Thais Carter

 is an opportunity for patients to share their thoughts on the latest dental technology and materials.

In any restorative procedure, results matter - patient comfort, durability and esthetics are all being taken into account. However, for those who work 

the dental field, to be the patient instead of the clinician, educator or product expert, means not only a significant role reversal, but so much more. Results matter more.

Why? Because the expectation is that you - as someone in the know - would never settle for less than the best. This is the situation that Rene Waibel, a sales rep for DENTSPLY Caulk, found herself in when she got hit in the mouth with a falling shower curtain rod and found herself in need of a serious restorative solution.

“I’m typically on the other side, hearing about accidents that happen, and then it happened to me,” she said with a laugh. “I heard something falling, looked up and ‘boom.’ The ironic part is that I had been in ortho for three years and had just completed my treatment a few months earlier.

“So there I was, sitting on the bathroom floor, thinking that I should have done veneers to begin with. After all the pain related to the orthodontic work, I realized that I’d knocked out Nos. 8 and 9 - they sheared off.”

Being “in the business,” Rene knew what procedure was necessary and, from her unique perspective at DENTSPLY, saw the opportunity to (literally) put her money where her mouth is.

“I had taken pictures of my injuries and, at 5 a.m., texted them to Dr. Poss,” she remembered. “He was able to fit me in over lunch - he is amazing.” Up to that point, the relationship between Rene and Dr. Stephen Poss had been a sales rep to CE speaker; but with the blessing of her regular dentist, Dr. Keven Bowdle, Rene seized the chance to turn her misfortune into a benefit.

“I love my products. I love what I do, and this was my opportunity to get photos that capture the transformation,” she said. “DENTSPLY is a premium brand company, so these results are what I would expect - this is an esthetic composite and nothing is more esthetic than your two centrals ... nothing. They are the first things anyone sees when you smile, and this is my business. I can’t walk around with Nos. 8 and 9 looking awful. My teeth are being looked at by the most critical judges - the dentists I serve.

“Now, I can walk into an office with additional confidence and say, ‘Your patient will be fine. I promise. Look at me,’ ” she continued. “I’ve never had one person ask me if I’d had dental work done - not a dental professional or someone outside the industry. That is how lifelike EsthetX HD is - it is so pretty. I’ll be honest ... it has been over a year and people still don’t see any signs of ‘work.’ The margins are awesome.”

It wasn’t by choice, but today, Rene is her own walking demonstration.

“If doctors ask for studies on the results of EsthetX, I just smile,” she said, laughing.

EsthetX HD high definition micro matrix restorative is said to provide a quicker, brilliant, long-lasting polish. The restorative offers optimal handling with a comprehensive shade and opacity selection. The distribution of its nano-filler particles is precisely controlled for anterior or posterior high definition composite restorations.

Articles

Patient Perspective is an opportunity for patients to share their thoughts on the latest dental technology and materials.

What EsthetX HD can do for your patients

Lee Culp, CDT, is featured in this month's DPR/E4D Difference Makers series, which highlights dental professionals who stand out and step up in their community.

When it comes to long-term strategic thinking and leadership in dental technology, there are few greater advocates on the dental lab side of the business than Lee Culp, CDT. On his route to becoming an architect, Mr. Culp found his summer job as a pick-up/delivery driver for a dental lab as the opportunity he didn’t even know he wanted and hasn’t looked back since.

“One of the dental lab’s employees quit while I was working part time, and the lab offered me a full-time job in the model department for the summer,” he remembered. “I didn’t really know anything about dentistry, but after falling into this job, I appreciated the artistic side of it. I was smart enough to know that I wouldn’t make a dime as a traditional artist, and architecture had seemed like the solution. Work in the lab also had this great artistic side, so it was a good fit.”

The artistry came naturally, but the passion for technology sparked from a single lecture at a Hinman Meeting in Atlanta more than 30 years ago.
	
	“We were practicing in this analog world and I didn’t even really know what digital was. Then, I sat in on this amazing lecture with FranÇois Duret, one of the real pioneers,” he said. “Even though there was no commercialization of digital dentistry at the time, he was presenting research and his vision for the future. After that session, his vision for where we were going as a profession never left my mind. I knew this was the way it would be and I’ve embraced it from day one – even in its infancy. I didn’t have a high-tech background, but I saw the future during that lecture.”


	Since that early introduction to what the future of dentistry could be, Mr. Culp has been a consultant and advocate for the many different facets of CAD/CAM technology. As part of this effort, he’s been both celebrated and vilified by his peers in the dental lab profession - many asking why he was helping to put dental technicians out of business.

“I’ve always responded the same way: Emotionally, you may not like it, but this is where things are going. And wouldn’t you rather have a technician be a part of the development process?”

He acknowledges that technicians are coming around and that people are starting to recognize that they can embrace digital dentistry without losing the artisanship and craftsmanship that they value in their work.

“I often use this analogy,” said Culp, “technicians should go home and call up 10 professional photographers - ask them if they’re still using film. Not only are those photographers all primarily or only digital, they are able to be more creative with the software than they were in the dark room. Misperceptions about lost artistry is all based upon fear of the unknown.”

As the rest of the industry catches up to his enthusiasm, Mr. Culp stays focused on the milestones that clearly demonstrate that progress is being made. Whether that was his first glance at a tooth in 3D - “The most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I knew the world would change.” - or his first interactions with D4D Technologies in 2008, where the basic technology seemed to leap ahead.

“As a technician, I was always pushing the envelope for what software could do. When I saw D4D’s ability to do two teeth at the same time - double what the other system could do at the time - then seven teeth, then all the teeth…I had the flexibility to be creative and that’s what I really wanted,” he said. “It was after this that I stopped doing things in the traditional way. Everything is now scanned in, designed on the computer and milled from some type of ceramic.”


	When Mr. Culp left D4D Technologies to take the Chief Technology Officer position at Dental Technologies Inc. (DTI), it was a difficult, emotional process. In the end, it was a fulfilling move since one of the biggest frustrations was getting people to not only buy CAD/CAM, but to commit to using it.

“DTI is the third largest corporate laboratory in North America, one of the top 20 in the world, and they hired me to take the company digital. I took this job to prove to the world that it could be done – not just in a two-man lab, but in a major manufacturing environment,” he shared. “We are now D4D’s biggest customer. We run 10 mills 16 hours a day, processing nearly 200 restorations a day. We have fundamentally changed the structure of a big corporate manufacturer, and we’ve done it with D4D.”


	In his experience – which is significant – part of what makes D4D not only a good choice, but the best choice, is its ability to facilitate communication between the dentist and the lab. The comparison Mr. Culp uses is the dental difference in the supplier-consumer relationship.

“If I’m WalMart, all I have to do is have the shoes you want on the shelf and be nice to you - good selection, good price. I’m not dependent on you, the customer, for anything. Just pay on your way out. In the dentist-lab relationship, I am totally dependent on my customer to do things correctly so

I can do it right as a supplier. If he or she doesn’t do it right, then I can’t deliver. To avoid that, communication is key.”

Tools such as Team Viewer allow Culp and the dentist he works with to look at the treatment plan together – from different parts of the country. Sharing the screen, seeing the three dimensional tooth, making changes in seconds. In this way, technology changes the dynamic: Labs don’t just tell the dentist what they’re doing; they can show him. This co-diagnostic approach is facilitated by networks and tools that D4D puts in place and supports, such as the E4D Sky Network. The E4D Sky Network enables E4D clinical operators to communicate and facilitates the transfer of data to the technician whenever laboratory involvement is required. With just a click, the entire case (whether scanned or completely designed) can be sent from chairside to the laboratory for fulfillment of the online prescription.

While labs are stepping up as the advocates for how CAD/CAM technology can improve working relations, dentists are evolving themselves and becoming more engaged and moving to digital. “As lab technicians, our responsibility is to the dentist and the patient,” said Culp. “We are prepared and equipped for a digital workflow, no matter what stage of CAD/CAM involvement the dentist is at.

“Clinical dentistry is slowly evolving into intraoral scanning. The only thing that changes for me is getting a digital impression instead of a traditional impression. Other than that, the process for me is exactly the same. We want to create a digital manufacturing platform so that we’re ready to go.”

Which brings us to the fundamental question: Does a dentist need to invest in a CAD/CAM system – really?

“If you polled 100 people, everyone would say CAD/CAM dentistry is cool, but most would question its necessity. And, if I’m being completely honest, you don’t need it. You will survive without the CAD/CAM. However, you also don’t need a microwave or stove in your kitchen - you are perfectly capable of cooking over an open flame in the backyard. But, there are definitely better ways to do things now, and CAD/CAM dentistry is one of them.

The more we engage digitally, as a profession, the better we are able to treat our patients. We move from a linear progression of manufacturing to a digital one that allows us to speed up patient care, from a 7-day turnaround for a restoration, to a 3, 2, or overnight turnaround. That’s what we’re working towards.

The digital workflow means not only faster restorations, but better, more predictable, more consistent restorations.”

CAD/CAM may not be necessary, but in the hands of the right dentists and dental technicians, it can be transformational.

CAD/CAM technology insights from Lee Culp, CDT

Ryan Pichoff is, in many ways, your typical 16-year-old. He goes to high school, loves the outdoors, and when asked how he prefers to spend his free time, a simple “hanging with friends,” sums it up. There is, however, one very atypical aspect to Ryan: he has a condition known as 

, it is uncertain just how many people suffer from this tooth development disorder, but estimates put it at 1 in 14,000 people in the U.S. While defects may vary, the condition is known to cause “teeth to be unusually small, discolored, pitted or grooved, and prone to rapid wear and breakage.”

What this meant for Ryan, is that he almost never smiled.

“From age 6 until now, I had yellow, small teeth. I hated showing them,” he admitted. “It was terrible.”

When his dentists-Dr. Marissa Whitehead and David Hicklin-first recommended 

 and explained what it could do, “the first thing that ran through my mind was that I’ll be able to smile; I’ll be able to show the world that I’m not a sad kid.”

And when he finally had the appliance? “I couldn’t stop smiling,” Ryan said with a laugh. “It made me feel so good, and I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I look better, mostly because I smile a lot more.”

As an active kid with plenty on his plate, Ryan also discussed how much he appreciated the ease of getting the appliance - only two dentist appointments, two moldings, and no need to grind his teeth down. Just as valuable to his day-to-day life? The low-maintenance upkeep and comfort.

“I don’t feel anything when I put them on,” Ryan shared.

The other Snap-On Smile convert? Ryan’s mom, Pauline.

“I was absolutely thrilled when they presented [it] as an option. It seemed like such a simple solution to get Ryan through high school without having to resort to invasive dental treatment until both children had stopped growing and were ready to go ahead with crowning all their teeth. I wish this had been around when I was younger.”

proven to be the right fit for the Pichoff’s budget

-the family’s dental insurance paid nearly 40% of the total cost.

“The ultimate plan is to have his teeth permanently crowned, but the Snap-On Smile system gives us a little more flexibility in deciding when we do this-the original urgency I felt is gone,” Pauline shared. “We can go ahead with the more expensive procedure when it’s convenient financially and when Ryan is at the optimal age for the best results.”

“I would tell anyone, Snap-On Smile is a great solution if you don’t enjoy your smile,” Ryan said. “You need it. It is pain-free, low-maintenance and...and just wonderful. I love the product.”

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER PATIENT PERSPECTIVE ARTICLES:

Patient Perspective: Quickly finding a dentist to save the day

Patient Perspective: Using veneers to get to a more attractive smile 

Patient Perspective: The multi-layered comfort of 3D technology

Ryan Pichoff is, in many ways, your typical 16-year-old. He goes to high school, loves the outdoors, and when asked how he prefers to spend his free time, a simple “hanging with friends,” sums it up. There is, however, one very atypical aspect to Ryan: he has a condition known as amelogenesis imperfecta.

Patient Perspective: DenMat's Snap-On Smile

How the Morgester Dental model paves the way for other dentists looking to take that first high-tech step.

Learn more about Dr. Morgester's must-have technologies 

When Dr. Kevin Morgester purchased his Chesterfield, Mo.,  dental office in 1995, he could just as easily have been purchasing the practice circa 1976. From the colors, to the layout, wallpaper, and conspicuous lack of technology - Dr. Morgester walked into a blank slate. But eventually realizing the full potential of the practice took time. His methodology for technology integration and his ability to bring his team into the decision-making process as advocates for change, serve as examples for other dentists looking to bring their practices up to speed.


	While it was the humor of his childhood dentist that first sparked Dr. Morgester’s interest in the profession, what stood out in his young mind was the way this person was able to really help his mother - a frequent visitor to the dentist. The ability to help people, have a good time and be one’s own boss created a compelling set of reasons to embrace the profession.

“Of course there are some things you don’t foresee when you think about owning your own business-taxes, government intrusion, etc.-but being able to do the dentistry the way that I want, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction,” Dr. Morgester explained. “If I choose something a patient doesn’t like or a technology doesn’t perform as I’d hoped, I get a ‘redo.’ I used to be the guy who thought he knew everything, but now I realize, I’m always learning.”

This is especially the case when it comes to technology, because dental school at the time offered little to no training in anything high-tech. Taking a self-taught approach has proven to be a dynamic experience for Dr. Morgester and his team. There’s an open door policy within the practice that allows the team to bring ideas right to him.

“They are proactive and great about coming in with what they see,” he said. “What I’ve found is if we think of something, chances are someone has already developed a solution, and staff questions are a great starting point. After that, a lot of it has to do with having conversations with our Patterson Dental sales rep, the tech guys, and our active branch manager. They’re the ultimate source of bringing new things.”


	The only technology in Dr. Morgester’s office in 1995 was a single amber-screened computer at the front desk. The practice made the best of the situation for a solid five years when, in 2000, the doctor and staff got sick of inefficiencies such as taking appointments by hand.

“One day, we had three patients show up for the same appointment and neither of them were the person actually written into the appointment book,” Dr. Morgester remembered with a laugh. “Since then, with every new technology purchase we’ve made, we’re looking for things that will help save costs or drive revenue. Eaglesoft Practice Management Software ensures that we never have a scheduling problem again, but it also helps us be more efficient in how we work with patients.

RevenueWell, which is relatively new to our practice, is already handling the work that would otherwise require hiring two more front office staff. Or, installing my 

 and inLab MC XL unit helped me to save close to $7,000 on lab bills right off the bat.”

Just as important, technology helps him to be transparent with his patients. There are all the things they don’t see - like how their portable information can get to a specialist before they do - but it is more about what they do see: intraoral scans, digital x-rays, intraoral camera shots or crowns being made. Patient education has also become a much more interactive experience thanks to CAESY Cloud Patient Education.

Dental hygienists can pull out an iPad, iPod or smartphone and walk through a treatment presentation. What surprised members of the team is how patients would get so excited that they would then scroll through other educational videos, eager to start the next one - something that rarely happens via a television interface.

“The way that it breaks down for us is that technology allows our front office to be all about the patient experience and efficiency, while the back office is more centered on cost savings and revenue,” Dr. Morgester explained.

If there is one critical lesson that Dr. Morgester has learned in the “cost savings approach,”  it’s that you sometimes have to spend money to save money.

“The best example of this is purchasing 

Patterson Dental hardware to run Eaglesoft

 and other programs. We’ve experienced going with the cheaper hardware, but run into all sorts of other problems in terms of support and a fundamental lack of understanding of our core needs as a practice,” he said. “It is worth paying a little more to get hardware through Patterson because you have one point of contact for support, it is customized for your needs, and installation takes one day instead of three days. It is worth it.”


	Dr. Morgester grew up in the Chesterfield area and was intentional about choosing to stay and serve the community he knows so well. In many cases, this kind of set-up can lead to a certain amount of complacency - you’re treating people you’ve grown up with and because they like you, they know you, it’s easy to rely on the strength of personality rather than service or results.

Morgester Dental takes the opposite approach. Being rooted in the community has ingrained a desire to bring the best possible level of care to the women and men in the practice. Where technology helps make that possible, they are willing to learn and, in some cases, willing to lead the way.

Staying on the cutting edge is something that can be intimidating for team members, but the staff of Morgester Dental not only takes it in stride but sees the different innovations as a means to staying motivated and current in their profession. It is a testament to the Morgester commitment to proper training and selecting technology that matters, that much of the staff has been with the practice for 10 years or more.

In the end, if there is one main take-away from the Morgester Dental team, it is that technology done well means having a good strategy for what the practice needs, the right motivation in terms of who that technology serves, and the right attitude in terms of delivery and promotion. This should, of course, be customized to your practice goals, but Dr. Morgester and his outstanding team certainly set a path worth following with the help of Patterson Dental. 

Morgester Dental's technology integration strategy serves as a model to other practices

There are numerous dental professionals who insist that, if they could just get patients to 

, it would make a world of difference in their oral health.

 may seem more routine than racy, a new ad campaign for the SCOPE brand (Procter & Gamble), seeks to change all that.

, Rishi Dhingra, Marketing Director, Procter & Gamble, explained it this way:

“Inspired by our ‘live out loud’ consumers, we are introducing a new, bold brand identity to illustrate how SCOPE is not only the choice that consumers can rely on for fresh breath, but also to help them live courageously. We want people to embrace every opportunity while feeling confident SCOPE will be there each step of the way to provide them with the fresh breath and confidence they’ve relied on for over 40 years.”

One of the interesting things about the campaign is that "living courageously" is often depicted in print ads as having a strong sexual, relationship component. Case in point:

 brand also lends itself to this channel of courageous living. In contrast, the 

 feature comedian David Adhoot on his "mission to live spontaneously." These take a more humorous tone, focusing on his adventures in getting to know strangers in various public places.

 - Is this type of campaign helpful in getting patients, especially younger patients, excited and interested in dental hygiene? Is the message more hip than healthy? Sound off in the comments section below!

There are numerous dental professionals who insist that, if they could just get patients to commit to a homecare regimen, it would make a world of difference in their oral health. While the usual brushing and flossing ritual may seem more routine than racy, a new ad campaign for the SCOPE brand (Procter & Gamble), seeks to change all that.

SCOPE Mouthwash Ad Campaign: What will your patients think?

is easily my favorite issue of the year. We spend so much time year-round dedicated to our coverage of products that the opportunity to step back and profile people who create, use, sell and market those products is a real treat. Add to that the focus on 

 in these roles, and I can barely contain my excitement.

There are so many ways that women are redefining traditional patterns and practices. These simple profiles are just the beginning of helping people throughout the industry - male and female - see the good that can come from a distinctively female take on everything from practice management, to clinical care, education, engineering, and running a company.

The diversity among our winners - in terms of professional calling and passions - is a reminder that our industry is a beautifully complex group of individuals who are creatively looking for ways to make a difference in their small corners of the profession. I hope you come away as inspired as I am.

I am especially thankful to this year’s sponsor for the 

. The willingness to demonstrate leadership in recognizing the contributions of this year’s winners is just one reason, among many, to applaud the people at Patterson.

I’ve received several emails and phone calls from readers about the inappropriate nature of a recent advertisement in DPR. Many said it was disrespectful toward women in the profession. I completely agree.

We do our best to work with companies to facilitate best practices in advertising, but the final say is not always mine.
	I recommend that any time you see an ad that doesn’t sit right with you, feel free to reach out to the company directly. Nothing makes a manufacturer take notice more than a potential customer making his or her voice heard.

The September issue of Dental Products Report is easily my favorite issue of the year. We spend so much time year-round dedicated to our coverage of products that the opportunity to step back and profile people who create, use, sell and market those products is a real treat. Add to that the focus on outstanding women in these roles, and I can barely contain my excitement.

Recognize outstanding female dental professionals in our midst

With the economy like this, no one’s quitting their job-right? According to Gregory P. Smith, a business growth specialist, that’s the worst assumption any employer can make.
	
	“It’s a big, fatal mistake a lot of companies are making right now,” Smith says. “A person may ‘quit’ three to six months before they actually turn in their resignation.”


	Dental practices face some of the same pitfalls as other businesses, large and small, and primary reasons employees quit can include:

Mismatched ethics. Being forced to treat or charge a patient in a way that makes them uncomfortable or, on the flip side, having their ethics questioned.

Strained relationships. Whether with the employer or other staff members, disrespect, discord and delayed reconciliation make an otherwise great practice a nightmare to work for.

Uninspired. Pride in one’s work is only part of the equation. Feeling as though the employer is equally invested in trying new things and trusting staff to execute new protocols is part of what keeps the job interesting and rewarding.

Few opportunities to learn. Likewise, a commitment to continuing education and making that promise a reality is crucial to staff feeling valued and committed to you.

Unnecessary competition. Pitting departments against one another creates dissension among staff and disregard for the person in charge.

Salary and benefits. Conversations about raises, bonuses or other ways of recognizing work well-done are off the table or current numbers aren’t competitive with other practices in the area.

Hours. Too many or too few can be a deal-breaker for an employee with a family’s needs to consider.

Downward spiral. Losing patients, losing money, and employer seems uninterested in addressing problems or brainstorming solutions.

Commute. With gas prices up and salary flat, making long drives might not be worth it.

Poor communication. Whether it’s pay, protocol or Patty at the front desk, the employer didn’t create an environment in which employers recognized or asked about the needs and concerns of their staff.

Smith, President of Chart Your Course International-a management development and consulting firm located in Atlanta-believes that the key to avoiding these and other problems starts with the dentist knowing what motivates his or her staff.
	
	“Everyone is motivated differently, and it is best to have an individual retention plan when you hire that person,” he advises. “You should continually be thinking about how you can re-recruit your staff. Why are they there? What do they expect out of their job? Maybe your hygienist is there because she loves people. But another hygienist may be there because she loves money. Where do each of them expect to be four to five years from now?”
	
	Having worked with dental practices for several years, Smith underscores the fact that dental staff aren’t cheap to replace. In the case of a dental hygienist, for example, you can’t just bring in a new one off the street.
	
	Recognizing the individual needs of each employe doesn’t require a degree in psychology, just a willingness to talk and listen. Simple steps Smith suggests include:

Talk to each person for 15 minutes-not about work.

Open yourself up to a 360° assessment. Let your team evaluate your management skills and suggest how you can improve.

Take an online personality quiz. They’re accurate, easy to do, and help the dentist better understand a person’s communication style. For an example, click here.

Ask people for ideas and suggestions. Help them feel like they have a say in impacting the environment.

Every good business person will tell you that hiring the right people is important. Too often, the advice stops there. Once you hire good people-keep them!
	
	“You can’t manage a staff as if it was one person. Everyone has to managed and motivated individually,” Smith says. “There are the things I refer to as ‘turnover triggers’ that can cause people to leave, such as marriage, death, divorce, or in our current economic climate, a spouse losing his or her job. The other major issue though, is that once people have been in the office for awhile, you forget to make sure they like the people they work with-that’s why team building is so important.”
	
	Assuming that you’re a good doctor who keeps your employees motivated and really listens to their needs. Great! The problem is, with the economy slipping, the things everyone seems to need most is more money. Obviously, pay raises and bonuses may not be an option for every practice. Smith suggests thinking outside the box.
	
	“In order to reward top performers, one CEO of a company lent his employees his BMW for a week,” Smith shares. “This is an example of where money only goes so far. People talk about their year-end bonus for two days. Getting to drive a BMW for a week? They’ll be sharing that experience for years.”
	
	Luxury cars aside, what can you offer to make your staff feel special, even when money is tight?

Keeping staff happy is good business, but even more so in a healthcare field such as dentistry. “We should always take care of our people,” Smith concludes, “because if they feel good about their workplace, then they make our patients feel better about coming there as well.”

With the economy like this, no one’s quitting their job-right? According to Gregory P. Smith, a business growth specialist, that’s the worst assumption any employer can make.  “It’s a big, fatal mistake a lot of companies are making right now,” Smith says. “A person may ‘quit’ three to six months before they actually turn in their resignation.”

Top 10 reasons your staff might quit

- an online community for dental professionals and the companies that serve them-we spoke with Managing Director Bill Martin, to see where this new offering fits into the wider landscape of 

 and CE opportunities in the dental field.

Where do you see this new online opportunity fitting into the shifting landscape of events?

XPsquared is not looking to replace live dental trade shows. Rather, we offer another channel for vendors and an online community that address many needs of busy dental professionals: immediate access to high-quality online dental CE, an easy way to retrieve dental industry resources, an ability to network with their peers, and a comprehensive, user-friendly way to research and gain information about the products and services of dental vendors. Community members can visit company websites, compare products, download white papers, contact sales reps and watch product demos-all from the comfort of their home or office-365 days a year, 24/7.

We are in a world of instant information. XPsquared, with its combined resources and applications, connects 21st century technologies, communications and expectations to the entire dental industry.

You talk about offering “exhibitors” not only more access to potential clients, but more purposed access. Describe what you mean.

Companies have a variety of ways to craft a targeted message to potential clients. Exhibitor booths can have a plasma video screen that delivers a focused message to booth visitors. Under the plasma screen, a company can insert a scrolling message, such as a promotion that has a hyperlink to the company website. Exhibitors have no limit to the number of videos, white papers, Web links or product brochures they can post for booth visitors to take home in their virtual briefcase. All of these vehicles allow companies to have a more directed message to potential clients.

Companies also can have more “purposed” interactions with potential clients. They can host events by invitation-only in the community’s Conference Center, or, they can create their own mini-study club by inviting a group of dentists to visit their booth and have a live “chat” about new products or techniques. On the flip side, dental professionals can reach out directly to a company representative via email or in the chat room.

Learn how to register to XPsquared in the video below:

What digital tools will be available to help dentists engage once in the online community environment?

They can peruse dental vendors with ease. They won’t have to Google topics or company names to find their websites, but will have them aggregated under one roof in the XPsquared community.

The online community also provides the dental professional with time to explore and digest a new product or service, without the pressures of a “hard sell.” They can methodically use the site to collect information and then link seamlessly to the company’s website to make a purchase. They can chat with other dentists or visit the resource center. Entrepreneurial dentists can use the conference center for their own purposes by renting a room to hold their own seminars. For instance, a Seattle Study Club could hold a national event instead of a local one.

How will you set your courses apart from other live and online CE currently available?

Many CE providers offer good courses but they are often one-off courses on narrow topics. While they are of interest, they may not provide material the learner can apply the next day. Our courses, which are offered by XPsquared’s sister company, xpAPce, are practical, provide tangible information and impart skills that will enhance decision-making and treatment options. Our Scholars have all been charged with the following mantra: present courses that improve patient outcomes and reduce risk. And in the process, lessen the dentists’ own stress.

In addition, while others give courses underwritten by dental vendors, distributors or manufacturers, our CERP-approved courses are independent of corporate involvement and focused purely on education. Our Scholars will not direct learners to a specific product, but rather, our teaching mission is to provide meaningful information that will help make dentists more marketable and comfortable with new techniques and technologies.

In light of the July 1 launch of XPsquared- an online community for dental professionals and the companies that serve them-we spoke with Managing Director Bill Martin, to see where this new offering fits into the wider landscape of trade shows and CE opportunities in the dental field.  

The XPsquared online community brings dentists, dental product manufacturers together

Scanning the headlines of my newsfeed, I was tempted to read an article on 

 that touted “3 ways to break the rules” of selling 

. And even though the dentist’s primary role is as a health care provider, there is an undeniable element of salesmanship that can be critical to helping a patient say yes to optimal treatment. Based on the idea that “the map is not the territory,” (meaning that what is normal in theory, isn’t always the reality), the advice proffered by author Barry Farber certainly has applications for dental professionals.


	The assumption that someone might say no is, often, a bigger hurdle than the actual no. Farber’s  point: Pick up the phone and ask the right people.

Don’t make the decision for your patients. Let them make it for themselves. If there is a course of treatment you feel is the right call, make your case. And, rather than trying to figure out who the “right” people to speak with might be, you can help the men and women in your practice become the type of patients who value a co-diagnostic approach and who want to be proactive in their care. Whether those patients say yes or not, you create value for your practice by taking the time to educate and inform.


	You can’t tour every patient’s home. What you can do is get involved. Imagine block parties, high school football games and similar events as casual focus groups. You can get a read on patient habits, ask questions and be seen as a dentist who cares about what makes patients smile.


	Farber recounts how, in pitching a “crazy” idea that his client didn’t use, the resulting dialogue produced actual strategies for success. A commitment to radical brainstorming with your team may, at face value, seem like a waste of time. In the end, an environment where ideas are heard can distinguish you as a leader and open the door to great ideas.

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Scanning the headlines of my newsfeed, I was tempted to read an article on Inc.com that touted “3 ways to break the rules” of selling techniques. And even though the dentist’s primary role is as a health care provider, there is an undeniable element of salesmanship that can be critical to helping a patient say yes to optimal treatment.

A dental spin on sales tips

Advanstar Dental Media's Director of Content, Thais Carter, flew to Charlotte, North Carolina to cover the inaugural Oral Health Zone Summit. Created by the National Children's Oral Health Foundation - America's Toothfairy, the summit brings together key voices in the fight to bring educational resources and dental care to children caught in the cycle of dental disease.

Affiliates heard a variety of presentations. Here, we summarize a handful of the presentations. Look forward to more updates from Day 2.

If you have questions about any of the information shared at the summit, you can reach out to NCOHF directly.

You can find transcripts of each audio clip after the jump.

CLIP: An Introduction to the Oral Health Zone Summit

This is Thais Carter, Director of Content for Advanstar Dental Media. It has been my distinct privilege to be in Charlotte, North Carolina today, sitting in on the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation’s first Oral Health Zone Summit, hosted by Pelton & Crane and KaVo Americas in their beautiful Charlotte facility.

Bringing together affiliate members from around the country-with affiliate travel and hotel generously covered by 3M ESPE-this first day has covered a lot of ground in terms of helping the affiliates wrap their heads around the Oral Health Zone concept, and understand the program components that are available to help create a dynamic learning environment and provide care in whatever communities they serve.

For those who don’t know, the Oral Health Zone is intended to be an eco-system of NCOHF activities that allows a variety of community stakeholders the opportunity to engage and play a role in creating a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of severe tooth decay and the devastating effects it has on children.

In the following audio playlist, I’ll be giving brief summaries of today’s presentations in hopes that you might find an idea that helps inspire you to be part of making America’s Toothfairy a local superstar in your part of the country.

As someone who is passionate about access to care issues, I found myself with a lot of ideas and a lot of questions. I’ll share my personal reflections in another clip, but I think that is the best recommendation I can give this summit. It’s not just about policy and protocols. After a day spent in a classroom taking in a lot of information, it would be easy to feel a little number. On the contrary, today’s speakers made you feel something – and that isn’t always the case.

Enjoy the coverage and, if you have questions, leave them in the comments section and we’ll work with NCOHF to make sure you get connected to answers.

CLIP: Affiliate Welcome from Candy Ross, Director of Industry and Professional Relations, KaVo Group

 is the Director of Industry and Professional Relationships for 

. Her unofficial title might as well be industry big sister. Much of her work is in bringing together smart, passionate people with the resources that an organization such as KaVo, part of the wider Danaher Corporation, can provide.

As affiliates arranged themselves in the educational center at the KaVo/Pelton & Crane facility, Ms. Ross provided the warm welcome on behalf of the host companies. Rather than focus on corporate responsibility as the driving force for hosting the event, she did what she is known for and brought a wonderful personal element to her opening remarks.

As a hygienist, she’d been involved in a lot of different clinics, serving low income and indigent children. At a clinic outside of Las Vegas, she watched as an 8-year-old girl neared her tolerance level for the amount of dental work she could sit through. When she was done, Candy took the girl outside, gave her a hug and a toothbrush. In talking with her, Candy realized that the little girl hadn’t been practicing poor brushing habits because she was uneducated or lazy, but because she shared a toothbrush with her brothers, who often hogged the bathroom. There wasn’t enough money to get a toothbrush for each of them.

“How far away are we from that world,” Candy asked. She continued to share that not only had she vowed to never forget that girl’s circumstances, but that in her role now, the goal was to support organizations like the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, and the affiliates as caregivers.

“We can fight and we can win against this epidemic of untreated dental disease in the U.S.,” she concluded.

CLIP: President and CEO of NCOHF, Fern Ingber: Foundation of the Foundation

Fern Ingber is the President and CEO of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation. More importantly, she is the dynamic front for the organization – harnessing resources, people and enthusiasm at every turn.

She used her time at the podium to first recognize the NCOHF team who helped to make the summit happen, including: Christian Drake, Jennifer Drake, Jill Malmgren, Brenda Woodington and Bev Brandt.  This core group may be small, but as Fern pointed out, the lasting strength of the NCOHF is in its affiliates.

“We are the organizers,” she said, “but you make it happen.”

She went on to lay out the history of NCOHF, explaining that it is important to understand the foundation on which the Foundation is built. Over time the organization moved from just aggregating support to facilitating action, developing programs that make it easier for dental professionals to start and build out in their communities. Since its inception in 2006, NCOHF has not only rolled out a wide range of kid-centric programs, it has made it possible to deliver $10 million worth of educational materials, 

 and grants. And this is just the beginning…

CLIP: Dr. Rebecca Slayton on the Evolution of Oral Health

Dr. Rebecca Slayton is the Chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and the Chief Dental Officer for the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation. Her lecture title was “The Evolution of Oral Health,” a fairly broad topic, to be sure. She acknowledged that we have known about the etiology of caries for a long time and that there is this nagging feeling that if know about a disease, we should be able to cure it - which hasn’t happened. She did a beautiful job of laying out the complexity of caries. Most striking was the simple fact that the “eat right, brush your teeth” advice that is the maxim of most GPs may not be enough for every child due to the multi-factorial nature of caries.

Another interesting fact was that approximately 20% of children have 80% of the decay - so we’ve made great strides in some areas, but the underserved remain in a gridlock of bad habits and bad results.

No matter what population dental professionals are working with, certain pieces of advice apply:

Prevention, by definition, must start early. If possible, moms are a great start! Of course, if caries is already present, then it is about how you choose to deal with the issue.

		Surgical management of caries isn’t addressing the problem, it is dealing with the cavity by taking a hole, making it bigger and filling it. Instead, dentists should be more focused on the medical management of caries – address the source, the progression, shift the balance to 

, and do what you can to reduce or eliminate the bacterial component.

There were too many great nuggets to include in one summary. I’ll end with Dr. Slayton’s concluding wish, “Hopefully, we can all make a difference for these kids.”

CLIP: Dr. Susan Maples: Hands-On Learning Lab

, a private practice dentist in Holt, Michigan, was one of my favorite speakers of the day. She lamented that kids have become fatter, sicker and have more caries on her watch, prompting the question: How could we do things differently?

Using her experience as the mom of an active, health conscious 18-year-old boy, she realized that the true goal needed to be helping kids to think – independently – that being healthy is cool. As part of that effort, opening the eyes of parents and children that caries management is more than just a procedure in the dental chair, but a wide gaze on the many factors that impact oral health, especially diet.

Multiple studies reveal that childhood obesity is the easiest malady to diagnose and the most difficult to treat. This is further complicated by dentists who are afraid to shame patients by mentioning weight. For Dr. Maples, that is a mirage of a hurdle.

“We don’t need to diagnose,” she said. “We need to ask good questions – such as how does your food make you feel. Have less of a know-it-all attitude and more of an ask-it-all approach.”

Dr. Maple’s practice started a three prong journey toward making this philosophy a reality for its young patients:

Kids pick their own oral health implements (manual vs. power brush, toothpaste, flossers, etc.) and practice brushing their own teeth in front of the hygienist, who helps them learn how to do a more thorough job.

 Measuring out the true sugar in a soda or cereal, determining the protective of power fluoride using an egg, or the ick-factor of hydrogenated oil through hand washing drills. And there’s more!

 Allowing kids to shadow dental professionals in the office, experiment with sterilized, extracted teeth, or run forensic dentistry drills.

It’s about giving kids real skills, helping them learn how to make smarter choices, and allowing them to identify their own desired outcomes. It makes learning interesting, fun, and “sticky” in a way that a video might not be.

Dr. Maples threw out numerous ideas for experiments and skill-building exercises.  Her “hands-on learning lab” model is something that NCOHF is looking to put into a turnkey “kit” that allows public health dentists to bring some of those same elements of engagement on the road and into their communities.

Sitting through today’s presentations, I felt like I was wearing a lot of different hats. There was, of course, the dental editor hat. But also my mom hat, the foster parent hat, the food policy geek. It was really wonderful to have so many different personas riled up at a dental event.

It was clear that there were a lot of creative ideas and potential solutions bubbling amongst the group. By the end, the Oral Health Zone concept seemed not only relevant – but necessary. A dental professional may be able to advocate for better habits, but nutritional choices matter. You might convince a kid that the healthy food choice is the right food choice, but if they live in a “food desert” neighborhood, those good choices might be three buses away. Maybe they get to that grocery store, but the healthy choice is twice as expensive. There are so many issues facing those on the margins of quality care, and the lack of a dental home is only one aspect. Without the Oral Health Zone strategy of engaging multiple community stakeholders, it will be nearly impossible to see all the change we so badly want and need actually come to pass.

Advanstar Dental Media's Director of Content, Thais Carter, flew to Charlotte, North Carolina to cover the inaugural Oral Health Zone Summit.