Dr. Jennifer Bell is a native of Lexington, North Carolina. She earned her undergraduate and dental graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, she completed the advanced education in general dentistry program at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Fayetteville, NC.

In 2010, Dr. Bell along with her business partner started a general dentistry practice in Holly Springs, NC. They opened their second practice in Angier, NC in 2017. Their practices treat all ages and the complexity of cases. Her main interests include rehabilitation cases, complex prosthodontic cases, laser dentistry, and sleep disorders.

Dr. Bell has earned a fellowship from the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) where she has served the North Carolina state chapter as president, committee chair, national delegate, and most recently as executive director. In addition to her work with the AGD, Dr. Bell is an active member in the American Dental Association, the North Carolina Dental Society, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and a fellow in the International College of Dentists. In March 2018, she will graduate from the Kois Continuum. Outside of dentistry, Dr. Bell is active with Kiwanis International and other local philanthropic organizations in her community.

Jennifer Bell, DDS

With new and innovative approaches to dental treatment and practice management being introduced all the time, dental professionals face a challenge when it comes to trying everything and staying up to date. Fortunately, no dental professional faces this challenge on their own. Learn and stay on top of the latest in dentistry with this annual collection of advice from across the industry.

Smooth Transitions

A New Twist on an Established Material

Use Tints to Elevate Single-Shade Composites to High Esthetics

No more “Watch & Wait” with Silver Diamine Fluoride

How best to advance care for treatment of dental hypersensitivity and promote dental health

A New Adjunct Treatment for Periodontal Infections

Achieving Optimal Marginal Integrity With a New Lithium Disilicate Block

Increase Clinical Efficiency With Two Instruments in One Hand

Point-of-Care Testing for Personalized Patient Care

What I Wish Every Dental Professional Knew About Whitening

Unlock Workflow Efficiency by Optimizing Suction Line Health

Making X-ray Aiming Easy

Enhance Your Oral Health Assessments With Fluorescence Technology

Esthetic Enameloplasty With Clear Aligner Treatment

Streamlining Care Through Wireless Innovation

Revolutionizing Case Acceptance and Financial Management in Dental Practices

Instrumental Precision Redefined

Invest in Cutting-Edge Dental Management Software to Transform Your Dental Practice

Increasing Restoration Accuracy With Chairside Milling

Automate Your Front Desk Workflows and Improve Efficiency

Finding the Perfect Mix to Help Perio Patients at Home

Technique Touch-Ups 2024

Articles

Dental professionals throughout the industry share their favorite new workflows, technologies, materials, and more.

Most dentists and team members give little thought to the value of the curing light. Our expectations center mostly around it being predictable and providing consistent results every time. Thank goodness manufacturers are always looking for ways to improve our clinical experiences and outcomes.

Vista Apex has developed the new PinkWave™ curing light for the dental market using QuadWave™ technology. The QuadWave refers to ultraviolet, blue, red, and near-infrared light waves delivered simultaneously in a collimated beam. This innovation decreases material shrinkage while increasing polymerization to an 8.5-mm depth of cure. The PinkWave QuadWave curing light offers multiple modes, including standard, boost, ramp, and transillumination.

Vista Apex’s PinkWave with QuadWave curing light is shaking up the way clinicians think about curing dental materials. Eleven Catapult evaluators were asked to review the new curing light over several weeks and provide feedback on how it is revolutionizing the curing light market.

The PinkWave was designed to enhance the efficiency of curing procedures and features a built-in transilluminator to allow clinicians to check for cracks or caries. With its patented QuadWave™ technology, it has 4 different wavelengths: ultraviolet photoinitiators, CQ initiators, enhanced polymerization, and near-infrared (NIR) enhanced polymerization. It decreases shrinkage of the materials, resulting in a better restoration.

To deliver high-quality patient outcomes in an efficient and productive manner, clinicians must choose equipment that supports the style and productivity of their practice. The clinicians were asked to evaluate the ergonomics, ease of use, size and weight of the unit, reduction in postoperative sensitivity, and potential reduction in composite shrinkage. Of the evaluators surveyed, the overwhelming response to the PinkWave curing light was favorable.

Most notably, clinicians were positive about its ergonomics, reduction in composite shrinkage, size of the unit, and absence of postoperative discomfort of restorations following use of the curing light. High positivity was expressed in the ergonomics and size of the light (greater than 80% of evaluators responded with highly agree or agree). One evaluator commented, “Staff absolutely loves the feel and comfort of the unit!”

Although the evaluators were overwhelmingly positive about the size and weight of the unit, they noted that the most important feature of the curing light would be decreasing polymerization shrinkage. The evaluators seemed slightly indifferent to the other features of the unit, including the various modes of curing. In fact, 100% of the evaluators commented that the 10- to 20-second cure is the most common use of a curing light and therefore the ramp and boost modes, although nice features to have, would be seldom deployed in clinical settings. However, the transillumination feature was very appealing to several clinicians.

Catapult is an organization that consists of more than 50 clinicians spread throughout Canada and the United States. As a company, manufacturers pay a fee for their product to be evaluated and what we deliver are truthful, independent answers from surveys that we develop with them. We have had many products that have either had to be altered before hitting the market or simply never arrived because of our openly honest evaluations. In this way, Catapult assists the manufacturer to avoid potentially releasing a faulty product, or simply a product that needs refinement. Lastly our clients are omnipresent in the industry, small to large, no favoritism, simply reviewing the latest products in our practices.

Overall, the Catapult evaluators were enthusiastic about the PinkWave QuadWave curing light from Vista Apex. The attractive, efficient product definitely has the coolness factor for your staff and patients. From a scientific standpoint, Vista Apex’s data supports less polymerization shrinkage and less postoperative discomfort. Although the evaluators were not asked to comment about the QuadWave technology specifically, 1 evaluator noted the advantage of having multiple wavelengths in a single beam as “it helps alleviate the concerns of a photoinitiator being outside of the light’s capability.”

Catapult evaluators give the Catapult Vote of Confidence to the new PinkWave curing light from Vista Apex.

With a coolness factor and great results, the PinkWave curing light from Vista Apex gets good reviews from Catapult.

Curing Composites Just Became More Interesting

Although digital impressions have become more commonplace in dentistry, most dentists still require a predictable and high-quality polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression material in their armamentarium. We all know that sometimes our technology does not cooperate, or we simply cannot get a digital impression to deliver the best results. In addition, many clinicians have not made the shift to digital scanning for impressions. At the end of the day, analog systems such as PVS impressions remain a reliable method for capturing information in the mouth when our digital systems fail us.

This cordless, portable dispenser delivers void-free tray material with just a press of a button. The PowerMix is designed to fill an arch tray in just 10 to 15 seconds without hand pumping, which is said to reduce hand fatigue. The PowerMix features a 120-mL cartridge, reducing residual material. Its lightweight design has a small footprint stand for both storage and dispensing. Fully charged, it can dispense eight 120-mL cartridges or 24 full arch impressions.

For that reason, reviewing and evaluating PVS options gives us opportunities to improve the accuracy of our impressions. In a recent survey following a clinical evaluation of the PowerMix Automatic Impression Material Dispenser from Clinician’s Choice®, 7 Catapult Education evaluators identified numerous advantages when using the PowerMix dispenser. When asked to choose the unit’s most desirable qualities, evaluators highlighted its ease of use (weighted average: 4.57), convenience (weighted average: 4.14), and speed of dispensing (weighted average: 4.00) as their top priorities. Because clinicians need a variety of options to resolve any challenging clinical situation, most would prefer a PVS system such as the PowerMix that has these qualities but also decreases waste and keeps overhead low.

In order to deliver high-quality patient outcomes in an efficient and productive manner, clinicians must choose materials that support the style and productivity of their practice. Catapult evaluators were provided samples of the PowerMix Automatic Impression Material Dispenser and a variety of PVS materials designed for the unit. The PowerMix is a portable PVS dispensing system that can either be used handheld or on a stand. The unit specifically uses 120-mL cartridges for dispensing as opposed to the standard 50-mL cartridges commonly associated with PVS materials. The evaluators found the larger cartridges were a significant advantage of this product over other dispensing guns and mixers, and this feature received a 100% positivity rating. The larger cartridges allowed for more dentistry to be completed before cartridges needed to be changed. The selection of 120-mL size was intentional by the manufacturer, as it aims to reduce wasted residual material in the cartridge at the end of its use and limit the number of times the cartridge must be changed. As noted before, clinicians must continue to find ways to maintain a manageable overhead while using products that improve efficiency, productivity, and predictability. The Catapult evaluators believe the PowerMix fits that description perfectly, and 100% surveyed would likely recommend this product to their colleagues.

An additional purpose of this evaluation was to garner feedback on several PVS materials offered by Clinician’s Choice for the PowerMix Automatic Impression Material Dispenser. To assess the performance of the PVS samples, each evaluator used the different options in clinical situations reflective of their normal indications. The first product reviewed was Clinician’s Choice CounterFit™ II Multi-Purpose Replication Silicone. This product is an alginate substitute material that has the benefits of low-cost, quick alginate-type impressions but includes the additional benefits of delayed and multiple pours similar to traditional PVS impressions (Figure 1). Of the evaluators surveyed, most would prefer this type of material for study models (weighted average: 5.71), opposing arch impressions (weighted average: 5.14), matrices for provisional restorations (weighted average: 4.86), bleaching trays (weighted average: 4.50), TMJ splints (weighted average: 4.00), and athletic mouth guards (weighted average: 3.00). Most of the evaluators did not feel a second pour of the material was necessary as the impressions were of a higher quality than traditional alginate impressions. When a second pour was required, it was due to needing multiple casts for a case as opposed to correcting a bad initial pour. All of the evaluators also reported an absence of pulls and drags in the material.

Clinicians were then given a second material to consider in their practice. Template® Ultra Quick Matrix Material, which is also dispensed by the PowerMix, was used for temporary crown templates, lingual matrices for anterior restorations, wax-up transfers to patients’ mouths, and temporary veneer restorations (Figure 2). Only 5 of the 7 evaluators tested Template Ultra Quick Matrix Material in their office during the evaluation period. Most notably, those evaluators highlighted excellent detail, quick set times, and accuracy as their reasons for using this product in their offices. One evaluator even stated it was the “best on the market.” Use of Template, combined with the PowerMix dispenser, led to a favorable response from the evaluators, citing its simplicity of use and the decreased incidence of voids. The lack of voids resulting in a smooth impression is critical for its use as a lingual template for anterior restorations. It is also important to note the evaluators touted the benefits of the larger cartridges in providing fast, yet economical impressions because of the larger size. Even for evaluators who are using digital scanning technologies for in-office milling of restorations, Template Ultra Quick Matrix Material provided a quick, inexpensive, and predictable way to capture a preoperative impression of the tooth in the event same-day dentistry could not be achieved.

Finally, evaluators were asked to review the Affinity™ InFlex and Heavy Body Impression Materials dispensed through the PowerMix unit. It is important to note that all of the evaluators were not currently using this product in their practice. The evaluators were surveyed on what advantages they noted by using Affinity PVS through the PowerMix unit compared with their current PVS materials. The evaluators highlighted several perceived advantages with the material, including blending of light and heavy body PVS materials (57%), improved flow (43%), rigidity (43%), and improved setting time (43%).

The survey results suggest that among those clinicians utilizing PVS materials in their practice, the PowerMix dispensing technology and associated PVS materials by Clinician’s Choice stand out as a preferred brand based on value, quality, predictability, and ease of use. In my own practice, I saw the immediate gratification of offering the PowerMix to my assistants. They loved using the unit and felt greater job satisfaction when their impressions were consistently of high quality. Even with digital impression techniques gaining traction in dentistry, clinicians need a high-quality PVS impression material in their supply closet. That is why the PowerMix by Clinician’s Choice has received the Catapult vote of confidence.

Catapult evaluators find improved delivery with the PowerMix™ Automatic Impression Material Dispenser.

Dispenser Delivers High-Quality PVS Impressions And Predictable Results

	Diamond burs are used by dentists in all facets of dentistry and are an essential part of daily practice. Dentists will utilize numerous styles, grits, and shapes of diamond burs throughout their career while performing restorative dentistry.
	
	In a recent survey following a clinical evaluation of Two Striper diamond burs from Premier Dental Company, 27 Catapult Education Evaluators identified many of their top attributes when selecting diamond burs. The evaluators highlighted “speed of cutting” (77.8 percent), “variety of shapes” (66.7 percent) and “price” (55.6 percent) as their top priorities when considering a bur purchase. Consideration was also given to “variety of grits” (55.5 percent), “feel and handling” (51.9 percent), “lack of vibration or chatter” (48.1 percent) and “bur longevity” (37 percent).


	In today’s competitive environment, clinicians are showing strong preference towards speed and price to help manage overhead costs and decrease required chair time for procedures. The preferences towards varieties of shape and grit also note the need for predictability of procedures while managing overhead costs.
	
	In order to deliver high-quality patient outcomes in an efficient and productive manner, clinicians must choose diamond burs that support the style and productivity of their practice. After evaluating the various properties of multiple types of diamond burs, a clinician will undoubtedly develop a preference. 
	
	Catapult Evaluators were provided samples of Two Striper diamond burs. Two Striper burs are leading the industry with the development of faster, longer lasting, cooler cutting technology in their diamond burs. Two Striper burs feature a proprietary P.B.S. brazing process for all their diamonds to bond natural diamond crystals to the shank of the bur. This bonding process ensures diamond crystals do not fall off the shank during clinical procedures.
	
	The purpose of this evaluation was to garner feedback on performance, longevity, and the cutting quality of Two Striper diamond burs compared to the other brands each clinician has used.


	To assess the performance of the Two Striper diamond burs, each clinician was asked to compare the speed of cutting to other brands they have used; 74.1 percent of respondents rated Two Striper faster while 25.9 percent responded, “about the same.”
	
	Next, to determine if Two Striper lasts longer than other brands, the participant dentists were asked, “How long did Two Striper remain an effective rotary cutting tool compared to other brands you have used?” While 26.9 percent reported similar bur longevity compared to other brands, 73.1 percent of the dentists surveyed responded that Two Striper burs lasted longer with 34.6 percent noting they “last much longer.”


	Lastly, the dentists were asked about the quality of Two Striper burs by assessing cutting control and precision compared to other brands they have used, and 59.3 percent felt they created more precise cuts while also being more controllable than other brands. Overall, more than 85 percent of Catapult Evaluators would consider incorporating Two Striper burs into their practice.
	
	

The results from the survey suggest the Two Striper diamond burs stand out amongst its competitors as a preferred brand based on value, quality, predictability, and options. It is clear from the results of the survey that Two Striper diamond burs offer high-quality, predictably fast, and comfortable diamond burs that win high marks with the general dentists surveyed, and Catapult Education is pleased to give them its Catapult Vote of Confidence.

The Two Striper diamond bur is unique due to its two stripes. It’s manufactured by a patented bonding technology that brazes natural diamond crystals into the instrument’s shank, chemically bonding the crystals to the surgical stainless steel and preventing the loss or peeling of diamond particles. P.B.S. bonding maximizes the exposure of diamond cutting, especially at the tip and upper circumference of the instrument where the cutting load is focused.
	
	

Catapult is an organization that consists of more than 50 clinicians spread throughout Canada and the United States. As a company, manufacturers pay a fee for their product to be evaluated and what we deliver are truthful, independent answers from surveys that we develop with them. We have had many products that have either had to be altered before hitting the market or simply never arrived because of our openly honest evaluations. In this way, Catapult assists the manufacturer to avoid potentially releasing a faulty product or simply a product that needs refinement. Lastly our clients are omnipresent in the industry, small to large, no favoritism, simply reviewing the latest products in our practices.

Catapult Education Educators find high-quality diamond burs in the Two Striper® product line.