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. 

Pac-Dent Launches EzAim™ SoftBite™ Bite Tab Holders. Image credit: © Pac-Dent


Pac-Dent has announced the launch of EzAim SoftBite, a new cushioned bite tab holder. This sensor holder is designed with peel-and-stick adhesive technology to ensure it stays put when attached to a digital sensor. Altogether, this new holder is designed to bolster patient comfort while maintaining its adhesion, according to a press release from Pac-Dent.

SoftBite is designed shorter to allow better accessibility for the clinician using the sensor. Patients benefit from the cushioned design as well as the reportedly easy adjustability, enabling a more comfortable experience overall. This enhanced patient comfort ensures more accurate imaging as it reduces movement and shifting due to discomfort.

These single-use, disposable bite tab holders are available now. To learn more, visit the 

Articles

These new bite tab holders from Pac-Dent are designed for optimal adherence with an emphasis on patient comfort. 

Pac-Dent Launches EzAim™ SoftBite™ Bite Tab Holders

Designed to be an effective and convenient electric toothbrush for home and travel use, the quip 360 Oscillating Toothbrush features replaceable heads with rotating, soft, dual-length bristles that are designed to conform to the teeth and gums.

The new brush features three intensities—gentle, daily, and deep clean—as well as a pressure sensor that uses an LED light and pulses to inform the user that he or she is brushing too aggressively. While working quietly, the brush provides powerful cleaning with 9,630 oscillations per minute. Additionally, a built-in 2-minute timer pulses every 30 seconds to guide the user through cleaning every quadrant.

The brush comes with a travel case and a compact countertop stand. Charged via a magnetic connection, the built-in lithium ion battery can hold a charge for up to 30 days.

In vitro testing shows the brush can provide up to 11 times more plaque removal between teeth and twice the whitening by removing surface stains when compared to a manual toothbrush.

The newest electric toothbrush from quip features a rotating brush head with soft dual-length bristles.

quip Launches quip 360 Oscillating Toothbrush

BioHorizons recently announced the launch of Tapered Pro Conical implants, the company’s first line of dental implants featuring a deep conical connection.

The new implants are based on the macro design of the Tapered Pro implant line, featuring the patented CONELONG connection that is reportedly suited for efficient surgical procedures for immediate implant cases ranging from single tooth replacements to full arch restorations.

The Tapered Pro Conical implants feature a tapered body design with a thread design that provides immediate stability, according to a press release. They feature self-tapping helical cutting flutes that can help control the placement of the implants. The implants are coordinated with a new surgical kit that combines free-hand and keyless guided surgical approaches. The system maintains efficiency and simplicity with only 2 prosthetic platforms to choose from.

“Backed by more than 30 years of research, Tapered Pro Conical’s unique Laser-Lok microchannels create a connective tissue attachment and retain crestal bone, thus allowing better control of clinical and esthetic outcomes,” says BioHorizons President and CEO Steve Boggan in the press release. “We recognize the importance of immediate and predictable solutions for implant therapy, and are pleased to deliver enhanced functionality with this new implant.”

According to the press release the new implants fit into BioHorizons’ parent company Henry Schein’s broad strategy of investing in technologies that offer benefits to both patients and practices.

The new implants are an expansion of the Tapered Pro portfolio bringing a new connection option to enhance immediate implant procedures.

BioHorizons Launches Tapered Pro Conical Implants

Milling Materials from Myerson Now Validated for vhf Machines. Image credit: © vhf 

Myerson and vhf have announced that 4 polymer-based materials from Myerson are now validated for the vhf E5, K5+, S5, and R5 disc milling machines. Aiming to provide biocompatible, metal-free options for removable partial dentures, this validation will expand offerings for labs, according to Head of Product at vhf camfacture AG, Lucas Kehl.

“In order to provide our customers with a wide range of machining options, we are continuously expanding the range of validated materials,” Kehl said in a press release from vhf. “With the addition of 4 more materials from our partner Myerson, our North American customers benefit from an even larger selection of materials from a well-known manufacturer.”

Each material reportedly has 3 vital components which are biocompatibility, strength, and low moisture absorption. These materials each have different features that can all be suitable for removable partial dentures, per the press release. DuraFlex is a nylon-free PMMA material while the translucent VisiClear is indicated for both partial removables as well as temps. Other materials include DuraCetal which aims for both high fracture and flexural strength, and Ultaire AKP Dentivera which is a PAEK material that acts as a metal-free alternative to model casting frameworks.

To validate these materials, test specimens and restorations were milled internally in vhf’s test center. They were then evaluated and then validated by a reference laboratory. Northern Virginia Dental Lab was commissioned by Myerson to validate these materials, and owner Kris Schermerhorn expressed his enthusiasm for this validation in the press release.

“The perfect interplay of machines, tools, and software from vhf ensures first-class milling results with the new materials,” he said. “I am delighted that together we have succeeded in validating 4 renowned Myerson products for the vhf machines, which are very popular on the U.S. market.”

Four biocompatible, metal-free materials from Myerson are now validated for Myerson disc milling machines. 

Milling Materials from Myerson Now Validated for vhf Machines

Cosmedent to Launch 2 New Renamel Shades. Image credit: © Cosmedent

Cosmedent has announced the launch of 2 new opalescent Renamel shades––OPALITE™ Microfill and OPAL™ Flowable Microfill. The opalescent quality of the shades were formulated specifically to give a brightening and depth effect to restorations, according to Cosmedent.

Renamel® OPALITE is reportedly a color-adaptive Microfill resin shade that aims for a more subtle effect while still providing the opalescent and brightness that patients desire in their restorations. Alternatively, Renamel OPAL works as a flowable, aiming to recreate the dichroism that exists in enamel already. It is indicated for use in the final layer.

The opalescent quality of both shades is formulated to improve the visual appeal of dental restorations, catering to patients' desires for brighter and more natural-looking teeth.

“We are excited for the addition of Opal Flowable! It creates the appearance of translucency at the incisal edge,” Product Developer Rhodri Thomas said in the press release. “It adds dimension and brings the tooth to life. The flowable has excellent handling properties when using the composite brushes…”

The opalescent quality of both shades is formulated to improve the visual appeal of dental restorations, catering to patients' desires for brighter and more natural-looking teeth. 

Cosmedent to Launch 2 New Renamel Shades

Employing Value-Based Care in the Dental Practice. Image credit: © Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com


With the world changing every day with universally rising prices for services, dental patients are increasingly seeking treatments and solutions that provide real value. Value-based care (VBC) in dentistry is an emerging approach that emphasizes the quality of care and patient outcomes rather than the volume of services provided.

This model focuses on preventive care, patient satisfaction, and long-term health benefits, aiming to improve overall dental health and reduce costs associated with extensive treatments. By prioritizing effective treatments and patient-centered care, value-based dentistry seeks to deliver better health outcomes, enhance patient experiences, and foster a more sustainable health care system, according to Danielle Apostolon, program manager and value-based care expert at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

“The overall goal is to align the system of care and have a system that is truly integrated, holistic, patient-centered, and innovative. The aim is to focus on achieving those health outcomes at lower costs,” Apostolon says. “In dentistry, for decades, the fee-for-service model has been the dominant model. It's a means of reimbursement, but there's no link to quality.”

This traditional fee-for-service model operates on a reimbursement basis where dental practitioners are paid for each service or procedure they perform, regardless of the outcome. As a result, the focus often shifts toward the quantity of services rendered rather than the patient's overall health and long-term outcomes. This disconnect can lead to unnecessary treatments and higher health care costs without necessarily improving patient health. The absence of an emphasis on quality and preventive care can contribute to inefficiencies and patient dissatisfaction.

And while value-based care and payment arrangements are growing in physical health care, VBC is only beginning to emerge in oral health care, according to Apostolon.

Apostolon says that VBC can be signified by a variety of things, but there are a few key ones to pay attention to when considering this care model.

“In dentistry, VBC is focusing on prevention, minimally invasive care, care that's risk-based,” she says. “It’s moving on from just treating the disease. It’s asking how we prevent dental disease or slow the progression to keep our patients healthy.”

To facilitate this switch, CareQuest Institute has created the VBC Readiness Assessment Tool, an online, in-browser questionnaire that will examine whether your dental practice is ready to make the shift toward the VBC model. The VBC Readiness Assessment Tool is tailored for federally qualified health centers, dental service organizations, hospital-based dental programs, public health departments, university dental programs, dentists in private practice, and physicians who provide oral health services, according to CareQuest Institute’s website.

In creating the Readiness Assessment tool, CareQuest Institute aimed to cater it toward dental practices specifically, according to Apostolon.

“Many of the tools out there were focused on medical health care. So, this tool opens it up to those dental and health care leadership teams, and it helps them really evaluate their organizational readiness,” she says. “What is their current snapshot of where they are? It then helps them to identify any gaps in readiness. It gives them this starting place of where they are currently, and [then] some things that they can begin to work on.”

The VBC Readiness Assessment tool ensures each topic area is covered, including behaviors, leadership, and insights that can enable practices to shape the future of the care they provide. These carefully crafted questions are designed to help dental professionals assess their current practices, identify areas for improvement, and align their services with the principles of VBC. By leveraging insights from past clinical experiences and robust data analysis, the tool guides practitioners in evaluating their treatment approaches, patient engagement strategies, and overall care delivery. This initial assessment serves as a first step in transitioning toward a model that prioritizes patient outcomes, preventive care, and cost-effectiveness.

Clinicians can use the tool to pinpoint specific actions and strategies that can enhance the quality of care, streamline operations, and ultimately improve patient satisfaction.

In practice, the tool has helped practices such as MyCare Health Center in Detroit, Michigan, to optimize their workflows and shift toward the VBC model, according to Lauren Rush, DDS, chief dental officer at MyCare.

“It forced us to look at some of our processes and reduce some inefficiencies. Because [VBC] is so new to the dental world, there’s not a lot of guidance available, because nobody really knows what this is going to look like. The Value-Based Readiness Assessment tool is filling an otherwise unmet need,” Dr Rush says. “And so, it did force us to look at some policies and some workflows and things like that, to reduce some inefficiencies that will help us get ready for that transition at some point.”

The tool stands as an accessible option for any dental practice or organization, offering a user-friendly and cost-free solution that is entirely conducted through a browser-based questionnaire.

Once practitioners take the VBC Readiness Assessment, they receive their Readiness Assessment score, which helps inform their next steps in their VBC journey. Categories help clarify specific areas for improvement, according to Apostolon.

“It breaks it down into 5 domains, which are prevention, culture and leadership, integration, alternative payment, and data and analytics,” she says. “An organization can be really strong in prevention but might not be in integration. It helps locate or identify specific areas to work on.”

Also key to VBC is its ability to empower clinicians to employ more medical-dental integrations and reduce the siloed nature of many dental practices, according to Apostolon.

“A big piece of this is breaking down the silos between medical and dental. The fee-for-service can sometimes accelerate the ‘one service one provider’ concept versus the whole system working together to achieve health outcomes for their patients,” Apostolon says. “We know that oral health is directly linked to conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and adverse birth outcomes. Despite that understanding, the current healthcare system has been fragmented and oral health is often separated from medical care.Value Based Care is an opportunity to create a better integrated system and really value that whole person care.”

To learn more about the VBC model, or if you’re ready to take the VBC Readiness Assessment, visit CareQuest’s 

Dental practices looking to employ a new type of patient-centric, affordable care might not know where to start. CareQuest’s new tool can help. 

Employing Value-Based Care in the Dental Practice

A new photogrammetry system from Blue Sky Bio. 

Grammee from Blue Sky Bio

Riva Cem Automix from SDI

New bone and tissue regeneration products from TBS Dental.

REGEN from TBS Dental

New Dental Products – July 1 - July 5, 2024

All the latest dental product launches from July 1 through July 5, 2024. 

A bite-sized look at all the latest dental product launches. 

Product Bites – July 5, 2024

Welcome to Product Bites a weekly podcast from Dental Products Report providing you with a rundown of recently launched and updated dental technologies, materials, instruments, and everything else you might use with patients or while running your practice.

I’m your host for this week, DPR Editor Kellie Nock, and on this week’s podcast we’ve got 8 new products with launches from Pearl, Vyne Dental, Heygent Dental AI, Shofu, Kerr Dental, Weave, Avenacy, and Yapi.

So let’s get to it and learn about these newly launched dental products.

First up, we have an exciting update from Pearl, the dental artificial intelligence company. Pearl has just announced its new Precheck tool, an add-on to their Practice Intelligence® platform. Precheck harnesses the power of AI to streamline insurance eligibility and benefits verification. Using natural language processing, it analyzes patient insurance data, saving your front office and clinical staff valuable time. Precheck offers a comprehensive insurance verification solution with multi-source verification, pulling data from clearinghouses, payors, and patient EOBs. It provides code-level feedback on treatment coverage and a detailed coverage breakdown for confident decision-making.

Next, let's talk about Vyne Dental® and their expanded services with the Vyne Trellis platform. Vyne Trellis is engineered to revolutionize revenue management and streamline financial operations in dental practices. It automates billing processes, enhances revenue cycle management, and integrates payment solutions for seamless patient transactions. Key features include automated billing to reduce manual input and errors, tools for efficient tracking and follow-up on payments, and comprehensive financial reporting for informed decision-making. Vyne Trellis also enhances communication between practices and insurance companies, ensuring prompt resolution of billing inquiries.

Heygent Dental AI is making waves with their new Dental AI Receptionist software. This AI-powered platform is designed to handle patient engagement and communication effortlessly. The Dental AI Receptionist manages calls, web chats, and SMS conversations, automates appointment bookings, and engages with patients instantly. With seamless integration into major dental software solutions, it ensures 24/7 patient engagement, maximizes appointment bookings, and re-engages inactive patients. The robust patient conversation management dashboard keeps your practice in control, even during after-hours and weekends.

Shofu has introduced the BeautiBond Xtreme, a universal bonding agent featuring Quad-Adhesive Technology. This single-layer agent provides a fast, strong, and reliable bond to various materials, including enamel, dentin, zirconia, and more. Its HEMA-free formula ensures stability, reduces postoperative sensitivity, and prevents marginal stain lines. BeautiBond Xtreme's one-step application makes the bonding process reliable and efficient, with a thin and uniform layer that ensures secure adhesion.

Kerr Dental has unveiled OptiBond Universal 360, their latest bonding agent. Designed for zirconia, gold, base metal alloys, and more, this agent offers optimal bond strength without the need for separate primers. Compatible with self-etch, selective-etch, and total-etch techniques, OptiBond Universal 360 is designed to save inventory space and prevent post-op sensitivity.

Weave has announced its multi-practice enterprise experience platform, tailored for practices with multiple locations. This platform optimizes revenue cycle management, office integration, and communication, ensuring efficient data entry and training. It provides actionable insights, automates messaging for appointment recalls, and centralizes management for seamless operation.

Avenacy has launched Tranexamic Acid Injection, USP, a therapeutic equivalent for Cyklokapron®, approved by the FDA. This injection is indicated for hemophilia patients to reduce hemorrhage during and after tooth extraction. Avenacy's packaging and labeling ensure accurate medication selection, supporting patient safety and streamlined care.

Finally, Yapi has introduced a new Dental Insurance Verification feature for its Yapi Leap platform. This feature verifies patient insurance eligibility quickly and efficiently, covering over 200 insurance providers. It offers rapid eligibility checks, detailed benefits summaries, plan usage monitoring, and error detection to streamline the verification process.

That does it for this week's Product Bites from Dental Products Report. Stay up to date on all the latest dental product news by visiting dentalproductsreport.com/newdentalproducts.

I'm Kellie Nock saying thanks for listening. And we'll be back next week with all the latest new dental products on Product Bites from Dental Products Report.

Podcasts

A bite-sized look at all the latest dental product launches. This week's episode features products from Pearl, Vyne Dental, Heygent Dental AI, Shofu, Kerr Dental, Weave, Avenacy, and Yapi. 

TBS Dental has announced the launch of its latest set of materials–REGEN. REGEN is a collection of regenerative bone and membrane materials. Aiding in socket preservation and soft tissue regeneration, REGEN aims to provide a regenerative solution for dental professionals all in one package, according to a press release from the company.

First, a syringe applicator will house TBS Allograft Bone, providing an ergonomic and precise applicator for placement of the mineralized cortico-cancellous bone particulate. This reportedly works well in the posterior region with its micro-perforated cap and precise syringe form. Also included in the REGEN line is TBS Allograft Powder, which harnesses the cortico-cancellous 50/50 blend of particulate supports for the regeneration of bone. This blend is also said to provide an osteoconductive scaffold to remodel the host bone.

Finally, REGEN also contains TBS Membrane––which reportedly enables a lower occurrence of soft tissue dehiscence, superior tensile strength, and other attractive features due to its biostructure. It aims for stability and handling without sacrificing qualities that dental professionals may desire, according to user Dr Scott Ganz in the press release.

“It was surprisingly easy to hydrate the bone, directly within the syringe,” Dr Ganz said. “The syringe also provides excellent control to place the bone exactly where you want to. TBS Membrane is extremely pliable, it saturates very well, and has excellent handling characteristics.”

This new line of products from TBS Dental aims for stability, usability, and handling in dental bone and tissue regeneration. 

TBS Dental to Launch REGEN Bone and Tissue Regeneration Products

The 7th annual Teledentistry Innovation Awards, also known as the “Tellies,” is now accepting nominations for 2024’s ceremony. There are 5 categories that nominations can be submitted to including Dentists & Specialists, Hygienists, Oral Health Programs, Educational Institutions, and Industry Innovators. The Tellies aim to recognize individuals and organizations that implement virtual care and teledentistry in innovative ways, according to founder and CEO of MouthWatch and Dentistry One, Brant Herman.

“Tellie award winners have mastered the use of teledentistry to improve oral health,” Herman said in a press release. “We look forward to honoring these dental pioneers for their innovative role in driving the future of virtual care and the success of the teledentistry programs they have implemented to enhance patient engagement and expand reach into the communities they serve.”

2024 Tellie recipients will get a $1000 cash prize, an invitation to the annual Tellies Ceremony in New York City, New York, and a spotlight via a special feature story. Winners will be announced at the 2024 Greater New York Dental Meeting, which will take place from November 29 through December 4, 2024. Herman expressed excitement for this year’s Tellies in the press release.

“Every year the Tellie Awards become more exciting as the nominations reflect technology advances and the application of teledentistry for improved access to care and patient outcomes becomes more sophisticated–including the use of teledentistry to digitally bridge dental and medical care,” he said.

The 2024 Tellie nominations are open until October 1, 2024, and can be submitted via their website here. To learn about past winners, see 

, or visit the Teledentistry Innovation Award’s 

The annual awards celebrating innovation in teledentistry are accepting nominations now for individuals and organizations that advance virtual care for patients. 