exocad, the dental industry’s leading provider of CAD software, has released exoplan with Guide Creator in the USA.

Building on exocad’s proven wizard-based workflows, exoplan is an open architecture pre-operative software application allowing dental professionals to precisely plan specific implant types, positions, orientations, and sizes.

This exoplan release was designed especially for the US market and contains libraries of implants and parts that have FDA clearance, extending exocad’s tradition of providing open and vendor neutral software solutions. Already successful in European markets, exoplan continues its trademark simple, stylish, and guided approach to implant planning. “As one of the world's leading supplier of dental CAD software, we can provide the perfect symbiosis of prosthetic and implant planning,” said Tillmann Steinbrecher, CEO of exocad. exoplan’s strength lies in its flexibility, combined with ease-of-use which makes it accessible to digital dentistry newcomers.

exoplan features direct integration with exocad’s leading DentalCAD and design platforms, enabling crown-down and immediate-load workflows, and is also compatible with dentalshare, exocad’s next-generation case communications platform. exoplan processes DICOM datasets at an impressive speed with hard and soft tissues displayed in 2D and 3D high resolution. It aligns CB/CT and optical scan data to visualize implants and other planning objects (such as mandibular canals and tooth models). These optimal visualizations of the initial situation support the user in simple and safe planning of the implant positions.

exoplan’s Guide Creator enables in-house design of drill guides, supporting multiple surgical kits and sleeves. The open STL output format - available at no extra cost - gives users access to a wide range of production options. This increases the production value of existing equipment, including 3D printers, providing more profitability when producing surgical guides.

“Users achieve predictable results in a cost and time-efficient manner with increased customer satisfaction.” says Larry Bodony, President of exocad America, adding that "implant planning is an integral aspect of digital dentistry. With this release of exoplan we further push the boundaries of what is possible in a digital working environment.”

exocad is exhibiting at the ADA FDI World Dental Congress at booth #6363 and Cellerant group's "Best of Class Award" for their Chairside CAD product at booth #742. Visitors can meet their dental technology experts, attend in-show lectures from prominent dentists, and learn how their unique open-architecture software solutions, available from their many partners, can help them build practices. The software is only available through exocad’s North American medical device resellers.

IDT's Valerie Berger gets a demonstration at exocad's booth.

Convergent Dental, Inc., developer of Solea®, the industry-leading 9.3 µm CO2 all-tissue dental laser, is excited to announce a new distribution agreement with Henry Schein Dental, the U.S. dental business of Henry Schein, Inc., the world’s largest supplier of health solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners. The Solea laser is the first and only CO2 laser FDA-cleared to cut hard, soft, and osseous tissue across the US.

“Adding Solea to the market has had a profound effect on dentistry, and we believe our new agreement with Henry Schein will do the same,” stated Michael Cataldo, CEO of Convergent Dental. “Henry Schein is a trusted leader in dental product and technology distribution and this new agreement will help us to provide dental practices nationwide with access to our revolutionary, reliably anesthesia-free laser.”

Known for enabling practitioners to work anesthesia-, blood-, and suture-free, as well as significantly reducing anxiety from procedures, creating better experiences for patients, Solea is dentistry’s number one selling all-tissue dental laser. Although developed with advanced science, the technology is simple to learn and use. With the virtual push of a button, practitioners can guide Solea back and forth between hard, soft, and osseous tissue by adjusting the pressure on its variable speed foot pedal.

“Henry Schein customers rely on us to provide unique products and solutions that save them time and enhance their practices,” said AJ Caffentzis, President, US Dental Distribution, Henry Schein, Inc. “This distribution agreement reinforces our commitment to helping dentists achieve maximum practice efficiency, so they can focus on patient care.”

For more information about Solea, please visit convergentdental.com or call 844.GOSOLEA.

About Convergent Dental, Inc.

Convergent Dental, Inc. is a privately owned dental equipment and technology company. Solea® is the only computer-aided, CO2 laser system to be cleared by the FDA for all-tissue indications. With Solea’s unique wavelength and computer controls, dentists can reliably perform procedures anesthesia-free, blood-free, suture-free, and pain-free. Reliably anesthesia-free and blood-free procedures pay huge dividends for patients in the form of a vastly improved dental experience and dentists in terms of significant practice growth. For more information, please visit www.convergentdental.com. Follow the company on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq:HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With approximately 19,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company's network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based dental and medical practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, as well as other alternate care sites.

Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000 additional products available as special-order items.

A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® and the Nasdaq 100® indexes, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 32 countries. The Company's sales from continuing operations reached $9.4 billion in 2018, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 13 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.

For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, and @HenrySchein on Twitter.

As recommended by the National Council on Disability (NCD), all U.S. dental schools must now revamp their curricula and training programs to be inclusive of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD).

The Council on Dental Accreditation (CODA) recently passed votes requiring dental schools to now train their students in managing treatment of patients with ID/DD. Previously, patients with ID/DD were largely unable to obtain dental care treatment because dental students were simply not required to learn to manage their treatment.

"Every dental patient in America deserves the same care, whether or not they have a disability," said NCD Chairman Neil Romano. "NCD applauds this decision that we view as necessary for people with ID/DD to obtain critical access to dental treatment, which is critical to the total health of all people."

CODA held and passed four related votes regarding the predoctoral dental, orthodontics, dental hygiene, and dental assistant programs:

For predoctoral programs and orthodontics programs, dental students must be trained to assess and manage the treatment of patients with "special needs [sic]."

For dental hygiene programs, students must be competent in providing care to "special needs [sic]" patient populations.

For dental assistant programs, students must be familiarized with patients with "special needs [sic]" including patients whose medical, physical, psychological, or social conditions make it necessary to modify normal dental routines.

CODA generally defines people with "special needs (sic)" as people with developmental disabilities, cognitive impairment, complex medical problems, significant physical limitations, and the vulnerable elderly.

Changes for the predoctoral dental, dental hygiene, and dental assistant programs are required to take effect by July 1, 2020, with changes to the orthodontics programs required by Jan. 1.

NCD first made recommendations to CODA following its 2017 issue brief "Neglected for Too Long: Dental Care for Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities," in which NCD's findings included:

Adults with developmental disabilities are at risk for multiple health problems including poor oral health.

People with I/DD regularly face an uphill battle in finding clinicians properly trained to treat them because most dentists lack the proper training and exposure with respect to the health and psychosocial needs of this population.

According to one study, more than 50 percent of dental and medical school deans have stated that their graduates are not competent to treat patients with I/DD; as a result, people with I/DD are more likely to have poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, and untreated dental caries than are members of the general population.

People with I/DD have been more likely to not have had their teeth cleaned in the past five years, or never to have had their teeth cleaned, than those who are not disabled.

Due to the lack of proper skills among dentists, dental care is often more difficult to find than any other type of service for people with I/DD.

Last year, NCD successfully worked with the American Dental Association to revise its Code of Professional Conduct to state that "dentists shall not refuse to accept patients into their practice or deny dental service to patients because of the patient's…disability." This code revision was adopted by many states as state law of professional conduct.

First established as an advisory council within the Department of Education in 1978, NCD became an independent federal agency in 1984. In 1986, NCD recommended enactment of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and drafted the first version of the bill which was introduced in the House and Senate in 1988. Since enactment of the ADA in 1990, NCD has continued to play a leading role in crafting disability policy, and advising the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policies, programs, and practices.

SOURCE National Council on Disability 

From the innovators of adhesion and silane technology—Kuraray Noritake Dental—comes a breakthrough in self-adhesive resin cementation: PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal.

Incorporating a unique silane coupling agent—LCSi monomer—PANAVIA SA Cement Universal delivers strong, durable chemical adhesion to virtually all materials: porcelain, lithium disilicate, composite resin, and even glass ceramics, without the need for a separate silane or primer. In addition, high concentrations of the original MDP monomer allow for increased chemical reactiveness with zirconia, dentin, and enamel.

PANAVIA SA Cement Universal offers the same wide range of indications for adhesion and is recommended for all prosthetic restorations including crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and implant abutments. Thanks to the powerful single-step cementation bonding formula, cementation is now much easier.

“I’m a huge fan of the PANAVIA product line from Kuraray Noritake,” says Dr. Troy Schmedding. “I was selected as a beta tester for the launch of PANAVIA SA Cement Universal and have been using it in my office for a couple of months.” Discussing why he recommends the product, Dr. Schmedding continues, “It’s a great one-step cement that doesn’t require a separate silane or primer, creating a very efficient workflow. Not to mention, the cleanup is outstanding—as would be expected from my experience with other PANAVIA products. I know with PANAVIA I’m always going to have the bond strength needed for long-lasting clinical outcomes and that’s the best part.”

PANAVIA SA Cement Universal allows for simple application, very easy excess removal, and room temperature storage.

“Kuraray Noritake has transformed itself into what it is today: a multidimensional business entity with the high caliber to offer products and technologies to a wide range of industries,” remarked Dr. Dinesh Weerasinghe, Senior Technical and Marketing Manager at Kuraray Noritake. “We are committed to our partnership with the dental community and will continue to serve them with innovative solutions that help them provide better care to their patients. We believe PANAVIA SA Cement Universal will facilitate a simplistic and cost-efficient workflow for all types of restorations without compromising bond strength, ultimately resulting in better clinical outcomes.”

Available in both automix and handmix options, PANAVIA SA Cement Universal is easily applied without the need for a dispenser. It is suitable for crowns/bridges, inlays/onlays, posts, and even adhesion bridges. Another great feature practitioners will love is its unique blend of curing technologies that ensures a quick cure and durable seal. The final result is stronger, more versatile, and easier cementation than ever before.

About Kuraray Noritake

PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal is the latest innovation from Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., a company formed from the merger of Kuraray Medical Inc. and Noritake Dental Supply Co. in April 2012. Building on the combined strength of these two multinationals, Kuraray Noritake Dental aims to create world-leading synergies across product development, production, and sales. The company benefits from exceptional expertise in organic and inorganic chemistry leading to the development of further high-end dental products—from ceramics to composites and even bio-materials. Kuraray Noritake Dental believes that a patient's smile is more important than anything else. As such, the company has always sought to inspire the dental profession by introducing minimally invasive and bio-additive solutions, both now and in the future, resulting in patients being able to enjoy their teeth for a lifetime.  

The Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting -- the nation’s leading dental meeting and comprehensive source of continuing education in dentistry – has named Dr. Robert O’Donnell as General Chair of Hinman 2020. Dr. O’Donnell, a prominent Atlanta dentist with a practice in Alpharetta, Ga., will lead Hinman 2020 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on March 19-21, 2020.

The meeting’s theme is “Come Home to Hinman – Where Teamwork Meets Success.” Dr. O’Donnell envisions Hinman 2020 as one large homecoming event dedicated to improving skills, expanding capabilities and collaborating with colleagues and your dental team to achieve success. He has been planning Hinman 2020 for the past three years, along with his Program Chairs, Drs. Jane Puskas and William Rousseau. The meeting will feature some fan-favorites, as well as some exciting new speakers, who will share best practices, new technology and new business strategies.

Dr. O’Donnell has been practicing dentistry in Atlanta for nearly 30 years. In 1999, he and his wife, Cheryl, purchased a 70-year-old, historic residence and transformed it into a state-of-the-art dental office. Located at 134 North Main Street in downtown Alpharetta, the practice combines a historic atmosphere and furnishings with the latest in dental technology, like CEREC®.

“What I like most about being a dentist is the relationship that I have with my patients. I’ve had patients who’ve brought their children, and now their children are grown and married and bringing their children to see me,” said Dr. O’Donnell. “The relationships we build with those families and playing a role in life-changing oral health improvements are what’s most important to me.”

Dr. O’Donnell became interested in organized dentistry early in his career and saw the value in networking with others, continuing to learn new developments in dentistry and furthering the profession overall. He has been a member of the Hinman Dental Society for 30 years and has served in nearly every leadership and volunteer role available. In his first 10 years with Hinman, he served on both the Information and Clinic Captain Committees. He also chaired Information, Clinic Captains, Participation and Concurrent Meeting Committees. He has served as President of the Society, as well as other leadership roles, and was the Program Co-Chair of Hinman 2011 and Hinman 2017.

In addition to Hinman, he has served and chaired most of the committees of the Northern District, including serving as President in 2007-2008. Dr. O’Donnell is also an active member of the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry and Georgia Academy of Dental Practice and has served in leadership roles in these organizations. In addition, he was the founding president of the Greater Atlanta Dental Foundation and has volunteered for Georgia Mission of Mercy and several charitable clinics throughout his career.

Dr. O’Donnell is a graduate of Emory Dental School and completed his General Practice Residency at Emory as well. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Microbiology at the University of Georgia. He resides in Milton, Ga. with his wife Cheryl, and daughters, Kathleen and Ryan, although Kathleen now spends her days attending his alma mater in Athens.

Registration for Hinman 2020 will open on December 10, 2019. Please visit Hinman.org for more information.

The Hinman Tradition

The Hinman Dental Meeting is designed with a commitment to quality and professionalism and a high regard for the value of continuing education. The Meeting is sponsored by the Hinman Dental Society, a non-profit organization, and excess revenue is invested and gifted in the form of individual scholarships to dental, hygiene and assisting students and in contributions to institutions that foster dental education. For additional information about the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting, visit Hinman.org or contact Ms. Sylvia Ratchford, Executive Director, at (404) 231-1663.

LM-Arte is an innovative set of direct composite instruments for aesthetic restorations. Developed in cooperation with Style Italiano and LM-Arte. These remarkable tools are specifically designed to sculpt composite layers into exceptional restorations. They're made with non-stick LM Dura Grade Max super steel polished to mirror brightness. Each instrument is color coded and named for its main function in the restoration process. For each instrument, there is an instructional video available.

For more information, please contact Smile Line, USA, Inc. at 877-755-6868, or visit us at www.smilelineusa.com

Zirconia Prime, a multi-surface primer for zirconia, metal, and alumina restorations

DenMat Holdings, LLC (“DenMat”), a leading innovator of esthetic dentistry and advanced oral health solutions, has expanded its line of high-quality restorative products for crown cementation to include Zirconia Prime, a multi-surface primer for zirconia, metal and alumina restorations. 

Compatible with self-, light-, and dual-cure resin luting cements, Zirconia Prime significantly enhances the bond between indirect restorative materials, composite resin cements and resin-based bonding agents when preparing zirconia and metal restorations for cementation. 

“DenMat Lab has seen a steady increase in customer demand for our highly esthetic LumiZir zirconia crowns,” said David Casper, DenMat Chief Executive Officer. “With this growth, we are proud to offer a critical component to our crown cementation system, providing our customers with predictable results and ensuring their patients with long lasting restorations.” 

Studies have shown that primers containing MDP such as Zirconia Prime provide an increased bond strength between zirconia restorations and cement up to 119% and between metal restorations up to 21%. 

“Application of Zirconia Prime is a vital step for all my zirconia and metal indirect restoration cases,” said Apolinar Madrigal, DDS. “It allows me to provide my patients with high-bond strength and longevity for their dental investment.” 

To learn more about Zirconia Prime, call 800-433-6628 or visit denmat.com/ZirconiaPrime. 

About DenMat 

Since 1974, DenMat is a leader in high-quality dental products for dental professionals around the world. DenMat makes and assembles most of its products at its world headquarters on the Central Coast of California. DenMat offers three main product categories: Consumables, Small Equipment, and a Dental Laboratory. DenMat's consumables include brands that are known and trusted, including Fluoridex®, Geristore®, Core Paste®, Tenure®, Ultra-Bond®, Infinity® Splash Max®, Precision®, Perfectemp®, Atridox® and LumiSmile White®. DenMat's small equipment offering includes a broad range of products, including NV® PRO3 and SOL® soft-tissue diode lasers, the Rotadent® power toothbrush, PeriOptix® magnification loupes and lights, Flashlite® curing lights and a full line of high-quality Hartzell® hand instruments. DenMat is also home to Lumineers®, the world's #1 patient-requested thin veneer, and Snap-On Smile®, the life-changing removable appliance. 

Charles F. Craft, D.D.S., of Lincoln, Nebraska, is the recipient of the 2019 American Dental Association (ADA) Humanitarian Award. The Humanitarian Award honors an ADA member for improving the quality of life and oral health of individuals both in the U.S and abroad over a period of 10 years or more. Dr. Craft will be honored at the 2019 ADA FDI World Dental Congress in San Francisco.

Dr. Craft is the founder of the East meets West Dental Program, the first American humanitarian dental project to be permanently based in-country following the Vietnam War. The program focuses on training Vietnamese dental providers and enhancing the local oral health care infrastructure. It has welcomed the services of more than 1,200 volunteer dentists, hygienists and dental students from around the world, treating more than 160,000 patients and providing over $30 million of free dental care.

“I want to thank the ADA for recognizing me and the work of the East meets West Dental Program,” Dr. Craft said. “I also want to express my appreciation to the rural Vietnamese villagers who have always welcomed us with open arms. It has been a professional honor to uphold their trust and to treat their children.”

Established in 2008, the ADA Humanitarian Award annually honors an ADA member for creating a legacy of volunteer works and is one of the Association’s highest honors. Criteria for the Humanitarian Award include significantly improving the quality of life and oral health, demonstrating significant leadership and serving as an inspiration to others both in the dental profession and the general population.

"Dr. Craft has dedicated his life to providing access to care for needy populations both in the U.S. and abroad, truly creating a legacy of service," said Jeffrey M. Cole, D.D.S., M.B.A., ADA president. "The Board of Trustees and I were impressed by his East meets West Dental Program in Vietnam, where Dr. Craft's ability to forge personal and political alliances, navigate local culture and lay the groundwork for his program under difficult conditions have and will continue to inspire countless others to get involved."

The award includes a $10,000 donation to the East meets West Dental Program, a bronze cast statue and travel support for the winner and their family to attend the award ceremony at the ADA FDI World Dental Congress 2019 in San Francisco.

In addition to Vietnam, Dr. Craft has served on other volunteer dental mission trips in Afghanistan, Borneo, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mongolia, Madagascar, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as his home state of Nebraska.

About the ADA

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 163,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org 

The American Dental Association (ADA) will award Rep. Mike Simpson, D.M.D., with the ADA Distinguished Service Award at the ADA FDI World Dental Congress 2019 in San Francisco. The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor given by the ADA Board of Trustees.

Formerly a practicing dentist, Rep. Simpson is serving his eleventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District.

"As the longest serving dentist member of Congress, Mike Simpson has been a friend of dentistry, and the patients we serve, for decades," said Jeffrey M. Cole, D.D.S., M.B.A., ADA president. "His leadership efforts in Congress to help pass the Action for Dental Health Act will provide access to federal funding for projects that strengthen the safety net and help eliminate barriers to care like Mission of Mercy and emergency room referral programs. With his work on the House Appropriations Committee and the respect he has in the House as a leader who can work with everyone, he has been instrumental in seeing that the oral health programs that benefit patients across the country are funded. Our profession owes a great deal of gratitude to Mike for all he has been able to accomplish."

Rep. Simpson said he’s honored to receive the ADA Distinguished Service Award.

“I’ve always taken a lot of pride in being a dentist,” Rep. Simpson said. “During my time in Congress, I have tried to use my platform to help dentists and the patients they serve. I want to thank the ADA for recognizing me with this special award.”

About the ADA

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 163,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org 

The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) have announced the winners of the annual Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) Faculty and Practice Awards. The awards are supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Colgate and are presented to educators and clinicians who have made significant contributions to implement and advance EBD. The winners will receive their awards at the 2019 ADA FDI World Dental Congress in San Francisco.

Analia Veitz-Keenan, D.D.S., will receive the 2019 EBD Accomplished Faculty Award. Dr. Veitz-Keenan is a clinical professor in the department of oral and maxillofacial pathology, radiology and medicine at the New York University College of Dentistry, where she is also the director of EBD in the department of epidemiology and health promotion. She teaches EBD to undergraduate students, postgraduate students and faculty. Dr. Veitz-Keenan served as a critical summary reviewer for the ADA Center for EBD and regularly contributes to the journal Evidence-Based Dentistry and the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice. She presents nationally and internationally on EBD topics in education and implementation.

Joana Cunha-Cruz, D.D.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., will receive the 2019 EBD Mid-Career Faculty Award. Dr. Cunha-Cruz is a research associate professor in the department of oral health sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, with a joint appointment in the University of Washington School of Public Health. She teaches critical thinking and evidence-based practice methods and applications. She is also the dental school’s curriculum lead for EBD, directing the integration of evidence-based practice and critical appraisal of literature in the dental curriculum across all academic years. She has published several systematic reviews and critical appraisals of evidence, taught EBD courses and used and generated new evidence through her research.

Thomas Paumier, D.D.S., will receive the 2019 EBD Practice Award. Dr. Paumier has been in private practice in Canton, Ohio, since 1988 and serves on the faculty of nearby Mercy Medical Center's dental residency program. He coauthored the 2015 ADA evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures in patients with prosthetic joints. Dr. Paumier also served on the voting panel for the 2016 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guideline "Appropriate Use Criteria for the Management of Patients with Orthopaedic Implants Undergoing Dental Procedures" and coauthored the ADA's upcoming guideline on antibiotic therapeutics. He is a past-president of the Ohio Dental Association.

For more information about the ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry, visit EBD.ADA.org.