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.

 

  

Solventum Introduces Next-Generation Filtek™ Matrix Restorative System

 

This is a pretty cool idea.  For years the advantages of composite smile makeovers have been known, but the delivery has been the problem.  Patients love the idea of a reversible procedure that preserves natural tooth structure.  However, doing composite veneers free hand can be difficult and frequently time consuming.  Often the appointments take longer than prepping for veneers or 3/4 crowns.  What if composite smile makeovers could be done with much less effort, less stress, and outstanding aesthetic results?

Now Solventum has come up with a matrix system that removes the guess work and a great deal of the 'hand work'.  The new Filtek Matrix looks incredibly promising.  I don't have hands on experience with it yet, but someone I trust, Dr. Adam Hodges, does.  He's written a white paper on this system that can tell you all about it.  If you are looking for a better way to provide conservative aesthetic treatment, this is something you should be aware of.  All the details from Solventum are below:

• New digital workflow and customized matrix system help simplify anterior composite dental restorations
• Restorative approach supports predictable esthetics, treatment efficiency and practice growth
• Meets patient demand for conservative, natural-looking smile transformations

Solventum today announced the availability of Solventum™ Filtek™ Matrix, a system designed to help dental practices deliver predictable, esthetic and conservative composite restorations.

Building on matrix technology first introduced in 2022, this next-generation system has been fully redesigned to include a new delivery system intended to make placement and cleanup more efficient, improving the experience for dental professionals and patients as part of Solventum’s leading restorative portfolio. In combination with an intuitive digital workflow and a complete lineup of restorative materials, the all-new Filtek Matrix is designed to help clinicians deliver conservative anterior restorations more predictably.

"By helping reduce time for restorative treatments this technology expands capabilities for clinicians while supporting greater efficiency in practice,” said Karim Mansour, president of Dental Solutions at Solventum. “The launch of Solventum Filtek Matrix reinforces our commitment to supporting the growth of dental practices with advanced solutions that transform patient oral health.”

Through Clarity™ Portal, Solventum’s integrated digital treatment planning platform, clinicians receive patient-specific digital treatment plans tailored to each individual's restorative needs. Based on these designs, a customized matrix is 3D printed to guide the placement of Filtek™ Dental Restoratives, helping support predictable esthetic outcomes and durable restorations.

Aligned with a growing consumer demand for minimally invasive treatments that enhance smiles without removing natural tooth structure, Filtek Matrix is designed to support clinicians across skill levels helping increase confidence in achieving consistent, esthetic outcomes in practice. For patients, restorations completed with the system offer a conservative approach, natural-looking results, fewer visits and lower out-of-pocket costs than many ceramic procedures and the flexibility to be modified over time.

"The power of digital dentistry isn’t just in what we can design, but in what we can deliver,” said Dr. Parag Kachalia, a practicing dentist and director of global clinical evidence for Digital Dentistry & Orthodontics at Solventum. “Filtek Matrix bridges that gap, bringing digital smile design to life while preserving natural tooth structure. To me, that’s meaningful innovation: making minimally invasive esthetic dentistry more accessible so that more patients can smile with confidence."

The Filtek Matrix is the latest innovation in Solventum's industry-leading portfolio of restorative solutions, including adhesives, universal composites, and finishing and polishing systems. Filtek™ Dental Restoratives are backed by more than 50 years of restorative innovation and over two billion restorations placed worldwide. The company also offers comprehensive training and ongoing clinical and business implementation support to help dentists seamlessly integrate the system into their practices. 

To learn more about the Solventum Filtek Matrix restorative system, visit https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/oral-care/dental-solutions/custom-solutions/filtek-matrix/

About Solventum

At Solventum, we enable better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives. As a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for our customers' toughest challenges, we pioneer game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material and data science that change patients' lives for the better — while empowering healthcare professionals to perform at their best. See how at Solventum.com.

 

Can Robotic-assisted Tooth Autotransplantation Minimize Bone Removal in Osteotomy?

 

While tooth autotransplantation is not a common procedure, part of the reason for that is the difficulty in performing the procedure and a lower than optimal success rate.  However, when a patient's needs require it, the procedure can make a tremendous difference.  The procedure was first performed in the 1950's so it's definitely a viable option, however it's difficult to perform.

To study a new way to perform the procedure, in June of this year, research was published from the Fourth Military Medical University in China that compared two different methods to accomplish autotransplantation.

The researchers used 40 3D printed models of a mandible in need of autotransplantation.  One half of the study was done via the traditional 3D printed surgical guide technique.  The other half was performed using an autonomous multi-axis robotic system.  The study evaluated both single rooted and double rooted teeth.

The results are interesting.  The robot group had less unnecessary bone removal and a better overall agreement with the planned socket design.

Obviously, all this gives us is proof of concept.  However, change occurs often with one small step at a time.  That's especially true in science when potentially working with the human body.

If you're interested in the actual study, you can follow this link:  Autonomous robotic execution of nonlinear toolpaths for geometry-matched osteotomy in tooth autotransplantation: an in vitro study

The image above is an AI generated image and is not affiliated with the study.

Planet DDS Reaches 100+ Integration Partners, Advancing DentalOS® as the Most Connected Platform Built for DSOs

 

Planet DDS is expanding in an amazing fashion.  The company is creating integration with platforms almost faster than I can let you know about the.  Read below for the latest from the company as well as a list of some of systems they connect to.

New partnerships give DSOs more choice and freedom to connect the technologies they rely on through a single, unified data layer

 Planet DDS today announced it has surpassed 100 integration partners on DentalOS®, its platform for multi-location dental groups and DSOs, including 15+ newly added partners. The additions span AI and analytics, revenue cycle management, patient financing, scheduling, imaging, communications, and managed IT services.

Each integration connects a partner's tool directly to the practice management system, so data moves between the two automatically and staff don't have to re-enter it. The growing partner ecosystem reflects Planet DDS's vision for DentalOS: an open platform that offers the flexibility to build the technology environment that works best for their organizations.

"No single company solves every problem a DSO faces. We built DentalOS so the companies that do could connect on one platform. Over a hundred partners have said yes to that vision and the ecosystem we're building together is only going to get stronger," said Eric Giesecke, CEO of Planet DDS.

An Open Platform Built for the Dental Enterprise

Rather than requiring DSOs and groups to operate within a closed technology stack, DentalOS is designed to connect the solutions organizations already use and allow them to adopt new technologies as their needs evolve. The Planet DDS ecosystem, led by Kevin Simmons, Director, Partnerships and Chris Hadziev, Senior Director, Partnership Marketing and Communities, includes:

• CareCredit, a Synchrony company: Preferred patient financing under a new multi-year agreement, reaching 2,500+ Cloud 9 and 15,000+ Denticon practices.
• Cresta.ai: AI contact center coaching and analytics for patient-facing teams.
• InsideDesk: Insurance analytics that flag underpayments and recover revenue.
• Mango Voice: VoIP phone system with centralized call management for DSOs.
• MaxAssist: Recall automation that fills schedule gaps with lapsed patients.
• Medix Dental IT: Managed IT services and consulting.
• Pearly: Automated patient balance outreach and collections.
• Peerlogic: AI call analytics that surface missed front-office opportunities.
• ProspHire: Healthcare consulting firm with expertise in dental practice management conversions, operations and technology transformation.
• Rootwell Consulting Group: Orthodontic specialist consulting.
• Subscribili: Membership plans for uninsured patients.
• Sunset Technologies: Managed IT services and consulting.
• Thinc Forward: Dental IT managed services and implementation
• Truro AI: Predictive analytics in Denticon Insights that flag no-shows, lapsed patients, and unaccepted treatment.
• VELMENI: AI imaging across 2D and 3D CBCT.
• Zentist: AI-powered insurance revenue cycle management platform that automates payment reconciliation and posting while analyzing claim denials.
• Zocdoc: Patient growth platform that makes practices bookable, fills schedules, and streamlines front desks.

Together, these partners extend the capabilities available to practices through the Planet DDS ecosystem while helping connect critical workflows across the patient journey, from scheduling and communications to treatment acceptance, payments, collections, and practice operations.

"By making CareCredit the preferred financing option across Planet DDS platforms and embedding financing directly into practice workflows, the partnership expands CareCredit's distribution and simplifies the treatment presentation and payments process, leading to a better practice and patient experience and increased case acceptance—a win for everyone involved," said Craig Urbansky, SVP, Product, Distribution at Synchrony at CareCredit.

Partners Point to the Value of Connected Workflows

For partners, the value of the ecosystem is also in the ability to connect complementary technologies rather than operate in isolation 

"MangoVoice was purpose-built for the complexity DSOs face every day, centralized call management, AI analytics, and the integrations that hold a multi-location group together. The Planet DDS ecosystem reflects that same philosophy," said Kevin Tallman, CEO at Mango Voice. "The best technology partnerships don't just connect products; they connect workflows. That's what being part of the partnership ecosystem means to us."

That connected approach is critical as dental organizations adopt more specialized technologies while managing increasingly complex, multi-location operations.

"At scale, unreconciled payments, posting errors, and unresolved denials can translate into significant revenue leakage," said Sina S. Amiri, SVP of Business Development & Partnerships at Zentist. "By integrating Zentist's Remit AI with Denticon, we're helping DSOs automate payment reconciliation and posting, identify denial patterns, and prioritize follow-up. The result is clearer visibility into insurance revenue and more capacity for teams to focus on recovering outstanding payments."

Continued Ecosystem Growth Ahead

As the dental technology landscape continues to expand, Planet DDS expects its partner ecosystem to continue growing, giving DSOs and groups more ways to tailor their technology environments while maintaining the connected workflows at the center of DentalOS.

"Every missed appointment, every lapsed patient, every unaccepted treatment plan has a moment where it could have gone differently. We built Truro AI to find that moment," said Anjali Srivastava, Founder and CEO at Truro AI. "With our native Denticon integration, teams get patient-level risk insights directly inside their daily workflows, so staff can focus their effort and provide personalized support to patients before an appointment or payment issue becomes a revenue problem."

To explore how DentalOS connects practices with the technology and services they need, visit planetdds.com/integrations.

Resources

• Discover Denticon Practice Management
• Learn more about DentalOS
• Explore Cloud 9 Ortho Practice Management

About Planet DDS

Dental software is broken. We aim to fix it. Planet DDS is the leading dental enterprise software company in North America, delivering DentalOS®—the platform built to run the dental enterprise, not just the practice. As the industry enters the dental enterprise era, Planet DDS gives DSO and multi-location group executives the visibility, control, and financial performance to run every location, every specialty, and every dollar as one connected organization. Built on an open ecosystem with 100+ integration partners, DentalOS connects Denticon Practice Management, Cloud 9 Ortho Practice Management, and Apteryx Cloud Imaging on a single data layer—cloud-native since 2003 and enterprise-proven at scale. More than half of the top 60 DSOs in North America trust Planet DDS with solutions used across 14,500 practices and 175,000 users nationwide.

New National Poll Shows Overwhelming Bipartisan Support for Dental Coverage

Here's some interesting information from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.  As more and more of the US population understands that there is a true oral-systemic connection, that knowledge is driving more understanding that better oral health contributes to better overall health.  

Americans have always been very supportive of taking care of our veterans but older and lower income individuals didn't get the same public support.  This new study shows that increasing dental benefits for Medicare in now on the radar.  There is some good info below...

9 in 10 Americans support better oral health access for veterans and Medicare recipients 

A new national poll by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® shows broad, bipartisan support for dental coverage and strong voter interest in making oral health a policy priority. 

The results reveal that dental coverage policies – including those for older or disabled adults and veterans – are among the most universally supported health policy issues. 

“These findings demonstrate that Americans across the political spectrum recognize oral health as an important health care issue,” said Wade Rakes, Chief Executive Officer at CareQuest Institute. “Voters want dental care to be more accessible and affordable, especially for people that face significant barriers. This sends a powerful message that oral health should be part of the national dialogue around health care access and affordability.”

Despite long-standing, bipartisan popularity, oral health policy issues are often overlooked in broader political and health policy conversations. CareQuest Institute partnered with Marketing for Change to conduct this poll and additional voter research to examine how oral health policies resonate with voters in the current political landscape. 

The results indicate that Medicare dental is a uniquely bipartisan issue, with 9 in 10 voters supporting the policy, including 96% of Democrats, 86% of Republicans, and 92% of Independents. Voters strongly believe that workers have paid into Medicare throughout their adult lives, and it is only fair that Medicare covers dental care. 

Traditional Medicare does not currently include dental coverage, leaving millions of older or disabled adults without access to this critical form of care and with profound impacts on their health and well-being.  

The poll findings also reinforce broad, bipartisan support for ensuring veterans can access the oral health care they need. According to the results, 96% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans support improving dental coverage through the VA so all veterans qualify for dental services. 

In discussions with researchers, voters connected oral health to issues they already care about. The cost of health care, including dental care, was also a top concern. Voters saw improvements in Medicare, Medicaid, and VA dental coverage as an important step toward having more oral health care choices. They also recognized the value of preventing oral health problems before they become more serious and costly.

For more information about CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, visit carequest.org. 

Dentbird Upgrades have Taken Place

 

The digital design platform Dentbird has performed some upgrades and i wanted to be sure and tell you about it.  I can still remember the first time I heard about this system.  It was probably in 2023 or so and even way back then (in tech terms) I was impressed.

Dentbird is a pretty amazing way to digitally design crowns for 3D printers or in-office mills.  All you need to do is create an account, upload the scan file, and let Dentbird do the rest.  The system will locate the prepped tooth automatically, then it will find the margin automatically, and then use AI to propose a crown design.  Everything can be edited and changed which means that doctor has the final say.  The system is fast, easy, and has a short learning curve.

One of the upgrades they've just announced is that they will provide 3 FREE designs.  Simply set up an account. and you have access to the cloud based design system.  This will allow you to design, download, and create a crown to see for yourself.

If youi'd like to know more about Dentbird, I interviewed Hakwan Kim for Episode 55 on the Technology Evangelist Podcast.  Here is the info from Dentbird:

On September 28, 2026 we updated the Dentbird plans. The Free plan now covers more than it used to.

What Free includes now

• 3 exports every month, counted per tooth, no credit card required
• All solutions unlocked, including Batch and Modeler, and indications such as bridges
• Model files and NC (milling) files, which don't count toward your monthly limit
• A three-unit bridge uses all 3. Your count resets every month on the day your account was created, and unused exports don't carry over.

The design engine is faster too

Dentbird runs on a new design engine, so a case takes less time from scan data to finished design.

Personify Group Introduces Its Trade Show ROI Guide and the Industry’s First Interactive ROI Calculator

 

I"m a Personify Advisor and I have that role for a reason.  Michael & Mark, the two marketing gurus who founded Personify, are terrific human beings.  I've known then both for decades and I believe in their mission.  Personify Group is a dental marketing firm that knows the industry inside and out.  They know what they are doing , plus they are both the kind or people I like to spend time with.  Their latest creation is an interactive Trade Show calculator for dental companies.  All the info is below: 

Just in Time for Dental Meeting Season:

New Resources Help Dental Exhibitors Evaluate Their Investment and

Explore the Personify ShowFlow™ Trade Show Success System

Personify Group, Inc., a commercialization, branding, public relations and demand generation firm serving the dental industry, today announced two free resources designed to help dental exhibitors evaluate their trade show performance and plan for stronger business results: a downloadable Trade Show ROI Guide and a fully-interactive, online Trade Show ROI Calculator.

The resources introduce exhibitors to the Personify ShowFlow Trade Show Success System, which connects pre-show marketing, booth engagement and post-show follow-up through three stages: Attract, Engage and Convert.

For dental manufacturers, technology companies and service providers, the resources offer a starting point for examining whether trade show spending is producing qualified leads, sales opportunities and revenue,  and where a more coordinated approach could improve results.

“A trade show investment starts well before the booth opens and continues after the exhibit hall closes,” said Mark Ross, Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer of Personify Group. “The ROI guide  and ROI calculator help exhibitors look at that full picture. ShowFlow brings the pieces together so that  the message prospects encounter before the show connects with their booth experience and gives them a reason to take the next step.”

The Tradeshow ROI Guide provides a planning resource for companies seeking to improve trade show return on investment. The online ROI calculator lets exhibitors enter show expenses and sales funnel assumptions, then compare their current approach with adjustable ShowFlow scenarios.

The online Tradeshow ROI calculator accounts for costs such as booth space, graphics, travel, shipping and marketing. Users can model changes in qualified conversations and conversion rates, assess projected revenue and gross-profit ROI, and work backward from a revenue goal to determine the conversations and leads needed to reach it. ShowFlow scenarios include an estimated program investment; projections are for planning purposes and do not guarantee results.

“A busy booth can feel like a successful show, but the business question is what happens to those conversations afterward,” said Michael Ventriello, Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer of Personify Group. “These easy to access resources help exhibitors connect their spending to sales goals and identify where prospects may be falling out of the process. That creates a more productive conversation about how ShowFlow can help build a pipeline that continues to develop after the show.”

ShowFlow is designed to help companies attract qualified prospects before an event, engage them with relevant messaging and supporting evidence at the booth, and advance opportunities through targeted follow-up. Exhibitors can use the guide and calculator to inform a ShowFlow strategy session tailored to their next event, product category and sales process.

To download the Trade Show ROI Guide and learn more about the Personify ShowFlow Trade Show Success System, visit https://personifygroup.com/trade-show-marketing/. 

To use the Online Tradeshow ROI calculator, visit https://personifygroup.com/showflow/ShowFlow-1.html. Companies interested in discussing their results or planning a ShowFlow program can send an inquiry via https://personifygroup.com/contact-us/

About Personify Group

Personify Group, Inc. is a commercialization and strategic communications firm serving the dental and medical industries. The company helps manufacturers, technology companies, service providers, and innovators accelerate growth through brand strategy, public relations, market positioning, demand generation, thought leadership, and commercialization planning. By integrating communications with measurable business objectives, Personify Group helps clients build awareness, credibility and commercial momentum.

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