Introducing Renamel® Bulkfill™ - The Amalgam of Composites

 

The industry continues to see expansion in the market for bulk fill composites.  The latest that I've become aware of is Renamel Bulk Fill from Cosmedent.  The company has recently made the product available for ordering.

Cosmedent introduces Renamel Bulkfill, an advanced posterior composite bulkfill that is packable, sculptable and polishable. Designed for rapid one-step placement, this material is even faster than amalgam. Renamel Bulkfill has 5 natural shades that are not overly translucent like most other bulkfills, but provide an esthetic match to the tooth surface. Renamel Bulkfill’s new nanotechnology gives you easy handling, an esthetic color match and a great polish. Plus, it cures up to 4mm. For information please contact us toll-free at 800-621-6729 or visit www.cosmedent.com. 

Owandy Radiology Adds Cephalometric Radiography Options to its I-Max 2D and I-Max 3D Units

 

Owandy Radiology makes some pretty impressive products.  Over the past few years, the company has brought several cutting edge products to market and has cut a nice niche into the dental market.  I was recently made aware of some of the latest and greatest improvements the company has made.  Here they are:

Owandy Radiology Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of dental radiology hardware and imaging software recently added two cephalometric radiography options to its popular I-Max wall-mounted product line. The two new offerings are the I-Max Ceph 2D Panoramic Unit and the I-Max Ceph 3D Panoramic Unit, which can easily switch between 3D and 2D modes at the touch of a button.

According to Owandy company spokesperson, Boris Loyez, “Both of these I-Max Ceph options are affordable and compact in size. They were designed to fit virtually any budget and office size while delivering superior performance.” 

The I-Max Ceph 2D and I-Max Ceph 3D share the following features:

• Small footprint

• Ultra-sensitive sensor with short exposure time

• Standard and reduced dose ceph exam options 

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface

• Compatible with most practice management software

• 5-Year warranty

The I-Max 2D cone beam or I-Max Ceph 3D (3-in1 unit) include the following additional features:

• Multi FOV from 12x10 cm to 5x5 cm

• Exceptional image quality of up to 87 microns

• 3D object scanning

• Airway study capabilities

• CAD-CAM .STL file import

• Printable implant surgery guides

The I-Max product line’s new ceph capabilities provide a higher level of versatility for diagnosing impacted teeth, TMJ, airway obstructions and some oral malignancies. The new ceph options are also invaluable for practices providing orthodontic treatment.

For more information about the I-Max Ceph 2D and I-Max Ceph 3D wall-mounted panoramic digital radiography units, visit www.owandy.com, call 516-858-5695 or send an e-mail at sales@owandyus.com.  Distributor inquiries are always welcome.

About Owandy Radiology, Inc.: 

Headquartered in France, and serving North America from Roslyn, New York, Owandy Radiology is a global leader in the manufacture of dental radiology hardware and imaging software. Its products are distributed through dental dealers across the USA, and in 80 countries world-wide, on every continent. 

Garrison Anterior Matrix System is a Winner!

 

The smart folks at Garrison Dental Systems make some really terrific products... and I use a bunch of them.

One of their latest is a really nifty system for anterior composite restorations.  For years now clinical dentistry has used sectional matrices in the posterior to create proper contours and contacts.  The whole idea of those posterior systems was to make placement easier and clinical results more predictable.  As more and more doctors adopted these matrix systems, our results got better and better.

The funny thing is that those posterior sectional matrix systems were a really great 'outside the box' concept, but when it came to anterior restorations, we continued to place them the way we had since probably the 80s.

To the rescue come Garrison's Fusion Anterior Matrix System.  It consists of properly contoured matrix bands paired with curved plastic wedges in 4 different sizes.  The bands are pre-bent at the necessary proper  angle.  The images below do a pretty good job of explaining how they are used.

The one mistake that many first time users make is to place the matrix band in 'usual' way meaning the curve points toward the incisal edge.  Instead, they are designed to be placed 'sideways' to the normal alignment so that they curve in the direction of the tooth being restored.  Using this system is greatly aided by a high intensity curing light.  This allows the restoration to be cured at initial stage which then allows the operator to remove the band and cure again to ensure that the light has reached the entire restoration.

This system works incredibly well.  I've got to give a lot of credit to Garrison for creating a system that allows for consistent and predictable clinical results in the anterior region.  This product is *highly recommended*!!!

The Dental Compliance Institute Publishes Free Guide “How to Survive a Surprise OSHA Audit”

 

The Dental Compliance Institute (DCI), a leading provider of training and certification programs designed to help dental professionals achieve full compliance of HIPAA and OSHA regulations and to also learn the essentials of patient risk management, recently published “How to Survive a Surprise OSHA Audit,” the first in a planned series of “survival guides” for OSHA, HIPAA, and dental risk management.

Dentistry has changed during the past year, and this includes OSHA regulations. According to DCI founder, Linda Harvey, RDH,  “All it takes is for an unhappy employee or patient to file an anonymous report, and you may receive a surprise visit from an OSHA inspector. To make matters worse, you may be fined as much as $13,000 a day per violation for non-compliance.”

Rather than being taken by surprise, Harvey suggests that dental professionals download the free guide, “How to Survive a Surprise OSHA Audit,” at www.SurviveOSHA.com. “This is the first of a series,” explains Harvey. “Over the next several months, we will be publishing additional “survival guides” on HIPAA compliance and risk management.” 

For more information about the Dental Compliance Institute and its comprehensive training and certification programs for proficiency in HIPAA and OSHA compliance as well as risk management, visit www.DentalComplianceInstitute.com

About the Dental Compliance Institute:

Founded in 2014 by and based in Jacksonville, Florida, the mission of the DCI has been to provide dental professionals, including dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and office managers with the comprehensive and up to date training and certification regarding OSHA and HIPAA regulations as well as dental risk management. For more information, visit www.DentalComplianceInstitute.com

The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act Becomes Law

 

Somehow I missed the announcement of this and I thought to myself, that if I missed this, probably some of you also missed it.  It seems that on January 13th of this year,  The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act became law.

The truly important thing about passage of this legislation and it being signed into law is that it removes health and dental insurance companies from the protection of many antitrust laws enacted by the federal government.  For decades, insurance companies have been protected by a limited exemption established in 1947 under the McCarran-Ferguson Act.  Those protections no longer exist.

My hat goes off to the ADA for their hard work on this one.  Dentistry's premier organization has been working for years (literally) to achieve this and I salute them for all the hard work that went into this. 

The organization put out a press release about this.  Give it a read:

The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act, legislation that repeals the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption for health insurance companies, became law on Jan. 13.

The law is the “culmination of a multi-year effort by several organizations, including the American Dental Association, to persuade Congress that health care insurance, including dental plans, should no longer be protected from some of the federal antitrust laws,” according to an ADA news release.

The new law is aimed at improving transparency and competition in the health, dental and vision insurance marketplaces. The ADA hopes this will lead the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to investigate alleged anticompetitive practices and activities of health care insurers, the release said.

“Over time, we will expect to see some changes in the dental plan marketplace that would benefit all,” said ADA President Daniel J. Klemmedson, D.D.S., M.D. “If dental plan companies are compelled to compete fairly and transparently, we should begin to see increased innovation and choice for consumers and providers as the dental plan market place changes over time.”

Dr. Klemmedson said that the law could lead dental plan companies to “look for ways to distinguish themselves by offering better levels of coverage, with lower premiums and reductions in copayments with expanded provider networks and services, and other improved features.” Letters posted on the Consumer Reports website show that “experts believe that the antitrust exemption [have] suppressed the health insurance market dynamic,” he noted.

The new law should also open up more opportunities for new insurance companies to enter the market to compete in offering better and more affordable coverage to consumers and better terms to doctors, hospitals and providers, Dr. Klemmedson said.

“Ultimately, expanding choices under health and dental insurance plans will mean better plans for consumers, and improvements for health care professionals who seek to provide health care to patients within a more consumer-friendly framework,” Dr. Klemmedson concluded.

 

The clinical image above is from CR

The Ultradent Umbrella retractor system is pretty amazing.  I've been lucky enough to have watched it evolve from a concept to a full fledged product on the market.  That evolution took a few years as the Research and Development team at Ultradent worked and worked to get it *just right*.

There are a lot of retractors on the market, but I've yet to find one I like better.  It took the smart people at Ultradent about 5 years to develop this device... and it shows.

The Umbrella is more than just a retractor.  It is designed to be used for many aspects of clinical dentistry.  In addition to supporting the lips and keeping them out of the field, it also holds the buccal mucosa out of the way as well.

Its distal hinge is actually set up to be distal to the terminal teeth so that even with it in place, a patient can completely bite down and checking the occlusion is easy.  One of the greatest features in my opinion is the pillows that are visible in the first photo above.  Those little pillows are strategically placed where the pressure points of a retractor occur.  

I once had to have some work done and I was sore for days where the old style retraction was used.  The Umbrella is kind to the tissues, holds the tongue and makes multiple procedures and photography a breeze!  This product is *highly recommended*!

Practicing Intermediate Speed Dentistry

 

Tonight, please join me for a free one hour CE event on the Viva Learning platform.  It is sponsored by Bien Air and will revolve around a discussion of the advantages of electric handpieces.

Here is the program description:

When considering equipment, the focus is all too often on power, not finesse. Electric handpieces can provide both, and the ability to harness intermediate speed can improve your clinical practice in numerous ways. In this CE webinar, join Dr. John Flucke as he walks through clinical scenarios where intermediate speed dentistry benefited him and his patients, including: Finishing & shaping anterior aesthetic restorations Reduction of softer buildup materials Working in close proximity to the pulp Preparation of bonded post spaces.

I hope many of you can make it.  I promise it will be informative *and* fun!!!

The Profession of Dentistry Largely Exempted from New Federal COVID Regulation

 

Good news for private practice dentistry was announced as the ADA has stated that the profession is "largely exempted" from the new regulations.

The regulations will take effect once they are officially published in the Federal Register which sources say will be in the very near future.  Once they are published affected entities have 14 days to be in compliance.

Because the new regulations apply to healthcare setting where suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients are treated, dental offices are exempted.  The healthcare settings where they do apply are Assisted Living Facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals.

Had dental offices *not* been exempted, they would have been subject to conduct a hazard assessment as well as to have a written plan to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

ADA president Dr. Daniel Klemmedson has indicated that "This is a win for science, a win for ADA advocacy, and especially a win for you!"  He also states that, "With dentistry's proven ability to practice safely through this pandemic and because of the ADA's advocacy on this issue, our profession is largely exempted from the regulations that could be burdensome to dental practices around the country."

This is one more reason I support the American Dental Association.  The profession needs to speak with a united voice that advocates for the doctors and the patients we serve.  To that end, I'm proud of what the organization has accomplished.  Our commitment to patient and employee safety is well known.

US Department of Labor's OSHA issues emergency temporary standard to protect health care workers from the coronavirus

 

The United States Department of Labor has recently released new information regarding protecting employees during the Covid-19 pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2.  This information was released on Thursday June 10, 2021.  I also want to state that I am pleased are relieved that the department has chosen to state in writing that they are following the science while creating these guidelines.  That is critical to curbing infections and protecting frontline workers.  In case you missed it, here is the complete statement.

OSHA also releases new guidance for all industries

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced it will issue an emergency temporary standard to protect healthcare workers from contracting coronavirus. The standard focuses on healthcare workers most likely to have contact with someone infected with the virus. OSHA announced the new standard alongside new general industry guidance, both of which are aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance

"Too many of our frontline healthcare workers continue to be at high risk of contracting the coronavirus," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. "As I said when I came to the department, we must follow the science. This standard follows the science, and will provide increased protections for those whose health is at heightened risk from coronavirus while they provide us with critical healthcare services. Given the pace of vaccinations, this standard, along with the guidance OSHA, the CDC and other agencies have released, will help us protect frontline healthcare workers and end this pandemic once and for all."

The emergency temporary standard establishes new requirements for settings where employees provide healthcare or health care support services, including skilled nursing homes and home healthcare, with some exemptions for healthcare providers who screen out patients who may have COVID-19. OSHA will update the standard, if necessary, to align with CDC guidelines and changes in the pandemic.

"This standard is necessary to give our healthcare workers deeply needed protections," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick. "This tailored standard allows OSHA to help the workers most in danger of contracting the virus, while the updated guidance will give other businesses across the country the information they need to help protect unvaccinated workers and continue mitigating spread in the workplace."

In addition to the healthcare-focused ETS, OSHA is issuing updated guidance to help employers and workers in other industries protect workers who are still not vaccinated, with a special emphasis on other industries noted for prolonged close-contacts like meat processing, manufacturing, seafood, and grocery and high-volume retail.

The health care emergency temporary standard is aimed at protecting workers facing the highest coronavirus hazards—those working in health care settings where suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients are treated. This includes employees in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities; emergency responders; home health care workers; and employees in ambulatory care settings where suspected or confirmed coronavirus patients are treated.

The standard will require non-exempt facilities to conduct a hazard assessment and have a written plan to mitigate virus spread, and requires healthcare employers to provide some employees with N95 respirators or other personal protective equipment. In addition, covered employers must ensure 6 feet of distance between workers. In situations where this is not possible, employers should erect barriers between employees where feasible.

The standard also requires covered employees to provide workers with paid time off to get vaccinated and to recover from any side effects. Covered employees who have coronavirus or who may be contagious must work remotely or otherwise be separated from other workers if possible, or be given paid time off up to $1400 per week. For most businesses with fewer than 500 employees, tax credits in the American Rescue Plan may be reimbursed through these provisions.

The ETS exempts fully vaccinated workers from masking, distancing and barrier requirements when in well-defined areas where there is no reasonable expectation that any person will be present with suspected or confirmed coronavirus.

The ETS is effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register. Employers must comply with most provisions within 14 days and with the remaining provisions within 30 days. OSHA will use its enforcement discretion to avoid citing employers who miss a compliance deadline but are making a good faith effort to comply with the ETS. OSHA will continue to monitor trends in coronavirus transmission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to help ensure these conditions for America's workers by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. Learn more about OSHA.

A Message to VALO™ Curing Light Customers

 

I recently received the following notice from Ultradent because I have several of their VALO curing lights.  Since it is one of  the most popular lights in the industry, I thought I would pass this info along in case I have any readers who did not receive the notice...

We are thrilled to have you as part of the community of dedicated VALO™ curing light users. Your support and patronage of the best curing light on the planet allows us to pursue efforts to make the VALO light even better. We know you trust and depend on the VALO curing light throughout your busy workday and we recognize our responsibility to address any concerns as they arise. 

 

As we study the effects of certain chemicals on the VALO wand body, we feel it is appropriate to remove CaviCide®* disinfectant from the list of acceptable cleaners. We have seen repeated issues of corrosion and discoloration with the use of CaviCide* disinfectant over longer periods of time, so please know that we are creating this change with our customers in mind. We strongly encourage you to protect your light and your patients by using a barrier sleeve each time, followed by an approved surface disinfectant such as:

• Isopropyl Alcohol

• Ethyl alcohol-based cleaners

• Lysol®* Brand III

• Disinfectant Spray

• Lysol* Concentrate (alcohol-based only)

Thank you again for your support. We believe this change will enhance your experience with the VALO curing light. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at 800.552.5512.

 

Please note: Damage to the VALO curing light caused by the use of cleaning products, including discoloration and corrosion, is not covered under the VALO curing light warranty.

Henry Schein Invests in a Majority Interest in eAssist

 

Recently eAssist announced they had created a buying group for client offices that was called eAssist Buying Power.  The idea behind the formation of the group was to allow client doctors to pool their purchasing power together to receive reduced pricing.  One of the advantages corporate dental practices have is their purchasing power.

When you call a supplier and need something for 100 offices, the price will be different than if you want to order the same product for ONE office.  This allows corporate chain dental offices to help keep their overhead less than small private offices.  eAssist is making an attempt to pool the resources of their client private practices and by combining their purchasing power, allow those offices to receive volume discounts like large corporate groups.

I am an eAssist client and had recently received information on the eAssist Buying Power program.  The company is looking to get member dentists involved.  I noticed that the purchases for the program were going through Henry Schein, but thought little of it.  Schein is the world's largest dental supply company (Dentrix, a sponsor of this blog, is owned by Henry Schein) and the company has a very solid reputation in the industry.

Then today, I received the following information in my email and it looks like there is even more of a reason for Henry Schein to be the supply company working with eAssist on the program.  Henry Schein is now a majority owner of eAssist.

Here is what I received:

The World’s Leading Dental Billing Company + The World’s Largest Provider of Health Care Solutions 

 Today we make history as a new chapter unfolds for eAssist.

This morning, it is our great honor to announce that Henry Schein has chosen to invest in a majority interest in eAssist. Henry Schein is a long-time partner and trusted friend to eAssist. The furthering of the eAssist and Henry Schein partnership is a continuation of the synergy between our two companies. You can read the full press release here.

What does this mean for you, our customer, and why did we decide to partner with Henry Schein?

Your teams won’t change. Your service does not change. Your costs won’t change. I will continue to manage eAssist as Chief Executive Officer, along with the entire eAssist management team.

Our core purpose is to deliver peace of mind to you and your team. We believe strongly that we can do that best by providing even more value to you in exchange for the money you pay us. These same values are echoed by the team at Henry Schein through their long-standing commitment to enabling dental practice growth, efficiency, and profitability.

On behalf of your eAssist Success Consultants, Team Leader, and all of eAssist, we look forward to serving your dental practice with dedication and excellence—delivering peace of mind to you, your practice, and your patients for years to come.

Warmest regards,

James V. Anderson, DMD

CEO, eAssist Dental Solutions

Benco Dental to acquire ADI Mobile Health, adding advanced vehicular clinic manufacturing capabilities to its portfolio of innovative products and services

Benco Dental, the nation’s largest independent distributor of oral healthcare technology and supplies, has finalized a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of ADI Mobile Health.

The acquisition brings together ADI’s proven skill at manufacturing uncompromising mobile clinics with Benco’s industry-leading, in-house interior design and equipment planning capabilities to open the door for a complete reimagination of what’s possible in mobile clinics. In addition, ADI products will now also be available through Benco’s sales team of over 400 associates across the United States.

Both parties expect to complete the transaction during the coming weeks. Benco will operate ADI as one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and the transition will be seamless for ADI customers as its employees and systems will carry over. ADI will continue to be headquartered at its current location in Tualatin, Oregon.

Since 1984, ADI Mobile Health has manufactured the finest custom-crafted mobile dental/medical health clinic vehicles for customers around the world. Their patented generator systems deliver unmatched levels of consistent power production at low vibration and decibel levels that enable a relaxing experience for patients and practitioners alike. Founded by Tim Kitch, ADI’s singular focus has helped the company carve out a prominent position in a rapidly growing segment as patients demand greater convenience and access to care.

Benco Dental, headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is America’s largest family-owned dental distributor, offering a complete portfolio of technology, supplies, equipment, consulting and other services from coast to coast. As the first dental distributor to offer dental practice design and space planning in 1978, Benco has established a position of industry leadership. This grew substantially with the introduction of CenterPoint design and equipment facilities beginning in 2010, which changed the way customers try and buy equipment while simultaneously planning their practice designs. Today, Benco Dental operates CenterPoint locations in California, Texas and Pennsylvania, and introduced the CenterPoint Virtual Experience during 2020 in response to Covid-19.

“Benco Dental is committed to driving dentistry forward through innovation and world-class customer experiences. Combining the proven strengths of ADI and Benco is an exciting first step toward becoming the undisputed leader in the mobile clinic space,” said Chuck Cohen, Benco Dental Managing Director. “We’re thrilled to carry on Tim Kitch’s legacy as a passionate entrepreneur and proud to have ADI’s entire team join Benco’s family of companies. As dentists and patients seek more convenient care delivery, we believe there has never been a better time to enter this business.”

Join the 2021 Same Day Dentistry Summit this Friday June 11th!!!

 

Looking for an outstanding CE opportunity that comes to *you* in the comfort of your home (or your office)?  Have I got a deal for you!!!

This Friday, June 11th, I'll be moderating a terrific problem sponsored by Dental Products Report™.  The program is divided into several smaller pieces and everything is geared toward giving the attendees a great picture of what "Same Day Dentistry" looks like and how it can be accomplished.

The faculty for the program consists of the following doctors:

1. Dr. Kristine Aadland
2. Dr. Kevin Brown
3. Dr. Ben Kellum
4. Dr. Jeffrey Rhode
5. Dr. Yao-Lin Tang

It's going to be a fun and fast paced day with tons of good information.  Here is what my team at DPR has to say about it:

Same-Day Dentistry Summit: Technologies and solutions for quality, complete dental care in a single day.

We invite you to join Dental Products Report® for an exclusive virtual event on same-day dentistry that will take clinicians through the technologies and solutions for quality, complete dental care in a single day.

Modern dental technologies make it possible to complete transform patient expectations by offering you the capability to shorten treatment times and provide definitive care in a single day. This full day of online education will  feature expert presenters sharing the latest in same day dentistry. Beyond chairside CAD/CAM, this event will explore all that can now be  done in just one day. Plus, the experts will come together at the end of the day for a panel discussion about where dental technology and same-day dental solutions are heading.

You won’t want to miss this full-day opportunity on Friday, June 11, 2021!

Explore and learn from industry experts for this full-day virtual event! Earn up to 6 continuing education (CE) credits during this 7-hour event.

Reasons to attend

• Stay up to date on the latest dental technologies and materials.
• Learn new strategies to increase efficiency and provide faster treatment to patients.
• Discover the wide range of clinical services that can be provided in a single patient appointment or a single day.

Who should attend

• All dental professionals interested in advances in dental technology.
• Dentists who are interested in digital dentistry.
• Team members looking for ways to enhance their value to a practice.
• Dental lab technicians who want a picture of where chairside digital dentistry stands today.

Find out more and register on this page.  See you there!!!

CDHA and Dental Industry Partner for Success

As the focus shifts from oral health month (April) to a new membership year and a first-ever virtual conference, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) continues to foster meaningful partnerships with dental industry. CDHA recognizes how important these partnerships are to the success of its mission: advancing the dental hygiene profession and promoting the importance of oral health to the public. 

The ongoing support of CDHA’s dental industry partners allows the association to offer a wide-ranging and timely selection of professional development opportunities to its members, and to build upon the success of its critical advocacy work. “We are extremely proud to partner with key industry leaders to better serve our members and to enhance the public’s awareness of the vital role dental hygienists play in their oral health care,” says Tiffany Ludwicki, CDHA president. “We are heartened by the steadfast dedication of our longstanding industry partners who remain committed to our national association, to our members, and to the dental hygiene profession.”

A select group of dental industry companies is welcomed into CDHA’s Partners’ Circle each year. The CDHA Partners' Circle comprises dental industry leaders who understand and appreciate the important role dental hygienists play on the oral health care team.  

This year, CDHA’s Partners' Circle is made up of nine dental industry leaders whose sponsorship levels range from bronze to elite. The elite-level member is Crest + Oral-B; Colgate, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Johnson & Johnson, Philips, and Waterpik are our gold-level members; the silver-level member is Sunstar, and Dentsply Sirona and Hu-Friedy are the bronze-level members. CDHA proudly recognizes these amazing dental industry partners…respected members of CDHA’s Partners’ Circle. 

CDHA is the collective national voice of 30,219 dental hygienists in Canada, directly representing 20,000 individual members, including students. Since 1963, CDHA has worked to advance the profession and promote the importance of oral health. Dental hygiene is the sixth largest regulated health profession in Canada with professionals working in a variety of settings, including independent dental hygiene practice, with people of all ages, addressing issues related to oral health. For more information on oral health, visit www.dentalhygienecanada.ca.

Henry Schein One Acquires Majority Interest in Jarvis Analytics

 

 Henry Schein One, a subsidiary of Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), announced today that it has acquired an 80% ownership position in Jarvis Analytics, a software company that develops comprehensive business analytics tools to help dental practitioners and their teams use data to diagnose problems, strengthen decision-making, and improve business performance.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210525005482/en/

Dallas-based Jarvis Analytics was founded by Steven Maroulis in 2017. Maroulis will continue to manage Jarvis Analytics and lead the Henry Schein One Dental Analytics business as Executive Director. The expected 2021 financial results from Jarvis Analytics are immaterial to Henry Schein One. The acquisition will be neutral to Henry Schein’s 2021 earnings per share and accretive thereafter. Additional financial terms were not disclosed.

“This partnership further demonstrates our commitment to offer the latest advances in technology through Henry Schein One, making it possible for dental practices to improve nearly every aspect of their business management,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “We look forward to a strong partnership with Jarvis that will enable dental teams to use data more effectively to build a better business.”

Dental practices have tremendous amounts of data stored in practice management systems, such as Henry Schein’s market-leading Dentrix®, Dentrix Ascend®, and Dentrix® Enterprise, as well as systems for patient relationship management, finance, marketing, and more. Unfortunately, many dental practices do not yet consolidate and analyze this disparate data. Jarvis simplifies the collection of data from multiple sources and organizes it so the information can be presented in real-time reports, dashboards, and other methods. Jarvis’ analytics tools can also help identify the impact positive changes may have on projected revenue, including hygiene recall, patient retention, case acceptance, and collection.

“Data mining is the new vehicle for accelerating dental business growth. Dental practices that know how to use dental analytics to analyze their data can see what has happened, what is happening, and make informed decisions about the changes they should make to improve performance,” said Mike Baird, Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein One. “The addition of Jarvis Analytics means dental teams will benefit by having a trusted partner with the size and expertise of Henry Schein One to enhance and support their dental analytics solutions. With these insights, practices owners and dental management teams can make better decisions to improve efficiency, increase revenue, and maintain clinical excellence.”

Jarvis Analytics will continue to be practice management system agnostic, working with more than 10 practice management systems, including Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, and Dentrix Enterprise. The analytics tools offered by Jarvis Analytics will eventually become integrated into select Henry Schein One practice management systems, making it possible to deliver one digital workflow that simplifies management while improving business performance.

“From day one, our vision has been to help dental practitioners turn practice management data into powerful insights,” said Mr. Maroulis. “Our customers recognize the value of data analytics and have chosen to embed it into every layer of their business to drive operational efficiencies and growth. We’re excited for the future and look forward to the critical role Jarvis will undertake to help Henry Schein One become the leader in dental analytics solutions for dental businesses of any size.”

About Henry Schein One
Henry Schein One, a subsidiary of Henry Schein, Inc. established in partnership with Internet Brands in 2018, is a software company providing integrated software and services to the dental industry. Headquartered in American Fork, Utah, the company offers market-leading solutions for dental practices, including Dentrix®, Dentrix Ascend®, Dentrix® Enterprise, Easy Dental®, TechCentral™, Demandforce®, Sesame Communications, Lighthouse360®, Officite, and DentalPlans.com® as well as solutions offered through international companies, including Software of Excellence, Logiciel Julie, InfoMed, axiUm, and LabNet, among others. For more information, visit www.henryscheinone.com.

About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 20,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company's network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that help improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based dental and medical practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, as well as other alternate care sites.

Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 120,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 180,000 additional products available as special-order items.

A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® index, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 31 countries and territories. The Company's sales reached $10.1 billion in 2020, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 12 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.

For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, and @HenrySchein on Twitter.

Oklahoma Dental Practice Notifies Over 6000 Patients of Data Theft

 As regular readers know, I have a big focus on data security.  It's a huge responsibility for a small business like most private practices and most offices are woefully under prepared to deal with any type of data breach.

That's one of the reasons I frequently report about breaches and try to discuss what can be learned from them.  My hope is that by learning from the mistakes, other offices could hold off potential disaster.

The latest story I've come across is from a private practice in Oklahoma City, OK.  In this incident, the report is that a hard drive was stolen with practice data on it.  The drive that was stolen is password protected on more than one level and does not have the necessary dental practice management software on the drive that would allow the thief to easily access the data on it.

My take on this is that the theft was most likely a backup drive.  Probably a portable USB hard drive that was used by the office for offsite backups.  From an academic standpoint, I think the practice had probably done everything they could to protect the data on the drive.  I'm figuring the multiple password levels are most likely a master password for the drive and then a second username and password to actually gain access to the dental program that the office was using.  The big bonus is the software to run the database is not on the drive.  However, a determined cyber thief could most likely access the database file, but it would take some work.

The real problem here, is not the security.  I think they probably did pretty good job with that.  No, the real problem is the fact that even with at least 2 levels of passwords and maybe even encryption, the problem is the data was lost in the first place.  Even though the info on the drive has yet to have been found to cause any problems for patients, the office must still treat this situation as a HIPAA violation with all that requires. 

My understanding of the law is that losing data is losing data... whether it is encrypted or not, password protected or not.  So, even though the lost data may *never* cause a single problem, it must be treated the same was as if a totally open backup drive was stolen.  A friend of mine who deals with these types of situations told me that this type of event can cost several thousand dollars to deal with, even if no adverse event ever occurs with the data.  Basically this practice did everything right except to lose the drive and at that point they became as responsible as someone who left an open backup drive on the counter of the local fast food franchise.

The moral to this story is "Never ever let your offsite backups out of your sight".  Most of these types of events occur when someone stops to just "run a quick errand" on their way home.  Thinking they'll just dash into the grocery store, grab a gallon of milk, and be back in 5 minutes.  If during those 5 minutes the drive disappears, you are in the soup.  If you have to leave for "just a minute", simply take the drive with you.  Stick in your pocket, your backpack, or your purse.  If you leave it unattended and it is stolen, you are just as guilty as any other data breach victim.  Never let go of you data!

Pardon Our Dust - We're Updating!

For the next week or so things will look a bit different and may look absolutely crazy around here.

We are making some changes to the way the blog works, backend kind of things.  Because of that, you may see posts from years past appearing on the first page below this post.

Don't worry!  Things will be back to normal soon.  Thanks for your patience!  -John