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. 

GreenMark Receives NIH Funding for Regenerative Dental Treatment. Image credit: © GreenMark


GreenMark has announced that it’s received $200,000 in additional funding from the Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine (MPWRM) program through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This program, specifically created to develop regenerative medical and dental treatments, will provide support toward GreenMark as they develop approaches for the prevention of dental decay through mineralization.

Products such as CrystLCare™ from GreenMark and Dentulu aim to regenerate permanently, according to GreenMark CEO Steven Bloembergen, PhD.

“Rather than using sensitivity products that provide short-term relief, or common toothpastes that contain tiny ‘rocks’ of non-reactive, pre-formed crystals, this award is supporting the developing of CrystLCare Biorestorative products designed to deliver active mineral components to regenerate and restore.” Dr Bloembergen said in a press release from the company.

Sub-micron particles are directed to sites to break down natural salivary enzymes. In doing this, calcium and phosphate are released to “occlude porosities and dentinal tubules with in-situ generated apatite crystals,” per VP Technology for GreenMark and co-principal investigator of the award, Nathan Jones, MSc, PhD.

Not only does CrystLCare combat sensitivity, but it is also said to restore early-stage caries lesions, per the press release. GreenMark aims to address hypersensitivity, which is said to affect up to 74% of Americans as cited in the press release, according to Chief Dental Officer Arash Hakhamian, DDS.

“Our research shows promising signs that this innovative approach at mineralization of dentin and enamel will provide both patients and dentists new pathways for reducing sensitivity and caries,” Dr Hakhamian said in the press release. “Dentinal hypersensitivity can now be quickly and effectively addressed with our dissolvable sensitivity strips, including before and after procedures for teeth whitening and even porcelain veneers.”

CrystLCare is a biorestorative, fluoride-free product available now. To learn more about it, or GreenMark’s other products, visit the 

Articles

GreenMark has been awarded $200,000 in funding for its CrystLCare™ sensitivity- and caries-fighting dissolvable strips. 

GreenMark Receives NIH Funding for Regenerative Dental Treatment

Pro 2 from SprintRay

SprintRay Retainer

SprintRay Dental Model

New enhancements to the Intelligence Insurance platform from Overjet. 

Intelligence Insurance Enhancements from Overjet

Variolink® Esthetic Line Enhancements from Ivoclar

Ti2 from DEXIS

CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 from Kuraray Noritake Dental

CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal

All the latest dental product launches from May 13 – May 17, 2024. 

New Dental Products – May 13 - May 17, 2024

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.  

New FASTCheck15 In-Office Waterline Test Delivers Rapid, Reliable Verification of Dental Waterline Safety | Image Credit: © Sterisil

With a faster, better, economical process to make sure the water in dental practices is clean and safe, Sterisil® is hoping that its latest product launch will provide an easy, quick water treatment solution to ensure patient safety.

Sterisil, a leading provider of dental water safety solutions and a brand within the Solmetex® family, announced the launch and immediate availability of the FASTCheck15™ waterline test this week and showcased the product at the CDA Presents the Art + Science of Dentistry annual session in Anaheim, California.

Sterisil’s FASTCheck15™ is designed to help practices simplify the challenge of ensuring safe and clean water with speed, simplicity, and comprehensive support.

“We stepped back and said, ‘dentistry can do better with water safety,’” Scott Snyder, chief marketing officer, Solmetex, LLC, told 

at the company’s booth Friday morning at the Anaheim Convention Center. “We can do better with water treatment tests and it’s better for patients.”

FASTCheck15 offers rapid, reliable results—delivering accurate results in just 15 minutes, unlike currently available testing methods which require mailing samples to a lab or in-office tests that can take days. Snyder says the process is like the simple COVID tests that became popular during the pandemic.

The easy-to-read test strip eliminates potential for interpretation error, with 1 line indicating a passed test and 2 lines signaling a failed result. Other tests currently available can be difficult to interpret, can take much more time to deliver results, and cost more, Snyder says.

The New FASTCheck15 In-Office Waterline Test was unveiled at the CDA, May 16-18, 2024. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff

The new test costs about half as much as paddle tests and only a fraction compared to lab tests, effectively removing the financial barrier that may prevent practices from testing regularly. “We want people to use it,” Snyder explains. “If you do this monthly you form a safety habit. The process needs to be easy for the dental assistants. They want everything to be safe for the patients.”

FASTCheck15 is backed by Sterisil’s Water Safety Team and the Solmetex® My Solutions Center, which provides dental practices with the resources they need to meet regulatory requirements. The flexible system can be used any day of the week, rather than being limited to certain days of the week to get mail-in lab test results during operating hours.

“In today’s modern, fast-paced dental practices, efficiency and patient safety are of the utmost importance,” Chanda Chatham, marketing director at Solmetex, adds in a press release this week. “FASTCheck15 addresses these critical needs by delivering accurate results in just 15 minutes. This rapid turnaround enables immediate action if warranted, or to promptly resume treating patients with the confidence that their water is safe for patients.”

The in-office water test is an essential component of the company’s comprehensive Sterisil® SafeWater Protocol, which seamlessly integrates with the broader Solmetex® System of Solutions to provide complete dental unit waterline (DUWL) management.

In February 2023 at the CDS Midwinter Meeting, the company launched the Solmetex System of Water Solutions consisting of a portfolio of products and services offered by the Sterisil and DryShield brands, as well as a complementary line of Solmetex products marketed under the PowerScrub, DryShield, Sterisil, and NXT brands. The system employs proven silver-based water treatment designed to deliver an odor-free and taste-free class-leading level of purity to the water coming into the dental office from the local water supply. The system also provides efficiency in testing and maintenance, the NXT Hg5 Amalgam Separator, and the DXT DryVac tankless dry vacuum that delivers savings to practices by using less water.

Together, these solutions ensure that dental practices can consistently deliver safe, compliant water to patients. For more information about FASTCheck15™ and the Solmetex® System of Solutions, go to 

Sterisil launches new water treatment solution at CDA designed to allow practices to easily, economically test waterlines and ensure safety.


New FASTCheck15 In-Office Waterline Test Delivers Rapid, Reliable Verification of Dental Waterline Safety

Dental Leaders Testify Before Senate HELP Committee on Dental Care Crisis. Image credit: © doganmesut - stock.adobe.com


The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont.) and Ranking Member Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-Louisiana), convened to address the dental care crisis in America, focusing on affordability and accessibility. Gordon R. Isbell III, DMD, MAGD, a member of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and a seasoned general dentist from Gadsden, Alabama, testified before HELP with a testimony focused on the significant issues surrounding the delivery and access to oral health care in the United States. His appearance before the committee precedes the AGD's annual Hill Day, during which members from across the country will converge on Capitol Hill to advocate for dental health issues.

In his address to the committee, Dr Isbell emphasized the critical link between dental care and overall health, pointing out the existing inequities in access to dental services. "Research continues to highlight the importance of dental care to overall well-being, but also shows the inequities in access to dental care," he stated. He urged the committee to protect the private practice of dentistry while finding solutions to improve access. "We must ensure that the private practice of dentistry is protected and that in our efforts to find solutions to common problems, we do not diminish the care we provide, make it harder to enter into and survive in private dental practice, or dilute the level of services that only fully trained and licensed dentists can and should provide," he added.

Dr Isbell highlighted 4 priority areas the AGD is urging Congress to address: supporting an increased workforce in dentistry (Action on Dental Health Act); promoting equitable relationships between dentists and insurers (Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act); including AGD as an approved provider of opioid training (Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act); and promoting oral health literacy (Oral Health Literacy Act).

The significance of these priorities is underscored by the alarming statistics shared by Dr Isbell. Oral health-related illnesses lead to 6.1 million days of bed disability, 12.7 million days of restricted activity, and 20.5 million lost workdays annually in the United States, per numbers cited by Dr Isbell.

Additionally, Dr Myechia Minter-Jordan, President and CEO of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, also testified, highlighting the stark reality that nearly 70 million adults and nearly 8 million children in the U.S. lack dental insurance. This coverage gap exacerbates the oral health crisis, leading many to forgo essential dental care. “It’s up to all of us to create a more accessible, equitable, and integrated health care system that includes oral health.” Dr Minter-Jordan said during the hearing.

Senator Sanders emphasized the urgency of the crisis, noting the high cost of dental care, the shortage of dental professionals, and the lack of access in rural areas. He pointed out that only a small percentage of dentists accept Medicaid, leaving the most vulnerable without necessary dental care. Sanders stated, "In America today we have a dental crisis that we have got to address...One out of five seniors in our country are missing all of their natural teeth. Over 40% of children in America have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten. And about half of Americans with dental insurance skip getting the dental care they need because they cannot afford it. That is unacceptable and has got to change."

The hearing underscored the interconnectedness of oral health with overall health, noting correlations between oral health and conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The hearing also spotlighted the disproportionate impact of the dental care crisis on low-income individuals, older adults, people with disabilities, rural communities, and racial and ethnic minorities.

As the AGD prepares for its Hill Day, the testimonies of Dr Isbell and other health leaders like Dr Minter-Jordan emphasize the pressing need for legislative action to improve dental care access and affordability, thereby enhancing the overall health and well-being of Americans.

Dental thought leaders have convened before Washington to attest for the need to expand dental care and make it more accessible across the U.S.

Dental Leaders Testify Before Senate HELP Committee on Dental Care Crisis

A bite-sized look at all the latest dental product launches. This week's episode features products from Glidewell, uLab Systems, and Grin. 

Product Bites – May 17, 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, DPR Editor Kellie Nock, and on this week’s podcast we’ve got 4 new products with launches from Glidewell, uLab Systems, and Grin.

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

Let's kick things off with a new addition to Glidewell's arsenal: the Silent Nite® 3D Sleep Appliance. This device, fully digital and 3D-printed, aims to optimize the way we address snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Crafted from durable light-cured resin, the Silent Nite 3D gently shifts the mandible forward, effectively preventing airway collapse during sleep. What's more, its customizable nylon connectors ensure both efficacy and patient comfort, with adjustability in 0.5mm increments over a 10mm span.

And that's not the only new Glidewell product on the docket today. They've also teamed up with ProMonitoring™ to unveil Glidewell Clear Aligners: Powered by ProMonitoring. This comprehensive solution empowers general practitioners to prescribe clear aligners with ease, thanks to ProMonitoring's artificial intelligence-driven software platform. With exclusive pricing and benefits, this partnership promises precise orthodontic care without the hassle.

Shifting gears, uLab Systems® introduces uDesign 9, a new software for orthodontists. This AI-assisted software amplifies treatment planning capabilities, offering enhancements for bite ramps, attachments, and more. Plus, a new purchase option streamlines bracket cases with aligners, ensuring optimal results from start to finish.

Lastly, we have the Grin 3D Tx Tracker™. Designed to optimize treatment progress tracking, this tool provides unparalleled insights for orthodontic practitioners. With real-time analysis and tooth-by-tooth comparisons, clinicians can refine treatment strategies, reduce durations, and elevate patient experiences.

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

Vyne Dental Introduces New Self-Service Tools to Minimize Disruption. Image credit: © Vyne Dental


Revenue and communications platform Vyne Dental has fast-tracked its latest digital self-service experience. This service enables practices to take ownership of onboarding, implementation, and training, per a press release from Vyne Dental. It was done to minimize disruption such as the one that occurred with the Change Healthcare data breach earlier in 2024, per the press release.

“While Vyne Dental and our customers were not directly impacted by the cyber incident, we immediately sprang into action to support our industry and our partners, as well as the broader network of practices that rely on their solutions,” CEO for Vyne, Steve Roberts said in the press release. “Our top priority was to ensure dental practices nationwide could continue delivering their best care, even in the face of this unprecedented financial challenge.” 

Vyne Dental customers will also now benefit from an array of educational resources to assist in this self-service transition, including webinars and online training courses. Vyne has reportedly added new staff to assist in this journey, enhanced its call routing processes for the support team, and grown its digital resources.

“We acknowledge that some customers experienced support delays as we brought so many new customers on board,” Roberts said in the press release. “We wish to express our profound gratitude to all customers for their patience and understanding as we innovated new solutions in response to the crisis. Rest assured that any disruption to the level of service Vyne Dental is known for was temporary. Our commitment to a superior customer experience remains steadfast."

Vyne Dental’s new digital self-service experience aims to minimize disruption in daily workflows, putting the power in the practitioners' hands with resources to support this transition.

Vyne Dental Introduces New Self-Service Tools to Minimize Disruption

The 2024 version of CDA Presents The Art + Science of Dentistry kicked off Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff

The 2024 version of CDA Presents The Art + Science of Dentistry kicked off Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center with more of what the industry has come to expect from the annual event—new product launches and product demonstrations, great educational courses, plenty of receptions, networking opportunities, and more.

The traffic on the trade show floor had many smiling as attendees shopped and looked to see what’s new in terms of products and technologies.

Attendees checked out latest dental technologies and services and talked with experts helping them find the right products to best fit their business needs. CDA runs through Saturday, with the Exhibit Hall opening 9:30 am each day. As activities at the hall wrapped up Thursday, the Dental Trade Alliance hosted one of several receptions planned for the week in Anaheim.

Several manufacturers are unveiling new products at CDA with others planned to be launched in the coming months.

Here’s just a brief snapshot of some of the happenings.

• Joe Persichetti, head of healthcare business banking, at U.S. Bank, and Suzanne Widing, National Healthcare Strategy Executive for U.S. Bank, met with 

to talk about the latest solutions designed to assist clinicians with loans. The healthcare bankers specialize in dental and medical finance with a variety of business banking solutions for healthcare professionals.

Kristen Smith demonstrates some of the features of Curve Dental's cloud-based software. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff

• Curve Dental demonstrated some of the features of its SuperHero all-in-one practice management software at their booth on Thursday. The comprehensive software features Curve GRO patient engagement benefits and anywhere, anytime software access.

Mark Blount, vice president of marketing at Curve Dental, said the company is in the process of rolling out a new mobile app. The software solution also is already involved in artificial intelligence (AI) after teaming up with Pearl last year to offer Pearl’s Second Opinion®disease detection capabilities within SuperHero. This direct integration allows SuperHero users to use these AI clinical capabilities right in their PMS.

• Among the many dental instruments being showcased at the Nordent Instruments booth (#2330) included a newly launched set of original Hartzell Cone Socket Scalers and Curettes.

Carl Burton was excited to announce that the popular brand of instruments was behind this new line. Nordent partnered with Andy McIver-Hartzell to reintroduce these iconic instrument designs now backed by the company's quality manufacturing processes.

Carl Burton shows off a new line of Hartzell dental instruments at the Nordent Instruments booth on Thursday. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff


The trade show floor was not the only place with plenty of things going on inside the Anaheim Convention Center. A full slate of CE courses began on Thursday and run through Saturday. CDA Learning Tracks are available to help attendees choose from several courses and workshops that are tailored to their role or learning interests. 

Click here for more on the Learning Tracks

 which take place on Friday and Saturday, with an emphasis on the Dental Team, Hygiene, and Early Career Dentists. Topics include understanding composites, communicating with your team, Rock Star Dental Assistant, Oral Cancer, and more.

CDA’s new interactive, full-day Dental Team Summit takes place on Friday. Breakouts are tailored to dentists, practice leaders, office managers, and front- and back-office team members.

Look for more product launches and news from CDA later this week at 

First day of the annual event in Anaheim filled with plenty of excitement around product introductions.


Product Launches, Education at Center Stage at CDA

Richard Young, DDS, tells attendees at the reception what he likes most about the 2 newest materials from Kuraray Noritake. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff

Kuraray Noritake Dental unveiled a pair of new products in its CLEARFIL dental materials line this week and Friday night at a reception at the CDA Presents the Art + Science of Dentistry, Richard Young, DDS, showed off a number of impressive cases he performed using CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2.

Dr Young, a very early adopter of advanced bonding techniques, is an Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry at Loma Linda University in the under graduate dental esthetics program, and practice management courses. At Friday’s event in Anaheim, he explained how the new high-viscosity universal flowable composite and single-bottle adhesive allow him to perform restoratives procedures with confidence.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal is a high-viscosity material featuring a unique light-diffusion filler matrix said to allow a single shade to blend in with tooth shades across the entire spectrum of the 16 VITA classical shades. The formulation is designed to approximate the light-diffusion properties of natural tooth structure.

Kuraray America's Dinesh Weerasinghe, PhD, senior technical and marketing manager, dental division, discusses the product launches Friday night at the CDA. | Image Credit: © Stan Goff

Dinesh Weerasinghe, PhD, senior technical and marketing manager, dental division, Kuraray America, introduced Dr Young at Friday’s launch reception but not before his presentation highlighted several breakthrough products that the company has developed over the years, many of which changed the way clinicians treat patients and many which changed the capabilities of bonding.

Weerasinghe explained the vast research and development, along with testing and clinician feedback that takes place before any new Kuraray product hits the market.

Both CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 build on the company’s previous advancements in dental material development with a focus on providing solutions that are easy to use while also delivering great physical and esthetic outcomes.

Dr Young added that the new CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 represents the next generation of adhesive dentistry. The adhesive is suited for use with a range of direct and indirect restorative approaches including light-cured composites, and self-adhesive cements. He shared a variety of cases where patients were treated with the two new products with great results, some cases of which his colleague friends didn’t think were possible.

When used with self-adhesive resin cements, a separate activator is not needed for CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2. Both Dr Young and Weerasinghe added that the new adhesive simplifies the bonding process with benefits that include enhancements in application time, film thickness, and bond layer uniformity.

Richard Young, DDS, explains what he likes most about CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 during Friday’s presentation.

Kuraray Noritake Dental Unveils 2 New Products at CDA Reception

The latest CLEARFIL dental materials from Kuraray Noritake Dental are a high-viscosity universal flowable composite and a single-bottle adhesive.

Both CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 build on the company’s previous advancements in dental material development with a focus on providing solutions that are simple for clinicians to use while achieving the desired physical and esthetic outcomes.

Described in a press release as a versatile flowable material that provides durable and esthetic outcomes, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal is a high-viscosity material featuring a unique light-diffusion filler matrix said to allow a single shade to blend in with tooth shades across the entire spectrum of the 16 VITA classical shades. The formulation is designed to approximate the light-diffusion properties of natural tooth structure. This allows restorations fabricated with the material to blend into the surrounding dentition.

The material is suited for use in both the posterior and anterior regions. A single Universal shade is all that is needed for posterior restorations, while an additional shade, Universal Dark, is available for use in the anterior.

“CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal represents a major advancement in flowable composite technology,” says Dinesh Weerasinghe, PhD, senior technical and marketing manager, dental division, Kuraray America in a press release. “By combining superior physical properties with unparalleled esthetics, this material simplifies the restorative process while delivering results that are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth. This allows CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal to be used as a direct restorative material indicated for all cavity classes.”

Formulated from a custom blend of the 10-Methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) monomer originally developed by Kuraray Noritake, along with Amide, and Urethane Tetramethacrylate (UTM), CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 is a single-bottle adhesive system that can be applied quickly, without the need for an activation step. The adhesive forms an immediate bond to both dentin and enamel while also creating a thin, uniform adhesive layer that avoids pooling, which allows for stronger, more consistent bonds.

CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 is suited for use with a range of direct and indirect restorative approaches including light-cured composites, and self-adhesive cements. When used with self-adhesive resin cements, a separate activator is not needed.

The adhesive is available in either bottle or unit-dose delivery solutions, allowing individual practices to stock their preferred adhesive format.

“CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 represents the next generation of adhesive dentistry,” says Weerasinghe in a press release. “By addressing common challenges like application time, film thickness, and bond layer uniformity, this product delivers exceptional performance that simplifies the bonding process for clinicians.”

CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 are designed to help clinicians efficiently create and place esthetic, durable dental restorations.

Kuraray Noritake Dental Expands CLEARFIL Product Line With New Flowable Composite and Universal Adhesive

DEXIS has announced its successor to the DEXIS Titanium Sensor, with the new Ti2 intraoral sensor. This sensor introduces a variety of new features including a more durable housing design; a reportedly proactive servicing module; and access to 2D artificial intelligence (AI) dental findings. The 2D AI Dental Findings with DEXIS can automatically detect periapical radiolucency, bone loss, calculus, caries, margin discrepancy, and root canal filling deficiencies on radiographs, per a press release from DEXIS. This is integrated into DTX™ Studio Clinic as well as the DEXIS Imaging Suite software.

The new durable housing is said to be 2-times as drop-resistant as the original Titanium sensor, featuring a new posterior holder as well as the trademarked WiseAngle™ cable design. The sensor itself is also equipped with PerfectSize™ technology to ensure comfort for each patient.

These features are all designed to minimize stress on the connection between the sensor and cable, per the press release. DEXIS has also incorporated DEXIS Connect Pro to monitor sensors regularly, arranging for maintenance and support as needed. This has been a huge boon for clinicians like Amber Metro-Sanchez, a hygienist at Omni Dental practice.

“DEXIS Connect Pro provides the kind of customer experience I’ve come to expect from DEXIS,” Metro-Sanchez said in the press release. “The knowledge that my sensor communicates with DEXIS support and that they’re ready to help me if I ever need it gives me peace of mind. They’ve always been so responsive and helpful, DEXIS Connect Pro demonstrates the kind of attention to customer care and continuous innovation I’ve grown accustomed to with DEXIS.”

Ti2 harnesses CleanCapture™ technology to reduce noise and enhance detail when it captures images. This feature reportedly minimizes visual errors through its ability to adjust to a variety of circumstances during image capture.

To learn more about this new sensor, visit DEXIS’s 

This new intraoral sensor from DEXIS houses multiple features that improve upon the company’s original Titanium Sensor.