Thais Carter

The 3M ESPE Changing Lives movement encouraged dentists to rediscover the joy that comes with doing well by doing good. Two dentists tell the stories of how they used 3M ESPE's Filtek Supreme Ultra to do just that.   

In interviews with dentists over the years, it is interesting how-for so many-the reasons for pursuing dentistry are remarkably similar: An appreciation for science, an appreciation for the artistry of the task, and a desire to help people.

In the day-to-day rhythms of running a business, managing a team and considering production goals, it can be difficult to remember those original motivations. It is also rare that it would be a dental manufacturer who might help you rediscover the joy that comes with doing well by doing good.

This, however, is what 3M ESPE accomplished through its 

Changing Lives campaign around Filtek Supreme Ultra

, a product celebrating more than 10 years of restoring smiles and more than 400 million restorations.

3M ESPE marveled at the number of testimonials they received from dentists nationwide, speaking to Filtek Supreme Ultra’s capability as a material, but more importantly, its capacity to help patients see the miracles that dentists can make possible.

Dr. John Weston, DDS, FAACD, owner of the Scripps Center for Dental Care

 in San Diego, Calif. He knew “Scott” as a friend first, but invited him to become a patient after hearing his story. Scott shared that things were tough at home after losing his job. He’d been interviewing for quite a while, and when Dr. Weston checked in a few months later, he was still looking for work. At this point, Dr. Weston offered to help, informing Scott that certain research suggested a nice smile can improve confidence and aid in the hiring process.

“Scott said he’d always wanted to do something like that, but that he was worried he couldn’t afford it,” Dr. Weston shared. “I told him to come in and let me take a look.

“My first impression was that this was an involved case,” Dr. Weston continued. “I kept thinking, I’ve got to do something [Scott] can reach that will also give him results. What can I do that is long-term, transitional, semi-permanent-all at a price he can afford?”

Dr. Weston has been a Filtek Supreme user for many years, since it came onto the market. What he appreciated about Filtek Supreme Ultra was the opportunity it provided to do procedures with fewer layers while maintaining a natural look with strength and durability. For Scott, this meant results delivered at a price point he could afford. More importantly, it meant re-entering the interview pool with renewed confidence. He was able to secure a job within a week of his completed smile restoration.

Not content to measure success in numbers, 3M ESPE chose to take many of the stories dentists shared-about the lives transformed through new smiles - and make that possible for many more people and children.

Partnering with organizations such as Give Kids a Smile - St. Louis, the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation - America’s Toothfairy, and Oral Health America, 3M ESPE recently honored a deal where, for every three units of Filtek Supreme Ultra purchased, one unit is donated to a partner organization.

And the success stories continue to come in. Based on the success of participating dentists, 3M ESPE will be donating over $40,000 suggested retail value in dental products to participating charities.

The DPR Editorial Team recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Matthew R. Young, DDS, owner of Young Dental SF in downtown San Francisco, and a Filtek Supreme Ultra user. With a practice focused on general and implant dentistry, his patients bring a high demand for esthetics as well as function.

“Our patients are seeking esthetic results, and that is what we deliver,” Dr. Young explained. “We make sure our implants look, feel and respond like natural teeth. On the restorative side, we want results to be long-lasting, predictable and beautiful. Our patients also have time constraints, as do most people. They want to be confident with their smile without interruption of their daily lives.

Through work with day-to-day patients, Dr. Young knew Filtek Supreme Ultra delivered “remarkable” results. “The material blends so well to the tooth - it allows the natural beauty to shine through.  Our patients are amazed that their teeth and smile look complete.”

It was through the consistency he’d seen with patients of record that, when an emergency case presented itself, he knew he could not only help, but over-deliver for someone in need.

“I was the Best Man for my college friend Scott’s wedding here in San Francisco.  His Aunt Bobbie was in town, who was so excited about the wedding and seeing family for the first time in a while.”

Dr. Young shared. “The afternoon before the wedding, Aunt Bobbie fell and broke her front teeth.  She was embarrassed and disappointed to see anyone without her smile- sure she wouldn’t be able to see a dentist until she went back to New York.  She had called her dentist and he was concerned she would need crowns based on the fractures.  I told my friend to, ‘Bring her in and we will see what we can do.’

“After surveying the situation, I was able to tell her that this material would hold up and be strong enough to function. That day, with my friend assisting, we rebuilt her teeth and saved her smile for the big event. She was so happy and said she felt so much better. The next day was the wedding and - with 250 potential critics on hand - everyone was amazed by how beautiful Aunt Bobbie’s smile was. Other folks couldn’t believe how great the composite was, but I knew it could deliver that quality. To see Filtek perform under those circumstances and to see that response really meant a lot to me.”

In cases like the ones shared by Dr. Young and Dr. Weston, it is clear that the skill and good will of the doctor are essential, but that the product itself also helps make true transformation possible and affordable. No matter what type of patient base you’re working with, it is also important to consider how you feel about the companies you work with and the products they deliver. For Dr. Young, he’s found a trusted partner in 3M ESPE.

“In private practice, we have to have materials that are predictable. We don’t want to be ‘experimenting’ on patients. We have to have materials with sound research and development behind them. A company like 3M ESPE has advanced the dental field with its R&D and product development - more predictable, easier to use, long-lasting and able to retain true beauty.” 

Articles

Dentists tell the stories of how they used 3M ESPE's Filtek Supreme Ultra to change patient lives [VIDEO]

When it comes to major technology purchases, whether a dentist is an early adopter or a more cautious customer, everyone wants a good return on an investment.

While considering the numerous factors involved in gauging ROI, it is critical to not lose sight of what matters most: providing the best possible care to your patients.

“If technology makes sense from the standpoint of enhancing the care, then it’s going to make sense financially too,” Dr. Mark Tholen said. “First, I’m a clinician and I have to treat the patient. If they don’t get better I pretty much don’t have a practice. Second, how does this thing make sense financially?”

Pelton & Crane’s Driven To Excellence seminar 

. With more than three decades of experience in working with dental practices, he shares some tips here that can help you decide what technology you should consider for your practice and how to make sure the ROI adds up for you.

“I would talk with the equipment specialist up front,” Dr. Tholen recommended. “You might think, ‘I don’t want to talk to the person that’s going to sell me the piece of equipment because they want me to buy it.’ But if you’re working with a good equipment specialist they don’t want you to buy anything you’re not going to be happy with.

“Ask the equipment specialist about the business side of it as well. How does this thing work out financially and what do I have to have in order to make this work?”

 is, in my estimation, indispensable in terms of being able to deliver the type of pre-surgical diagnostic and treatment-planning information required to place an implant,” he said. “Consider this: Maybe you learned how to do all of these anatomical extrapolations from a 2-dimensional panoramic x-ray unit. You can take that film and look at a dental cast, and you can kind of make a decision about what you’re going to do in terms of where you place the implant and that type of thing. But that’s using your brain and your judgment in order to plan the surgical approach for the placement of the implant.”

“The use of cone beam technology eliminates all of that educated guesswork and it allows you to have a greater degree of confidence in the clinical outcome,” Dr. Tholen said. “So that would be an example of a piece of technology that meets the key criteria. Does it make sense clinically? Absolutely. How is it going to pay for itself? You have to charge the patient for it. If a patient goes to the hospital, they get charged for x-rays, so they’re going to get charged for x-rays here at the dental office. Not only that, when a patient actually sees you manipulate a cone beam image, it is so high-tech - it impresses me every time I see one. It’s just incredible technology. It impresses the patient and it builds trust with the patient.”

On the flip side, if your practice does not place implants and does not intend to start doing so, this may not be a technology you’d want to invest in at this time.

If a new technology will save you in terms of staff labor, then it will have an even greater chance of improving the practice bottom line.

“A great example of this would be the use of technology in sterilization,” Dr. Tholen said. “Most people don’t think of technology inside of the sterilization area, but consider this: An instrument washer dramatically reduces the amount of counter space required in sterilization and it really drives down labor costs.

“When you think about labor as an expense that goes on year after year after year ... With an instrument washer you have the function of the instruments actually being washed and debrided. You also have the function of washing and drying them. You now have clean instruments. They’re not sterile, but at least they’re clean.”

Without technology, this process would have taken three steps because the assistant would have had to put the instrumentation in an ultrasonic cleaner, rinse and then dry the instrumentation.

“All three of those steps are now accomplished by a piece of equipment. That is huge when you think about it compounded over multiple years,” Dr. Tholen explained. “Very specifically I can tell you that if an office is using stainless steel cassettes and an instrument washer, they are going to be able to save a significant amount of time every month. The average five-op office use of a cassette and an instrument washer will save 40 hours of assistant time every month.”

By his calculation, within 2.5 years, the average office will have paid for the instrument washer and the full set of cassettes in savings from the labor that would have been expended. If you consider that average office is used for 20 years before the doctor moves or retires - and the sterilization system holds up - if it takes 2.5 years to break even, that means the clinician gets (at most) 17.5 years of enhanced profitability.

“There’s an example of technology-and people don’t even think of that as technology the way they think of lasers and optical impression devices-but there’s technology really working for you every day and increasing your bottom line.”

Keep reading to hear real doctors discuss the technologies that have helped them experience real ROI in their practices…

These 2 curing lights provide quality results with a high ROI

How to determine the ROI of dental digital radiography equipment

6 reasons you should consider LED operatory lights

Drs. outline impressive ROI with these two CAD/CAM products

ROI GUIDE: How to break down the product variables that lead to true return on investment

As equipment goes, curing lights tend to lean more toward the “workhorse” than “inspirational” variety. But in these two cases, the dentists have found not just quality results, but true ROI in the lights they’ve selected.

The cost of the Bluephase Style is about $1,100 dollars. If I use Ivoclar Vivadent’s Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill and a 10 second cure on posterior restorations, I can save up to 4 minutes a restoration. If I do a quadrant of restorations and I saved 12 minutes of time, it equates to about $120 of time savings, assuming I am working at a production rate of $600 per hour.

[ REVIEW: A full-circle look at Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill from the doctor to the market ]

But how much of this time savings is from the light itself? If I cured one restoration for 20 seconds (10 for bonding agent and 10 for composite) versus a layered technique where I may cure about 6 or more increments for 10 seconds, that would be about 1 minute saved due to the light and the composite technique. If I compared it to an old halogen light where I had to cure each increment for 20 seconds instead of 10, then I save another minute using the 

Two minutes per restoration equates to about $20 in time savings. I think it would take 550 minutes or just more than 9 hours of time savings to break even on my light. That could come after doing 550 restorations. After that it’s all in the black!

Although we calculated ROI purely on saving time, there are other intangibles that we must consider. One is that the light cures everything because of having 2 blue and 1 violet LED for a greater wavelength coverage. That means I trust the light to set all composite materials out there without worrying about unset composite in a proximal box. The depth of cure of the light also gives me security that a 4mm increment of Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill will be cured at the gingival floor of the proximal box, meaning less chance of uncured material causing sensitivity and repeat visits to adjust or redo the restoration.

The low profile shape of the light probe allows me easy access to the posterior teeth without wasting time manipulating the probe or asking the patient to open wider. Easy handling and sleek lightweight design means that my dental assistant’s carpal tunnel syndrome will not flare up and I do not have to run around looking for a temp to replace her!

Most of all, I like the two-button operation and simplicity of this light. The inductive charging system reminds me of my electric toothbrush charging in its cup. The coolness factor makes the investment worthwhile!

The VALO curing light is a valuable asset to our practice and is a workhorse curing device for the general dentist. It is incredibly bright, featuring settings that provide output of 1,000 mw/cm2, 1,400 mw/cm2, and 3,200 mw/cm2.

It is also one of the few curing devices on the market that is “broadband,” meaning that it sets all light activated materials. Many curing lights have a range of 450-470 nanometers, which is fine for camphorquinone, but not for other proprietary photo initiators. The VALO provides light in the spectrum of 395-480 nanometers, which allows it to cure all materials.

VALO is also highly durable. The VALO is CAD/CAM milled out of a solid piece of aerospace grade aluminum. It is designed to withstand the rigors of day to day use, including being dropped. Despite our best efforts, we’ve never managed to break one!

We use the VALO daily, and think it needs to be on the “short list” of must have curing lights.

Numerous people are seeing the benefits of LED lighting in their homes and offices. With several recent product launches, the dental profession is coming to understand the value as well - not just as an environmentally friendly option, but one that makes a clinical and cost-savings difference for the product.

 provided a wealth of data regarding its 

Here are some of the highlights that showcase its benefits versus traditional halogen lighting:

 – Reduce energy by approximately 70% when moving from halogen to LED

 – No risk of burns to staff, no uncomfortable heat for staff or patients

 – LED lifespan of about 30,000 hours (12-15 years) on average versus 1-2 years for halogen bulbs

 – Save on utilities due to energy efficiency, and total cost of ownership due to long lifespan (no more bulb replacements!)

 – LED light pattern is consistent throughout, no adjusting for hot spots often seen with halogen lights

 – Reflective technology enables a defined light pattern that stays out of patients’ eyes; halogen patterns are not as crisply defined

Dr. Lance Panarello on Pelton & Cranes’s Helios

The Helios being first to the market and having a great reputation was an easy choice for us. The crisp, 3”x 6” light pattern makes it easier to view all areas of the oral cavity, as well. The light is brighter and much more focused to where we need it.

Helios is an easy answer: less energy, less heat, less money over time.

A recent study by the Levin Group suggests integrating

 Align’s iTero digital impression technology

 into an Invisalign practice, digital scanning can almost immediately become a revenue-positive part of your practice.

, but let’s also consider this example of the piece of the puzzle a scan can play in creating a digital impression for - as an example - a clear aligner system.

Study sample provided by Align Technology Inc. on Invisalign and 

Align Technology Inc. owns a well-deserved reputation as a technology-driven company. Unfortunately, it’s the antiquated PVS impression that shapes many patients’ first impressions of the company.

While digital scanning remains an alternative to PVS, most practices view the digital option as more of a luxury than necessity.

A recent study by the Levin Group, a practice marketing firm out of Baltimore, Md., suggests that integrating

The 2012 study suggests that the ‘wow factor’ associated with the digital scan-along with the benefits of eliminating the unpleasant taste and gagging-can produce an average of two new patient referrals every month, which

 extrapolates to 24 potential new patient starts each year.

Even after deducting the average per/case lab fees of $1,599, this new patient revenue adds $81,624 a year to the bottom line (assuming $5,000 average per patient revenue). Not bad for a technology that reduces the costs of impression taking while producing a seven-fold reduction in aligner fit issues when compared with the traditional PVS impression.1 

It’s something to keep in mind with the lifetime value of a patient increasing each year.

Products in Practice: iTero in my practice

1. Based on analysis of 400,000+ Invisalign cases

A recent study by the Levin Group suggests integrating Align’s iTero digital impression technology into an Invisalign practice, digital scanning can almost immediately become a revenue-positive part of your practice.

How digital impressions play an important role in clear aligner systems

There are a variety of factors that recommend 

 of choice for those looking for a good return on investment. Realizing that return hinges on a rather unpredictable variable: the user.

Committing to the proper training, committing to the marketing and education around “same-day dentistry” and committing to a new workflow are critical and require not just doctor enthusiasm, but buy-in from the entire team.

For those who do commit, the results are impressive. Consider these stories…

We’re moving into an era where we have an increasing number of dentists who have 

 milling machines, and those users are not using traditional dental labs as before. If you have CAD/CAM, my preference is that anything you pay out, including the monthly charge for the machine and the cost of supplies, goes under a subcategory:
	lab fees.

If you were providing laboratory restorations and weren’t using that machine, you’d be paying a lab fee. In the past, most have filed CAD/CAM monthly payments under  equipment and CAD/CAM supplies under dental supplies, when in actuality, they are neither. That particular piece of equipment has a specific use and it’s really a laboratory use function.

For tracking actual operating expenses, we have long recommended that practices include payments for the CAD/CAM equipment and all CAD/CAM supplies, and categorize them under laboratory expenses. Because you want to compare “apples to apples,” you must keep all laboratory expenses together.

I once worked with a client who asked me to create a long-term plan on positioning their practice. One of their practice operating expenses was laboratory, which, at the time, was running about $9,400 a month for outside lab services, mostly fixed prosthetics and
	crown and bridge. They were discussing the “cost” of the new CAD/CAM, which was more than $100,000 at the time. The large number had them concerned.

We discussed “cost” versus “investment return,” and once the comparison was calculated, the decision was made to move ahead. The month following the introduction of their CAD/CAM machine was an eye-opener.

Outside lab expenses dropped to just less than $1,500: a $7,900 drop. CAD/CAM-related costs were about $3,600: a net gain of $4,300. They were elated, but soon
	found that was only part of the story. The marketing value from having the equipment was useful in attracting additional patients. They did more onlays and an occasional
	inlay, and they did more quadrant treatment on patients because it was convenient for the patient.

Fast forward to 12 months: the practice realized a net gain compared to the previous 12 months with outside lab services of just more than $63,000. I’m not sure where else in your practice you can do the same procedure and increase the revenue to that extent.

The most significant positive impact CAD/CAM has had on a practice has been financially. In most practices, a CAD/CAM machine can replace 75% or more of the
	lab costs. This should result in a significant increase in net profit without affecting production. It’s a real “nobrainer” if you provide restorative and crown and bridge
	services in your practice.

 unit in 1990. I acclimated myself to the system by forcing myself to use it. Keep in mind, at the time it was “only” $50,000 - I wanted to make sure I got the most out of it. So, every day at lunch, I practiced on a typodont
	and did one restoration. Once I felt comfortable, I started a promotion with my patients where I offered to do a procedure for the first 25 users at 50% of the cost. Within 30 days
	I’d done 25 restorations on people. That experience was essential to overcoming my learning curve.

At that point, we started to very closely track the work we performed using CEREC. In 18 months, I’d billed $150,000 worth of inlays, onlays and crowns. That feels like 100 years ago, but we still have the same level of success and return now, even with all the upgrades we’ve paid for. The technology pays for itself, it really does.

When I attended the Driven to Excellence seminar, there wasn’t a lot of technology we hadn’t incorporated - not only CAD/CAM, but digital imaging, lasers and other core equipment. What our experience at DTE brought to the forefront was the need to make patients more aware of the technology we do have. It is a great selling point for us: We are redefining what dentistry can be in the patients’ eyes. With CEREC, we can do
	a crown in one visit, or we can do quadrant dentistry more efficiently, in one hour instead of two. We help people fit optimal treatment into their schedules. So, besides the obvious “wow factor,” it is just a less invasive, more pleasurable experience.

As my colleagues evaluate technology for ROI, I would encourage them to ask, “Am I already doing something along these lines?” If I can find a way to do the same type of procedure with a better result -a simpler solution that requires less time -that’s a technology worth looking at.

* Excerpts from an article that originally appeared in Sidekick magazine, submitted by D4D Technologies.

There are a variety of factors that recommend CAD/CAM as a technology of choice for those looking for a good return on investment. Realizing that return hinges on a rather unpredictable variable: the user.

. While this was the first glimpse for most in the dental profession, a core group of dedicated people had been working intently for several years, crafting the architecture and feature set that would not only impress the industry, but make a real-time impact in the dental practice on a day-to-day basis.

Here, we interview John Steck, Director of Product Management for DEXIS, on the labor of love that was bringing the 

 Imaging Suite out of R&D and into reality.

Q: When did the conversation about creating the 

From its inception, the DEXIS product always has been about simplicity, elegance and sophistication. In some ways, the conversation that led us to designing the Imaging Suite started as far back as the mid-1990s, with the development of the original software and sensor. From that point on, we’ve consistently asked, “How do we continue this legacy? Technology is changing - how are we adapting?”

It always feels like we’re talking about what’s next, but with the recent evolution in code languages and platforms, as well as the speed of computer processors, we felt it was the right time to think about how these changes impacted our mission for DEXIS to always be very fast and very easy to use. One of the most unique aspects of DEXIS always has been its ability to operate quickly on limited hardware.

To answer your question more specifically, when DEXIS and Dentrix Image came together in 2007, we knew both systems offered a lot. We embraced the task of figuring out how do we bring the best of both to market? Dentrix Image is strong in features such as cosmetic imaging and integration with practice management. Its focus was on delivering case acceptance. The DEXIS team set to the task of determining how we could best take advantage of that within our framework.

Q:  With so much changing in terms of professional and personal technology, was it daunting to take this on?

Since our initial discussion about architecture, the Imaging Suite focus began in earnest 2 or 3 years ago. Everyone would agree that there has been an accelerated evolution of code and language and toolkits available - and it is all very dynamic.  In such an innovation-driven part of the industry, there is this question of whether you can adapt quickly enough to the changes. The DEXIS response to that was to evolve our own architecture to meet those needs and to create a multi-platform device for all considerations. We endeavored to create the most flexible infrastructure possible.

The other constantly changing side of this project has to do with the storage and transfer of data. Customer needs are changing, especially as we see more multi-location practices, where the dentist wants to be able to see images from either practice in any location. We believe we’ve accomplished a very nimble solution, able to deliver a quick response based on the best technology.

Q: Of course, just because the launch happened, doesn’t mean the process is over. What is some of the feedback you’ve received from beta testers and other early adopters of the Imaging Suite?

 At the time of our wide release (in October), we’d had customer testing ongoing for 13 to 14 months. There is a lot to learn and you gain more insight with each new user. There is a newer process around software development - that we’ve embraced - that suggests it is better to release iteratively rather than try to get it all right in the first version. We have hard metrics at DEXIS when it comes to ease-of-use. We appreciate all the customers who have been part of that process.

Q: Is there any feature to the Imaging Suite that you are especially proud of?

 I don’t want to get away from the Suite itself, but I’m extremely proud that we were able to launch concurrently with DEXIS go™. It demonstrates the flexibility of the program. We’re in a Windows environment, but interfacing with an Apple device, directly, in real time. We worked hard to build the architecture to support that interface.

Q: What one demonstration would you recommend interested customers prioritize in their Imaging Suite research?

Well, it depends on the type of dentist that he or she is. However, any dentist interested in pursuing cosmetic procedures should check out DEXCosmetic™. It is all about helping the doctor communicate with the patient about suggested treatment. Not every person can mentally visualize what the dentist describes. Now, you can show patients - with their own smile, or the smiles of patients with similar treatment - what their results could be. This visualization offers a better chance of getting through to the patient so he or she can make an informed decision.

DEXIS launched the DEXIS® Imaging Suite 10.0.4 in October 2012, at the ADA Annual Session in San Francisco.

I Made That: DEXIS Imaging Suite 10.0.4

On the industry side of the dental business, I feel like there are two distinct camps: Those who have been to the International Dental Society meeting in Cologne, Germany, and those who haven’t.

For the majority of the audience of Dental Products Report and Dental Lab Products, however, there are no such distinctions. Rather, there is more of a, “What’s the big deal?” vibe. And that’s understandable.

Needless to say, there is a bit of tradeshow fatigue when it comes to 

. There are so many! Is it business or pleasure? What do I really take away? None of the major meetings you’d be familiar with could even approach what IDS is: a pure product play.

Imagine a world with no CE lectures, booths the size of football fields, crowds lined up 8 people deep to catch a product demo, no “Class of ‘99” networking events - and attendees LOVE it.  As the editor of a dental products magazine, attending for the first time in 2009 was like visiting some sort of holy land. A magical place where only the innovation matters.

Which brings me back to our readers’ question, “What’s the big deal?”

For me, IDS represents a necessary “reset” for the dental industry and dental professionals alike. For every amazing product launch at a tradeshow - like, for example, 

 at this year’s Chicago Midwinter Meeting - there are numerous launches that are delayed or released and ignored. Dentists may wonder if that new material is REALLY worth their attention or if that new digital imaging purchase is REALLY going to make the difference for their practice. On top of that you layer fears about cost and obsolescence and it can all just get really cloudy. Innovation loses its edge somehow.

IDS is like a fog horn that cuts through the mist. It is a reminder that innovation does matter. Many of the products at the show are still a year or more away from their U.S. debut, but it is a chance to get excited about what dentistry is capable of. It is a beautiful moment in which we don’t have to get into the nitty gritty about financing and training. It is a chance to peel back the curtain and be reminded that we work in an incredible industry capable of creating life-changing products.

If you’re looking for the next great technology purchase for your practice, and want to do research and due diligence, I recommend you go to our new dentalproductsandreviews.com portion of the website where you can get key data, video and reviews from your peers.

If, on the other hand, you’re just looking for a little inspiration, I recommend you follow our coverage of the IDS 2013 meeting.

Interpreting IDS 2013 for the DPR audience

First, as it pertains to new equipment, enhanced treatment and planning options, greater efficiency and the overall wow factor provided by technological innovations. Second, as practices realize today’s patients crave a personalized experience where more than just a number or a chart, they feel their needs are prioritized, and the practice delivers a high standard of clinical care without sacrificing personal care.

It’s interesting that even as numerous lectures focus on these topics, it’s rare for anyone to ask how these trends have changed the lectures themselves. CE looks very different today than it did 25 years ago, and it’s not surprising to find the same factors changing the practice also are impacting the way  practitioners get information.


	Tradeshows have long been a part of the professional experience. Places to network, scout new products, and hear speakers hold forth on a variety of topics the “annual meeting” will continue to have its place. However, with the costs associated with closing the practice compounded with whatever costs are incurred to travel to the conference itself and pay for certain courses (many remain free), getting away can seem like a big sacrifice. If a dentist wants his or her team involved in that experience, it becomes even more challenging.

DentalXP is one of the fastest growing online dental education sites

, with visitors from more than 140 different countries. The site is proud to offer extensive online dental education courses free to its premium members.

These courses are a combination of videos and lectures pertaining to a specific topic. With these online seminars, dentists can learn from the world’s leading clinicians from the comfort of their own home. All of the content on the site is provided by dentists from around the world who are widely recognized as experts in their fields. Included in the content are: online lectures, online educational videos, articles, dental publications, product information and online continuing education (CE) courses.


	Catapult Your Practice is a Web-based resource run by Dental Team Concepts, offering online education, product evaluations and more. The following is a quick interview with Catapult’s Executive Director, Dr. Lou Graham.

What made you decide entering the realm of digital education was an important step?


	In today’s challenging environment, it’s all about time. Although nothing relates to a great live event, many of the techniques we teach can be demonstrated online as they are in live courses. With live online programs, the audience can ask questions directly to the presenter. Does it replace a full day of live speaking? I think that depends on the speaker, subject and content matter.
	
	

In creating your digital offering, what were some of the primary needs you hoped to achieve?


	We value our colleague’s time. Along with webinar events, we offer online videos that are essential clinical tips from more than 50 key thought leaders on products we have evaluated and many others that we use clinically every day. We all want to learn what others have found to be the pearls of a product versus learning on our own the hard way. The Internet allows us to begin conversing online via chat sessions or through brief video presentations. What a great way to collaborate versus practicing in our own box!

What do you feel sets your online CE apart from others in the field?


	What we offer is online CE in a different mode. All too often, doctors are charged to attend an online seminar to receive their CE credits or simply view a course from a library and pay for each course viewed. We took a different direction by offering dentists and their teams access to a great variety of CE materials in different formats, for a nominal monthly rate. Furthermore, our site offers additional features and benefits to complement CE. Imagine a buying group with the power to bring thousands of doctors together and create the opportunity to act as ONE entity versus buying as we all do independently. Additionally, we offer unbiased product reviews, exclusive promotions, and the opportunity to try products risk free.
	
	

In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of online education versus traditional live courses?


	Convenience and efficiency! What’s better than learning from the comfort of your own home or office and not have to take a day off? No lost production or downtime! One-hour seminars seem targeted to deliver concise information, which is exactly what most dental professionals want. On the other hand, live courses with great speakers are irreplaceable and will continue to be essential in our CE formats. We will be more selective as to which lecturers and programs we plan to attend in the future.
	
	

What do you see as the next step in advancing the popularity of online CE?


	Hands-on programs! In the near future, Catapult will coordinate doctors and team members to receive the hands-on content, and we simply do these hands-on programs over the Internet. Once complete, the doctors send the self-addressed kits back and now they are further educated on a technique and product. Equally, we envision multiple instructors presenting at the same time, and thus becoming far more interactive.
	
	

Where can our readers go to find more information about the education archived or upcoming on your site?

 and register with promotion code 2617QV to access your first month free. We are at a turning curve in both education and purchasing, and dentists have far more opportunities to get what they want, went they want it. The future of dentistry is very exciting.

The beauty of the Internet and the high-speed connectivity many of us now enjoy (and depend upon), means the headache of “getting to the show” is now optional. In many cases, the best parts of the show will come to you-and we’re not just talking “virtual” meetings. Webinars have become an easy way to bring some of the biggest names in dentistry and some of the most trend-setting topics right to your desk. Typically an hour and offered by a variety of providers, webinars can be viewed live, but showcase their true value when available “On Demand.”


	Kerr Corp., a division of Sybron Dental Specialties, offers a variety of CE courses in the “Kerr University” section of kerrdental.com. The following is a quick interview with Sue Seamon, Kerr’s Senior Director of Marketing Communications.

What made you decide that entering the realm of digital education was an important step?


	Kerr decided to offer digital education, the “Kerr Learning Source” three years ago in an effort to provide dental professionals with a convenient way to obtain continuing education credit and stay current on the latest procedures, all in the comfort of their home or office. Offering education that would be available any day of the week and any time of the day provides tremendous flexibility for those busy building a practice. Kerr’s online education component enables dentists residing anywhere in the world an opportunity to participate online during webinars or view archived modules at any time.
	
	

In creating your digital offering, what were some of the primary needs you hoped to meet?


	Increase awareness and perception of Kerr as an innovator of dental products and educational tools; provide a platform to communicate proper use of manufacturer’s products; and offer differentiating topics that would generate demand to attend both live and archived sessions.
	
	


	Kerr offers differentiating topics that speak to the dentist’s “procedural pain points.” We engage motivating speakers who are passionate about technique protocols and proper product use. Kerr introduces a new training module every month, and live webinars and on-demand (archived) CE modules from Kerr are offered at no cost. Kerr has regular communications announcing upcoming CE training modules-collaboration with media partners helps drive the message to the dental community. Also, online evaluations are available for attendees to complete following their online experience.
	
	


	1. Convenience of participation from the home or office. The entire staff can participate/watch training modules.
	2. Ability to receive CE certificate immediately after passing exam.
	3. Kerr online (webinar and on-demand) education courses are offered at no cost to the clinician.
	4. Ability to offer consecutive, multiple part training topics in a short window of time.
	5. Ability for a clinician anywhere in the world to view modules any time day or night.
	6. Clinicians can view archived modules as often as they wish.
	
	


	Adoption of virtual hands-on model- one of the only elements missing from an online platform is the inability to use product during the webcast. Kerr is developing this next phase of online learning, which would necessitate that a manufacturer send material to the clinician in advance of the webinar so the participant can have a true hands-on experience.
	
	

, or through our main website, kerrdental.com.


	SmartPractice is proud to announce exciting educational opportunities for dental professionals to earn free CE credits online. Visit 

 for access to more than 140 hours of content including 74 product tutorials from 3M ESPE, DENTSPLY, Kerr, GC America and many other leading manufacturers. Additional learning opportunities include live webinars hosted by industry experts and renowned clinicians, as well as unlimited access to a complete archive of self-study content provided by Viva Learning sites. All content is accessible 24 hours a day to make it easy and convenient for dental practice teams to fit CE training into their busy schedules. 


	Nobel Biocare, a leader in restorative and esthetic dental solutions, offers a suite of free training and educational material to its customers, the dental community and students via its site on iTunes U. Training is one of Nobel Biocare’s main strengths and one of the key trends in education on which Nobel Biocare wants to continue to build its reputation is the rapid development of e-learning.

Located in the “Beyond Campus” section of iTunes U, Nobel Biocare’s online training and education program provides easy, state-of-the-art on-demand e-learning. Users can search and download training and education material directly from the site, and then use it on their Mac or PC, or sync with iPod or iPhone to learn anywhere, anytime.


	3M ESPE manufactures more than 2,000 products and services designed to help dental professionals improve the oral health of their patients. Through its Espertise portal online, it provides education on those products from respected KOLs. The following is a quick interview with Karen Sullivan, U.S. Marketing Communications Manager.
	
	


	“Digital” and “Online” have become ubiquitous. People are accessing the Internet in their homes, at their offices, and even while traveling via mobile and tablet technologies. Taking continuing education online was a natural evolution of the printed and hands-on CE that we’ve offered for years. It’s about making quality CE easily accessible to all dental professionals.
	
	


	We knew it needed to be easily accessible and very visual wherever possible. Incorporating video into the process is certainly key, as is making sure all the CE offerings are available in one location on our site. This makes it easier to bookmark one destination.
	
	


	There are many companies in this industry that are doing a nice job with continuing education. What we’re doing at 3M ESPE is listening to customers to find out what they want to learn more about and then going out and finding top clinicians who are willing to help provide CE programming that meets those interests. It’s all about listening to the customer.
	
	


	There are certainly advantages to both approaches, and both really are needed. Specific to online education advantages, though, in a word: access. We’re a global organization, and we have customers all around the world. The only way to offer 24/7 access to our CE to any dental professional in any country is via our website. Additionally, there are no limitations on the amount of people who can access the content at one time.
	
	


	Continuing to offer more content in more areas will be one way of popularizing it further. Working it into the overall communications of the organization could be another. We announce our CE offerings through traditional and social media outlets, as well as internal customer communications. Once dental professionals discover the site and see how much it has to offer, that is an incentive to keep coming back. Continuing to advance the amount and types of content will drive repeat visitors.
	
	


	The ADA’s Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) and its CERP Committee have proposed changing the Eligibility Criteria for the ADA’s Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP). If approved, “commercial entities,” defined by CERP as companies that produce, market, re-sell or distribute health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients would no longer be eligible for CERP approval. The Council stated that the proposed change is in response to increased public and regulatory concerns regarding conflicts of interest in medicine and other health care professions.

The proposed change will bring ADA CERP into alignment with current accreditation guidelines related to managing commercial conflicts of interest. If the proposed changes to the ADA CERP Eligibility Criteria are approved, commercial entities could no longer become CERP approved providers of continuing dental education. (Providers of clinical services directly to patients, such as dental practices or hospitals, for example, are not considered commercial entities.) A phase-out period would be provided for currently approved commercial providers. Commercial entities would still be able to support (e.g., through grants, equipment) CE activities offered by independent CE providers.


	The Council is accepting comments on the proposed change through June and will take final action on the proposal in November.


	Another poor dynamic facilitated by the typical tradeshow model is the focus on the transactional nature of the relationship between dental companies and dentists. Yes, as manufacturers, the companies make products they hope to sell to dentists-but that is only part of the story. As manufacturers, they make products. Period. End of sentence. As the makers of these products, they often have vast amounts of knowledge about the science and process behind the merchandise, but are very rarely viewed as a good resource for this information. Why? Because of the sale.

The assumption is, the company will say anything to make the sale. And, cordoned away in the “exhibit hall” where the emphasis is on promotional pricing, free samples and huge signage, it’s easy to understand where that assumption comes from.


	Rather than remain on the edges of the educational forum, many manufacturers are choosing to jump in. Now, it’s important to point out that the American Dental Association and its ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure are becoming more restrictive in terms of manufacturer-provided education (see ADA considers corralling manufacturers, p. 62). However, even as these changes are put in place, many companies would rather provide education for the sake of education-not credits-to help the dental community better understand new concepts and allow individuals to interact with the company in a more engaged way that makes room for a sound decision on whether that company is a suitable partner moving forward. The following manufacturer-driven events cover a range of opportunities and topics.


	Clinician’s Choice is a company whose mission is to support, promote and teach better dentistry through the presentation of clinical seminars, workshops and scientific research studies, and to provide only clinically-proven products to dentists via a highly trained and skilled technical support staff. It is no surprise, then, that they have created a special event to help fulfill that purpose. The following is a quick interview with Melanie Nowell-Coombs, the Marketing Project Coordinator.

How long has the company been hosting its own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?


	Clinician's Choice has been hosting our own CE courses for 20 years now.
	
	

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?


	Clinician’s Choice's mission statement is based on “teaching, supporting and promoting better dentistry” therefore having our own Continuing Education courses seemed logical.
	
	

How would you describe your company’s signature event?


	Our signature event is our yearly fall destination course that we have been rotating between Bermuda and the Bahamas. We choose a tropical destination, which gives the doctor a chance to get away and obtain some CE credits all at the same time.

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental professional?


	A good learning experience and the chance to get some down time all at once.
	
	

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?


	It isn't about attending full day lectures and visiting 100s of exhibit booths. We offer 3 1/2 day lectures, on a broad array of clinically relevant topics. The afternoons are open to give doctors a chance to relax or enjoy island activities.
	
	

What are dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?


	Nov. 3-5 - Bermuda, Fairmont Southampton Resort featuring Dr. Jeff Brucia, Dr. Buddy Mopper and Dr. Elliot Mechanic. For details visit clinicianschoice.com or call Irene Lamonde at 800-265-3444, ext. 223.


	Kerr Corp., a division of Sybron Dental Specialties, offers a new live event, making its way to key cities across the U.S. The following is a quick interview with Kirsten Edwards, Kerr's Director Clinical Affairs.

How long have you been organizing your own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?


	Kerr Corp. has been hosting and/or sponsoring continuing education courses on a regional level for more than 10 years. We have supported study clubs, lunch ‘n learns and universities offering continuing education, just to name a few methods of outreach.
	
	


	We recognized a need to provide dentists a convenient method to build on their education following graduation from dental school. Kerr focuses on teaching new techniques while keeping dentists abreast of new product technologies. Organizing courses independent of tradeshows provides the dentist with a more cost effective and time efficient way to participate in hands-on educational opportunities.
	
	