Philips and Aspen Dental Launch multi-year Sonicare-brand Partnership

 

Here's some info on an interesting development in the industry.  Philips Sonicare and Aspen Dental have formed a collaboration to bring Sonicare products into Aspen Dental offices.  Aspen is one of the largest DSOs in the industry with over 1,100 offices.

Industry leaders collaborate to offer Philips clinically proven tools and resources to Aspen Dental patients, providing better care for more people

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced a partnership with Aspen Dental®, the largest group of branded dental offices, to bring Philips Sonicare, the No.1 dental professional-recommended sonic toothbrush brand worldwide, to Aspen Dental's national network of over 1,100 locations. Aspen Dental's clinicians will now be able to offer Philips Sonicare solutions in office, including Philips Sonicare ExpertClean, which uses built-in smart sensors to guide a patient's brushing. Practices will also spotlight Philips Sonicare Cordless Power Flosser and Philips Sonicare Teeth Whitening Kits, the brand's latest offerings in power interdental cleaning and at-home teeth whitening, providing patients with a full suite of at-home solutions and expanding access to comprehensive oral care.

Philips and Aspen Dental share a mission to empower dental professionals to deliver better care to more people. The Philips Sonicare portfolio of clinically proven power toothbrushes and interdental cleaners are trusted solutions to help patients achieve a healthy smile between dental visits.

"Our purpose is to improve people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation and Aspen Dental is the perfect partner to help continue to make that vision a reality," says Matina Vidalis, Senior Marketing Director, Consumer & Professional Oral Healthcare, Philips North America. "We're committed to working with Aspen Dental's network of dental professionals to introduce our evidence-based solutions to their patients. Together, we can help provide more people with access to the quality dental care they need both in and out of the chair." 

Chairside education will also be at the center of this collaboration, with Philips introducing their new Path to Health Toolset to all Aspen Dental practices. Developed in partnership with behavioral scientists and dental professionals, the toolset seamlessly integrates into the natural workflow of dental practices. It is designed to help quickly learn a patient's health goals, drive case acceptance through patient education and support dental professionals and patients on a path towards health together.

"Making sure Americans have access to quality dental care is a priority for Aspen Dental that extends well beyond a visit to one of our offices," says Cameron Jones, RDH, BSDH, Vice President of Hygiene Operations at Aspen Dental. "We are proud to offer new solutions from Philips Oral Healthcare to our patients nationwide and pair them with the work our best-in-class practitioners provide on a daily basis."

Philips Sonicare products are available now at Aspen Dental. Visit PhilipsOralHealthcare.com and AspenDental.com to learn more.

Don't Miss the Cyber Security Webinar this Friday!

 

This Friday, I'll be partnering with Gary Salman, CEO of Black Talon Security, on a webinar we've titled "Winning the Cyber War: A Battle Plan to Protect Your Practice".

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding security and best practices.  Just like, as a dentist, I'm not qualified to perform an appendectomy, many doctors trust their security to either themselves or 'computer guys' that are really great with helping offices run, but are woefully under skilled to evaluate and perform security against threats.

The unfortunate truth is that the people who deal in ransomware, encryption attacks, and data theft are highly skilled professionals.  Many of them have college degrees in Computer Science and they are incredibly good at what they do.

Cyber Security requires vigilance and experts that have your back.  Gary and I are going to go over some best practices and recommendations to decrease your likelihood of having to deal with these types of threats.  I've been at the tech game for quite a while and I've seen a lot of changes.  The current environment requires offices to be vigilant about their security.

Join Gary and I this Friday to learn how you can do more to prevent a security disaster from happening!

You can read more about the course and register here.  

Delta Dental of Massachusetts Partners with Smile Generation to Launch Novel Program Using Saliva-Based Screenings to Detect Periodontal Disease Earlier

 

Here's some interesting news about an effort being made by Delta Dental of Massachusetts.  I recently received this press release and thought it was something readers should be aware of.  If you are a Delta Dental provider, assuming it performs as promised, you may be hearing more about this as other Delta state offices implement it...

 Delta Dental of Massachusetts (DDMA), the largest dental insurance carrier in Massachusetts, is introducing a groundbreaking program aimed at early detection of periodontal (gum) disease using saliva-based screenings. This novel initiative, running through July 2025, offers patients a more holistic approach to oral health by identifying disease risk early, with the goal of preventing serious systemic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

In a first-of-its-kind effort for a dental insurer, DDMA is collaborating with six Smile Generation offices in Massachusetts to offer these chairside saliva screenings at no additional cost to its members. The program’s goal is to use saliva to educate patients on their periodontal health risks and offer personalized care to mitigate those risks.

As part of the “Healthy Body Enhanced Benefit Program,” eligible members will not only receive the saliva-based screenings but also additional benefits such as extra dental cleanings, personalized education, and take-home medications — all designed to address their specific periodontal disease risk at no extra out-of-pocket cost. This initiative represents a proactive approach to oral health care by focusing on prevention rather than treatment.

“Gum disease is far too prevalent and is largely preventable,” says Anthony Falone, DMD, MS, owner and practicing dentist at Waltham Modern Dentistry, one of the participating dental practices. “This program allows us to intervene earlier with personalized treatments, using non-invasive saliva screenings to catch disease progression before clinical signs of disease are visible to the naked eye.” 

Nearly half (42%) of all adults aged 30 years and older have some form of gum disease, with severe periodontitis affecting about 8% of adults (CDC, 2024). Research continues to demonstrate a strong connection between oral health and overall health. Periodontal disease, if left untreated, can exacerbate systemic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, significantly increasing overall health care costs. Early detection, through the use of these saliva screenings, is crucial in reducing those risks.

The saliva-based test measures levels of active matrix metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8), a biomarker that indicates active collagen breakdown in the gums—a key sign of periodontal disease. Identifying elevated aMMP-8 levels allows dentists to detect gum disease progression earlier than clinical symptoms appear, enabling timely, personalized interventions to prevent the progression of both oral and systemic diseases.

The program is available at six Smile Generation-trusted offices in Massachusetts, including Arsenal Modern Dentistry, Burlington Dentistry, Dentists of Attleboro, Milford Dentist Office, Shrewsbury Dentistry, and Waltham Modern Dentistry. These saliva screenings, typically not covered by dental insurance, will be available at no additional cost for DDMA adult members at these participating offices.

DDMA hopes the learnings from this innovative program will enable a greater focus on patient-centered care for all stakeholders and will ultimately inform our approach relative to covered benefits and reimbursement.  

“We are committed to enabling optimal oral health for our patients through the adoption of innovative solutions and collaboration with our participating dentists. By working together, we can improve our patient oral health outcomes and more broadly their overall health,” says Kirill Zaydenman, Vice President of Product Strategy and Transformation Delta Dental of Massachusetts.