DMG Introduces Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP to Simplify Whitening Workflows and Support Patient Comfort

 

DMG is a well known manufacturer that makes some pretty incredible products.  The science of tooth whitening continues to grow and expand.  Along those lines, here's a new product announcement from DMG America.  I have not had a chance to try this one yet, but I'd sure like to.  Details below:

New solution completes minimally invasive workflow for whitening and treating enamel opacities

DMG America, the  manufacturer of Icon Smooth Surface Infiltration Concept for minimally invasive treatment of enamel opacities, is pleased to announce the U.S. commercial launch of its Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP line of professional, carbamide peroxide-based take-home medical bleaching solutions formulated to deliver effective whitening for both young and adult patients with reduced sensitivity.

The medical device, Flairesse line comprises three innovative products. Intended for use with patients under age 18, Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP 5% and Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP 10% are designed to gently improve the appearance of developmental enamel opacities associated with fluorosis, trauma and enamel defects as part of a medical treatment. They also comfortably treat discolorations of permanent teeth caused by medical treatments. Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP 10% and 16% formulations are additionally indicated for adult patients to gently whiten intrinsic and extrinsic discolorations without the need for an overhead light. 

The Flairesse bleaching solution is a critical step in the Icon infiltration procedure, developed as a medical device to for the treatment of enamel opacities. Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP 5% and Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP 10% used prior to resin infiltration helps white spot lesions blend more seamlessly with surrounding enamel and create a more uniform and aesthetically pleasing tooth shade. For optimal results with this application, DMG recommends the patients use its DentaMile 3D printed bleaching trays for a flexible, precision-fit tray that will prevent gel leakage on gingiva and provide a more comfortable fit for the patient. 

“With Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP, we’re bringing whitening, Icon resin infiltration and DentaMile bleaching trays together in a streamlined, minimally invasive workflow. This launch reflects our commitment to giving dental professionals practical solutions that support patient comfort while helping them address discoloration and enamel opacities with confidence,” said Mark Trimmer, General Manager of DMG America.

DMG took a very intentional approach to ensure that the Flairesse line would exhibit an exceptional ability to minimize tooth sensitivity. The carbamide peroxide formulation delivers gradual, even whitening, with an extended application time that promotes a gentler whitening process. The formulation also contains potassium nitrate, which prevents the whitening agents from irritating the tooth’s nerves through its potassium ions that diffuse through the dentinal tubules toward the dental pulp.

The take-home treatment protocol for all three products achieves the material properties required by DIN EN ISO 28399 with a minimum application time of just one hour per day over a 10-day period that requires only a single, resealable, 5 ml syringe.The Flairesse Bleaching Gel CP, Icon and DentaMile solutions are available from leading dental product distributors and partner labs throughout the United States.

About DMG

DMG manufactures and distributes dental materials and equipment recognized internationally for quality and innovation. Its portfolio includes Luxatemp®, LuxaCore® Z Dual, Icon® caries infiltrant, and the DentaMile® 3D printing solution, including software, hardware and resins. Through innovation and collaboration, DMG provides integrated solutions that help dental and laboratory professionals streamline workflows, meet their clinical needs and improve patient outcomes. For more information about DMG products, visit www.dmg-america.com or call 800-662-6383

Vote for your Favorite Podcast at Dental Podcast Directory

 

It's that time of year again folks!  Every year, The Dental Podcast Directory holds a poll where you can vote for your favorite dental podcast.  Might I suggest (or beg for) The Technology Evangelist Podcast as your selection this year?  For the last 18 months we've been doing our very best to try and bring you stories from around the dental industry.  Since last year's voting we've put out interviews with Dr. Gordon Christensen, Dr. Ed Zuckerberg, and Dr. Jeremy Krell, just to name a few.  Your vote will help bring more attention to the podcast, get us in front of more listeners, and allow me to bring on more guests.

You can cast your vote here.  

Our effort is to bring you information from every aspect of the dental industry with a focus on technology.  You can expect more info and guests in the coming year.  I'd be truly honored if you'd cast your vote for us.  We finished at #7 last year and we would love to finish even higher this time around.  The podcast team and I are trying every week to bring you the best effort we can.  If you'd like to suggest a guest or offer any suggestions, please leave them in the comments below.

Here's the info from The Dental Podcast Directory:

Every year we ask dental podcast host and fans to vote for their favorite dental podcasts. Fans can vote for the next 2 months from November 1st until December 31st. The 25 podcasts with the most votes are awarded our top 25 badge and featured on our website.

 

The Frightening Part of "Big AI"

 

I've written a lot about AI here and why I'm a fan.  I'm a fan because dentistry is based on relationships and often the amount of 'stuff' we have to do gets in the way of connecting with patients.  If a system can do the busy work, we can better connect with our patients.

However, using AI Agents is a completely different thing.  Letting autonomous systems run things for us is one thing, but letting those systems run things when no one can really tell you what they are doing or how they are doing it?  That's a completely different thing to me.

A friend that I respect sent me the video above yesterday.  I was concerned about where the big AI companies were headed before I watched it... I'm a lot more concerned now.  The video is about 30 minutes long, but I *highly* recommend you watch it.  It does the best job I've seen of explaining all these rogue AIs we've seen lately and it is chilling.  I love tech, but this is going way too far...  Be sure to watch the video.

You can watch it directly on YouTube here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYUo0ZmK-A

Deep down we all know that even a bit of distraction while driving can be dangerous.  I love tech as much as anyone, but  screens can steal attention, especially when we're surrounded by them constantly... and that really applies to moving vehicles.  I recently became aware of a study that shows just how much of a problem it can be.  Read on and if you'd like the fully study, there's a link to it at the bottom...

A new study from Wettermark Keith finds that touching a car's touchscreen while driving cuts pointing accuracy and speed by 58%, a steeper drop than the 42% rise in lane drift recorded in the same test. The research paired a 2025 University of Washington and Toyota Research Institute driving simulator study with Wettermark Keith's own BPM analysis of Spotify's Top 50 USA and Classic Road Trip playlists. Under added cognitive load, the same drivers' pointing movements slowed by another 20.2%, and screen throughput dropped 16.6%. The music was never really the problem.

Key Findings:

• - Touchscreen use while driving raised lateral lane deviation by 41.9%, roughly 42%
• - Touchscreen pointing accuracy and speed fell 58.1% during driving
• - Under high cognitive load, pointing movements slowed 20.2% and touchscreen throughput dropped 16.6%
• - A 2017 AAA Foundation study of 30 vehicles found 23 rated high or very high driver demand, and none rated low
• - NHTSA recorded 3,208 distracted-driving deaths and 315,167 injuries in 2024, and its definition of distraction specifically includes adjusting a stereo, entertainment, or navigation system.

What the Data Reveals

The UW/TRI simulator study isolated the touchscreen itself as the risk, not the music behind it. Lane deviation rose 41.9% the moment drivers touched the screen while driving. Pointing accuracy and speed on that same screen fell 58.1%. Under added cognitive load, the kind drivers face in real traffic, pointing movements slowed another 20.2% and overall throughput dropped 16.6%. Every one of those numbers moves in the same direction. The screen gets harder to use exactly when the road gets harder to manage.

The AAA Foundation found the same pattern across real vehicles, not just a simulator. Testing 30 model-year 2017 infotainment systems with 120 licensed drivers, researchers rated 23 of them high or very high demand. None rated low. Twelve were rated very high, equivalent to the mental load of balancing a checkbook while driving. That is the baseline interface drivers are working with every time they reach for the screen. NHTSA's numbers show where that leads. In 2024, distracted driving was tied to 3,208 deaths and 315,167 injuries, and NHTSA's own definition names adjusting a stereo, entertainment, or navigation system as distraction.

Why This Matters Now

Touchscreens have replaced knobs and buttons across nearly every new vehicle on the road, and the safety research has only caught up this year. The UW/TRI study is 2025 data. It is the first simulator work to put hard numbers on what happens to both driving and touchscreen performance at the same time, rather than looking at one in isolation. That makes this a current story, not a rehash of older distracted driving coverage.

The conversation around music and driving usually stops at tempo, whether a fast song makes someone drive faster or more aggressively. Wettermark Keith's playlist analysis found 28 of 50 current Top 50 USA tracks and 53 of 100 Classic Road Trip tracks run above 120 BPM, and that data holds up. But tempo alone was never the full story. The UW/TRI and AAA findings point to the interface drivers use to choose that music as the more measurable and more immediate risk.

NHTSA already defines adjusting a stereo, entertainment, or navigation system as distracted driving, and it tied that category to 3,208 deaths and 315,167 injuries in 2024. The research now exists to explain why those numbers stay high even as awareness campaigns focus on phones and texting. The touchscreen built into the dashboard is doing some of that damage too, and it has largely stayed out of the conversation until this year's data made the case.

About the Study

Research by Wettermark Keith analyzed BPM data from Spotify's Top 50 USA and Classic Road Trip playlists alongside a 2025 University of Washington and Toyota Research Institute simulator study, AAA Foundation infotainment testing, and NHTSA distracted-driving data to examine how touchscreen interaction, not just music tempo, affects in-car driving behavior.

Here is the full study link:

https://wkfirm.com/research/the-song-thats-speeding-you-up/  

Usually when I come across something I think you should read I try and provide a summary and then link to the full article.  This is one of those rare times when I think the issue is so important, I don't want to risk you not clicking the link.  If you'd like to see the original, you can find the link below before the text of the column. 

In the world in which doctors live, many of us need to cooperate with third party payers.  It isn't always easy, but it's unfortunately a matter of fact.  Some offices are lucky enough to manage to create a practice where patients pay the office the entire fee and then the patient is responsible for dealing with reimbursement.  Unfortunately not every office can sustain that model.  If you're office is one of the majority that deals with third parties for reimbursement, be sure to read below.

This article was originally published by ADA News.  

Dental insurance issues are often cited as one of dentists’ biggest challenges.

In response to an ADA Health Policy Institute poll in late 2025, more than half of dentists reported that one of their top concerns looking ahead to 2026 was related to insurance, including low insurance reimbursement rates and delayed or denied payments.

This ADA News series aims to address some of those challenges. “Dear ADA” will feature answers to common insurance-related questions the American Dental Association receives from members to help provide clarity and direct members to additional resources.

The answer to this month’s question is provided by Liz Papineau, D.D.S., a member of the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs.

Dear ADA: I've received a notice from a payer that they've automatically withheld funds from a remittance because they say they overpaid me on another unrelated patient. How can they do this?

Dr. Papineau: You're not alone. Many dentists and staff members are surprised and frustrated the first time a payment is reduced because of an issue involving an entirely different patient. Most of us think of claims and payments as patient-specific transactions, but payers may not. This practice, commonly known as a recoupment or offset, is a mechanism many payers use when they believe they have overpaid a provider.

An overpayment can arise from a processing error, such as a claim paid twice, or from information that comes to light after payment, such as a coordination of benefits issue, a retroactive eligibility change or an audit finding. Either way, when the payer concludes it paid more than it should have, it will typically seek to recover those funds.

Rather than sending a bill and waiting for a refund, some payers recover the amount by reducing future payments. That's why you may see a deduction on a remittance for a completely unrelated patient.

Whether a payer may do this depends largely on your provider agreement and applicable state law. Many contracts expressly authorize offsets against future claim payments with language such as, “Dentist shall notify [insurance company] of any overpayments or payments made in error, and [insurance company] may offset future claim payments due to the dentist.” I encourage you to review the ADA webpage on dental insurance contract issues for more information on recoupment clauses. Those rights may be limited by law, however, depending on which law governs the patient’s plan.

Start by determining whether the plan is self-funded or fully insured. Self-funded plans may take the position that state protections such as notice requirements, recovery timeframes and dispute rights do not apply to them. Because a large share of employer-sponsored coverage is self-funded, confirm the plan type with the plan administrator, summary plan description or payer before relying on state law.

For fully insured plans, state law may require notice, supporting documentation and an opportunity to dispute before funds are recovered. Many states also set a lookback limit — often 12 to 24 months — beyond which a payer generally may not recover an alleged overpayment, subject to exceptions such as fraud or coordination of benefits issues.

When you receive a recoupment notice, take time to carefully review the information provided by the insurer. A proper notice should identify the original claim, the patient involved, the amount the payer believes was overpaid and the reason for the adjustment. If that information is missing or unclear, request it; you can’t evaluate a recovery without knowing what the payer is recovering and why.

Practices should also track recoupments carefully. A recovery applied against unrelated patients’ payments can complicate reconciliation and confuse patients, so train staff to post these payments correctly and explain the adjustments. Link each recoupment to the original claim and keep a clear paper trail to confirm the adjustment is legitimate and prevent duplicate recoveries.

Of course, the most important question is whether the payer is right.

Payers process enormous volumes of claims, and mistakes can occur on either side. Before accepting the adjustment, review the original claim, clinical documentation, prior remittance advice and related correspondence. The payer may have misapplied a policy, overlooked submitted information or miscalculated the overpayment.

If you believe the payer is wrong, review your contract and the payer's dispute procedures promptly. These rights are often subject to specific deadlines, and missing them can make a reversal harder to pursue. The ADA's Third Party Payer Concierge can also help with dental benefit concerns, including claim adjudication and payer practices. Members can reach the concierge by emailing dentalbenefits@ada.org.

The bottom line is that payers may recover alleged overpayments by offsetting future remittances, even for different patients, but that ability is not unlimited. Know your contract terms and state law protections, review every recovery notice carefully and keep accurate records. When a recovery appears questionable, don't assume the matter is settled simply because the funds have already been withheld. Reviewing the facts and exercising available appeal rights may help ensure the outcome is both accurate and fair.

Dental VIP Summit Returns to Chicago Feb. 24, 2027, Connecting Dental Innovation, Investment and Clinical Leadership

I've attended both of the previous Dental VIP Summits and I'm not stopping now.  If you want to see what the future of the profession and the industry holds, this is a must attend event.  Not only will you see some amazing leading edge things hovering on the near horizon, you'll also get a chance to mingle with the inventors and creators that are shaping the future of the industry.  This event continues to grow and gain more traction every year.  I'll be there and I think you should be too.  Read on for all of the details:

One-Day Event Connects Dental Innovators with Investors, Clinical Leaders and Strategic Partners to Advance Funding, Commercialization and Adoption

The third annual Dental VIP (Venture, Innovation & Partnering) Summit will take place Feb. 24, 2027, in Chicago, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians, dental service organization leaders and industry executives to explore emerging technologies and the partnerships needed to advance their adoption.

Scheduled for the day before the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting, the summit will feature keynote presentations, expert panel discussions, emerging company presentations and networking opportunities. The program will examine how artificial intelligence, clinical innovation and strategic investment are reshaping dental care and the business of dentistry.

The 2027 summit is co-chaired by Marty Jablow, DMD / President, Dental Tech Advisors; Jeremy Krell, DMD, MBA / Managing Partner, Revere Partners; and Mariya Filipova / Partner, Marram Ventures, they bring clinical, investment and health care innovation perspectives to a program designed to connect promising ideas with the expertise, capital and relationships needed to move them forward.

“Technology earns its place in dentistry when it helps clinicians deliver better care,” Jablow said. “The summit brings clinical voices into the conversation early, helping innovators understand what practices need and what makes a new solution worth adopting.” 

The summit’s curated format connects founders and emerging companies with investors, potential strategic partners and clinicians who can help evaluate new technologies, support their development and accelerate their adoption. 

“Dental entrepreneurs need more than funding to build sustainable businesses,” Krell said. “They need a clear market opportunity and the right partners. We’re bringing those perspectives together to help promising innovations move toward adoption.”

The preliminary program includes discussions on how DSOs evaluate and adopt new technologies, the convergence of medical, dental and digital health, and corporate innovation and strategic partnerships. Additional sessions will explore developments in artificial intelligence, diagnostics, digital workflows and practice technology.

“Dentistry has an opportunity to play a larger role in connected, whole-person care,” Filipova said. “By bringing dental, medical and digital health leaders together, we can identify partnerships that make that vision practical for patients and providers.”

Registration is open, with a $100 early registration discount available through Dec. 17, 2026. Special registration options are also available for practicing dentists and groups of three or more.

For registration information, visit https://www.dentalvipsummit.com/registration. Program updates are available at https://www.dentalvipsummit.com/agenda.

Companies interested in presenting, sponsoring or exploring partnership opportunities may contact Craig Simak, executive director, at csimak@healthtech.com.

About the Dental VIP Summit

The Dental VIP (Venture, Innovation & Partnering) Summit is an annual gathering that connects dental entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians and industry executives to advance innovation in oral health. Through curated company presentations, keynote addresses, panel discussions and networking, the summit helps participants evaluate emerging technologies and develop relationships that support investment, strategic partnerships and clinical adoption.

URGENT: Critical PHP Security Vulnerability — Immediate Action Required

It's good to have friends.  Plain and simple, your friends look out for you.  As The Technology Evangelist, I've been lucky enough to have met some amazing people in the dental technology space and one of those people is Dr. Lorne Lavine.  Over the years, we've become friends.  Like me, Lorne is a dentist (he actually practiced as a periodontist early in his career) and he is also a confirmed gadget guy.  He made the bold move to actually get out of clinical practice and move full time into dental technology and IT services for the dental industry.  Over more than 25 years, Lorne has been a stalwart for keeping dental offices safe from cyber intrusions and helping office IT systems run at their peak. 

When Lorne speaks about IT and security, I listen.  He's *really good at this*.  That's why I'm making today's post.  I got an email from Lorne's company today.  He has sent this to everyone of his clients.  Even if this is the first time you've heard his name, you need to read this.  It's that important.  There is a major security problem that has just come to his attention and you should read and implement exactly what he tells you below:

URGENT: Critical PHP Security Vulnerability — Immediate Action Required

A serious security vulnerability known as PHP2Shell has been disclosed, affecting PHP, the software technology that powers around 75% of websites and web applications, including platforms such as WordPress.

Two critical vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619) could allow attackers to execute malicious code on vulnerable web servers without logging in. This could potentially result in unauthorized access, data theft, website compromise, or service disruption. Security researchers have demonstrated successful exploitation, and malicious activity has been reported.

Why this matters to your dental practice

If your website, patient portal, online appointment system, or another application runs on a vulnerable PHP installation, your systems may be at risk. The vulnerabilities affect the underlying PHP software, so updating WordPress or individual plugins alone will not resolve the problem.

What you need to do now

Please take the following steps as soon as possible:

Contact your IT provider or website hosting company. Ask them to verify whether any of your internet-facing systems run vulnerable PHP versions and to prioritize remediation immediately.

Apply the appropriate PHP security updates. The patched upstream releases are PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, and 8.5.12. The correct version depends on your environment. Older, unsupported versions require an appropriate vendor-provided fix or an upgrade to a supported release.

Verify that all affected systems are protected. This includes web servers, hosted websites, WordPress installations, and other applications that use PHP. Confirm that the fix has been applied and the relevant services restarted or redeployed as required.

If patching cannot be completed immediately, have your IT or hosting provider assess temporary protective measures, such as restricting public access or isolating the vulnerable service until it can be secured. These measures are not a substitute for patching.

Review for signs of compromise. Your IT provider should review relevant server logs, security alerts, and other available evidence for suspicious activity. If a compromise is suspected, initiate your incident response process and assess whether credentials or other secrets need to be rotated.

Official security information

PHP security announcement: https://www.php.net/

Technical vulnerability details and remediation guidance: https://github.com/php/php-src/security/advisories/GHSA-w8hw-w9fx-j79w

Please treat this as a priority. Do not assume your systems are safe simply because your website is functioning normally or your WordPress plugins are up to date.

If you are unsure who manages your website hosting or PHP environment, contact your IT provider for assistance.

Best regards,

The Digital Dentist IT Team

Also, if you'd like to hear Lorne's appearance on The Technology Evangelist Podcast you can use this link.  He was the guest for Episode 15.