Noah Levine

Ideal for any dental practice seeking a versatile, high-viscosity flowable composite for both anterior and posterior restorations.

Use CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal whenever a direct restorative material is needed for cavity Classes I, II, III, IV, and V, as well as for cervical lesions and intraoral repairs.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal offers exceptional esthetics and outstanding physical properties. It features a unique light-diffusion filler matrix that allows a single universal shade to cover 16 VITA classical shades, blending seamlessly with a wide range of tooth shades. This technology mimics natural tooth structure, ensuring restorations integrate beautifully into surrounding dentition. With a 152 MPa flexural strength and easy handling, it provides predictable and strong results. The material’s high viscosity makes it suitable for building up molar cusps and ridges, and its low flowability retains the given shape, adapting to specific needs.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow Universal utilizes advanced Light-Diffusion Technology (LDT) for natural blending and seamless integration with tooth structure. It is available in one universal shade for posterior restorations and two shades (U and UD) for anterior restorations. The material’s submicron and cluster fillers allow for easy polishing and a long-lasting gloss finish. The product’s design reduces air bubble formation and ensures superior handling characteristics.

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Achieve superior esthetics and strength with this versatile flowable composite for all restorations.

5Ws: CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal

Most innovative technologies take time to find their way into a majority of dental practices, as dental professionals want to see what will truly work, and what is nothing but marketing buzz and bluster. Find out which dental technologies are winning over the industry and which are seen as over-hyped as we present the results of the 2024 

In general, how would you describe yourself in terms of incorporating new technologies into your practice?

The results here are on par with previous years, but fans of assuring a return on their technology investments grew at the expense of the dreamers and the impulse shoppers. In fact, while the researchers have remained in the majority through every Technology Census, this is the lowest total we’ve recorded for either the dreamers or the impulse shoppers.

Technologies in Practices and in Future Plans

Rate the following technologies based on the options listed below.

The movement toward digital dentistry being the norm is apparent in these numbers, especially when it comes to 3D imaging solutions. The number of practices using their own CBCT systems and intraoral scanners continues to grow year over year. While chairside mills seem to have lost some of their appeal, 3D printers saw growing adoption and interest. Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions also saw a rapid adoption. The number of practices using these automated computing solutions almost doubled year over year, and stands out with more than one-third of practices planning to add the technology in the next 12 months. All-tissue lasers and operating microscopes continue to occupy a similar niche, and the only technology losing space in practices seems to be the aerosol mitigation solutions that saw quick adoption during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Technology Shaping the Future of Dentistry

What technology has the biggest potential to impact dentistry’s future?

The almost even 3-way spilt of these results shows that there is no consensus about the technology that will drive dentistry in the future. While development in 3D printing, regenerative materials, and AI is moving rapidly, all 3 technologies are likely to make a big impact on what dentists can do to care for their patients in the future.

In this case there is a clear frontrunner. Dental practices are certainly adopting AI technologies, and dental professionals see the potential in these technologies, but they also see plenty of bluster. Both in dentistry and in the wider world, AI seems to be everywhere these days, and maybe that’s a little too much AI for everyone to handle.

Rate the following technologies on their potential to provide a strong return on investment for your practice. 

(1 = least return on investment, 5 = most return on investment)

When it comes to a technology being worth the price paid for the tech, the most commonly used devices were rated as having the highest return on the investment. Loupes, curing lights, and digital x-ray systems topped the rankings, with intraoral cameras and intraoral scanners close behind. Other digital imaging and practice management solutions also provide value to a practice. The ROI on AI solutions was in the lower end of the rankings, while digital shade matching solutions and all-tissue lasers were seen as providing the least value to a practice’s bottom line.

Rate the following technologies on how much you believe your patients expect its use in your practice. 

(1 = patients do not care, 5 = patients expect this technology)

While many practices put their technology investments front and center for patients to see, most clinicians do not feel patients have high technology expectations when they come in for dental care. Once again digital x-rays proved to be the technology at the top of the rankings, with other digital technologies following closely behind. While clinicians believe some patients expect to see loupes on their dentist and hygienist, few believe they expect clinicians to work under a microscope.

Every year Dental Products Report surveys our audience to see what technologies are making the biggest impact on the way dental practices operate and the care they provide to patients.

High Tech Takeover: The 2024 Dental Products Report® Technology Census reveals the start of the industry’s true shift to digital solutions

Every dental practice looking for a simplified, high-performance adhesive for a wide range of restorative procedures.

Whenever a bonding agent is required for direct restorations using light-cured composite resin, sealing prepared cavities, treating hypersensitive teeth, or cementing indirect restorations.

CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 simplifies the bonding process while delivering exceptional performance. It features Advanced Rapid Bond Technology, enabling quick and easy application without a waiting period. This technology combines MDP, Amide, and Urethane Tetramethacrylate (UTM) monomers to create a strong and uniform bond layer, preventing adhesive pooling and ensuring high bond strength to both enamel and dentin. The adhesive’s low viscosity provides a thin, even film layer, reducing technique sensitivity and ensuring consistent results.

The application of CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 is straightforward and efficient. It can be used in self-etch, selective-etch, and total-etch modes, providing versatility for various clinical scenarios. The product is available in both bottle and unit-dose delivery options, making it suitable for different practice needs. Its room temperature storage adds convenience, and the bonding agent is compatible with other self-adhesive resin cements, expanding its usability across multiple restorative procedures.

Simplify your bonding process with this advanced, high-performance adhesive for reliable results.

5Ws: CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2

Developed by OraCare, Ortho Protect is a new rinse specifically formulated to meet the specific needs of orthodontic patients regardless of whether they are being treated with clear aligners or traditional brackets and wires.

While orthodontics provides necessary clinical care for patients with malocclusions, the appliances often hamper a patient's ability to manage their oral care routine. Ortho Protect is a 2-part rinse featuring 4 key ingredients.

The rinse include chlorine dioxide that can kill decay causing bacteria and breaks up biofilm; poloxamer 407 which helps create a smooth tooth surface that  is more difficult for plaque to adhere to; calcium lactate which makes calcium available to the patient's teeth; and xylitol to assist with remineralization and elimination of bacteria.

This new rinse is formulated to meet the needs of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with traditional brackets or clear aligners.

OraCare Launches Ortho Protect Rinse for Orthodontic Patients

A new integration between Weave and Patterson Dental makes makes it possible for dental practices to sync data between Weave's platform and Patterson's practice management applications; Fuse, Eaglesoft, and Dolphin Management.

The Data exchange between the platforms allows each application to read and write data including patient data, appointment data, and confirmations. The data syncing also includes the ability for both applications to read and write to the ledger, allowing for streamlined payment collection.

“We are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions and delivering exceptional support to our customers,” Branden Neish, chief product and technology officer at Weave says in a press release. “By further integrating our Weave experience platform with Patterson Dental practice management software, we can equip dental practices with the tools they need to enhance their patient experience and ultimately grow their business.”

This new partnership enhances Fuse with online scheduling capabilities via the provider's website, digital forms for enhanced patient intake, and automated payment writebacks. Eaglesoft users benefit from the automated writebacks feature, while practices using Dolphin Management can access digital forms and online scheduling capabilities.

“We have consistently heard great feedback from our practice management software customers who have experienced Weave and are excited to offer even more to customers through deeper integrations,” Patterson Dental vice president of software product management Brad Joseph says in the press release. “Now with Weave, our practice management software customers are able to further streamline processes for everything from phones to online scheduling, missed call texts, online payments and more.”

New integrations make syncing data between Weave's patient communications platform and Patterson Dental's Fuse, Eaglesoft, and Dolphin Management dental practice management applications easier. 

Patterson Dental Integrates Weave Patient Engagement Platform Into Practice Management Solutions

Designed to provide users with a complete oral health solution, VRx MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel from Viome uses data gathered from the company’s Oral Health Intelligence™ Test to create a customized toothpaste formulation to address each user’s unique oral microbiome and nutrition needs.

“It kind of reinvents this idea of how should you be thinking about caring for your oral health,” Sarah Dorsett, president of Viome’s Consumer Division says in an interview with 

. “Oral health care can be a lot better, and we believe that it starts with that understanding of the oral microbiome, the second largest microbiome in your body. And the oral microbiome is connected to chronic disease, so we see this as a part of preventative care, kind of taking health into your own hands, and really helping to prevent these chronic illnesses.”

Described in a press release as a “dual-action deep cleanser and supplement” the toothpaste formula uses ingredients that are safe to ingest and cleans and protects the teeth and gums while benefiting the entire body. Beginning with a simple, at-home saliva test, Viome then uses the information from that test to create a specialized combination of prebiotics, postbiotics, polyphenols, and other beneficial ingredients in the custom toothpaste formula. All of the VRx MyBiotics formulations are free of harsh abrasives, sugar, dioxides, SLS, saccharin, triclosan, sulfates, BPA, phthalates, parabens, and artificial sweeteners or colors.

“We realized the formula actually needed to be a bit more robust to really take care of your oral microbiome and to also be personalized, so there's two formulas. It's brushing your teeth with one toothpaste in the morning, and then brushing your teeth with another one at night. And they're intended to do very specific things,” Dorsett says.

Sunrise Cleanse & Restore Gel is designed for use in the mornings while Nightly Nourish & Protect Toothpaste is designed for use at the end of the day. The morning formula features patented Livfresh Technology and includes Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) which reportedly shields teeth from plaque-forming microbes and stains. Studies on the gel formula show it removes plaque 250% better than other toothpastes while also reducing gum puffiness by 250%. The nighttime formula is designed with ingredients that are beneficial to both oral and systemic health. It is designed to help remineralize teeth while whitening them without the use of harsh abrasives.

The custom toothpaste is delivered to users in individual unit dosed packages so they are easily able to use the exact right amount of gel and paste each morning and night. This helps eliminate mess and waste while ensuring each user is getting the exact right dose of their customized formula.

“We're kind of giving you this dual-action system that doesn't change your daily routine in any way,” Dorsett says. “It's just personalized specifically for you.”

Getting this new and unique approach to toothpaste out into the world is a big project, Dorsett continues, noting that it’s equally important for Viome to educate dental professionals as well as consumers about this new solution. Consumers need to get a sense that this is something that can work more effectively than what they are using, and dental professionals need to be ready to answer questions their patients ask about VRx MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel. One of the bigger challenges is getting dental practices to look at the oral microbiome as a part of the standard treatment protocols, and Viome is actively working with practices on pilot projects to help them integrate testing and customized oral care approaches for their patients. Dorsett also highlights a seed program Viome is working on with hygienists to allow them to try the new formulas on their own teeth so they are better prepared to engage with patients about these new, customized toothpaste options.

“This is really a new systemic biology type approach to oral health, and we hope that we can make it really easy for both dentists and consumers to embrace,” Dorsett says.

Based on an oral microbiome analysis, the custom toothpaste features prebiotics, probiotics, and other ingredients designed to optimize the individual user’s oral health.

Viome Introduces the First Toothpaste Customized to Each User with VRx MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel

Orthodontic technology company Alta Smiles is the lastest firm backed with a financial investment from the Dental Innovation Alliance (DIA).

Founded in 2019, Alta Smiles is developing novel approaches to hidden orthodontic treatment solutions that are comfortable for patients. The investment from DIA is the first institutional financing for the company, according to a press release.

"Our investment in Alta Smiles highlights DIA's commitment to identifying and supporting technologies that are transforming dental care,” DIA co-founder and managing director Doug Brown says in the press release. “Alta Smiles' novel orthodontic technology significantly benefits both patients and providers. We believe Alta Smiles is uniquely positioned to drive the continued consumerization of dentistry and meet growing patient demand for esthetically oriented orthodontic solutions.”

Alta Smiles C5 Hidden Orthodontics solution is designed with cutting-edge materials and offers patients a discreet solution for aligning teeth that does not require traditional metal brackets. The treatment process integrates remote monitoring and remote consultation solutions, which expands the convenience of the solution for both providers and patients.

"We are thrilled to welcome DIA as a strategic partner,” Alta Smiles founder and CEO Gary Giegerich says in the press release. “DIA's deep industry knowledge and vast network will be instrumental in accelerating our growth and expanding our market presence. Their investment is not just a vote of confidence in our vision but also a validation of the transformative impact we aim to make in orthodontic care."

Featuring an investor base that includes industry experts and executives from successful DSOs, among others, DIA provides early-stage dental companies with funding, advice, and guidance to propel future growth and success.

Dental venture capital firm makes an investment in company developing hidden orthodontic solutions.

Dental Innovation Alliance Backs Alta Smiles

Designed to help shield dental patients from the potential risks dental radiography poses to ocular tissues, the OCU-GUARD offers protection on par with lead aprons.

When a dental patient is lined up for radiographs, the eyes can inadvertently be exposed to radiation, and this is especially true for pediatric patients who have smaller heads, and thus their eyes are closer to their mouths. To address this issue, the patented OCU-GUARD is a flexible eye-mask featuring finely divided lead particles contained within a durable vinyl matrix. The design reportedly offers radiation attenuation greater than 93%, and the vinyl structure prevents the lead particles from any contact with the patient’s skin.

Fabricated in the USA, the masks are designed with an even distribution of the lead within the vinyl matrix to ensure even protection throughout the device. The manufacturing process and finished OCU-GUARD shields pass stringent testing protocols including ASTM, IEC 61331-1, and DIN6857-1.

The flexible shield is designed for durability and requires no maintenance besides cleaning with a disinfectant wipe. With each shield guaranteed to last for at least 500 exams, the cost per use is approximately 10 cents.

This new patient safety device is designed to help patients minimize the risks to their eyes from ionizing radiation.

Protect Patients’ Eyes From Radiation with OCU-GUARD

Described as the most advanced language model developed for the dental industry, Sikka.ai recently launched its DentalLLM artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

The new AI solution is built on the de-identified dental practice data gathered on the Sikka.ai API platform from more than 30,000 practices over 15 years. The new platform can provide dental-specific content more effectively than general-purpose language models such as ChatGPT, according to a press release.

"We are excited to bring DentalLLM to market and the positive impact it will have on the dental industry," Vijay Sikka, founder & CEO of Sikka.ai. says in the press release. "Our goal is to empower dental professionals and app developers with cutting-edge AI tools that enhance their efficiency and improve patient outcomes."

DSOs and other group dental practices can benefit from the new DentalLLM platform through data-driven insights that can be used to drive operational enhancements and other business decisions. With access to data from dental practices from across the country including procedure fees, procedure metrics, and payment data, the platform can be used for tasks including benchmarking, trendspotting, and more. DSOs using the system can query data specifically from their practices, or look at industry-wide information.

Additionally, the Sikka.ai DentalLLM will be accessible to software developers via the Sikka ONE API, allowing them to incorporate dental-specific AI into their offerings. The DentalLLM can also be used as a standalone database of de-identified dental information with data covering scheduling, treatment planning, patient demographics, and billing and insurance information.

Sikka.ai DentalLLM is described as an advanced language model designed specifically to provide dental operations with data and insights that meet their unique needs.

Sikka.ai Announces Dental-Specific Artificial Intelligence Offering

Feature a number of tools designed to allow dental professionals to manage practice tasks from their mobile devices, Practice by Numbers recently announced the launch of the PbN Grow 2.0 mobile app. The latest version of the app introduces new features designed to add efficiency to practice operations and enhance patient care.

The new version of the app offers a refreshed user interface that is described in a press release as intuitive to navigate. The app allows users to book patient appointments for both existing and new patients, and the enhanced patient messaging functionality allows practice staff to send form invites and manage the status of patient conversations. New patients can be added to the app using the “+” icon on the home screen, and patient payments and stored credit cards can be managed from the patient profiles.

In-app team messaging allows the practice staff to communicate and collaborate using their mobile devices. The app also provides key practice metrics including PracticeIQ and RevenueIQ to help monitor practice operations from anywhere.

The PbN Grow 2.0 app is available for download from the Apple App Store.

Designed for use on devices running Apple’s iOS platform, the app allows dental professionals to manage practice tasks from mobile devices.