Dental Products Report-2010-09-01

The divide between dentistry's technology enthusiasts and the general dental population is usually quite wide, but that gap appears to be shrinking as digital dental technologies are picking up momentum and gaining wider adoption and acceptance. Evidence of this trend is clearly visible in both the results of the 2010 Dental Products Report Tech Census, and the products and categories honored as recipients of the second annual Pride Institute Best of Class Technology Awards.

Clear aligner therapy-also known as invisible braces or clear braces-is a popular form of orthodontic treatment that uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually move a patient’s teeth. Clear aligners can be used effectively to improve the esthetic appearance and bite function of your patient.

When providing implant prosthetics and using a cementable crown, choices for the abutment head that will connect the implant fixture to the crown include stock abutments-a prefabricated abutment provided by the implant manufacturer used as is or perhaps with an alteration to its height-and custom abutments that are fabricated for that particular site.

In restorative dentistry, close attention must be paid not only to the restoration, but to the area surrounding the restoration as well. This type of thinking should be applied to provide the esthetics and functionality the patient seeks. Therefore, to provide the best in patient comfort and minimally invasive procedures, practitioners must maintain familiarity with the newest instruments and techniques available through innovation and product development.

Laura Kelly, AAACD “Growing up, I had no idea dental labs even existed, so it was literally by chance when I joined the profession,” Laura admits. “I always enjoyed working with my hands and loved art, so when I was attending college and heard about an opening at a local dental laboratory, I decided to find out what dental labs were all about.” Within a year, Laura fell in love with her profession, and decided to commit her efforts toward furthering her education in the field of dental technology with a focus on esthetic dentistry.

September 2010 | Dental Products Report 10 questions: Julie Charlestein Q +A: Julie Charlestein President of Premier Dental Products September 2010 | Dental Products Report 10 questions: Julie Charlestein Q +A: Julie Charlestein President of Premier Dental Products  

Year in Review: Top products and people who defined innovation in 2010  Behind the scenes: Worthy of the spotlight Serving, selling what's best for dentists, patients Online and mobile apps Taking a different approach Special people delivering special care Consumer technologies Outside looking in The benchmark: Year in review

All dentists want to deliver the finest quality service to their patients, every time. But when choosing a laboratory partner, how can you be confident the lab will produce to your expectations for every case, every day? Dr. Ken W. Waddell of Portland, Ore., took a page from the successful businessman’s handbook and sought out a lab with the highest credentials-international quality-management credentials-to ensure he provides his patients with consistent, safe and high-quality restorations. In fact, Dr.

Dr. Lee Ann Brady, Executive VP of Education for Spear Education After practically growing up in the dental lab where her father worked as a ceramist, Dr. Lee Ann Brady chose the dental profession for herself while a sophomore in college. For 17 years, she led a successful private restorative practice. She took on a part-time teaching position with the Santa Fe Community College Dental Hygiene Program, after which she joined The Pankey Institute as a clinical instructor. She hit the work with such force that it eventually took its toll on her.

REALITY's Top Choices THE SET-UP All tests performed in the Reality Research lab are performed by dentists-not students or researchers-in a way that simulates actual clinical procedures as closely as possible. THE CRITERIA Ideal characteristics:

Barbara Dixon, RDH, MEd Those who deal in management, education and organizational work are often the unsung heroes,” wrote the woman who nominated Barbara Dixon, RDH, MEd. That ends now.

Dr. Tamara Bailey After rising above a difficult divorce and moving to a new city, Dr. Tamara Bailey settled in to life as a single mom in a male-dominated profession, building a successful dental practice from scratch. These days, she is serving as the Director of Doctor Relations for the Atlanta Center for Dental Excellence, busy overseeing the building of a new office, and somehow still finding time to take her three kids to hockey practice.

01 Premier is a fourth-generation family-owned company. How does this benefit the company? We are so incredibly fortunate to have such a rich family and business history. The benefits to Premier are almost immeasurable. Understanding history and decision making are actually big competitive advantages. The 2nd through 4th generations are all involved in the business, and each brings unique perspectives and experiences. 02 What would you say makes your hygiene products so popular with both dentists and hygienists?

Technological advancements have improved virtually every aspect of dentistry in recent decades, from implants to digital x-rays, from orthodontics to bone grafting. The way most of us communicate with our patients, however, has remained essentially unchanged throughout the better part of the last century. Yet patient communication is a significant business driver for our practices-it’s at least as important, arguably more so, than the high-tech procedures we all perform on a daily basis. Generic isn’t good enough

As the number of women in the industry continues to grow-in the practice, in the lab, in the schools and in the manufacturing sector-Dental Products Report wanted to develop an award that recognizes them for their many contributions. The publication received more than 200 outstanding nominations among the five categories: dentists, team members, dental lab, research and education, and industry.

Nuance appears translucent at incisal edges but mimics dentin-like depth when applied to the tooth body. A single shade is all that is needed to capture every essence of the human tooth. Multi-faceted fillers reflect and refract light mimicking the optical properties of surrounding tooth structure for an invisible composite restoration. Nano-filled composite offers high strength, low shrinkage and easy polish for optimal esthetics and universality.

Dash is an in-office, non-light-activated whitening gel providing immediate results at a price point that beats the competition. The all-inclusive kit provides clinicians with everything they need for whitening procedures, and that means no more hunting around the office for the 5-7 required isolation materials.