New York, NY February 25, 2016 - Yodle, announced today that it has signed integration partnerships, for its Lighthouse 360^® product, with Carestream Dental and Curve Dental. As a result, the Lighthouse 360 product, which delivers automated patient communication solutions for dental offices across the country, now has enhanced integration with Carestream Dental and Curve Dental’s practice management software solutions.

“We are excited to be working more closely with Carestream Dental and Curve Dental’s practice management software to deliver enhanced functionality for our mutual customers,” said Court Cunningham, CEO at Yodle. “Together we can help our customers save time, money and communicate directly with their patients how and when they want.”

Carestream Dental is a worldwide provider of imaging, CAD/CAM, software and practice management solutions for dental and oral health professionals. Under the terms of the agreement, Carestream Dental will provide technical assistance to users. Carestream Dental will also include Lighthouse 360 in future development plans related to Carestream Dental practice management software (DPMS) products and integrations.

“Our goal is to ensure that there’s seamless integration between Carestream Dental practice management software and our customers’ third-party vendor of choice,” Robert Patrick, product line management director, global DPM solutions business, Carestream Dental, said. “Lighthouse 360 integrates with all of Carestream Dental’s practice management software—CS PracticeWorks, CS SoftDent, CS WinOMS, and CS OrthoTrac —to streamline practice marketing and patient communication.”

Curve Dental is a leading provider of dental software designed specifically for the cloud with 11 years of cloud-only development experience. Working with Yodle, the integration between Curve Dental’s software and Lighthouse 360 is bidirectional, meaning data is shared between both applications. Moving forward, Curve Dental will work with Yodle to ensure new innovative features are incorporated into the integration and are supported by Lighthouse 360.

“We are super excited to be working with Yodle and to offer our customers a smart integration with Lighthouse 360,” said Ian Zipursky, President of Curve Dental. “As a cloud developer, Yodle understands our passion for lighter and more innovative technology. Building this integration is a big win for our shared customers, providing them with more choices when seeking contemporary technology solutions to everyday challenges.”

For more information about Lighthouse 360, as well as these and other supported practice management software, please visit https://www.lh360.com or call 888-791-3038.

Hatfield, PA February 25, 2016 -- DEXIS, LLC, a brand of the KaVo Kerr Group, announced its latest software release – DEXIS™ Eleven. Customers will benefit from a range of workflow improvements, including drag-and-drop tooth numbering, enhanced security, and fewer clicks for case presentation.

Building on the solid foundation of DEXIS Imaging Suite, DEXIS Eleven helps dental practices in and out of the operatory. In the operatory, DEXIS simplifies your tooth numbering and reduces the number of clicks required for case presentation and common workflows. The software also provides peace of mind through security improvements, always-on Cloud Backup of patient images, and the ability to access images from anywhere through CloudVu.

“DEXIS is known for driving software efficiency, with features like our 5-minute FMX. This next-generation software retains the functionality of previous versions,” said Brian Gooch, DEXIS Software Product Manager. “Building on this legacy, we’ve focused on reducing time in the operatory with improvements, like drag-and-drop tooth numbering and history view.”

The tooth number dialogue allows the user to assign tooth numbers using drag-and-drop functionality. With this new feature, the user can easily move imported and intra-oral camera images into predefined tooth number bins. Users retain the ability to assign a specific tooth number if needed. The new History View feature sorts and displays patient images by date to allow for a faster search when viewing past images.

“DEXIS Eleven furthers our focus on innovation with the introduction of enhanced security and cloud-based tools Cloud Backup and CloudVu,” said Gooch. “Security is more important than ever and DEXIS Eleven introduces user logins and audit tracking so that offices know who is accessing their sensitive patient data.”

DEXIS Core is the single, centralized location used by DEXIS Eleven to store patient images and allows easy access to those images. DEXIS Core also powers a new collection of online tools beginning with Cloud Backup of patient images and CloudVu for remote access of patient images.

HIPAA-level image storage continues to be top-of-mind for many dentists. DEXIS Eleven provides users with the ability to create log-ins for each user and access audit data on user activity. When backing up patient images, the Cloud Backup feature allows for cloud storage of patient data that is encrypted on its way to the cloud and encrypted when it is stored. With additional audit tracking, redundancy and temperature-controlled server environments, Cloud Backup gives you peace of mind that your patient data is secure.

“DEXIS Eleven users that decide to use Cloud Backup can rest assured that their images are secured in near real-time,” said Gooch. “IT issues can happen. Having DEXIS as your back-up means that you are prepared and able to easily restore your data.”

Once stored in the cloud, DEXIS Eleven software users can add CloudVu, which enables access to patient images from anywhere. This intuitive web-based extension of DEXIS allows the user to view and edit patient images at any time, from any location and see any changes in DEXIS Eleven. DEXIS CloudVu requires a Chrome browser on a desktop or laptop.

“CloudVu gives me the ability to address patient needs, even for emergencies when I am not in the office,” said Jonny Brennan, MD, DMD, MPH. “With DEXIS Eleven, I have the flexibility to answer staff questions, make treatment plans and coordinate referrals from anywhere that I have an internet connection.”

DEXIS Eleven with CloudVu allows users to view patient images from almost any location. The refreshed look and feel remains consistent with earlier versions of the DEXIS, which means users will interact with familiar tools and functionality.

“Our goal is to make this upgrade fast and simple for existing users,” said Gooch. “Who should upgrade to DEXIS Eleven? Offices that need a no-hassle way to back-up their patient images and want access to DEXIS images from anywhere.”

Existing DEXIS users can upgrade quickly while their patient images migrate in the background. To experience DEXIS Eleven’s workflow improvements, enhanced security, and new Cloud Backup and CloudVu features, current DEXIS owners can visit www.dexis.com/upgrade to schedule their upgrade to DEXIS Eleven.

DEXIS products are available exclusively through Henry Schein, Inc., the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. In addition, DEXIS maintains seamless integration between its digital imaging and Dentrix^® practice management software, owned by Henry Schein, with DEXIS Integrator™ for Dentrix. For DEXIS indications for use, visit www.dexis.com/ifu. 

For more information, visit www.dexis.com or www.kavokerrgroup.com. 

Charlotte, NC Feb. 25, 2016 -- Sirona Dental, Inc., the company that pioneered digital dentistry, announced today the introduction of CEREC Zirconia, an all-ceramic substitute for the traditional PFM (porcelain fused to metal) and the CEREC SpeedFire furnace, into the family of Sirona products and technology.

CEREC now provides a completely new process in the dental practice: combining the new CEREC SpeedFire furnace and CEREC Zirconia material, dentists can now deliver full contour crowns and small bridges made of the full-strength, high-quality zirconium oxide in a single visit.

Previously, the complicated working steps required to process zirconia limited its application to the laboratory environment. Sirona's new CEREC Zirconia and SpeedFire furnace will bring many workflow steps together into a reliable, simple process making chairside production of zirconia possible.

CEREC Zirconia is a pre-shaded translucent zirconium oxide available in 10 classic VITA shades. The material is milled in an enlarged form and then densely sintered to its final size in the new sintering furnace, CEREC SpeedFire. The over-sized milling facilitates a new level of milling precision leading to superb fitting restorations. The sintering process takes 10-15 minutes for crowns and less than 30 minutes for bridges. The subsequent glaze firing gives a high gloss finish to the restoration.

Other benefits include minimal tooth reduction, zirconia is less expensive than alternative materials and it causes less post-operative sensitivity due to the use of traditional cementing techniques.

The short process to produce CEREC Zirconia restorations is both convenient and economical. With this introduction, Sirona also offers a new wet/dry mill option for our milling units. Dry milling reduces the overall processing time for zirconia and, combined with the world’s fastest sintering cycles, enables the chairside procedure.

The workflow is easy to learn since the CEREC Software 4.4.1 guides the dentist through the whole process, it even sends the sintering and glazing information to the furnace. No programming of the furnace is required as the software handles it all automatically. A high-performance material and a specially tailored workflow ensure a simple process and top-quality treatment.

Patients avoid messy impression material, receive less anesthetic and eliminate the need for a temporary crown. Reducing visits, injections and

making the overall prosthetic procedure more comfortable influences patients to opt for treatment with CEREC. Now, with CEREC Zirconia and

the CEREC SpeedFire furnace, dentists who prefer zirconia can, for the first time in the world, provide crowns and bridges to their patients in a single visit.

Newswise — Liquid diets are all the rage. We’re bombarded daily with advice on how juicing can cleanse the body, the benefits of protein shakes as meal replacements, and even drinking tea to keep sickness at bay. While liquid diets do have value, they can be destructive to the teeth if you’re not careful.

“The biggest problem with liquid diets is the act of bathing your teeth in a liquid all day—they can be especially harmful if the liquid is acidic or has added or natural sugar,” said Cherri Kading, RDH, MS, director of clinical operations at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry. “Tooth decay and erosion of tooth enamel are the biggest concerns associated with liquid diets.”

Like the name suggests, a liquid diet is when the majority of a person’s calorie intake comes from drinking liquids. Some liquid diets are limited to fruit or vegetable juices, or even shakes that replace all of your meals. While many liquid diets are personal choices, some need medical supervision.

Certain liquid diets like juicing do have related health benefits, but Kading emphasized some fruits are better than others for your teeth. “Apples, pineapples and grapes have more sucrose than fruits like berries and pears,” she said. “Fruits are good for us, but we need to be mindful of how much sugar we’re exposing the mouth to.”

According to Kading, sugar and acids are some of the leading culprits behind tooth decay. “Sports drinks, soft drinks, and even some fruit juices are extremely acidic,” she said. “If you drink these chronically they can cause erosion, which is like a “melting away” of the enamel. Sugar content in these drinks is troublesome, too, because sugar feeds the bacteria that live on the teeth and eventually causes decalcification—the beginning process of a cavity.”

The amount of liquid and how often we drink it per day is also key. “We need to ask ourselves how often are we drinking our tea, coffee or soft drinks,” Kading said. “If you’re constantly sipping on something that contains sugar or acid, your mouth never has time to recover from the effects these ingredients may cause. Saliva is what neutralizes the mouth, and it’s important to give the mouth a break from both acid and sugar so the saliva can do its job.”

Worth noting, water is the only liquid acceptable to sip all day. Kading stressed those who partake in liquid diets should always be drinking water along with any other liquids. “If you’re drinking water, this will help dilute, flush and cleanse the mouth,” she said.

If you’ve recently had oral or jaw surgery, liquids may be your only nutrient option—at least for a little while. Kading said health care professionals should always educate their patients on the cavity process, so they understand why proper care of the teeth is essential while on a liquid diet.

“You can’t just send the patient off with a special toothbrush or floss and tell them to use it. You have to tell them why it’s important,” she said. “If the patient doesn’t understand the ‘why’ behind proper oral care during a liquid diet, they are likely not to stick with their oral care regimen. Patients need to know not to sip on acidic drinks, to watch sugar intake and always rinse with water.”

But, don’t think liquid diets are all bad for the mouth. “There can be some benefits to liquid diets,” Kading said. “One is that liquids wash over your teeth and are easily rinsed out with water. The best way to approach a liquid diet is drink your shake or juice, rinse with water and then be done with it. The real harm lies in sipping on drinks and keeping your mouth awash in acids and sugar all day.”

Chicago, IL – February 25, 2015 – Convergent Dental Inc., a privately held dental device company, today announced software upgrades to the company’s flagship product Solea^®, the first FDA cleared CO2 9.3 micron dental laser for hard, soft tissue and osseous tissue procedures. The dental laser’s most recent updates include new 1.25 mm and 0.75 mm-XC spot sizes. Multiple spot sizes are exclusive to Solea and driven by Solea’s unique computer controls which are a major factor in the laser’s industry leading performance. The new spot sizes continue to enhance Solea’s versatility, increasing cutting speed and precision and making it even easier to deliver anesthesia-free, blood-free and pain-free experiences. Convergent Dental will showcase Solea’s latest spot sizes at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting 2016 at the McCormick Place West, Chicago, IL from February 25-27, 2016.

“Convergent Dental’s updates have consistently increased the value I get from my Solea since I purchased it,” said Joshua Weintraub, DDS. “Other companies require you to purchase an entirely new system to receive the performance improvements that I simply download over Wifi for my Solea. I don’t know any other company in dentistry that works that way to improve their product so seamlessly.”

Enhancements to spot sizes and the ability for dentists to simply download them when available, underscores the uniqueness of this system. Solea’s one-of-a-kind wavelength combined with the software algorithms that drive it, are what enables Solea to be the first and only dental laser that can be used reliably anesthesia-free and blood-free by ordinary, everyday dentists.

“This update and the new spot sizes it provides are part of a continuous improvement strategy that we have been delivering on since we introduced Solea 2 years ago,” said Convergent Dental CEO Michael Cataldo. “Our customers have come to expect this from us as part of the high level of service and that we deliver with Solea. We believe that our commitment to this strategy will pay dividends for us, our customers and their patients long into the future.”

Practitioners interested in learning more about Solea and its latest software upgrade can email info@convergentdental.com or call 1-844-GO-SOLEA. 

For more information visit www.convergentdental.com. Follow the company on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. 

IRVINE, Calif. February 25, 2016 – BIOLASE, Inc., (NASDAQ: BIOL) the global leader in dental lasers, announced today the unveiling of the BIOLASE Learning Center, a state-of-the-art learning facility designed to provide a comprehensive laser training experience for dental professionals. The new learning center will allow BIOLASE to offer more laser training courses on-site at its headquarters in Irvine.

The BIOLASE Learning Center, a 4,587-square-foot facility, houses a main lecture hall that seats more than 50, a fully equipped, hands-on laser lab featuring the company’s latest best-in-class laser solutions, as well as group meeting rooms, a business center for guests, and a kitchen/café.

The Hands-On Laser Lab features a WaterLase® iPlus all-tissue laser and EPIC™ X diode laser at each station, along with the capability for live video demonstrations with the built-in monitors at each station.

“A key part of our go-forward strategy in the transformation of BIOLASE is to offer in-depth training and support for our customers to ensure they fully understand how our systems can improve patient outcomes and help them achieve their patient and business goals,” said President and CEO Harold C. Flynn, Jr. “Our new learning center creates an environment that supports the educational needs of the dental community, by developing high-valued educational offerings that promote life-long learning and provides our customers with the tools and skills to provide better dentistry for their patients. With the launch of the BIOLASE Learning Center, we have raised the bar for our customers and affiliated institutions such as the World Clinical Laser Institute and regional dental schools that require laser education capabilities beyond what their university can provide.”

There are more than 20 laser courses planned to take place at the BIOLASE Learning Center this year.

For more information about the World Clinical Laser Institute and its course offerings, visit: www.learnlasers.com or e-mail: info@wcli.org.

CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago Dental Society (CDS) President Dr. George Zehak officially opened the CDS 151stMidwinter Meeting today with a ribbon cutting at McCormick Place. Nearly 30,000 dentists and dental professionals are getting a first look at the latest innovations and technologies in dentistry at a convention that attracts more than 670 exhibitors from around the world.

"While dentistry continues to evolve, the CDS Midwinter Meeting remains the respected leader in scientific dental meetings. It is a place for dentists to advance their practice, giving patients the highest quality dental care they can provide," said CDS President Dr. Zehak.  

As the first major dental meeting of the year, the Midwinter Meeting is where many exhibitors unveil new products for the first time—from X-ray technology to office management tools to consumer dental care.

New featured products include:

• A toothpaste that binds to plaque and turns teal green to improve brushing;

• An app that records teeth grinding sounds while a patient sleeps to help dentists diagnose and treat sleep bruxism;

• High-speed digital X-ray sensors to provide high resolution and clarity in just three seconds;

• Unique flossing tools resembling miniature nunchucks that give patients increased dexterity and control to easily floss with the dentist-recommended "C" shape;

• The latest products in teeth whitening.

"I want to thank the Chicago Dental Society for time and again bringing industry professionals and visitors from across the globe here to Chicago for an important convention that showcases some of the latest health care innovations while also providing a big boost to our local economy," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "In addition to promoting cutting-edge dental industry technology, this event provides dental professionals locally and abroad with insight into latest innovations in care that will help make our families and communities healthier."

The CDS Midwinter Meeting is recognized as one of the largest exhibits of dental products in North America and one of Chicago's top conventions. According to Choose Chicago, the city's convention and tourism bureau, the 2016 conference is expected to generate more than $41.5 million for the local economy.

Visitors to the Midwinter Meeting will also have access to educational programs that address all aspects of dentistry, including more than 230 courses presented by 140 speakers. True to CDS tradition, more than 50 percent of the courses will be complimentary.

Program topics will include:

• Access to Care

• Implants

• Infection Control

• Pediatric Dentistry

• Restorative/Esthetic Dentistry

Three new tracks have been added to the 2016 Midwinter Meeting. For the first time, University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry,Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine and Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine will each have their own continuing education track.

For registered dental professionals, the Midwinter Meeting runs February 25-26 from 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 27from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. For more information, visit https://on.cds.org/midwinter. 

SCHAUMBURG, IL – BISCO Dental Products is celebrating its 35th anniversary as a leader is adhesion dentistry and restorative materials.  The family owned and operated business was founded in 1981 by Dr. Byoung I Suh and is headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. BISCO has built a tradition of excellence and continual progress through its core competencies: research and development, manufacturing and customer service.

Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s08gA8PR9x0&feature=youtu.be

BISCO pioneered adhesion technology in 1991 providing opportunities for an esthetic dental revolution.

With science at the heart of their strategy, they understand the significance of chemistry in the development of materials that result in successful clinical outcomes.  Their multidisciplinary approach allows BISCO to overcome obstacles and limitations with materials and techniques and allows their research team to be involved in long-term technology development.

At BISCO “adhesion is their passion” and they are dedicated to understanding and improving restorative dentistry. BISCO offers all the products needed from start to finish, for each restorative procedure including All-Bond Universal®, Select HV® Etch, Duo-Link Universal™, eCEMENT®, Core-Flo™ DC Lite, D.T. Light-Post® Illusion™ X-RO®, TheraCal LC®, Z-Prime ™Plus and more. BISCO products are proudly made in the U.S.A.

As a direct company they have their own highly trained technical associates to assist in product selection and usage.  BISCO has unequivocally been defined by their integrity in all they do to maintain their customer’s trust and loyalty.  BISCO products are also available worldwide through distributors.

BISCO is an ISO 13485 certified company, assuring consistent quality and attention to maintaining the highest standards of performance.  To learn more about BISCO products and many exciting promotional opportunities throughout the year call 800-247-3368 or visit www.bisco.com.

CHICAGO - ADA 2016 – America’s Dental Meeting is honored to have Malala Yousafzai address its members as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series at ADA 2016, hosted this year in Denver, Colorado. The Distinguished Speaker Series is presented by ACT® the makers of ACT® ADVANCED CARE™ PLAQUE GUARD™.

Malala Yousafzai is a celebrated global activist for girls’ education, as well as an award-winning international author and contemporary role model whose bravery and unwavering commitment to her cause helped her achieve one of the world’s highest honors in 2014: a Nobel Peace Prize alongside Indian child rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi.

“Malala Yousafzai is one of the most iconic women of our time,” said Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays, ADA President. “Her life experiences and achievements within the first two decades of her life are profoundly inspiring. To hear her tell her story is a once in a lifetime opportunity for those who attend ADA 2016.”

A vocal advocate for female education in her native country of Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai nearly died at the age of 15 after being shot by the Taliban while on her bus ride home from school in October of 2012. Despite her harrowing experience, Malala continued her tireless efforts for equal education rights for women and children around the globe.

In 2013, Time magazine named her one of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World,” while Amnesty International honored her with the Ambassador of Conscience award, and Glamour declared her “Woman of the Year.” She is also the author of the international bestseller, “I Am Malala,” which has been published in over 27 territories. Now living in Birmingham, England with her family, Malala continues to educate people around the world about her cause and how governments and everyday people alike can help to fight for the rights of every child to go to school and receive an education.

Central Dental Holdings Announces Investment in May Dental Arts

Jackson, Wyoming – February 22,2016

Central Dental Holdings LLC (“CDH”) announced an investment in May Dental Arts located in Fenton, MO.

With this investment, CDH has set its platform from which it will begin partnering with prominent dental laboratories across North America and expand its best-in-class practices. “Central Dental is actively looking to join forces with dental laboratories like May Dental Arts that are dedicated to offering dentists quality, esthetics, and precision," commented Donald Park, CEO of Central Dental Holdings. "This partnership will enable May Dental Arts to focus on their core strengths and broaden their product portfolio with new products and technologies.”

Chris May says, “I found partners that I trust that will maintain my key values while providing a platform for everyone at MDA to reach out to more clinicians. I remain deeply committed to the lab as well as to my team. Partnering with CDH will give us access to materials, technologies, and resources that will make it easier for us to meet the needs of our clients and their patients. We are also very excited about the opportunity to be a part of a growing organization that shares our commitment to customer service, technology, and quality."

Ben Mackay, Managing Partner at Long Trail Holdings adds, “May Dental Arts was an ideal opportunity for Long Trail Holdings given the Company’s focus on superior processes, reputation for quality and timeliness, consistent repeat customer orders and reputation within the industry as a reliable partner. We are excited to explore future add-on acquisitions with the May Dental Artsteam.”

Northcreek Mezzanine provided financing for the transaction.

For further information contact:

Central Dental Holdings LLC Donald Park

donald.park@centraldentalholdings.com

Long Trail Holdings Ben MacKay

ben@longtrailholdings.com