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.  

Medit Officially Launches New i900 Intraoral Scanning System | Image Credit: © Medit

Medit teased the dental industry 3 weeks ago with news that later in the month it would launch its latest intraoral scanner. On Monday it officially unveiled the Medit i900 scanner that features intuitive Touch Band and Touch Pad functionality.

The dental 3D scanner manufacturer says the new Medit i900 intraoral scanner will deliver a new standard for speed, accuracy, and comfort. It features cutting-edge technology designed to produce smoother, easier scanning, comfortable handling, and improved scan quality.

"The brilliance of the Medit i900 lies in its sleek, unibody design," Michael Lee, CTO of Medit, says in Monday’s press release. "There is complex innovation within its simplicity. The i900 is light and easy to handle, but offers the most cutting-edge technology to date."

The device looks to redeﬁne the scanning process with its Touch Band and Touch Pad functionality. This button-free operation offers clinicians control from any angle and provides for a comfortable experience for all hand sizes. Other advanced features of the new scanner are designed to streamline workﬂow and optimize patient care.

Features and benefits of the Medit i900 include:

A featherlight design, weighing just 165 grams, 3 tip sizes, and optimal ergonomics allowing for absolute control scanning from any position.

The 3rd-generation Optical Engine with a 10-bit camera is said to deliver a wider and deeper field of view, improved accuracy, and sharper detail yet smoother scan data. The device also ensures flawless capture of challenging conditions including highly reflective metal or bleeding soft tissue.

Ease of use and the ability to experience real-time haptic and light feedback. Users can navigate effortlessly with the 360°Touch Band, and customize commands via the interactive Touch Pad and Touch Menu.

"The i900 simplifies the scanning journey," Han Ryu, chief growth & strategy officer of Medit, adds in the press release."With intuitive 360° Touch Band and Touch Pad controls, practitioners can access our groundbreaking optical engine in just a few taps. We designed the i900 for ultimate convenience and efﬁciency."

The i900 is designed to produce smoother, easier scanning, comfortable handling, and improved scan quality. | Image Credit: © Medit

The Medit i900 is powered by Medit Link, the company's open software platform, providing access to a suite of free dental apps that assist productivity and enhance patient care. Medit Link seamlessly integrates with other platforms, services, and hardware. The system provides adaptive software updates to improve smart features, patient consultations, and lab communications.

The company will be showcasing the new intraoral scanner at several upcoming events beginning with Henry Schein’s THRIVELIVE™ 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada (May2-4), the American Association of Orthodontists Annual Session 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana (May 3-6), and the California Dental Association’s annual event—CDA Presents—in Anaheim, California (May 16-18).

MEDIT is not only a global provider of 3D intraoral scanners and an all-in-one digital dentistry platform, but the company also develops innovative software for digital dentistry, supporting collaborative workﬂows between dental clinics, technology, and dental laboratories.

Articles

The company’s latest offering features cutting-edge technology designed to produce smoother, easier scanning, comfortable handling, and improved scan quality.

Medit Officially Launches New i900 Intraoral Scanning System

Panthera Dental Announces an Amicable Settlement Reached with ResMed SAS | Image Credit: © Panthera Dental 

Quebec, Canada’s Panthera Dental has announced that an amicable settlement has been reached between ResMed SAS and Panthera, a provider of CAD/CAM implant solutions and dental sleep appliance development.

"We are pleased to announce that we have reached an amicable settlement with ResMed SAS that resolves all ongoing patent infringement litigation between Panthera and ResMed SAS in relation to our mandibular repositioning devices," Gabriel Robichaud, CEO of Panthera Dental, says in a press release. "We are very pleased with this agreement, which represents a positive outcome for Panthera."

Panthera states that intellectual property is a critical component of the innovation that drives the company’s strategic development. Because of that, this settlement is an important step for its business growth, the company claims.

Panthera Dental designs, manufactures and markets dental prosthetic, implantology and sleep breathing disorder solutions using an innovative CAD/CAM process and high-quality materials.

Both a pioneer and a leader in the field of customized dental solutions, its proprietary technology allows it to offer next-generation products to the widest range of patients possible.

Among the company’s many product offerings are a variety of implant bars, custom abutments, custom-made dental restorations, sleep breathing disorder solutions and other implantology products that use proprietary CAD/CAM processes, smart manufacturing, and quality materials.

Headquartered in Quebec City, Canada, Panthera Dental has subsidiaries in the USA (Yorba Linda, California), France and Germany, and associates worldwide.

Agreement between the 2 companies resolves an ongoing patent infringement litigation over mandibular repositioning devices.

Panthera Dental Announces an Amicable Settlement Reached with ResMed SAS

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. 

Ivoclar and SkyCell Partner to Make Dental Supply Chain Logistics More Sustainable. Image credit: © Ivoclar


Ivoclar has joined forces with SkyCell, a pioneer in temperature-controlled hybrid container manufacturing, to make reverse logistics processes more sustainable. This collaborative effort aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, minimize waste, and streamline costs within the dental supply chain, according to a press release from Ivoclar.

Per the press release, transporting medical and pharmaceutical products is a critical operation, often necessitating specific shipping conditions to preserve the integrity of sensitive, vital medications. However, inefficiencies abound, particularly in air freight where containers frequently return empty to their origins after delivering their cargo. Ivoclar and SkyCell are addressing this issue head-on, presenting a joint strategy to optimize reverse logistics and set a new standard for efficiency in transportation.

The initiative, which officially commenced in February 2024 following a successful pilot project in December 2023, sees SkyCell shipping its hybrid containers filled with medical products to the United States, while Ivoclar pallets inside the SkyCell hybrid containers are now utilized for the return journey. By partnering with transport and logistics giant DSV Air & Sea, container returns are managed efficiently, per the press release.

"Tracking emissions from reverse logistics poses a significant challenge for pharmaceutical companies. By integrating Ivoclar pallets into our hybrid containers, we optimize freight efficiency, leading to reduced CO2 emissions and bringing us closer to our goal of climate neutrality," Paulo Baumgartner, Head of Operations Supplier & Procurement at SkyCell said in the press release. The collaboration extends to the handling and delivery of cargo throughout Europe, with Fischer Road Cargo playing a pivotal role in the process.

By saving approximately 350 tons of CO2 emissions annually on this route alone, Ivoclar and SkyCell are reportedly making significant strides toward their goal of achieving climate neutrality. Olivier Hett, Global Transport Manager at Ivoclar, emphasized the importance of innovation within existing frameworks: "Our goal is to optimize value creation within the supply chain by developing new approaches within the existing framework."

Ivoclar and SkyCell have partnered to streamline reverse logistics, reducing CO2 emissions and waste in the dental supply chain.

Ivoclar and SkyCell Partner to Make Dental Supply Chain Logistics More Sustainable

Ross and Ventriello Launch PitchIt DDS Investor Presentation Service for Dental Start-Ups | Image Credit: © Ross Communications

The founders of The Virtual Dental Team (VDT) have now introduced PitchIt DDS, an investor presentation creation service specifically for dental start-up companies as well as existing healthcare and technology companies planning to enter the oral-care market.

Veteran dental marketing experts Mark Ross and Michael Ventriello joined forces in 2023 to launch dentistry’s first virtual focus group platform, The VDT, which provides immediate, qualitative feedback on dental product messaging. Now the 2 have launched PitchIt DDS, which is designed to be a complimentary or combined service with VDT.

Ross is the owner and founder of Ross Communications, a leading brand development and marketing agency, while Ventriello i

the owner and founder of the PR-forward dental marketing agency Ventriello Communications. 

 looks to take advantage of the combined 50 years dental product and company launch experience and insights that the pair has to apply to each pitch deck they create on behalf of dental industry founders and start-up groups.

“Dentistry is entering an exciting era of innovation and investment,” Ross says in a press release this week announcing the launch of PitchIt DDS. “However, because there are so many new companies vying for investor funding, it’s more critical than ever for a dental start-up to make a compelling pitch that will stand out from a crowded field and in turn, persuade angel investors, private equity firms and venture capital firms alike to provide the funding needed to propel next level growth.”

Additionally, the PitchIt DDS presentation creation service can be used for the following applications:

“Mark and I have seen many investor presentations during private fundraising dinners and public ‘Shark Tank’ events where the fund-seeking company’s technology may have had a tremendous potential for improving workflows and patient care, but the pitch fell flat due to a variety of weaknesses in research, branding, messaging, design, and delivery,” comments Ventriello. “Although heavily invested in R&D, many dental start-ups fumble when it comes to making the clear, concise, and compelling pitch needed to achieve their fundraising goals. A dynamic investor presentation from PitchIt DDS can help avoid that scenario.”

Widely regarded as the “Dental Product Launch Expert,” Ventriello is an award-winning copywriter experienced in developing strategic marketing communications and public relations programs for game-changing dental products, services, and companies. He is also a published author. For additional information on Ventriello Communications, visit 

 is a leading brand development and marketing agency with more than 30 years of experience in developing successful branding and marketing campaigns for some of the dental industry’s most innovative companies.

Ross and Ventriello are experienced storytellers who know successful brands each have a memorable story. A PitchIt DDS pitch deck will tell the story of your business or technology solution in an unforgettable way, they state.

For more information about PitchIt DDS visit 

https://v-d-t.com/new-pitch-deck-services

 or contact Mark Ross at Mark@RossCommGrp.com.

Experienced dental marketers introduce service designed to be a complimentary or combined service with The Virtual Dental Team dental product focus group platform.

Ross and Ventriello Launch PitchIt DDS Investor Presentation Service for Dental Start-Ups

Managing Unrealistic Teeth Whitening Expectations. Image credit: © Tierney – stock.adobe.com

Patient disappointment with whitening treatment manifests in many ways. Maybe the patient is subtle, using body language or subconscious signals, like the set of the patient’s mouth when they first see the results or an almost undetectable squint of their eyes.

You can also detect disappointment in phrases like, “Oh, I thought it would look different than this,” or “Is it going to get brighter after I leave?”

Disappointment could also appear in a rant on social media or in a less-than-flattering online review.

Regardless of how you hear about it, disappointment with whitening treatments is never the outcome you want. We explore ways to avoid patient disappointment with whitening treatments in your dental practice.

Expectations and Personality Contribute to Perceived Outcomes

So, what causes disappointment? Disappointment results from many things that happen during treatment.

A 2020 literature review of medical and dental patient-reported outcome measures in the 

 concluded as much. However, the researchers also say if clinicians and their teams can better understand how to manage patients' expectations by giving them information in a clear and timely way, it could help reduce patients’ chances of feeling unhappy about their medical or dental treatment.

Traditional marketing theories agree that expectations are to blame here. The theory behind consumer satisfaction is called the User's Satisfaction Theory. This theory says that even if someone has a good experience with a product or service, they might still feel unhappy if it fails to meet their expectations. This is called Negative Disconfirmation. By contrast, if the experience is better than expected, it leads to Positive Disconfirmation, a flip-flopped scenario where people feel satisfied.

In other words, people form expectations about how well a product or service will or won’t work, influencing how satisfied they feel. The Disconfirmation Model also explains that satisfaction doesn't depend on whether expectations start negative or if the product's performance ends up negative. What matters is the difference between what people expect and what they experience.

Assimilation Theory might apply, too. This theory describes how people try to avoid unhappiness by changing how they see the product. Some might adjust their expectations to match the product or service's performance. Other people might downplay their performance dissatisfaction by convincing themselves it's not a big deal.

In addition to expectations, the personality type might affect how a patient perceives the outcome of their whitening treatment. A 2015 study in the 

 suggests that most people seeking whitening treatment had common personality traits; moreover, they had moderate expectations and were mostly satisfied. The one exception was the extroverts, who were motivated by social inputs. Their personality type affected their satisfaction more than the other participants. Still, the effect of their personality was that they would be more satisfied with the whitening outcome than other personality groups.

The researchers also concluded that people shared common goals in seeking whitening treatment among personality types. People who seek whitening do so to feel happier and less inhibited, improve self-esteem, and increase their successful participation in social environments. Moreover, knowing these goals should direct clinicians in individual treatment planning.

So, How Do You Communicate Proper Expectations?

Sarah Jebreil, DDS, AAACD, says effective communication is crucial for a positive patient experience. She adds that psychology also plays a key role in facilitating this process, as different personalities respond to communication styles in various ways. Dr Jebreil emphasizes tailoring communication strategies to suit each patient's personality type.

Dr Jebreil says most of her patients are happy with their whitening treatments. In her experience, only about 10% are disappointed. She says their disappointment is likely related to the brightness outcome rather than the whiteness achieved.

“Maybe their color does get whiter on the shade guide,” Dr Jebreil says, “but it’s not as bright as they want. That has to do with the enamel they have.”

Dr Jebreil explains that helping patients understand their enamel type's role in the outcome is essential in managing unrealistic expectations before whitening treatments. Patients with inherent prismatic enamel, or translucency that extends from the middle to the incisal edge have limitations regarding brightness compared to a person with translucency only in the lower third.

Before whitening, she explains how these biological limitations affect the outcome to avoid patient disappointment, particularly with those patients whose biology will affect how bright the smile looks. However, she simplifies the message, removing the clinical terms and making it accessible for patients.

For example, she explains that brightness from whitening is affected by the tooth's translucency and draws patients' attention to how the light shows through their teeth at the present shade. She says photos help, too, by giving patients a before-and-after view to compare after whitening.

“We always do a pre-op shade photo and then post-op,” Dr Jebreil says.

Regarding conversations about procedures with patients, it is essential to recognize that what may seem routine to you is usually new and unfamiliar to patients. Intentional overcommunication is key. Reviewing the treatment and including its details can strengthen trust and improve the patient experience. Additionally, clinicians should:

Reconnect with your empathy and compassion by remembering that you went into the field to help people.

Build trust and rapport with patients by communicating outside the typical interactions in the practice with tools like social media.

Discuss with patients what you consider realistic outcomes.

Dentists and their teams can set proper expectations for dental whitening treatments by first understanding what the patient hopes to achieve and guiding them based on expert knowledge. Asking why patients want to whiten their teeth provides insight into their motivation, and having them show their desired shade on a guide helps determine realistic options. It's also essential to discuss the time it might take to achieve results, as some patients may have specific deadlines or cases that require longer treatment.

Additionally, it is crucial to inform patients about the limitations of whitening on existing dental work and plan for future restorative cases. Discussing potential side effects like gum irritation and tooth sensitivity beforehand can prevent negative surprises.

Lastly, patients should be informed about the temporary nature of whitening and the maintenance required. Explaining how diet and beverage choices can affect results helps manage expectations and ensures patients understand how to maintain their whitened smile.

Dr Jebreil also emphasizes to patients that long-lasting whitening effects do not have a quick fix. She wants patients to understand that from the beginning. Moreover, she explains that patient compliance is a factor in the whitening treatment outcome. Dr Jebreil uses the Kör Whitening system, which takes place over 2 to 4 weeks and requires patient behavioral management (e.g., refraining from drinking beverages that stain, like coffee, for 2 weeks and consistent treatments every night). She finds that patients willing to commit the time and energy involved with this system consistently get the best results.

In cases where this pre-emptive expectation management falls short, or the patient thinks the compliance requirements are too much work, Dr Jebreil sees an opportunity to suggest veneers. With veneers, patients can still have the desired value, even if it isn’t possible with their natural dentition or they are unwilling to stick to the whitening program.

“Either you put the time in and get what you want, or you spend the money and do the permanent fix, like veneers. Nobody will get amazing whitening results without following the protocol and putting the time in,” Dr Jebreil says. “The good whitening systems are where you're spending the time and doing it consistently for 2 to 4 weeks to get those nice results.”

Kelvin I. Afrashtehfar, Mansour K. A. Assery, S. Ross Bryant. Patient Satisfaction in Medicine and Dentistry. 

Martin J, Rivas V, Vildósola P, et al. Personality Style in Patients Looking for Tooth Bleaching and Its Correlation with Treatment Satisfaction. 

. 2016;27(1):60-65. doi:10.1590/0103-6440201600127

Managing Patient Expectations: Communication For Medical Professionals

. Forbes Magazine. Published January 25, 2024. Accessed April 5, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kwamechristian/2024/01/25/managing-patient-expectations-communication-for-medical-professionals/?sh=7d1a98d3778a

Sinclair, L. Managing Whitening Expectations. Colgate. Published July 2022. Accessed April 9, 2024. https://www.colgateprofessional.com/hygienist-resources/patient-care/managing-whitening-expectations

We explore ways to avoid patient disappointment on the back end of teeth whitening treatments by managing unrealistic patient expectations on the front end. 

Managing Unrealistic Teeth Whitening Expectations

Laura Dorr is the former executive editor of DPR's Modern Dental Network and a regular contributing author.

Integrating Oral Health Care into Systemic Disease Management. Image credit: © freshidea – stock.adobe.com

The term oral-systemic health is just a long way to say what it really is: Health. The mouth and the rest of the body are intrinsically linked—a fact that often goes overlooked. Dentistry and medicine continue to march forward on parallel paths that have historically not overlapped, leaving health care siloed into care for the body and the mouth, much to the detriment of overall health.

“Oral-systemic health is probably the most critical missing link in healthcare today,” says Sam Shamardi, DMD, diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Implant Surgery. “So many major medical health issues are directly linked to the mouth (and more specifically, to periodontal disease). Having a greater awareness of this within the medical community and greater population would create a seismic shift in overall patient care.”

Many dentists, doctors, and organizations like the American Association for Oral-Systemic Health (AAOSH) want to shift this paradigm. Oral health care is critical to overall healthcare due to the many associations between oral inflammation and systemic disease. However, the traditional mindset (for both patients and clinicians) has been that medical and dental specialties stay in their lanes. Dentists do teeth, and doctors do everything else.

“There isn’t cohesiveness between medicine and dentistry,” says Parul Dua Makkar, DDS, FACD. “Medical insurance and dental insurance are separate, so patients—and some practitioners—subconsciously feel like healthcare and oral health care are different. Groups like the AAOSH are bringing together masterminds of different professions in medicine and dentistry and combining them to make these associations.”

Oral health conditions such as periodontal disease have been linked with numerous health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s, respiratory disease, and more. Oral inflammation, bacterial contamination, and soft-tissue issues are all factors that can affect systemic health. This association with systemic conditions makes oral healthcare critical to health in general.

“The mouth is the gateway to overall health,” says Ellie Campbell, DO, MS, FAAOSH, secretary of AAOSH. “If you don't have proper nutrition and diet, your body cannot fight back. If you have bad oral health, infections, or periodontal disease, that’s all passing through the same bloodstream that goes to your heart and lungs and affects those organs. It’s all interconnected.”

In addition to associations between periodontal disease and oral infection with overall health, the physical structure of our mouths and jaws greatly affects the health of the rest of the body.

“Pathogenic oral bacteria affects so many areas of total health,” says Mike Milligan, DMD, a founding member and board member of AAOSH. “In addition, the structure, posture, and function of our mouths affect the quality of our airways, the way we breathe, how well we breathe and sleep, the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in our blood, and our overall health.”

Where Oral Health is Being Integrated into Care

For Dr Campbell, learning about oral-systemic health was necessary to improve patient care in her integrative family medicine practice. She had an elderly patient whose blood pressure and cholesterol were managed with medication but was otherwise healthy. Despite this apparent good health, the woman suffered a stroke. Unfortunately, hemorrhagic transformation complications developed, and the woman ended up passing away.

Dr Campbell was troubled by the case. Where had conventional medicine failed and what had caused the stroke when the woman was presumably healthy? She began researching to determine what triggered the event, ultimately learning about the link between periodontal disease, inflammation, and stroke.

“I learned the woman had been complaining of a toothache in the weeks before her stroke,” Dr Campbell says. “Now I understand that I have leading indicators and bloodwork that I can do that can tell me months and years in advance that this patient has an inflammation problem, that their arteries are inflamed, and likely, depending on which markers, it's either a periodontal or endodontic problem.”

Since Dr Campbell began identifying sources of inflammation and the associated underlying root causes in her patients 7 years ago, she hasn’t had any patients suffer heart attacks or strokes.

“Every day we’re hearing about more and more comorbidities,” she says. “This is where I wanted to take steps to eliminate this potential link for my patients.”

Unfortunately, Dr Campbell says, she hasn’t seen an emphasis on this link in many fields outside of integrative medical doctors or biological/holistic dentists. While dentists and doctors are beginning to cross the aisle, the integration is nowhere near where it needs to be.

“The American Dental Association and the American Heart Association both have initiatives on oral-systemic health,” she explains “But I feel like it's mostly just talk at this point; I don’t think it’s been translated into action. There's always an implementation gap whenever there's a new initiative. And I hope that in 2024 and 2025, we'll see more and more doctors become enlightened as they hear these stories.”

Despite the slow adoption, tests, and diagnostics that can identify problem markers are entering the field. These indicators can alert clinicians to issues in both oral and systemic health.

“When people start taking a comprehensive approach, it will shift the mindset away from medicine and dentistry being separate,” Dr Dua Makkar says. “By having open conversations and getting more patients involved in their care, you can help them understand how the two are linked. The holistic approach, where we are doing salivary testing and associating that with a dental exam is where people will start to integrate, and more and more will happen over time.”

This saliva testing is one method that is beginning to close the gap between dental and medical healthcare. Through salivary diagnostics, the antibodies, cytokines, enzymes, and antimicrobials in saliva and blood can help identify underlying pathogens that can cause periodontal disease. These biomarkers can isolate potentially problematic bacteria that could be early indicators of disease, giving time to stave off larger problems before they start. As the availability of in-office salivary diagnostic testing increases, dentists and doctors can easily integrate saliva testing into their routine practice.

Unfortunately, while salivary testing is becoming more accessible in dental practices, that isn’t always the case for patients: insurance often stands in the way. While it may not be overly expensive, the lack of insurance coverage still presents a financial hurdle for many patients.

“The problem right now is that salivary diagnostics that look for oral bacteria are often not covered by insurance,” Dr Campbell says. “So, it takes a motivated, interested patient with enough discretionary income to prioritize their dental and medical health and make the necessary sacrifices to cover those tests.”

Another comprehensive approach to oral-systemic health is the BaleDoneen Method. This method integrates tests (such as bloodwork), oral assessments for periodontal disease, and lifestyle/diet evaluations to assess a patient’s overall risk for cardiovascular disease.

More health care practitioners are becoming aware of the effect of periodontal and apical pathogenic oral bacteria on overall health,” Dr Milligan says. “I have worked with several physicians trained in the BaleDoneen Method of prevention of heart attack, stroke, and dementia, who have an incredible record of preventing these debilitating events. They say they cannot get the results they do without help from a dentist who is aware of and trained in detecting and minimizing the pathogenic periodontal and apical oral bacteria.”

This approach provides a more well-rounded approach to both oral and cardiovascular health. By emphasizing preventative care, periodontal issues can be avoided long before they progress to arterial disease. The BaleDoneen Method is also a critical education tool for patients to help them understand the links between oral and overall health—and that dentists aren’t only examining your teeth but are looking at interconnected systems.

“The mindset needs to shift away from thinking of dentists as cavity hunters,” Dr Dua Makkar says. “When we talk to patients, we need to explain we aren’t just checking for cavities, we’re looking at overall health. I’m taking X-rays because I’m checking for abnormalities. I’m checking your airway, looking for nodes, and screening for oral cancer. Patients don’t know this because it hasn’t been talked about.”

Getting patients to understand these links also opens doors for dentists to educate patients on the importance of nutrition, sleep, and other healthy habits that may typically be associated with body health.

“Some dentists help their patients with lifestyle choices like nutrition, exercise, posture, breathing, and healthy sleep,” Dr Milligan says. “The vast majority of physicians and dentists today are not educated and trained in these areas, but progress is being made, and hopefully many more will become educated and trained. The overall health of our patients will greatly benefit.”

Historically, dentists and physicians have, for the most part, stayed in their respective silos. They treat what they know best, excluding other aspects of the patient’s overall health.

“No one can know everything, so health care providers focus on different areas of interest to them,” Dr Milligan says. “But for maximum overall health for the patient, understanding how oral and overall health interact is extremely important.”

While this is critical in overall oral-systemic health care, it also comes into play in day-to-day treatment. Some patients have conditions that make dental cleanings a risk. For example, it has been recommended that patients with mitral valve prolapses take antibiotics every time they go to the dentist to avoid releasing bacteria into the bloodstream. Many dentists were unsure of what prophylactics and aftercare these patients required. If doctors and dentists communicated better about medical conditions, it would mitigate these concerns.

“When a patient gets an echocardiogram, they don't put whether or not the patient needs antibiotics before dental care at the bottom of the report,” Dr Campbell says. “If you get a knee replacement, there’s no report that says they need to be on prophylactic antibiotics at dental cleaning. If this information was included on discharge paperwork, the patient and the dentist would be educated and could make decisions accordingly. And that’s the sort of interprofessional collaboration we need.”

From a medical standpoint, this communication is just as critical. Many patients don’t get cleared before they go for surgery, leaving surgeons in the dark. Dr Dua Makkar says this could be as simple as noting whether the patient has missing teeth before intubation, or if they have metal fillings before undergoing radiation for oral cancer treatment. Sharing this information between doctors and dentists would form partnerships that not only benefit patient care but also make clinicians’ lives a lot easier.

This transition is beginning, as surgeons and dentists learn more about oral-systemic connections. Dentists are requiring signoffs from surgeons before cleanings, and surgeons are requesting a clean dental bill of health before surgeries.

“I do see more orthopedic surgeons who require a letter of oral health from the patient’s dentist before doing joint replacement surgery,” Dr Milligan says. “I see sleep physicians and dentists collaborating to help patients with UARS and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuing and growing this is critical. Over time more physicians and dentists are learning about the oral-systemic connections and implementing it in their overall patient care. This process has been slow, but I think it is improving.”

In addition to communication between doctors and dentists, Dr Dua Makkar believes clinicians across the board should be better versed in oral cancer and its potential connections with other systemic cancers. Since different types of cancers can metastasize to the oral cavity, dentists need to know a patient’s medical and cancer history so that the dentist can be vigilant about it. The correlations between systemic and oral cancer are not a one-dimensional story, so multi-dimensional approaches must be taken. To address this, educational opportunities such as the 

“We want to bring together the different facets of medicine and dentistry and how they correlate to oral cancer,” Dr Dua Makkar says. “We look at oral-systemic links, treatment protocols, screening, psychological and nutritional impacts—a comprehensive approach to cancer that clinicians across both fields should know.

While oral health has slowly been introduced into systemic disease management, there is still a long way to go. In addition to dental and medical clinicians collaborating more openly, education and communication need to improve.

“It’s time we begin taking periodontal health far more seriously as a population and medical/dental community,” Dr Shamardi says. “No other area of health care right now can make a bigger impact! Clear communication and teamwork between the medical and dental fields on a high level along with our academic institutions are key to improving integration.”

Before communication is facilitated, clinicians need to be educated about its importance. Integrating oral-systemic health education into medical, dental, and hygiene schools would provide clinicians across the fields with valuable information before they enter the workforce.

“I think a foundation of oral-systemic education should be at every level,” Dr Campbell says. “This starts with the next generation, but I think we all need to participate. Oral-systemic education should be part of the requirements to maintain our licensures.”

Education is critically important because it trickles down to patients. If practitioners don’t understand the importance of oral-systemic health, patients won’t either. And if patients don’t appreciate the connections between oral and overall health, systemic approaches won’t evolve.

“Education of the physicians, dentists, and all healthcare personnel needs to be much better on how the mouth affects the body and vice-versa, as well as the diagnostics and most effective treatment methods,” Dr Milligan says. “The healthcare personnel must understand and believe it and be competent in the diagnosis and treatment before the patient will accept the diagnosis and treatment. Communication with the patient also needs to improve.”

This communication must continue outside of the practice. Dr Shamardi believes that the message won’t make a sufficient impact if patients only hear it from their providers. “We need less bureaucracy and more action,” he says. “There needs to be a major national push to make this topic more of a priority. Cancer and Alzheimer’s receive far more attention than oral health. The irony is that they too are directly linked to periodontal disease!”

“We just need to get the word out,” Dr Campbell says. “We need to start this at the grassroots level and get the information in the hands of consumers. Heart attacks are optional, strokes are stoppable, and dialysis is not your destiny. And all those conditions share something in common: The oral health component. We now have leading indicators, and those things can be preventable. But no cardiovascular prevention program is complete without a medical provider, a dentist, and a hygienist on the team.”

Whole body health is interconnected, and teaming up across concentrations can be key to keeping a patient healthy and happy. 

Integrating Oral Health Care into Systemic Disease Management 

Compiled by Kellie Nock // Information provided by Central Data Storage

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Well suited for Class I, II, III, and V restorations, Stela is a self-cure composite designed for efficient, reliable placement. The material cures starting with the restoration interface, rather than the exterior surface which helps prevent marginal gaps, eliminate postoperative sensitivity, and reduce restoration failure.

This 4-in-1 system is designed to enhance user experience, leading to improvements in diagnoses, patient care, and business growth. A versatile system catering to the diverse imaging needs of clinicians, including full-arch scanning, the CS8200 3D access offers 2D panoramic imaging, CBCT imaging, 3D-object scanning, and optional cephalometric imaging.

The lone surviving 4 seed faces off against one of the two 1 seeds to advance this far. Stela, the innovative self-curing direct restorative from SDI has been seeing solid support throughout the bracket, while Carestream Dental's versatile cone beam solutions has also easily dispatched the competition thus far. Something will have to give as they clash to see who takes their place in the finals.

A light-cured, resin-modified calcium silicate indicated for direct and indirect pulp capping and as a protective liner, TheraCal LC acts as a protectant of the dental pulp, and the hydrophilic resin formulation is designed to create a durable liner.

Designed to form a 270° Seal for ultimate flash control. It is said to provide strong tooth separation yet is easier to open due to the Nitinol drawn-wire nickel titanium that is aligned at the molecular level for superior performance. Designed for more uses, the PEEK ultra-durable reinforcement on the back of the ring allows Strata-G to retain a higher percentage of initial strength for much longer.

Maybe it's because it is the most established product in the field, but 1 seed TheraCal LC from BISCO has marched through the first two rounds without much of an opposition. Now with a spot in the finals awaiting the winner, it faces off against the latest matrix solution from Garrison, a 3 seed that has managed to squeak its way through the first two rounds of voting. Will TheraCal continue to dominate, or will the thus far dormant support for the Strata-G matrix answer the call in the semi-finals?

Quadrant champions have been crowned and now the 2024 Spring Selection features just a quartet of dental products. Which of these will move on to next week's final showdown? Vote now.

Spring Selection 2024 - Round 3: Semi-Finals

The Pathways' Justin Moody, DDS, with Zest Clinical Success Manager Jessica Shivers, RDH. | Image Credit: © Zest Dental Solutions

Zest Dental Solutions and The Pathway continuinge ducation program are teaming up on a strategic partnership designed to elevate restorative dentistry and patient care.

Zest Dental Solutions is the manufacturer of the LOCATOR FIXED® hybrid fixed and removable overdenture solution, while The Pathway is a continuing education program founded by Justin Moody, DDS, that teaches clinicians how to place dental implants with a live surgical component. Based in Arizona, The Pathway’s stated mission is to empower dentists across the nation to hone their skills through continuing education.

The collaboration looks to provide clinicians the opportunity to gain access to a vast array of educational programs designed to elevate clinical skills, expand knowledge base, and help practices thrive.

Zest Education, their educational branch based in Las Vegas, Nevada in the company’s new global education center. Zest's launch of LOCATOR FIXED created a unique opportunity for these world-class educational brands to unite to create a never before seen full- circle restorative dentistry educational offering, the organizations state. 

"We partnered with Zest because of the industry-changing introduction of LOCATOR FIXED. This revolutionary technology changed the game as it utilizes the same abutment for removable or fixed procedures. This creates achievable, predictable results every time," Dr Moody says in a press release.

Tom Stratton, CEO Zest Dental, adds, "Fusing the surgical training available through The Pathway with the overdenture training available through ZestMastership, dental professionals can expect to benefit from the synergies created by this collaboration, gaining access to a comprehensive array of educational programs designed to elevate their clinical skills, expand their knowledge base, and drive practice success. Together, Zest Dental Solutions and The Pathway are poised to shape the future of dental education and inspire excellence in patient care."

Zest Dental Solutions—headquartered in Carlsbad, California—designs, developments, manufactures and distributes dental solutions for a continuum of patient care from the preservation of natural teeth to the treatment of total edentulism.

Dental manufacturer and renowned continuing education provider in the oral surgery and implantology space announce strategic partnership.

Zest Dental Solutions and The Pathway Team Up to Educate Clinicians

The new compact DentiMax 1.5 Size Open Sensor is designed to enhance patient comfort and ease of positioning. The sensor is 11% smaller than its predecessor the Size 2 Open Sensor.

Released last week by DentiMax, the all-new 1.5 Open Sensor is based off years of feedback from dental clinicians, and in terms of size, image quality and price, the company reports that this new digital x-ray sensor has exceeded their customers’ expectations.

 has received high ratings from the independent testing organization, Clinician’s Report (

), which stated that the DentiMax Open Sensor is “competitive with the best systems previously evaluated.” The full report can be accessed at 

Upon reviewing this report, Chad Camac, DentiMax vice president, said, “Being ‘competitive with the best’ wasn’t good enough and so we increased the scintillator from 150 microns to 350 microns and made other changes for an even better, crisper, more beautiful image,” according to the company’s press release.

Correct These 3 Mistakes to Take Better X-Rays

The 1.5 Open Sensor is available for purchase at an initial launch price of $2,999 or through a convenient subscription model at $99 /month. “This revolutionary sensor represents our ongoing commitment to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower practitioners to provide superior patient care,” Camac adds. 

To take advantage of the initial launch price, interested practitioners are encouraged to contact DentiMax at 844-385-7854 or at imagingsales@dentimax.com.

DentiMax provides imaging technology and software solutions for clinicians, including its x-ray sensors, imaging software, and practice management software.

The company’s compact digital x-ray sensor boasts same high image quality as the Size 2 Open Sensor.