DMG Offers Two New CE Opportunities for Provisional Restorations

 

 

Live webinar and recorded podcast help clinicians enhance outcomes and efficiency

 

Those of you who are interested in great learning experiences are in for a treat.  Two incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining speakers are going to be providing some great information courtesy of DMG.  Dr. David Little and Dr. Gary Radz will both be bringing their clinical experiences, tips, and tricks to 2 different programs.  I’ve both of these gentlemen for well over ten years and I can tell you first hand that these guys are the real deal.  After these programs you will have good info that you can immediately put to place in your practice the very next day.  Quite honestly, I cannot say enough good things about these 2 individuals.  They are not only tremendous teachers, they are tremendous human beings as well.

Make sure that you set time aside to get these 2 programs into your schedule.  Oh, and be sure to patronize DMG for being gracious and smart enough to provide these programs.

 

Here is all the info:

 

DMG, a leading manufacturer of dental restorative materials and preventive products, announced a new webinar and a new podcast that offer continuing education on the
topic of provisional restorations.

At 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, March 28, 2019, David Little, DDS will conduct a live webinar titled “Solutions for Implant Supported Provisional Restorations.” The webinar will focus on a discussion of materials and techniques for direct implant provisionals as well as indirect techniques, including digital technology. The topic will be of great interest to any clinician who places implants, as provisional restorations play a vital role in achieving predictable and successful outcomes in implant dentistry.

Interested clinicians can register for the webinar at http://dmglearning.com/upcoming.asp. For those who cannot view the live webinar, it will be available on an on-demand basis beginning in early April at
http://dmglearning.com/training.asp. Both live and on-demand viewers will receive 1.0 CEU.

In addition, DMG has released a new podcast, “Efficiencies in Fabrication of a Long Term Provisional Crown.”  Featuring an interview with Gary Radz, DDS, the episode discusses how efficiency can be enhanced in the fabrication of long term provisional crowns as well as in clinical applications and techniques while delivering excellent outcomes. The 15-minute episode, for which listeners will receive 0.25 CEU, can be accessed at https://vivalearning.com/member/podcast.asp?x_podcastId=115.

For information about DMG and its category-defining products, please visit https://www.dmg-america.com/.

About DMG

DMG America LLC manufactures and distributes market-leading restorative materials and preventive products that are internationally recognized for their quality and innovation. Known for breakthrough
material technology, including flagship products Luxatemp, LuxaCore Z Dual, and the revolutionary Icon resin infiltrant, DMG is committed to helping the dental profession meet its materials needs through
innovation, collaboration and dedication. For more information about DMG products, or to find a sales representative, visit them online at dmg-america.com, or call (800) 662-6383.

ADDRESS

DMG America
65 Challenger Road, Suite 340 Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 | USA

Off to the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting

 

I’m off to Atlanta to lecture for the Thomas P. Hinman dental society and their superb Hinman Dental Meeting.

Over the years, I’ve been incredibly blessed to be given the opportunity to lecture at a lot of meetings, and the Hinman meeting ranks up there as one the most amazing experiences.  It delivers top-notch education in a tremendous environment and is topped off by tremendous Southern Hospitality.  The good folks at the Hinman Dental Society do a lot of wonderful things for the profession and the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting is just one of them.  I always have a great time when I’m there and I am truly honored to help carry on the tradition started by Dr. Hinman back in the late 1800’s.  Dr. Hinman had a strong belief and focus on education and that has continued at the meeting to this day.
While I’m there, I’ll be teaching a hands-on course on Endodontics for the General Practitioner, a course on the benefits and science of clinical lasers, and one of my favorite lectures to present “Day to Day Technology” that is a chance for me to share about many of the tech tools that I use on a daily basis.
If you’re at the meeting, please be sure to look me up and say hi.  If you haven’t decided on all of your courses yet, I’d be honored to have you participate in one of mine.
Here is the history of the meeting.  After reading this, I’m confident that you will understand why I am so honored to be asked to be a part of it...

The History of Hinman
The Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting is sponsored by the Hinman Dental Society, a non-profit organization. The first meeting was held in 1912 by Dr. Thomas P. Hinman and was considered to be the first clinic strictly for serious-minded educational purposes. The meeting developed a reputation for devotion to detail and hospitality that continued to grow through the years with every meeting. These qualities are represented in the motto: Devotion to detail is the secret of success.

Born in 1870, Thomas Hinman graduated from Southern Dental College in Atlanta with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1891. The following year, he joined the faculty of his alma mater and became Professor of Oral Surgery. Dr. Hinman held high offices in many professional organizations including the appointment by President Woodrow Wilson as the U.S. Delegate and Honorary Chairman of the Section VIII of the Fourth International Congress of Dentists in London. This nomination was considered one of the highest tributes in the dental world.

The first classes for the Atlanta Midwinter Clinic, later renamed the Hinman Dental Meeting, were initially limited to 40 dentists with strict focus on education. The attendee was honor bound to return to his state dental society and present what he had learned in a formal program.

By the late ‘20's, the clinic was attracting national attention. Year after year, featured clinicians and attendees spread the word about the informative programs offered and the extraordinary hospitality extended to them. As the meeting grew, the location changed. The first meetings were held in the Piedmont Hotel, the Ansley Hotel, and, later, the Biltmore Hotel.

Exhibits were introduced in 1942 with 14 booths appearing in the Ballroom at the Biltmore Hotel. The meeting then moved to the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium at Courtland and Gilmer Streets in 1944 followed by the move to the new Atlanta Marriott Motor Hotel in 1966. In 1977, the meeting expanded to the Atlanta Hilton and Towers, and in 1986, it shared space between the Hilton and the new Atlanta Marriott Marquis. With the continued growth of meetings and exhibits, the Society voted to move the meeting to the Atlanta Market Center, using exhibit and meeting space in INFORUM, the Apparel Mart and the Merchandise Mart. In 1998, the meeting moved to the Georgia World Congress Center.

In 2018, nearly 20,000 dental professionals participated in the 106th annual Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center and Omni Hotel at CNN Center. The exhibits program included representatives from nearly 400 companies occupying more than 800 booths. Attendees were housed in 23 hotels in downtown, midtown, and Buckhead. They traveled from all 50 states and as far away as Japan and New Zealand.

Today, the focus is still on providing the best possible continuing dental education, not just for the dentists but also, the whole dental team. The program addresses the needs of the general dentists, specialists, hygienists, assistants, front office staff, laboratory technicians and students.

The Hinman Dental Society today is comprised of 800+ dentist members, primarily located in metropolitan Atlanta. The membership responsibilities include service during the meeting each year. This service enhances the reputation for unparalleled hospitality to continue. The combination of outstanding education and hospitality ensures the position of the Hinman Dental Meeting as one of the top dental programs in the country. 

The excess revenue of the Meeting is invested and then gifted in the form of scholarships to individuals and institutions that foster dental education whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level. The society has provided nearly $8,600,000 in total giving.

Wolverine Solutions Group Notifies 600,000 Patients of Data Breach

 

The breaches just keep on occurring and I keep reporting them in an attempt to help you readers understand how important data security is and how vigilant we all need to be.  If the professionals in this space are getting hacked, it’s that much easier for the bad guys when they turn their attention on us.

 

This latest event comes from the state of Michigan where a company named Wolverine Solutions Group has announced a breach that affected over 600,000 patients.  The company "performs services for health-related business clients”.  Among those clients is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Helath Alliance Plan, Three Rivers Health, North Ottawa Community Health System, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Covenant Hospital, Sparrow Hospital, and McLaren Health Care.  

 

In September, WSG was hit by a Ransomware attack which caused hard drives containing patient data to become encrypted and therefore inaccessible.  The company began to decrypt the files beginning on October 3rd and managed to get all files restored by October 25th.

 

The company began notifying patients and updated their announcement on February 27th, 2019.

 

 

Wolverine Services Group (“WSG”) performs services for health-related business clients, including various health plans and hospital systems (“Healthcare Clients”). We are posting this statement on our website as a precautionary measure and as part of our commitment to patient privacy. WSG takes patients’ privacy seriously, and it is important to us that you and the community that we serve are made fully aware of a recent security incident at WSG, which potentially involves personal information of health plan members and hospital patients.

 

On approximately September 25, 2018, WSG discovered that an unauthorized party gained access to its computer system and infected the system with malware. The malware encrypted many of WSG’s records, which made them inaccessible, in an effort to extort money from us. This is commonly referred to as “ransomware.”

Shortly after WSG learned of the incident, we began an internal investigation and hired outside forensic security experts to help us. A team of forensic experts arrived on October 3, 2018 to begin the decryption and restoration process. All impacted files needed to be carefully “cleaned” of any virus remnants prior to their review by forensic investigators. Most critical programs requiring decryption were restored by October 25, 2018, and WSG’s critical operations were running by November 5, 2018. However, the forensic team continued its decryption efforts on the impacted files to determine the type of information that was affected, the identities of our Healthcare Clients, and the specific individuals involved. Beginning in November and continuing in December, January, and early February, WSG discovered and was able to identify those Healthcare Clients whose information was impacted by the incident. The timing of our notices to impacted individuals has been based on these “rolling” discovery dates.  The first notices were mailed on December 28, 2018. Additional notices have been mailed in February and further notices will be mailed in March.  

 

As a result of our investigation, WSG believes that the records were simply encrypted. There is currently no indication that the information itself was extracted from WSG’s servers. Nevertheless, given the nature of the affected files, some of which contained individual patient information (names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, insurance contract information and numbers, phone numbers, and medical information, including some highly sensitive medical information), out of an abundance of caution, we mailed letters to all impacted individuals recommending that they take immediate steps to protect themselves from any potential misuse of their information.

 

WHAT WE ARE DOING

 

WSG is taking steps to guard against identity theft or fraud. We arranged for affected individuals to have AllClear ID protect their identity. The following identity protection services start on the date of the individual receiving a notice letter and can be used at any time during the next 12 months.

 

AllClear Identity Repair: This service is automatically available to you with no enrollment required. If a problem arises, simply call 855-861-4034and a dedicated investigator will help recover financial losses and restore your credit.

 

AllClear Fraud Alerts with Credit Monitoring: This service offers the ability to set, renew, and remove 90-day fraud alerts on your credit file to help protect you from credit fraud. In addition, it provides credit monitoring services, a once annual credit score and credit report, and a $1 million identity theft insurance policy. To enroll in this service, you will need to provide your personal information to AllClear ID. You may sign up online at enroll.allclearid.com or by phone by calling 855-861-4034. You will need to contact AllClear to obtain a Redemption Code to enroll in this services.

 

We also want to note that following your enrollment, additional steps are required by you in order to activate your AllClear phone alerts and fraud alerts, and to pull your credit score and credit file. Additional steps may also be required in order to activate your monitoring options.

 

We recommend you remain vigilant and consider taking one or more of the following steps to protect your protected health information or personal information:

 

Contact the nationwide credit-reporting agencies as soon as possible to add a fraud alert statement to your credit file at all three national credit-reporting agencies;
Remove your name from mailing lists of pre-approved offers of credit for approximately six months;
Receive a free copy of your credit report by going to www.annualcreditreport.com;
Pay close attention to all bills and credit-card charges you receive for items you did not contract for or purchase;
Review all of your bank account statements frequently for checks, purchases, or deductions not made by you;
If you suspect or know that you are the victim of identity theft, you should contact local police and you also can report this to the Fraud Department of the FTC.
We also recommend that you regularly review statements from your accounts (i.e., account statements and Explanations of Benefits (“EOB”)) and periodically obtain your credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. You may obtain a free copy of your credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com, by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228, or by mailing an Annual Credit Report Request Form (available at www.annualcreditreport.com) to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281. You may also purchase additional copies of your credit report by contacting one or more of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies listed below.

 

Equifax:           P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0241, 1-800-685-1111, www.equifax.com

 

Experian:         P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013, 1-888-397-3742, www.experian.com 

 

TransUnion:    P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022, 1-800-888-4213 www.transunion.com

 

When you receive your credit reports, account statements and EOBs, review them carefully.  Look for accounts or creditor inquiries, transactions or services that you did not initiate or do not recognize.  Look for information, such as home address and Social Security Number, which is not accurate.  If you see anything you do not understand, call the consumer reporting agency at the telephone number on the report, the company issuing the account statement, your provider rendering services or the insurance company issuing your EOB. Additional information regarding Identity Theft Protection is available here.  We have also posted a list of Frequently Asked Questions, which is available here.

 

We take the protection of your personal information seriously and took steps to prevent a similar occurrence. We migrated to a different computer system that has added protections and trained our workforce in safeguards.

 

If you have further questions about identify protection services, please contact enroll.allclearid.com or by phone by calling 855-861-4034.  We sincerely apologize to you and all our Healthcare clients for concern caused by this incident.

 

Sincerely,

Wolverine Solutions Group

Even the Watchers are Vulnerable to Security Problems

 

 

 

 

In this world where data security is of the upmost importance for both confidentiality AND to avoid costly fines, even those who are in charge of enforcing the regulations must be constantly vigilant of their own data security.

 

The OIG (Office of Inspector General) or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released a report detailing its penetration testing of several different HHS networks.  Pen testing as it’s known stands for “penetration testing” and is basically utilizing any and all methods to get past security.  This includes both hardware & software hacking over the Internet as well as “Social Engineering” which is convincing someone to give you information that they shouldn’t via some method of manipulation.  

 

No matter who you are, everyone needs to be aware of the ways data can be compromised, and in actuality, it’s more common for social engineering to at least start the process than just straight out hacking.  So even though HHS is in charge of enforcing the laws regarding patient data security, they also are subject to attacks and need to be prepared and informed.

 

To that end, the OIG ran penetration testing on 8 HHS Operating Division Networks and here is what they found:

 

We conducted a series of audits at eight HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) using network and web application penetration testing to determine how well HHS systems were protected when subject to cyberattacks.

 

Our objectives were to determine whether security controls were effective in preventing certain cyberattacks, the likely level of sophistication an attacker needs to compromise systems or data, and HHS OPDIVs' ability to detect attacks and respond appropriately.

 

During fiscal years 2016 and 2017, we conducted tests at eight HHS OPDIVs. We contracted with Defense Point Security (DPS) to provide knowledgeable subject matter experts to conduct the penetration testing on behalf of OIG. We closely oversaw the work performed by DPS, and testing was performed in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards and agreed-upon Rules of Engagement between OIG and the OPDIVs.

 

On the basis of the systems we tested, we determined that security controls across the eight HHS OPDIVs needed improvement to more effectively detect and prevent certain cyberattacks. During testing, we identified vulnerabilities in configuration management, access control, data input controls, and software patching.

 

We shared with senior-level HHS information technology management the common root causes for the vulnerabilities we identified, information regarding HHS's cybersecurity posture, and four broad recommendations that HHS should implement across its enterprise to more effectively address these vulnerabilities. We also provided separate reports with detailed results and specific recommendations to each OPDIV after testing was completed. We will be following up with each OPDIV on the progress of implementing our recommendations.

 

Based on the findings of this audit, we have initiated a new series of audits looking for indicators of compromise on HHS and OPDIV systems to determine whether an active threat exists on HHS networks or whether there has been a past breach by threat actors.

 

We provided to HHS a restricted roll-up report of the results of our testing at the eight OPDIVs. The report included four broad recommendations that HHS should implement across its enterprise.

 

In written comments on our draft summary report, HHS management concurred with our recommendations and described actions it has taken or plans to take to ensure they are addressed. HHS also indicated that the OPDIVs have incorporated actions to address their individual vulnerabilities and that HHS will follow up with them to ensure that these have all been addressed.

 

We would like to thank HHS and its OPDIVs for the cooperation we received throughout the penetration testing.

Last Chance Online Registration for ALD 2019: Dentistry’s Laser Meeting

 

“The Laser-Systemic Connection: Lighting the Way to a Healthier Mouth and Body” is Taking Place in Dallas on April 4th-6th in Dallas, Texas

 

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, is announcing that March 29th will be the last day to register online for its upcoming annual conference and exhibition.

We’ll still accommodate on-site registrations during the conference, but lectures are expected to be standing room only and several hands-on workshops are already sold out,” explained ALD executive director Gail Siminovsky, CAE.  

Known internationally as “Dentistry’s Laser Meeting”, ALD 2019 is at the Hilton Dallas/Plano/Granite Park from April 4th – 6th. The meeting’s focus is “The Laser-Systemic Connection: Lighting the Way to a Healthier Mouth and Body.”

We’re very excited about the theme of ALD 2019,” said Siminovsky. “For decades, ALD members were the unsung heroes of oral-systemic health. First by applying laser technology to treat periodontal disease and more recently, by applying light therapy to help patients suffering from the oral mucositis side-effects of chemotherapy, TMJ, sleep apnea and other medical conditions.”

The educational tracks and workshops that support the laser-systemic connection theme include the following:

• Innovation, Wellness and Medically Compromised Patients
• Periodontal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
• Photobiomodulation
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The ALD 2019 program is rounded out by educational sessions and/or workshops on the following topics:

• Hygiene
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Implantology
• Oral Surgery
• Laser Safety Training
• Financial Planning/Wealth Management

Kicking off ALD 2019 will be keynote speaker Charles Whitney, MD, the nation’s leading physician advocate for bridging the oral-systemic gap. Dr. Whitney’s specialty of heart attack, stroke and dementia prevention relies heavily on collaborating with dental clinicians to accurately diagnose and effectively treat periodontal disease.

Dr. Whitney’s presentation will help ALD 2019 attendees connect the dots on how to bring the message of oral-systemic connections into their practices, “I love watching the lightbulb go on in the eyes of my audience when they learn how to take the oral-systemic message to the streets,” commented Whitney. “I hope I can help ALD members recognize that on a good day they can save a tooth and on a great day they can save a life! “

What’s more, Dr. Whitney has seen first-hand the beneficial effects of laser dentistry on his own patients. In fact, he recently referred one of his patients to ALD incoming president Dr. Mel Burchman, who successfully treated the patient’s chemo therapy-induced oral mucositis with photobiomodulation therapy.

“Having Dr. Whitney as our opening keynote speaker will certainly set the tone for ALD 2019,” explains Siminovsky. “Our goal for this meeting is to be the world’s go-to event where the entire dental team can learn how to bridge the oral-systemic gap using laser technology.”

Watch the ALD 2019 preview video by clicking http://bit.ly/2TOAlOL. Register online until March 29th by visiting https://ALD2019.com.

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.

 

Benco and VOCO Announce New Partnership

 

 

Benco Dental announces a new partnership with VOCO, an almost 40-year global leader in the manufacturing of dental materials and technologies.  This collaboration delivers VOCO’s extensive product line of high- quality direct and indirect materials and digital workflow technologies to Benco customers.

 

Benco Dental, headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is the largest family-owned dental distributor in the United States, offering a full array of supplies, equipment and services to dentists across the nation. Within the past 88 years, the company has developed distribution innovations that have become industry standards and in 2018, launched an Innovation Index. This key metric tracks the percentage of products sold that were introduced in the previous three years.

Based out of Cuxhaven, Germany, VOCO performs extensive research and development in the fields of direct and indirect restoratives, oral care and digital dentistry, setting new standards in the creation of innovative dental products and application aids to provide better solutions to dentists throughout the world. VOCO researchers partner and maintain close contact with over 150 universities and research institutes worldwide, and have been leading several research projects co-sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Research. This has enabled VOCO to act as a technological forerunner in several material development areas. As a leader in Nano-technology, VOCO products have received high praise and recognition in the U.S. with top ratings from The Dental Advisor, Reality and other independent institutes.

VOCO exports to over 100 countries on six continents. Benco’s national network includes five distribution centers and three design showrooms and features a highly-skilled team of more than 400 professionally trained sales representatives and over 300 factory-trained service technicians.

For details, visit benco.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO.

NSA to Release Ghidra Reverse Engineering Software Tool for Free Download

 

Your Tax Dollars at Work!

 

At a recent security conference, RSA, a new reverse engineering software tool was demonstrated by none other than the National Security Agency.  The super secret government organization is the one that provides cyber security as well as cyber tracking.  Osama Bin Laden’s courier was tracked to the house in Abbotobad by these folks.  The group is so super secret about what it does that, for a while, the government would neither confirm nor deny its existence leading to the joke that NSA stood for “No Such Agency”.  This cyber spying agency has been known to break into systems world wide to aid national intelligence.

 

That’s why this story is such a big deal.  NSA’s Senior Advisor Rob Joyce demonstrated the tool which is called “Ghidra”.  In addition to providing a demonstration to the conference attendees, Joyce also made the announcement that the NSA would make the program available for download and they’ve also made it open source.  That means the program will be free and others can tinker and make improvements in it.  Although not yet available, when it is you will be able to download it from this link.

 

Ghidra is said to be a very powerful SRE (software reverse engineering) tool.  It is written in Java which means it is pretty much operating system agnostic.  That will allow it to run on Linux, Windows, and Mac easily.  Because it is in Java there isn’t even an install routine.  Simply download and run.

 

This should provide some fun for tinkerers and some real help for professionals looking to peer into the inner workings of programs.

 

Of course it also makes you wonder.  If the NSA is giving this away it must be no longer useful to them.  What are they using now and how robust is whatever it is?  This is one of those great mysteries that truly, for almost all of us, has no answer.  Still it’s fun to ponder.  These types of security things fascinate me.  If you are a diehard gear head, get your hands on this tool and see what it can do.