will support our overall growth and continued innovation,” said LightForce CEO and co-founder Alfred Griffin III, DMD, Ph.D., MMSc. “Teen patients have been limited by the inaccuracy and inefficiency of non-custom braces for decades. LightForce was founded to provide fully personalized treatment options to orthodontists for each of their patients to improve their outcomes and experience while in treatment. With this funding, LightForce will continue to attract key talent, innovate through our incredible community of orthodontists, and scale operations as we seek to elevate the standard of care for teen orthodontic treatment.”

“LightForce is taking the orthodontic industry to the next level,” said Kevin Reilly, Managing Director at Ally Bridge Group. “Their solution applies highly innovative technologies to enable the personalization of orthodontic treatment via 3D printing, helping patients achieve their best smiles. We are excited to be part of a diverse group of top-tier healthcare and tech investors that believe in the benefits of personalized medicine in the orthodontic industry. The future of orthodontics is customization and digital workflow and we are excited to see the continued enhancement in patient care through this funding.”

Each tooth’s shape and every patient’s jaw is as unique as their fingerprints, so no one orthodontic treatment suits all patients. Treatment with traditional one-size-fits-all braces requires the orthodontist to perform multiple wire and bracket adjustments to achieve a patient’s ideal outcome, which can add many months to the treatment time. LightForce’s personalized approach dramatically reduces the need for adjustments, which results in shorter treatment times, fewer appointments, and better outcomes compared to traditional braces. A recent peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics showed that LightForce cases finished 45% faster with 41% fewer scheduled appointments than conventional bracket cases.

To support the new business growth, LightForce will also add sales and manufacturing roles to its team. To apply, visit https://lf.co/sp/careers.

Learn more about LightForce Orthodontics here.

The Ladies of the Mill, an esteemed organization founded five years ago with a mission to empower and unite women and men from all walks of life in the dental lab industry, hosted their third annual Summit in Chattanooga, TN, during the month of July. The summit showcased extraordinary achievements and recognized outstanding contributions made by those in the industry. This year's prestigious "Lady of the Year" award was presented to the remarkable Trish Jones for her exceptional leadership, dedication, and inspiring impact on the community.

The Ladies of the Mill organization has been at the forefront of promoting women's advancement and fostering a collaborative environment for personal and professional growth. Through its diverse initiatives, the organization empowers women to break barriers, embrace their uniqueness, and unlock their full potential. Over the past five years, the Ladies of the Mill has established itself as a driving force for positive change, igniting a ripple effect of empowerment across the region.

The LOTM Summit has become a highly anticipated annual event, attracting influential speakers, thought leaders, and professionals to engage in enriching discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. The 2023 Summit, held in Chattanooga, TN, proved to be a resounding success, drawing attendees, both male and female, from all over the country and Canada who were inspired by the powerful stories shared and valuable knowledge imparted.

Trish Jones, this year's deserving recipient of the "Lady of the Year" award, has exemplified the spirit of the Ladies of the Mill through her outstanding achievements and tireless commitment to making a difference. As a trailblazer in her industry Trish is a bright light in every room she enters. Trish is not only passionate for seeing the industry grow and thrive, she is actively working to make that happen. In 2022 she was awarded the coveted 2022 Technical Territory Manager of the Year Award (US) from Ivoclar. "You just have to love her when you meet her. Just recently, this woman posted about taking apart a mill to help a lab client out. She is willing to go above and beyond and is very deserving of this award", said Christina Heaslip as she and Jillian Swafford presented her with the award.

Looking ahead, the Ladies of the Mill is already gearing up for future events, with preparations underway for the 2025 Summit, which will be hosted in the breathtaking city of Nassau, Bahamas. The upcoming summit promises to be a global platform for women to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their achievements while setting the stage for an even more inclusive and empowering future.

The Ladies of the Mill extends its heartfelt gratitude to all the attendees, speakers, and partners who made the 2023 Better Together Summit an unparalleled success. Through their continued support and dedication, the organization remains steadfast in its commitment to creating a space where everyone can thrive and make a lasting impact.

For more information about the Ladies of the Mill and their upcoming events, please visit www.ladiesofthemill.org.

Expanding Access To Care, Network Growth, and Operational Excellence Are Key Focus Areas

ClearChoice Management Services, LLC continues the expansion of its senior leadership team with two new appointments: Brandon Allison as chief financial officer and Philip Auerbach as chief commercial officer. Together with newly appointed CEO Rahma Samow, Allison and Auerbach will focus on sustainable growth for the network, building upon the company's robust marketing and operations functions, and strengthening its foundation of purpose, vision, and values.

Prior to joining ClearChoice on June 26, Allison spent six years serving in the role of senior vice president of strategic planning and risk management at TrueBlue, an industry-leading workforce management firm. In his role at TrueBlue, he oversaw financial planning and analysis (FP&A), investor relations, risk management, and corporate development. Prior to joining TrueBlue, Allison spent over eight years at Walgreens serving in a variety of FP&A leadership roles.

Effective July 10, Auerbach stepped into the newly created role of chief commercial officer. In this role, Auerbach will be responsible for overseeing and managing all commercial aspects of ClearChoice, including marketing and growth of the network. Auerbach comes to ClearChoice with deep marketing and funnel management experience across a range of different brands and business models including Caesars Entertainment, Lindblad Expeditions, Dunkin Brands, and most recently as chief commercial officer at Bumble Inc. Prior to these most recent roles, Auerbach spent nearly 15 years in management consulting, most recently as a partner in the marketing and sales practice at McKinsey & Co.

"Impact is one of the top values within the ClearChoice network and both Brandon and Philip will be instrumental in delivering on that value," said Rahma Samow, CEO of ClearChoice. "I am very excited to work with these two brilliant leaders as we take the business to the next level and expand the Platform of Hope to more patients suffering from acute oral disease."

For more information, visit clearchoice.com.

The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) announced that its Endo Voices podcast recently surpassed 100,000 downloads.

Launched in 2019 and hosted by former District II Director Dr. Marcus Johnson of New York, the popular podcast features endodontic experts – and occasionally thought leaders from other fields -- discussing the latest in endodontic advancement, research and development. 

New episodes are released the first Friday of each month. To date, a total of 50 episodes have been released. 

“100,000 downloads are an important milestone and speaks to the quality of our podcasts,” said AAE Executive Director Ken Widelka. “Listeners are careful to listen to each episode and the high number of downloads reflects the usefulness of the podcasts to all dentists.”

And there is a great deal of variety in terms of topics covered, as well. From buzzworthy subjects like AI and regenerative endodontics, to more personal and practice management focuses -- like social media strategy and battling burnout -- the podcast truly explores every aspect of endo life.

The podcast team recently tallied up its most popular episodes that could comprise the “greatest hits” list. They are:

“Hot Mandibular Molar”: Endodontic Kryptonite…? – Ep. 44

Perforation – Ep. 42

Odontogenic Pain Management: Updates, Strategies and Techniques – Ep. 21

Restoring the Endodontically Treated Tooth: Endo Perspective – Ep. 22

Shades of Grey: X-ray Safety and Effective Dose – Ep. 32

You can find Endo Voices at aae.org/EndoVoices – or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also sign up to receive an alert each time a new episode is published.

Change in the Management of the Vorarlberg dental technology company

There is a change in the Management of the Vorarlberg-based dental technology company Amann Girrbach: Jürgen Kiesel will take over the position of CEO as of August 14. He succeeds Wolfgang Reim as incumbent CEO. Wolfgang Reim will continue to serve the company as a member of the Supervisory Board.

Jürgen Kiesel succeeds Wolfgang Reim as CEO of Amann Girrbach as of August 14. The 50-year-old Kiesel, who most recently served as CEO of a well-known international medical technology company, brings 17 years of dental experience to his new role.

"I am really looking forward to my new responsibility at Amann Girrbach. In addition to focusing on product innovation, in which my predecessor Wolfgang Reim played a leading role, my main focus will be on further expanding our market presence. In recent years, Amann Girrbach has succeeded like no other dental company in advancing the digital workflow and as a consequence the interdisciplinary collaboration between the dental laboratory, practice laboratory and dental practice. I am absolutely convinced that Amann Girrbach's products and solutions are of the highest relevance for dentists and dental technicians and will play an increasingly important role in the international dental market. Therefore, growth internationally as well as in our core markets will form an elementary part of my strategy," explains Jürgen Kiesel, and adds: "My more than 20 years of experience within the MedTech industry will help me to achieve these goals. We will continue to expand relationships with our partners and further strengthen our presence in the market to even better meet the different needs of dentists and dental technicians in the future." In summary, consistent customer orientation through the continuation of innovative product developments and, above all, the internationalization of the business are the most important focal points of the designated new CEO.

Wolfgang Reim remains on the Supervisory Board

Wolfgang Reim, who initially assumed the role of CEO of Amann Girrbach on an interim basis in January 2020, is retiring from the Management Board of the dental technology company. He is moving to the Supervisory Board, where he will continue to support the company with his expertise. Under the management of Wolfgang Reim, Amann Girrbach was able to significantly expand its laboratory business in recent years and, above all, to drive forward its entry into the market with dentists. At the same time, Reim's consistent focus on a holistic digital workflow enabled him to position Amann Girrbach as a global pioneer in the field of digital dental prosthetics.