Dental Innovator: How DenMat's expanding line of smile improvement solutions put the company on top [VIDEO]

DPR recently chatted with DenMat Chief Operating Officer Robert Cartagena about the company's expanding reach, the evolution of the Lumineers brand and much more.

Q: This year DenMat strategically positioned itself as more than a single product or category. Why?

A: DenMat’s history begins with innovation in adhesives and cements dating back to the mid-1970s. Over the years the company expanded into areas such as tooth whitening with its Rembrandt line and indirect esthetic restorations such as Lumineers. Today, the company is truly a broad based, dental products manufacturer and laboratory. Providing our customers with a wide array of solutions for improving a patient’s smile is a critical component of our strategy. We believe everyone should have a beautiful smile. Therefore, our mission is to help the dental professional deliver smile improvement solutions while making it easy and accessible for patients to achieve the smile they want. This is why we spend millions of dollars in consumer advertising on TV, online and in print, generating hundreds of thousands of patient leads delivered to dental offices all over the country.

Q: Lumineers is still a critical brand. How is the Lumineers mission changing and how is it anchoring the wider message about DenMat lab services?

A: Lumineers is now a platform that incorporates fundamental Smile Design principles aimed at delivering the best possible esthetic and functional result with a minimally invasive approach. We recently launched Thinnovation, our education and training program supporting Lumineers. The program uses a multi-disciplinary approach to veneers using a variety of materials and tooth preparation techniques, all designed to produce a beautiful smile while preserving the most amount of healthy tooth structure.

Watch DenMat's leadership team discuss how the company shed its old skin to become a leading innovator in the dental industry

Q: Dentists know oral cancer screening is important, but few prioritize it. How do you change this mindset now that VELscope is yours to promote?

A: The recent findings related to the connection between the human papilloma virus (HPV) and oral cancer are prompting a greater focus on early lesion detection. In years past, it was believed the at-risk population for oral cancer was limited to men who were older than 40 and who smoked, chewed tobacco and/or drank alcohol regularly. The HPV connection means the at-risk population includes anyone who engages in certain types of sexual activity. We are embarking on an ambitious plan to educate both the general population and the professional dental community on the importance of adjunctive oral cancer screening. It really is a matter of life or death.

Q: Why should a dentist go with the SOL if he or she is in the market for a laser?

A: The SOL Soft Tissue Laser is simply a workhorse device, in an elegant, easy to use package. There’s never been a more robustly designed, reliable soft tissue laser at this price point. We believe t every dentist should have this piece of equipment in their armamentarium, and because of this, we have made this extraordinary device accessible to everyone with a price point less than $2,500 with training included.

Q: Tell me about DenMat’s new online commerce system. What made this initiative a priority?

A: With the availability of broadband and the prevalence of wireless routers, most dental practices are online. Buying products over the Internet is now commonplace in both B2C and B2B industries. We want to make doing business with DenMat an easy and enjoyable experience, regardless of how the transaction is conducted. Delivering an e-commerce solution is something that will support our efforts to be a great partner for our customers.

FEATURED PRODUCTS

Lumineers^®

LUMINEERS^® is all about clinically superior outcomes and transformational smiles, all with minimal tooth reduction.

• MINIMALLY INVASIVE: Technology allows for restorations as thin as 0.3 mm, requiring very little tooth reduction.

• BEAUTIFUL: Achieves 176% greater translucency than lithium disilicate for a more natural, more esthetic smile.

• STRONG: Not only beautiful, they’re the strongest leucite-reinforced ceramic veneers on the market.

SOL

The SOL™ diode laser is said to be the ideal device for entry-level and experienced users. It reportedly delivers power and essential features at an economical price. It is portable, precise, has enhanced ergonomics, a single interface and a high-contrast aiming beam to make laser dentistry easier.

VELscope Vx^®

Able to detect tissue abnormalities, the VELscope VX^®  enhanced oral assessment system is said to be effective, minimally invasive and can seamlessly be implemented in a patient’s routine dental check-ups.

The system’s blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. The device can detect a wide variety of abnormalities so they can be discovered before they are visible to the unassisted eye.