Bringing Artificial Intelligence to Help with Oral Cancer Detection

 

Sometimes less is more and in this case, it applies to this post...

Today is a short post because most of the info will come from the link at the bottom.  Researchers at Harvard are working on ways to bring AI into the realm of detecting oral cancer.

Oral cancer is a horrible disease.  It is often fatal, mainly because it isn't detected in the early stages.  Cancers detected in Stage 1 or Stage 2 often have much better outcomes.  However, oral cancer is often not detected until Stage 3 or Stage 4 which makes them much more difficult treat and extremely difficult to recover from.  Globally it is responsible for around 325,000 deaths per year.

Dentistry has been trying for decades to create a way to make them easier to detect.  That's why I was excited to read about a study from Harvard that deals with using the emerging tech of AI to make detection easier and faster.

Follow this link for more info.  

DMG Introduces New Clinical Protocols for Icon Resin Infiltration

 

Minimally invasive dentistry is a hot topic.  Doctors know that nothing works better in the environment of the oral cavity than the original structures that nature put there.  Discovering and implementing ways to remove as little natural tooth structure as possible saves more tooth structure for later.  I wish I could remember who told me this (unfortunately I can't) but years ago someone called this concept "tooth bank dentistry" which implied it is "banking' more natural enamel and dentin for the future".  I love that analogy and use it frequently when talking about minimally invasive procedures to both doctors and patients.  

One of the ways to perform minimally invasive procedures is with a concept called "resin infiltration".  This is a process where a tooth is etched and then thin, flowable resin is applied to the area.  This thin resin penetrates the microscopic porosities in the lesion and is then photo-polymerized with a curing light.  The resin reinforces the area while also sealing it from breakdown.   

One of the best products for resin infiltration is Icon from DMG.  It's especially helpful in conservatively treating 'white spot lesions' on anterior teeth.   I've worked with the material and have been really impressed with the results.  I've also worked with the team at DMG on several projects over the last few years and I can tell you from personal interactions, they are a great group of people.  I love it when good products come from great people.  It always makes my work a little easier.

I have to offer kudos to the folks at DMG for the hard work they've done on Icon.  The kudos are especially appropriate today as DMG has announced a new "decision tree" that doctors can download and use to make Icon usage easier.  

There are a few quotes below from Dr. David Rice, who is a terrific guy.  If you'd like to learn more from Dr. Rice, here is a link to an interview I did with him for The Technology Evangelist Podcast.

All the info & details from DMG are below...

Protocols improve diagnosis, treatment planning, and esthetic outcomes

Dental professionals across North America now have access to updated clinical protocols for micro-invasive Icon® resin infiltration. These new protocols from DMG incorporate enhanced diagnostic techniques, optimized infiltration timing, and structured treatment guidance designed to improve predictability and outcomes for patients with early enamel lesions and opacities.

The updated approach is the result of DMG’s commitment to clinical research and integrates transillumination-based diagnosis, extended infiltration times, and new pre-treatment strategies, alongside a newly-developed clinical decision tree that helps guide dental professionals through case selection and treatment pathways.  Resin infiltration represents a cornerstone of modern minimally invasive dentistry, enabling clinicians to intervene early and preserve healthy tooth structure while addressing patients’ esthetic concerns. 

With the addition of improved diagnostics, refined protocols, and structured clinical guidance, the updated Icon approach aims to help dental professionals achieve more predictable, conservative, and esthetic treatment outcomes.  

Enhanced Diagnostic Protocol: Transillumination

One of the most significant updates to the clinical workflow is the incorporation of transillumination as a diagnostic and monitoring tool that improves case selection and reduces the risk of misdiagnosis or unnecessary invasive treatment. It is also helpful during treatment to assess lesion dehydration and infiltration progress. 

This diagnostic enhancement allows practitioners to better differentiate:

• White spot enamel lesions and opacities
• Early carious lesions
• Developmental defects such as fluorosis 

Optimized Infiltration Protocols

The updated protocol also emphasizes longer infiltration times, allowing deeper penetration of the low-viscosity resin into porous enamel.  “Over the years, I’ve found that success with Icon resin infiltration isn’t just about the material—it’s about refining the protocol,” said Dr. David Rice, a recognized dental industry key opinion leader and founder of igniteDDS. “By incorporating transillumination for better diagnosis and allowing more time for resin penetration, we’re seeing more predictable outcomes and significantly improved esthetic results. It’s a meaningful step forward in how we manage white spot lesions without drilling.”  Longer infiltration periods can improve diffusion of the resin into hypomineralized enamel structures, increasing the masking effect and enhancing lesion stabilization. 

Expanded Pre-Treatment Strategies

The new protocols also incorporate pre-treatment methods designed to produce predictable, esthetic outcomes, including:

• Microabrasion to remove resistant enamel layers and improve access to the lesion body
• Pre-whitening or bleaching protocols in certain cases to reduce contrast between affected and healthy enamel prior to infiltration

Introducing the Icon Clinical Decision Tree

To support clinicians in implementing these updated protocols, a new Icon Clinical Decision Tree has been introduced.

The decision tree provides a structured pathway to help dental professionals:

• Evaluate lesion etiology and severity
• Determine whether infiltration is appropriate
• Identify when additional pre-treatment steps may be necessary
• Select the correct treatment protocol based on lesion characteristics

The tool simplifies clinical decision-making and promotes predictable treatment planning for white spot lesions, fluorosis, and early caries lesions.

Clinicians can access the decision tree here:

https://drilling-no-thanks.info/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/DMGA_Icon_Decision-Tree_2026.pdf

About Icon Resin Infiltration

Icon is a micro-invasive treatment designed to halt early enamel caries and improve the appearance of white spot lesions without drilling. By infiltrating a low-viscosity resin into the lesion body, the  technique arrests lesion progression and restores the natural optical properties of enamel.

About DMG 

DMG manufactures and distributes a full range of market-leading dental materials and  equipment that are internationally recognized for their quality and innovation. Known for its breakthrough dental technology – including flagship products like Luxatemp® and LuxaCore® Z Dual, the revolutionary Icon® caries infiltrant, LuxaCrown® long-term crown and bridge material, and new additions such as Ecosite restorative composites, and DentaMile® 3D printing solution, complete with software, hardware and resins – DMG is committed to helping provide holistic solutions and streamlined workflows for dental and lab professionals to meet their needs through innovation, collaboration, and dedication. 

For more information about DMG products, or to find a sales representative, please visit online at www.dmg-america.com, or call 800-662-6383.

Together, we’re looking ahead: A smile ahead together

A Totally Digital Workflow and the DWX-43W Helps

 The world has changed dramatically due to the influx of technology.  Dentistry has seen a huge swing toward digital in the last 10 years.  One of my personal pet peeves was the introduction of the concept "digital workflows" into marketing.  What bothered me is that it seemed to imply there was a true digital workflow and not the *concept* of digital workflows.

Digital radiography made tremendous changes in how offices functioned.  That *is* a digital workflow, but it didn't mean everything around it was digital as well.  I felt the term brought a dust cloud of misunderstanding to doctors trying to evaluate things to incorporate into their practices.

However, now I'm much happier because I can tell you with confidence that digital workflows truly exist.  It's now routinely possible to really have 1s and 0s be the only thing between you and delivery of care.  The DWX-43W mill form DGSHAPE is a good example of this.  This is the second DGSHAPE mill that's been in my practice.  We started out with the DWX-42W in 2022 and upgraded to the new model about 14 months ago.

The unit is open architecture which is a huge benefit.  When I began milling in 2022 we had been taking digital intraoral scans with our iTero scanners for about fifteen years.  We were familiar with our scanners, knew how to use them, and were getting tremendous results with them.  Because of the open architecture we could immediately use the scanner data to feed the mill.  Our results were impressive.

The process is now scan digital, design digital, and mill digital.  The only physical part of the process is the patient and the finished crown.  That is a truly digital workflow!

The amazing thing to me is that this is only getting better.  I think in the next 5-10 years dentistry is going to see a tremendous amount of what we do migrate into the in-office sphere.  The results are precise and predictable and the delivery time will be cut dramatically.  There is always going to be a need for dental labs.  There are somethings that will require human brains to create them.  However labs are currently more digital than most dental offices.  That means that even if you don't ever want to do things in-house, you'll still get better results and help your lab by doing as much digitally as you can.  This is the future that I've been dreaming of for over two decades and it's finally starting to arrive.

Research Report from Dandy Examines the Impact of Remakes on Restorative Dentistry

 

Dandy is really going on all in on making digital dentistry easier and as massively predictable as it can be.  I am continually impressed with their efforts to move dentistry forward.  One of the questions I get frequently from other doctors is "won't this digital dentistry stuff cause the end of the lab industry?"  My answer is always a resounding NO.  The reason I feel that way deals a lot with labs like Dandy.  This lab is doing pretty amazing things and making themselves a necessary partner for dentists.  Here's some interesting news from them.

Survey Reveals 58% of Dentists Have Lost a Patient Due to Poor-Fitting Prosthetics

Every dentist knows the frustration of receiving a poor-fitting crown or implant from the lab. But a new research report from Dandy, the fully digital dental lab, has now revealed that poor fit has a direct impact on patient retention, especially for fast-growing practices.

Dandy’s report investigates the extent of prosthetic fit issues for dentists across the U.S. and their impact on dentist practice performance. According to the survey of 137 dentists:

• 94% have had to order a remake
• One in four (23%) have had to re-make a prosthetic three or more times
• The problem is even more pronounced for dentists whose practices are growing quickly, with 22% of them sending more than half (50-75%) of their prosthetics back to the lab

The survey found that sub-par prosthetics are directly impacting dentists’ productivity. 

• Over half (51%) report spending more than an hour a week dealing with remakes. 
• More than three-quarters (79%) report having spent more than 30 minutes chairside addressing an issue caused by an ill-fitting prosthetic for a single patient and 28% have spent more than one hour. 

But it’s not just the dentists’ time that’s lost. Lab work issues have a direct impact on patient experience. A majority of dentists (58%) say they have, or suspect they have, lost a patient to another provider due to a restoration that didn’t fit properly. Dentists whose practices have grown significantly over the past year are even more likely to feel the impact: 74% of them have, or suspect they have, lost a patient for this reason.

Broader Financial Pressure for Dentists

More broadly, Dandy found that 97% of dentists faced growing costs over the past 12 months, predominantly related to dental supplies (reported by 80% of dentists), followed by personnel (64%) and administrative expenses (56%). Many have seen this reflected in their take-home pay: while 67% said their practice has grown over the past year, a much smaller percentage (52%) said their personal income has grown, indicating that costs are increasing faster than revenue and dentists are paying the price personally. 

Solving the Remake Problem

Dentists attributed remakes to a variety of factors: chiefly in the clinic-to-lab workflow. The most common cause was inaccurate impressions or scans (34%), followed by lab fabrication issues (31%). Just 12% of dentists cited patient-related issues such as anatomical challenges. 

Respondents were optimistic that technology could help. Nearly half (42%) said they’d reduced their remake rate by using intraoral scanners, while 53% said they expected AI to improve the fit of lab-produced prosthetics. 

“Amid rising costs, efficiency is crucial for dentists today; but that shouldn’t mean compromising on quality,” said Cong Yu, Head of Engineering at Dandy. “Technology is improving every step of the restoration process, from scan to lab to installation, making it economically possible to deliver high-quality restorations the first time around, every time. For example, our AI Scan Review analyzes scans in real-time, flagging crown preparation issues while the patient is still in the chair, and AI-powered quality control in the lab ensures each device is perfected to a high level of accuracy. By eliminating remakes, we’re helping dentists to deliver a better patient experience and save time so they can grow more profitably.”

Read the Report

The full report: “Solving the Squeeze: Eliminating the Toll of Dental Prosthetic Remakes”.  

 

Survey methodology

Dandy conducted an online survey of 137 dentists across the U.S. in Q3 2025.

About Dandy

Dandy is building the modern operating system for dentistry, powering the world’s most advanced dental labs. Dandy partners with dental practices to transform their business with state-of-the-art intraoral scanners, always-on expert guidance, and precision manufacturing accelerated by AI, 3D printing, and other state-of-the-art technologies seamlessly orchestrated by Dandy's proprietary software. Dandy empowers dentists with technology, innovation, and world-class support to achieve more for their practice, their people, and their patients. With unparalleled quality, efficiency, and experience, Dandy makes the business of dentistry pain-free. To learn more, visit meetdandy.com or our LinkedIn page, www.linkedin.com/company/dandyofficial/.

Warming Composite: Trend, Trick, or True Clinical Advantage?

 

Every so often, something starts popping up in conversations, lectures, and online groups that makes you stop and think, “Am I missing something here?”  Lately, that something is warming composite.  You’ve probably heard it: “It flows better.”  “It adapts like a flowable but keeps its strength.”  “Once you try it, you’ll never go back."

That’s a pretty strong set of claims for something as simple as… heating up your composite.  So let’s take a step back and look at what’s really going on.  Quick disclaimer: I've been using warmed composite for over two decades and I'm a believer.

What Happens When You Warm Composite?

At its core, composite is a highly filled resin system. That filler content is what gives us strength, wear resistance, and esthetics—but it also makes composite more viscous and, at times, harder to manipulate.  When you warm composite (typically into the 120–155°F / 50–68°C range), a few things happen:

1. Viscosity Drops

This is the big one.  Warmer composite flows more easily. It adapts better to:  Internal line angles, Margins, Irregularities in prep design.  In practical terms, that means less “fighting the material” and more controlled placement.

2. Improved Adaptation

Better flow = better adaptation.  That can translate into: Fewer voids, Better marginal integrity, Potentially reduced microleakage.  Now, is this a magic bullet for poor technique? No.  But does it make good technique easier to execute? Absolutely.

3. Increased Degree of Conversion (Potentially)

There’s a body of evidence suggesting that preheating composite can:  Increase monomer mobility and improve polymer chain formation.  The result? A potentially higher degree of conversion.

That could mean:

• Better physical properties
• Improved wear resistance
• More stable restorations over time
• The Real-World Benefits

Let’s bring this out of the lab and into the operatory.

✔️ Easier Handling

If you’ve ever tried to sculpt a high-fill composite in a tight box prep, you know the struggle.  Warming composite makes it:  Smoother and more responsive.  This makes the material less “sticky” in an annoying way and that's a good thing.

✔️ Better Margins (When Done Right)

That improved adaptation can help you get: Cleaner margins, fewer gaps, and less need to “chase” the material with an instrument.

✔️ Fewer Layers (In Some Cases)

Some clinicians find that warmed composite behaves closer to a flowable—without sacrificing strength. That opens the door to: simplified layering, faster placement, and best of all more efficient procedures.  But this is where I think the conversation needs some balance.

Because while warming composite has real advantages, it’s not without limitations—and it’s definitely not a cure-all.  Here are a few things to consider:  ⚠️ Working time decreases because warm composite doesn’t stay warm forever.  Once it’s out of the heater it starts cooling immediately and that means viscosity begins to increase again.  So you’ve got a shorter window to work with that ideal consistency.

This is one of the reasons I like the Compex HD from AdDent and the Phasor from Vista-Apex Solutions.  These devices are both "warming guns" that actually let you dispense warm composite directly into the prep.  The material stays warmer longer and allows you more of the placement benefits.

However, ⚠️ Polymerization Shrinkage Still Exists

So let’s not forget:  Warming composite may improve flow and conversion—but it doesn’t eliminate shrinkage.  It's still important to know the shrinkage factor of your material and place it accordingly.  That means you still need proper layering techniques, thoughtful curing protocols, and good bonding fundamentals.  When it comes to adhesive dentistry, there are no shortcuts there.

⚠️ Equipment and Workflow Matter!  To do this consistently, you’ll need:

• A composite warmer - this can be a base like Calset or the guns mentioned above
• A system for cycling compules efficiently
• And more importantly—you need a workflow that supports it.

Otherwise, it becomes one more “cool idea” that slows you down instead of helping you.

The Bigger Question: Is It Worth It?  Here’s my take.  Warming composite isn’t a gimmick.  There’s real science behind the concepts of:  Improved flow, better adaptation, potentially enhanced material properties.  But the impact is incremental, not revolutionary.  This isn’t going to suddenly make average dentistry exceptional.  What it will do is:  Make good clinicians more efficient, make excellent clinicians more precise, and sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of edge we’re looking for.

The Future of Whitening? A Powder That *Just Might* Brighten and Repair Teeth

 

Every few years, something comes along in dentistry that makes you stop and say, “Okay… this could be a big deal.”  This might be one of those moments.  The effects won't be seen for years, but it's still intriguing to look at something and think "maybe one day".

Researchers have developed a new type of tooth-whitening powder that doesn’t just whiten teeth—it may actually help repair enamel at the same time. That’s a pretty bold claim in a space where, historically, whitening and enamel preservation haven’t exactly gone hand in hand.

For bit of history, because I love backstories, let me tell you how tooth whitening was discovered.  In the 1960s, two doctors (who did not know each other) both faced the same problem.  One of the doctors was a periodontist and the other was an orthodontist.  Both faced finding a better way to help decrease gingival inflammation.  They started to use nightguard trays with filled with hydrogen peroxide to help eliminate the microbes that were causing the problem.  Over time what they both discovered, independently of one another, was that their patients had significantly less bleeding... but they also had significantly whiter teeth. 

That's why if you review the early literature on the subject you'll see this process referred to as NGVB, which refers to "night guard vital bleaching".

Now let’s break down this new concept, because there’s some really fascinating benefits—and I feel some potential—behind it.  Whitening is just the tip of this iceberg...

The Problem with Traditional Whitening

We all know the (ahem) drill...

Most whitening systems—whether in-office or take-home—rely on peroxide chemistry. Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide breaks down into reactive oxygen species (ROS), which attack and fragment the pigmented molecules that cause stains.

It works. No question.  And it works incredibly well.  So well in fact that tooth whitening is now a multibillion dollar segment of the market.  The sales are not just from dental offices, but from consumer products available over the counter.

But there’s always been some potential tradeoffs.  Those same ROS that remove stains can also:

• Potentially increase surface roughness
• Potentially contribute to sensitivity
• Potentially make teeth more prone to future staining

In other words, we’ve been accepting a bit of potential collateral problems in exchange for a brighter smile.  And for years, the industry has been trying to minimize that downside.  Studies since the late 1980s and early 1990s have proven that the chemistry used is safe and effective.  Adding things like ACP, fluoride, and KNO3 have helped deal with those potential problems.  However, science always looks for better alternatives.

Enter: Vibration-Activated Whitening

Now here’s where things get interesting. Instead of relying on constant chemical activity, this new concept uses a vibration-activated powder—meaning it only “turns on” when you brush with a powered toothbrush.

The material itself is a ceramic compound made from calcium, strontium, and barium titanate.

When exposed to those vibrations, it produces a small electrical field through the piezoelectric effect.  That electrical activity triggers the formation of reactive oxygen species—but only during the time brushing occurs and the material is activated.  So instead of bathing the tooth in continuous chemical activity, you get targeted, on-demand whitening reactions.  That’s a big conceptual shift.

Here’s what makes this especially intriguing to me.  In lab studies, teeth stained with coffee and tea showed:

1. Visible whitening after about 4 hours of brushing
2. Up to 50% more whitening after 12 hours compared to controls

These *very* preliminary studies show efficacy.  However this system also requires time.  I haven't seen the definition of "visible" that they used to determine whitening.  I'm guessing that there was some scientific value measurement, but I'm not sure.

Also, if you do that math on 4 hours of brushing,  that is 240 minutes.  If you break that down into 2 sessions of 2 minutes each, that is 60 days to achieve the effect.  Are people willing to wait that long? Especially if, at the end of that time you have "visible" whitening?  The 50% improvement is pretty impressive, but once again, 50% compared to what?  And then factor in that 50% occurred after 12 hours of brushing.  That is 180 days to get the effect.  That's a pretty long time in a world where you can get delivery of almost anything overnight.

Current tray based chemistries provide significant change in as little as 2 weeks.  In office solutions can provide a similar effect in 2-3 hours.  So the time doesn't seem overly appealing, however, there's something else to factor in here.  What is different is what happened in the next finding.

Simultaneous Enamel Repair

While the powder is generating whitening activity, it’s also releasing calcium and strontium ions.  And those ions don’t just sit there.

They actively:

• Deposit into enamel and dentin
• Promote remineralization
• Help rebuild damaged tooth structure

So instead of potentially weakening the tooth or causing sensitivity during whitening, this system may potentially be reinforcing it.  Let me say that again, because it’s worth emphasizing:  This is a whitening system that may improve tooth structure while it whitens.  I feel this may actually be the real benefit.  If the chemistry can cause remineralization, that's terrific.  The whitening is an added benefit.

Bonus: Microbiome Effects

And it doesn’t stop there.  In animal studies, this same material:

• Reduced harmful bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis
• Lowered inflammation
• Helped rebalance the oral microbiome

So now we’re not just talking about whitening and remineralization—we’re potentially looking at a system that supports overall oral health.  I like to say "everything works in the lab", which is an overstatement but we all know it doesn't matter what results are achieved in an controlled environment.  No, the real answers are what happens in the mouth in real life.  However, this system has the potential to provide:

• Whitening
• Repair
• Microbial balance

Why This Matters Clinically

Even if whitening is considered a "side effect" of its use, if this works in real world applications we have a great potential for mineral repair and microbiome balance.  Remineralization therapy is gaining interest in the profession.  Obviously, nothing is better for tooth structure than nature's own structures.  Reinforcing those structures or repairing them through remineralization would be a first choice for many situations.  This would be especially beneficial if it were used before any breakdown occurs.  It's always harder to stop caries after it starts, but being able to have the tooth undergo repair twice a day every day, could potentially keep things from starting in the first place.

Imagine a daily-use product that has the potential to:

• Removes stains
• Strengthens enamel
• Supports microbiome health

But Let’s Pump the Brakes (Just a Bit)

Now, before we all start asking when will this be available…  This is still early-early-stage research.  Most of the data so far comes from: laboratory testing on extracted teeth and animal studies (rats).

We are nowhere near the point of:

• Long-term human clinical trials
• Real-world compliance data
• Information on formulation in commercial products

So while the concept is incredibly promising, it’s not ready for chairside adoption and it may be a long, long time before that ever happens.  IF it happens.

My Take

This is one of those innovations that checks a lot of boxes for me as a tech loving dental practitioner:

• It uses smart physics (piezoelectricity)
• It improves on an existing products (potentially)
• It adds real biological benefit (remineralization + microbiome support)

And maybe most importantly—it aligns with where dentistry is heading which is less damage, more biology and potentially better outcomes.   If this technology holds up in clinical trials, it could represent a genuine evolution in how we think about toothpastes—not just brighter teeth, but healthier ones.  Even if we continue our use of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide for whitening, this system would be worth use just for the remin and microbiome effects.  Of course, that all hinges on IF it is safe and effective.

From what I've read on this, the excitement seems to be about the whitening.  I don't see it that way.  I suppose that for people who aren't as involved in dentistry as I am, whitening grabs the attention.  For me it's more about the remineralization and microbiome effects.  I can see whitening the teeth the traditional way and then using a substance like this to keep the teeth beautiful while also getting the other benefits.  Whitening toothpastes are a huge part of the consumer market, but whitening that provides these other benefits is what really piques my interest.

Dental Intelligence Suffers Outage - and Explains Why

 

As a tech guy and tech lover, huge pieces of my life are dependent on technology.  My life is frequently centered around screens, LEDs, beeps, and clicks.  Probably more than most, some type of service outage can wreak havoc on what I do and my way of life.

However, I also know that we live in an imperfect world.  There is no way a life cannot be interrupted by an unexpected change or problem.  I recently dislocated the fifth finger on my right had and have been going to physical therapy a lot lately.  Earlier this week I arrived for my appointment at the clinic, only  to find that "our system is down' and none of the employees knew what patients were scheduled or when they would arrive.  I've suffered a similar outage in my own office twice and it can be never wracking.  Many of you who read this blog are probably clients of Dental Intelligence.  In the company's own words:

 "Dental Intelligence is the only end-to-end practice performance solution in the dental market. We help practices increase production, number of visits, and collections while decreasing overhead using actionable insights and automation."

Dental Intelligence is massively important to many practices.  The system takes all of the numbers of a practice and gives amazingly detailed analytics.  Most users become quickly hooked on those analytics and come to depend on it.  Those same offices often use DI during "morning huddles" as they organize their scheduled day.   Yesterday, there was an outage of Dental Intelligence, and today they took responsibility, owned the problem, and explained what happened:

Yesterday morning, you may have experienced a disruption to your Engagement tools. We understand how important those morning hours are to your practice, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience a service interruption must have caused.  

Our team resolved the issue within a few hours, but you deserve an explanation as to what occurred, and what we’re doing to prevent it from happening again. Here’s the short version: 

Early on the morning of March 18th, we experienced an unexpected spike in system activity due to a high volume of data from a third-party integration. This unprecedented demand placed excessive load on a portion of our system responsible for processing Engagement activity.  

In response, our team quickly identified the issue, redirected every Engineer to the problem, and restored functionality to all affected system components by 10:25 UTC.  

All systems are now fully operational. If you would like a more detailed technical explanation, visit the status page by clicking this link.  

Moving forward, we’re committing to the following: 

We’re investing in additional monitoring systems to proactively prohibit outages and ensure faster detection 

We’re enhancing our communication processes to keep you better informed, faster 

We’re adding more technical resources and systems to solve issues at greater speed 

Thank you for your understanding. If you’re still experiencing problems, reach out to support@dentalintel.com. 

Sincerely, 

The Dental Intelligence Team 

In my opinion, this is the right way to handle a problem.  Admit the problem, find the solution, put things in place so that it doesn't happen again.  I salute Dental Intelligence for the way they handled this.  I wish more companies had this attitude.