Neocis®, manufacturer of Yomi® and the global leader in robot-assisted dental implant surgery, announced today that YomiPlan Go™, the newest robotic workflow enabled by the Yomi system, is now available to all customers.

Yomi is dentistry’s first and only robotic surgical system, which assists clinicians during all phases of implant placement via interactive digital planning within the YomiPlan™ software suite and robotic guidance of surgical instrumentation.

Go, the latest software mode in the expanding YomiPlan suite, received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June following a successful clinical study–Neocis’ 13th FDA clearance to date.

This new workflow does not require a CT scan or virtual treatment planning, which allows clinical teams to streamline preoperative processes and get into surgery more quickly.* Instead, doctors can set the location and angulation of an implant intraoperatively using their drill tip. In short, Go offers the speed and flexibility of freehand surgery with the added precision and control of robotic guidance. Below are a few key features and benefits:

● Yomi’s robotic arm helps the clinician maintain the position and angulation they have set for an osteotomy. This precision allows for reproducible results as one moves through their drill sequence. 

● Go uses basic implant and drill bit specifications entered by the clinical team to automatically determine osteotomy depth and prevent overdrilling. An intuitive depth offset tool can also be used for accommodating gingival thickness or subcrestal implant placement.

● As with other YomiPlan modes, users can easily parallelize multiple implants, which contributes to more straightforward prosthesis creation and placement.

This commercial market launch comes after a thorough limited market release (LMR), during which select robotic practices used the Go workflow to perform both partially and fully edentulous cases. LMRs are an integral part of Neocis’ product strategy as they give clinicians early access to innovative solutions as well as an opportunity to share valuable clinical and technical insights with Neocis and their peers.

Dr. Guillermo Chacon, a participant in this LMR and 2021 Yomi Gold Doctor of Excellence, had high praise for this new workflow. "With YomiPlan Go, there's no bouncing around as you drill up in sequence in fresh molar extraction sites, which can happen when placing implants freehand,” said Chacon, an oral surgeon with offices in the Tacoma area. “This allows you to achieve a more reproducible position without sacrificing time."

“I believe efficiency is the single biggest benefit of YomiPlan Go,” said Southern California-based oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Donald Nikchevich, a 2021 Yomi Diamond Doctor of Excellence. “This new workflow will allow us to get patients in and out in a shorter amount of time and provide a smoother in-office experience. I see myself routinely using Go for immediate implant cases. Because this mode doesn’t require imaging after extraction, I don’t have to keep the patient waiting. I can jump in and begin robot-guided surgery right away.”

“YomiPlan Go is a huge step surgically–a quick and easy robotic workflow,” said Dr. Uday Reebye, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon practicing in North Carolina. “The reproducibility gives me consistency I just can’t get with a freehand approach, and the time savings of going straight to surgery is better for me and for the patient.”

With three distinct software modes to choose from, the YomiPlan suite gives clinical teams the flexibility to choose a robotic workflow that aligns with their preferred clinical approach as well as the particulars of a given case. To learn more about the Yomi system and the various planning and operative workflows it enables, visit neocis.com.

*Neocis recommends a preoperative CT scan as a standard of care for consultation and diagnosis. No imaging is required by YomiPlan Go software for preoperative planning or intraoperative guidance.

VivoDoc, a comprehensive healthcare technology platform which connects patients with healthcare providers directly, today announced that its online scheduling platform now connects to AthenaHealth, EPIC, and DrChrono electronic health record (EHR) systems. By partnering with these leading EHRs and point of care mobile application providers, VivoDoc aims to empower clinicians to modernize their practice and deliver the simple, connected experience patients expect and deserve.

For clinicians, listing their practice on VivoDoc will serve to market their services to patients searching for care, streamline appointment scheduling by removing the need for calling the doctor's office, reduce double bookings & no-shows, simplify the payment process through direct-pay or insurance, and improve reputation management. Additionally, VivoDoc delivers a high-quality, HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platform to engage with patients who prefer virtual appointments. With additional partnerships with leading EHRs forthcoming, VivoDoc will integrate directly into calendars and workflows for a more seamless experience. Patients will now be able to fill out customized digital intake forms at their convenience that will directly get attached to patients' chart in EMRs, decreasing workload at physicians' front offices as they are already facing staffing shortages.

 Dr. Rahman Mohammed, Founder, and CEO of VivoDoc stated, "I am thrilled that VivoDoc is live and I'm looking forward to working with such reputed EHR providers to guarantee an all-in-one healthcare experience. I started VivoDoc with the aim of helping physicians manage their practices better in terms of appointments, accounts, and finances. With VivoDoc, they can increase their visibility to a wider audience and help more people than they previously could, even more efficiently. We have had significant traction since launch and reached 300+ providers in just a few months and are expecting rapid growth this year."

"VivoDoc has helped optimize our appointment inventory, practice management and enhance our patients' experience," said Dr. Elsakka, Primary Care Physician, at Stat MD Medical Center. "We are excited about their new integration; this will allow our practice to onboard VivoDoc and benefit from the digital transformation on offer." For doctors who wish to register their practice on the platform, VivoDoc can help them generate inbound leads, automate their appointment and billing management systems, and provide secure electronic health records to tackle document duplication and loss of records.

To learn more about VivoDoc and get a free provider trial visit: https://vivodoc.com or watch this video

Dentsply Sirona announces its participation in the International Dental Show (IDS) 2023, taking place from 14 to 18 March 2023 in Cologne, Germany. Held every two years, IDS is the leading trade fair for the dental industry.

IDS 2023 will mark the 40th edition of the trade fair and 100 years since IDS was launched in 1923. It will bring together dental professionals from around the world for networking, product showcases and a look at current trends and research. Dentsply Sirona will join the event to showcase its latest innovations in digital dentistry. Attendees will be able to visit the booth in hall 11.2 for an up-close look at Dentsply Sirona’s product portfolio, comprehensive advice, live demonstrations and much more.

“We are very excited to join IDS 2023 and reconnect with dental professionals from all over the world for a week of knowledge sharing and networking”, says Walter Petersohn, Chief Commercial Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “We’ll have a full program taking place at our booth to empower our customers to provide best-in-class dental care for their patients. Stay tuned for more updates on what’s in store next year.”

In line with its sustainability initiative BEYOND, Dentsply Sirona is also defining measures to have a more sustainable presence at IDS. These include reusing event furniture over a number of years, structuring booths out of reusable and recyclable elements where possible, making environmentally conscious catering choices, adopting as much as possible a paper-free approach and reducing the transportation footprint by encouraging employees to travel by train or local public transport.

More information about the trade show is available at: www.expobeds.com/event/ids-cologne.

Young Innovations and Synapse Dental LLC announce new partnership designed to redefine delivery of care in the dental field through an innovative new device called the Dental Pain Eraser.

The Dental Pain Eraser is a pen-shaped, electronic dental anesthesia solution that prevents and relieves oral pain in seconds – without the need for local anesthetic injections, gels or drugs.

Practitioners have called the Dental Pain Eraser “a game changer” in how it’s helped relieve pain from orthodontic procedures, dental work, canker sores, and tooth sensitivity.

Watch the video

“Our partnership with Young Innovations will now give dental professionals and their patients greater access to pain-free, drug-free dental care, eliminating the fear and anxiety associated with visiting their dentist,” explains George Aliphtiras, Executive Director, Synapse Dental LLC. “By preventing and relieving oral pain in seconds, the Synapse Dental Pain Eraser provides a positive and comfortable dental experience that will set any practice apart – by leaps and bounds – over their competition and achieve greater treatment acceptance.”

The Dental Pain Eraser is available through Young Specialties, a division of Young Innovations that supplies innovative solutions to dental specialists.

Learn more about the Dental Pain Eraser

About Synapse Dental LLC

Synapse Dental LLC is a dental solution provider that is committed to making pain-free dentistry a reality for dental professionals and their patients. Its first solution in market is the Dental Pain Eraser, which uses Advanced PulseWaveTM Neuromodulation to apply sub-sensory electric pulses to calm the nerves in the mouth and provide long-lasting pain prevention and relief.

About Young Innovations, Inc.

Young Innovations is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of supplies and equipment used by dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, hygienists, dental assistants and consumers. Its portfolio of brands includes products that hold leadership positions in the preventive, restorative, orthodontic, endodontic, surgical and diagnostic segments.

Industry First In-House Specialty Software Platform for DSOs & Traveling Specialists

Complete Specialty Solutions (CSS), the nation’s leading in-house specialty solutions provider to DSOs, today announced the commercial launch of its proprietary software platform Stream Dental for managing the complex operational workflow associated with in-house specialty services. “We are honored to launch the Stream Dental platform in partnership with leading regional and national DSOs and a network of experienced specialists,” said Santosh Patel, president of CSS. The company has a long history of operating specialty services reaching over 200 offices through its large specialist network. Recognizing the accelerating trends of DSOs seeking to bring specialty services in-house along with specialists seeking alternatives to the burdens of practice ownership, CSS is launching the industry’s first comprehensive software solution to elevate in-house specialty performance with a focus on growth, compliance, patient experience, and specialist engagement.

The Stream platform was originally created in 2019 as an internal solution to digitize and hardwire best practice workflows and communications within the CSS network of 200+ practices where CSS operates all aspects of in-house specialty services as a fully managed solution. “Based on the experience and insights from providing over 20,000 cases across all major specialties, we’ve been able to develop a unique platform for managing workflow and optimizing results from specialty services programs. We look forward to sharing these capabilities with DSOs and traveling specialists across the country,” said Patel.

Key capabilities of the Stream platform include:

- Enhanced referral capture and tracking with CRM capabilities

- Multi-channel, specialty-specific patient engagement

- Specialist apps for enhanced planning and clinical collaboration

- Robust enterprise analytics and decision support

- Comprehensive safety, risk management and compliance support across clinical ops & HIPAA

- Supports both in-house and external specialty referral workflows

“Great specialty tech platform that provides immediate growth and operations improvement. The CSS team is deeply committed to building the best-in-class tech for all aspects of in-house specialty. This was a no-brainer,” says Justin Puckett, President of MB2 Dental.

"The technology and dashboards Complete Specialty Solutions has designed have made the referral process and scheduling specialty procedures turnkey," says  Jennifer Goodwin, Regional Manager, Dental Care Alliance. "It's simple and quick for all team members. No paper or sticky notes to get lost. All referrals in one place!"

CSS is also announcing a funding round led by Indicator Ventures, BP Capital, and Old Three Hundred Capital. The company will use the funding to bring Stream Dental to more DSOs and specialists across North America. The funding will also enable CSS to expand its product offering and enhance its customer experience for dental practices, specialists, and patients. “Complete Specialty Solutions is a game changer for the dental industry,” Said Baiyin Murphy, general partner at Indicator Ventures. “They have a keen understanding of the operational rigor it takes to bring specialty services closer to the dental offices and patients leading to better outcomes and profits. Their approach is a triple-win for specialists, dental offices, and patients alike.”

“We’re very excited to launch the industry’s first and only SaaS platform focused on elevating in-house specialty performance, which can often represent up to half of a DSOs overall revenue,” said Omar Alvi, CEO of CSS. “Through our years of experience operating all aspects of in-house specialty services, we’ve identified the most significant pain points and opportunities and are now bringing these capabilities to all DSOs and traveling specialists across the country. We’re committed to investing heavily in the ongoing expansion of our software capabilities to deliver increasing benefits to DSOs, specialists, and patients.”

The world’s largest organization for cosmetic dental professionals, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), has just announced three winners in their annual Smile Portrait Competition. Winners have been selected by the voting public in all three categories of the competition: The “Rising Stars” category is open to AACD members, students, residents, and lab techs who have been out of school for ten years or less. The “Smile Aficionados” category includes AACD dentists and technicians who have been in the profession for more than ten years, while the “Smile Art” category is open to all dental professionals of all experience levels to explore the creative display of dental art in the smile with a portrait or closeup of the smile.

Connie Tse-Wallerstein, DDS, has been awarded the Smile Art prize for her intricate photo featuring a rubber ducky and rhinestones. “The AACD has helped be grow as a clinician, especially through the Accreditation process…the connections and friends I have made are lifelong and meaningful,” Tse-Wallerstein says.

Alexander W. Tsui, DMD, takes home the Smile Design Aficionados title, for his classic glamour shot. “I think photography and dentistry are two sides of the same coin,” says Tsui. “One seeks to capture beauty and the other seeks to create it.”

Rising Star award winner, Samantha Mohan, DDS, submitted a classic portrait of a beautiful smile. Says Mohan, “I was an oil and acrylic painter before dentistry, and I love that I get to use artistic skills in practicing dentistry!”

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is proud to advance the art and science of comprehensive esthetic and restorative dentistry, and to showcase the varied clinical and artistic talents of their members with the wider dental community through the AACD Smile Portrait Competition.

For more information about the winners, go to https://aacd.com/congrats-to-the-2022-smile-portrait-competition-winners.

To learn more about the AACD or become a member, visit aacd.com/membership.  

The Future of Digital Dentures at exocad Insights 2022

exocad will host its third Insights event on October 3–4, 2022, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. At the event, dental industry headliners will present their restorative cases and share insights with other dental technicians, dentists and industry partners in attendance. Dr. Lori Trost, a comprehensive restorative dentist from the St. Louis, Missouri area with more than thirty years of experience, will share an exciting presentation on why colleagues can “Start Loving Dentures.” Dr. Trost took a few moments to talk about how digital workflows are improving denture work and why Insights is a must-see event.

What will you present at exocad Insights 2022?

The Insights event is an amazing opportunity to share patient cases with the audience, show the steps and the digital workflow, and demonstrate the results that can happen when you lean on technology. I’ll talk specifically about digital dentures and how that process has greatly improved. In the past, there were many hands-on steps for dentures. The process was laden with issues of inaccuracies. Now, with digital technology, we can produce something that's more accurate and do so more efficiently. And accuracy in the real world translates to happier patients, fewer adjustments, and fewer appointments. We are now able to deliver results faster, easier, quicker, better, and patients are thrilled.

Can you share some examples of how your work has improved with digital workflows?

Last week, I delivered two immediate dentures, and I saw both patients 24 hours post-op. Neither needed adjustments. To get those results and to have patients be that satisfied is amazing. I'm going to share those types of experiences at Insights and hopefully build excitement because this is the forefront of what's coming, and it will only get better.

Any other advice for colleagues looking to evolve their practice?

I believe that it's such an exciting time to be a dentist now. For instance, if you look at the past 15 to 20 years, we had an onslaught of adhesive dentistry. Almost everyone can now do really refined bonding. We've mastered that. Now let's back up and take a look at those patients who need dentures. In the same way that adhesive dentistry developed, technology is now merging for these edentulous patients. I see a lot of excitement with other doctors who support this population of patients. We can offer them substantially better care now and to be able to deliver a high-quality product is very motivating.

What do people gain from attending Insights?

Any time that you can gather with colleagues and further your process, knowledge, and understanding is worth it. Going to a meeting like this is important because it sets the stage for collaboration across the aisle—by that, I mean with labs, software platforms, and clinical dentistry. It's a wonderful merging of interests that no other meeting offers right now. I find it really exciting.

At Insights, you have some of the best minds in our profession come together and have open conversations. I encourage everyone to take advantage of that and to have one-on-ones with your peers.

Any final thoughts?

If you’re on the fence about whether you should go - go! Because you'll come away with a great sense of what's coming. These developments are going to be a tidal wave and really push dentistry in a great direction. 

Dentsply Sirona has been recognized with an Employee Voice Award (EVA) by Quantum Workplace for prioritizing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and embedding it throughout its organization and culture.

Dentsply Sirona has been honored with a 2022 Employee Voice Award by Quantum Workplace for its prioritization and actions in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The company received the Silver DE&I Pioneer award, given to those organizations that have prioritized a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy and embedded their efforts throughout the entire organization and workplace culture.

Dentsply Sirona's comprehensive DE&I strategy is a business imperative driven by its D&I Council. The Council champions initiatives within the company and community and is also committed to holding leaders accountable for driving sustainable outcomes in these areas.

“It is extremely rewarding to be recognized for our DE&I work in such a prestigious way,” said Lisa Yankie, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “We have worked diligently to ensure that our efforts are not just words, but actions which provide a measurable and meaningful impact on our organization and our society.”

Quantum Workplace is a leading provider of comprehensive employee engagement and performance software, and a national leader in data collection for nationally recognized Best Places to Work programs. Established in 2008, its Employee Voice Awards honor customer organizations that have made strides to boost employee engagement and strengthen organizational structure by connecting employees, team, and business success.

“Through our EVA awards program, we have the distinct honor every year of acknowledging customers who are making work better every day,” said Greg Harris, Quantum Workplace co-founder and CEO. “Dentsply Sirona’s DE&I efforts show a strong commitment to taking action in this area, and that employees are more engaged when they feel a sense of belonging at their organization and that their thoughts and ideas are welcomed and valued.”

Championing DE&I across the organization and in the industry

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are part of Dentsply Sirona’s overall commitment to taking action for a brighter world and ensuring a sustainable business framework. Dentsply Sirona is constantly seeking ways to foster a more inclusive culture and diverse workforce.

Additionally, Dentsply Sirona’s sustainability strategy BEYOND is highlighting the organization’s sustainability efforts both internally and externally, strengthening its focus on further diversifying supplier relationships and strategic partnerships to be more representative of the diverse tapestry of the communities it serves.

Across all levels of the organization, actions are being implemented to elevate DE&I awareness and increase its positive impact on the business. These include unconscious bias training for all employees, the expansion of employee resource groups, “Conversations of Understanding” sessions that connect employees on DE&I-related topics and early career and leadership development programs. The company has also set goals to achieve global gender parity and gender pay parity by 2025 and has adhered to the Paradigm for Parity pledge.

Dentsply Sirona is a long-time advocate of equity in the representation of women in dentistry and offers programs like the Smart Integration Award and First to 50, which provide career development opportunities and give a stronger voice to women in the industry. The company is also a founding partner of Women in DSO, a dental service organization highlighting the achievements of women in dentistry and empowering women leaders. 

As staffing costs rise, onDiem drills down to improve bottom lines

onDiem is excited to announce a strategic partnership with the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA). This collaborative partnership will have a significant impact across the entire dental echo system. At the core of this partnership is a mutual commitment to support dental assistants in thriving in their careers by providing access to resources, continuing education, and career development opportunities.

This partnership will also aid practices in navigating dentistry's nuanced and unprecedented staffing challenges. onDiem and the ADAA will work together to make onDiem's Digital ID the trusted, single source of verification and credentialing to ensure safety and compliance across the industry. onDiem's Digital ID streamlines navigating individual state boards for requirements and certifications for dental assistants— reducing risk and human resources.

“ADAA and its members are excited and happy to be forging a collaborative relationship with onDiem and its staff,” says Susan Camizzi, President of ADAA. She adds, “We look forward to working with the group to further assist and support dental assistants nationwide in their careers and education as an integral and very important part of the dental team.”

“onDiem’s mission is caring for those who care for others; this ethos aligns perfectly with the ADAA’s mission of advancing the careers of dental assistants— and their profession overall— in matters of education, professional activities, and credentialing,” states Joe Fogg, CEO onDiem.

About onDiem Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 2017, onDiem's staffing platform connects dental practices and dental professionals in all 50 states to meet real-time staffing needs. onDiem distinguishes itself from other staffing platforms by offering employees, not contractors for temporary shifts. They eliminate the burden of staffing compliance, so practices can focus on maximizing production and revenue. onDiem dental professionals enjoy healthcare benefits, employer-paid taxes, and insurance coverage, along with the ability to set their own work schedule and hourly rates. With a free account, dental professionals can look for temporary and permanent job opportunities, and practices can create posts for new temp shifts, search for professionals in their area, and communicate with candidates directly. Today the platform serves over 32,000 dental professionals and over 13,000 dental practices.

About ADAA The American Dental Assistants Association is the oldest, largest group representing professional dental assistants. Established over 90 years ago, the ADAA provides continuing education to dental assistants through home study courses, professional journals, and local, state, and national meetings with educational agendas. It encourages education, registration, and certification for dental assisting professionals while providing a network of personal services for its members. Services such as insurance programs, salary and other surveys, and travel and leisure services.

In most areas, the ADAA is served by the state association and often a local component as well. Membership in the ADAA provides membership in all these-national, state, and local.

QuickBill Premium Provides Dentrix Practices an All-in-One Billing Solution that Notifies Patients of their Balances through Multiple Channels

Henry Schein One today announced the availability of Dentrix QuickBill® Premium, a new offering for Dentrix® practice management systems that allows dental professionals to notify patients of their outstanding balance via mail, email, text message, or any combination of the three. Patients can then choose to pay their balance using a computer or mobile device, which will automatically post to the Dentrix ledger.

QuickBill Premium, which works with Dentrix G7.6 and above, eliminates the need for manual billing procedures, helping to reduce time and cost for office teams, and helps improve operational efficiencies. Billing and payment notifications are sent electronically, alerting patients more quickly and offering patients a fast and effortless way to remit payments, resulting in fewer delays.

“We’re excited to offer QuickBill Premium as it reinforces our commitment to streamline practice workflows within the comprehensive Dentrix system,” said Mike Baird, Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein One. “Many dental practices find themselves spending unnecessary time and energy arranging for bill payment. QuickBill Premium reduces the cost of collecting balances and simplifies the billing process for patients and practices alike.”

Using the power of the Dentrix platform, QuickBill Premium provides a comprehensive, all-in-one solution to billing. QuickBill Premium enables users to send batches of billing statements and later see if each message has been sent, opened, viewed, paid, and posted in the ledger.

To learn more about Dentrix QuickBill Premium, visit https://www.dentrix.com/products/eservices/quickbill-premium.