RipeGlobal Launches AI-Powered Dental Training Platform in U.S. Market

 

RipeGlobal, the internationally recognized leader in cloud-based, hands-on dental education, today announced its official market launch in the United States. Building on its proven success across 35 countries and with over 10,000 dental professionals committed to skill development and clinical growth, RipeGlobal brings immersive, simulation-based clinical training to U.S. dentists throughout Dental Support Organizations (DSOs), group practices, and private practices, with a core mission to elevate skills, confidence, and patient outcomes. 

As part of its U.S. expansion, RipeGlobal has appointed Dr. Roshan Parikh, a respected dental clinician and executive, as Chief Revenue Officer. Dr. Parikh brings extensive experience in dental practice operations and will help spearhead growth and strategic partnerships across North America. He has also established a new Global Advisory Committee composed of respected industry leaders. U.S. DSO legal expert Brian Colao will serve as the Head of the Committee, and Dr. Farzeela Rupani, Chief Medical Officer for Colosseum Dental, Europe’s largest DSO, will serve as its inaugural member. 

"After five years of transforming thousands of dental careers worldwide, the time is right to bring RipeGlobal’s model to the U.S.,” said Dr. Lincoln Harris, Founder and CEO of RipeGlobal. “Our platform doesn’t just teach skills—it fosters a community of excellence, growth, and lifelong learning. We are excited to help American dentists unlock new levels of clinical mastery.” 

 A Platform Built for Real-World Impact  

Unlike traditional destination-based or online continuing education, RipeGlobal provides real-world repetitions and training via hands-on simulation kits shipped directly to participants, allowing them to learn and practice in their own operatories. The organization maintains a network of 80+ global educators, fostering a true 24/7 online educational community.  This highly engaging, flexible, and infinitely scalable model has cultivated a global network of over 10,000 active learners and has driven measurable improvements in clinical performance and confidence. 

 Guided by Global Dental Leaders 

The newly formed Global Advisory Committee will help shape RipeGlobal’s future curriculums, strategic direction, and global partnerships. 

 Brian Colao, Director of Dykema’s Dental Service Organizations Group and a widely respected global DSO expert, brings over 30 years of legal and business expertise to the Committee. “RipeGlobal is precisely what the industry needs right now—high-quality, accessible, and practical education at scale,” Colao said. “I’m honored to support their mission to transform dental associate training in the U.S. and beyond.” 

 Dr. Farzeela Rupani, a distinguished clinical executive and Chief Medical Officer at Colosseum Dental, will bring a valuable international perspective. “RipeGlobal’s ability to deliver standardized, high-caliber training globally is a game-changer,” she said. “I look forward to helping elevate care standards and professional development across borders.” 

 Targeted Programs, Big Vision 

RipeGlobal’s U.S. launch will center on its acclaimed Fellowship in Restorative Dentistry, Fellowship in Modern Implantology, Fellowship in Modern Aligners, and DAPPr, the Dental Associate PowerUp Program – a solution specifically curated for groups and DSOs that boasts proven and guaranteed ROI. Additional programs and career-enhancing tools tailored to the American market are soon to follow. The company is actively forming partnerships with DSOs, group practices, and individual dentists to deliver scalable, outcome-driven continuing education. 

 Proven Track Record of Success  

RipeGlobal's entry into the U.S. market is backed by an impressive foundation of global success: 

• Network of 80+ expert educators from around the world 
• Active community of 10,000+ learners across 35 countries 
• 24/7 online educational platform supporting continuous learning 
• Proven ROI demonstrated across diverse practice types and sizes 
• Measurable improvements in clinical performance and confidence 

About RipeGlobal  

RipeGlobal is the world's leading cloud-based dental education platform, combining innovative simulation technology with expert instruction to deliver measurable practice transformation. Since 2020, RipeGlobal has built an international community of dental professionals committed to clinical excellence and continuous learning. The platform's unique methodology has been proven across diverse markets and practice types, consistently delivering improved clinical outcomes and enhanced professional satisfaction. For more information about RipeGlobal's U.S. programs and partnership opportunities, visit www.ripeglobal.com. 

 

vVARDIS’ Drill-Free Solution Curodont™ Has Treated Over One Million Teeth in 18 Months and Is the Fastest Growing Dental Care Product in Its Category

 

Tooth decay is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world.  Bacteria cause a breakdown in the hard tooth structure and as these weakened areas spread it weakens the tooth structure, creating what we know as a 'cavity'.  The most common way to restore teeth is to remove the diseased area and replace it.  However, what if there was a way to strengthen and restore cavities when they are tiny areas that are just starting out before rotary instrumentation (a drill) is needed?

That's the idea behind Curodont™ from vVardis.  The company recently announced that it has been used to treat over 1,000,000 teeth and more than 420,000 patients in the United States since 2024.  There is quite a bit of info below.  If you are looking to provide the best in minimally invasive treatment, I highly recommend you give it a read.

Clinical adoption of Curodont™ is helping to elevate the standard of care in caries management

Leading clinical experts herald Curodont™ as a true step forward in the treatment of early decay 

 vVARDIS, a Swiss high-growth healthcare company, active in the development of innovative dental products, recently announced that more than one million teeth and more than 420,000 patients have been treated in the United States since January 2024 with Curodont™, its drill-free solution for early stage tooth decay, making it the fastest growing dental care product in its category .

Nearly 80 percent of all dental patients have early tooth decay. Oral health is an important aspect of overall health, and poor oral health, including untreated decay, can become life-threatening. With Curodont™, dental teams have a drill-free solution to treat tooth decay at an early stage.

Curodont™ represents a true win-win proposition: patients benefit from a quick, needle- and drill-free treatment, while dental professionals can treat early decay within minutes—eliminating the need for a follow-up appointment and freeing up chair time for more complex procedures.

“Now that Curodont™ is available in nearly 10 percent of U.S. dental offices, an increasing number of dental professionals – or “Curodontists” – are embracing our treatment and giving patients access to this revolutionary solution,” said Dr. Haley Abivardi, DMD, co-CE, and co-founder of vVARDIS. “Such high-speed adoption shows how dental professionals have been waiting for decades for a solution that enables them to treat tooth decay at an early stage.”

Dr. Goly Abivardi, DMD, co-CEO and co-founder of vVARDIS, said, “We are thrilled to witness a ground-breaking transformation in dentistry similar to the advancements that medicine embraced years ago toward non-invasive, early intervention approaches. In the same way, Curodont™ is helping to elevate the standard of care for the early treatment of cavities.” 

With more than 25 years of science, vVARDIS’ Curodont™ is backed by universities internationally and has earned the endorsement of renowned thought leaders, clinical experts, and innovators across the dental profession:

• Dr. German O. Gallucci, Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, said, “Curodont™ is highly effective for treatment of early decays. This new non-invasive therapeutic option is a game changer in the battle against tooth decay.” 
• Prof. Amid I. Ismail, Laura H. Carnell Professor and Dean of the Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, said, “As an epidemiologist and cariologist who has studied dental caries for over four decades and developed guidelines for its diagnosis and management, I can state without hesitation that the advent of Curodont™ represents a significant breakthrough in caries management.”
• Dr. Timothy Quirt, DDS, MBA, Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations at Heartland Dental, said, “Curodont™ represents a transformative step forward in dentistry. At Heartland Dental, we’ve seen firsthand how this innovation empowers clinicians to treat early-stage caries non-invasively, improving outcomes and deepening patient trust. It’s not just a product – it's a shift in how we think about the future of oral health.”
• Dr. Shan K. Bagby, DMD, MHA, FACHE, Brigadier General, USA (Ret.) has recognized Curodont’s™ potential to improve the health of children from lower-income homes, saying, “What makes Curodont™ especially impactful is its potential to reduce tooth decay among vulnerable populations—particularly children and those covered by Medicaid. Curodont™ isn’t just a new tool; it’s a meaningful, science-driven advancement that is reshaping healthcare and setting a higher standard for dentistry where it’s needed most." 
• Prof. Avijit Banerjee, Professor of Cariology & Operative Dentistry; Hon Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, said, “The scientific research into Curodont™ Repair technology has been well documented in reputable scientific peer-reviewed journals since the late 1990s. Multiple published clinical studies, including systematic meta-analyses, have provided evidence that, unlike conventional topical re-mineralizing agents which primarily act on the surface of the tooth, Curodont™ Repair can treat early decay throughout the depth of the lesion.” 
• Prof. Ivo Krejci, University of Geneva, said: “Curodont™ is no longer the future. It’s the present and it should be part of the treatment spectrum in every modern dental practice.”

vVARDIS’s Curodont™ products are currently available in the U.S. and Europe and will continue to roll out globally. 

About Curodont™

Using a proprietary biomimetic formulation, Curodont™ is a groundbreaking clinically proven drill-free treatment for early tooth decay. It replicates and builds on the body’s natural defenses, working together with minerals in the saliva to repair the damage done to the tooth in the early stages of tooth decay. Curodont™ is a non-invasive, drill-free solution: once the formula is applied, it diffuses through the enamel and repairs the missing parts of the tooth (lesions) with minerals from saliva by mimicking the way nature created teeth (biomimetic). The beauty of this product is that Curodont™ helps patients save the natural tooth structure without artificial filling materials.

About vVARDIS AG

vVARDIS is a Swiss high-growth healthcare company located in Zug, Switzerland that offers groundbreaking biomimetic, non-invasive solutions for dental professionals under the Curodont™ brand. Founded by Drs. Haley and Goly Abivardi, sisters, Swiss dentists, innovators, and awarded entrepreneurs, vVARDIS is the result of more than 25 years of research, paired with the commitment of its founders to make an impact on people's lives, especially the underserved.

vVARDIS' mission is to expand access to novel approaches to the standard of care in dentistry with the purpose of improving oral health – the foundation for overall health. vVARDIS is backed by more than 25 years of science, 230 scientific publications, including meta-analysis, peer-reviewed clinical studies and a long-term peer-reviewed real-world evidence study demonstrating a success rate above 90 percent. It has been used in clinical practice for more than 10 years. Curodont™ is already mentioned in lectures at renowned universities as a standard of care for the treatment of early decay. 

For more information, visit vVARDIS at www.vVARDIS.com and www.linkedin.com/company/vvardis.

ADA debuts new informatics standards webpage for easy access, adoption

 

It amazes me how fast time flies by.  When I installed my first office computer, I was way ahead of everyone else I knew.  In the years since the early 90s, digital information has made remarkable inroads into the profession and into our lives. 

As most dentists know, the ADA develops standards for all kinds of things in the profession.  Recently they've created a website to help make those standards easier to access and review.

In a recent announcement about making the standards easier to find, the ADA stated:

The ADA’s main dental standards webpage now links to a new landing page on informatics standards, where visitors can find the standards divided into 10 categories: terminology and nomenclature, clinical data exchange, administrative data exchange, augmented and artificial intelligence, imaging, specialty-specific data exchange, forensics, electronic prescriptions, architecture and security, and medical devices.

“In today's digital health care environment, seamless communication between systems is essential, not only for efficiency but also for the quality of care we provide. The ADA’s dental informatics standards ensure that both clinical and administrative technologies work together securely and accurately,” said Jennifer Thompson, D.D.S., vice chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice. “Equally important is the accessibility of these standards. A centralized, user-friendly website allows software developers and industry partners to align their products with the needs of modern dental practices. This alignment supports better interoperability and data consistency and ultimately leads to improved patient care.”

The full page with more info can be found on the ADA website.

Filling the Void and Why 'Stuff' Doesn't Do It

 

Hats off to The Athletic.  This sports site from the New Your Times has begun to put together a series of articles they are referring to as "Peak".  The series focuses on lessons learned from people who have reached the pinnacle of their sports careers and how it affects them.  I have a paid subscription to The Athletic and yesterday I happened to come across this article about professional golfer Scottie Scheffler.

What really fascinated me about the article was what Scheffler had to say about reaching the spot of being the number one ranked golfer in the world.  Here's what he had to say about it...  

“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and you get there, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they’re like, what’s the point?” Scheffler said. “I really do believe that. Because what is the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so bad? That’s something that I wrestle with on a daily basis.”

He added: “(Golf) is one of the greatest joys of my life, but does it fill the deepest wants and desires of my heart? Absolutely not.”

 Of course, this begs the question of "what is he talking about?  Why wouldn't being the best in the world at something not fill your deepest wants and desires?"  I bring this up because it's something I've seen a lot of in my life.  I'd like to bring this into the focus of what we do in dentistry because that's my best perspective.  

I've had an incredible career and I'm lucky to have 'a voice' in the industry.  That's a gift that I don't take lightly.  You all have given me that voice and I'm grateful for that.  I've been a dentist for over thirty years and as I look at the future and the changes that will bring as I wind down my career, I want to occasionally pass along some of my perspectives to all of you who are kind enough to read the things I write.

One of the great things about my work both in clinical dentistry as well as speaking and consulting, is that I've gotten to know a lot of dentists throughout my career.  That includes people in every aspect of the profession and from all over the world.

As professionals we are forced into a pretty tight space.  We have to be smart, we have to have incredibly great hand skills, we have to perform at an incredibly high level constantly, and we have to be successful.  We also have to be perfect.  Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.  Dentists are expected to provide perfect outcomes in imperfect situations and we are expected to do it every time.  Now don't get me wrong.  Dentistry is incredibly rewarding and I love what I do.  However every dentist reading this can relate to the stresses and pressures that come with what we do.

When I was in college I joined a fraternity.  By the time I graduated college, I had lots of close friends who were a couple of years behind me.  I graduated and went to dental school while these guys finished up with their bachelor's degrees and got jobs.  I went to a local college so we all kept in touch and got together on a regular basis.

I graduated from dental school and began work as an independent contractor in a small office.  After a year of that, I decided to jump into the deep end and started a new practice from basically scratch.  I struggled.  I went WAY into debt.  There were many months where expenses exceeded income by a large amount.  Meanwhile my friends were getting married, buying new cars, and buying houses.

I kept thinking "What is *wrong* with me?  I'm smart, I worked hard, I got four more years of education than all of my friends and yet I am a *failure*.  What happened to me?"

All I wanted was to be successful.  I had the thought "if I can just pay all of the bills and have a little left over, I'll be happy."  Over time, that finally happened.  I began to have some money left over at the end of the month, but I wasn't happy.

Then I thought "now that I have some money, I'll buy stuff.  THAT will make me happy."  There were lots of gadgets and toys that I'd been wanting for a long time, so I started to buy them.  But what I found was the wanting of those gadgets was a much bigger buzz than actually owning them.  I'd get some toy on my radar and think "that's the one" and then when I got it that same buzz went away.  Again, don't get me wrong.  Buying things was fun and I enjoyed them, but owning things didn't really fulfill me the way I wanted or the way I expected.  I'm willing to bet that those of you reading this have had similar experiences.

This also loops back into being a doctor.  Many patients expect doctors to be successful and have money to burn.  Those expectations pour fuel on the fire of the desire to be successful.  We buy expensive cars, wear expensive clothes, and take nice vacations.  The bad part is most still don't feel the feeling of filling the void like we expect them to.  That also takes a toll on savings.  According to the ADA approximately 40-50% of dentists cannot maintain their pre-retirement standard of living after retiring.

Think about that for a moment.  If you are hoping to purchase your way to happiness... and it's not working now... how will you feel when that purchasing power is gone?  Stepping away from your career is hard enough, but adding in depression and cutting spending will only make it worse.  Many doctors end up practicing much longer than they want to simply because they cannot afford to retire.  It makes me sad to even type that.  We all work so hard doing what we do and dealing with the stresses, that at some point we should be able to step back, look at our accomplishments, and fondly enjoy the incredible ride we had.

So getting back to Scottie Scheffler... when I read that article it just reinforced what I've known for a long time now.  We ALL have a certain void inside us.  It's like a bathtub without a stopper in the drain.  

We pour buckets of stuff into it and sometimes we think it's starting to get full... and then the stuff goes down the drain and we are right back to an empty tub.

My realization is this.  You cannot fill the tub with stuff.  That just doesn't work.  Whether it's possessions or the rank of number one in the world, eventually it will drain out of the tub.  What you need to do is to look inside yourself and find that thing that matters to you most.  Chances are it's probably faith in a higher power or maybe family or maybe both.  One thing is for sure.  You cannot fill a metaphysical void with physical things.  However you also can't fill it with a number one ranking.

So to wrap this up my advice to you is to not get bogged down in the 'stuff'.  Whether you're trying to impress friends, your patients, or society with your stuff, it all drains out of that bathtub.  The stopper is created by something you earn, but not by something you spend.  That's my philosophical take on it... for what it's worth.