Industry Insider
Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc. recently announced the promotion of Michael Gaglio, DDS, to Vice President of Marketing. Dr. Gaglio will be responsible for technical, clinical, and high-technology marketing functions and personnel for the company’s North American division. Dr. Gaglio joined Ivoclar Vivadent in 1999 after building a successful practice in Amherst, New York. After being promoted to Director of Education, his responsibilities included all education and professional training. Initial success with the company included its international E-Commerce initiatives and, most recently, the newly formed High Technology Marketing Team, which successfully launched the Odyssey® laser and expanded Ivoclar Vivadent’s market success with the Bluephase® curing light and ProCAD® all-ceramic blocks.
AGD and Procter & Gamble Partner for Strategic Continuing Education Courses
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the AGD Foundation (AGDF) announced this summer that they will partner with Procter & Gamble to develop an education-based strategic program to give dental professionals access to quality continuing education courses. The courses will be delivered at AGD’s Annual Meeting and at select AGD constituent meetings throughout North America to complement additional courses available online at both the AGD and P&G websites. Funding for the programs will be provided in part by a grant from the AGDF, which was made possible by a $320,000 grant from Procter & Gamble. AGD President Thomas A. Howley, DDS, MAGD, credits this partnership with illustrating the AGD’s support of excellence in continuing education at the local level by broadening access to affordable and effective educational programming.
Ivoclar’s Optra® Accessories Receive Gold MDEA Award
Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc. recently announced that its Optra Accessories line of contact point instruments, selectively thin matrix bands, composite sculpting and modeling instruments, and lip and check retractors was awarded a 2005 Gold Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA). Presented by Canon Communications in June, the MDEA is the only competition that exclusively recognizes contributions and advancements in the design of medical technology. Entries were judged by an impartial, multidisciplinary panel of third-party jurors with expertise in biomedical engineering, human factors, industrial design, medicine, and diagnostics. Optra Accessories were evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials and user-related functions, and received their Gold award in the category of dental instruments, equipment, and supplies.
Winners of $225,000 in Grants are Announced
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK) and the American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF) announced in July the winners of $225,000 in grants to help improve access to oral healthcare for older adults. In response to the crisis that 30% of adults 65 years of age and older have no natural teeth, GSK healthcare donated $250,000 to help establish the ADA’s Access to Oral Health Care for Older Adults Initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to award grants to help programs that assist older Americans who face significant challenges in accessing dental care. The winners include:
- American Red Cross, Falls Church, VA ($50,000)
- Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry, Augusta, GA ($50,000)
- National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, Denver, CO ($23,760)
- New York State Dental Foundation, Albany, NY ($40,000)
- Ohio Dental Association, Columbus, Ohio ($23,000)
- Spokane Regional Health District, Spokane, WA ($38,240)
Federal Laboratory Consortium Recognizes the Bosworth Company with “Excellence in Technology Transfer” Award
The Harry J. Bosworth Company was recognized by the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for excellence in technology transfer related to the Aegis® line of products with Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP). Awarded one of 24 honors, Bosworth was the only dental company whose successful lab-to-market efforts of new dental products was credited. Aegis, in particular, was the first of the breakthroughs in calcium phosphate remineralizing technology exclusively for dental prevention and restoration. The Bosworth Company was granted sublicensing of this polymeric amorphous calcium phosphate technology in 2003. Aegis Pit and Fissure Sealant was the first product introduced (Spring 2004), with Aegis Orthodontic Adhesive and Aegis Crown and Bridge following its lead later that fall.
Symphony of Light Dental Laser Symposium
Dental practitioners have many choices when it comes to dental laser technology. The Symphony of Light Dental Laser Symposium series explores in detail the benefits dental laser technology offers practitioners, patients, and the practice. During the seminar experience, dentists and their staff will gain insight into hard- and soft-tissue laser dentistry, as well as participate in hands-on wet labs. Attendees receive 12 Continuing Education credits, dental laser proficiency certificates, food, and beverages. For more information or to register, visit www.symphony-of-light.com, or call Lumenis Dental at 1-877-LUMENIS, ext. 3813.
Town & Country Dental Studios, located in Freeport, New York, has been recognized as the first laboratory in the NY metropolitan area to attain “Elite” status from Atlantis Components, Inc. As an Elite laboratory, Town & Country—a leading full-service laboratory in the Northeast—will enjoy faster processing of Atlantis CAD/CAM abutments, enhanced customer service, and greater educational support. For more information, call 1-800-925-8696, or visit www.BetterDentalLab.com.
NFL Champion Terry Bradshaw is Keynote Speaker at Sterngold's 2006 ERA Implant Forum
Sterngold Dental LLC will hold the 2006 ERA Implant Forum March 31 and April 1, 2006, in Las Vegas. NFL quarterback, 3-time Super Bowl Champion, and television personality Terry Bradshaw will be the keynote speaker. Noteworthy dental experts lecturing during the forum include Dr. David Hornbrook, Dr. Ron Ritsco, Dr. Joe Carrick, Dr. Hamid Shafie, and Sandy Roth. The 2-day event will feature clinical lectures and marketing strategies focused on different aspects of implant dentistry—primarily the ERA Implant System. To sign-up or for more information, call 1-800-243-9942, or visit www.sterngold.com.
Former Zimmer Dental Director Joins Pro-Dex
Pro-Dex, Inc. whose embedded motion control and miniature rotary drive systems serve the dental, medical engineering, and laboratory and scientific research marketplaces, announced in August the addition of Ajay Kumar to its staff. Kumar, whose diverse background in product development includes a particular emphasis on the dental and medical industries, has been appointed Vice President of Product Development. Kumar previously served as Director of New Product Development for Zimmer Dental, where he led a team of 9 engineers to the development of the company’s next generation implant design.
