Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Announces Donation During Commencement Address at Howard University

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today announced the donation of $200,000 in health care products to the Howard University College of Dentistry and the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry to support their efforts to provide free oral health care to the underserved through their respective student outreach programs.The donation of $100,000 each to Howard and Meharry – the only historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with dental schools – was announced by Henry Schein Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Stanley M. Bergman in his commencement address Friday at Howard, during which he encouraged the dental school graduates to use their talent and training to provide clinical care and pursue a vision of giving back positively to society. Mr. Bergman also announced that each member of this year’s graduating class at Howard College of Dentistry would receive $1,000 in health care products to provide charitable care of their choosing.

“We at Henry Schein embrace the importance of big thinking, collaboration, courageous leadership, and the need for greater health equity, especially among our diverse and underserved communities,” said Mr. Bergman in his commencement remarks. "We will continue to support educational institutions, and their students, in their efforts to give back to society.”

Henry Schein, which has supported Howard’s Global Student Outreach program for 18 years, will extend the partnership for the next four years with this grant of $100,000 in health care products. “Henry Schein’s philanthropic endeavors in expanding access to quality health care aligns well with the mission and values of our dentistry College,” said Dr. Andrea D. Jackson, Dean of the Howard University College of Dentistry. “We are thankful for Henry Schein’s generous support for our Global Student Outreach program, and we look forward to using the donated products to help deliver quality care to underserved communities.”

The donations to Howard and Meharry – which also has a student outreach program that Henry Schein supports – recognize the important and unique role that historically black colleges and universities play in promoting health equity. Mr. Bergman also participated in Meharry Medical College’s National Health Summit on health equities as a guest speaker in 2021. “We greatly appreciate the support Henry Schein has provided over the years to our dental school and its students,” said Dr. Cherae Farmer-Dixon, Dean of the Meharry School of Dentistry. “It is with the support of organizations like Henry Schein that we can advance health equity and expand access to health care for diverse and underserved communities.”

“In addition to the growing income inequality that we are seeing around the world, including here in the United States, there is an enormous gap in health care equity and access to health care among populations,” Mr. Bergman said to the graduates. “As part of the health care community, there is an important role for each of us in helping to address this disparity.”

Mr. Bergman's commencement address can be viewed here.

Overjet, a leader in dental artificial intelligence solutions for some of the largest dental groups, today announced a partnership with Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics, one of the fastest-growing dental service organizations in the country. By incorporating Overjet’s AI platform, Jefferson is taking proactive steps to streamline the diagnostic workflow, create better doctor-patient communication, and improve patient outcomes.

 “We chose to partner with Overjet because they share our commitment to best-in-class patient care,” said Adam Arnette, Chief Marketing Officer of Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics. “Overjet has an unmatched reputation in pioneering dental innovations that advance patient care, and we are thrilled to partner with Overjet to bring yet another cutting-edge technology to JDO.”

 Driven by their commitment to provide high-quality, comprehensive oral healthcare to over 600,000 families every year, Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics invests in the industry’s most advanced technology to build trusting relationships with their patients.

 “Our partnership with Overjet allows us to deliver the finest treatment plans in the world, removing doubt about what each patient needs to reach optimal oral health,” said Mick McCormick, CEO of Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics. “When patients can see and understand what their providers see, we bridge the gap between provider and patient – this is key to building lifelong relationships based on trust and transparency.”

 Industry-leading technology and a synergetic approach — integrating general dentistry, hygiene, and orthodontics — allows their patients to make informed decisions about their oral health while receiving unmatched multidisciplinary care.

 “Our goal is to deliver the insight needed for business growth and improved efficiency while enhancing the quality of care,” said Wardah Inam, co-founder and CEO of Overjet. “We’re proud to partner with a leading, innovative DSO like Jefferson. Together, through our AI solutions and their best-in-class approach to dentistry, we will enable clinicians to provide the best care to their patients.”

 Every day, Overjet’s dental AI products are in use by some of the largest dental groups to enable better clinical decision-making. To learn more about the partnership and how dental support organizations are using Overjet to improve overall practice performance and improve patient outcomes, visit http://www.overjet.com/jdo

Financial donation will help lab professionals in need

exocad, an Align Technology, Inc. company and a leading dental CAD software provider, donated 10,000 euros to the U.S.-based National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) Disaster Relief Fund, a portion of which included proceeds made from a charitable T-Shirt campaign at IDS. Company executives presented the NADL with a check on site during the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting in February 2022.

NADL representatives said the donation would be of great use. "On behalf of the National Association of Dental Laboratories we are grateful for the significant contribution by exocad to NADL's Disaster Relief Fund,” said Tad Friess, 2022 NADL President. “The Relief Fund was established by NADL in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. Since the fund was launched, the Relief Fund has provided emergency assistance to hundreds of dental laboratory professionals who have been personally and/or professionally impacted due to damage stemming from hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. exocad's contribution will ensure NADL is able to continue to provide emergency assistance to those impacted.”

exocad is proud to contribute to this effort to provide financial assistance to dental laboratory professionals affected by natural disasters. “The impact of natural disasters touches everyone,” said Tillmann Steinbrecher, CEO exocad. “We’re glad we can help support people in the dental lab industry who are facing hardships.”

NADL is a trade organization representing nearly 1,000 commercial laboratories in the United States. To learn more about the NADL Disaster Relief Fund or to contribute, go to the NADL website: https://nadl.org/disaster/.

Overjet is the only dental and one of the five healthcare A.I. start-ups in Forbes’ annual list of companies using artificial intelligence to create a better future.

Overjet has been named one of North America’s Top A.I. Companies Shaping the Future on the annual Forbes AI 50 list, a definitive ranking of the most promising artificial intelligence companies in the U.S. The Forbes AI 50 list is published in partnership with Sequoia Capital.

The Forbes editorial team acknowledged that AI technology is driving advancements in every industry, but that it can be difficult to identify which companies are utilizing such technology in transformative and measurable ways. The Forbes AI 50, now in its fourth edition, identifies companies at the forefront of the field for whom AI is at the heart of their products and services.

Wardah Inam, Co-Founder & CEO at Overjet, said, “The entire Overjet team is honored to be included on the very prestigious Forbes AI 50 list and earn recognition from our industry peers. We are on the quest to improve oral health by creating a future that is clinically precise, efficient & patient-centric. It is incredibly rewarding to have our mission recognized not only for our organization but for our partners and customers who are trailblazers.”

Overjet was founded in 2018 to create a dental AI platform capable of supporting providers and payers to enhance clinical care and administrative efficiency. The datasets Overjet processes are massive in scale, containing millions of data points, including images and text. Overjet’s AI models combine advanced data science methods, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and advanced statistical models across disparate data sets encompassing multi-dimensional formats. The company has pioneered ground-breaking technology for detecting, quantifying and visualizing pathologies including bone loss, caries, and decay to support clinicians and improve patient outcomes.

Overjet’s partners and customers span multiple industries, including insurance, dental, research, and education. The company’s insurance sector customers include some of the major health plans reaching over 75 million people in the U.S.

Forbes received over 400 submissions for their selection process, with each company’s technology, business model, customers, and financials (funding, valuation, and revenue history) meticulously detailed. Sequoia Capital then applied an algorithm to identify more than 120 with the highest quantitative scores, and then a panel of 12 expert AI judges in academia,new IPO executives, venture capital and international technology companies identified the 50 most compelling companies.The complete Forbes AI 50 list for 2022 can be found online via the Forbes website.

To learn more on how Overjet uses AI to support providers and payers to enhance clinical care and administrative efficiency, please book your demo: www.overjet.com

More than 1,000 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) members, dental professionals, students, sponsors, and exhibitors attended the 38th Annual AACD Scientific Session in Orlando, April 27-30, 2022.

After two annual events were cancelled due to the pandemic, AACD came back stronger than ever kicking things off with a blowout welcome reception, Wonderland: We’re All Mad Here. Then, innovative esthetic education and hands-on workshops took center stage. Headliner general session educators included Dr. Join Kois, plus Drs. Miguel Ortiz and Carlos De Carvalho. AACD 2022 delivered an exceptional continuing education experience for dental professionals who are passionate about pursuing excellence in the art and science of cosmetic dentistry and those committed to begin their AACD Accreditation journey—the only advanced credential in cosmetic dentistry.

The conference concluded with the memorable Celebration of Excellence gala event, Bring Back the Magic, honoring AACD’s newly Accredited and Accredited Fellow members. In 2022, three Accreditation classes took to the stage since previous conference cancellations caused them to have to wait for this unforgettable honor and peer recognition.

The Academy also welcomed its new President, Marilyn Calvo, DDS, AAACD. An AACD Accredited Member, Dr. Calvo is a 1979 graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry. She has been in private practice in Encino, California, since 1980 where she focuses on cosmetic restorative dentistry.

New AACD Leaders for 2022-2023

At the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s Annual Member Meeting, held Friday, April 29, 2022, during their annual scientific session in Orlando, Florida, the following leaders were elected by acclamation:

Board of Directors 

Adamo E. Notarantonio, DDS, FAACD – Vice President

Sarah Slone, DMD, AAACD – Accredited Member

Grace EM Gerrity – Corporate Member

Aikaterini Papathanasiou, DDS, DMD – University Member

Errin Depalma, DDS – General Member

American Board of Cosmetic Dentistry

Brenda K. Jennings, DDS, AAACD – Board Member

Amanda N. Seay, DDS, FAACD – Board Member

Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (Elected Position)

Chiann Fan Gibson, DMD, AAACD 

The AACD is excited to work with these new volunteer leaders who will be instrumental in the continued success of the Academy and its charitable foundation.

Through its charity auction and fundraising event at TopGolf Orlando, the AACD Charitable Foundation raised more than $50,000 for its Give Back a Smile program! Give Back a Smile restores damaged smiles of adult survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The Charitable Foundation’s incoming volunteer leaders also took office. Dwight G. Rickert, CDT, FAACD, and Les Latner, DDS, AAACD, were reappointed to each serve three-year terms on the Board of Trustees and Alexandra H. Arnold, DMD was appointed for a one-year Associate Member term. Dwight G. Rickert, CDT, FAACD will serve as Chair for the upcoming year.

The Academy is already looking forward to AACD 2023 Texas, which is scheduled for April 26-29 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. For more information, visit aacdconference.com.

About the AACD

The AACD is the world’s largest non-profit member organization dedicated to advancing excellence in comprehensive oral care, combining art and science to optimally improve dental health, esthetics, and function. Comprised of cosmetic dental professionals in 70 countries worldwide, the AACD fulfills its mission by offering superior educational opportunities, promoting and supporting a respected Accreditation credential, serving as a user-friendly and inviting forum for the creative exchange of knowledge and ideas, and providing accurate and useful information to the public and the profession. 

Dental care best practices during National Dental Care Month

In honor of May being National Dental Care Month, DentalPlans.com, a leading online marketplace for dental savings plans in the U.S. and part of the Henry Schein One portfolio of solutions, is providing Americans with tips to help maximize the benefits of important dental hygiene routines, and understand their importance.Here are some of the most important dental hygiene routines, and why they matter:

Brushing – Brushing is critical for oral health. Using a toothbrush to remove food debris and dental plaque – a sticky, colorless biofilm that is constantly forming on teeth – at least twice a day can help ensure you have a strong foundation for your oral health.

Flossing – Flossing helps remove harmful plaque bacteria, which can cause tooth decay (cavities) or gum disease, from areas where your toothbrush can’t reach. If you don’t like to floss, talk to your dentist or dental hygienist about products such as powered air or water flossers, or small interdental brushes designed to clean between teeth.

Rinsing – Simply rinsing your mouth with water after consuming sugary or acidic food or drinks can help limit dental damage. Your dentist may also suggest using therapeutic rinses to manage oral health issues such as dry mouth or infections.

Not Ignoring Bad Breath – Oral health can offer a glimpse into your overall health. While unpleasant breath can be a sign of an oral infection, it can also be an indicator that you may have a medical condition such as diabetes, kidney failure, asthma, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer or liver disease.

Being Mindful of Cavities – Knowing the signs of cavities (the most common chronic disease in both children and adults) can help small problems from becoming bigger ones. Discoloration, stains or spots on a tooth can indicate a cavity is starting to form. Other signs include pain (especially when biting down) and increased sensitivity to temperature changes. See your dentist right away if you notice any of these indicators, as early treatment can help avoid the need for a root canal, crown, overlay or tooth restoration.

Getting Regular Checkups – Going to the dentist regularly for preventive care is critical to maintaining your overall health, as tooth decay and gum disease continue to be associated with many serious medical conditions. Your dentist can advise you on how often you should receive check-ups and cleanings based on your current dental health.

“At DentalPlans.com, we know that access to quality, affordable dental care is the first step in helping people lead happier, healthier lives,” says Jenn Stoll, Chief Commercial Officer of DentalPlans.com. “Our mission is to remove the cost barrier that so many face, so they can not only keep up with critical dental hygiene routines at home, but see the dentist regularly too – a critical component to maintaining your oral, and overall health.”

DentalPlans.com offers dental savings plans – an affordable alternative to dental insurance – which offers plan members 10-60% off most procedures at any participating dentist nationwide. Reach out to DentalPlans.com at 844-779-1021 to learn more about how dental savings plans can make your dental care more affordable.

Nearly 500 Aspen Dental Offices to Open their Doors for 8th Annual Day of Service

Aspen Dental today announced its annual Day of Service event – which provides free care to military veterans across the country – will be held on Saturday, June 11. Now in its eighth year, nearly 500 Aspen Dental locations will open their doors on the company's annual Day of Service to provide much-needed dental care for United States military veterans at no cost to honor their service.

"At Aspen Dental, we're committed to breaking down barriers to care – especially when it comes to our nation's veterans, who have given so much to all of us," said Arwinder Judge, DDS, chief clinical officer at Aspen Dental. "Day of Service is a powerful opportunity for Aspen Dental care teams across the entire country to make a difference in the lives of veterans and connect them with the care they often desperately need."

Since 2014, doctors and their dental care teams from Aspen Dental offices across the country have donated more than $23 million in dentistry services to more than 30,000 United States military veterans and people in need through the company's Healthy Mouth Movement.

Millions of Americans struggle to access dental care every year, and military veterans are no exception – in fact, veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs unless they're 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. Many Americans have experienced additional oral care challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as dentists report increasing amounts of teeth-grinding, cavities and gum disease, largely attributed to pandemic-related stress and changes in health habits.

How Veterans Can Schedule an Appointment

Starting today, veterans can call 1-844-277-3646 (1-844-ASPENHMM) to find a participating Aspen Dental office in their community and schedule an appointment. Advance appointments are required.

During the Day of Service, Aspen Dental doctors and their dental care teams focus on treating the most urgent dental needs to help get veterans out of pain, from fillings and extractions to hygiene and basic denture repairs.

For more information about Day of Service and the Healthy Mouth Movement, watch this video and visit www.HealthyMouthMovement.com.

Everyone deserves a future they can smile about. That's why this May 2022, Colgate-Palmolive is bringing out its fleet of Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) mobile dental vans to visit select Walmart locations nationwide and spread the news of its new recyclable toothpaste tubes in select stores now.

Colgate-Palmolive's tube, the first to be recognized by external recycling authorities as recyclable, is made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), the same No. 2 plastic used for milk and detergent bottles. Recycling the tube alongside plastic bottles requires no extra steps -- no rinsing, cutting or cleaning before tossing it into a recycling bin. During this transition phase, some communities may not yet accept tubes and consumers should check locally. Learn more at www.colgate.com/goodness.

To help alert shoppers to put certain Colgate toothpaste tubes into recycle bins, Colgate created limited edition "Recycle Me!" tubes. The bold graphics will be found on select tubes of Colgate® Optic White Advanced Sparkling White, Colgate® Cavity Protection, Colgate® Max Fresh Cool, and Colgate® Total Whitening. Colgate will transition the rest of their toothpaste tubes into the recyclable tube by 2023.

Additionally, stopping at 75 Walmart locations across the country, the mobile dental vans will offer free oral health screenings for children by a team of dentists and dental hygienists, distribute free oral health products, and educate and engage local communities about the importance of recycling in practice.

Established in 1991, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) has reached more than 1.4 billion children in more than 100 countries across the world. The program strategically partners to reach underserved children and their families where they are born, live, work, learn and play. BSBF continues to promote health equity, optimal health and well being, and to lead global social impact efforts that empower children and families to achieve healthy and bright futures. In the US, BSBF dental vans are based in hub-cities and travel to rural and urban communities to help raise awareness about the importance of children's oral health.

"Walmart has long-standing commitments in sustainability, including selling products that use less resources and generate less waste," said Shawn Townzen, Merchandising Vice President, Personal Care for Walmart US. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Colgate- Palmolive on the 'Recycle Me!' initiative and help educate our customers on the important topic of recycling their toothpaste tubes."

"Colgate's purpose is to reimagine a healthier future for all – and part of that includes not only taking care of our communities' health but also educating them on the latest recycling innovations. We are proud to collaborate with a retailer like Walmart, which gives us the opportunity to reach consumers across the country." said Dana Medema, Vice President & General Manager, Oral Care for Colgate-Palmolive in North America.

Colgate is excited to work with Walmart to continue to roll out its first-of-its-kind recyclable tube, and continues to work on education and acceptance of tubes by communities and the recycling industry.

Store visits will kick off nationwide starting on May 1st in Coral Springs, FL and will end on May 28 in Morrisville, NC. For more information on where to find the Colgate BSBF mobile community program, please visit www.colgatebsbf.com

Sterngold Dental announces the addition of Chad Reynolds to its team as National Sales Manager. The announcement was made by President and CEO, Gordon S. Craig, III.

Chad has over 15 years of top performing sales experience in the medical device/healthcare industry, including Zimmer Biomet and Lima Orthopedics, to name a few. His most recent role was with Integrated Media Services, publisher of Dental Product Shopper. Within these sales roles, Chad has had significant experience in product expertise, field marketing and training, customer relations, distribution management, and overall team leadership, in addition to sales management and development, and new customer acquisition.

As Sterngold’s National Sales Manager, Chad is committed to being mission-driven in his consultative selling approach; listening to the prospect’s growth goals, providing relevant educational information, and proposing products that will help fast track achievement. His goal is to create high value interaction in every sales engagement, presenting only targeted and actionable recommendations, while meeting current and future customer needs.

Chad holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Management, from Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey, where he played NCAA Division III Baseball. He lives with his young family—wife, two children, plus a Yorkie—in New Jersey. Born in New York and raised at the Jersey Shore in NJ, Chad is an avid NY Sports Fan and a long-time season ticket holder of his beloved New York Giants.

If you need ideas on how to grow your current practice, take your dental laboratory to a digital level, or source the most competitive implant product and supplies , please reach out to Chad Reynolds at chad.reynolds@sterngold.com 

Delta Dental released the 2022 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report, a nationwide analysis of consumer opinions and behaviors relating to oral health. Findings from the Delta Dental-commissioned research of U.S. adults and parents of children ages 12 and younger illuminate what they thought about their oral health and what they did to properly care for it at home and with their dentist during 2021. A few highlights from this year's report include:

Public interest prevails in getting smarter about oral health's link to better health

● Nearly all U.S. adults (92%) and parents (96%) indicate that they consider oral health to be very, if not extremely, important to overall health.

● However, the research finds that many are unaware of how oral health and overall health are connected, as a significant number of people were unable to recognize the medical conditions that are linked to poor oral health, including strokes (38%), high blood pressure (37%) and diabetes (36%).

● The promising news is 9 in 10 (90%) adults are interested in learning about oral health's critical connection to overall health.

Visits to dentist on the rise

● Most children (89%) and adults (72%) went to the dentist last year.

● This year, significantly fewer parents report that their children are experiencing or have experienced oral health issues compared to surveys from the previous two years, which could correlate to the finding that significantly more children visited their dentist for preventive reasons in 2021 (92%) than the year before (81% in 2020).

● Nearly all (94%) adults plan to visit the dentist this year.

"While our survey indicates that most adults and parents across the United States understand that oral health is critically important to overall health, it appears that most don't fully realize the ways oral health is linked to serious health issues. Unfortunately, this lack of understanding isn't surprising, as people often think of the mouth and body as two distinct parts," said James W. Hutchison, President & CEO, Delta Dental Plans Association. "One way we continue to partner with the public on their journey to better health is by maintaining our commitment to elevate their awareness of the essential role of oral health."

To read the full 2022 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report and learn more about the report's methodology and findings, click here.

About the research

The 2022 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report is based upon Delta Dental-commissioned research conducted between January 19 and January 28, 2022, by Material, a global insights and strategy consultancy, using an email invitation and online surveys to two audiences recruited through an opt-in panel:

● 1,172 parents of children ages 12 and younger.

● 1,027 nationally representative Americans ages 18+.

Quotas were set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. population of adults and parents with children ages 12 and younger. The report has a margin of error of +/- 3%.