CAO Group files Patent Infringement Complaint Against P&G's CREST® Whitestrip Products

 

This is an interesting bit of news.  Densen Cao, PhD is the CEO of CAO Group, Inc and, in my opinion, he is 'renaissance thinker'.  He has over 100 patents and is responsible for some of the best technologies in dentistry and consumer goods.  Dr. Cao is the inventor of the dental LED curing light and also invented the LED light bulb that has practically replaced the older incandescent technology.  His company sells quite a few high tech devices in the dental space.

One of the products sold by CAO Group is called Sheer White and it is a strip that is placed over the teeth.  It contains chemicals that whiten enamel.  Proctor & Gamble is a corporate giant that owns several subsidiaries, one of which is Crest.  They sell a similar product called Crest White Strips which is a direct competitor to Sheer White.

Now comes word that CAO has filed a patent infringement complaint against Proctor & Gamble.  The press release is below:

The CAO Group, Inc. (CAO), a world leading high-technology dental company, has filed a complaint with the United States District Court for the Central District of California against The Procter & Gamble Company and The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, declaring that their Crest® teeth whitening strip products infringe claims of CAO's U.S. patents 10,603,259 and 10,646,419.  CAO is represented by the law firm of Skiermont Derby LLP.

Teeth whitening is one of the most requested procedures in both professional dental practices and consumer cosmetics. Whitening strips are the most advanced teeth whitening method and are preferred over other whitening methods such as gel/tray, whitening pen, rinse, and toothpaste, as evidenced by the wide adoption of whitening strips in the U.S. market.  CAO has devoted its research, development, and manufacturing efforts over the last 15 years to improve whitening strip technology to make teeth whitening 'Easier, Faster, and Better' for dental professionals and consumers.  The innovations in teeth whitening strips by CAO include a new thickener for peroxide, flexible substrate materials, and a gelatinous formulation.  Particularly, the gelatinous formulation provides a gelatin layer on the strip with adhesive properties to attach to the teeth when the strip touches the tooth surfaces.  The innovations enable users to wear the teeth whitening strips without annoyance and with better whitening results.

CAO GROUP FILES PATENT INFRINGEMENT COMPLAINT AGAINST P&G'S CREST® WHITESTRIP PRODUCTS

"Our improved whitening strip technology is loved by consumers and is also adopted by marketers in the U.S. market," said Dr. Densen Cao, PhD, CEO and founder of CAO. "We will fiercely defend our intellectual properties against infringers."

CAO's SheerWhite® whitening strips powered by these invented technologies are the leading whitening products within the professional market to serve dental practices and their customers. The SheerWhite whitening system offers both In-Office and Take-Home whitening strips to enable dental practices to conduct the whitening procedures Easier, Faster, and Better.

For more information about the CAO Group, Inc. and its whitening strip products, please visit www.caogroup.com or call 1-877-877-9778.

Smile Direct Club is Shutting Down in Several Countries Around the Globe

I'm not sure what this means for SDC, but I figured readers in the industry would want to know about this...

SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC) today announced a series of strategic actions to position the Company for improved business performance and future growth, including right-sizing its cost structure to better support core growth initiatives and allocating capital to countries with the greatest potential for near-term profitability.

Following an evaluation of its business and the continuing macroeconomic factors impacting consumers, the Company is taking specific actions that will focus efforts on supporting the key growth initiatives that will produce the highest return on investment. These initiatives include the expansion of its professional channel, the SmileDirectClub Partner Network; innovations to its aligner products so as to allow the Company to capture greater market share of the teen and higher-household income demographics; its burgeoning oral care product business; and SmileShop growth in markets with strong consumer demand. Expansion into new international markets will be paused while the global economy recovers from pandemic and macroeconomic pressures that have contributed to challenging operating environments.

In connection with these operational changes, the Company announced it has suspended operations in Mexico, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. The Company will continue to operate in and scale its presence in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Australia. With these changes, the Company will undergo a reduction in workforce to right-size its operating structure so it is tailored to the countries in which the Company will continue to operate and focus.

“Our mission has always been rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to premium oral care that is affordable, accessible, and convenient,” said SmileDirectClub CEO David Katzman. “Though these decisions are difficult and will impact many of our team members who have worked tirelessly with us to deliver on that mission, these changes are the right thing to do at this time for our business so that we may continue to innovate and lead the industry to a better oral care solution for all.”

The Company estimates year-over-year cost and capital savings associated with these actions to be approximately $120 million in 2022. The Company also anticipates one-time reorganization costs between Q4 2021 and 2022 of approximately $25 million, which may include lease buyouts, asset impairments related to the closure of regional operating centers and SmileShops, and employee-related costs, including severance and retention payments, associated with the organizational changes. Approximately $3 million of one-time reorganization costs are expected to be booked in Q4 2021 with the remainder, $22 million, being incurred during 2022.

Additionally, SmileDirectClub affirmed its previously issued guidance for full year 2021 revenue in the range of $630 million to $650 million.

“These steps reflect our commitment to optimizing our investments in those initiatives that are expected to bring sustainable long-term revenue growth, driving improved profitability to our business model and right-sizing the organization to support these programs," Katzman said. "We believe these initiatives are the right strategy for the future of SmileDirectClub by stabilizing the balance sheet and having sufficient cash to operate and invest in the business. We look forward to providing more detail on our progress in our fourth quarter earnings release and conference call.”

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events and include, without limitation, projections, forecasts and estimates about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and objectives. Some of these statements may include words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “targets,” “plans,” “potential,” “intends,” “projects,” and “indicates.”

Although they reflect our current, good faith expectations, these forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, estimates, and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Some of the factors that may cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements include, but are not necessarily limited to: the ongoing assessment of the cyber incident, material legal, financial and reputational risks resulting from such incident and the related operational disruptions; the duration and magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures; our management of growth; the execution of our business strategies, implementation of new initiatives, and improved efficiency; our sales and marketing efforts; our manufacturing capacity, performance, and cost; our ability to obtain future regulatory approvals; our financial estimates and needs for additional financing; consumer acceptance of and competition for our clear aligners; our relationships with retail partners and insurance carriers; our R&D, commercialization, and other activities and expenditures; the methodologies, models, assumptions, and estimates we use to prepare our financial statements, make business decisions, and manage risks; laws and regulations governing remote healthcare and the practice of dentistry; our relationships with vendors; the security of our operating systems and infrastructure; our risk management framework; our cash and capital needs; our intellectual property position; our exposure to claims and legal proceedings; and other factors described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.

New risks and uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible for us to predict all such factors or how they may affect us. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Leading D2C Teeth Aligner Company Candid Closes DTC Business and Goes All-In on Dentist Network Model, CandidPro

 

[NEW YORK, NEW YORK] January 24, 2022 - Candid, a clear aligner leader, announces that it is closing down its direct-to-consumer business as well as all 45 Candid Studios. The company is now entirely focused on growing its nationwide network of CandidPro dentists and empowering them to treat clear aligner cases with its vanguard teleorthodontic service model. Candid is now working in direct partnership with dental practices and DSOs to offer its first-of-its-kind telehealth clear aligner therapy to even more patients. 

Founded in 2017, Candid is taking its pioneering tech, strong consumer brand, and deep patient insights, and taking the natural next step in its evolution. Candid’s shift to a full CandidPro model continues the company’s mission to facilitate exceptional orthodontic care for as many people as possible. A significant number of the 100,000 patients Candid has treated expressed interest in starting their remote clear aligner treatment in the care of a dentist and the company is responding by turning up the volume in its hybrid remote/in-office model. 

“It was incredibly difficult to close the DTC business and our Studio doors,” says Candid cofounder and CEO Nick Greenfield. “But, for us to live out our mission of helping as many people as possible access affordable and efficient care, we need to work in partnership, not in competition, with dental professionals. This pivot represents a huge growth opportunity for us and for dental practices, and I couldn’t be more confident about the future of orthodontic care.” 

Since CandidPro’s launch, the service has become available in 300+ individual dental practices across the country, and Candid has partnered with several DSOs with many lined up to follow. CandidPro has grown 10x in both case volume and revenue since Q3 of 2021. By the end of 2022, CandidPro is expects explosive growth, with over 1,000 offices and a presence in all 50 states. 

Dental practices, DSOs, and dental industry leaders share Candid’s optimism for CandidPro. “I’ve been treating clear aligners patients for 17 years and, by joining CandidPro, I have experienced a level of control over the volume and quality of treatment I’m able to offer my patients that is unlike anything else on the market,” says Dr. Ben Miraglia, a former Invisalign faculty member who has been practicing dentistry for 29 years. 

Dr. Roshan Parikh, the former Head of Dentistry at Walmart Health, also sees a huge opportunity for CandidPro’s treatment approach to transform the industry. "Candid’s pivot to exclusively offering CandidPro tells me that they listened to DSO needs and will be myopically focused on supporting their growth and helping them deliver the high-quality product and experience that professionals and patients have grown to expect. This pivot to me is similar to the mantra of skating to where the puck is going versus where it is.”

Today, a vast number of dentists are doing just one clear aligner case per month. With CandidPro, dentists will be able to offer a revolutionary clear aligner system regardless of their experience with tooth movement. CandidPro reduces chair time thanks to its CandidMonitoring virtual check-ins, and patients use CandidApp—the top-rated app in teledentistry in the Apple App Store—to scan their teeth, access support, and follow their dentists’s instructions. 

Colgate-Palmolive Partners with 3Shape to Deliver Innovative, Personalized Tooth Whitening Experience with 3Shape Unite Platform

 Colgate-Palmolive Company and 3Shape are partnering to introduce the Colgate Illuminator, an exclusive, tailored-to-patient teeth whitening tool, to dental clinics across the U.S. The new tool will enable more accurate consultations and deliver an improved patient experience.

Colgate-Palmolive, whose brand Colgate is found in more homes than any other, and 3Shape, a leading digital dentistry 3D scanner software and service provider, today introduced the Colgate Illuminator–an in-clinic predictive tool that shows personalized results for consumers of Colgate’s high-impact teeth whitening product, Colgate Optic White Professional. It is a great way to illustrate the potential results for the patient and help them visualize what they may achieve.

Dentists can access the new Colgate Illuminator software via the groundbreaking new 3Shape Unite digital dentistry platform. From there, dentists can provide each patient with a scan that conveys a simulation of the predicted outcome from the whitening treatment.

3Shape’s new software, available to dentists as an in-clinic app, employs an evidence-based algorithm to display an interactive “before and after” patient photo. The process takes just seconds and, based on a patient’s age and teeth shade, the 3Shape software provides a predictive preview of how the teeth will look following the treatment process.

This collaboration aims to help remove the guesswork and alleviate the apprehension patients often feel when they visit a dentist to discuss tooth whitening treatments.

Dr. Maria Ryan, Colgate-Palmolive’s Chief Clinical Officer, said, “Colgate believes bright futures start with beautiful, healthy smiles. We’re proud that the Colgate Illuminator improves the whitening experience for both dentists and patients. With this predictive, innovative tool, dentists can personalize the whitening experience by showing patients how their teeth could whiten when using Optic White Professional high-impact tooth whitening products based on results achieved in clinical studies. And we believe patients are going to love seeing what is possible and how their bright new smile could look.”

Colgate Optic White Professional is a state-of-the-art whitening treatment that is designed for no tooth sensitivity, no gum irritation, and no mess, offering dramatically whiter teeth in just five days when used as directed.

Jakob Just-Bomholt, Chief Executive Officer, 3Shape, said, “Colgate’s incredible whitening solution is now paired with 3Shape’s market-leading software and integrated into the groundbreaking 3Shape Unite platform. We’ve created a smile whitening simulation tool that has the potential to really help ease patients’ aesthetic concerns: it’s fast and powerful. We believe that partnerships like this are the way forward when advancing patient care and improving the patient experience.”

“Colgate customers can now have quick and simple dentist consultations that model realistic predicted whitening transformations as part of a tailor-made experience. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Colgate to deliver this innovative new solution,” concludes Jakob Just-Bomholt.

To learn more about Colgate Optic White Professional, click here.

For more information about the Colgate Illuminator software, click here.

Airfree Continues to Impress and Patients Notice

 

 

Air purification has never been a bigger focus in dentistry than it has become since the pandemic started back in 2020.  Since that time, removing infectious agents from the air has become something patients notice and appreciate.

In my clinic we have a variety of devices to improve air quality and one of the most noticeably ways we do it is through the use of two Airfree Onix air purifiers.

Each unit can clean the air of 650 square feet and they work to get rid of up to 99.99% of bacteria, fungi, viruses, pollen, pet allergens, dust mite allergens and other organic air pollutants that cause allergy attacks and asthma.

In our clinic area, we have 7 treatment areas and we have a unit located in area 1 and area 7.  They silently work 24/7 to help keep our air clean.  Patients have noticed the units which the staff humorously refer to as "Darth Vader" and the patients have commented that they appreciate the extra steps we are taking.

The devices are available for both home and office use.  If you would like more info, here is a link to the company website. 

Woobamboo Announces Toothbrush Heads for Sonicare Toothbrushes

 

The world is going more and more to goods with sustainability.  I find it pretty amazing how many companies are figuring out how and then creating goods that for decades have been non-recyclable, now sustainable.

Take the ever popular toothbrush.  Everyone needs one and we tend to go through several every year.  That simple fact is amazing.  I mean, toothbrushes are incredibly important to, not only oral health, but overall health in general.  The mouth is connected to the body, after all, and oral health problems can have system wide effects.

The problem is all of that plastic.   Toothbrushes are not easily recyclable... at least not until Woobamboo came along.  The company has been selling toothbrushes and floss that are recyclable for a while now.  They make the handles out of bamboo, which grows quickly and breaks down easily.  It's a great idea.

Now, the company is bringing to market a brush for Sonicare powered toothbrushes.  Powered brushes are becoming more and more popular which means they are becoming major players in the toothbrush industry.  As more people move away from manual brushes, there becomes a market for sustainable sonic brush heads.

There is a nice write up on the product over at my writing home Dental Products Report and I highly suggest you give it a read.  Then, head over to Woobamboo and give their sustainable brushes a try!

Academy of General Dentistry Announces Total of Donations to Fight Oral & Pharyngeal Cancer

 

As a dentist, one of the diseases that I am passionate about is the fight against oral & pharyngeal cancer.  It is a horrible disease that often leaves victims scarred and or disfigured after treatment.  Usually that is because the disease is not detected in its earliest stages when it can be more conservatively treated.

As an example, rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen had a portion of his tongue removed in the early 2000s due to cancer.  It was caught early and many people where not aware of the surgery.  Unfortunately that frequently is not the case.

One of the many sad things about this disease is that around 36,000 U.S. residents will be diagnosed with a form of it this year.  The other incredible statistic is that roughly one person every hour dies of the disease.  Oral & pharyngeal cancer kills more Americans than cervical cancer every year.

There is also the fact that the disease is striking younger people much more frequently.  The human papilloma virus 16 (HPV 16), the same virus that causes cervical cancer is affecting both genders and at a much younger age.  People in their 20s are now being told they have cancer which is a tragedy.  

Because of all of these things, I try and screen the best I can when doing patient examinations.  Anything that I can o to prevent someone from enduring the brunt of this disease is time well spent as far as I am concerned.  

That's why I was happy to read about the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) raising funds to help battle the disease.  Here is the info I recently received:

The AGD Foundation is excited to announce that thanks to the support of generous members and corporations, they raised over $192,310 in 2021, which includes over $85,130 from the Annual Appeal campaign alone.

 Your support makes the following initiatives possible:

• Developing easily accessible oral and oropharyngeal cancer resources for dentists, physicians, and more.

• Hosting free annual oral cancer screening events.

• Expanding our grant program, which financially supports AGD constituencies and other organizations’ oral/oropharyngeal cancer awareness and early detection programs.

 Thank you for showing, yet again, that our profession can make a difference in the fight against oral and oropharyngeal cancer. You inspire us everyday. 

 Sincerely,

The AGD Foundation Board of Directors