Stan Goff is a Managing Editor with MJH Life Sciences, which includes Dental Products Report, Dental Practice Management, Dental Lab Products, Modern Hygienist, and Dentist's Money Digest. He has covered the dental industry since 1999 and can be reached at sgoff@mjhlifesciences.com.  

Beaverstate Dental Systems Introduces New Compact RD-3250 Delivery Unit | Image Credit: © Beaverstate Dental Systems

Beaverstate Dental Systems’ new RD-3250 delivery unit features a compact and versatile design to provide seamless patient care and maximize operatory layout.

Headquartered in Newberg, Oregon, Beaverstate Dental Systems (BDS) has been providing high-quality and affordable dental equipment since 1970, and this latest delivery unit is filled with features designed to help clinicians with the best access and ergonomics in the operatory.

The RD-3250 delivery unit has several key features that set it a part, including:

• Compact and Versatile Design: The RD-3250's narrow mounting footprint allows for efficient use of limited operatory space without sacrificing functionality. Its flexible positioning options enable optimal workflow and accessibility for both clinician and patient.

• Multi-Positioning Preferences: Dental professionals can configure the delivery unit to suit their specific needs, with a range of positioning options to ensure optimal ergonomics and accessibility.

• Cost-Effective Solution: Aligning with the company’s mission to provide high-quality equipment at an affordable price point, the RD-3250 offers excellent value for dental practices looking to maximize their equipment budget, the company states.

"The RD-3250 delivery unit is a true testament to our commitment to innovation and customer-centric design," Jeff Bunker, VP of Marketing and Sales at BDS, says in a press release announcing the launch. "We're excited to offer our customers a compact, versatile, and cost-effective solution that will enhance their operatory workflows and patient experiences."

The RD-3250 joins BDS' comprehensive lineup of reliable and durable dental equipment, backed by the company's strong customer service and industry-leading warranty. For more information about this new delivery unit or BDS' full product portfolio, visit

Articles

The company’s latest delivery unit is designed to deliver versatility, efficiency, ergonomics and accessibility.

Beaverstate Dental Systems Introduces New Compact RD-3250 Delivery Unit

As we take a look back at some of the key happenings in the industry, here are 5 highlights from earlier this year.

Highlights from Dental Conference Coverage in Early 2024

Kellie Nock is the assistant editor for Dental Products Report. She graduated from Kent State University in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Journalism. Kellie enjoys multimedia content creation with a focus on audio and video storytelling. 

Formlabs Unveils Form 4L, Form 4BL, and New Developer Platform. Image credit: © Formlabs


3D printing company Formlabs has announced the launch of the Form 4L, a large-format SLA printer with fast print speeds and high-quality output, according to a press release from Formlabs. The Form 4L, along with a biocompatible version called the Form 4BL, is built for a range of industries from prototyping to production, featuring speeds up to 80 mm per hour and a build volume five times larger than the Form 4.

Key features include a 99% print success rate, compatibility with over 23 materials, and accessories like a resin mixer and resin pumping system. The printer can create large parts in under 6 hours, and its new design cuts plastic waste by 63%. The Form 4L is priced at $9999.

Formlabs also introduced its new Developer Platform, allowing users more control over materials and print settings. Open Material Mode lets users print with any material, while the Print Settings Editor and API integrations provide flexibility for custom workflows. Bulk pricing for production materials starts at $35 per liter for resin and $45 per kilogram for SLS powders, making 3D printing more affordable. Formlabs also introduced two new SLS materials, Nylon 12 White Powder and Nylon 12 Tough Powder, to enhance the durability and versatility of printed parts.

Formlabs CEO and co-founder Max Lobovsky said this shift gives users greater control and flexibility.

“Formlabs started with a clear mission to make professional 3D printing more accessible, and opening our platform is the beginning of a new chapter for Formlabs, where we enable users to help make 3D printing better for everybody,” Lobovsky said in the press release. “Developer Platform represents a transformation for our entire platform that will unlock the benefits of user control and unique properties of third-party SLS and SLA materials. This shift will break down barriers, welcoming innovators at every level to explore endless new possibilities and bring their ideas to life.”

Formlabs has launched the Form 4L, a large-format, fast SLA 3D printer designed for both prototyping and production as well as a new Developer Platform.

Formlabs Unveils Form 4L, Form 4BL, and New Developer Platform

The ADA’s SmileCon 2024 Comes to New Orleans This Week

| Image Credit: © American Dental Association

The ADA’s SmileCon 2024 comes to New Orleans, LA, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, with the 3-day conference kicking off Thursday morning.

SmileCon® is the ADA’s reimagined annual meeting, offering continuing education, networking opportunities, hundreds of exhibitors, social events, and more. The long list of talented speakers includes Mark Hyman, DDS (Practice Management, Restorative Dentistry), Stanley F. Malamed, DDS (Anesthesia and Sedation, Emergency Medicine), Louis Malcmacher, DDS (Cosmetic Dentistry,
Esthetic Dentistry), Katrina Sanders, RDH, BSDH, Med, RF (Anesthesia and Sedation, Periodontics), and Thomas Viola, CCP, EdD (Pharmacology), just to name a few.

For a complete list of this week’s speakers or course details, you can check out the ADA’s 

In addition to great education and the opportunity to learn about products and technologies on the trade show floor, the ADA has a number of fun, social events planned.
The Smile Squad’s planned events include a chance to get into that Mardi Gras vibe and indulge in New Orleans’ best music and nibbles at Friday night’s Bouncin’ in the Bayou Fest, 5-7 p.m. On Saturday at SmileCon, the organizers look to bring back those college football Saturdays with a tailgate party in Dental Central from 1-2:30 p.m. Later that night, the ADA Foundation is hosting the 

Information on the dates for the House of Delegates—the governing body that represents dentists and the profession nationwide—can be

and additional information on SmileCon2024’s education opportunities this week can be 

The annual meeting offers continuing education, networking opportunities, hundreds of exhibitors, and more from Oct. 17-19.

ADA Foundation Launching Give Veterans A Smile Program at SmileCon 2024 | Image Credit: © ADA

At this week’s SmileCon® 2024, the ADA Foundation (ADAF) will launch Give Veterans A Smile (GVAS), a new initiative to help address veterans’ unmet oral health needs. SmileCon, the American Dental Association’s (ADA) annual meeting, takes place October 17-19 in New Orleans.

According to the Veterans Health Administration, 82% of veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, or about 7.4 million people, are ineligible for dental benefits. To qualify for VA-sponsored dental services, veterans must either have a dental issue that is service-connected or otherwise qualify based on narrow criteria.

Give Veterans A Smile will offer step-by-step toolkits and resources to encourage clinicians to provide pro bono oral health services to veterans in their dental practices and assist veterans in finding a facility that can become their dental home, the ADA says.

Additionally, GVAS will collect data and share the value of charitable oral health care provided nationally to help guide advocacy efforts aimed at increasing funding and access to care for veterans.

“Oral health equity for all is a priority for the ADA Foundation,” Michele Tulak-Gorecki, DDS, Board Chair, ADAF, says in a press release. “Veterans are pillars of our communities who have made great sacrifices for our nation and Give Veterans A Smile aims to better support the millions of veterans in need of dental health services to improve their oral and overall health.”

SmileCon 2024 attendees are encouraged to participate in activities to recognize veterans. After a ribbon cutting ceremony to kick off the Give Veterans A Smile Pack & Give Back event on Thursday, volunteers will roll up their sleeves to pack Health & Comfort Kits—including oral health products—for underserved veterans in the New Orleans area in partnership with the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. The kits will then be distributed to local veterans in need at the New Orleans VA Medical Center on Friday, beginning at 9 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Alliance of the American Dental Association, Colgate®, the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation and Henry Schein Cares.

An awareness and fundraising celebration is planned for Saturday at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans with Colonel- and Major-level sponsors including Gary Oyster, DDS, the Fourth Trustee District of the ADA, the Pennsylvania Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association, Liberty Dental, Henry Schein, Inc, and Mark Vitale, DMD.

Veteran-themed continuing education sessions will also be offered in collaboration with the American Institute of Dental Public Health and sponsored by Pacific Dental Services® Foundation. Attendees of the events will have the opportunity to hear from dignitaries like State Representative Drew Ferguson; Colonel Paul Colthirst, Commander, Dental Health Command – Pacific; and Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, medal of honor recipient, according to the ADA.

For those looking to help this great cause, Give Veterans A Smile is actively seeking volunteers, sponsors and donations to assist in bringing oral health care to underserved veterans. Nationwide partners include Dental Lifeline Network, Everyone for Veterans, Veterans Smile Day, and Freedom Day USA. To learn more about how to get involved, 

New initiative to help address veterans’ unmet oral health needs kicks off this week in New Orleans. 

ADA Foundation Launching Give Veterans A Smile Program at SmileCon 2024

Bruce Bryen is a certified public accountant with over 45 years of experience and is a part of Baratz & Associates CPAs. He specializes in deferred compensation, such as retirement planning design; income and estate tax planning; determination of the proper organizational business structure; asset protection and structuring loan packages for presentation to financial institutions. He is experienced in providing litigation support services to dentists with Valuation and Expert Witness testimony in matrimonial and partnership dispute cases. He is also a financial writer for several dental journals. You may contact him at 609-502-0691 or at 

Do Some Homework When Comparing Dental Practice Evaluators | Image Credit: © MT.Photostock - stock.adobe.com

Divorce is not a fun topic to write about, but the reality is it happens and it plays a financial role in several situations, including when parties are attempting to determine an accurate dental practice valuation.

 I wrote about how dental practice valuations are used for assistance in settling financial disputes during divorce proceedings

.  Here, we have a follow-up with advice on selecting a dental practice evaluator when the clinician is going through a divorce.

Which dental practice evaluator should the dentist hire when that dentist is involved in a divorce proceeding?

A recent case provided a lot of the information that will go into the following true story. Dental practice owners should be interested in reading about this event and learning not to make the same mistakes that the dentist in this article made. A nice-sized dental practice can have a gross income of $750,000 or more before any overhead. If well managed, this type of dental practice can have a net income available for distribution to the owner or for any advance the principal wants to make of between 35% to 40%. This amount in dollars would be between $262,500 and $300,000 before income tax.

Think about a dental practice that was managed well with gross revenue more than $750,000 and how much the net earnings would be for that dentist and the advances that would be available for him or her to make. If the dentist were to be involved in a divorce proceeding at this point in his or her career, with the gross revenue and net earnings being anywhere near these amounts, shouldn’t the dentist look for and retain the best dental practice evaluator that he or she can find?

Of course, the best many times can cost the most if one is looking at today only and not what occurs after the divorce. If the difference in the price of the evaluator is measured in terms of what the estimated savings can be compared to the price the evaluator charges, then the dentist in the divorce should consider more about getting what he or she is paying for in terms of quality and service as well as the long term effects on his or her future livelihood. The experience of the evaluator in dispute situations and the ability to express himself or herself in front of a judge or jury when the dentist is thinking about the rest of his life or her life is the key as to whom to hire.

Unless someone who has gotten divorced decides to remarry, the first divorce will probably be the only divorce. If someone remarries and gets another divorce, that is the time for a different article. For now, we’re solely dealing with the current situation and the supposition that the divorce is a one-time thing. Prices for dental practice evaluators range all over the horizon. If the understanding by the dentist is that this proceeding will only be a one-time process, then the price of the evaluator should be considered a payment that can be amortized over a lifetime at least on a mental basis.

The evaluator will want to be paid quickly but if the dentist thinks long term, the amount to be paid should be considered as having a long lasting effect. This concept should make one lean towards the most qualified and not the cheapest. When interviewing potential evaluators to retain, a copy of their individual resume is an important bit of information to read and to review carefully.

How many articles has the dentist written that were published in national dental publications? This is important because the courts and mediators like experts who have published extensively. It lends credibility to them. How many dental practice valuations has the dentist prepared? Something to consider is that for every dental practice valuation that he or she has prepared, that evaluator has prepared a critique of the adversarial dental practice evaluator’s report as well. How many times has the evaluator testified in the courtroom? Many dental practice evaluators are fine with getting the details and preparing a dental practice valuation, but they will not testify in the court room. They don’t like being screamed at by opposing attorneys or being cross examined in an adversarial way by their own attorney. This is a reflection of the believability of the evaluator’s report. It’s as if the report is being belittled because of the weakness of the evaluator’s testimony. It is so important that once interviews are arranged with a few dental practice evaluators, many of these questions are asked of him or her. With a lack of strong acceptable answers, those evaluators who seemed weak in their responses should be eliminated from the search.

Who is finally chosen by the dentist to evaluate the dental practice and what evidence of the evaluator is used to secure the feeling of the dentist that he or she is choosing the best evaluator?

The current situation and valuation report for the dentist and the dental practice evaluator will have ramifications for years to come. This is an unfortunate outcome of the job that the evaluator will do. The valuation and the presentation in the courtroom or in front of the mediator also effect the evaluator and his or her future referrals in the same geographic market place as the current valuation and presentation are occurring. This is why the evaluator and the dentist who is selecting this person should be so careful as to the evaluator’s qualifications.

The cost is important but not as much so if the long term effects of the divorce are what is intended to be wary of when making the decision of whom the evaluator should be. Another important consideration is the speed at which the information in the report is remitted to the dentist and to any advisor that the dentist may have. A good turnaround time once the evaluator receives the data so that he or she has he information to prepare the report is somewhere between 2 to 3 weeks. This is important when considering that until the evaluator receives the data, there is not much that can be done to begin working on the report. That part of the job is up to the dentist and his or her advisors to complete.

https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/practice-management

When selecting a practice evaluator during divorce proceedings, it might pay off to pay a little more for the best candidate.

Do Some Homework When Comparing Dental Practice Evaluators

OraQ AI and Patterson Dental Canada Partner to Bring AI Technology to Dental Practices. Image credit: © Patterson Dental

OraQ AI has partnered with Patterson Dental Canada to introduce its artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision support tool to dental practices across Canada. This tool aims to help dental professionals make better treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes, according to a press release from OraQ AI.

Dr Amreesh Khanna, CEO of OraQ AI, highlighted in the press release how the AI tool further enhances patient care.

“As a practicing dentist and founder of OraQ AI, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of AI in transforming patient care,” Dr Khanna said. “By partnering with a trusted name like Patterson Dental, we can now deliver AI-driven solutions that go beyond traditional methods like X-rays, helping dentists across Canada provide precision care while ethically growing their practices.”

The software analyzes medical and dental histories to provide personalized treatment plans, resulting in a 30-40% increase in patient treatment acceptance, per the press release. Patients can also access and approve their treatment plans remotely.

OraQ AI has secured necessary regulatory approvals, including from Health Canada and the FDA. Dan Begin, Patterson Dental Canada’s Region President, emphasized the company's commitment to providing advanced tools that improve dental care.

“At Patterson, we have always been committed to advancing dental care through strong, innovative partnerships,” Begin said in the press release. “By collaborating with OraQ, we are reinforcing our dedication to equipping Canadian dentists with top-tier clinical solutions that support patient care and treatment acceptance.”

This partnership will harness the power of OraQ AI into Patterson Canada dental practices to improve patient care. 

OraQ AI and Patterson Dental Canada Partner to Bring AI Technology to Dental Practices

Oral Biolife Announces Potential Breakthrough Periodontal Disease Gel | Image Credit: © Molokot - stock.adobe.com/Generated with AI

Research from a Pennsylvania biotechnology company provides promise that its first-of-its-kind dental treatment for humans and companion animals may successfully promote the regeneration of bone in the furcations of teeth, a development that could prove to be a significant breakthrough in combating periodontal disease.

Oral Biolife (OBL) announced on October 8 critical new developments of large animal data backing their lead product, Ambrilux Dental Gel. Ambrilux Dental Gel has been shown to promote the regeneration of bone in the furcations of teeth in 3 Beagle dogs with induced periodontal disease, according to the company.

Radiographs were taken at baseline 28 days after the first application and 29 days after the second application. The radiographs demonstrated that 100% (n=3) of animals treated with Ambrilux showed increased bone regeneration at both the first and second month post-treatment while only 33% (n=3) of control animals had detectable bone growth. The ability of Ambrilux to promote bone growth in the setting of periodontal disease in large animals provides key translatable data supporting the potential use in human disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4 in 10 US adults 30 years or older had a mild, moderate, or severe level of periodontitis in 2009–2014, and about 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women 30 years or older had some level of periodontitis.

There were no adverse events or other safety issues noted throughout the study, according to Oral Biolife. An adverse event is defined as any unexpected observation seen in dogs that is unfavorable and unintended and occurs after the use of an investigational veterinary product, regardless of the possible relationship to the product.

“This proof-of-concept marks a major milestone in our journey. It reinforces our confidence that Ambrilux Dental Gel has the potential to revolutionize how dental care is provided, offering a less invasive and more accessible option for patients," Bill Breitenbach, CEO of Oral Biolife, says in a press release.

In July 2024, Oral Biolife had announced that they’d formed a strategic partnership with a “top-tier global leader in animal health,” to develop a product intended to revolutionize the way PD is treated in companion animals.

With periodontitis affecting nearly 20% of the global population and 47% of US adults, as well as costing an estimated yearly 54 billion USD in loss of productivity

, there is clearly an unmet need for an effective non-invasive solution to treat periodontal disease. OBL’s findings are a step towards a potential breakthrough in dental and oral health research.

“At OBL our mission has always been to find a way to provide Americans with access to non-invasive dental care,” adds Stella Vnook, president of Oral Biolife. “We are pleased with these promising results and are excited to continue our research to further establish the safety and efficacy of the Ambrilux Dental Gel.”

Oral Biolife is an innovative biotechnology company headquartered in Bethlehem, PA that utilizes the unique properties of biotechnology materials to develop groundbreaking, first-to-market products. Ambrilux Dental Gel, via its unique ability to regenerate bone lost due to periodontal disease, represents a potential breakthrough for treating periodontal disease, the company states.

1. Eke PI, Thornton-Evans GO, Wei L, Borgnakke WS, Dye BA, Genco RJ. Periodontitis in U.S. adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2014. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2018.04.023

2. Oral Biolife Inc. Announces Animal Health Partnership to Support Animal Oral Health. News release. Oral Biolife. July 31, 2024. Accessed October 14, 2024. 

https://world.einnews.com/pr_news/731942189/oral-biolife-inc-announces-animal-health-partnership-to-support-animal-oral-health

3. Thornton-Evans G, Eke P, Wei L, Palmer A, Moeti R, Hutchins S, Borrell LN; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Periodontitis among adults aged ≥30 years - United States, 2009-2010. MMWR Suppl. 2013 Nov 22;62(3):129-35.

The Biotech company has large animal proof-of-concept results for its lead product, Ambrilux Dental Gel, in the setting of periodontal disease characterized by bone loss in the tooth furcation 

Oral Biolife Announces Potential Breakthrough Periodontal Disease Gel

At DS World 24, Max Milz, Dentsply Sirona VP, Connected Technology Solutions, talks about the company's new Primescan 2 intraoral scanning solution and how it fits in with a variety of digital dentistry workflows.

DS World 2024 Interview with Dentsply Sirona VP, Connected Technology Solutions Max Milz

Hi everyone, my name is Max Milz and I'm responsible for Connected Technology Solutions at Dentsply Sirona; that basically means all the equipment, all the software, and, of course, DS Core. We're here at DS World where we just spent a few exciting days with thousands of dentists and dental professionals showcasing our latest innovations and that of course, for this year in particular, is Primescan 2.

What's Primescan 2? Primescan 2 is the first cloud native intraoral scanner in the world. And what does that mean? It's actually quite exciting! It means scanning really gets reduced to the scanner and the cloud. And that means, in our case, that means DS Core. That means you can scan any patient, anywhere on any internet connected device—that can be a mobile phone, a tablet, your MacBook, a PC. Some people use a golf simulator to really showcase to the patient the scan. Do it and then use whatever you want to do with the scan afterwards.

That can be all your different workflows, because as soon as you're done scanning, the scan is in the cloud, you can hand the scanner to someone else, and you don't have to wait, right? So that really is a big efficiency increase for practices.

So, if you want to send stuff to your lab, you want to design in CEREC, you want to get a clear aligner, or you just want to use the scan to look at the patient's health status and compare it over time…That's all things that are now enabled by Primescan 2, and that's really a little piece of magic.

Now, we've been talking about DS Core for 2 years now, since we brought it out. And what's really interesting to look at is that we brought out 85 different features over the last 2 years, and that's little things like the ability to upload with a QR code directly all your photos from camera. Or it can be big things like a communication canvas that brings together x-ray images, CBCT images, intraoral scans, so you can really give a holistic view of a patient's health and use it for patient communication. And while Primescan 2 is the first cloud native device, we of course, foresee a future where the technology and IT problem in the [dental] practice get resolved by the cloud. That means no more aging computers. It means no more software updates, because you're always using the latest version, just like when you're going on Google, you never ask yourself, which version of Google was I using? And you also didn't care.

That's where dentistry needs to go. And we're excited about bringing that all together. And of course, as kind of the only company that has all the things that you need in dentistry, whether it's imaging sensors, 3D printers, mills, treatment centers, instruments, scanners, and then, of course, the workflows of implants, aligners, restorative, endodontic…we're bringing all of that together in 1 platform so that it becomes easier to grow your practice, to run it more efficiently, to delegate to your staff, and to really focus on what dentists are best at, and that's dentistry. Thank you.

So, now this is the Primescan 2, and if it looks a little bit like a magic wand, that's intentional, because there is a little piece of magic in here. You can use it with any computer, any time. And why is that important for patients? There are a lot of innovations in here that you don't see at first glance. The first one is a smaller tip size, so that makes it easier to navigate in the mouth. That's particularly important also when you're thinking about pediatric dentistry. The other piece is it has really good balance, so it's easy to hold, also [great] for people with smaller hands. And there's a lot of technology inside that allows you to operate with any computer or any tablet that you might be using. And that [includes] the so called tapping concept, because that's how you navigate through the scan, upper jaw, lower jaw, buccal bite. All done with a tap. When you're done scanning, put the scanner back in the cradle. Next person can use it. The scanner only activates itself when it's in the mouth. It knows when you're in there, and everything you're doing is directly in the cloud. So that means the patient can see while you're scanning, because you could, for example, also show it on the 6 o'clock computer, so they see what's actually going on. That's a really powerful tool for the patient to understand the condition of their oral health, and it's a powerful tool for dentists to also say, ‘hey, you know what I would do? I think you should be looking at aligner treatment’, right? Because it's really the power of the images enabled by this. If you're scanning well, you can do this in under 1 minute, because it has all the accuracy and speed of Primescan and its patented technology.

But then, of course, it's a little bit like a relay race. When you're done scanning hand to your next colleague, they take it to the next operatory, and they start scanning, because you don't have to wait for your computer to be ready again, because you can use it on any browser, in your operatory so every operatory becomes a digital operatory. And while you know scanners have been an advantage for dental practices, it's becoming clear that not having a scanner is becoming a disadvantage, because this is the start of so many treatments in restorative dentistry, in implantology, in aligner treatments, in night guards, in lots of different applications. It all starts with this, and then you get the full universe of all the indications that you want to use to improve your patient's oral health.

Videos

At DS World 24, Max Milz, Dentsply Sirona VP, Connected Technology Solutions, talks about the company's new Primescan 2 intraoral scanning solution and how it fits in with a variety of digital dentistry workflows. [ 5.5 Minutes ]

DS World 2024 Interview with Denstply Sirona VP, Connected Technology Solutions Max Milz

Ivoclar’s new Bluephase EasyCure curing light is the latest addition to the company’s Bluephase family. 