Panthera Dental is pleased to announce and welcome Jean-François Brault-Joubert as Regional Sales Director for Montreal and Outaouais. Jean-François will be responsible for these regions and will be taking care of existing clients, as well as developing new business opportunities and creating customized solutions for dental teams.

Jean-François has over 8 years of experience as a sales representative, 5 of which were spent in the dental field, where he has collaborated with a number of specialists, dentists, dental laboratories, and denturists. As such, he is focused on delivering outstanding service and commitment to his clients.

Jean-François Brault Joubert says, “It is with great enthusiasm that I now join Panthera Dental’s team. Since the company is in constant evolution, this will be a great opportunity for me to put my experience and passion to the test and be there for my clients as their new Regional Sales Director in Montreal and Outaouais.”

The global restorative dentistry market is anticipated to reach $25.9 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR 6.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Among the key factors driving market growth are the growing number of dental practices with a shifting trend towards group and corporate dental practices; the advent of digital dentistry; an increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry and implants; and the growth of dental tourism.

With the growing enrollment of students into dental schools, the number of dental practices is likely to increase over the forecast period. The shifting trend towards group, multi-unit, and corporate dental practices which are focused on providing high-efficiency, quality care to patients is also likely to bolster the restorative dentistry market. Due to growing consumerism and disposable income amongst patients, the demand for cosmetic dentistry procedures focused on esthetics is also rising. These factors are in turn likely to boost the restorative dentistry market over the forecast period.

The advent of digital dentistry and technological advancements such as CAD/CAM systems, intraoral imaging, digital radiography, caries diagnosis, and computer-aided implant dentistry has improved the precision and accuracy of restorations. This has also contributed to the growth of the restorative dentistry market. The growth of dental tourism, especially in emerging economies such as India and China, is also likely to drive the restorative dentistry market over the forecast period, especially in Asia Pacific.

Sterngold has announced the addition of Robert Vasile to the Sterngold Dental team. Robert has been hired to fill the roll of Director of the Technical and Educational Department, effective January 2, 2018.

Robert brings with him a vast background of previous experience in dental lab ownership and management, product development, digital dentistry, education, and technical support. He most recently held the role of CAD/CAM and Laboratory Services Manager for Bicon and formerly served in management positions with both Sirona and Astra Tech Dental.

Postmenopausal women often suffer from osteoporosis, resulting in a loss of bone mass and strength. To combat this disease, many women take bisphosphonates (BPs), a group of medicines that help slow or prevent bone loss. However, BP therapy in terms of successful dental implantation has not been well documented. Dental implantation tends to be highly predicative in terms of effectiveness, but when medication is introduced that will change the overall landscape of the mandible (jawbone) structure, implant failure can be a side effect.

Researchers from the Kanagawa Dental University Hospital and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University have recently performed a study focused on the use of BP therapy and its effect on the quality of the mandible. The researchers evaluated the bone mineral density and cortical bone thickness (the outer layer bone thickness) of the mandible, as well as how long-term BP therapy effected early implant failure.

This study included 25 female patients, at least 60 years of age, with a previous osteoporosis diagnosis, and who underwent dental implant surgery in the mandible between January 2010 and March 2013. The patients were divided into two groups: (1) the BP group consisted of 11 patients who had been taking BPs for more than one year, and (2) the remaining 14 patients were in the non-BP group and had been prescribed a type of hormone therapy. The patients were compared using several computed tomography (CT) scans of their mandible to gauge bone mineral densities, cortical bone thickness, and the effect that the duration of BP therapy had on these two factors.

The researchers found that in the BP group, 11 patients with a total of 25 implants had three (11.1%) of those implants fail in three (25%) different patients within one year. In the non-BP group, the 14 patients had a total of 28 implants. Every implant in the non-BP group survived. It was also found that the BP group had a higher bone mineral density than the non-BP group, and those patients with a longer duration of BP therapy had increased cortical bone thickness. Overall, the researchers believe that BP use is correlated with increased bone mineral density and cortical bone thickness.

The researchers conclude that, “These results indicate that BPs affect the quality and quantity of the cortical bone in the partially edentulous posterior mandible of patients with osteoporosis, which should be considered prior to treatment with dental implants in patients taking BPs.”

This study was limited by both its small population size and the question of whether or not the medications used in the non-BP group had an effect on the mandible as well (which was not tested). However, the researchers have found that BP therapy does impact the mandible, and clinicians should be mindful that remodeling of the mandible could occur in patients receiving BP therapy, prior to beginning implant treatment.

Full text of the article, “Influence of Bisphosphonates on Implant Failure Rates and Characteristics of Postmenopausal Woman Mandibular Jawbone,” Journal of Oral Implantology, Vol. 43, No. 5, 2017, is available at: https://joionline.org/doi/full/10.1563/aaid-joi-D-17-00015

Valerie Cooper, DDS, and Nate Farley, DDS, will present a two-day course, "Digital Dentures - A Comprehensive Review," next month in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The course will start at 8 AM Friday, February 16, and conclude at 5 PM Saturday, February 17. It will be held at AvaDent Digital Dental Solutions' headquarters at 15730 North 83rd Way.

Attendees will earn 14 CE credits via PACE for completing the course. To register, click here.

A UIC professor and associate dean has been appointed as co-chair of the Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education.

The forum is an ongoing activity of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that seeks to advance education for health professionals by bringing together stakeholders from multiple nations and professions in workshops and forums each year. As co-chair, Caswell Evans will help to provide insight and oversight of the forum’s annual workshops and meetings.

“I am quite honored and excited to work with the forum in this capacity,” said Evans, professor and associate dean of prevention and public health sciences in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.

“I particularly look forward to working with this group of health care professionals to broaden the conversation around oral health care and to help illuminate a path forward for ensuring that we are educating future health professionals in a way that is effective, responsible and relevant to today’s challenges and tomorrow’s issues,” Evans said.

Nine countries and 19 health care disciplines are currently represented in the forum, which was convened for the first time in 2012. Evans said his experience working at UIC, where he has worked since 2004, gives him a unique perspective to bring to this diverse group of international experts.

“UIC is one of the few dental schools that provide students with exposure to the important issues of health disparities and access to care,” Evans said.

In his view, health professionals are the “guardians of health for all populations,” and as the forum seeks to advance how health professionals are educated, this needs to be top of mind.

UIC Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Robert Barish joins Dr. Clark Stanford, dean of the College of Dentistry, in applauding Evans for thisachievement.

“I congratulate Dr. Evans on this opportunity and am very proud to see UIC represented in this highly respected forum,” Barish said.

“Dr. Evans’ appointment to this forum is evidence of his rich and impressive background in education, dentistry and public health,” Stanford said.

Prior to joining UIC, Evans worked for the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General as project director and scientific editor for “Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General.” He was also director of public health programs and services for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and served as faculty at Howard University, the University of California, the University of Washington, and the University of North Carolina.

Currently, Evans also serves as a faculty member in the UIC School of Public Health, on the Chicago Board of Health, and on the boards of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago and the Children’s Dental Health Project.

As co-chair, Evans will serve a three-year term, alongside Deborah Powell, of the University of Minnesota.

Free communication and collaboration tool improves business and clinical workflow while mitigating risk of HIPAA fines associated with texting via native Apple and Android environments

Boston – January 4, 2018 – Awrel, a leading provider of web, mobile and voice solutions for the dental market, announced that its Awrel Standard™ HIPAA-compliant texting application is now offered free to dental practitioners, patients and non-enterprise users in labs, dental supply and academic institutions. In addition to providing dentistry’s first tool for HIPAA-compliant texting, Awrel’s solution offers powerful capabilities to streamline clinical and business workflow in both mobile and desktop environments. This includes functionality for clinicians to exchange information, documents, and images (x-rays, CTs and other scans) securely in the cloud.

Starting today, the free full-featured version of Awrel Standard™ can be accessed at no cost at www.awrel.com and downloaded from Google Play and the App Store.

“In a world dependent on technology and workflow, dentists must keenly focus on managing time, information, and security,” said Awrel Founder and CEO Arnold Rosen, DDS. “Texting is by far the most efficient platform for information sharing and collaboration.”

A practicing prosthodontist, Rosen says he’s observed dentists become increasingly frustrated with cumbersome, slow HIPAA-compliant email systems. As a result, many clinicians, labs, and company reps are sharing information via native mobile texting apps. “While this is quicker and easier, it is not HIPAA compliant,” Rosen stated. “We specifically created the Awrel dental texting app to give dentists, patients, and industry partners, a secure environment for quicker, easier exchange of PHI and case collaboration.”

According to Rosen, Awrel’s goal is to remove barriers to the adoption of secure, HIPAA-compliant text messaging so it can become the go-to tool for collaboration and clinical case management. At the same time, the company will leverage the platform and introduce innovative business and treatment solutions to the industry. Awrel, for example, recently introduced advanced capabilities such as voice-assisted, guided data entry for ordering of implants, supplies and equipment as well as integrated capabilities for intelligent conversational experiences with voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.

About Awrel

Awrel, a dental software solution provider, offers dentistry’s first free HIPAA-compliant texting application with image, text and document exchange, individual and group messaging, collaborative workflow, and cloud-based data archiving. Dentists, labs, suppliers, solution providers, patients and others can use Awrel to streamline business process in mobile and desktop environments and can leverage powerful next-generation conversational user capabilities to voice-enable ordering of custom prostheses, supplies and equipment as well as transactional exchanges. Companies using Awrel can private-label their offerings, define unique workflows, and create company- and product-specific offerings. www.awrel.com 

Gifts provided by suppliers to dental professionals purchasing therapeutic products are banned as a result of the revised code published by the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA), the peak business organisation representing dental product manufacturers and suppliers. The change comes with the ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 coming into force on 1 January 2018.

The ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 was introduced to address concerns of the Australian Government that marketing and promotional activities undertaken by businesses in the therapeutic products sector may inappropriately influence the decision making of healthcare professionals.

“Although there was no suggestion that this was occurring in the dental industry, ADIA was pleased to work within an Australian Government requirement that there be consistency across the codes published by all associations in the therapeutic products sector. Thus the dental industry now works within the same framework as not only elsewhere in the medical devices sector, but also the medicines sector” said Troy Williams, ADIA Chief Executive Officer.

A major change arising from ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 is that dental product suppliers are no longer able to offer gifts when a dental professional orders, purchases or is supplied a therapeutic product.

“The days of giving away iPads to dental professionals when they buy dental products is a thing of the past. The ADIA code works to ensure that decisions taken by dental professionals on management – including treatment options – for health needs are based on sound clinical evidence, not driven by incentives or other inappropriate influences,” Mr Williams said.

The ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 provides clear guidelines on the interaction between dental product suppliers and professionals, recognising that the ethical promotion of dental products is central to the trust-based framework within which healthcare professionals advise and treat patients. This promotion includes the industry working with dental professionals to develop evidence-based approaches to particular treatments, in the development of educational materials on the correct use of products, and to support hands-on learning in the correct use of certain products.

“ADIA’s work with patient groups has shown that this trust can be undermined where the independence of decision-making by dental professionals may be seen to be compromised by inappropriate product promotion by the dental industry,” Mr Williams said.

The ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 provides a framework that applies to the businesses that supply more than ninety-five percent of products used by dentists and allied oral health professionals across Australia. It was approved by a general meeting of members in mid-2017 following extensive consultation with the dental industry, dental professionals and patient groups.

"The new code is a positive step forward for Australia's dental industry. It builds upon the widespread positive reputation of an industry that empowers oral health professionals to advance the health and well-being of all Australians," Mr Williams concluded.

For more information on ADIA Code of Practice – Edition 2 visit the website at: www.adia.org.au/members/code.of.practice

Daniel A. Givan, DMD, PhD, FACP, was elected as Secretary for the Board of Directors of the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP), the national organization representing the dental specialty of prosthodontics. 

The Secretary of the ACP Board of Directors ensures that the records of the ACP are maintained properly and made available when required. The Secretary also serves as Chair of the Council for the American Board of Prosthodontics, which selects examiners for the board certification assessment.

“Since first joining the College in 1993, the specialty of prosthodontics has evolved with many positive and exciting changes,” said Dr. Givan. “The need for a strong, vital, and responsive organization representing our specialty continues to be essential. I would like to contribute to help advance the ACP as we face the current the challenges and opportunities in prosthodontics.”

Dr. Givan is a professor of restorative sciences at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, where he also serves as Associate Chair for the Department, Division Head of Prosthodontics and as the Assistant Director of the Graduate Prosthodontics Residency. He also maintains an active faculty practice limited to prosthodontics and is involved in clinical research and applications of technology to dentistry.

Within the ACP, Dr. Givan is a Fellow and has served on several committees. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics and is a member of numerous other professional organizations.

Dr. Givan received his dental degree from the University of Mississippi and completed his prosthodontics training at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry. He also earned a PhD in Biomedical Engineering with an emphasis in dental materials from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.