Carla Cohn, DMD, is a general dentist, devoted solely to the practice of dentistry for children. She graduated from the University of Manitoba and then went on to complete a post-graduate internship in Paediatric Dentistry. She founded and maintains a private practice at Kids Sleep Dentistry Winnipeg and Kids Dental in Winnipeg, Canada. Dr Cohn is a partner, with surgical privileges at Western Surgery Centre, a private surgical clinic. In addition to private practice, she is a part-time clinical instructor in Paediatric Dentistry at her alma mater, The Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba. She is a member of multiple dental organizations including the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Speakers Bureau, Catapult Education Speakers Bureau, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Canadian Dental Association, Canadian Dental Institute, Manitoba Dental Association, Manitoba Dental Alumni Association, Winnipeg Dental Society, and is cofounder of Winnipeg Women’s Dental Network. She has served on multiple committees for Manitoba Dental Association and Manitoba Dental Foundation. Dr Cohn served as board member for Manitoba Dental Association for many years and was President of Manitoba Dental Association for the 2016-2017 term. She is a well regarded key opinion leader in the dental industry and has published many articles, and webinars and taught thousands of hours on Paediatric Dentistry for the General Practitioner, both nationally and internationally.

Vital Pulp Therapies for Pediatric Patients

 In this series from Carla Cohn, DMD, you will learn about the methodology behind vital pulp therapies for pediatric patients. 

Learning where, when, how, and why vital pulp therapies may be appropriate in instances for pediatric patients. 

 Catapult Education, LLC designates this activity for 1 continuing education credit.

Catapult Education, LLC is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.

Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ADA.org.

This continuing education activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the standards of the ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP) through joint efforts between Catapult Education, LLC and MJH Life Sciences.

Catapult Education, LLC. Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD Credit.
Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority, or AGD endorsement.
6/1/24 to 5/31/28. Provider ID# 306446.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the standards of the Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education (PACE) through the joint program provider approval of Catapult Education, LLC and MJH Life Sciences.

Catapult Education received commercial support from MJH Life Sciences for this presentation. Dr Carla Cohn received an honorarium from MJH Life Sciences for the time involved in preparing and delivering this presentation.

Check with your state licensing board to determine if the course meets your state requirements.

Catapult Education delivers clinically relevant continuing dental education programs which address the needs and preferences of our audience and provides them with the knowledge and confidence to integrate new techniques, practice management and treatment options into their respective practices. Catapult Education is committed to ensuring the content quality, objectivity and scientific integrity of all continuing education courses. Instructors are advised to support clinical recommendations with scientific research-supported data whenever possible and to disclose any conflict of interest between them and any corporate organization offering financial support or grant monies for this CE activity. Instructors are advised, where appropriate and if relevant to the subject matter of the presentation, to mention a variety of different product choices so as to present a balanced view of all therapeutic options available and promote improvements in oral healthcare free from commercial bias.

Vital Pulp Therapies Part 1

Vital Pulp Therapies Part 2

Vital Pulp Therapies Part 3

Vital Pulp Therapies Part 4

Articles

[Earn 1 CE credit via Catapult] Pediatric dentist Carla Cohn, DMD, dives deep into vital pulp therapy for pediatric patients in this video series. 

Vital Pulp Therapies for Pediatric Patients with Carla Cohn, DMD

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.  

Directa USA Introduces Ceramir Pediatric Crowns | Image Credit: © Directa USA

Featuring patented laser sintering technology, Directa USA has launched Ceramir Pediatric Crowns, described as a groundbreaking advancement in pediatric dentistry.
The new pediatric crowns are available through Directa USA, the North American subsidiary of Directa Dental Group, a renowned Swedish dental manufacturing company, and these crowns feature a homogeneous glass-like structure, providing natural translucency and a high-gloss surface.
Ceramir Pediatric Crowns are designed to set a new standard in restorative dentistry for children. The crowns mimic the anatomy of primary teeth in both color and shape, ensuring a natural and esthetically pleasing appearance, according to Directa.
The advanced technology used in Ceramir Pediatric Crowns allows for the creation of crowns with very thin walls. Additionally, these crowns can be easily repaired chairside with additional composite material, enabling minimally invasive procedures and preserving as much tooth structure as possible.
Directa also will offer a Ceramir Pediatric Crowns Kit in 2 sizes. Made from child-safe, Bisphenol A-free materials, they are formulated to ensure safety and biocompatibility. Also, with their high-quality, prefabricated design, they enable swift and secure treatments while preserving much natural tooth structure as possible.
With a commitment to deliver optimal care for children, the introduction of Ceramir Pediatric Crowns underscores the company’s dedication to innovation and excellence in pediatric dental care. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Directa offers dental professionals a strong solution for pediatric restorative dentistry, ultimately enhancing oral health for children globally.


These new crowns are designed to mimic the anatomy of primary teeth in both color and shape, ensuring a natural and esthetically pleasing appearance.

Directa USA Introduces Ceramir Pediatric Crowns

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. 

Midwest Dental Selects Pearl as Artificial Intelligence Provider. Image credit: © Midwest Dental © Pearl


Equipment and technology supplier Midwest Dental has announced that it has selected Pearl as its official artificial intelligence (AI) provider. Pearl’s Second Opinion® and Practice Intelligence® will be available for Midwest Dental customers, which span across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arkansas. According to Midwest Dental Chief Operating Officer Tim Cluley, Pearl was a perfect fit for its enhanced AI capabilities.

“Since Midwest Dental’s founding more than 35 years ago, our overarching goal has been to provide our customers with the best products and services the dental industry has to offer,” Cluley said in a press release from Pearl. “Pearl is the best equipped partner to help us drive that mission forward and increase our customers’ access to the most advanced dental AI solutions on the market.”

Second Opinion is a radiologic detection aid that empower dentists to enhance their patient communication. The AI reads x-rays to deliver radiologic findings, while Practice Intelligence synthesizes AI clinical findings with patient data from practice management systems. Both of these AI technologies are designed to provide insight. This partnership aims to bolster Midwest Dental patients’ treatment experience, according to Pearl founder and CEO Ophir Tanz.

“We’re excited to have Midwest Dental join us on our journey to ensuring dental practices across the U.S. have access to the most cutting-edge dental AI technology designed to streamline their practice management and provide their patients with accurate, real-time chairside radiologic evaluations,” Tanz said in the press release. “Our partnership benefits both patients and providers by introducing the benefits of the highest AI-powered standard of care to thousands of practices across the U.S.”

Pearl will serve as the official artificial intelligence partner of Midwest Dental, offering customers advanced technology to enhance care. 

Midwest Dental Selects Pearl as Artificial Intelligence Provider

Intiveo Announces New Integration with Dentrix Ascend. Image credit: © Intiveo


Patient engagement software Intiveo has announced a new integration with cloud-based practice management software (PMS) Dentrix Ascend. Through the integration, users will be able to take advantage of the variety of patient engagement features offered by Intiveo, directly in their PMS, per a press release from Intiveo. Some of these features include appointment reminders, 2-way communication, feedback collection, and more. 

"We know the impact that a positive patient experience can have on a practice and we have been focused on making our software accessible to practices everywhere," Co-founder and CEO of Intiveo, Josh deVries said in the press release. "By integrating with cloud-based practice management systems like Dentrix Ascend, Intiveo has the ability to provide customizable and scalable solutions that grow and adapt to the needs that are crucial to dental practices' and DSOs' bottom line." 

Dentrix Ascend from Henry Schein One is a secure, cloud-based PMS that can suit any size dental practice. This integration is authorized by both parties. To learn more about Intiveo, visit the 

. To learn more about Dentrix Ascend, visit the 

Patient engagements features from Intiveo are now directly integrated into Henry Schein One’s practice management system. 

Intiveo Announces New Integration with Dentrix Ascend

Align Technology Awards Research Funding to Universities. Image credit: © Align Technology

Align has announced that it will be awarding research funds to 12 universities worldwide, as part of its 14th Annual Research Award Program. A variety of research topics are covered by the recipients’ studies, including the oral microbiome during different orthodontic treatment, mixed dentition treatment, and other topics.

Align’s executive vice president, chief clinical officer, global treatment planning and clinical service Dr Mitra Derakhshan expressed excitement in a press release from the company.

“Align is delighted to announce the awards for research that leads to insights and evidence that advance the applicability of treatment for patients of all ages. We are pleased to support university research around the world in the orthodontic and dental fields,” Dr Derakshan said in the press release. “We are excited to learn about the findings from all of the awarded research and any future publications.”

University of Washington led by Dr Sanghee Lee

University of Florida led by Dr Sarah Hisham Abu Arqub

University of California San Francisco led by Dr Christine Hong

University of Kentucky led by Dr Mohamed Bazina

UniCamillus International Medical University led by Dr Chiara Pavoni

University of Insubria led by Dr Luca Levrini

UniCamillus International Medical University led by Dr Roberta Lione

University of L’Aquilla led by Dr Silvia Caruso

Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies led by Dr Vikas Thakur

Chulalongkorn University led by Dr Sirichom Satrawaha

Ragas Dental College and Hospital led by Dr N.R. Krishnaswamy

“This year the number of applications to the program is one of the largest since its initiation 14 years ago,” Align vice president, technical fellow, John Morton said in the press release. “The publications and lecture resulting from these research endeavors advance the science of dentistry and aim to improve the dental care of the global community. We are proud to provide this opportunity to these excellent university researchers throughout the world.”

To learn more about Align or the Annual Research Program, visit the 

12 universities around the world have been recognized by Align for vital research on orthodontics and dentistry.

Align Technology Awards Research Funding to Universities

PracticeTek Acquires Ora Dental Practice Management Platform. Image credit: © PracticeTek

Technology company PracticeTek, in collaboration with Total Dental, has announced its full acquisition of Ora, a dental practice management platform. This was done to streamline technology services for dental practices, according to Total Dental CEO Mike Padgett in a a press release from the company.

“This acquisition of Ora by PracticeTek is more than a milestone; it’s a testament to their commitment to revolutionize dental practice management worldwide,” Padgett said. “Ora’s journey has been one of relentless dedication to excellence, and we’re excited to support its transformative potential.”

Ora has a variety of features such as appointment scheduling, billing, and even analytics, that are designed specifically to empower both single dental practices and dental service organizations to provide better care.

“Ora isn’t just a product; it’s a paradigm shift. By harnessing the collective expertise of PracticeTek and our esteemed partners, we’re poised to redefine industry standards and empower dental professionals everywhere,” CEO of PracticeTek Steve Auerbach said in the press release.

To learn more about this acquisition, visit Ora’s 

PracticeTek and Total Dental have fully acquired dental practice management platform Ora to further streamline workflows. 

PracticeTek Acquires Ora Dental Practice Management Platform

Joe Persichetti is the head of healthcare business banking at 

 and has nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare field. He has previously held practice finance positions at Huntington National Bank, Henry Schein Financial Services and Bank of America. He is based in Columbus, Ohio.

How Today’s Dental School Graduates Can Start Their Own Practices – Even with High Student Debt | Image Credit: © Tatsiana - stock.adobe.com

As a healthcare banker at U.S. Bank, I talk all the time with dentists who want to start their own practices. The question I often hear: Can I get financing to start or acquire a practice–even with all my dental school debt?

My answer can surprise them: Yes, they can–if they build a practice the right way, with the right support.

The critical factor is cash flow. When healthcare lenders are looking to make loans, they are not focused on a student’s total debt. Instead, their concern is whether a practice’s income can cover a dentist’s monthly payments. And that is possible in today’s marketplace, especially in growing communities where the demand is strong for dental services.

To be sure, dental school debt is top of mind as students finish their training and start practicing. In 2022, the average debt of graduating dental students was $293,900, according to the 

 Many graduates leave with a significant amount more than this.

Today’s dentists have choices when it comes to the business structure they use to serve patients, but owning a private practice remains a dominant option. According to 

2023 data from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute,

 more than 72 percent of dentists in private practice were owners.

From my experience, these practitioners like being their own boss, building their own brand, and being able to treat patients the way they think is best. Establishing an independent practice can also be an excellent way to build wealth and support a family over the long-term.

For dentists who take this route, the first major decision is whether to start a practice from the ground up or to acquire an existing one. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

A start-up practice launches with new equipment, and the owners can run their operations and treat their patients as they see fit. The major disadvantage, of course, is starting with zero revenue and no existing patients.

Meanwhile, acquiring a practice provides a dentist with an existing staff and patient base. But the equipment is used, staff may be set in their ways, and the dentist’s treatment style may or may not mesh with the patients’ expectations. All of these factors are important to consider before dentists set out on their own.

The next question for aspiring practice owners is how to finance their start-up or acquisition. This is where the critical factor of cash flow comes into play.

Specialized healthcare bankers are typically cash flow lenders, meaning they don’t concentrate on the outstanding debt. They look at a graduate’s monthly student debt payments and whether they can be covered by the profit produced by the practice.

In analyzing a potential loan, bankers are looking at both sides of the equation. What are the monthly debt payments a graduate expects to owe? And what are the revenue prospects of a practice? If the income is sufficiently greater than the debt, 100 percent financing is an option.

On the debt side of the equation, many dental school graduates have been able to make their monthly school loan payments more manageable by using Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans offered by the U.S. Department of Education. With these plans, payments are based on ability to pay, rather than the total balance, helping reduce debt payments.

On the income side, a specialized healthcare lender will examine a practice’s business plan to understand projected revenue and profit. Overall, the outlook for independent practices has been positive in recent years, as more offices are adding procedures and hours, and fee schedules are increasing. In 2022, the median gross billings per dentist for owner dentists in private practice was nearly $750,000, up 8 percent from the previous year, according to the Health Policy Institute.

This growth in revenue gives bankers confidence that borrowers will be able to meet their business and personal obligations, such as college, home, and auto debt. Of course, there are variables for each individual practice such as location and specialty.

Finally, dentists should consider the terms of their financing before signing on the dotted line and make sure they are working with partners with expertise in healthcare.

Specialized healthcare lenders can often provide longer-term financing options–10 to 15 years on non-real estate loans. These loans require smaller monthly payments, an advantage over the 5- to 7-year loans offered by some other lenders. A banker with expertise in healthcare can also offer money movement, back-office software, wealth management, and other services that can support dentists as they build their practices.

Besides picking the right banker, it’s important for practitioners to surround themselves with additional experts–accountants, attorneys, and consultants with extensive experience in the healthcare industry. They can help craft a business plan that maximizes efficiency and revenue so a practice will produce the necessary cash flow to secure financing.

Today’s dental students may be graduating with significant debt, but many still want to work for themselves, as they pursue flexible schedules, seek to build businesses that can sustain their families, and most importantly, develop care models that best fit their patients’ needs. With the help of a banker steeped in their industry, and the support of other experts, these dentists can be optimistic about obtaining the financing they need to pursue their dreams.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Medical Economics on May 29, 2024 and can be read at: 

https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/how-today-s-medical-school-graduates-can-start-their-own-practices-even-with-high-student-debt

When health care lenders are looking to make loans, they are not focused on a student’s total debt.

How Today’s Dental School Graduates Can Start Their Own Practices – Even with High Student Debt

With the TempOff instrument, clinicians can remove temporaries of all types in 3-5 seconds. | Image Credit: © ArtCraft Dental

Founded by David Fyffe, DDS, ArtCraft Dental offers a wide array of dental instruments and diamonds and burs, including 

atraumatic elevators and the company’s most revolutionary instrument—TempOff®.

With the TempOff instrument, clinicians can remove temporaries of all types in 3-5 seconds. According to ArtCraft Dental, using the instrument is not only fast and easy, but it is also virtually pain-free for the patient.

TempOff features a stable, 4-point contact tip that provides a firm, non-slip grip onto temporaries of all types allowing the practitioner to lock-on solidly to the provisional in the proper position—the upper one-third above the level of the underlying prep. Once locked on, less force is exerted on the tooth and build-up, and the lower two-thirds of the temp is free to flex out and break its own cement contact, according to the company.

There is no need for anesthesia, and no need for cutting off temporaries.

 are designed to enable clinicians to avoid broken root tips in their practice. Invented by Dr Fyffe, these atraumatic elevators are designed to upgrade extractions, making the procedure faster and easier. They’re said to help avoid the dreaded deep broken root tip mishaps.

 power comes from the double-action tips. Just a small amount of penetration into the PDL space is all that is needed for maximum lateral tooth movement. With these elevators, users achieve both bucco-lingual movement and mesio-distal movement. The more movement you can get prior to the use of forceps, the less likely root tips break off, the company says.

tips allow for a stable two-point contact between the crest of bone and the neck of the tooth. | Image Credit: © ArtCraft Dental

tips allow for a stable two-point contact between the crest of bone and the neck of the tooth.With simple twisting, one point locks onto the bone, while the other point pushes the tooth laterally, causing bucco-lingual socket expansion and superior pre-forceps loosening.

These powerful intra-ligamental elevators are designed to make extractions less stressful.

in action, you can watch ArtCraft Dental’s how-to video at: 

Xpanders atraumatic elevators and TempOff temporary removing instrument enable clinicians to perform quick, easy, stress-free procedures.

ArtCraft Dental’s Instruments Designed to Make Temporary Crown Removing, Extractions More Efficient

Ivoclar’s latest product, Tetric EvoCeram Aligner, is a sculptable, fluorescent composite that is specially formulated for creating strong, durable composite attachments to support complex clear orthodontic aligner therapy.

It features optimized chemistry of the composite which makes it easily visible under UV light for precise initial placement and easy removal post therapy.The composite is simple to detect and differentiate from enamel.

Additionally, Ivoclar states the 76% filler content by weight of Tetric EvoCeram Aligner creates long-lasting solutions that are stable and abrasion resistant for the duration of the aligner treatment process. This ensures that the attachments can withstand the forces exterted during tooth movement and resist wear and tear over time.

Formulated to support patients’ demands for minimal visibility and clinicians’ needs to keep inventory at a minimum, Tetric EvoCeram Aligner is available in a single universal T shade said to exhibit high 15% translucency to ensure attachments blend with surrounding tooth structure.

Tetric EvoCeram Aligner, which is also suitable for the fixation of lingual retainers, is offered in a 3-gram syringe and .20g cavifil deliveries.

The company’s new sculptable fluorescent composite is formulated to create attachments to support clear orthodontic aligner therapy.


Ivoclar Unveils Tetric EvoCeram Aligner

Dental and medical device group Vatech has announced that it will be developing and incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) with the assistance of software company Ewoosoft and 3D CBCT AI company Eyes of AI. Together, these companies aim to enhance AI diagnostic capabilities, according to a press release from Vatech.

As Eyes of AI specializes in CBCT technology, Vatech will be able to harness clinical CBCT data to more accurately segment things like teeth, roots, and nerves, per the press release. With additional input from Ewoosoft’s x-ray image viewing capabilities, Vatech hopes to enhance diagnostic capabilities in the dental practice.

Eventually, Vatech aims to introduce virtual patients to better enhance care through training. Added to that, Vatech is also developing AI assistance for image noise reduction as well as image resolution enhancement.

“As a leading company in the global dental CT market, Vatech is accelerating the development and implementation of various AI technologies to enhance the accuracy of dental diagnosis and treatment convenience,” Head of Research at Vatech, Seong-il Choi said in the press release. “We aim to reduce the time spent on treatment preparation, enabling dentists to devote more time to improving the quality of dental treatment and services.”

Vatech will research and develop artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance dental diagnostics. 