Academy of Laser Dentistry Kicks-Off Webinar Series with “Dentistry’s New Secret Weapon: Photobiomodulation - Low Level Lasers”

 

The Academy of Laser Dentistry (ALD), the only independent and unbiased non-profit association dedicated to improving patient care with the proper use of laser technology, will be kicking-off a new CE webinar series under the theme, “Where Clinical Efficiency Meets Business Success.”
According to ALD Executive Director, Gail Siminovsky, CAE, “For more than 25 years, the ALD has been dedicated to providing its members with the tools they need for achieving clinical and business success in laser dentistry. Our new webinar series is the latest example. What’s more, these presentations will be available on-demand for convenient ALD member access throughout the world.”

The ALD CE Webinar Series is free to members, but non-members will be able to participate for $50.00 per session and receive 1 CEU. “We believe having the ability to access all our webinars as many times as you want is a valuable benefit of being an ALD member,” explains Siminovsky.
The ALD CE Webinar Series will kick-off on July 24th from 7-8 pm EDT with “Dentistry’s New Secret Weapon: Photobiomodulation - Low Level Lasers.” This session will demonstrate how the power of low-level lasers can be used to heal tissue quickly and reduce pain without the use of opioids.

The presenter, internationally-renown PBM expert Dr. Gerry Ross will also explain the underlying science behind PBM, proper PBM dosage, which lasers on the market are designed for PBM and the revenue-building benefits of adopting PBM in your practice.

Other webinars currently planned for the ALD CE Webinar Series include the following*:
• August: Advances in Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment
• September: Biofilm Control as an Adjunct to Soft Tissue Laser Treatment
• October: Improving Implant Outcomes with Laser Surgery
• November: Using Lasers Effectively for Treating Periodontal Disease
• December: Year-End & New Year Financial Planning Considerations
• January: The Laser-Equipped Hygienist
• February: Successfully Treating Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs) with Lasers
• March: Asset Protection, Tax Savings and Lawsuit Prevention
* Final schedule subject to change. Presenters to be announced on the ALD CE Webinar Series web page.

To reserve your spot for the July 24th webinar “Dentistry’s New Secret Weapon: Low Lever Lasers,” click here: http://bit.ly/2MRVZzr. be sure to visit this page frequently for the latest confirmed webinar dates, times, topics and presenters.

About the Academy of Laser Dentistry:
The Academy of Laser Dentistry (ALD) is the only independent and unbiased non-profit association devoted to laser dentistry and includes clinicians, academicians and researchers in all laser wavelengths. The Academy is devoted to clinical education, research, and the development of standards and guidelines for the safe and effective use of dental laser technology. ALD was founded in 1993, with the merging of the International Academy of Laser Dentistry, the North American Academy of Laser Dentistry and the American Academy of Laser Dentistry. For more information, visit www.LaserDentistry.org.

Cosmedent Continuing Education Course Fall 2019

 

Dr. Buddy Mopper will be presenting “The 3-P’s of Composite Bonding: Potential, Predictability and Profitability” at a new location, The University of Chicago’s Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago on September 27, 2019.

Dr. Mopper is one of the pioneers of direct resin bonding who has taught thousands of clinicians how to successfully incorporate direct resin bonding into their practices. In this 7 CE-credit course, you will understand how to utilize bonding in ways you never expected.

Join this class and discover how to treat more patients chairside. Learn all the composite dentistry that you may be missing in your practice and how doing more of it can benefit you financially and professionally. This full-day lecture will teach you how to make long-lasting, seamless and invisible restorations of all types. Learn an in-depth direct approach technique for Class III, Class IV, Class V, diastema closure, direct resin veneer, masking dark teeth, incisal reinforcement, repairs and more. From simple techniques to advanced techniques, this course covers it all.

Call Erika at 800-837-2321 or visit www.CEEchicago.com to register. Hurry, seating is limited, and this lecture will fill-up fast!

FDA Grapples with Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

 

It’s an interesting time to be alive, no doubt about it.  And it is *especially* an interesting time to be practicing in the healthcare arena.

The world is seeing an incredible increase in systems that are using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to take human beings out of the loop and increase the efficiency that computers bring to many processes that require pattern recognition.  For more than a year I’ve been working with a company called Parallel Dots that is working on a system called Dentistry A.I. that is bringing computer processing power to the realm of helping to read radiographs (x-rays).

The problem with these types of systems is to make sure they truly work as promised and that is the job of the FDA.  The federal agency reviews data and studies submitted by manufacturers and determines the safety and efficacy of them.  However, programs that learn and constantly change/update themselves are way different than a device used, for example, to deliver medications to a patient.

Due to this difference, the FDA is looking at ways to evaluate these new devices and programs that promise to greatly enhance and speed up diagnostics and other parts of the healthcare system.  Recently the FDA put a post on their website where the agency outlined some ideas on how they plan to approve these types of devices and systems.  The post states, in part, that:

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies have the potential to transform health care by deriving new and important insights from the vast amount of data generated during the delivery of health care every day. Medical device manufacturers are using these technologies to innovate their products to better assist health care providers and improve patient care. The FDA is considering a total product lifecycle-based regulatory framework for these technologies that would allow for modifications to be made from real-world learning and adaptation, while still ensuring that the safety and effectiveness of the software as a medical device is maintained.

The thoughts and points outlined in the post are interesting and forward thinking.  If you would like to read the entire post, follow this link.

What You Need to Know about Infection Control in a Digital World

 

At Dental Products Report, we often devote an issue to a certain topic and cover that topic from a variety of angles.  One of the recent topics we covered was infection control.  

Obviously in any healthcare environment, infection control is a key component.  However, with practices becoming more and more digital entities, I thought it was important to take a look at infection control in digital systems.  Here’s what I came up with:

In the years I’ve been in dentistry, we’ve seen phenomenal changes in infection control, both in hardware, delivery, materials, techniques and practically anything else that comes  into contact with the patient’s body.
As strange as it may seem to many of you reading this, there are a good number of doctors currently practicing who can remember providing treatment without wearing gloves.
The knowledge base that scientists and government organizations had should have been much more concerned about infection control and cross contamination in the late ‘70s and early '80s. Unfortunately, it took the tragedy of the AIDS epidemic to bring the focus of the CDC and OSHA to bear on both patient and employee safety. While there had been limited attempts to decrease possibilities of cross-contamination before, a serious threat created an incredible focus of resources on the problems.
Looking back on the idea of Universal Precautions with the hindsight of 30 years makes the practice obvious. However, at the time there was actually pushback from some individuals who thought loss of tactile sensation by using gloves would usher in a wave of subpar dentistry. Of course, those concerns seem almost silly now, but I can assure you, at the time those concerns were heard frequently.
Refocusing our concerns
As the Technology Evangelist, I’m now attempting to turn the profession’s eyes, ears and concerns in the direction of a different type of infection control. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began discussing the costs of healthcare as a percentage of GNP. The government was anticipating that by the year 2030, healthcare could potentially be 30 percent of the U.S. GNP. The concern? That any country spending that much on the health of its citizens can’t compete in the global economy.
That’s the reason there has been such a focus on the electronic health record (EHR) and other ways to increase the efficiency of healthcare delivery. The hope is that by increasing efficiency, costs can be decreased.
However, with the focus on using technology to increase efficiency, very few have stopped to consider the potential problems of digital security, or as I like to refer to it, “Digital Infection Control Engineering (DICE).”

You can’t get there from here
A brief history lesson is in order to put things in perspective. As the world became connected through the internet, organized crime saw huge potential profits through the use of spam email. There were many scams used, but the one that generated the most profits (and hence became the most popular with criminals) was the “online pharmacy.”
The fall of the Soviet Union left things highly unregulated as well as unmonitored. Many criminal enterprises sprung up in this “Wild West” environment driven by the desire for huge amounts of untaxed income.
They created tsunamis of spam that advertised “Canadian” pharmacies that sold medications below the prices available in America. Unknowing U.S. citizens, many of them senior citizens looking to save money on their prescriptions, ordered. They thought they were dealing with legitimate pharmacies, but instead, the drugs were manufactured in areas with little or no quality control. Russian criminals made obscene profits while patients were paying for medications that were not always 100 percent of what they were expecting.
The rest of the article can be found here…

Something that Could Reduce Opiate Necessity after Surgery or just a ‘Cool’ New Product?

 

A colleague just made me aware of this new product that looks really interesting and is used after surgery to reduce swelling and might just minimize dependency on pain killers. The new product is called Denta-Cool and is currently being used in the medical field for cancer patients after Chemo treatment with great results.  It’s a pretty simple concept - an icy mouthpiece you use after oral surgery. They have some kind of patented technology that makes it work. I’m going to evaluate it and let you know what I think.

There’s limited research on cryotherapy. Here’s what we know.

The first available report of oral cryotherapy is the use of ice to ease toothache, published in 1988. However, in the last decade, several individual research studies have reported the benefits of oral cryotherapy in treating dental conditions.
• A study in 2010 reported that the use of ice popsicles reduced discomfort and self-mutilation in children after dental treatment
• A study in 2016 on 75 teeth undergoing single-visit root canal treatment showed that irrigation with cold (2–4 °C) saline after root canal treatment resulted in significantly lesser pain
• A similar study in 2017 reported pain reduction in root canal treatment of teeth with vital pulps
• A study in 2015 on extracted teeth found that a five-minute irrigation of 20 teeth with cold (2.5 °C) saline resulted in a 10 °C temperature reduction of root surfaces for four minutes
• In 2013, a study on 86 teeth reported the reduction of bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis) in root canals due to irrigation with a cryogenic fluid
• In addition, oral cryotherapy was shown to be a potentially useful treatment for inflammatory conditions of the mouth such as specific types of gingival hyperplasia. In this study, liquid nitrogen was sprayed directly onto the tooth surface after xylocaine administration. Six sessions each consisting of four 20–30-second applications followed by 30-second thawing were used and found to be effective

If you’ve every sprained your ankle or been stung by a bee, common sense tells us that cold therapy will reduce swelling. So, it stands to reason 30 minutes of cryotherapy will have some effect - the jury is still  out on how much it helps. But the game-changer is if it works well enough to reduce or even eliminate opioids which is a hot topic right now.

You can check it out here and get a free sample to see if it works for your patients. I’ve ordered one and will let you know my findings down the road.

Ultradent’s VALO™ Curing Light and Gemini™ 810 + 980 Diode LaserWin 2019 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Awards

 

About 20 years ago I was approached by a friend, Dr. Lou Shuman, who at that time was president of the Pride Institute.  A huge percentage of Pride clients were asking their consultants to help them evaluate and determine the best high tech tools to invest in.  These practices understood the direction the profession was going in.  They wanted to ride the high tech wave into the land of efficiency and higher profitability, but they also wanted to be sure they were investing their resources in the right directions *and* the right vendors.  They were asking Pride to help provide guidance for this journey.

Lou reached out to me with a terrific idea.  He envisioned putting a panel of dentistry’s preeminent tech leaders together and having them discuss and vote on what they considered to be the “Best of Class”.  That way doctors could have access to an unbiased panel of experts who would provide a yearly update on their opinions of what tech was truly the best, most innovative, and most game changing for the practice looking for leading edge products and techniques.

Since the group’s inception all those years ago, we have spent countless hours researching the best options our profession has to choose from.  This is a job that we take very seriously and we work incredibly hard to create the and cull the list that becomes the “Best of Class” awards for each calendar year.  Now that the winners for 2019 have been announced, you’ll be seeing lots of information about the winning products and the braintrusts that form the companies behind those products.  As a Cellerant member, this is my favorite time of year.

Many companies manage to put one product into the list on occasion, but it is the best of the best that manage to get 2 products there.  It’s even MORE rare for that to happen more than one year in a row. That’s why I’m so impressed with the success of Ultradent.Their VALO curing light is truly the best of the best (a many multi-year winner) and their Gemini Laser has one 2 years in a row.  Read on for information on these amazing devices and then call your Ultradent rep and order them!  These are truly game changers for your practice!

Ultradent Products, Inc., is pleased to announce that the Gemini  810 + 980 diode laser and the VALO curing light family—which includes the VALO and VALO Grand corded and cordless curing lights—have been selected as 2019 winners of the Cellerant “Best of Class” Technology Award. This is the VALO curing light’s sixth win and the Gemini laser’s third win. Now in its 11th year, the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award recognizes manufacturers and service providers for their innovations and is one of the most prestigious dental industry honors.

“We are entering a new era in dentistry—one that will change how we diagnose, treat, and manage our patients and practices,” said Dr. Lou Shuman, CEO of Cellerant and founder of the Best of Class Technology Awards. “This was a breakthrough year in product and services technologies. The panel spent hundreds of hours in close discussion reviewing and analyzing the corporate landscape. Pay close attention to our winners as they are truly leading the way to provide you what is best in today’s contemporary practice.”

Of the Best of Class Honors, Ultradent’s global brand manager of equipment, Oliver Brown, said, “The VALO curing light family (VALO and VALO Grand) continues to be a wonderful culmination of brilliant clinical direction that has led to unsurpassed durability and incredible engineering, all in a sleek design. The precision that goes into every aspect of each VALO curing light is proof of the quality and care we strive to provide for our customers with products made for dentists by dentists. The Gemini 810 + 980 diode laser is another product that demonstrates our continued commitment to cutting edge innovation in the products we sell. We’re very grateful for the praise and recognition for both products from the highly respected Best of Class voters and the amazing Cellerant Consultant Group. It is truly an honor.”

Each year, Best of Class winners are chosen by a panel comprised of leading voices in dental technology who come together to discuss, debate, and decide which products merit recognition. “If there isn’t a clear winner in a category, then we don’t select one,” said Chris Salierno, DDS, Cellerant Best of Class panel member. “This award is about letting the public know when a company has raised the bar.” John Flucke, DDS, another Cellerant panel member added, “Our goal is to help the doctor make the best decisions for their office, which, in the end, benefits the patients that we all serve. I’m honored to be able to help my peers with the decision-making process and help them wade through a plethora of high-tech products that can change offices and lives for the better.”

The 2019 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award is selected by a panel of the most prominent technology leaders in the industry: Paul Feurstein, DMD, technology editor for Dentistry Today, John Flucke, DDS, technology editor for Dental Products Report, Marty Jablow, DMD, known as American’s technology coach, Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, editor-in-chief of Inside Dental Hygiene, Chris Salierno, DDS, editor-in-chief of Dental Economics, and Lou Shuman, DMD, BAGS, founder and creator of the Best of Class Technology Award.

About Ultradent Products, Inc.

Ultradent Products, Inc., is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments. Founded in 1978 as a family-owned company, Ultradent’s vision remains to continue to improve oral health globally by creating better dental products that set new industry standards. Ultradent also aims to improve quality of live and the health of individuals through financial and charitable programs.

About The Cellerant “Best of Class” Technology Awards

Since the inaugural presentation in 2009, the Best of Class Technology Awards have grown to occupy a unique space in dentistry by creating awareness in the community of manufacturers that are driving the discussion as to how practices will operate now and in the future.

The selection process relies on an expert panel of dentists recognized as thought leaders and educators. It includes Dr. Paul Feuerstein, Dr. John Flucke, Dr. Marty Jablow, Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, Dr. Chris Salierno, and Dr. Lou Shuman. Over the course of each year, the panel members seek out and conduct research on potentially practice-changing technologies, with deliberations on nominees and final voting taking place in February. Panelists are precluded from voting in any category where they have consulting relationships. The entire selection process is conducted and managed on a not-for-profit basis.
For more information on the Cellerant Best of Class Awards and the 2019 Award Winners, go to cellerantconsulting.com/bestofclass.
About Cellerant Consulting Group
Founded and led by CEO Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS, Cellerant provides strategic dental market insights, clinical expertise, implementation resources and support to accelerate growth for client dental companies. Cellerant services include new concept incubation, clinical product evaluation, product development, continuing education program development and CE sponsorship, strategic branding and marketing, online marketing, content marketing, and dental media relations management. As an orthodontist and former owner of a 10-doctor multi-specialty private group practice, Dr. Shuman guides clients to offer products that engage dental customers and provide sustained differentiation. Cellerant operates under a unique model that merges leading voices in clinical product evaluation and strategic partner companies to provide a menu of services from one easily accessible network.
Press Contact for Cellerant
Lauren Burns Krzyzostaniak
Executive Consultant
Cellerant Consulting Group
Phone: 800.884.5707x107
lauren@cellerantconsulting.com
www.cellerantconsulting.com

Congratulations to Patient Prism - A Cellerant Best of Class Technology Winner!

 

As a member of the Cellerant panel I can tell you that we take the responsibility of the voting very, very seriously.  That’s why I’m proud to say that Patient Prism was a first time winner this year.  The company has a unique product that I feel can benefit *any* practice whether it is just starting or a mature practice simply wanting to provide better coaching and profitability.

Give their info here a read.  I think you’ll be impressed.  I certainly was.

Patient Prism announced today it won a 2019 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award, one of the most prestigious awards in dentistry.
Patient Prism is a patented call-tracking and call-coaching program that analyzes every new patient phone call, identifies individuals who end the call without booking, and provides rapid call analysis and effective training designed to win back that potential patient – all within one hour.
“As dentists, many of us spend a significant amount of money on advertising to generate new patients to secure practice growth. What we may not know is that we may be losing potential clients even though they took the next step to call the office,” said Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, a Cellerant Best of Class panel member. “Patient Prism helps to limit lost clientele and will help to create an effective calling experience with your office. It’s a must for most offices.”
“We are entering a new era in dentistry — one that will change how we diagnose, treat, and manage our patients and practices," said Dr. Lou Shuman, CEO of Cellerant and founder of the Best of Class Technology Awards. "This was a breakthrough year in product and services technologies. The panel spent hundreds of hours in close discussion reviewing and analyzing the corporate landscape. Pay close attention to our winners as they are truly leading the way to provide you what is best in today's contemporary practice.”
The 2019 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award is selected by a panel of the most prominent technology leaders in dentistry: Paul Feuerstein, DMD, technology editor for Dentistry Today, John Flucke, DDS, technology editor for Dental Products Report, Marty Jablow, DMD, known as America’s technology coach, Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, editor-in-chief of Inside Dental Hygiene, Chris Salierno, DDS, editor-in-chief of Dental Economics, and Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS, founder and creator of the Best of Class Technology Award.
“We set out to solve a problem that affects almost every dental practice: how to turn more callers into booked appointments. It’s an honor to receive this recognition and we look forward to accepting the award at the American Dental Association FDI World Dental Congress in San Francisco,” said Amol Nirgudkar, CEO of Patient Prism.
About Patient Prism
Patient Prism is a call-tracking and call-coaching software designed exclusively for dental offices to improve new patient call conversions and increase dental office revenue. Its patented solutions provide business analytics, coaching tips, and actionable data for improving staff performance, call conversions, and recovered revenue. For more information, visit http://www.PatientPrism.com or call (800) 381-3638.
About the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award
Since the inaugural presentation in 2009, the Best of Class Technology Awards have grown to occupy a unique space in dentistry by creating awareness in the community of manufacturers that are driving the discussion as to how practices will operate now and in the future.
The selection process relies on an expert panel of dentists recognized as thought leaders and educators. It includes Dr. Paul Feuerstein, Dr. John Flucke, Dr. Marty Jablow, Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, Dr. Chris Salierno, and Dr. Lou Shuman. Over the course of each year, the panel members seek out and conduct research on potentially practice-changing technologies, with deliberations on nominees and final voting taking place in February. Panelists are precluded from voting in any category where they have consulting relationships. The entire selection process is conducted and managed on a not-for-profit basis.
For more information on the Cellerant Best of Class Awards and the 2019 Award Winners, go to cellerantconsulting.com/bestofclass.
About Cellerant Consulting Group
Founded and led by CEO Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS, Cellerant provides strategic dental market insights, clinical expertise, implementation resources and support to accelerate growth for client dental companies. Cellerant services include new concept incubation, clinical product evaluation, product development, continuing education program development and CE sponsorship, strategic branding and marketing, online marketing, content marketing and dental media relations management. As an orthodontist and former owner of a 10-doctor multi-specialty private group practice, Dr. Shuman guides clients to offer products that engage dental customers and provide sustained differentiation. Cellerant operates under a unique model that merges leading voices in clinical product evaluation and strategic partner companies to provide a menu of services from one easily accessible network.