Measles Cases and Outbreaks are on the Rise in the United States

 

A short post today simply because the information I want to provide you is in the link at the end here.  

With Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr now in charge of HHS (Department of Health and Human Services), there have been a lot of stories in the mainstream news and a lot of concerns about where the US is heading as far as vaccines are concerned.  RFK Jr has not made it a secret that he has some 'less than mainstream' views on the subject.  He also has expressed a lot of concerns about community water fluoridation, but that's a post for another day...

Today's post is about measles.  The disease was pretty much eradicated through a vaccine program that has been deployed since the late 1950s.  Measles is incredibly infectious and epidemics of the virus were common before the vaccine was developed.  Since its mass deployment in the late 1960s, measles *was* almost unheard of.

Then came the 'vaccine scare' that most of us are familiar with where people used little to no science to frighten the public into thinking that vaccines... any vaccine, was dangerous and caused all kinds of problems in the children they were being administered to.  That non-science based scare program resulted in many parents refusing to have their children vaccinated.  Of course parents want to protect their children; its one of our most basic and important human traits.  The problem is that, due to the scare tactics, measles and other childhood diseases began to occur again.

Measles outbreaks were almost unheard of for several decades, but now the virus and its infection are on the rebound.  

Now to the meat of today's post.  The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) put an announcement up on March 21, 2025 to discuss the current measles outbreak in the United States.  As of March 20, 2025, CDC has tracked a total of 378 confirmed cases.  Because measles is so easy to be transferred, this kind of information is important for dentists to be aware of.  Head over to the CDC webpage and get this important info.

And if you are an info geek like I am, you'll probably enjoy reading the history of the measles vaccine on the WHO (World Health Organization) website.  The page also has a brief section on the debunked scientific paper that started the entire vaccine scare.  I found the info fascinating!

Proud to Announce My Affiliation with Bien Air Academy

 

For well over a decade I've been a huge fan of the Bien Air company.  I've been a fan of electric handpieces almost since they came on the market, but when I got a chance to test drive the Bien Air Optima system all those years ago, I was impressed.  Their handpieces are Swiss engineered and manufactured which means you can feel the quality from the moment you pick one up.

I could write for hours and probably not be able to include all the advantages that come from using electric handpieces.  However, probably the best proof of that was my experience from about a year ago.  It's a long story that I won't go into here, but I was forced to work with air driven handpieces for about a month.

Electric handpieces for me are sort of like the Internet.  By that I mean we often don't even think of how dependent we are on something until we don't have it.  During the four week 'no electric' time in my life I realized just how important electric handpieces are to me.

It seemed that every patient needed a replacement for an existing zirconia crown on a second molar.  Trying to remove one of those with air driven was a challenge and the lack of torque was eye opening for me.  Zirconia is a really difficult material to cut no matter what, but it was incredibly more difficult with an air driven system.  Cutting the groove to allow me to remove them took three to four times longer than normal.  I also found that simple things like crown preps and margin finishing was also much more difficult.  To sum it up,  I'm an even bigger fan of electric handpieces after that experience.

That's why I'm honored to be working with the Bien Air Academy to help bring that message to other doctors.  The academy is an online training portal that provides training and educational videos about the advantages and use of electric handpieces.  I'm soon going to be working on creating some 'over the shoulder' videos on dentaforms and different materials to help other doctors understand the advantages of electric handpieces.

The Bien Air Academy is already online so you can go there right now and see what they have to offer.  My videos will be recorded soon.  They aren't available just yet, but they'll be there sometime in the not too distant future.  Head on over to Bien Air Academy and check out what they currently have to offer.  I think you'll be happy with what they have so far!

Shining 3D AccuDesign Software Suite - Testing is about to Begin

 

As you regular readers know, I'm all in on 3D printing.  I've spent the last year and have continued into 2025 with a deep dive into the tech and all it can do.  It's been an incredible and enlightening journey.

The really interesting part of this exploration has been how these systems just keep getting better.  Often when technology is being developed we see a big splash as something enters the market and then there is a bit of a pause as users adopt.  This pause in progress allows a technology to gain a toehold in the market as users learn.  It also allows the companies to continue research & development to create progress.  After a year or so, there's a 'Version 2.0' and often the cycle repeats itself.  Every generation moves the technology forward and it becomes a cycle of develop, user adoption, repeat.

Interestingly enough, 3D printing hasn't necessarily followed that same normal cycle.  Instead, this tech keeps progressing at an amazingly fast rate.  The rapid progress and change I'm seeing isn't necessarily in the hardware.  Sure 3D printers are getting faster and more accurate, but that isn't the thing I'm talking about.  The more amazing changes and advances I'm seeing are in the design process.

I've always felt that the real pain point in adoption of this tech hasn't been hardware related.  It's always been pretty easy to print things.  No, the problem has always been in design.  It's been the process of actually creating the projects for the printer to fabricate that has kept people from adopting the tech.  Now it's easy to design projects and *that* is why I'm predicting that 3D printing is about to make a dramatic and massive change in dentistry.  

We all know that artificial intelligence has had a massive impact on our profession and our world.  It's become the 'secret sauce' that powers so much of our lives.  We often don't even realize it's there.  From a geek's perspective, AI is a lot like the code behind Java.  When Java came along, suddenly webpages became incredibly interactive.  It changed our lives, but other than the people who applied the code to those pages in the background, the end user only saw the end result.  Things got easier.  AI is a lot like that.

So what has this got to do with 3D printing?  Simply put, AI has greatly simplified the design process.  If Instagram required a user to have an in-depth knowledge of Photoshop, the number of users would be tiny.  But when you can take a photo with your phone and almost instantaneously send it to Instagram,  usage explodes.  No one has the time to be an expert in a particular software platform.  The secret is to make the user experience seamless *and* easy.

I'm now expanding my 3D printing horizons by working with more design and nesting systems.  This next endeavor is going to be with the design platform AccuDesign from Shining 3D.  For those of you who aren't familiar  with the company, they've been on the market for a while now, although probably not as long as some of the players that you've previously heard of.  However, that doesn't mean they are playing catch up.  No, that isn't the case at all.  Instead, like Athena being born fully formed and in armor from the skull of Zeus, Shining 3D came to market with an entire mature suite of products and solutions.  The company not only has a line of 3D printing solutions, they also have a complete line of digital dental solutions.  Add to that the fact that the company is celebrating it's 20th year in business and it's pretty easy to see that Shining 3D is poised to become an important part of the dental 3D industry.

The company has intraoral scanners, facial extraoral scanners, resins, as well as several 3D printers, and all the necessary hardware to complete 3D printed projects.  Shining 3D also has several other specialty divisions with a presence in medicine, metrology, and engineering.  My point in brining this up is that this  company has a serious presence in multiple professions and that means they have capital and strong research and development.

Their design software, AccuDesign is pretty slick.  While I'm not well versed in it... yet, it utilizes AI to simplify much of the design process as well as utilizing AI in the nesting process and even utilizes AI to help increase efficiency when printing multiple projects at the same time.  

Recently I've spent some time tinkering with AccuDesign, but I'm about to take one of my deep dives into the system.  I'll be posting more as I get some experience, but my initial take is really favorable.  I've been around enough of these systems to be able to tell that this one has some features that aren't readily available in other design suites out there.  Stay tuned for updates.  I'll be posting more of my experiences and projects as I get more experience with this design system.

Also, this year I'm doing a series of lectures in Las Vegas on 3D printing and all the things it can do for your dental practice.  The best part of these lectures is that they are two days in length.  I promise they won't be boring!  That's mainly because one and a half of those days will be spent giving you hands-on time with design software and the 3D printing hardware.  I'm partnering with Medidenta on these courses and they will be at Medidenta's headquarters in Las Vegas.  The company has put a serious amount of resources into building a classroom that not only allows you to listen to lectures, it also allows attendees to *use the equipment*.  If you have an interest in learning  all about 3D printing, you can get 16 hours of CE from the course.  My goal is for you to leave with the knowledge and capabilities to 3D print with confidence the day equipment arrives in your office.

You don't have to have a 3D printer to attend.  In fact, I'd prefer you NOT have a printer.  Rather than buy something, learn to use it, and try to implement it... my idea is for you to learn what you need to know and *then* decide to make a purchase afterwards.  So plan on coming out to Las Vegas on June 21-22, 2025 and learn how 3D printing can change your office in so, so many ways.  For more info, click this link.  If you're interested in other courses offered by other incredible and well known presenters, follow this link for all the courses Medidenta has planned.  If you have any questions or would like more info on my Medidenta courses, please leave a comment and I'll try and give you my very best answers.  One thing I can guarantee is that if you attend, we are going to have fun!

Overjet Announces Dental Clarity Network to Streamline Benefits for Patients

 

Here's some cool news.  As we all know, AI isn't just about reading radiographs.  Although there's been a great deal of focus on that in the industry.  AI has lots of other uses and while radiography has gotten the bulk of the focus and promotion in dentistry, there are other ways to utilize the tech to benefit dentistry.

For instance, Pearl is best known for their AI platform Second Opinion, but the company also provides AI analytical tools for offices under the product name Practice Intelligence.

And while Overjet is known for it's product called Iris the company is also working on other ways to help doctors utilize AI to benefit their offices and patients.  Today's post is an announcement by Overjet about one of those new systems.

The company has a pretty impressive announcement about the Dental Clarity Network.  Read on for all the details...

 

In partnership with leading dental providers and insurers, Overjet will give patients instant clarity on their treatment costs and coverage — while they’re still in the chair.

Overjet, the world-leader in dental AI, today announced the launch of the Dental Clarity Network (DCN). The DCN is a group of major companies across the dental care system that are using cutting-edge technology to improve the patient experience, while removing friction between payers and providers.

The group’s first initiative is introducing ReviewPASS: A technology that lets providers know that they’ll be skipping the manual insurance review process for a wide range of procedures. Today, 63% of patients say they’ve felt “confused and uncertain” about the costs of dental work, according to an Overjet survey of more than 1,000 US adults. ReviewPASS addresses this long-standing challenge by enabling patients to confidently understand and use their dental benefits in real time. The result is confidence — for both patients and dentists — in the nature and speed of future reimbursement.
Many of the largest dental providers and insurers have already joined the Dental Clarity Network. Overjet’s founding partners include MetLife, Humana, Guardian, Dental Care Alliance, The Smilist Dental, North American Dental Group, InterDent, and CORDENTAL GROUP. Overjet expects ReviewPASS to be in live testing with at least 5 of the top 20 US dental insurers by mid-2025. Across the board, these partners are playing a critical role in developing the new technology and processes that enable patients to instantly understand their benefits coverage — without needing to wait for clinical review of their claims.

“We’re thrilled to partner with innovators who want to move the dental industry forward on insurance reimbursement and eliminate a key pain point for everyone,” said Overjet CEO Wardah Inam. “Cross-industry problems require cross-industry solutions. Overjet and our partners are committed to using technology to advance patient oral health.”

ReviewPASS is the first real-time, upfront service that indicates an insurance claim will bypass clinical review by dental consultants. It covers reviews on more than 300 dental procedures, including higher-cost procedures frequently reviewed by insurers such as crowns, core buildups, impactions, scaling and root planing, and implants. ReviewPASS also automates the assembly of needed documentation to lower administrative burden on dental practices. Importantly, ReviewPASS never denies inquiries; it does provide tips on helpful documents to support benefits approvals.

“We’re focused on ensuring patients have access to the dental care needed to support their well-being, without the concern of receiving a surprise bill,” said Dr. Pete Fuentes, Chief Dental Officer at MetLife. “In collaboration with Overjet, MetLife will support cost transparency by offering policyholders real-time chairside understanding of dental coverage based on the treatment plan and documentation provided by their dentist. In return, providers will understand any gaps in documentation upfront and can be paid faster.”

Overjet launched ReviewPASS in private beta testing in February 2025, with a plan to scale up the technology for industry-wide use later in 2025. If an instant ReviewPASS response is not possible without more information, dentists can still go through existing processes with insurers.

“Patients deserve to have confidence in their insurance benefits coverage when they move forward with dental care,” said Andrew Mintz, CEO of The Smilist Dental. “But today, the process of getting a traditional predetermination often takes weeks. Ultimately, ReviewPASS will allow us to give patients clarity on their costs upfront — so they can schedule or even complete care on the same day. It’s a big step forward for dentistry.”

Dental offices can join the waitlist for ReviewPASS and learn more by visiting Overjet.com/ReviewPASS.

About Overjet
Overjet is the world-leader in dental AI. Founded by experts from MIT and Harvard University, Overjet builds artificial intelligence that helps dental organizations give patients the highest quality of care. Our technology is FDA-cleared to detect, outline, and quantity major oral health conditions — so that dentists can detect pathologies with precision and educate patients with confidence. To learn more, visit Overjet.com.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

About Guardian
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Guardian, which is based in New York City, is a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits, and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which included a 2025 dividend allocation of $1.6 billion — the largest in the company's history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About Dental Care Alliance
Dental Care Alliance’s mission is to advance the practice of dentistry by partnering with and supporting dental professionals to create a lifetime of healthy smiles. DCA currently supports over 400 allied practices and supports over 900 dentists across 24 states. DCA’s allied practices represent all dental specialties and treat patients under more than 150 brand names. Learn more at dentalcarealliance.com.

About North American Dental Group
Established in 2008, North American Dental Group (NADG) is a dental services organization that supports more than 220 affiliated practices across 15 states in their mission to provide best-of-class dental care to every patient at every visit. NADG is a doctor-led organization with a culture of dentistry driven by a patient-centric approach. The affiliated dentists, who comprise the Professional Dental Alliance group, advance patient care through technology, data, compassion and thoughtful patient education. For more information, please visit www.nadentalgroup.com.

About The Smilist Dental

The Smilist was founded in 2014 to create a dental organization with a strong consumer brand that offers exceptional patient experiences. Since its founding, The Smilist has rapidly grown to be one of the leading dental support organizations in the Northeast supporting over 90 locations with over 1,700 employees in 7 states. To learn more, visit www.thesmilist.com.

About CORDENTAL Group

CORDENTAL Group® is a dental support organization that brings together some of the best dental practices within the Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Southeastern United States as an industry leading DSO. Founded upon strong guiding principles, CORDENTAL promotes a dentist-centric approach that allows dentists and their teams to concentrate on what they do best — provide the highest level of quality clinical care to their patients. For additional information on CORDENTAL Group®, visit the Company’s website at www.cordentalgroup.com.

About InterDent

InterDent supports over 160 dental practices across eight states, employing more than 450 dentists. Gentle Dental®, Blue Oak Dental®, and Smile Keepers provide comprehensive care, including general, cosmetic, and specialty dentistry. For more information, visit www.interdent.com or www.interdent.com/gentle-dental. 

2025 Dental Industry Outlook: 60% of Practices Report Same-Store Growth, Defying Economic Uncertainty

 

Some interesting information today courtesy of Planet DDS.  The company provides a Cloud based practice management system that has gained some serious traction.  They also feature integration with Pearl's radiographic AI system called Second Opinion.  

I think anyone who is involved with the numbers end of a dental practice will be able to glean some pretty good info from this report.  A big thank you to Planet DDS for putting this report together and providing it to the profession.

Newly released industry data shows that 60% of practices saw same-store production growth in 2024, despite economic challenges. Based on operational data from 3,400 practices, the first-of-its-kind 2025 Dental Industry Outlook report breaks down key trends in case acceptance, patient volume, and revenue growth, giving DSOs and multi-location practices a clearer picture of where they stand. Beyond the numbers, the report explores broader industry shifts, including workforce trends, emerging technologies, and insights from over 20 industry leaders.

Treatment Case Acceptance & Completion Rates

Nearly half (49%) of practices had case acceptance rates between 40% and 70%.

However, the average case completion rate was 42%, reflecting how cost, urgency, and patient understanding of their treatment plan impact follow-through.

Patient Volume & Scheduling Efficiency

• Patient volume varies significantly by practice size: 41.2% of practices see fewer than 19 new patients per month, while 16.6% report more than 80 new patient visits per month—a disparity driven by provider capacity, service offerings, and appointment availability.
• 15.5% of patients cancel appointments in advance, impacting scheduling efficiency.
• 7.4% of patients fail to show up without notice, creating revenue losses and operational inefficiencies.

Revenue & Practice Performance

• 60% of practices reported year-over-year same-store production growth in 2024, defying economic uncertainty. An analysis of 2,200 practices on Denticon practice management for at least 24 months reveals steady performance gains comparing 2023 quarterly data to 2024:
• Q1 2024: 2.4% growth
• Q2 2024: 3.2% growth
• Q3 2024: 5.5% growth
• Q4 2024: 4.6% growth

• Average daily gross production per provider:

• $1,058 per hygienist
• $3,815 per dentist
• $8,436 per practice

“The dental industry is transforming before our eyes,” said AJ Acierno, President of Clinical Operations at Smile Brands. “Advancements in AI, automation, and integrated platforms are reshaping everything from patient care to operational efficiency. DSOs that embrace these innovations are not just adapting; they’re leading the way in improving patient outcomes, streamlining workflows, and driving sustainable growth. The insights in this report provide a clear roadmap for navigating this evolution.”

Beyond the Numbers: Expert Insights & Market Trends

In addition, the 2025 Dental Industry Outlook extends beyond performance metrics and features insights from industry leaders, technology experts, and business strategists on the future of dentistry. The report covers the changing workforce, emerging technologies, and strategic business trends that are reshaping practice management and patient care. A few key highlights include:

- Shifting demographics: The report highlights the growing presence of women in dentistry, with 57% of dentists entering the field now female, a significant change that is influencing practice leadership and patient care dynamics.

- Dental hygiene trends: The dental hygienist shortage remains a pressing challenge, with 91% of practices struggling to hire hygienists and wages increasing by as much as 20% since 2000.

The 2025 Dental Industry Outlook was unveiled at the recent Planet DDS Orbit Conference in March 2025 and will be published by Planet DDS annually to provide ongoing benchmark data for DSOs and multi-location practices.

"The 2025 Dental Industry Outlook serves as a strategic compass, offering unprecedented visibility into key practice metrics," said Eric Giesecke, CEO of Planet DDS. "It provides a clear picture of where the industry is and where it's headed, and we hope that practices will use these insights to measure their performance and identify opportunities for growth."

To download the full report, visit 2025 Dental Industry Outlook.

Methodology & Data Collection

The datasets presented in the report are cited accordingly, including from the analysis of 3,400 practices on Denticon practice management solution. The data review process involved quantitative and qualitative analysis, data mapping, statistical modeling, normalization, anonymization, and validation.

About Planet DDS

Planet DDS is a leading provider of a platform of cloud-based solutions that empowers growth-minded dental businesses. Now serving over 13,000 practices and 118,000 customers in North America, Planet DDS delivers a comprehensive suite of solutions, including Denticon Practice Management, Cloud 9 Ortho Practice Management, Apteryx Cloud Imaging, and Planet DDS Practice Marketing. Planet DDS is dedicated to enabling dental support organizations (DSOs) and groups to grow and thrive with technology that delivers seamless integrations, improved workflows, and future-proof scalability. To learn more, visit: Planet DDS.

If you are part of the dental profession, no one needs to tell you that things change pretty quickly.  The progress in the industry and the profession is akin to a 'moving sidewalk' where, if you aren't continuously moving forward, you're moving backward.

However, good education can be difficult to obtain.  In person events can mean travel or at least closing the office while the team attends.  That means expenses continue while also paying for education.  One of the silver linings of the Covid debacle was that it forced tech developers to create efficient ways for people to hold virtual meetings.

Today's post is about a new learning platform for virtual education.  Read on for the details.

New partnership expands access to elite dental training nationwide, connecting thousands of dental professionals through innovative technology

The American Dental Institute has long been recognized for its state-of-the-art dental lab, which offers unparalleled hands-on training for dental professionals. However, until now, this world-class education has been limited to those able to attend in person. Through FanHero's innovative platform, ADI will now be able to offer:

• Nationwide Access: Bringing ADI’s elite training and customized programming to dental professionals anywhere in the U.S.
• Interactive Learning: Engaging content delivery through virtual workshops, live events, and on-demand courses.
• Community Building: A dedicated space for dentists to connect, share knowledge, and grow together.

"We are thrilled to partner with the American Dental Institute to bring their exceptional educational offerings to a broader audience," said Humberto Farias, CEO of FanHero. "Their commitment to excellence in dental education aligns perfectly with our mission to empower organizations with the tools they need to build stronger communities. This partnership enables ADI to connect with dentists across the country in new and innovative ways."

Professional development and continuous learning in dentistry is integral to moving the industry forward. This partnership with FanHero will enable ADI to expand these offerings to include online courses, virtual workshops, and live events that can be accessed by licensed dentists from anywhere in the country. The community of dentists within the platform will help ADI build customized content based on their day-to-day needs and fresh perspectives on best practices in the industry.

"This partnership with FanHero is a game-changer for us," said Guilherme Teles, CEO of the American Dental Institute. "We have always been passionate about providing the highest quality dental education, and now, with FanHero's support, we can extend our reach and impact to dentists across the nation. We're excited to see this collaboration transform how we engage with our community."

For more information about this partnership and how it will benefit dental professionals, visit www.fanhero.com and www.americandentalinstitute.com.

About American Dental Institute:

American Dental Institute is a premier dental education facility located in Orlando, Florida, dedicated to providing cutting-edge training and continuing education for dental professionals. Known for its state-of-the-art lab and commitment to excellence, ADI is at the forefront of dental education in the United States. 

About FanHero:

Established in 2016, FanHero has swiftly transitioned from app development for celebrities to a pioneering force in the video technology realm. Renowned for its innovative white-label live streaming and OTT solutions, the company has garnered accolades, including being named among the top 10 fastest-growing startups at SXSW in 2017. FanHero's intuitive platform, tailored for both on-demand and live content, empowers creators and businesses globally, ensuring seamless video experiences. With its expansion in 2020, it now offers a robust cloud-based video platform, trusted by clients worldwide for reliability and performance.

ADA highlights health policy issues in letter to RFK Jr.

 

Today's post is short, because the majority of what you need to know is available in the link at the bottom of this post.

Another post about the ADA here.  As I've said a lot on the blog over the years, dentistry needs a unified voice to speak for us.  That's especially true when public health in concerned.  There are several issues that are facing dentistry currently and many of them also impact the overall public health of the patients we serve.

On March 5th, the American Dental Association sent a letter to Robert Kennedy, Jr who is serving as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  The March 5 letter states that oral health is a critical component of overall health and that addressing challenges in this area will lead to improvements in the well-beings of Americans.  

Rather than summarizing this pretty important letter, I'd prefer that all of you please read it in its entirety.  The letter is nine pages long, but covers many issues both doctors and patients need to be aware of.  The ADA has make the letter available via pdf format.  The letter can be read and/or downloaded at this link.  

I'd like to say a big thank you to the ADA.  We need a unified voice in dentistry.