Pearl Brings Dental AI Natively into Dentrix Ascend

 

I've been a big fan and user of Pearl for several years.  Dental AI for radiographic interpretation truly makes me better at what I do.  Having a system that looks at things with the perspective of an objective third party is a tremendous help is making sure I see everything.  Pearl isn't making any decisions, it's providing me a gentle nudge to look more closely at something.  The most important thing is to have "a human in the loop".  I use my judgement, but  Pearl provides more data to help me do my job better.  As my good friend Dr. Marty Jablow says, "Don't check your brain at the door."    He's right about that.  Pearl helps me, but the doctor is the ultimate decision maker.  Today's post is big news.  Read on for all the details...

Integration delivers Pearl’s best-in-class diagnostic AI directly inside Henry Schein One’s cloud-based dental technology platform, eliminating workflow friction and workarounds

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced a native integration with Dentrix Ascend, the cloud-based dental technology platform from Henry Schein One. Pearl surfaces real-time pathology findings as x-rays are captured, without clinicians ever leaving the Dentrix Ascend platform.

Dental AI at the point of care has long been held back by fragmented workflows. Switching between platforms, importing images manually, and reconciling findings across systems adds friction that slows clinical teams and dilutes the value of AI. Native integration entirely eliminates that friction.

“The best AI in dentistry should take work off the clinician - not add to it,” said Ophir Tanz, Founder and CEO of Pearl. “This integration puts Pearl directly into the workflows practices already rely on, working in real time to reduce friction, eliminate guesswork, and free dentists to focus on patient care.”

For clinical teams, the experience is seamless. As radiographs are captured in Dentrix Ascend, Pearl identifies and displays findings including decay, bone loss, root absences, calculus, and other pathologies within the Dentrix Ascend interface. No separate login. No parallel window. No manual export. The integration puts AI at the point of care, surfacing findings that support clinician judgment.

“This integration reflects a shift toward an open dental technology ecosystem where clinicians can choose the tools that serve them best, and where workflows ensure streamlined dental AI access at the point of care,” noted Erica Zerante, VP of Partnerships at Pearl.

Pearl has deployed AI across radiographic analysis, clinical documentation, and revenue cycle workflows, giving practices integrated AI infrastructure that connects diagnosis to downstream operations. The Dentrix Ascend integration extends that infrastructure to one of dentistry’s most popular cloud dental technology platforms, making high-performance AI accessible to a significant new segment of the market.

The integration will be available for all Dentrix Ascend users in the coming weeks. Practices can learn more and activate Pearl’s integration through their Dentrix Ascend account or by visiting hellopearl.com/demo.

About Pearl

Pearl is a dental AI company committed to enhancing how patient care is delivered. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/demo

The Pearl Oral Health Index Delivers the First Radiographic Census of the American Mouth

 

Today's post is to let you know that Pearl has released their Pearl Oral Health Index.  I normally try and give a bit of a sneak peak in my intro paragraph(s) when I post things like this, but today is different.  There's a lot to be gleaned from this info.  So instead of a lengthy setup, I'll just let you get right to it.  Scroll down and you'll see some pretty incredible insights.

• The Index analyzes 737 million teeth across 15 million patients and 26 million dental x-rays
• Reveals America’s cavity problem is 4.5x worse than government data indicate
• Identifies and quantifies the impact in America’s “dental deserts” where the tooth-loss gap exceeds 40 percent

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today released the Pearl Oral Health Index, unlocking key insights across age, location, gender, and more in the most comprehensive radiographic census of American oral health ever produced. Using its FDA-cleared AI platform to read dental x-rays at scale, Pearl analyzed more than 26 million dental x-rays across 15 million unique patients, and 737 million individual teeth. This represents a dataset so vast it has, for the first time in history, made the collective reality of the American mouth legible. The data both reveals and challenges assumptions about who gets sick, who gets treated, and why.

Until now, dental research has largely relied on small-sample surveys. X-rays, which are the single richest source of oral health information, have been locked away in tens of millions of isolated patient files, impossible to aggregate or compare. Pearl is the first dental AI platform to read, analyze, and measure them at population scale.

“For the first time, we can see what's actually happening inside the mouths of America, not through a survey, not through a sample, but through the raw radiographic truth of tens of millions of visits,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO, Pearl. “The picture is dramatically different from what the public data has told us for decades. There is more disease, more inequality, and more variability in care than anyone realized. AI didn't create this problem, but it finally let us measure it.”

Key Findings

The X-Ray Gap: America's cavity problem is at least 4.5 times worse than federal data suggests

The CDC's NHANES, the gold-standard U.S. government oral health survey of just 25,000 participants, uses mirrors and probes in mobile clinics and estimates that roughly 21 percent of American adults have untreated decay. Pearl's AI, reading radiographs of 15 million participants, finds the real figure is at least 4.5 times higher.

• Decayed teeth per patient: Pearl 6.07 vs. NHANES 0.7. This reflects an 8.7x gap in detected decay.
• Missing teeth per patient: Pearl 2.16 vs. NHANES 2.0. This near-perfect match gives credence to Pearl's methodology, since empty sockets are visible to both a probe and an x-ray.
• Restored teeth per patient: Pearl 7.01 vs. NHANES 6.0. Like missing teeth, restorations are generally visible to the naked eye, so the near-alignment here likewise supports Pearl’s methodology.

X-rays can reveal demineralization at 30–60 percent mineral loss, which is well before a cavity is visible to the eye. The difference is not a methodological quirk; it is the cost of measuring the nation's oral health with instruments that were state-of-the-art in the 19th century. Of note, everyone in Pearl's dataset was already in a dental chair, meaning the true spread in the general population is likely even higher.

Young adults have the most neglected mouths; older adults have the most managed

• Ages 18–24: 52 percent or more than half of all dental disease in young adults is untreated. These are the most neglected mouths in the dataset.
• Crossover between ages 35–44: Fillings finally overtake untreated decay. This is when most people evolve from neglect to managing their oral health.
• Ages 75+: The number of teeth showing signs of decay, loss, or restoration rises to 19.14 out of 28 teeth, meaning over two thirds of teeth have had an issue. Only 28 percent of that damage is untreated. By the time a person hits 75 years old, their mouth is not healthier, but it is more managed.

The Geography of the American Mouth

Where a person lives shapes not just whether they get sick, but what happens when they do. A look at the states with the best and worst oral health include:

• Lowest disease burden: Hawaii (9.63 teeth showing signs of decay, loss, or restoration; lowest calculus at 45.0 percent; fewest extractions).
• Highest disease burden: Delaware (14.22 showing signs of decay, loss, or restoration; calculus 62.6 percent).
• Highest tartar buildup: New Jersey (67.7 percent of patients). This is a 23-point spread vs. Hawaii on a single hygiene indicator.
• Highest rate of extraction: Kansas, where nearly 1 in 10 affected teeth was extracted rather than restored.

The Dentist Lottery: A 4x gap in what two offices on the same block may diagnose

Across 282 dental offices each seeing 200+ adult patients, the 10th-percentile practice finds 3.1 affected teeth per patient, while the 90th-percentile practice finds 12.4 — a 4x gap. Within single zip codes, Pearl identified a 9.2 percentage-point average spread in D-Load (the share of decay left untreated) between neighboring offices, with the top 10 percent of zip codes showing spreads of 17.8 points. Pearl's AI analyzed every x-ray; what varied was how practices responded to what it found. This is not a disease gap, rather it is a training, awareness, and diagnostic consistency gap.

Dental Deserts: Patients in zip codes with zero dentists lose 40 percent more teeth

Pearl matched zip-code data against the National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry of 180,974 U.S. dental practices and 295,509 dentists. In zip codes with zero dentists, 20.8 percent of affected teeth have been extracted. In zip codes with 51+ dentists, only 14.9 percent are extracted, which marks a 40 percent higher rate of tooth loss in so-called dental deserts. Patients in these communities are not going untreated longer; when they finally receive care, they lose the tooth entirely, which often comes down to affordability. In many cases prevention and treatment comes at a higher cost than extraction.

The Access Signal: American women are 28 percent more likely to visit a dentist than men

In the U.S. dataset, women make up 56.2 percent of patients and men 43.8 percent. Under the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS), the split is exactly 50/50. Once men and women are in the chair, their clinical numbers are remarkably similar (e.g. female’s untreated rate of 31.4 percent vs. male 33.9 percent). The real gap is not in the mouth — though men do have a higher rate of calculus (1.99 vs. 1.67), or teeth with tartar build up, whereas women tend to have more fillings (7.97 vs. 7.37) — it’s in who makes it through the door.

Two Countries, Two Dental Systems, Two Completely Different Mouths

The data shows that when disease is found, Americans restore and the British extract:

• U.S. patients average 2.16 missing teeth. U.K. patients average 6.36 — roughly 3x more.
• In the U.S. the share of affected teeth extracted sits at 14.5 percent whereas in the U.K. that number’s ~31 percent.

U.S. fee-for-service insurance incentivizes restoration; in the U.K., NHS budget constraints make extraction the more accessible option when a tooth is severely compromised. Neither is objectively superior. But the radiographic evidence shows the two systems produce fundamentally different outcomes in peoples’ mouths.

Why This Matters Now

Oral health is among the last corners of American medicine to be digitized, standardized, and studied at scale. The Pearl Oral Health Index closes that gap in a single step. By applying a consistent, FDA-cleared AI detection model to this volume of x-rays, Pearl has produced the first objective, comparable, population-level picture of what is actually happening inside millions of mouths and how various dental systems respond to it.

The Index's findings have immediate implications for public-health policy, insurer quality metrics, dental-school curricula, and patient expectations. And it establishes a new baseline against which every future change, including new therapies, new policies, and expanded access, can be measured.

About the Data

The Pearl Oral Health Index draws on two complementary datasets, both covering adults 18+, all 51 U.S. states (including D.C.) and the U.K., using a 28-tooth universe (excluding wisdom teeth) across April 2024 to March 2026:

FMX Series Dataset: 1.49 million patients with complete full-mouth x-ray series analyzed by Pearl. This is the authoritative source for DMF (average 15.24 of 28 teeth affected, composed of 6.07 decayed, 2.16 missing and 7.01 filled). Its missing-teeth figure matches NHANES almost exactly, validating the methodology.

Expanded Encounters Dataset: 14.8 million patients and 26 million tooth-level dental encounters, powering state-level analyses, gender comparisons, tooth-by-tooth vulnerability timelines, and 4.26 million longitudinal tooth transitions.

You can access the full version of the Pearl Oral Health Index here: https://hellopearl.com/oral-health-index

About Pearl

Pearl is a dental AI company committed to enhancing how patient care is delivered. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/demo

Pearl RCM Launches to Improve Insurance Workflows and Claim Outcomes in Dentistry

AI companies continue to expand their offerings and menus of services to the industry.  The competition in this segment of the market is fierce and AI service providers are constantly pushing their R&D teams for more features and smoother workflows.  Here's the latest info from Pearl on their new features and even a mention of what's coming in the not too distant future:
 

New Pearl product embeds AI insurance intelligence into daily practice and clinical operations, streamlining benefits verification, reducing patient billing surprises, and helping practices submit cleaner claims faster

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced Pearl RCM, a revenue cycle management platform that embeds insurance intelligence throughout the dental workflow. By connecting eligibility verification, imaging quality assurance, clinical documentation, and clean claim preparation, Pearl RCM helps practices create and submit cleaner claims, reduce reimbursement delays, and improve revenue predictability.

Dental practices struggle to maintain predictable revenue cycles and expend considerable staff resources navigating the complex, fragmented patient insurance claim process. Often patient insurance is verified in one system (or manually across many), clinical documentation and imaging is loaded in another, and claim creation and submission is completed in a third. Staff piece claims together manually by switching between insurance portals and software platforms. This disconnected workflow frequently leads to errors: Claims are filed for treatments that are not covered by a patient’s insurance, required documentation is left out, clinical evidence doesn’t meet carrier requirements, etc. The result: Claims are subject to processing delays, downcodes, and denials. These are major pain points for dental practice owners, who ranked insurance-related issues, including delayed or denied payments and low reimbursement rates, among the top concerns for dental practices heading into 2026. Across U.S. healthcare more broadly, claim denials cost providers close to $30 billion annually. The impact of insurance friction extends to patients as well: Unexpected out-of-pocket costs are a key factor contributing to dentistry’s patient trust gap.

Unlike traditional dental RCM systems that operate downstream after treatment has already been completed, Pearl RCM embeds insurance intelligence upstream – during scheduling, imaging, diagnosis, and treatment planning – when issues can still be identified and corrected before they delay, downcode, or compromise a claim. This unique approach ensures that every clinical interaction is claim-ready, eliminating a major source of administrative overhead in dental practice management and revenue operations. With Pearl RCM, insurance eligibility verification and claim optimization integrate directly with daily clinical and operational workflows by surfacing coverage data, missing prerequisites, and claim-readiness status in high visibility touchpoints within Pearl’s dental AI platform.

Critically, Pearl RCM is built on a foundation of FDA-cleared radiologic AI that powers key capabilities including real-time x-ray quality assessment at the point of capture, automated selection of clinically relevant AI-annotated images for claim attachments, and AI-generated narratives grounded in what the imaging actually shows.

“Dental practices lose enormous time and revenue navigating disconnected insurance workflows,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “Pearl RCM addresses claim issues proactively, before they become denials. Moving insurance verification and claim readiness to the point of care gives practices clarity and predictability that they've never had, and patients get a billing experience that finally matches the quality of their clinical care.”

Customers can already see the impact:

“Pearl saves our team hours daily by both auto-verifying insurance and making coverage details clear and easy to find,” said Christine Marcin of Ballard Dental Partners. “The new RCM toolset goes a big step further, ensuring we have the right evidence, codes, and documentation to clear claims without insurance back and forth.”

In early deployments across select practices, Pearl RCM has helped teams achieve:

• Up to 35 staff hours per week saved on eligibility verification and claim creation
• Up to 80% fewer downcodes and denial related to missing, incomplete or non-compliant supporting documentation.
• Up to 2X improvement in first-pass clean claim submission rates

The platform's core features deliver clarity and efficiency across the entire revenue cycle:

• Precheck™: Confirms eligibility and code-level benefits automatically from four clearinghouses and over 300 carrier portals. Coverage data, including remaining benefits and frequency limits, is surfaced directly in the appointment card and schedule view, reducing time spent calling payers and helping to eliminate patient billing surprises.
• Claim Actions: Proactive, in-schedule alerts guide the team by flagging missing X-rays, outdated imaging, quality issues, or coverage gaps ahead of the visit, connecting clinical need, image quality, and insurance requirements in one view.
• Imagecheck™: Reduces avoidable denials due to non-diagnostic x-ray evidence by flagging x-ray issues at the point of capture, detecting quality defects like cone cuts, poor exposure, or missing apices before they reach a claim.
• Clean Claim (coming soon): Helps teams build stronger claims through automation, including Auto-Attach, which automatically selects and attaches the most clinically relevant, AI-annotated images, and Auto-Remark, which generates tailored clinical narratives and remarks for each procedure code and payer.
• Claim Insights (coming soon): Offers retrospective analytics on claim outcomes across the practice, surfacing actionable patterns by procedure, payer, provider, and location to help fix the root cause of lost revenue.

For practices, this suite of capabilities power an end-to-end approach to revenue cycle automation that enables a highest standard of revenue cycle efficiency in the dental industry. Pearl RCM is available now to dental practices across the United States. To learn more, visit hellopearl.com/products/rcm.

About Pearl

Pearl is a dental AI company committed to enhancing how patient care is delivered. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/demo.

Pearl and MiPACS by Apryse Announce Global Partnership to Bring AI-Powered Radiologic Analysis to MiPACS Dental Imaging Software

 

One of the things that is critically important is training the next generation of providers.  Dentistry requires exceptional minds and exceptional hand skills.  One of the hardest things for young dentists to do is to graduate and then be faced with new technologies that are integrated into many practices with which they have limited or no experience.  That's why I'm excited about this announcement from Pearl.  Giving students exposure to what AI is capable of will help them as they transition from training to clinical practice.  AI radiographic analysis makes dentists better at what they do.  However, if you've never used it before it can be intimidating.  By bringing the technology into schools as well as other large doctor settings, Pearl is paving the way for the next generation of dentists to be *better* at what they do.

MiPACS’ wide range of dental and medical customers will now benefit from natively integrated AI solutions

-Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, and Apryse, the company behind MiPACS, one of the leading dental imaging software platforms used by educational institutions, FQHCs, government agencies, and private practices, today announced a global partnership to natively integrate Pearl’s AI-powered solutions into the MiPACS imaging platform. The collaboration enables seamless access to Pearl’s cutting-edge AI technology directly within MiPACS’ widely used imaging system, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and streamlining clinical workflows.

MiPACS is trusted by dental schools, public health clinics, government programs, and community health centers worldwide to deliver reliable, flexible, and scalable imaging software. Through this integration, dental institutions and public health organizations can now access Pearl’s Second Opinion® AI directly within MiPACS, helping providers more efficiently detect disease and better serve patients.

For dental schools, MiPACS and Pearl will help serve as an AI-assisted clinical training tool for students and faculty, enhancing diagnostic education and ensuring that future dentists are trained with the most advanced dental technology available.

“For academic institutions training the next generation of dentists, this partnership brings a valuable layer of clinical support that elevates education and clinical confidence,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “At the same time, by delivering seamless access to our AI technology across FQHCs and government programs, we’re helping overburdened providers work more efficiently, catch more disease earlier, and ultimately serve more patients.”

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and public health organizations often face the dual challenges of high patient volumes, limited staffing, and lower reimbursement rates. By integrating Pearl’s AI-powered detection capabilities directly into MiPACS, these facilities can increase diagnostic precision, streamline clinical workflows, and improve care delivery for underserved populations.

“MiPACS has always been focused on empowering dental professionals with flexible and scalable imaging solutions tailored to the unique needs of our customers,” said C.J. Hedinger, Head of Strategic Partnerships at MiPACS by Apryse. “By partnering with Pearl, we’re able to give our users access to best-in-class AI technology that not only enhances diagnostic quality but also helps providers better manage time and resources while delivering excellent care to the communities they serve.”

With this global partnership, Pearl and MiPACS are advancing their shared mission to bring AI-powered dentistry to more providers, educators, and patients around the world.

About Pearl
Pearl is an AI-driven company committed to enhancing patient care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/getdemo

About Apryse
Apryse, previously known as PDFTron, is a global leader in document processing technology that makes work better and life simpler. Apryse gives developers, enterprise customers, and small businesses the tools to reach their document goals faster and more easily. Apryse technology works with all major platforms and a wide variety of unique file types. For more information, visit Apryse.com.

Guardian Dentistry Partners Taps Planet DDS and Pearl to Power AI-Driven Dental Innovation

 

AI in dentistry keeps growing and growing.  It's become one of the hottest tech markets in the industry.  We're seeing new things are the near horizon, like AI evaluations of CBCT, but we're also seeing greater and greater market penetration of AI evaluation of standard 2D radiographs like bitewings and PAs.  The market has moved way beyond the early adopter phase as more and more practices adopt the tech.  We're also seeing more and more practice management systems integrating AI straight into their systems.

The latest example of this is Guardian Denistry bringing PlanetDDS and with its Pearl integration into their fold.  Read on the details of how Guardian is incorporating PlanetDDS and Pearl into their workflows.

Guardian Dentistry Partners (GDP), a leading dental partnership organization (DPO) has selected Denticon, the industry-leading cloud-based practice management solution by Planet DDS and Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, for its rapidly expanding network of 160+ supported practices. Through this partnership, Guardian Dentistry Partners seeks to modernize and tech-enable their fast-growing network of practices.

Pearl’s AI-powered Second Opinion and Practice Intelligence solutions will be natively integrated within the Denticon practice management solution and Apteryx imaging solution—marking the first large-scale deployment of a fully integrated, end-to-end AI-powered practice management and imaging system.

“AI is transforming dentistry by providing clinicians with advanced tools that enhance accuracy and efficiency,” said Danny Kawas, Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of GDP. “With AI-powered insights, our teams can diagnose conditions earlier, improve treatment planning, and deliver superior patient outcomes. Our investment in Denticon and Pearl marks the beginning of our journey toward a fully AI-powered future in dental care.”

By integrating AI across its practice management and imaging systems, GDP is unifying operations on a single platform, gaining deeper insights, streamlining workflows, and enhancing the overall patient experience. The cloud-based Denticon platform eliminates traditional hardware constraints, allowing GDP’s supported practices to focus on delivering superior clinical care. With Pearl’s AI seamlessly embedded, GDP clinicians gain real-time, AI-driven insights for earlier diagnosis, optimized treatment planning, and enhanced patient outcomes.

“GDP is setting a new standard for technology-driven dental care, and we applaud their commitment to innovation,” said Eric Giesecke, CEO of Planet DDS. “We couldn’t agree more with GDP’s belief that great partners beget great partners. We’re committed to being that partner—delivering the integrations and solutions they need to scale and thrive.”

“Pearl is committed to advancing dentistry through AI, improving decision-making and efficiency at every level,” said Ophir Tanz, CEO and founder of Pearl. “This partnership with Planet DDS delivers the industry’s most comprehensive AI benefits to dental practices, empowering GDP to set a new benchmark for AI-driven patient care and operational excellence.”

This announcement follows the Planet DDS launch of AI Assist last month, which introduced Pearl’s AI-powered clinical insights directly into Denticon, further streamlining practice operations and decision-making.

“At GDP, we are committed to equipping our supported practices with the most advanced technology to drive efficiency, elevate patient care, and support our teams. Our investment in Denticon and Pearl AI is a game-changer, positioning us at the forefront of AI-driven dental innovation,” said Frank Fortino, Chief Technology Officer at GDP.

With AI-driven practice management and imaging, GDP is leading the next era of dental innovation—equipping providers with advanced tools to enhance diagnostics, improve efficiency, and elevate patient care in the communities they serve.

For more information, visit Pearl and Planet DDS.

About Guardian Dentistry Partners

Founded in 2018 by a group of passionate dentists and a family office, Guardian Dentistry Partners is a premier Dental Partnership Network dedicated to providing world-class support services and growth opportunities for its network of dentist partners. Guardian Dentistry Partners has expanded rapidly and now supports dental entrepreneurs in Alabama, D.C., Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Guardian Dentistry Partners’ mission is to help its dental partners and teams build the practices of our collective dreams. For more information, visit Guardian Dentistry Partners.

About Planet DDS

Planet DDS is a leading provider of a platform of cloud-based solutions that empowers growth-minded dental businesses. Now serving over 13,000 practices and 118,000 customers in North America, Planet DDS delivers a comprehensive suite of solutions, including Denticon Practice Management, Cloud 9 Ortho Practice Management, Apteryx Cloud Imaging, and Planet DDS Practice Marketing. Planet DDS is dedicated to enabling dental support organizations (DSOs) and groups to grow and thrive with technology that delivers seamless integrations, improved workflows, and future-proof scalability.

About Pearl

Pearl is an AI-driven company committed to enhancing patient care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit www.hellopearl.com/getdemo.

Pearl and Seattle Study Club Partner to Advance AI Education in Dentistry

My office began using Pearl's radiographic system Second Opinion in January 2023 and have never looked back.  Starting back in 2016 I had been working with a few different companies that were developing radiographic AI platforms and I was pretty quickly convinced of their value in clinical dentistry.  Those early systems were clunky and required the user to jump through several hoops before actually seeing the AI interpretation, but even with all of the steps they required, the value was obvious.  

I still remember the disappointment I felt when the first company I was working with ran out of funds and had to cease operations.  Even though it took several steps to get a bitewing into their system, I had grown to depend on it.  The confidence of having an objective third party helping me to evaluate radiographs was powerful.  I didn't want to go back to the "old way".  Fortunately a week or two later I was approached by another startup and began helping them in product development.  Now as I look back at how far we've come, it's amazing.

Today's post is about a recent announcement from Pearl and the Seattle Study Club.  They are partnering to help deliver cutting edge info to the profession.  The details of the partnership are below.

New partnership will expand clinician access to practical AI education designed to help practices improve care delivery, patient communication, operational efficiency, and financial predictability

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Seattle Study Club, one of the nation’s most respected dental education networks, to help accelerate clinician education around the practical application of AI across the modern dental practice. As a Gold Tier partner, Pearl will collaborate with Seattle Study Club through educational programming, conference participation, and clinical content initiatives designed to help dentists understand not only what AI can do, but how to deploy it effectively throughout the dental workflow from examinations and patient communication to scheduling, documentation, insurance workflows, and practice operations.

The partnership reflects a shared belief between the organizations: that the future of dentistry will not be defined by technology alone, but by how effectively clinicians are educated on how to integrate new technologies into patient care.

While AI adoption in dentistry continues to accelerate, many practices still lack practical guidance around implementation, workflow integration, and clinical best practices. Pearl and Seattle Study Club aim to close that gap by providing educational experiences grounded in real-world application, clinical excellence, and operational outcomes.

“At Seattle Study Club, we believe exceptional dentistry starts with continuous learning,” said Gary Dickenson, CEO of Seattle Study Club. “AI is becoming an increasingly important part of modern practice, dentistry needs meaningful education around how these technologies support better care, stronger patient communication, and more efficient practice operations. Pearl brings both the technological leadership and the practical perspective to help make that education valuable for our members.”

Originally recognized for pioneering real-time AI radiologic analysis in dentistry, Pearl has evolved into a broader AI platform designed to reduce friction across the dental workflow. Today, Pearl’s technologies support clinical decision-making, patient understanding, imaging quality assurance, insurance preparation, documentation workflows, operational intelligence, and other systems that help practices operate more consistently and predictably.

By embedding AI directly into everyday workflows, Pearl helps practices improve diagnostic confidence, standardize communication, reduce administrative burden, and create a more connected experience for both clinicians and patients.

“Dentistry reaches its highest standard when great clinicians are equipped with both powerful tools and the education to use them well,” said Ophir Tanz. “Seattle Study Club has built one of the most trusted educational communities in dentistry, and we’re excited to work together to help clinicians better understand how AI can elevate every aspect of practice, not just diagnostics, but the broader systems that support exceptional patient care.”

Through the partnership, Pearl and Seattle Study Club will deliver educational initiatives throughout the year focused on helping dental professionals navigate the rapidly evolving role of AI in dentistry while maintaining a strong emphasis on clinical judgment, patient trust, and real-world implementation.

About Pearl

Pearl is a dental AI company committed to enhancing how patient care is delivered. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/demo

About Seattle Study Club

Seattle Study Club is the nation’s leading dental education network, empowering professionals to connect, learn, and achieve clinical excellence in a collaborative community. Founded in 1992 by Dr. Michael Cohen, it has grown into a global network offering hands-on learning, case discussions, and access to world-renowned speakers. Learn more at www.seattlestudyclub.com. 

SOTA’s Dental Imaging Software Gets Pearl’s AI Pathology Detection Capabilities

 Pearl and SOTA have partnered to offer native support for Pearl’s industry-leading, FDA-cleared radiologic AI solution Second Opinion® within the SOTA Cloud® software platform. SOTA Cloud® will be the first dental imaging software in the United States to offer a fully-integrated clinical AI feature set.

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, and SOTA Imaging, the leading manufacturer of dental imaging hardware and software, announced today a partnership to integrate Pearl’s FDA-cleared Second Opinion® real-time clinical pathology detection artificial intelligence (AI) solution with SOTA’s popular SOTA Cloud® dental imaging software. Native support for Pearl’s chairside AI within SOTA’s cloud-based imaging interface means that, for the first time, dentists in the United States can conveniently capture, display, and perform AI-assisted clinical evaluation of dental radiographs within a single software platform.

"Together with SOTA, we are pushing the envelope of dental imaging further toward a fully AI-powered dental future,” said Ophir Tanz, Pearl’s founder and CEO. “AI will be a basic utility in dentistry, and we see obvious advantages to making that utility an integral feature of the tools that dentists are already using. Through this partnership, dentists using SOTA Cloud® can seamlessly access Pearl’s AI capabilities to obtain better, more consistent insights from patient imagery and present cases to patients more effectively –– leading to better outcomes, a higher standard of care and more productive patient communication."

Pearl’s Second Opinion® is a clinical AI system cleared for use as a patient-facing radiologic aid to dentists in over 90 countries. With native Second Opinion® integration, dental practices using SOTA Cloud® –– the robust cloud-based dental imaging software which SOTA introduced last year to complement its line of state-of-the-art intraoral cameras and X-ray image sensors –– can view automatic AI detections of most conditions commonly found in dental x-rays.

“Understanding the needs of clinicians and ensuring that dentists are able to focus solely on providing the best possible patient care has always been the top priority when developing our software,” said SOTA founder and president Brian Kim. “Our partnership with Pearl speaks directly to that focus by giving practices using SOTA Cloud® push-button access to the most innovative AI technology available for streamlined patient communication and improved image-based diagnostic evaluations.”

To register for SOTA Cloud® with fully-integrated AI capabilities, visit: https://info.sotaimaging.com/sotaxpearlpartnership

To learn more about Pearl’s Second Opinion®, visit: www.hellopearl.com/products/second-opinion.

To learn more about SOTA Cloud®, visit: www.sotaimaging.com/sota-cloud/

About Pearl

Pearl is shaping the future of dental care by delivering AI and computer vision solutions that advance efficiency, accuracy, transparency and patient care. Founded in 2019 by Ophir Tanz, Pearl is backed by Craft Ventures and other leading venture capital firms. For more information or to request a demonstration, please visit https://www.hellopearl.com.

About SOTA

SOTA Imaging is a leading manufacturer of dental imaging hardware and software since 1987. SOTA Imaging solutions include Clio Prime & Clio Pedo digital x-ray sensors, the Claris i5HD intraoral camera, SOTA Image and SOTA Cloud dental imaging software, and aerosol reduction solutions, including the Cazoo Extraoral Aerosol Evacuator. Contact SOTA at (888) 266-7682, sales@sotaimaging.com, or sotaimaging.com.

Oryx Dental Software Gets AI-Powered Imaging with Pearl Partnership

As many of you know, I've decided to call 2023 "The Year of AI in Dentistry".  To that end, we have been using Pearl in our office since January and we continue to be super impressed with how it performs.  Now comes word from Pearl of the chance for more offices to see what AI can do for them...

The partnership between Pearl and Oryx will bring Pearl’s industry-leading dental AI capabilities to the Oryx practice management system’s native imaging solution

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, and cloud-based dental practice management system developer, Oryx Dental Software, today announced plans to integrate Pearl’s Second Opinion® disease detection capabilities within the Oryx’s native dental imaging feature set.

“At Pearl, we are deeply committed to the advancement of the dental industry through widespread access to the clinical advantages of our AI toolset,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “Our partnership with Oryx will seamlessly integrate Second Opinion into the dental industry’s most complete cloud-based patient care and practice management system, bringing the benefits of AI-assisted dentistry to Oryx users nationwide.”

Pearl’s Second Opinion is the first-and-only chairside AI software with global regulatory clearances to assist dentists in the detection of numerous common conditions in bitewing, periapical and panoramic x-rays of adult teeth in patients as young as 12 years old. Through this partnership, dentists using Oryx will be able to directly access Second Opinion’s AI capabilities for reviewing intraoral images, scans, and radiographs within the native imaging utility of Oryx’s practice management software.

“Our team of experienced dental professionals designed our all-in-one cloud software to deliver an enhanced patient care and practice management experience,” said Oryx CEO, Rania Saleh. “We offer the highest quality dental imaging software available, and with the integration of Pearl’s Second Opinion AI software, our users will have access to dentistry’s most advanced pathology detection aid designed to deliver an enhanced standard of care, improved patient communication, greater clinical consistency and improved oral health outcomes.”

About Pearl

Pearl is leading the global dental AI revolution with groundbreaking computer vision solutions that elevate efficiency, accuracy, and the standard of care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by Ophir Tanz, Pearl is backed by Craft Ventures and other leading venture capital firms. To request a demonstration, please visit hellopearl.com/demo.

About Oryx Dental Software

Founded in 2016, Oryx is the only AI cloud-based dental practice management software created by dentists for dentists. It is an evidence-based platform that takes a systematic approach to patient care and practice management. Software features include but are not limited to: evidence-based diagnostics backed by the Kois Center, native imaging, integrated billings and e-claims, online scheduling and much more to help you run the best practice possible.

American Dental Association Invests in Pearl to Advance AI in Dentistry

 

Here's some interesting news.  As the ADA has begun investing in dental companies, a lot of members and other dentists have followed this subject with interest.  Today comes news that the ADA has now invested in AI company Pearl.  Here are details of today's announcement.

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced that the American Dental Association (ADA), the nation’s leading dental organization, has made a strategic investment in Pearl’s dental AI platform. The investment reflects the ADA’s commitment to supporting visionary companies whose disruptive technologies empower dental professionals to advance patient care and public health. The investment was led by the organization’s Innovation Advisory Committee, dedicated to identifying and supporting novel solutions that elevate dentistry.

“To evolve and serve the dental profession and the public, we focus on forward-thinking businesses that are re-envisioning the needs of the industry, both from a technology and clinical practice perspective,” said Roger Liew, Chair of the ADA’s Innovation Advisory Committee. “Investing in Pearl represents our ongoing commitment to transformational dentistry that positively impacts the industry as well as the oral and overall health of the public.”

Pearl was founded on the notion that artificial intelligence can serve the dental practitioner and patient in unique and meaningful ways.

“Pearl allows dentists to enhance the precision, efficiency, and confidence of their care, while retaining complete control in their clinical decision-making,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO, Pearl. “These advanced tools add a cognitive layer to the digital dentistry workflow that enables practitioners to consistently achieve the highest standard of care when addressing the distinct clinical needs of every patient. This investment from the ADA –– which has been driving our industry forward for over 160 years –– affirms the importance of AI to the future of dentistry, and underscores the impact that companies like Pearl can have on redefining the way that dentists serve and care for their patients.”

About Pearl

Pearl is an AI-driven company committed to enhancing patient care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental X-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/getdemo

Pearl and Carestream Dental Partner to Offer Advanced Dental AI Solutions to Providers Across North America

 

Here's some recent info from dental company Pearl.  They offer AI solutions for dentists that involve helping with reading radiographs and helping to automate front office systems.  We've been using the radiography system, called Second Opinion,  for a while now and I've been very impressed with it.  AI is a tech that you quickly realize you can't live without.  Being able to get unbiased opinions on clinical situations is invaluable.  Add to that the ability to show patients the imaging.  It helps communicate their needs.  We've had a great experience with Second Opinion.

Pearl and Carestream Dental recently announced a new partnership to natively integrate Pearl’s Second Opinion software into Carestream Dental’s advanced CS Imaging platform, which powers its portfolio of imaging systems.

Second Opinion is the first-and-only chairside dental AI software with global regulatory clearances to assist in the detection of common pathologies and other conditions in dental X-rays. The software provides real-time AI evaluations directly within CS Imaging to improve patient communication, enhance diagnostic capabilities and elevate practitioners’ overall standard of care. In partnering with Pearl, Carestream Dental is reinforcing its commitment to strategic partnerships to bring seamless solutions to market faster and provide broader access to innovation.

“Carestream Dental is a globally respected leader in imaging technology, and our collaboration is a significant step forward in advancing AI integration across the dental industry,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “By combining our innovative Second Opinion software with Carestream Dental’s world-class imaging products, we’re creating a more efficient, accurate, and impactful diagnostic experience for dental professionals and their patients.”

“We’re excited to collaborate with Pearl to natively integrate their powerful AI solutions into our imaging systems,” said Pinkesh Garg, managing director for the Americas at Carestream Dental. “By sharing resources and knowledge with a trusted industry leader like Pearl, we can deliver more options to our mutual customers that enhance diagnostic accuracy and help dental professionals make more informed decisions.”

For more information on Carestream Dental, or any of its innovative solutions, please visit carestreamdental.com.

To learn more about Pearl and its Second Opinion software, visit hellopearl.com/getdemo.

About Pearl

Pearl is an AI-driven company committed to enhancing patient care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl’s AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide.

As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/getdemo

About Carestream Dental

Carestream Dental is a digital solutions leader built on more than 125 years of experience that’s committed to transforming dentistry, simplifying technology and changing lives. In this pursuit, it offers three brand portfolios that enable practice optimization, efficiency and growth: The Carestream Dental brand portfolio of world-class oral healthcare devices; the Swissmeda brand portfolio of market-leading clinical software and services; and the Sensei brand portfolio of best-in-class practice management software and services.

These solutions connect industry partners, laboratories and payers to optimize oral healthcare providers’ preferred workflows.

For more information, please visit carestreamdental.com.

Pearl Launches Groundbreaking AI-Powered Dental Insurance Verification

The proliferation of Artificial Intelligence in the dental space continues at an amazing pace.  While most dental professionals are aware of the diagnostic improvements that can be achieved with AI, the technology is making inroads in other aspects as well.   We depend on Pearl's Second Opinion radiographic analysis on a daily basis, but that isn't the only way AI is progressing in the profession.  Companies are working on AI for things such as restoration design, implant placement, and a myriad of other uses as well.  As the developers of AI get more experience with designing these neural networks, it's difficult to predict where this will all lead.  At this point I'm more inclined to try to figure out what AI *won't* affect instead of what is *will* affect.

Today's post deals with a new announcement from Pearl regarding a way to boost front office productivity.  This is hot off the digital press as Pearl just made this announcement today...  Here is the press release I just received:

 

New Precheck™ software is primed to increase accuracy and enhance efficiency for practices utilizing Pearl’s leading dental AI technology 

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced the launch of Precheck™, a groundbreaking new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered insurance eligibility and benefits verification tool. Leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to seamlessly compile and synthesize patient insurance data, Precheck™ streamlines the insurance verification process and provides dental practices and their patients with comprehensive coverage information. 

 Precheck™ is available as an add-on to Pearl’s clinical performance platform Practice Intelligence®, which synthesizes radiologic AI findings with patient treatment data synced from practice management systems to deliver actionable insights that facilitate greater operational efficiency, better clinical care, and increased growth for dental practices. With Precheck™, Pearl gives users a powerful tool for extending Practice Intelligence® benefits to insurance-based revenue cycle management. 


Enabling dental practices to eliminate time spent on manual benefits verification, Precheck™’s AI-based capabilities deliver more robust and accurate information than other verification solutions. Armed with more comprehensive benefits data, practices using Precheck™ can provide patients with upfront, detailed information about their coverage, increasing transparency and trust. Among the capabilities that make Precheck™ unique are:
 

• Multi-Source Verification: AI-driven multi-origin data sourcing – leveraging multiple clearinghouses, payors, and patient EOBs – ensures more complete coverage information and hacker-proof data availability. 
• Code-Level Feedback: Precheck™ helps practices enhance patient trust and satisfaction by  providing granular insight into which specific treatments insurance will cover for each patient, enabling smarter treatment planning and reducing unexpected patient expenses. 
• Comprehensive Coverage Breakdowns: Downloadable breakdowns detail benefits, limitations, including frequency and age, and treatment history, enabling dental professionals to make coverage-informed treatment decisions with confidence. 

 “What makes this product truly innovative is its unique approach to aggregating data from diverse sources, enabling Pearl to identify coverage for 30% more patients compared to other insurance verification platforms on the market,” said Pearl founder and CEO, Ophir Tanz. “By eliminating the guesswork and providing patients with the most reliable and comprehensive coverage details, Precheck™ enables dental professionals to spend more time on what is most important: providing quality patient care.”

 To learn more about how Precheck™ can help your practice or to request a demo, visit hellopearl.com/precheck. 

 About Pearl

Pearl is leading the global dental AI revolution with groundbreaking computer vision solutions that elevate efficiency, accuracy, and the standard of care in dentistry. Founded in 2019 by Ophir Tanz, Pearl is backed by Craft Ventures and other leading venture capital firms. To learn more, please visit: hellopearl.com

Dentulu and Pearl Partnership Brings Clinical AI to Teledentistry

 

Over the past 5 years or so, I have consulted and worked with a few companies that have looked at bringing Artificial Intelligence into to profession of dentistry.  Because of my work in that tech space, I quickly became enamored with ability to have an objective second party view x-rays and offer an opinion.  Back then the interfaces were "kludgy" at best.  Getting the images loaded and analyzed took an unacceptable amount of time, but the results were amazing!

That's the thing about my work in the early stages of a tech development.  You can *see* the future, but you can't get there quite yet.  My work on these types of systems are always time limited.  Companies have me looking at solutions and offering my opinions and recommendations, but at the end of the contract, they move on to continue their development and hopefully can incorporate some of my suggestions.

I have been in love with the concept of A.I. in dentistry since I first became aware of it.  ANYTHING that provides accurate data to help the doctor make decisions is something I'm in favor of.  In fact, I'm so smitten with the concept, that I recently became a Pearl client.  I find this especially interesting for me since I didn't actually work with Pearl in any capacity prior to signing up.  However, my experience in consulting with A.I. companies put me in a good spot to gauge what was a superior product and what wasn't.  To that end, I chose Pearl based on a lot of reasons, but one of them was the incredible number of FDA Clearances the company received.  Pearl has worked hard to create a really solid platform.

I also like the idea that the gentleman who founded the company is the son of a dentist.  That gives the company a perspective of what it's like to be "in the trenches".  I am also glad to support a company that is not trying to see their platform to third party payers.  Some A.I. companies are marketing to insurance companies with the sales pitch being A.I. can be used to help deny claims.  I refuse to support a company that is trying to generate revenue from both sides of the equation.  Pearl is NOT doing that and I want to emphasize that decision is critical to industry acceptance by doctors.

I'm also a fan of teledentistry.  Our society has a phenomenal healthcare system and, due to that, U.S. citizens are living longer.  However, with a longer lifespan, people will also require a better support system for their oral care.  That's where teledentistry comes in.  As people age, they aren't as mobile and often rely on others for transportation.  It is going to become much more important for auxiliary personnel to go into care facilities to collect data and then relay that to doctors.  This means that x-rays and photos will need to sent to doctors who can then decide courses of treatment to provide the patient with the best care possible for them.

That's why I'm excited about Pearl and Dentulu partnering to provide this type of tech integration.  Here are all the details:

Dentulu, the leading Teledentistry network and two-time Cellerant “Best of Class” Teledentistry Technology winner, has partnered with Pearl, the 2022 “Best of Class” AI Technology winner, to enable Dentulu’s Teledentists to achieve the highest level of diagnostic performance while elevating the patient experience with the most powerful AI-backed dental software on the market. Pearl’s Second Opinion® is the only clinical AI software with regulatory clearance as a patient-facing radiologic aid to dentists for detection of numerous dental conditions. Dentulu users will be able to apply the full range of Second Opinion® capabilities across the imagery they capture, upload, and store on Dentulu.

“Dentulu’s mission to provide transparent, innovative, and comprehensive care to our patients aligns with Pearl’s ongoing advancements and contributions within the dental industry, and we are proud to offer this technology to the thousands of patients and providers that utilize our platform across the nation,” said Dr. Arash Hakhamian, CEO of Dentulu. “Second Opinion® was recently featured on TIME’s list of inventions that deliver groundbreaking impact on consumers and society as a whole, and falls perfectly in line with Dentulu’s mission to integrate the best of the best from the dental industry within its dental ecosystem.”

In 2022, Second Opinion® became the first-and-only chairside AI radiologic aid authorized by the FDA to read both bitewing and periapical x-rays of adult teeth in patients as young as 12 years old. Prior to this Pearl-Dentulu partnership, Pearl’s AI technology has only been available to brick-and-mortar dentists, who utilize its advanced capabilities in real-time as a patient-facing radiologic aid in the dental operatory.

“AI is a transformative dental technology not only because it elevates the standard of care, but also because it has the potential to democratize access to higher quality dentistry,” said Pearl CEO and founder, Ophir Tanz. “Our partnership with Dentulu represents an important step forward for dental care in the digital era, because together we are realizing that democratizing potential by bringing the benefits of AI beyond the dental office to any patient with an internet connection.”

Dentulu has established innovative marketing channels with companies like Walgreens and LG televisions to provide new ways for patients to experience Teledentistry and access to dental services. Patients can access Dentulu Teledentists on their mobile phones, tablets, computers, and even smart televisions, where they will be able to upload radiographs and intraoral pictures to receive virtual consultations and second opinions from licensed dentists. Dentists and care coordinators will now be able to leverage findings from Pearl’s Second Opinion® to validate their recommendations with patients. When patients are referred for an in-person evaluation at a local dental office, they can share the AI findings and be better prepared and educated on what to expect.

The two companies expect to launch their partnership in Q1 of 2023.

About Dentulu

Dentulu is a nationwide Teledentistry network helping provide innovative dental solutions to patients across the United States. They are the inventors of the MouthCam consumer intra-oral camera and operate the world’s most comprehensive HIPAA compliant Teledentistry platform. Dentulu is founded and backed by leading dental professionals and also provides a B2B ecosystem where it features the best dental companies on its professional provider marketplace. For more information or to partner with Dentulu, please visit https://www.dentulu.com

About Pearl

Pearl is leading the global dental AI revolution with groundbreaking computer vision solutions that elevate efficiency, accuracy and the standard of care in dentistry. In 2022, its Second Opinion® AI software became the first-and-only real-time chairside pathology detection aid cleared by the FDA to help dentists detect multiple conditions in patient x-rays. For more information or to request a demonstration, please visit https://www.hellopearl.com.

dntl bar Introduces AI to New York Dentistry with Pearl Partnership

 

Patients visiting any of the rapidly growing DSO’s New York City locations will now receive AI-augmented care, including supplemental x-ray review from Pearl’s FDA-cleared comprehensive disease detection AI software

Pearl, the leader in dental AI solutions, and dntl bar, an NYC-based dental service organization (DSO) committed to offering the convenient and quality dental care that patients want, today announced a partnership to offer Pearl’s Second Opinion® and Practice Intelligence® AI solutions in dntl bar’s locations across New York City. The partnership will enable dntl bar’s offices to achieve the highest level of clinical performance while elevating the patient experience with AI-backed care from the chairside dental software cleared by the FDA to read radiographs and assist in the detection of numerous forms of disease and other dental conditions.

“For our patients, consistency in diagnoses and clinical care is expected, just the same as they expect high-quality, white glove service at each of our dntl bar locations,” said dntl bar co-founder and chief dental officer, Dr. Ben Chami. “Our partnership with Pearl to offer the company’s FDA-cleared AI platform takes us one large step closer to being able to provide more clinical consistency between our dentists and less variability, which is a huge win for our patients.”

“We can never get all dentists to the 50-yard line in terms of diagnoses and care, but Pearl will help us get diagnoses between the 40-yard lines,” added dntl bar president and CEO, Dr. Roshan Parikh. “Pearl’s AI ensures a more standardized clinical experience for our patients.”

Pearl brings transparency and objectivity to dentistry by applying computer vision to read dental x-rays with expert accuracy, improving consistency in radiologic interpretation and streamlining practice management through practitioner performance and patient health insights.

“In partnership with dntl bar, we are furthering our commitment to helping dentists deliver a higher standard of patient care,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “Our work with an innovative, patient-focused DSO is yet another step toward broadening the reach of AI in dentistry and introducing patients and providers to its benefits and capabilities. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration with dntl bar as they continue to grow.”

About Pearl

Pearl is shaping the future of dental care by delivering dental AI and computer vision solutions that advance efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and patient care. Founded in 2019 by Ophir Tanz, Pearl is backed by Craft Ventures and other leading venture capital firms. For more information or to request a demonstration, please visit https://www.hellopearl.com.

 

About dntl bar

Founded in 2019, dntl bar is an emerging New York-based DSO that offers patients a tech-enabled dental experience that emphasizes convenience and hospitality, being open 7 days a week, in 5 different neighborhoods across Manhattan.

dntl bar has a team of New York City’s finest clinicians to provide their patients with a full range of dental services including teeth cleanings, clear aligners, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, root canals, emergency services, and more.

With most insurances accepted, transparent pricing, patient-first settings, and being open 7 days a week, dntl bar aims to provide convenient & quality dental care in a luxurious, contemporary atmosphere.

FDA Clears World’s First AI Software to Read Dental X-Rays

This is one of those moments that, if you are in the dental industry, you should take note of.  For the past 5 years or so, I've been lucky enough to work with some different companies and different systems that are using artificial intelligence to study and evaluate radiographs (x-rays).  The systems have all evolved and gotten better over time.  That, after all, is the idea behind A.I... the system learns and makes better decisions as it accumulates more and more data.

The reason I feel this is a watershed moment in the industry is due to three letters... FDA.  The agency simply doesn't give clearance to products willy nilly.  No, in order to receive FDA clearance, a company has to be subjected to strenuous and arduous processes.  It is a long process and efficacy must be proven.  Over my career I've helped companies on trying to receive FDA clearance and from personal experience I can tell you the people at the FDA are dedicated and their priority is safety of the American public.

I salute the folks at Pearl for going through this process.  Achieving FDA clearance is something to be proud of.  Those of you reading this are witnessing a tipping point in healthcare.  Since I first had a chance to view A.I. aiding in radiographic interpretation, I've felt that the profession could benefit greatly from having a "virtual second opinion".  Now that benefit has arrived.  Below is the press release from Pearl:

Pearl, the leader in dental AI solutions, today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its AI-powered, real-time pathology detection solution Second Opinion® to help dentists accurately identify a broad range of common dental conditions in patient x-rays.

Pearl’s announcement marks an important step forward for technology-assisted dental care. Second Opinion® becomes the first AI-driven solution cleared to detect numerous conditions in dental x-rays, and the first to add US FDA clearance to European CE, Canadian MDEL, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, Australian TGA and New Zealand MEDSAFE clearances. Second Opinion® is now the only AI-driven computer-aided clinical radiology solution available to dentists throughout North America, Europe, Australia and many other parts of the world.

“This clearance is a major milestone not only for our team and for the many dentists, advisors and partners who have contributed to Second Opinion’s development, but also for dentistry itself,” said Ophir Tanz, CEO and founder of Pearl. “AI is a paradigm-shifting technology that will add value across the entire healthcare continuum. Because x-rays are a regular part of every dental patient’s experience, the first place most people will encounter the power of medical AI technology will be in their dentist’s chair. Second Opinion®’s FDA clearance has made that possible.”

Pearl’s system supports dental professionals in their review of radiographs by applying computer vision to identify and highlight key pathologic and nonpathologic findings, including dental caries, discrepancies at the margin of existing restorations, calculus, periapical radiolucency, crowns, fillings, root canals, bridges and implants. When x-rays are captured in a dental office, Second Opinion® immediately displays the images and any detected conditions on monitors in the operatory, giving dentists sharper vision into their patients’ oral health and giving patients greater understanding of their dentist’s findings.

“The benefit that Pearl’s AI brings to patient communication in the dental operatory – and the trust that follows – cannot be overstated, and it is in that area that Second Opinion®’s impact will be most immediately felt,” said Professor Dr. Markus Blatz, DMD, a leading authority in restorative dentistry and digital innovation. “Its long-term impact on the field of clinical dentistry may be more important, however. We endeavor to establish a standard of care through instruction at dental school, but at some point our instruction stops. Second Opinion® will help us maintain that standard and, over time, establish a more consistently rewarding patient experience.”

Second Opinion® exceeded the FDA’s stringent efficacy requirements across four separate clinical studies, each featuring a radiographic dataset of over 2,000 images and a reader group of 86 expert dentists and dental radiologists. The tests showed clear advantages for readers using Second Opinion®, including finding that study participants reading x-rays with the assistance of Pearl’s AI system accurately identified 36% more lesions than those without AI assistance did.

“Second Opinion® now joins a family of FDA cleared CADe medical systems already in use for radiologically-driven tasks such as lung nodule detection and mammography interpretation,” Pearl’s Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, Cambron Carter, said. “State of the art algorithms that currently assist in the detection of cancerous lesions can now be applied to detect many more frequently occurring dental diseases. The standard of care in dentistry is about to level up.”

Pearl's AI driven software is already in daily use by radiograph manufacturers, dentists and dental service organizations across Europe, Canada, Australiasia, South America and the Middle East. US dentists and dental offices can begin implementing Second Opinion® today by visiting: www.hellopearl.com/products/second-opinion.

About Pearl

Pearl is shaping the future of dental care by delivering AI and computer vision solutions that advance efficiency, accuracy, transparency and patient care. Founded in 2019 by Ophir Tanz, Pearl is backed by Craft Ventures and other leading venture capital firms. For more information or to request a demonstration, please visit https://www.hellopearl.com.