Top 10 Game Changers

In past year-end wrap-ups, this column featured my Top Technologies of the year. In planning for December 2019, it was clear that “technology” in dentistry was a term evolving to capture a wider spectrum of products than ever before. Recognizing how this and other trends were impacting the dental industry, it seemed important to move past the approach of previous lists, and instead, feature the game changers for 2019.

This article was a Cellerant joint effort. The Core Team includes CEO and Founder Dr. Lou Shuman, Chief Operating Officer John Kringel and Senior Executive Consultant Thais Carter. The Chief Development Officers include Dr. John Flucke, Dr. Marty Jablow, Dr. Paul Feuerstein, Dr. Chris Salierno and Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz.

What is a game-changer? These are products, companies, and trends that drove innovation, conversation and, in some cases, consternation. The entire Cellerant team-myself, the Core Team and it's Chief Development Officers-weighed in on the trends that matter most. Not all game changers are entirely positive, but they do all merit your attention.

I hope this list will motivate you to investigate our choices and provide you significant benefits in 2020! Happy New Year!

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An antimicrobial that will change restoration mindset forever.

Nobio just received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its antibacterial nanocomposite and bonding material, providing a critical green light for this groundbreaking technology. The company’s nanoparticle will be integrated into composites, bonding agents, and potentially other materials to eliminate secondary caries by physically destroying bacteria that contact the surface of the tooth-restoration interface. The technology is non-eluting, which means the antimicrobial agent should not lose its effect over time.

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A temp agency that provides health benefits.

Navigating healthcare benefits can be challenging for both small business owners and their employees-particularly temporary employees who may work unusual hours that make standard benefits packages inaccessible. onDiem is an on-demand staffing platform that connects dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and front office professionals with both temporary and permanent staffing opportunities. The company eliminates staffing compliance burdens by offering pre-vetted employees, who are covered by malpractice, workers’ comp insurance, and health benefits. Its national footprint makes onDiem an ideal choice for single-source staffing across multiple states.

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A sleep apnea device you can use while wearing clear aligners.

Advances and awareness around sleep apnea could be its own trend, but the Aligner Sleep Appliance (ASA) goes a step farther, making cutting edge sleep technology work in concert with the latest in clear aligners. Dentist-prescribed for a variety of clear aligners, ASA is worn over the aligners during sleep to support the lower jaw in a mild forward position, while reducing nighttime snoring and mild-to-moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea in adults. Its two-piece construction ensures patient comfort while the dual-side expansion screws activate to gradually move the jaw forward. ASA is exclusively offered through SleepArchiTx.

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AI that helps dental receptionists be more effective communicators.

Using artificial intelligence, Patient Prism® tracks and analyzes how dental staff handle inbound phone calls. The software can record and annotate phone calls in near real-time, demonstrating how effectively your front office converts callers into new patients. The system also shows how much revenue you’ve lost by not converting callers. There is a visual summary of the call that allows your team to go straight to the parts of the call that need attention. You’ll learn which of your marketing tactics and strategies are producing the most revenue from new patients and provide meaningful feedback to the practice front office staff to improve their performance in the long term.

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Machine learning software that accesses practice records to find the most profitable dentistry waiting to be performed then goes and gets those patients.

MMG Fusion’s ChairFill is always running so your team doesn’t have to! By monitoring available chair time, the software can mine the money represented by your patient records, proactively filling your schedule out in advance, bringing in the right kind of patients at the right time. Imagine being able to fill last-minute cancellations quickly, run top-performing marketing campaigns instantly, and better serve patients consistently.

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Guarantee the right amount of cure by analyzing the power of your existing curing light and the material of your choice.

Powered by artificial intelligence that leverages a database of more than 1 million data points on light and materials in clinical use, with Blue Light Analytics’ checkUP dentists can now accurately monitor the output of their curing lights, guaranteeing a precise and accurate cure for each material they use, improving outcomes for patients and saving money for the practice.

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The impact of Silver Diamine Fluoride.

Then there are the products that aren’t new but are important in this moment. Silver Diamine Fluoride has been used extensively around the globe for decades but is now available in the US in Advantage Arrest. Indicated for the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity, Advantage Arrest can also kill pathogenic organisms, harden softened dentin making it more acid and abrasion-resistant, all without staining sound dentin or enamel. The material can also provide valuable clinical feedback thanks to its potential to stain visible or hidden lesions.

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A universal composite that esthetically matches every patient.

Tokuyama’s OMNICHROMA is a universal composite that esthetically matches every patient, from A1 to D4, with a single shade. Its uniformly sized supra-nano spherical fillers allow OMNICHROMA to match every one of the 16 VITA classical shades with Smart Chromatic Technology. Its wide color-matching ability eliminates the shade-taking procedure, reducing composite inventory and saving doctors time and money.

Then there are the products that aren’t new but are important in this moment. Silver Diamine Fluoride has been used extensively around the globe for decades but is now available in the US in Advantage Arrest. Indicated for the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity, Advantage Arrest can also kill pathogenic organisms, harden softened dentin making it more acid and abrasion-resistant, all without staining sound dentin or enamel. The material can also provide valuable clinical feedback thanks to its potential to stain visible or hidden lesions.

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Direct-to-Consumer Orthodontic Aligners.

Perhaps no development caused more conversation in the industry than the boom in direct-to-consumer orthodontic aligners. Whether it was OrthoFx, Candid, OrthoLy, or Smile Direct Club, dentists and orthodontists across the country were dealing with the implications of the low-hassle, low-cost alternative.

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Live online chat that can maximize interaction with prospective patients.

Artificial intelligence makes another appearance on the list! This time, serving as the engine for a live online chat service that provides the best responses to prospective patients to maximize conversion. Amplify, from Simplifeye, captures prospective patients, through 24/7 live chat, gathering information that leads to a high-quality patient experience that is customized to their needs and yours.