Sound City the Movie - Just See It

 

As regular readers of this blog know, sometimes I take a detour from the highway of technology to consider other aspects of life.  Hence the words "life and times" in the description of the blog that is above this post.  This, is one of those little detours.

 

In addition to loving my career and loving technology, I also love music.  I stumbled across this interest of mine in the 70's.  Back then, of course, it was listening to whatever I could find from my family and as I got older, from my friends.  However, my interest really took off when technology entered my life and allowed me access the web pages that fans created in the early days of the web.

 

As the tech became more sophisticated, it allowed me to find images and then… along came the digital music revolution which allowed me to finally own all of those albums and songs I had longed for as a kid but had disappeared over time from stores.

 

Over the years, I've read lots of books about bands I was interested in and I have always loved the parts of those books where artists discuss the recording studio and the creative process that happens there.  Having never been a part of it, I've always been fascinated by it.

 

So the point of this post is a movie that I watched recently called Sound City.  It was directed and produced by Dave Grohl who was the drummer for Nirvana during their most successful period (Nevermind, etc) and is the frontman for the Foo Fighters.

 

It is the story of the the Sound City recording studio in Van Nuys, CA and it tells the history of the place through the eyes of employees and bands that recorded there.  While most people have probably never heard of the place, it has been the birth place of some of the most famous albums of all time.  

 

I won't go into great detail, because nobody likes someone that gives away all the good stuff about the movie, but suffice it to say that I found it to be a must watch if you are a music lover.

 

The other cool part of it is that Grohl brought together many of the musicians who recorded there and put them together with others they probably hadn't worked with before and had them create music for a bit of a "soundtrack" to go with the film.  Part of the movie is watching these musicians working together while some of the others are in the "extras" section of the disc.

 

Both the movie and the album are well worth it and if you are a music lover like me, you'll find yourself watching it multiple times and looping the album.  I know I did.  Both are highly recommended!!!

Live the 80's Again Courtesy of the Internet Archive

 

I hate to admit this because it shows my age, but I can still remember Christmas Day of (I think) 1980.  My girlfriend at the time opened a box that contained an Atari 2600 game system.  Suddenly Space Invaders was available in the living room!

 

That Christmas Break I was filled with our friends & us spending hours (literally) crowded around the TV in her living room playing games that before we had only played in arcades where each game cost us a quarter!  It was one of the coolest and most unbelievable tech moments of my life up to that point.

 

Part of my technology fascination probably comes from my coming of age in that time of arcade video games that morphed into home video games.  The  nostalgia of those days is probably something that lots of you reading this can remember and relate to.

 

Some of us still have some of those old consoles.  I know that somewhere in a dusty part of my basement there is a Mattel Intellivision system.

 

Unfortunately most of those consoles are long gone and with them, the ability to play those great games.

 

Now, however, comes a time warping announcement from the Internet Archive.  The Archive has announced the Console Living Room  which allows you play those vintage games on your computer in a browser window!!!  How cool is that?

 

Titles from the following 5 game consoles are featured:

• Atari 2600
• Atari 7800 ProSystem
• The ColecoVision
• The Magnavox Odyssey
• The Astrocade

It's also great that this is just the tip of the iceberg as it looks like more titles and improvements will be coming in the future.  From the blog post announcing this, is the following paragraph:

Access drives preservation – making these vintage games available to the world, instantly, allows for commentary, education, enjoyment and memory for the history they are a part of. In coming months, the playable software collection will expand greatly. Until then, game on!

Budgeting for Technology

 

As technology permeates all aspects of our lives, we've become more and more dependent on it.

Of course, this dependence is on our offices as well as our personal lives.  When it comes to running the "business side" of a healthcare environment, i'm often asked how to keep costs in line with the benefits of technology… basically budgeting.

My buddy Kevin Henry and I were discussing this recently and Kevin, as Group Editorial Director for Advanstar Dental Media, suggested we should record some video of this in a Google Hangout.

The video above captures the essence of what we were discussing in just a little over 3 minutes.  Take a look to see why I'm a fan of "eating the elephant one byte at a time."

AdDent Transilluminator Special Price!!!

 

Just in case you didn't get everything you wanted for Christmas, how about one of the industry's best diagnostic devices?

 

For the past several years I've been using the MicroLux transilluminator in my practice and have been really happy with it.

 

As you can see in the photo above, it is small & which translates to it being very easy to use inside of the oral cavity, even back on second molars.  The device consists of a very bright battery powered light source with a small autoclavable tip that slides securely into it.

 

It is great for helping to detect and visualize fracture lines, caries around bonded restorations, and even interproximal caries in all areas of the oral cavity.

 

We  have all come across areas on a bitewing radiograph where we just aren't quite sure if it is truly an area that needs to be restored or not.  In those cases (and the others mentioned above) this device allows for a different view and since it is only using visible light which isn't ionizing, the operator can spend as much time as necessary checking any questionable areas.

 

It's one of those devices that simply makes diagnosis easier and allows you to approach situations with more confidence.

 

Now for the best part of this post.  As you can see in the photo, the device is normally silver and black.  Last week I was in contact with the folks at AdDent and they informed me that they have a small number of these devices that they had created in an all black color scheme.  They are just like the "regular" one other than the color.  By that I mean these are top of the line, first run, not items that have been returned, etc.  The only difference is the color.  In order to move these out of their inventory, the company is offering then for the discounted price of $114.

 

To place an order, call (203) 778-0200 and to find out more about all of the company's products (and there are a lot of good ones!) go to their website.  

 

I personally think this is really great because it is a rare occasion for me to find a product that I rate as Highly Recommended and then be able to tell my readers that it is available for a discounted price.  Call & get them while they are available, because they will not last long.

 

Merry Christmas!!!

 

For those of you who celebrate it, I want to wish you the best Christmas ever!  Thanks so very much for reading what I write and for giving me an audience to write to.

 

For those of you with other beliefs, I hope that your celebrations are also joyous and wonderful.

 

The most important things for me are 1. Faith  2. Family  3. Everything else.

 

May your days be merry and bright!!!

NORAD Santa Tracker Keeps you Updated on Santa's Progress… and This Year Google Does Too!!!!!

 

For those of you who are new or even semi-new to the blog, welcome!  The holiday season is upon us and today is a pretty big day for kids all over the world who are awaiting a visit from Santa Claus!

 

A few years ago, I stumbled across a site that allows *live* tracking of Santa Claus as he works on his journey of delivering presents around the world.

 

The government entity NORAD is a combined effort of the US and Canada that "provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense of North America".  Basically it tracks anything in the air to make sure it is not a threat to North America and they've been doing that since 1958.  However, since they are uniquely qualified to track aircraft, the organization also is uniquely qualified to track Santa!

 

To follow along on Santa's journey, go to the NORAD Santa Tracker.  

 

If you would like read the complete history of how NORAD came to provide this valuable and FREE service, the entire history is on Wikipedia here.  It's a pretty fascinating read and really the whole Santa tracking process is the result of a wonderful accident from a newspaper ad.

 

Also this year, Google has developed a Santa Tracker as well.  You can access it by going to:

 

http://images.google.com/santatracker/#/tracker/world

 

 

Enjoy!!!

A Big Thank You to Dr. Rob Leach & My Christmas Break Begins!

 

On Friday, I got a chance to travel to Flint, Michigan and spend the day with Dr Rob Leach who is a certified Invisalign trainer.  All I can say is… wow!

 

I can hardly wait to begin cases in my office.  Suffice it to say that this is an amazing service that can deliver amazing results.  I've always had an interest in orthodontics, but with my travel and lecture schedule, I thought it might be a bit much to try and merge a full on orthodontic case load with all that that entails.

 

Enter Invisalign with all the amazing things this service can provide.  I'll be mentioning updates here as I progress, but needless to say, I'm very excited about the opportunity.

 

Time For  a Break

Now for the other part of this post.  I'll be taking a break for the practice of dentistry after Monday December 23rd spend tine   with my family.  Over the years, this has become a bit of a tradition in the office for us to work an office skeleton crew to allow time with loved ones.

 

We'll be cranking hard (just like always) on Monday & then taking time off for the holidays.  We wish to the best and happiest season to you and yours as well!!!  Thanks for trusting us with your dental care.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Periodontal Disease May Not Be Enough for Patients with Diabetes

 

American Academy of Periodontology encourages dental professionals to continue to provide personalized care for patients with diabetes

 

CHICAGO – December 18, 2013 – A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that nonsurgical treatment of periodontal disease does not improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Despite these results, the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) continues to encourage clinicians to conduct annual comprehensive periodontal evaluations on patients and guide treatment and care based on provided outcomes.

 

Dr. Stuart J. Froum, DDS, President of the AAP and clinical professor and Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Periodontics and Implant Dentistry at New York University Dental Center, says the findings should not dismiss an association between periodontal disease and diabetes. “As a number of population studies suggest, there is indeed a relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. While this study specifically focuses on basic nonsurgical periodontal care, some cases of periodontal disease require more intensive treatment. There is evidence that more intensive periodontal therapies can be effective in glycemic control.”

 

The study examined the impact of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on over 500 subjects with both type 2 diabetes and moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis. The subjects’ glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels were assessed at three and six month intervals. Researchers found that compared to those who did not receive treatment, subjects that underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy showed no difference in hemoglobin levels, suggesting no difference in glycemic control. 

 

“It is important to note that the nonsurgical therapy employed in this study did not eradicate periodontal disease, which may be why researchers did not see an effect on glycemic control,” points out Dr. Froum. “A major indicator of periodontal disease - bleeding on probing - decreased only 19 percent, suggesting that the nonsurgical therapy was not successful in controlling moderate to advanced periodontal disease. The failure to eliminate periodontal disease may be why glycemic control was not impacted.”

 

Regardless, Dr. Froum is optimistic that this study may lead to a better understanding of the relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. “I’m excited to see research that continues to explore the association between these two chronic, and highly prevalent, diseases. These findings are simply one piece of a complex puzzle and open the door for further investigation. “

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the AAP, nearly half of U.S. adults aged 30 or older have periodontal disease. As a result, the AAP recommends that all patients receive a comprehensive periodontal evaluation on an annual basis which includes a thorough assessment of periodontal health and any risk factors for disease. “Every patient requires an individualized treatment plan,” says Dr. Froum. “For patients with diabetes, this may include either nonsurgical periodontal care or more advanced treatment. Despite the lack of causal evidence, your patients should still be informed that maintaining periodontal health plays a larger role in systemic health.”

To view the full study, visit http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1790896. 

 

About the American Academy of Periodontology:

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the professional organization for periodontists – specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists are also dentistry’s experts in the treatment of oral inflammation. They receive three additional years of specialized training following dental school, and periodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. The AAP has 8,300 members world-wide.

 

Gift Givers Can Now Directly Gift Books from the iBook Store

 

Just in time for Christmas comes a cool new announcement from Apple.  Now, a gift giver can directly give a specific book to the person of their choice.

 

Up until now the only option one had was to give an iTunes gift card or you could directly gift a credit that you had purchased for another person's account.  However, obviously all that did was to provide the recipient with virtual cash to spend… which was no guarantee a specific title would be purchased.

 

All that is now changed.  For quite a while now, users have been able to gift from the iTunes store or the App store (2010), but iBooks have lagged behind… not sure why.

 

The process of gifting works just as it does for iTunes & Apps.  You simply find the book you're looking for and then on a Mac click the little "drop down" arrow and choose "Gift this Book".  If you are, instead, buying from an iOS device, tap the "Share" button and choose "Gift".

 

Giving books has been an option for Amazon's Kindle store and even has allowed gifted books to be sent to an iPad with the Kindle app installed.  Now, finally, fans of the iBook store can do the same.

 

Air Techniques New Polaris & Spectra Evaluation - Definitely Recommended

 

I've been evaluating the newest version of these 2 Air Techniques devices for a while now.

 

In our practice we've used the Polaris camera and Spectra caries detection device  for a while now, although in their original versions.

 

These new versions are redesigned and I like the overall improvement.  However, there is nothing incredibly Earth shattering here as far as major changes over the original designs.

 

The Polaris is AT's most updated intraoral camera and it provides very crisp and clear images with a nice depth of field.  You can even take full face images without much of a fisheye effect.  The control button on the device allows you to freeze and capture the images directly into your dental software.  The optics are definitely solid which allows the device to take very nice clinical images.  It's also well balanced and fits well in both my hands as well as the smaller hands of my female staff members.  In our testing, we've found great images, simple integration, and easy to use both solo or with help.

 

The Spectra is Air Techniques visual caries detection device.  The basic concept is  you take an image with Spectra, the software runs a quick algorithm and you get an image with the appearance of Dopler Radar that shows exactly where the caries is.  See the image below:

 

 

 

 

We found the new Spectra to be well balanced and very easy to control… especially with only one person using the device.  This is critical as our most frequent use of Spectra is in hygiene and my hygienists use the devices on nearly every patent.  It also has control buttons on the body that allow for freezing & saving of the images.

 

Both devices have performed well and are aesthetically better than their predecessors.  Definitely devcies that are worth the investment and highly recommended.

Contact your favorite dental dealer for purchasing info.

Dental Hygienist Invention Helps Philadelphia Eagles

 

A short post today as the real info comes from Foxnews.com

 

It seems that a dental hygienist developed a device to help send signals to players in a softball league.

 

The invention is now showing up no the sidelines of Eagles games and is used to signal players.

 

Pretty cool!  Here is the original article.  

Peanut Brittle and Why It Counts

I started my own practice in Lee's Summit, MO in 1989.  Honestly it seems like last week, but time can be like that.

I'm proud to say that even with our mobile society, I still have some patients that were with me way back then.  Over the years their numbers have dwindled some, but there are still enough of them that I get a sense of pride when I think of them.  It's just a way of knowing you're doing it the right way when you can keep folks coming back for that long.

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever and this summer one of my favorite patients from '89 had to move away due to a job change.  It was really tough to see her go and after receiving my good-bye hug I went back to my office and, I'm not ashamed to say, I shed a few tears.  She's just such a wonderful and gracious lady.

We had a bit of a tradition between us.  Every Christmas season she'd come to my office and bring me a treat of the best peanut brittle on the planet.  I could go on and on about the stuff, but that's not really the point of this post.  The point is that she thought enough of me to always make me a batch… and I loved her for it.

When she moved away this summer, I asked her for the recipe which she was only too happy to provide.  I'm no whiz in the kitchen, but I figured if I could get through organic chemistry I could, just maybe, get through the peanut brittle.

Well today I box arrived at the office and I know that you know how this story ends.  Inside was a large Christmas Tree shaped box of peanut brittle.  No card, no letter, just sweet goodness in a box.

She not only thought enough to make it, but she went through the trouble of shipping it to me.  I can't believe how it made me feel.  I sat in my personal office and just had this wonderful feeling wash over me.  It wasn't the treat, it was the fact that she'd thought enough to do it.  That's the secret of peanut brittle and thinking of others.  That's what counts in life!

Yahoo Mail Suffers Critical Outage

 

On Monday evening, Yahoo mail went down unexpectedly and remains down for some users as I type this.

 

It seems that POP accounts have been restored, but IMAP accounts are still down.

 

On Tuesday the company said, "The issue has been harder to fix than we originally expected. We have dozens of people working around the clock to bring it to a resolution," it wrote in a blog post. "We believe our current efforts will restore our users' access to their inboxes by 3 p.m. PT today. …"  However, that time came and went without a solution.

One of the big problems for Yahoo in all of this is that users have become spoiled with an "always on" service and rely on it heavily.  When it goes down, many are left without no way to communicate.  Bad news for them...

The good news is that they got POP back and are working hard to restore IMAP as well.  Honestly, I'm surprised these situations don't happen more often.

There is a great article on this over at eweek.com  Give it a read.

NASA Unveils Valkyrie Robot

 

 

 

 This is just flat out cool.  NASA at the Johnson Space Center and the University of Texas have created the Valkyrie robot.

 

The idea is for this robot to go to Mars ahead of live astronauts and then work with the humans once they get there.  Just watch the video.  It's amazing!

Thanks to Everyone Who Made Last Night's Webinar a Success!

 

Last night I did a one hour webinar for Voco on adhesive dentistry and the ways that I perform those procedures.

 

I'm always honored anytime I'm asked to give a lecture and I'm always pleased and flattered when people come to hear what I have to say.

 

Last night's webinar had almost 200 folks from around the world and I was *just blown away* by the attendance.  I understand that doctor's here in the US that are wanting to learn more would be interested, but the number of doctors logging in from countries half way around the planet was amazing!

 

I just wanted to make today's post a big Thank You to those of you who took the time out of your busy lives to spend an hour with me.  I am truly honored that you felt I had something to say and I'm also honored that you stayed to listen.

 

A big Thank You also goes to the good folks at Voco.  Thanks for believing in me and thanks for supporting me.

 

I hope everyone involved with last night's webinar has a wonderful and blessed holiday season!

Kudos to Velscope & Their Help with My Velscope Vx

 

For you regular readers of the blog, you know that I'm very passionate about oral cancer screening.

 

In the United States, 1 person every hour dies of oral or pharyngeal cancer.  That's right, one an hour.  That is a very scary number.

 

Also, in the next calendar year, it is estimated that about 35,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer.  That is also a scary number.

 

Because of this, we in the dental field need to be doing all we can to head this disease off at its earliest signs.  However, locating areas that need to be followed, biopsied, etc can be difficult even with high magnification surgical telescopes and auxiliary lighting.  This is just one of those areas where we need more help in properly seeing potential problem areas.

 

That's why I've been such an advocate of oral cancer screening devices.  These allow the dental professional to more easily identify areas of interest.  They are not diagnostic devices and by that I mean they do not tell you whether something is cancerous or not.  Instead, they help identify *potential* areas of concern that can be followed up on or biopsied to determine what type of lesion it is.

 

We have several of these devcies in our office that we use on a regular basis.  One of them in the Velscope Vx and that device is the subject of this post.

 

The Velscope Vx is cordless and uses a custom battery that is contained in the handle of the device.  Between exams, the device is placed back on the charger where it rapidly recharges and is ready for the next use.

 

Well last week, we went to use the device and it was dead, zip, nothing.  It seems the battery had simply died and it's something that has to be obtained from the company.  I contacted Velscope via email to let them know I was in need of a new battery.

 

The customer support was nothing short of amazing.  Within a half hour I had received a return email.  They let me know that I could take the AC plug out of the charging dock and simply plug it into the base of the Velscope itself and continue to use the device with AC power.  Amazing!  I was actually a bit embarrassed I hadn't thought of that.

 

Then I was told a new battery would be shipping to me shortly after they had collected all the necessary data.

 

This is just a great example of customer service and taking good care of the client.

 

My hat is off to the good people at Velscope.  They make a good product and support it very well.

StarDental® Introduces the Newest Addition to its Classic 430 Handpiece Line: The 430-45

 

The 430-45 Handpiece Features New 45° Angled Head for Superior Access 

to Posterior Areas

 

Malvern, PA (December 1, 2013) – DentalEZ^® Group, a supplier of innovative products and services for dental health professionals worldwide, is pleased to introduce the newest member of its classic 430 handpiece line, the 430-45. Available in two configurations, the 430 SWL^® 45 and the 430 SW^™ 45 are both equipped with a unique 45° angled head that provides unprecedented access to hard-to-reach posterior areas of the oral cavity.  

 

The 430-45 was specially designed to be the perfect handpiece for surgical procedures commonly performed by the general dentist such as removal of impacted molars, crown lengthenings, apicoectomies, and numerous other endodontic and periodontal practices. Along with the new 45° angle feature, the small head and optional fiber optic feature of the new 430-45 provide dental professionals with superior oral access and visibility.   

 

“The demand for specialized air-driven handpieces continues to grow as many general practitioners are experiencing seemingly routine cases that sometimes turn into more complex procedures,” remarked Rick Gross, StarDental Senior Product Manager. “Rather than investing in a multifaceted surgical system that can be extremely costly, we wanted to provide dentists with a more economical solution for these cases. With the 430-45, StarDental now offers the well-recognized 430 brand that dental professionals have grown to trust but with more specialized features.”

 

The 430-45 is equipped with specially designed side ports that effectively exhaust air away from the procedure area, therefore reducing the common risk of air embolism and protecting the integrity of the surgical site*. In addition, a pure stream of water is provided to keep the operatory site cool and clear. The 430-45 is available with or without solid glass rod fiber optics and accepts all standard and surgical length burs.  

 

“Our focus with the 430 line is to provide further choices and more variety for a wider array of individual preferences,” continued Gross. “We are very excited to offer the 430-45. It’s a great option for any dental professional who wants a multipurpose, flexible handpiece that can be used in a variety of situations.”  

 

As the #1 selling handpiece on the market**, each handpiece in the StarDental^® 430 Series is an American Classic among dental professionals. Made with StarDental ceramic ball bearing turbines, the full family of the 430 Series includes: StarDental’s 430 SWL, featuring solid glass rod fiber optics, the 430 K^®, 430 SW^®, the 430 Satin, and the newest addition, the 430-45. Each is available in lubricated or StarDental’s traditional LubeFree^™ which provides substantial cost and time savings. The small head and high-torque design of the 430 Series provides superior oral accessibility and visibility, and the high power enables fast and precise removal of tooth surface and amalgam. Its low noise level reduces the possibility of auditory damage and provides a more pleasant patient experience.   

 

For more information on the StarDental 430-45 and all DentalEZ products, please call 866-DTE-INFO or visit www.DentalEZ.com.    

 

*StarDental internal testing has shown that the 430 SWL^® 45 and 430 SW^™ 45 high-speed handpieces do not direct high-pressure air towards the cutting bur. The chip-air tube has been removed, eliminating drive air from being directed into the working area, thus reducing the risk of air embolism.  

 

**Document available upon request

 

About DentalEZ^® Group

 

DentalEZ^® Group is committed to advancing the practice of dentistry through innovative products and services. Encompassing six distinct product brands — StarDental^®, DentalEZ^®, CustomAir^®, RAMVAC^®,NevinLabs^™, and Columbia Dentoform^® — DentalEZ^® Group manufactures everything in the operatory, from handpieces to chairs to vacuum systems to dental simulation models, creating a complete line of products to elevate the health, comfort and efficiency of the dental operatory. For more information, please visit www.dentalez.com.

DEXIS Previews Its Upcoming Imaging Software For Mac® In The Big Apple

 

More Dexis info coming  out of the Big Apple.  If you are a Mac user for practice management and you are looking for a digital radiography solution, this should definitely be on your list of manufacturers to check out.

 

 DEXIS, an industry leader and the manufacturer of the highly awarded DEXIS^® Digital X-ray system, is now in the process of completing its development for the Mac platformand will soon be expanding its Imaging Suite of products to natively support Apple^® hardware and the OS X^® operating system (10.8 or newer).

 

Hatfield, PA/New York, NY (December 1, 2013) DEXIS is pleased to preview its outstanding Mac product at an exclusive press event during the Greater New York Dental Meeting. DEXIS Mac™ is an innovative dental imaging solution that offers dentists a unified experience across Mac and iOS products. Once released, the native OS X software will provide clinicians with a highly efficient digital imaging workflow and seamless integration with leading Mac-based practice management programs Viive™ and MacPractice^®.

 

Dentists who have been looking for a native dental imaging software for the Mac will soon be able to enjoy the combination of this exciting new DEXIS release with the established user experience of Apple products. The DEXIS software will provide an intuitive user interface and advanced functionality that Mac users expect – combined with tried-and-true DEXIS image management and enhancement tools.

 

A tight integration between DEXIS Mac, the award-winning DEXIS go^® app for patient communication, and the just released DEXIS photo™ app for extra-oral image acquisition is in the making as well and will add even more effectiveness for the Mac-based dentist. The apps collectively operate on iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod touch^®. Recognizing the fact that both patient education and case presentation is immensely important, DEXIS Mac will support both Mac OS X full-screen mode and AirPlay^® mode for presenting on larger displays. 

 

DEXIS Mac is scheduled to be formally introduced in Q2 of 2014. 

 

About DEXIS Mac

DEXIS Mac is under development and is pending Regulatory assessment and clearance. This announcement is for notification only. No orders can be accepted until appropriate Regulatory filing, registrations, or licenses are either cleared or updated.

 

About DEXIS

DEXIS is an industry leader in developing high quality digital imaging solutions for the dental community. In 1997, DEXIS introduced digital radiography on laptop computers — making it the first truly portable and affordable digital X-ray system. In 2001, DEXIS became the first intra-oral digital radiography system to be accepted by the American Dental Association into the highly prestigious ADA Seal Program. Today, DEXIS is the most highly awarded intra-oral digital X-ray system with numerous awards from dental researchers and well-respected dental publications. For more information on the DEXIS^® Imaging Suite of software products and the DEXIS^® Platinum Sensor, visit www.dexis.com. 

Introducing DEXIS photo™ — Shoot Directly To DEXIS In An Instant

 

 

 

The new DEXIS photo app showcases the company’s commitment to the integration of today’s popular devices into its award-winning imaging products.

Here's an interesting piece of news that was announced on December 3rd at the Greater New York Dental Meeting.  I thought you 

 

Hatfield, PA (December 1, 2013) DEXIS announces the release of the DEXIS photo app which provides a fast and easy way to add photos directly into DEXIS® Imaging Suite using iPhone® and iPod Touch®*. The app lets clinicians frame the shot and capture the photo right into the patient record — wirelessly, automatically and instantaneously; no cards, no readers, no manual file transfer. 

 

With the two functions of DEXIS photo, dental professionals can choose to capture patient ID photos that can be viewed from any imaging screen in DEXIS or to take and send images for the software’s extra-oral photo screen. Using the applicable mobile device and DEXIS photo, these tasks can be performed easily and seamlessly when in proximity to and interacting with the DEXIS Imaging Suite software. 

 

“After the release of our last app, DEXIS go®, we were praised for our use of contemporary technology that was adapted to a valuable dental application,” states Adam Palermo, Product Manager for DEXIS. “We know from research that mobile devices are widely used in dental practices, and we are embracing this technology to improve clinical workflow.”  

 

DEXIS photo allows dental professionals to experience a simple, modern workflow that offers time savings, clinical support and patient interaction. Not only is this app effortless and enjoyable to use, it can help to maintain HIPAA compliance since images are not stored on the mobile device; rather they are securely stored within DEXIS. 

 

DEXIS photo will be available on the Apple App store at the end of December 2013.To find out more about DEXIS photo, visit www.dexis.com/apps.

 

*The DEXIS photo app works with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5th generation in the initial release; requires iOS 7 or greater.

 

About DEXIS

DEXIS is an industry leader in developing high quality digital imaging solutions for the dental community. In 1997, DEXIS introduced digital radiography on laptop computers — making it the first truly portable and affordable digital X-ray system. In 2001, DEXIS became the first intra-oral digital radiography system to be accepted by the American Dental Association into the highly prestigious ADA Seal Program. Today, DEXIS is the most highly awarded intra-oral digital X-ray system with numerous awards from dental researchers and well-respected dental publications. For more information on the DEXIS® Imaging Suite of software products and the DEXIS® Platinum Sensor, visit www.dexis.com.

Hydrogel Implant Could Make Booster Shots Obsolete

We've all had booster shots at some point in our lives.  You know, you get an immunization injection, then at some point in the future you have to have another round to make sure you have the proper level of immunity.

This can be a major pain (pardon the pun) for many of us.  When I received my Hepatitis B vaccine while in dental school, the proper protocol was for a 3 shot series.

Now, in dental school, it was easy.  The injections were given by the oral surgery department and I was notified when to return for my next round.  However, in the real world this can mean more trips to a doctor's office for these follow up visits.  This can result in lost work time, taking kids out of school, etc.  Not to mention the fact that you actually have to get the injections to ensure immunity.  Lots of people either forget or are scared and just don't get them.

Now comes word of a way around these booster injections.

The idea is to place a booster amount in a small pea sized hydrogel capsule that is injected under the skin.  Later, when a booster amount is needed, the patient can take a pill that will release the chemical booster from inside the hydrogel.

The system is currently being tested in mice.  No word on when human delivery could be expected, but this is definitely something that bears watching.  I can see this type of delivery for all types of medications in the future...

Ritter Dental USA Launches Redesigned Instrument Line During The Greater New York Dental Meeting

 

 

Ritter Instruments are Lighter and Better-Balanced than Ever Before 

 

San Antonio, TX – November 27, 2013 – Ritter Dental USA is launching a redesigned instrument line during the Greater New York Dental Meeting at the Javitts Convention Center from December 1^st – December 4ᵗʰ.

 

Precisely designed and manufactured from German-forged stainless steel, the Ritter instrument line was developed under the direction of Ritter Dental USA to better serve the American dental market. “Our new instruments are lighter and better balanced than ever before,” explained Ritter CEO Fred Battah. “They are specially-designed to appeal to America’s ergonomically-conscious dental clinicians.”

 

Ritter’s extensive instrument line can be purchased in kits that have been organized by specialty clinical applications such as diagnostic, periodontal, surgical, restorative, orthodontic and hygiene. 

 

Dental clinicians can find out more about the redesigned Ritter Instrument line at booth #5215 during the Greater New York Dental Meeting. Details are also available by visitingwww.RitterDentalUSA.com, by emailing info@RitterDentalUSA.com, calling toll-free at 855-807-8111, or attending the Ritter Road Show. For complete Road Show details and schedule, visitwww.RitterRoadShow.com

 

About Ritter Dental USA

 

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Ritter Dental USA is the sister company of Ritter Concept GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany and designs and manufactures, world-class dental equipment that includes treatment chairs, stools, operatory lights, air compressors, suction units, instruments, intraoral cameras and implants. For more details visitwww.RitterDentalUSA.com. Follow us onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedIn,YouTube andGoogle+.