2024 VISION Summit Announcements Include Next-Generation Resin Portfolio and Product Roadmap

SprintRay proudly announces its 2024 VISION Summit, a groundbreaking event highlighting the company's significant strides in shaping the future of dental 3D printing. This summit will focus on innovative advancements in material science, a testament to the company's commitment to continually revolutionizing the industry.

Over the past two years, the dedicated team of chemists and engineers at the SprintRay BioMaterial Innovation Lab have been at the forefront of developing new formulations and enhancing proprietary manufacturing techniques. These efforts have paved the way for the next generation of high-quality, 3D printed dental appliances. SprintRay invites the dental industry to join this exciting event, where SprintRay leadership will unveil a cutting-edge material lineup for 2024, set to redefine dental 3D printing standards.

"At SprintRay, we aren't following the path in dental material science; we're paving it," said Amir Mansouri, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of SprintRay Inc. "The BioMaterial Innovation Lab will serve as the epicenter of innovation for SprintRay as we continue to reshape the industry. We're thrilled to welcome you to our 2024 VISION Summit to share more."

Location:

Thursday, February 22, 2024

5 PM CT Check-in

5:30 - 7:00 PM CT Program

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Regency A Ballroom

2233 S Martin Luther King Dr

Chicago, IL 60616

RSVP (live stream or in-person): thevisionsummit.com

Introducing: The SprintRay BioMaterial Innovation Lab

A dedicated space where cutting-edge materials are conceived, developed, and tested, challenging the limits of what is possible in dental 3D printing.

Announcing: SprintRay 2024 Product Roadmap

SprintRay chemists and engineers are set to reveal the latest advancements in dental biomaterial innovation, promising to reshape the landscape of 3D printing in dentistry.

Speakers Include:

Ehsan Barjesteh, PhD - Head of SprintRay BioMaterial Innovation Lab, Associate Professor at Long Beach State University, Former Material Scientist at Henkel AG

Dr. Steven Y. Shao, DMD - Clinical Director of SprintRay BioMaterial Innovation Lab, Owner of Sunrise Dental Center in Huntington Beach, CA

Amir Mansouri, PhD - Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SprintRay, Inc.

Hossein Bassir, MA - Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of SprintRay, Inc.

The non-profit organization continued to advance its mission to improve overall health through service actions locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Pacific Dental Services® (PDS) Foundation recognizes the 2023 milestones that helped advance the organization's three main initiatives: special needs dentistry access and training, dental assistant scholarships, and international service trips. Through these programs, the PDS Foundation raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and expanded access to quality oral health care.

"Reflecting on the past year, PDS Foundation marked several significant moments as we focused on improving access to quality oral health care," said Michael Le, Executive Director of the PDS Foundation. "Thanks to the support of volunteers, advocates, and newfound partnerships, we've been able to provide mentorship and hands-on training to empower the next generation of oral health care leaders and donate more dental care to people who otherwise struggle to access it."

Thanks to the support of donors, partners, and advocates, PDS Foundation achieved several milestones in 2023, including:

Dental Assistant Scholarships

• Awarded more than $323,000 to 73 dental assisting students thanks to the Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship program, which provides support for tuition expenses.

• Since 2016, this program has provided more than $1.5 million in scholarships to support more than 260 dental assisting students, helping to strengthen the pipeline of dental assistants and ensure greater access to quality oral health care.

International Service

• Conducted four week-long trips to Xenacoj, Guatemala to offer free dental care at the PDS Foundation Clínica Dental.

• The clinic's Guatemala-based team provided continuing care to over 1,090 patients.

• Provided ongoing training to clinic staff members to help create a sustainable model of care in the region.

Special Needs Dentistry

• PDS Foundation Dentists for Special Needs office in Phoenix, Ariz. had more than 5,000 patient visits, including nearly 500 new patients and over 1,700 existing patients.

• Partnered with Smile Generation to raise more than $650,000 in support of the Special Needs Dentistry program, which helps increase access to dental care for patients with special needs and provides specialized training for clinicians.

o The 60-day "Smile for Special Needs" in-office campaign raised more than $396,000. 

o The week-long "Stroll for Special Needs 5K" event brought supporters together in different communities across the country to stroll, run, walk, or roll to raise funds. More than 1,400 people participated in 37 states and "strolled" a combined total of 4,547 miles to raise more than $254,000.

Le added, "The goal of the PDS Foundation has always been to improve overall health for some of the most under-served populations. I'm proud of the impact we've had thus far and look forward to building on this momentum in 2024."

Click here to learn more about the PDS Foundation or make a tax-deductible gift today.

Envista Holdings Corporation (NYSE: NVST) ("Envista") announced today that it has joined Women in DSO® as a Platinum Industry partner. Women in DSO advances and empowers female professionals, specifically in the dental support organization (DSO) industry.

Envista was invited to partner because of its demonstrated commitment to advancing female leadership in dentistry and its working relationship with many of the nation's largest DSOs. As part of the partnership, Envista will support Women in DSO as they help women realize their career aspirations, develop the next generation of female leaders in the dental space, and support those already running dental practice groups. Envista's Network Empowering Xcellence and Transformation (NEXT) group, which caters to women who work in all dental fields, further complements the Women in DSO mission.

Alexis Bruce, Vice President of DSO and Special Markets for Nobel Biocare, has been appointed to represent the organization on the Women in DSO Advisory Board. "Empowering women to help them achieve their career goals and obtain leadership positions in the dental industry is aligned with Envista's commitment to the dental community and goal of democratizing dental care," said Alexis. "I look forward to helping guide Women in DSO as it continues to help shatter glass ceilings for women in dentistry."

Dr. Aman Kaur, President and Founder of Women in DSO, shares the excitement of this new partnership, "I am thrilled to welcome Envista into our vibrant community. Our new partnership is a testament to the commitment of both organizations to advancing diversity, fostering collaboration, and empowering women leaders within the dental support organization space. Together, we embark on a journey of shared values, mutual growth, and unparalleled opportunities. I look forward to the positive impact we will create together for our members and the dental industry as a whole."

The study, sponsored by the Delta Dental Institute, finds caregivers of people living with dementia saw a significant increase in attitudes towards providing oral hygiene care through the use of a new mobile app

Caregivers of people living with dementia reported a significant increase in their knowledge, skills, and a more positive attitude in delivering oral hygiene care, leading to higher confidence in providing care, through the use of a mobile application (app), according to new research from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics and the University of Iowa College of Public Health. The study, led by Leonardo Marchini, DDS, MSD, PhD, and Sato Ashida, PhD, assessed the use of an app, Dental.Aging.Tips, as a tool to inform and teach caregivers how to help older adults with their oral health.

"While previous studies have shown that oral hygiene routines for older adults who depend on caregivers are poor due to barriers such as lack of on demand support and training, our study demonstrates that care can be improved through the use of a new mobile app," said Dr. Marchini. "It is tremendously encouraging that the newly developed Dental.Aging.Tips app used in this study was widely accepted, and improved caregivers' attitudes, knowledge, and abilities to provide oral hygiene care."

This research is published in Special Care in Dentistry and is accessible here. Key takeaways from the study include:

• The Dental.Aging.Tips App improved perceptions related to oral hygiene care provision among both family and paid caregivers.

• Caregivers found the information extremely useful and helpful in improving the oral hygiene care they provide to persons living with dementia.

• It is especially helpful for paid caregivers in refreshing their knowledge and skills in providing oral hygiene care.

• This app can be a useful tool in staff training or orientations at long-term care facilities.

"Maintaining good oral health habits as we age is critical to supporting overall health, and it is promising that Dr. Marchini's research findings provide caregivers with a new tool to support the oral health of people living with dementia," said Joseph Dill, DDS, MBA, Chief Dental Officer, Delta Dental Plans Association and Head of Dental Science, Delta Dental Institute. "As the nation's oral health leader, the Delta Dental Institute is proud to invest in research with actionable solutions – we encourage caregivers for older adults to download this free app and leverage these resources."

The report was sponsored by the Delta Dental Institute, which supports research-based exploration of care delivery models like emerging technology and mobile apps that improve health care outcomes and advance patient-centered care.

Access the app here.

Featuring a 3X Wider Field of Capture¹ in a 50% Smaller Wand² That Delivers Faster Scanning, Higher Accuracy,³ and Superior Visualization⁴ for Greater Practice Efficiency

Powered by the new iTero Multi-Direct Capture™ technology, the iTero Lumina scanner quickly,⁵ easily,¹ and accurately³ captures more data while delivering exceptional scan quality and photorealistic visuals that remove the need for intraoral photos³

Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® system of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced the launch of the iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner – with a 3X wider field of capture in a 50% smaller and 45% lighter wand, delivering faster scanning speed, higher accuracy, superior visualization, and a more comfortable6 scanning experience.

Designed with iTero Multi-Direct Capture technology that replaces the confocal imaging technology in earlier models, the iTero Lumina scanner:

• Has a wider field of capture and multi-angled scanning that enables simultaneous capture from multiple angles, making it possible to capture more dentition in a single uninterrupted movement, and deliver smoother, faster, and more accurate scans³;

• Has a larger capture distance of up to 25 mm**, making it easier1 to scan complex oral regions such as narrow or deep palates, edentulous spaces, and partially erupted teeth with minimal maneuvering;

• Quickly,⁵ easily,¹ and accurately³ captures more data and greater detail while delivering exceptional scan quality and photorealistic 3D models that remove the need for the bulky digital cameras and cheek retractors required for traditional intraoral photos;

• Provides an effortless scanning experience that sets a new level of ergonomics and comfort, and helps remove adoption and utilization barriers⁷; and

• Delivers a better patient experience with a significantly smaller and lighter wand,² which is especially beneficial for kids and teen patients.

“Today we’re excited to introduce the next generation of iTero scanning technology that pushes the boundaries of what the industry has come to expect from a scanner,” said Karim Boussebaa, Align Technology executive vice president and managing director for the iTero scanner and services business. “iTero Lumina creates a new standard in digital scanning that achieves exceptional clinical outcomes through more detailed data capture and highly accurate, photorealistic images; increases practice efficiency with an effortless, faster scanning experience; and delivers an elevated, more comfortable experience for clinicians and patients.”

“It’s exciting to reveal the iTero Lumina intraoral scanner, designed to meet the needs of doctors and their patients, including a smaller wand with data capture capabilities and the potential to redefine what scanners can do,” said Arie Eshco, Align Technology vice president, global product, marketing, and services, for the iTero scanner and services business. “With iTero Lumina, the iTero tools and features that practices use every day with their orthodontic and comprehensive patients – tools like Invisalign® Outcome Simulator, iTero Occlusogram, iTero TimeLapse, and the recently released Align™ Oral Health Suite – are enhanced with faster, more efficient, and photorealistic image capture, making iTero technology an invaluable part of digital treatment.”

“iTero Lumina is such a leap in scanning innovation: six cameras, increased capture range while floating over the dentition. I can confidently show my patients that I have the best, the most accurate, the fastest and importantly the most effective integration of digital workflow when treating them with Invisalign. I want to apply this innovation to increase my efficiency and efficacy in the Invisalign system, and to deliver the best experience possible for my patients…and that’s what the iTero Lumina allows me to do,” says Dr. Vicki Vlaskalic, an orthodontist in Australia.

“iTero Lumina has amazing cameras. You capture multiple surfaces at the same time and when I work with my younger patients, I can take a scan really in a few seconds, especially in mouths where we only have 20/24 teeth, such as early deciduous or mixed dentition patients,” says Dr. Simonetta Meuli, an orthodontist in Italy.

“Our practice data shows scanning quality and times have improved with the iTero Lumina scanner, which highlights to the consumer we are all about precision orthodontics and up-to-date digital technology. It’s a tremendous leap forward in imaging and visualization which translates to better communication and patient experience,” says Dr. David Boschken, an orthodontist in the US.

“The accuracy, speed and ergonomics of iTero Lumina is ideal for complex scans that require more attention to details and maneuvering. For example, for full arch scans, full mouth reconstructions, multiple restorative units, and conservative preparations like veneers which were some of the most impressive features I've noticed so far during my clinical trials,” says Dr. Karla Soto, a general practitioner in the US.

A global broadcast to provide more detailed information about the iTero Lumina intraoral scanner is scheduled for February 15th. Registration will open on February 1.

Information about the iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner can be found at http://www.itero.com/en and https://www.aligntech.com/iterolumina.

For information about iTero Lumina intraoral scanner availability, please contact your Align Technology representative.

References

1. Compared to the field of view of the iTero Element™ 5D imaging system, when the iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner’s scanning distance is 12 mm.*

2. Compared to iTero Element™ 5D imaging system wand, excluding the wand cable.*

3. The iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner has scientifically proven greater accuracy* for your clinical orthodontic needs.

4. For Invisalign record-taking cases only. Based on a survey in September 2023 of n=22 users who participated in a global limited market release, working with iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner for an average period of 6 months, representing both Invisalign trained general practitioners and orthodontists in NA, EU and APAC, who were presented with a 4 point level of agreement scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree with the following statement: “iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner 3D model is comparable to that of an intraoral photo.” and “iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner photorealistic scans enable orthodontic clinical assessment the same way intraoral photos do.” and “iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner 3D model’s superior 3D model eliminates the need to take intraoral photos.” and “iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner 3D model’s superior 3D model boosts patient engagement.”*

5. Compared to iTero Element™ 5D wand with tolerance AVE=±0.1 operating at a working distance from 0-20 mm.*

6. For doctors and their staff: Over other iTero™ scanners in their respective clinics. Based on a survey in September 2023 of n=22 users who participated in a global limited market release, working with iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner for an average period of 6 months, representing both Invisalign® trained general practitioners, orthodontists, and their staff in NA, EMEA and APAC, who were presented with a 4 point level of agreement scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree with the following statement: “I prefer the iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner over other iTero scanners in my clinic due to the comfortable scanning experience it provides. For patients: Compared to iTero Element™ 5D imaging system wand.

7. Based on a survey in September 2023 of n=22 users who participated in a global limited market release, working with iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner for an average period of 6 months, representing both Invisalign trained general practitioners and orthodontists, and their staff in NA, EU and APAC, who were presented with a 4 point level of agreement scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree with the following statement: “The iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner scanning experience helps remove adoption and utilization barriers.”

*Compared to the accuracy of the iTero Element™ 5D imaging system.

**Data on file at Align Technology, as of November 15, 2023.