John Flucke's Blog - Ramblings from Dentistry's Technology Evangelist

UAB Dental Specialists Restore Bird's Beak at Birmingham Zoo

2026-06-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Under the supervision of a veterinarian, dentists can treat and help animals. I've known a few dentists with big hearts that have worked with their local zoo to help provide needed care to the animals.

Today's post is about a situation that developed with Beauregard, a green aracari bird at the Birmingham Zoo. It seems the poor little guy fractured about 1/2 the length of his upper beak and needed to have it replaced. He was only 3 months old at the time and being so badly injured, it looked like he might not survive.

To try to help him, the Birmingham Zoo called their local dental school The University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Dentistry and asked if they might be able to do something. What those doctors managed to do is pretty amazing. Not only did they figure out a way to save Beauregard, but he's now thriving.

The specialists included an oral & maxillofacial surgeon, a prosthetist, and a maxillofacial prosthodontist. That team created a permanent repair for Beauregard's beak. The amazing part is that, not only did they restore his function, but they managed to fabricate the prosthesis to the same weight as the original so that he can still fly normally. If the prosthesis had been lighter or heavier than the original, it would have affected the bird's stability in flight.

This is a heart warming story and the video of what they did is pretty incredible. I love outside the box thinking and this story is definitely an example of that. How they figured out how to accomplish all of this is beyond me, but I thought everyone would get a kick out of learning about it.

The story and accompanying video can be found here. I highly recommend you check it out. It's one of those things that will bring a smile to your face and give you that warm fuzzy feeling.

Ottimate Becomes First AP Platform to Launch MCP Integration, Further Strengthens Conversational AP Offerings

2026-06-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the past few years we've seen a lot of artificial intelligence move into the dental industry. Things started out clinically and then moved into the administrative realm fairly quickly. Most offices begin the AI journey with systems to help analyze radiographs. Once a radiographic system proves itself, offices often look for other ways to improve workflows with AI. Things like AI phone assistants, AI schedulers, and AI insurance verification are really starting to take root in many offices.

However, one of the areas where AI hasn't made much of an impact yet is in financial management and accounting in offices. The good news is... that's about to change... drastically. Ottimate today is announcing an AI system that will help with AP in ways we haven't seen before. As I frequently say, dentistry as a business is a high wire act as the office balances between revenue coming in and revenue going out. Having as much data as possible on AP makes that balancing act much easier and Ottimate promises to make that data management easier and faster. The company helps several industries in this realm of financial management and dentistry is just one of them.

All the details are below.

Ottimate introduces MCP support, giving finance leaders direct access to AP data within the LLM of their choice.

Ottimate, the leading AI-powered Accounts Payable (AP) automation platform, today announced the first Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration in the market, enabling finance leaders to bring AP data directly into Large Language Models (LLMs) for comprehensive financial insights. The announcement is part of Ottimate's 2026 Summer Release, which also includes enhancements to Ottimate Copilot and a new wave of AI capabilities designed to protect profit margins.

CFOs and finance leaders increasingly rely on AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT to ask questions, synthesize data, and drive strategy but AP data has remained siloed, forcing finance teams to spend 11+ hours a week running reports. With a simple prompt, users can now get critical insights on financial health, cash flow exposure, and payment trends in seconds, a process that historically took days, weeks, or a third-party consultant.

"CFOs shouldn't have to spend hours pulling together information from different sources, " said Shawn Lane, CEO of Ottimate. "By being first to market with an MCP integration, we're giving finance leaders the full picture they need to make confident decisions fast."

Ottimate Copilot, the industry's first conversational AP tool, also receives significant upgrades in this release: statement reconciliation support, deeper spend analytics, and a redesigned interface surfacing the metrics customers care about most.

Rounding out the Summer Release are two features targeting the most repetitive, error-prone tasks in AP. Risk-based spend approvals automatically flag low-risk transactions, letting approvers focus attention where it matters and accelerate reimbursements. Autosuggested GL coding for expense submissions cuts manual effort and helps accounting teams close faster with fewer corrections, moving teams closer to truly touchless operations.

"Every release we ship helps lean teams move quickly, stay focused on high-value work, and never become a bottleneck, " said Don Dittmar, Chief Product Officer of Ottimate. "This summer's release delivers that across the entire platform."

To learn more, visit ottimate.com.

About Ottimate

Ottimate is an AI-powered Accounts Payable (AP) automation platform that empowers finance teams to reduce costs, prevent overpayments, detect fraud, and enforce policy compliance across the entire invoice-to-payment lifecycle. Designed for companies that process complex invoices at scale, Ottimate automates over 90% of the payables accounting process, reducing manual errors, saving time, and even monetizing the payment process. Ottimate’s AI goes beyond traditional automation by applying human-like intelligence refined by over a decade of real-world use and powered by state-of-the-art deep learning. For more information, visit ottimate.com.

Join Me for a Webinar on Intraoral Scanning June 17th

2026-06-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Intraoral scanning is mainstream and only getting better! In an industry survey I saw not too long ago, answers indicated if an office didn't yet own a scanner, it was the #1 tech the doctor expected to purchase next.

I actually started digital scanning way back when with a CEREC 2. For those of you who don't know, that little machine booted with *a floppy disc*!!! Basically all that means is that I've been scanning for well over two decades now and I've seen changes that have blown my mind. Scanning is no longer a "cool to have" technology, it's a "must have".

However, like any piece of technology it needs to be used the right way. Add to that, there are tons of things you can do with scanning and those scans. Intraoral scanners are a gateway technology to a totally digital workflow. So if you're scanning and want to know some tips & tricks, join me on June 17th. If you don't yet own a scanner and are trying to decide exactly how to proceed, join in as well.

The great folks at Medidenta have asked me to tell you about my experiences and what I've learned. I can't imagine practicing without this tech and I'm excited to share what I know with all of you. Follow this link to register.

Clinical Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Mixed Reality-Based Dynamic Navigation for Implant Placement in the Anterior Maxilla

2026-06-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's post dovetails well with a discussion I recently had on The Technology Evangelist Podcast with Dr. Mark Whitefield.

Mark is an incredibly smart, outside the box thinker and the developer of the "Flex-on-X" implant retained denture system. He's working on using a combination of AI and AR (Augmented Reality) vision to help during implant placement surgeries. The concept is to use digital surgical glasses combined with magnification to superimpose CBCT and other digital info directly over the surgical site during treatment to simplify the procedure. Imagine being able to see under the tissue live while you create the osteotomy! Live and dynamically updating info throughout the surgical process is on the near horizon. It's a fascinating discussion!

It also goes well with a recent study published in The Journal of Dentistry regarding using similar systems in a study based environment to evaluate the benefits or drawbacks to using this type of system in implant placement. In a nutshell, the study found:

Results
The clinical integration of AI and MR-DN allowed accurate and time-efficient guided implant placement in the anterior maxilla.

However, there's a lot more to it than just the results achieved. You can find the article here to get a really deep dive into how they performed the procedure and how they evaluated the results.

The development of technologies that allow multiple datasets to be merged and projected over the surgical field through vision systems holds an incredible promise for surgery. The potential benefits to both medicine and dentistry and massive. My gut tells me that we are standing right on the edge of an incredible leap forward in how all surgeries are performed. Information is powerful. Simply put, the more data that a doctor has access to, the more potential for improvements we have. Being able to take this clinical data and provide it directly into the doctor's eyes could change things incredibly.

Be sure to watch the Dr. Mark Whitefield episode and then spend some time reading the study to see what the future of surgery holds.

The podcast is available almost anywhere you get your podcasts. To get links that will take you to your favorite platform follow this link to the Medidenta page that has all the info.

California Attorney General Bonta Announces Settlement with Aspen Dental Over Corporate Practice of Dentistry and False Advertising

2026-06-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's post is a recent press release from the Office of the Attorney General for the State of California. The state has been in litigation with Aspen Dental and the info below is on the settlement agreed to by both parties.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced reaching a settlement with Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (Aspen Dental) for allegedly violating California’s ban on the corporate practice of dentistry and engaging in false and misleading advertising. Owned by private equity firms, Aspen Dental describes itself as a dental support organization that provides business management and administrative services to dental offices, each of which operates under the “Aspen Dental” name and branding. However, the company is alleged to have exceeded that role by, among other things, interfering with and unlawfully directing the practice, ownership, and management of dentistry in California. The settlement, which remains subject to court approval, includes unprecedented injunctive terms to protect California consumers and clinical staff, $2 million in penalties, and $300,000 in restitution funds for certain patients.

“As Americans face an affordability crisis, there is no room for unlawful business practices that can increase healthcare costs or harm consumers. We allege that Aspen Dental went beyond providing business support services and became involved in managing dental operations, while also using advertising that misrepresented services to consumers,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With this settlement, my office is making clear that patient care must remain in the hands of licensed professionals. If you believe you are a victim of false or misleading advertising, please report it to oag.ca.gov/report.”

Since its founding in 1998, Aspen Dental has expanded to more than a thousand offices nationwide. It entered California in 2019 and has since opened 19 offices and served tens of thousands of patients. As part of this expansion, it is alleged that Aspen Dental did not contract with existing dental offices, but rather selected, purchased, staffed, and advertised its offices without clearly identifying an independent dentist-owner. For example, Aspen Dental designed, built out, and furnished all of its offices and made detailed decisions about each location, down to the artwork in bathrooms. It also selected, purchased, and installed all dental equipment across offices.

Aspen Dental also encouraged the sale of particular products and services through direct incentives to practices’ clinical employees. For example, Aspen Dental developed and implemented an incentive program for hygienists to encourage the sale of clear aligners. The program offered hygienists $50 per sale to new patients or $100 per sale to existing patients. Business practices of this kind limited dentist-owners, restricted staff, misguided patients, and purportedly violated California’s ban on the corporate practice of dentistry and California’s Unfair Competition Law.

Further, many advertisements that Aspen Dental created contained misleading and/or false representations, including misleading testimonials, ambiguity, misleading cost claims, and inexact pricing language. Some Aspen Dental advertisements represented that its offices worked with all insurance or no insurance. However, Aspen Dental offices did not accept state or federally funded insurance programs. Other advertisements described low prices for certain products or procedures without clearly disclosing the factors that affect the price or what’s provided.

As a part of the settlement, Aspen Dental has agreed to $2 million in penalties, $300,000 in restitution funds, and injunctive terms, including:

Not replacing any practice owner with another dentist of its choosing.
Not requiring practice owners to effectively give up ownership of any dental practices if they decide to terminate their contractual relationship with Aspen Dental.
Not owning the property for any practice.
Not practicing dentistry, including but not limited to owning or managing any dental office.
Not basing service fees on revenue, sales, or profits.
Not suggesting, directing, or encouraging any licensed clinician, other than a practice owner, to sell or increase revenue for any service or product.
Not compensating any of its employees based on the sales or revenue of practices.
Not paying any practice employees incentives based on practice sales, revenue, or profit, including the sale of a particular service or product.
Discontinuing the use of and not enforcing any existing contractual provision that restricts where any licensed clinician may practice or be employed.
Providing a written fee schedule for products and laboratory services.
Registering with the Dental Board of California as a Dental Group Advertising and Referral Service.
Clearly and conspicuously identifying the practice owners name when creating, publishing, or disseminating advertisements.

AMD Picasso Pro Laser Available for Pre-Order

2026-06-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed endodontics and anytime something new and exciting in the field comes along, I always look at it with interest. As a tech guy, I'm always looking for the latest and greatest, but I *really* perk up when I see something that just might make endo easier and/or provide better results.

Along those lines, I recently made a post about AMD Lasers and their new LEAP endo system that uses their newest laser, the Picasso Pro.

Today I'd like to pass along some more info for those of you who are interested in this new system. I recently was notified by AMD that this new system is available for pre-order that includes a $600 savings.

Personally, I think the value here is that this isn't an "endo specific" system. The Picasso Pro is a fully functional diode laser that allows you to use it in a variety of clinical applications. The big plus is that it also gives you a new way to perform endo for your patients.

I've been using soft tissue lasers in my clinical practice since around 1998 and I can tell you from personal experience that soft tissue lasers will change the way you think and treat. The predictability of lasers allows you to do some amazing things. As an example, I'll use gingival recontouring in aesthetic cases. Properly used, a soft tissue laser can allow you to perform gingival recontouring as well as preparation for aesthetic dentistry at the same appointment.

A laser can allow you to gently ablate tissue that doesn't shrink as it heals. That means the gingival margin stays exactly as you contoured it. When the crowns or veneers are seated, the tissue is right where you left it. This means patients get their cosmetic treatment faster with more predictable results.

Of course that's just one example of the benefits of laser dentistry. You can also perform biopsies, tissue retraction for fixed prosthetics, frenectomies, and much, much more. I've got several soft tissue lasers in the office and if someone came in and stole them, I'd be on the phone the next day ordering a new one. Their effect on my treatment is that profound.

Adding endodontics to the procedural list is the icing on the cake. AMD has been working on developing the LEAP system since at least 2019 and they have done a lot of research and testing to fine tune this to get it just right.

Here's what AMD has to say about the Picasso Pro and the new LEAP endo system...

A New Frontier in Laser Dentistry

The new Picasso Pro isn’t just another diode laser system; it’s a complete practice tool chest allowing you to deploy the power of lasers in ways you never imagined.

Root Canal Disinfection

Developed exclusively for the Picasso Pro, the LEAP Laser Endodontic Ablation Procedure is a generational breakthrough in interior tooth dentistry. Achieve 99.999% canal disinfection in just a few seconds while reducing pain and retreatment risk. Stop referring out simple endo cases!

Pain-Free Injections

The Picasso Pro also features the LAPA Laser-Assisted Pain Alleviation protocol. Use photobiomodulation (PBM) and specially designed disposable tips to deliver chemical-free painless anesthetic injections. Say goodbye to flinching patients!

Bang for Your Buck

The Picasso Pro was created to elevate more aspects of your practice than ever before: hygiene, periodontics, smile aesthetics, restorative dentistry, endodontics, you name it. And at less than $10,000, its value is unbeatable. Preorder now and receive over $600 in free specialty tips and other goodies!

Pearl RCM Launches to Improve Insurance Workflows and Claim Outcomes in Dentistry

2026-06-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

AI companies continue to expand their offerings and menus of services to the industry. The competition in this segment of the market is fierce and AI service providers are constantly pushing their R&D teams for more features and smoother workflows. Here's the latest info from Pearl on their new features and even a mention of what's coming in the not too distant future:

New Pearl product embeds AI insurance intelligence into daily practice and clinical operations, streamlining benefits verification, reducing patient billing surprises, and helping practices submit cleaner claims faster

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced Pearl RCM, a revenue cycle management platform that embeds insurance intelligence throughout the dental workflow. By connecting eligibility verification, imaging quality assurance, clinical documentation, and clean claim preparation, Pearl RCM helps practices create and submit cleaner claims, reduce reimbursement delays, and improve revenue predictability.

Dental practices struggle to maintain predictable revenue cycles and expend considerable staff resources navigating the complex, fragmented patient insurance claim process. Often patient insurance is verified in one system (or manually across many), clinical documentation and imaging is loaded in another, and claim creation and submission is completed in a third. Staff piece claims together manually by switching between insurance portals and software platforms. This disconnected workflow frequently leads to errors: Claims are filed for treatments that are not covered by a patient’s insurance, required documentation is left out, clinical evidence doesn’t meet carrier requirements, etc. The result: Claims are subject to processing delays, downcodes, and denials. These are major pain points for dental practice owners, who ranked insurance-related issues, including delayed or denied payments and low reimbursement rates, among the top concerns for dental practices heading into 2026. Across U.S. healthcare more broadly, claim denials cost providers close to $30 billion annually. The impact of insurance friction extends to patients as well: Unexpected out-of-pocket costs are a key factor contributing to dentistry’s patient trust gap.

Unlike traditional dental RCM systems that operate downstream after treatment has already been completed, Pearl RCM embeds insurance intelligence upstream – during scheduling, imaging, diagnosis, and treatment planning – when issues can still be identified and corrected before they delay, downcode, or compromise a claim. This unique approach ensures that every clinical interaction is claim-ready, eliminating a major source of administrative overhead in dental practice management and revenue operations. With Pearl RCM, insurance eligibility verification and claim optimization integrate directly with daily clinical and operational workflows by surfacing coverage data, missing prerequisites, and claim-readiness status in high visibility touchpoints within Pearl’s dental AI platform.

Critically, Pearl RCM is built on a foundation of FDA-cleared radiologic AI that powers key capabilities including real-time x-ray quality assessment at the point of capture, automated selection of clinically relevant AI-annotated images for claim attachments, and AI-generated narratives grounded in what the imaging actually shows.

“Dental practices lose enormous time and revenue navigating disconnected insurance workflows,” said Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl. “Pearl RCM addresses claim issues proactively, before they become denials. Moving insurance verification and claim readiness to the point of care gives practices clarity and predictability that they've never had, and patients get a billing experience that finally matches the quality of their clinical care.”

Customers can already see the impact:

“Pearl saves our team hours daily by both auto-verifying insurance and making coverage details clear and easy to find,” said Christine Marcin of Ballard Dental Partners. “The new RCM toolset goes a big step further, ensuring we have the right evidence, codes, and documentation to clear claims without insurance back and forth.”

In early deployments across select practices, Pearl RCM has helped teams achieve:

Up to 35 staff hours per week saved on eligibility verification and claim creation
Up to 80% fewer downcodes and denial related to missing, incomplete or non-compliant supporting documentation.
Up to 2X improvement in first-pass clean claim submission rates

The platform's core features deliver clarity and efficiency across the entire revenue cycle:

Precheck™: Confirms eligibility and code-level benefits automatically from four clearinghouses and over 300 carrier portals. Coverage data, including remaining benefits and frequency limits, is surfaced directly in the appointment card and schedule view, reducing time spent calling payers and helping to eliminate patient billing surprises.
Claim Actions: Proactive, in-schedule alerts guide the team by flagging missing X-rays, outdated imaging, quality issues, or coverage gaps ahead of the visit, connecting clinical need, image quality, and insurance requirements in one view.
Imagecheck™: Reduces avoidable denials due to non-diagnostic x-ray evidence by flagging x-ray issues at the point of capture, detecting quality defects like cone cuts, poor exposure, or missing apices before they reach a claim.
Clean Claim (coming soon): Helps teams build stronger claims through automation, including Auto-Attach, which automatically selects and attaches the most clinically relevant, AI-annotated images, and Auto-Remark, which generates tailored clinical narratives and remarks for each procedure code and payer.
Claim Insights (coming soon): Offers retrospective analytics on claim outcomes across the practice, surfacing actionable patterns by procedure, payer, provider, and location to help fix the root cause of lost revenue.

For practices, this suite of capabilities power an end-to-end approach to revenue cycle automation that enables a highest standard of revenue cycle efficiency in the dental industry. Pearl RCM is available now to dental practices across the United States. To learn more, visit hellopearl.com/products/rcm.

About Pearl

Pearl is a dental AI company committed to enhancing how patient care is delivered. Founded in 2019 by a team with decades of experience developing successful, enterprise-grade computer vision solutions, Pearl introduced the first-ever FDA-cleared AI capable of reading and instantly identifying diseases in dental x-rays. With regulatory clearance in 120 countries, Pearl's AI assists dentists in making precise clinical decisions and effectively communicating with patients, thereby transforming the dental care experience worldwide. As dentistry’s global AI leader, Pearl is committed to the ongoing innovation of robust, accessible AI tools that improve patient health outcomes and build greater trust in dental medicine. To request a demo, please visit hellopearl.com/demo.

Ambitious Program Launched to Advance Research and Promote Gum Health as the Link Between Oral and Overall Health

2026-06-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Promoted by the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, with SEPA Playing a Leading Role Through the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative

One of the most significant global efforts to strengthen dentistry’s contribution to overall health and to raise awareness among health care professionals and the general public about the strong association between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease
The Levi-Richman Integration Initiative is currently funded at $2.5 million, and its scope is expected to expand in the coming years
The SEPA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration, is playing a particularly prominent role as a strategic partner and recipient of a $200,000 philanthropic gift, which is expected to grow to $500,000, to implement the Working Together initiative.
“Our goal is to reconnect the mouth to the body,” says Dr. Paul Levi Jr., who has highlighted SEPA’s important role in advancing periodontal health.
The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation (AAP Foundation) has launched an ambitious initiative to deepen understanding of the relationship between oral health and systemic health. The effort is part of the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative, which will mobilize more than $2.5 million in existing and new investments to highlight the role of periodontal health as a critical link between oral and overall health.
A new program developed under the umbrella of the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative is called Working Together, and the SEPA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration, will play a central role in its implementation. As explained by Dr. Paula Matesanz, President of SEPA, “The goal is to foster collaboration between oral health professionals and key public health stakeholders in alignment with global health priorities.”

An Extraordinary Philanthropic Gift

The Levi-Richman Integration Initiative, named in honor of its founding donors Patty and Paul Levi and Dr. Colin Richman, is supported by major philanthropic contributions totaling approximately $2 million to date, including a $1 million gift made by Dr. Richman in 2020 and more than $250,000 previously contributed by the Levis and other donors. Patty and Paul Levi have now committed additional previously undisclosed funds and have also established a planned gift to further increase their support in the future.

Specifically, a $200,000 philanthropic contribution has been awarded, through an endowment model (permanent donation), to the SEPA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Spanish Society of Periodontology, to support implementation of the Working Together program. The AAP Foundation has committed to sustaining this effort over the next five years and is actively seeking additional funding to expand the initiative further, with the goal of reaching $500,000.

According to President Paula Matesanz, “The collaboration between the SEPA Foundation and the AAP Foundation, made possible through Professor Levi’s extraordinary generosity, represents a shared global effort to place oral health and the professionals who work in this field at the forefront of addressing major modifiable risk factors for diseases such as periodontitis, which also have important implications for overall health.”

Reconnecting Oral Health and Overall Health

“My family and I are proud to support this ambitious project,” said Dr. Colin Richman, “and to advance understanding of the bidirectional relationship between oral health and systemic health. Our existing Periodontics-Orthodontics (Perio-Ortho) grants have already sought to strengthen collaboration between periodontists and orthodontists. With this new initiative, we are extending that same spirit of integration to our colleagues in systemic health and addressing another subject that is deeply important to me: the oral-systemic connection.”

“Our goal is to reconnect the mouth to the body,” added Dr. Paul Levi Jr., quoting the late Dr. Bruce Donoff, a dentist and physician who served as Dean of Harvard School of Dental Medicine for 28 years. “For many years, evidence has continued to accumulate demonstrating the strong association between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. More recently, emerging research has linked oral health to an expanding list of conditions ranging from Alzheimer disease to erectile dysfunction. Although these relationships are well known among periodontists, they remain largely unfamiliar to the general public and to many physicians, including cardiologists, pulmonologists, and endocrinologists, whose patients may be in urgent need of periodontal care.”

“Periodontal and peri-implant diseases, as well as the dysbiosis and inflammation associated with these conditions, have been linked to the development and progression of numerous systemic diseases,” said Dr. Mia Geisinger, Past President of the American Academy of Periodontology and Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative. Although these associations do not necessarily establish causation, patients with systemic conditions are known to be at increased risk for periodontal disease and should be evaluated for periodontal treatment, particularly when they present with one or more warning signs of periodontal disease.

In this regard, Dr. Geisinger noted that greater medical-dental integration, including the widespread adoption of electronic health records, could significantly improve assessment of the bidirectional effects of periodontal and systemic diseases. “Future longitudinal and epidemiologic studies may help further clarify best practices to improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes.” In response to this need, the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative will fund research exploring causal links between periodontal disease and systemic conditions and will help disseminate those findings through education and advocacy.

Planned Activities

The Levi-Richman Integration Initiative will support new research, disseminate knowledge through educational programs for dentists, physicians, and allied health professionals, and raise awareness about periodontal and peri-implant diseases, the importance of their treatment, and the specialists who are uniquely qualified to provide this care.

Programs supported by the Initiative will include:

A new and ambitious research grants program focused on interdisciplinary investigation of the relationship between oral health and systemic health.
The existing Richman Family Foundation Perio-Ortho Grants, established in 2021 through Dr. Richman’s generous support.
Expanded Patty and Paul Levi Research Awards, originally created in 2016 to recognize prevention-related research conducted by predoctoral dental students and funded by contributions from the Levi family and more than 100 donors. These awards will now include a second prize for postgraduate residents in periodontology.
Educational programs for dentists, physicians, and allied health professionals.
Funding for key initiatives within the American Academy of Periodontology, including the upcoming Best Evidence Consensus on the prevention of peri-implant diseases.
Collaborations with the SEPA Foundation, Europe’s leading charitable organization dedicated to periodontology, including:
A biennial global online symposium on prevention, beginning in 2027.
International expansion of the AAP Foundation’s PerioDash 5K run/walk.
A series of educational webinars for dentists and physicians held in conjunction with observances such as World No Tobacco Day and World Diabetes Day.

The SEPA Foundation: A Key Strategic Partner

One example of this outreach effort is PerioDash, the AAP Foundation’s annual 5K run/walk designed to raise awareness about periodontal diseases, the importance of treatment, and the specialists who can help. Now incorporated into the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative, PerioDash will expand to Europe through a partnership with the SEPA Foundation.

With financial support from the Initiative, the SEPA Foundation will also develop educational programs open to oral health and systemic health professionals worldwide, in collaboration with the AAP Foundation and other organizations. These efforts will begin in 2026 with a series of webinars held in conjunction with international health awareness observances, including World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and World Diabetes Day (November 14). The programs will include both global and local components, enabling periodontists to connect with physicians in their communities, broaden understanding of the oral-systemic relationship, and strengthen referral networks.

This Initiative marks an important new chapter for the AAP Foundation, which in 2025 celebrated surpassing $10 million in cumulative grants, scholarships, and financial awards over its 35-year history, including support for programs of the American Academy of Periodontology and the American Board of Periodontology. “The AAP Foundation is proud to continue its longstanding commitment to academic periodontics,” said its President, Dr. Christopher R. Richardson, “and now complements that core mission with this ambitious initiative, which is designed to directly support clinicians in private practice and improve both periodontal and overall health.”

About the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation

Founded in 1990, the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation (AAP Foundation) advances the specialty of periodontics and dental implant surgery through advocacy, research, and education. Over the past 35 years, more than 350 dental students, periodontology residents, faculty members, and practicing clinicians have received educational and research awards from the AAP Foundation, totaling more than $10 million. These awards have been made possible through support from more than 150 corporate and organizational donors, as well as nearly 5,000 individual professionals.

About the SEPA Foundation

The SEPA Foundation is the charitable arm of one of the world’s leading scientific societies in periodontology and implant therapy. It is widely recognized nationally and internationally for its role in promoting periodontal and peri-implant health through education, research, and scientific outreach. The Foundation is governed by a distinguished Board of Trustees that reflects the spirit of an open, collaborative institution committed to society and to improving people’s health by advancing initiatives that connect scientific knowledge with clinical practice and the broader community.

About Colin Richman

Born in Johannesburg, Dr. Colin Richman studied in South Africa and England before earning his certificate in periodontics from the University of Connecticut. A highly respected periodontist based in Georgia, Dr. Richman has extensive training and experience in periodontics and has delivered more than 350 lectures throughout the United States and internationally. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Dentistry and as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Connecticut. He is currently a professor at the Medical College of Georgia.

About Patty and Paul Levi

Patty and Paul Levi Jr. have been married for nearly 60 years, with Patty playing an essential role in supporting Dr. Levi throughout his teaching and professional career in periodontics. After completing his postgraduate training in periodontics at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Levi established his private practice in Burlington and taught at the University of Vermont School of Dental Hygiene for 27 years. He later began commuting to Boston to teach part-time at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where he currently serves as a faculty member. Patty and Paul share a deep commitment to prevention. Their connection with the Spanish periodontal community began when Dr. Levi taught in Barcelona for one academic year. Since then, he has maintained close ties with SEPA and has been a frequent speaker at its congresses.

Analysis of Endodontic Obturation Techniques

2026-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

A short post today, because the real info is in the study. I happen to love endodontics. It's one of my favorite procedures. Like anything in the profession, there are lots of schools of thought and lots of debate about different techniques. The knowledge base is always growing.

A recent study was done to systemically compare the outcomes of different techniques of obturation through a systemic review and meta-analysis. They looked at results from both initial treatment as well as retreatment. Of course, instrumentation is probably the primary concern. If a canal isn't properly decontaminated/instrumented, the type of obturation won't matter much.

Yet, I found the info in the study interesting and I hope those of you who are performing endo will find it interesting as well. The study was published in Scientific Reports and you can read the study by following this link: Effect of root canal filling techniques and materials on endodontic treatment outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Also, as an aside to this post. I try to honor copyrights, so I asked an AI system to "Create image of x-ray of endodontically treated human lower first molar." That image is the one at the top of this post. It appears the system created a graphic of a film radiograph. I found that a little humorous. I haven't used film since around the year 2000.

Solventum Foundation and America’s ToothFairy Launch National Effort to Expand Access to Preventive Dental Care

2026-05-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, 3M's dental division changed their name to Solventum. Even though it's been a bit over two years now, I find that a lot of dentists aren't aware of the switch. The company makes a lot of popular products like 3M Filtek Supreme XTE Restorative, but if an office doesn't happen to order a lot of their products, that name change may have gone unnoticed. However, the only thing that has changed with their products is the name. It's all still the same great products inside the package.

There has been a recent announcement that the Solventum Foundation has partnered wtih America's ToothFairy to provide oral health screenings, education, and fluoride treatments to more than 100,000 children and caregivers over the next year. The oral health of children is critically important. I'm proud of what both of these organizations are doing to help improve the lives of kids.

Solventum Foundation and America’s ToothFairy Launch National Effort to Expand Access to Preventive Dental Care

Expands access to much needed dental care for underserved communities
Supports safety-net dental clinics, increased screenings and preventive services and broader distribution of educational materials for children and families
Advances meaningful societal impact through Solventum Foundation philanthropy aligned to the company’s core focus areas

The Solventum Foundation today announced a $350,000 grant to America’s ToothFairy to expand access to oral health screenings, dental education and fluoride treatment for more than 100,000 children and caregivers in underserved communities over the next year.

In addition to the Foundation's grant, Solventum's dental business will donate 60,000 applications of 3M™ Clinpro™ Clear Fluoride Treatment to support the initiative. Together, these contributions underscore Solventum’s commitment to enabling better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives by addressing critical gaps in oral health access.

“I am incredibly proud to see how the Solventum Foundation is working to improve lives and advance access to care in communities where we live and work around the world,” said Bryan Hanson, chief executive officer, Solventum. “This grant will help America’s ToothFairy provide essential resources so more children can build a foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles.”

This initiative addresses significant barriers that many families face in accessing dental care, including financial hardship, lack of transportation and a shortage of dental providers. The grant enables America’s ToothFairy to support safety-net dental clinics and community organizations in delivering fluoride applications and oral health education in trusted settings like schools and mobile units.

Key components of the initiative include:

Expanded access: Adding five new safety-net dental clinics to the America’s ToothFairy Dental Resource Program, providing them with valuable resources to increase access to care in communities near Solventum facilities.
Direct care grants: Awarding grants to support oral health screenings and urgent dental care for children who lack insurance coverage.
Education: Distributing educational materials to 25,000 children and caregivers to reinforce healthy habits at home and the importance of fluoride in preventing tooth decay.

“At America’s ToothFairy, we see every day how difficult it can be for families to get the dental care their children need,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy. “This generous support from the Solventum Foundation will help us reach more children with preventive care, connect more families to trusted resources and give more kids the chance to grow up healthy and pain free.”

Solventum employees will also play a vital role in the initiative by hosting Smile Drives to collect essential hygiene products for families in need, volunteering to assemble oral health kits and delivering donated products to local clinics.

This is the Solventum Foundation’s first large-scale grant since its formation in 2025. The Foundation intends to make additional grants across Solventum’s core business areas.

About the Solventum Foundation

The Solventum Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation that is funded and supported by Solventum. At the Foundation, we are dedicated to improving lives and advancing access to care for those who need it most. We focus our charitable efforts on three core pillars: supporting our employees in times of need, strengthening our communities and responding to global crises. The Foundation is a separate legal entity, guided by its own board of directors, that works in partnership with Solventum to create meaningful societal impact.

About Solventum

At Solventum, we enable better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives. As a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for our customers’ toughest challenges, we pioneer game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material and data science that change patients' lives for the better — while empowering healthcare professionals to perform at their best. See how at Solventum.com.

About America’s ToothFairy

America’s ToothFairy is celebrating 20 years of increasing access to oral healthcare. The organization supports nonprofit clinics and community partners who deliver education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. America’s ToothFairy has helped more than 16 million children and caregivers across America access oral health services. For more information, visit America’sToothFairy.org.

The Technology Evangelist Podcast Episode 42 - Dr. Adam Hodges on Composite Veneer Technology and Digital Dentistry

2026-05-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago I got a chance to have a great conversation with Dr. Adam Hodges about his passion for excellence and his dedication to the profession. I was impressed with a lot of the things he said and the topics he covered, however the one that I really loved was his thoughts on mentorship. I've said it a lot over the years, but at the time I started my practice, communication with other doctors was a lot more difficult. I had limited resources available to me and I was often forced to figure things out myself. Now with the ability to communicate with experienced clinicians, young doctors can learn from mentors at an amazing speed.

If you are a young doctor, don't hesitate to reach out to others. There are a lot of clinicians like Dr. Hodges that enjoy helping others learn more about the profession.

Below is a summary of our conversation:

Composite veneer technology has transformed what general dentists can deliver for patients — and few clinicians know that story better than Dr. Adam Hodges. On this episode of The Technology Evangelist Podcast, host Dr. John Flucke sits down with Dr. Hodges, a Solventum KOL, Dental Advisor clinical ambassador, and 24-year veteran of a family dental practice in Asheville, North Carolina, to talk about how digital workflows are making composite veneers more predictable, more profitable, and more accessible than ever. This conversation is brought to you by Medidenta Digital Solutions, whose support makes this podcast possible.

Key Insights on Composite Veneer Technology and Generational Dentistry:

A Generational Practice Built on Mentorship: Dr. Hodges is a 2000 graduate of the Medical College of Georgia who completed a general practice residency at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital focused on surgical and cosmetic dentistry. He went on to join his father in practice and now runs Hodges and Hodges Comprehensive Dental Medicine alongside his brother. He credits his father’s analytical, military-trained mindset with quietly programming him to think like a dentist long before he ever set foot in dental school — a foundation he says shaped his clinical precision and his ability to communicate calmly under pressure.
How the Solventum Filtek Matrix Changed His Approach to Composite Veneers: As the initial clinical user of the Solventum Filtek Matrix, Dr. Hodges describes a personal turning point. Despite genuinely enjoying composite veneers as a concept, he had largely stopped doing them because he lacked confidence in consistently delivering a beautiful esthetic result. The Filtek Matrix — which uses a digital scan and design to create a case that the dentist injects composite into directly — changed that. What once took him four and a half hours now takes roughly ninety minutes, with results that are more predictable and patient-approved every time. Composite veneer technology, he says, went from being a pain point to a true practice differentiator.
The Business Case for Affordable Esthetics: Dr. Hodges makes a compelling argument for composite veneers as a practice builder. Because the procedure is significantly less expensive than porcelain veneers, patients who complete treatment often become word-of-mouth referrals almost immediately. He also notes that when specialists in the area — orthodontists, pediatric dentists — learned he was offering this service reliably, he became a referral destination for cases that those offices could not handle themselves. The financial efficiency of completing six composite veneers in a single hour, he adds, makes this one of the most profitable procedures in his day.
Choosing the Right Entry Point into Digital Dentistry: Both Dr. Hodges and I stress that digital dentistry does not require an all-or-nothing commitment. A practice that already has a digital scanner can take advantage of composite veneer technology without designing cases from scratch — Solventum’s portal handles the design work, and the clinician simply works from the resulting case. Dr. Hodges compares this to using water wings before swimming independently: start with the supported workflow, build confidence over a handful of cases, and add more self-directed digital capability only when it makes practical sense.
The Role of Advanced Education in Clinical Confidence: Dr. Hodges began pursuing continuing education almost immediately after residency, even when he could barely afford it. He studied at Pankey and Spear, completed the LSU Cosmetic Continuum, and credits those experiences with building the clinical foundation that allowed him to take full advantage of new composite veneer technology and other digital tools when they arrived. He warns that many dentists wait too long to pursue advanced training, leaving themselves with less career horizon to apply what they learn.
When to Pause on New Materials and Technology: Having been burned twice by adopting restorative materials that later failed at scale — including one that resulted in a manufacturer recall mid-use — Dr. Hodges advises particular caution with newer 3D-printed crown materials. He notes that while 3D printing produces remarkable anatomy, the materials’ long-term durability in the mouth is still in its early stages. He recommends relying on organizations like Dental Advisor and CR for independent testing data before adopting new materials, rather than letting compelling marketing drive clinical decisions.
Patient Communication as a Clinical Skill: A recurring theme throughout the episode is the importance of tailoring communication to the individual patient. Dr. Hodges describes developing internal scripts — specific, tested language for everything from bite checks to treatment presentations — and refining them the same way a performer refines a stage act: if he is not getting the result he wants, he changes the delivery. He and Dr. Flucke also discuss the value of keeping chairside conversation focused on dentistry, noting that an endless, enthusiastic discussion of teeth is the one topic that will never alienate a patient or create controversy in today’s charged environment.
Mentoring the Next Generation: Dr. Hodges currently mentors six dental residents, taking them to dinner, presenting cases, and deliberately trying to spark the curiosity that will drive them toward lifelong learning. He pushes back on experienced dentists who criticize younger clinicians without actively helping them — arguing that the obligation of seasoned practitioners is to help the next generation understand not just how to do things, but why, so they can apply that reasoning to tools and techniques that do not yet exist.

Dr. Adam Hodges brings a rare combination of clinical depth, industry involvement, and genuine enthusiasm for the future of dentistry to every conversation. Whether you are a new graduate trying to figure out where composite veneer technology fits in your practice, or an experienced dentist looking to revisit a procedure you have been avoiding, his insights offer a practical and encouraging roadmap.

The Technology Evangelist Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Please "Like", "Subscribe", and "Comment" as that helps more people find us and helps keep the algorithm happy. To see this discussion with Dr. Adam Hodges, click here.

Have a Great Memorial Day - and Remember the Fallen

2026-05-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

The photo above is a gorgeous shot of Arlington National Cemetery taken by Duane Lempke. He has generously dedicated this work to the public domain by waiving all rights to it. I think that it's a great way to start this post.

According to Wikipedia, "Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces". Here's a bit of trivia... the holiday was originally called Decoration Day and was so named to encourage placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. I can still remember my grandma wanting to go to a cemetery on "Decoration Day" to place flowers. It's one of those childhood memories that warms my heart.

The holiday started out as a way to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War and has since morphed into a remembrance of all fallen soldiers and military personnel.

From a personal point of view, it seems to me that over the years the real reason for the holiday has become a bit lost. I feel a lot of people look upon it more as the beginning of summer and a day to relax and grill in the backyard. While I'm certainly not opposed to bonding over a backyard burger, I wanted to take today's post and remind everyone of "the why" behind the day.

Sacrifice for the common good is honorable and we should all take a moment today to pause and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for others. Enjoy the day and remember the fallen who cannot be there with you.

3D Printing Waste - How Do We Handle It?

2026-05-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

As regular readers will know, I am all in on 3D printing. This area of dentistry is really starting to take root and continues to grow. The profession is rapidly moving to delivery of common "bread and butter" removable appliances and crowns to in-office. The design process has gotten much easier as AI is integrated more and more into the workflow. More 3D printing in being done in dental offices and even more is being done in dental labs. The dental lab industry was quick to see the benefit of digital dentistry and incorporating 3D printing into their workflows has given labs increased speed while cutting costs.

This product category is growing, yet there is one area of this change that we all need to think about. 3D printing does create some excess cured resin and how can that be recycled in an environmentally friendly way? As the image above shows, when a device is 3D printed, it's necessary to create supports. These small pieces literally 'support' the project while it is being printed. These supports are then trimmed off, the project is polished, and the supports are normally tossed in the trash. Obviously we're all trying to reduce the amount of plastics that end up in landfills and despite my love of 3D printing, I think we need to think about this.

The good new is, now there's a way to recycle this excess cured resin. You read that right, recycle. DRNA (Dental Recycling North America) is now offering a way to dispose of the pieces without sending them to a landfill.

Back when amalgam disposal was still a minor concern in the industry, DRNA began selling amalgam separators that removed amalgam from dental suction. Their system is a canister that connects to the suction unit and removes the amalgam dust and particles before they go into the municipal sewer lines. Amalgam separators are new required in dental offices, but back when I had one installed, I did it simply because I thought it was environmentally responsible. I've been using their product ever since.

Recently the company came out with a system to recycle 3D printed resins and, again, I think it's a great idea for the environment. As we are all aware, taking care of the planet is something we should all be concerned with and this is great idea to help with that. The company can safely dispose of both cured and uncured (liquid) resin.

The process is simple. You simply purchase a 2.5 gallon bucket from the company, place the cured resin pieces into it, and when the bucket is full it is shipped back to DRNA who then recycles the material. It's a simple, turnkey solution, that simplifies the process of recycling the cured resin leftovers. Occasionally a 3D printer will make a mistake and misprint something. It isn't common, but it happens and you can recycle those as well. I like the idea because it makes recycling consistent, easier, and provides paperwork to the office that the materials have been responsibly disposed of.

The idea came to the folks at DRNA when the SprintRay Midas 3D printer came to market. The Midas uses the same concept as the Keurig Coffee Pod. It uses a small cartridge that contains enough resin to print a single crown. It cuts waste by reducing the amount of resin used and streamlines the workflow for offices that are 3D printing crowns. However, in addition to the left over resin, there is also the pod to consider as far as waste. The folks at DRNA decided to create a solution that was easy and environmentally friendly to make recycling easier. Yet you don't need to be a Midas user to recycle. Now DRNA has brought 3D recycling to any office using a 3D printer. As the 3D printing market expands and printers evolve, there will also be other 'pod' type solutions on the market and getting started with recycling now is a good thing for everyone.

You can find all of the info on DRNA's system here.

During AAPD 2026: CaviSense™ Showcasing its 10-Second Chairside Test for Active Demineralization in Pediatric Patients

2026-05-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

At the Yankee Dental Congress this past January I got a chance to see the CaviSense™ system in action and I also got a chance to actually have it used on me. This is a unique idea that moves the profession further into the prevention model by helping to identifying demineralization at its earliest stages. This may allow doctors to then be able to provide remineralization therapy or resin infiltration.

The big news here is that the company will have a booth at the upcoming AAPD meeting in Las Vegas this weekend. If you are planning on attending, be sure to stop by Booth #104 and tell them I said hello! Read on for the details...

Company Will Also Provide an Early Preview of its Full-Mouth Active Demineralization Detection Tray System

Leading Pediatric Dentist, Adam Silevitch, DMD will explain his success with CaviSense, Saturday 11:00AM, May 23rd, in CaviSense Booth #104

CaviSense Inc., a Harvard/Tufts spin-out and developer of a radiation-free diagnostic technology for active tooth demineralization. CaviSense will be returning as an exhibitor to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Annual Session, May 21–24 in Las Vegas.

At Booth #104, CaviSense will be providing live chairside demonstrations of its 10-second diagnostic sensor designed to identify interproximal active demineralization before lesions become radiographically apparent.

In addition, the company will be previewing its new and revolutionary tray system designed to provide comprehensive screening for localized active tooth demineralization of the entire dentition in 30 seconds.

According to Dr. Gili Naveh, founder of CaviSense. “Today with our CaviSense single point sensor and our upcoming, full mouth tray system, we’re rapidly

shifting the caries management paradigm. We’re enabling detection to extend beyond the four walls of the dental office and into home testing. Clinicians can now detect the early stages of caries and intervene earlier, when minimally invasive treatments are most effective.”

The CaviSense single point sensor and full mouth tray system both integrate seamlessly into the pediatric office workflow, with no radiation exposure and without invasive procedures - important considerations for both clinicians and parents. 

“Anything we introduce into our pediatric operatories has to be fast, kid friendly, and clinically meaningful,” said Dr. Adam Silevitch, DMD, pediatric dentist and early CaviSense adopter. “This technology checks all three boxes. It enables me to identify active acid challenges in specific areas, and have a much more precise, visual conversation with parents and their children.”

Dr. Silevitch will be making a special appearance at CaviSense booth #104 on Saturday, May 23rd, at 11AM to explain how CaviSense transformed his pediatric practice and enabled him to boost revenue by increasing case acceptance and positive outcomes of minimally invasive treatments.

During the AAPD Annual Session, CaviSense will also promote its Lunch & Learn program, inviting pediatric practices to schedule post-meeting, virtual lunch & learn sessions designed to educate the entire team on the benefits of early caries detection with CaviSense. Schedule a Lunch & Learn here: https://bit.ly/CaviSenseLearning

About CaviSense

CaviSense develops advanced diagnostic technologies to improve the early detection and management of dental caries. Its patented chairside sensor and upcoming full mouth tray system identify localized cariogenic conditions and active tooth demineralization in seconds, enabling clinicians to intervene earlier and deliver minimally invasive care.

References: 1. CDC Oral Health Surveillance Report 2. NIDCR Dental Caries Data

Premier Announces Lumira™ LED Curing Light

2026-05-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've always been fascinated by curing lights and the science behind them. About 80% of what general dentists do is based on adhesive procedures, so that aspect of clinical treatment is critical to long term success. Unfortunately, many in the profession don't really think about the light and how intrinsic it is to the process. I often refer to the curing light as "the stepchild of dentistry" because while it's always around, people don't pay a lot of attention to it.

So, with that being said, I'm excited about a new curing light announced by Premier. I haven't had a chance to get my hands on one to test... yet. However, I'm pretty excited about the features, especially that the user can select a mode with the stated output of 3000mw/cm² intensity. I like to see a light with a minimum output of at least 1000, and this tops that by a long way!!! That is great for instances of getting good depth of cure in deep areas.

Here is the press release from Premier with all of the features and benefits of Lumira™:

Lumira™ LED Curing Light – Technology Inspires Clinical Confidence

Premier Dental® announces the launch of the Lumira™ LED Curing Light, a powerful, durable, and ergonomically designed curing solution engineered for consistent, predictable performance in today’s clinical environment.

“With Lumira™, we focused on delivering a curing light clinicians can trust—combining power, precision, and thoughtful design to support consistent clinical outcomes,” said Larry Pijanowski, Director of Product Management, Premier Dental®. “Its reliable performance and durable, ergonomic construction reflect our commitment to inspired solutions that enhance confidence and efficiency in daily dentistry.”

Lumira delivers a broad wavelength range of 440–490 nm to effectively polymerize camphorquinone-based materials and offers up to 3000 mW/cm² irradiance for rapid, efficient curing. Its collimated, uniform beam supports reliable depth of cure, even in deep restorations.

Key features include:

Broad wavelength range (440–490 nm) to effectively polymerize CQ products
Up to 3000 mW/cm² irradiance for rapid, efficient curing
Collimated, uniform beam for reliable depth of cure
Seven clinical modes: Normal, High, Turbo, Ortho, Soft, Pulse, and Check
Ergonomic, all‑metal, low‑profile head with 360° rotation for easy access throughout the oral cavity

Designed for ease of use and durability, Lumira features a lightweight, all-metal construction and a low-profile head with 360° rotation, providing effortless access throughout the oral cavity. With seven clinical modes—Normal, High, Turbo, Ortho, Soft, Pulse, and Check (transillumination)—Lumira offers flexibility for a wide range of procedures.

The Premier® Lumira™ LED Curing Light is available in the U.S. and Canada through authorized Premier Dental distributors.

About Premier Dental

Premier Dental® is dedicated to delivering Inspired Solutions for Daily Dentistry® worldwide. For over 100 years, dental professionals have trusted Premier for innovative, standard-setting products that improve procedures, practices, and patient outcomes. Inspired by the work clinicians do every day, we are committed to providing effective, efficient solutions.

From Dentistry to MedTech: A Journey of Transformation with Dr. Namrata Upadhyay - The Technology Evangelist Podcast Episode 41

2026-05-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about my career outside of clinical dentistry is the friendships I've made along the way. Often those friendships open doors to meeting even more great people and this is one of those moments. At the Dental VIP Summit this past February one of my longterm dental friends introduced me to Dr. Namrata Upadhyay.

She's the guest on the most recent episode of The Technology Evangelist Podcast.

In the world of healthcare, transitions are common but not always straightforward. Heck, I started out taking computers apart in my spare time just to figure out how they worked and that desire to tinker completely changed my trajectory. Have you ever wondered how a dentist could successfully pivot to a thriving career in the MedTech industry? And how about if that person could help you to do the same thing? In this post, I’ll share the remarkable journey of Dr. Namrata, who navigated various global landscapes and professional challenges to become a leader in medical/dental technology. You'll learn how her diverse background shaped her approach to clinical studies, product development, and how she can help do the same for you.

About Dr. Namrata

Dr. Namrata is a dental professional turned MedTech expert who has lived across multiple countries, providing her with a global perspective on healthcare. With a background in general dentistry and specialization in endodontics, she transitioned into roles that bridge the gap between clinical practice and regulatory requirements in the medical device industry. Her unique journey is not only inspiring but also illuminates the complexities faced by healthcare professionals in today’s evolving landscape.

Perspectives... A Unique Beginning: Growing Up as a Global Citizen

Dr. Namrata's story began as the daughter of a diplomat, moving from country to country. This upbringing allowed her to experience various educational systems, including American and British curriculums, while still holding onto her Indian roots.

The exposure to different cultures and education systems helped her develop a global mindset, making her adaptable and open to new ideas. Dentistry can be a pretty change resistant profession, but she learned to embrace change and that made a huge difference in her career path.

As an example, influential teachers from her early years in Chicago instilled in her the importance of reading and forming connections. Those diverse backgrounds ultimately shaped her decision to pursue a career in dentistry, as she sought a stable environment after years of constant movement.

Navigating the Challenges of a Global Career

After completing her dental education in India, Dr. Namrata faced the challenge of transitioning into the European healthcare system. She boldly moved to Slovenia, navigating the process of getting her credentials recognized while working in various clinical settings. That's key because each location presented unique patient behaviors and expectations—urban patients were tech-savvy and informed, while rural patients offered her opportunities to encounter rare cases.

One memorable case involved performing a complex root canal on a lower molar with eight canals, showcasing her dedication and skill early in her career. You read that right. Eight canals on a lower human molar.

Despite her successes (when was the last time you did endo on a molar with eight canals?), the transition to Switzerland brought new hurdles, including the need to start her qualifications again from scratch. This experience taught her resilience and the importance of perseverance.

Finding Her Footing in MedTech

After years of clinical work, Dr. Namrata faced a crossroads when she moved to Switzerland and needed to redefine her professional identity. Frustrated with the traditional job application process, she took a proactive approach by networking at conferences and branding herself as a "MedTech enthusiast."

Building a New Path

Her journey through the MedTech industry included specializing in regulatory processes, clinical research, and marketing for medical devices. The EU has an organization similar to the FDA called EMA (European Medicines Agency). Working alongside experts in the field provided her with invaluable insights into how to align clinical practices with regulatory standards, ultimately benefiting companies and patients alike.

Here in the US, we have doctors who are experts in dealing with the FDA. She became a similar expert in Europe by having an incredible work ethic and learning what to do from the ground up. Dealing with regulatory agencies takes a specific skillset and I'm impressed with the fact the she developed that skillset more or less on her own.

The Birth of a New Venture: FreeDen

After gaining extensive experience in the MedTech space, Dr. Namrata identified a significant gap in the industry: the difficulty companies faced in accessing a broad range of clinical insights from doctors "in the trenches". This led to the creation of her company, which aims to connect healthcare companies with a diverse pool of clinicians and experts to enhance product development.

Learning through her own journey, she recognized the struggles of clinicians transitioning into MedTech and other consulting roles. There are lots of dentists who want to work on products and techniques to give patients better outcomes and quality of life, but they don't know how to get started. That's where FreedDen comes in. FreeDen allows both companies and doctors to create an online profile that describes who they are and what they are seeking. This gives both parties a chance to understand each other better and provide ideal 'fits' for working together.

However, it doesn't just serve as an online matching platform. FreeDen is also dedicated to providing training and support to help others navigate similar career shifts. Doctors looking to expand their careers by working with companies can do online study through FreeDen to help them expand their knowledge and their skillsets.

When I met her in Chicago, I knew after five minutes into our conversation that I had to have her on the podcast. In my career I've had a lot of doctors ask me, "How can I do what you do?" I've also had companies contact me and ask, "Do you know of a doctor who knows about...?" When Dr. Namrata told me about FreeDen, I thought it was a great idea and I wanted to help her get the word out about it.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

Embrace Diversity: Dr. Namrata's journey exemplifies the importance of diverse experiences in shaping one’s professional path.
Adaptability is Key: Navigating multiple healthcare systems requires flexibility and a willingness to learn from each experience.
Proactive Networking: Building relationships and leveraging personal branding can open doors in unexpected ways.
Identify Gaps: Recognizing unmet needs in the market can lead to innovative solutions and new business opportunities.

As you reflect on your career journey, consider how your unique experiences can shape your professional identity and open new doors. If you are a doctor who is interested in expanding your career by working with companies, be sure to check out FreeDen. I love my 'other job' and it may be something you would enjoy as well. You can find all of the podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or by following this link to the YouTube channel.

Planet DDS 2026 Dental Industry Deep Dive Report Reveals a Widening Performance Gap Across the DSO Industry

2026-05-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

In my recent podcast interview with Dr. Howard Farran, we discussed the importance of being able to critically interpret data to make good business decisions. The good news is that data is easier than ever before to find and assimilate. Data is critical to make smart choices. Today's post has links that will give you access to some of that info. Read on for the details from PlanetDDS

Analysis of 8,500+ practices across 497 DSOs reveals six performance drivers, and a $545M opportunity that requires no new patients to capture.

Planet DDS, the leading provider of cloud-based enterprise dental software, today released its 2026 Dental Industry Outlook: Deep Dive, a comprehensive performance analysis drawn from more than 8,500 dental practices operating on the Planet DDS platform throughout 2024 and 2025 consecutively. The report debuted yesterday evening at the Dental Capital Forum, a private, invitation-only gathering at the Union Club of New York City, before being released publicly today.

The Deep Dive is the most extensive group practice same-store dental performance dataset ever analyzed and published, covering $6.79 billion in gross production across 497 DSOs, 3,294 same-store year-over-year comparisons, and more than 2,500 Cloud 9 orthodontic practices. It goes significantly further than the industry outlook published at Orbit in March, surfacing the specific operational patterns and gaps that separate the industry's fastest-growing practices from the rest of the field.

Six DSO Benchmarking Findings That Challenge Industry Assumptions

New patient acquisition is the single strongest growth predictor. Practices with 75 or more new patients per month grow at 9.0%, nearly double the rate of mid-volume practices. Growth rates accelerate meaningfully around 35 new patients per month, below which practices are essentially treading water.
Operational consistency compounds. The most volatile 10% of practices are shrinking by 3.4% while the most consistent practices are growing by 6.1%—a 9.5 percentage point gap. Consistent practices also produce 28% more revenue per day, signaling that schedule stability directly drives both top-line and operational performance.
Efficiency beats size. Small, efficient practices outperform large, inefficient ones every time. Nearly 1,050 practices average 44 chairs but generate only $56K in annual revenue per chair—underutilized capacity representing the largest addressable opportunity in the dataset. More chairs without maximizing existing ones is a capital mistake.
The 26–50 office danger zone is real. DSOs in this size range grow at just 2.8%—less than one-third the rate of their smaller peers. Only 55% of their offices are growing, the lowest of any tier. The message is clear: either stay lean and nimble, or build the infrastructure to push through to enterprise scale.
Case completion, not acceptance, is the bottleneck. The industry's average case completion rate is 47%. Practices with a moderate 10–30 point gap between acceptance and completion grow the fastest because they have strong scheduling discipline. Practices with a 50+ point gap have 77.2% acceptance but only 19.7% completion.
Revenue cycle efficiency is the silent EBITDA lever. Revenue cycle efficiency is the silent EBITDA lever. Growing practices are not necessarily collecting practices. Unlike the five growth drivers above, fixing this does not require new patients, new providers, or new locations. It requires collecting what is already owed. For a DSO generating $10M in gross production, closing the average operational billing gap adds approximately $890K in annual EBITDA — without touching the top line.

"The industry is splitting. One-third of practices grew by more than 10% last year. Nearly 14% declined by more than 10%. The middle is getting squeezed. The practices that are winning figured out the fundamentals. That is what is making the difference,” said Eric Giesecke, CEO of Planet DDS.

Unveiled at the Dental Capital Forum

The Deep Dive was presented for the first time on May 12, 2026, at the inaugural Dental Capital Forum, a private, invitation-only gathering held at the Union Club of New York City. The forum was co-hosted by Planet DDS, Aquiline Capital Partners, Dykema, and West Monroe, and is intended to become an annual gathering.

The forum brought together DSO CEOs operating more than 8,000 dental locations across North America alongside institutional investors and private equity professionals overseeing more than $1 trillion in assets under management. The Planet DDS data presentation, drawn from the same proprietary dataset behind this report, closed the formal program.

Access the Report

The 2026 Dental Industry Outlook: Deep Dive is available now at planetdds.com. It includes 16 sections covering same-store growth, the DSO size paradox, production benchmarks by specialty, appointment operations, the revenue cycle waterfall, AR aging benchmarks, and a complete set of warning, target, and elite zone metrics for DSO operators to benchmark their own performance.

The original 2026 Dental Industry Outlook, released in March at Orbit, provided a top-line view of industry performance. The Deep Dive goes further, with findings on production volatility, the Friday production opportunity, specialist portfolio strategy, case acceptance as a credit quality signal, and a $300–400M annual recovery opportunity sitting inside the existing platform.

To download the Deep Dive report, visit planetdds.com.

About Planet DDS

Dental software is broken. We aim to fix it. As a partner in growth for DSOs and dental groups outgrowing legacy systems and fragmented tools, Planet DDS delivers a cloud-based AI platform designed to scale alongside growing organizations. Powered by DentalOS™ with AI, Planet DDS is built on connection—connecting people, partners, and technology across an open ecosystem that includes Denticon Practice Management, Cloud 9 Ortho Practice Management, and Apteryx Cloud Imaging. Trusted by leading DSOs and emerging dental groups nationwide, Planet DDS supports more 100+ location DSOs than any other cloud-based dental practice management provider, enabling 14,500 practices and 175,000 users to move beyond outdated legacy software with seamless integrations, optimized workflows, and scalable technology built for growth.

Technology Evangelist Podcast Episode 40 - Dr. Howard Farran

2026-05-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Embracing data in Dentistry: A Conversation with Dr. Howard Farran

A little known fact in the industry. Dr. Howard Farran and I went to dental school together and graduated in the same class. As a matter of fact, in the class composite photo Farran and Flucke sit side by side in the image, the consequence of alphabetical order. Even back then, Howard was a huge fan of data. That's kind of amazing because computers were by no means common yet and the concept of digital data analysis didn't really exist back then.

Howard grew up in Wichita, Kansas and his family owned a Sonic Drive-In franchise. He was smart enough to take the marketing and data analytics that his dad used in the fast good business and apply those same principles to finding the perfect place demographically to start a dental practice.

When he saw how well those principles applied to healthcare, he quickly adopted an outlier mindset to everything he did. The result was an incredible journey of success. I've outlined a few of the highlights of the episode below, but his delivery and enthusiasm makes it even better. That means, this one is a "must see" for the podcast. I'm including links at the bottom of this post to every platform on which we're currently available.

Here are some of the highlights:

Discover insights on the future of AI in dentistry from Dr. Howard Farran. Learn how AI can enhance patient relationships and streamline tasks for dental professionals.

In the ever-evolving landscape of dentistry, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked both excitement and concern among professionals. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Howard Farran, a well-respected figure in the dental community and the mastermind behind Dental Town. We delved into how AI is reshaping the dental field and what it means for both practitioners and patients.

## Understanding Data Helps Bring Successd

Dr. Farran discussed how he decided to choose Phoenix as the location to start a new practice. Even though he did this in a world that was analog, those same principles still apply today and are even easier to understand with the help of digital statistics, reports, and analysis.

## Never Fear Hard Work

Dr. Farran talked about how he "hit the street" to generate new patients and how he was willing to work long hours know that the investment in hard work in the present would pay off in the future.

## Understanding AI's Role in Dentistry

AI has become a buzzword in various industries, and dentistry is no exception. During our conversation, Dr. Farran highlighted the dual perspectives surrounding AI: while some view it as a threat, others see it as a tool for enhancement. The crux of the discussion revolves around how AI can alleviate mundane tasks for dental professionals, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—building relationships with their patients.

### The Mundane vs. The Meaningful

AI's potential to take over repetitive tasks, such as insurance verifications, is a significant advantage. Dr. Farran emphasized that by offloading these duties, dental staff can devote more time to interacting with patients—something that is crucial in a relationship-driven business. This shift not only improves patient care but also enhances job satisfaction among dental teams.

### The Evolution of Radiology and AI

One of the most compelling points Dr. Farran made was regarding the impact of AI on radiology. Contrary to fears that AI would replace radiologists, it has, in fact, led to an increase in demand for these professionals. With AI handling the technical aspect of reading radiographs, radiologists are now able to spend more time engaging with patients and healthcare providers, answering questions, and providing valuable insights. This has resulted in a more efficient and effective healthcare system.

## The Human Element in Dentistry

While technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency, Dr. Farran reminded us that the essence of dentistry lies in the human connection. He shared an insightful analogy about the "invisible" aspects of patient trust—how patients need to feel secure and cared for, which cannot be accomplished by technology alone. The interpersonal skills of dentists are paramount, and AI cannot replace the warmth and understanding that come from human interaction.

### Real-World Applications of AI in Dental Practices

As AI continues to develop, it's essential for dental professionals to embrace its capabilities. Dr. Farran shared practical examples of how AI can streamline operations in dental practices, making them more efficient. For instance, AI can assist in appointment scheduling, patient follow-ups, and even preliminary diagnostics, freeing up time for dentists to focus on treatment and patient care.

## Conclusion: A Bright Future with AI

The conversation with Dr. Howard Farran illuminated the potential of AI to transform dentistry positively. Rather than viewing AI as a competitor, dental professionals should see it as a partner that can enhance their practice and improve patient outcomes. By embracing this technology, we can ensure that the focus remains on the patient experience, fostering trust and long-lasting relationships.

### Key Takeaways:

- AI can relieve dental professionals from mundane tasks, enhancing patient interaction.

- The integration of AI in radiology has increased the demand for radiologists.

- The human element in dentistry is irreplaceable, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal skills.

- Embracing AI can lead to more efficient dental practices and better patient care.

### Find The Technology Evangelist Podcast on the following platforms. Please remember to Like, Subscribe, and Comment. All of those things help more listeners find us and helps us grow. A huge thanks to all of you who have supported and continue to support us! Needless to say, we can't do it without you!

Pearl Brings Dental AI Natively into Dentrix Ascend

2026-05-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've been a big fan and user of Pearl for several years. Dental AI for radiographic interpretation truly makes me better at what I do. Having a system that looks at things with the perspective of an objective third party is a tremendous help is making sure I see everything. Pearl isn't making any decisions, it's providing me a gentle nudge to look more closely at something. The most important thing is to have "a human in the loop". I use my judgement, but Pearl provides more data to help me do my job better. As my good friend Dr. Marty Jablow says, "Don't check your brain at the door." He's right about that. Pearl helps me, but the doctor is the ultimate decision maker. Today's post is big news. Read on for all the details...

Integration delivers Pearl’s best-in-class diagnostic AI directly inside Henry Schein One’s cloud-based dental technology platform, eliminating workflow friction and workarounds

Pearl, the global leader in dental AI solutions, today announced a native integration with Dentrix Ascend, the cloud-based dental technology platform from Henry Schein One. Pearl surfaces real-time pathology findings as x-rays are captured, without clinicians ever leaving the Dentrix Ascend platform.

Dental AI at the point of care has long been held back by fragmented workflows. Switching between platforms, importing images manually, and reconciling findings across systems adds friction that slows clinical teams and dilutes the value of AI. Native integration entirely eliminates that friction.

“The best AI in dentistry should take work off the clinician - not add to it,” said Ophir Tanz, Founder and CEO of Pearl. “This integration puts Pearl directly into the workflows practices already rely on, working in real time to reduce friction, eliminate guesswork, and free dentists to focus on patient care.”

For clinical teams, the experience is seamless. As radiographs are captured in Dentrix Ascend, Pearl identifies and displays findings including decay, bone loss, root absences, calculus, and other pathologies within the Dentrix Ascend interface. No separate login. No parallel window. No manual export. The integration puts AI at the point of care, surfacing findings that support clinician judgment.

“This integration reflects a shift toward an open dental technology ecosystem where clinicians can choose the tools that serve them best, and where workflows ensure streamlined dental AI access at the point of care,” noted Erica Zerante, VP of Partnerships at Pearl.

Pearl has deployed AI across radiographic analysis, clinical documentation, and revenue cycle workflows, giving practices integrated AI infrastructure that connects diagnosis to downstream operations. The Dentrix Ascend integration extends that infrastructure to one of dentistry’s most popular cloud dental technology platforms, making high-performance AI accessible to a significant new segment of the market.

The integration will be available for all Dentrix Ascend users in the coming weeks. Practices can learn more and activate Pearl’s integration through their Dentrix Ascend account or by visiting hellopearl.com/demo.

About Pearl

I'm Excited to Announce that Moisyn is Back!!!

2026-05-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Some good news for doctors and patients. The dry mouth moisturizer Moisyn is back on the market!

I've been a big fan of Moisyn since it was first available and was disappointed when it was no longer on the market. Many of my patients loved it and were equally disappointed when they could no longer purchase it. The great new is that you can now order it again through PerioSciences.

Statistics show that 40-50% of adults suffer with some degree of dry mount, which is referred to as xerostomia. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Salivary flow tends to decrease as we age, but there are many other reasons. Some prescription medications can cause reduction in salivary flow and it can also be caused by people who suffer with certain autoimmune diseases as well. It can also be a problem for patients going through chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer.

As a dentist I can tell you from personal experience that patients with xerostomia can be an incredible challenge to keep healthy. Patients with very low saliva levels breakdown quickly and severely. The result isn't just cavities, but rapidly advancing *large* cavities. This can happen even if a patient is incredibly focused on keeping their teeth clean. It can be frustrating to both the patient and the doctor to see continuous problems even with a patient doing everything they can to take the best care of themselves possible.

Xerostomia isn't just annoying (although it is), but it can also be painful and lead to many problems. Saliva performs several important functions for the mouth. One of its most basic and important functions is to keep the mouth and teeth moist. Dry teeth tend to decay faster. Teeth covered with saliva are slick with means food can't stick to them. It also means that acids created by bacteria are diluted and washed away. There are billions of bacteria constantly present in the mouth and many of those bacteria secrete acid. Those acids are what dissolve teeth and create cavities. Good salivary flow washes food particles and those acids off the teeth and help keep them from breaking down.

It also helps wash away bacteria as well. Dry teeth harbor bacteria more readily. That can lead to excessive dental plaque formation which means not only cavities, but also problems with gum health. Often xerostomia can mean lots of decay along with rapidly advancing periodontal disease.

Saliva also contains critical minerals that can help reverse microscopic areas of decay at the very beginning stages. This is referred to as remineralization and it helps keep things healthy.

For people suffering with dry mouth one of the best things to help are rinses that can serve as "saliva substitutes". Of course anything that goes in the mouth has a texture and a taste. A weird texture or a weird taste can affect how often the product is used and that's one of the big reasons I am such a fan of Moisyn.

I learned about it from a friend who was working with the original manufacturer. Normally when I am treating a patient with dry mouth I'll recommend several saliva substitute products. As I mentioned above, finding the right one for every individual can be difficult, hence the list of suggested products. What I quickly discovered was that patients who tried Moisyn really liked it. In fact I can't remember anyone ever saying that they preferred something else and that probably says more about the product than anything else. Patients *like* Moisyn!

Moisyn is based on glycopolymers and its key ingredient is Chitosan, which is a polysaccharide derived from shellfish. It also contains Arginine which is an essential amino acid that helps keep the pH of the mouth neutral and it also enhances moisture retention. It's available as an oral rinse or a spray mist. The great thing about the mist is that it is packaged in 2 ounce spray bottles that can be easily carried in a pocket or purse which means you can always have it handy.

Last week I was at a meeting with the team at VistaApex Solutions and they told me they had purchased the rights to manufacture Moisyn through their company PerioSciences. Needless to say, I was thrilled and I wanted to get the word out to others who love it as well.

This is a product that I really like and *highly recommend*. If you are a doctor OR a patient that is looking for a product that help with dry mouth, I truly feel you should check this out. It's available through the PerioSciences website as well as Amazon and other online retailers.

Blinq Announces Changes - New Logo, New Color, New Everything

2026-04-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've used Blinq for a couple of years now and I thought I'd tell you all about it as I like it a lot. I was doing a press event for Philips Sonicare a couple of years ago during the Chicago MidWinter Meeting and after the event there was quite a bit of networking going on. Of course, in our digital world sharing contacts is hugely important.

I still carry business cards (gasp), and most people do, but it's funny. You collect all of these business cards at a meeting and then... what do you do with them? There are lots of ways to get them into a digital form. There are apps that allow you to digitally scan them and drop them into your contacts, but you've got to go through the process of taking a photo of them and dropping them in.

One of the folks at Philips showed me an app called Blinq and I was intrigued. The basic idea is that you download the app and enter your contact info... ONCE. When you open Blinq, it puts a QR code on your screen that links to a download of your info. The person you want to connect with simply scans the QR code and it drops your info into that person's contacts automatically. You can even use it on an Apple Watch.

It will also scan business cards and a whole lot more. Basically, if you want to connect to someone there is a Blinq way to do it. As an individual and not someone who is meeting people constantly, I use only a fraction of what Blinq can do.

Here's a quote from the company:

People have asked us a hundred different ways: isn't it just a digital business card? It's the question we hear the most, and it's the one that gets Blinq the most wrong. The card is where the relationship starts. What we're building is everything that grows from it.

So, needless to say, I'm using just a tiny part of Blinq, but if you are an organization or someone who's job revolves around making contacts, it does so much more.

As a user, today I got an email from the company that announced they are changing their logo and rebranding because the company has grown and changed so much. You can read that announcement here. If you are looking for an easy and seamless way to share and collect your contacts, I definitely think you should look at this. Simply put, it has made connecting with others at meetings something easier for me than ever before. If you are someone who is on the other end of the spectrum from me, you could probably benefit greatly from it.

2026-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Big news today from LightForce Orthodontics. The company is a pioneer in the 3D printed bracket market and continues to make serious advancement in the orthodontic industry. All the new info is below...

The 65% of orthodontic patients worldwide who choose metal can now receive LightBracket MetalTM braces, generated for their individual tooth anatomy

LightForce Orthodontics, the company behind the world’s first fully individualized 3D-printed bracket, today announced LightBracket MetalTM — the first-of-its-kind patient-specific 3D-printed metal bracket. The launch marks a significant expansion of access to individualized fixed treatment and establishes a new category of care: generative braces.

Generative braces are a new category of orthodontic care in which every appliance is generated from the individual treatment plan. The plan is the input, and the bracket is the output. If the plan changes, the bracket changes with it. Rather than relying on standardized appliances, each bracket is generated and manufactured for a specific patient and a specific tooth. The result is a patient-specific bracket system that directly reflects the doctor’s treatment plan.

“For more than a century, orthodontics relied on a stock bracket for patients who were never stock. LightBracket Metal changes the order of things. We’re giving doctors the most exact instrument they've ever had for the work they were born to do," said Alfred Griffin, founder and CEO of LightForce Orthodontics.

Orthodontic treatment has evolved through distinct generations, from standardized stock brackets requiring manual adjustments and longer treatment times, to clear aligners that introduced digital planning but remain limited in clinical scope. LightForce pioneered generative braces and validated the model with its ceramic bracket system, which has demonstrated up to 60% fewer appointments and 43% shorter treatment times over conventional braces. LightBracket Metal now brings those benefits to the majority of the $4.7 billion market, with 65% of patients worldwide who choose metal, including teens.

LightBracket Metal is created using a proprietary 3D metal printing process. Each bracket is generated from the orthodontist’s digital treatment plan and individualized across six dimensions: bracket base, slot height, slot prescription, bracket position, tie wings, and hooks. The base conforms to the morphology of the individual tooth. Three slot sizes are available (.018”, .020”, .022”) with bidimensional combinations. A lower-profile design with a breakthrough patient-specific tie-wing and hook delivers improved comfort and reduced debond rates. Algorithmically generated indirect bonding trays enable staff-delegated bonding.

“In my practice, I care deeply about providing individualized care for my patients. With LightBracket Metal, I am now able to provide that level of care with a patient-specific metal bracket system that is generated from my digital treatment plan,” said Dr. Jacquee Schieck at Schieck Orthodontics.

"For decades, every patient got the same bracket. That ends now. We are accelerating toward a future where the very idea of a universal, one-size-fits-all bracket is unthinkable,” said James Lawton, president of LightForce Orthodontics.

LightBracket Metal is now rolling out to orthodontic practices. Providers can contact LightForce here to request a demonstration and gain early access. Patients interested in LightForce treatment can consult their orthodontist to see if LightForce solutions are available in their area.

See LightBracket Metal Live

LightForce will debut LightBracket Metal at the AAO Annual Session 2026, May 1 through 3, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Live demonstrations and hands-on access will be given at booth 1261. LightForce leadership and clinical team members will be available for conversations and media interviews throughout the event. To schedule a demonstration, contact LightForce here.

Join the Webinar

Join LightForce for an exclusive first look at LightBracket Metal on May 7, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will include a product unveiling from LightForce CEO Dr. Alfred Griffin, an innovation deep dive with Head of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Chris Bonebreak Jackson, a case review with Dr. Alex Waldman, and an interactive panel discussion with contributing doctors. To reserve a spot, sign up here.

To learn more about LightForce’s offerings, visit https://lf.co/.

About LightForce Orthodontics

LightForce pioneered generative braces in 2019 with a radical idea: if every patient is unique, every bracket should be too. Today, the company's platform generates a completely individualized set of appliances for each patient — available in ceramic and metal. Backed by $200 million from Kleiner Perkins, Ally Bridge Group, the American Association of Orthodontists, and others. Named to Forbes' America's Best Startup Employers. Home to the world's largest facility for directly 3D-printed functional medical devices by volume, manufactured in the United States.

SuperMouth Taps into Viral Flavor Trend with Limited-Edition Dubai Chocolate Toothpaste and Mouthwash

2026-04-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Dentist-Founded Brand Turns Daily Chore into a Treat with Nano-Hydroxyapatite-Powered Oral Care

SuperMouth, the dentist-founded brand known for its advanced oral care solutions for all ages, is bringing indulgence to the bathroom sink with its new, limited-edition Dubai Chocolate Toothpaste and Mouthwash. The collection merges premium dental innovation with rich taste and novelty, turning a daily chore into an exciting treat.

Inspired by the global rise of Dubai chocolate as a cultural phenomenon and a growing appetite for unexpected flavors, SuperMouth’s latest launch taps directly into what consumers are craving. While this flavor profile continues to trend across food and beverage, SuperMouth is delivering it in an entirely new and functional format.

Delivering a subtly sweet, chocolate-forward flavor, the new toothpaste and mouthwash offer a moment reminiscent of dessert while simultaneously supporting oral microbiomes with clinically backed benefits. Both products, available with or without fluoride, are formulated with nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA), an ingredient that helps remineralize enamel, reduce sensitivity, and neutralize acids. SuperMouth’s unique nHA complex is further enhanced with vitamins D3 and K2, which play a critical role in calcium absorption and utilization to support stronger teeth below and beyond the surface.

Unlike conventional oral care solutions, SuperMouth’s toothpaste and mouthwash are free from alcohol, antiseptics, and potent essential oils that disrupt the balance of oral microbiomes. Instead, both products are enriched with prebiotics and xylitol to help coat teeth for long-lasting freshness and protection. Notably, SuperMouth’s limited-edition Dubai Chocolate collection is made completely nut-free, allowing those with allergies to safely indulge in the hottest flavor trend.

“Our goal was to capture the magic of Dubai chocolate and create oral care products that are genuinely beneficial,” said Dr. Kami Hoss, founder of SuperMouth and orthodontist of over 30 years. “By bridging the gap between indulgence and advanced dental science, we’re proving that taking care of your oral microbiome shouldn’t feel like a chore. Merging science with sensorial appeal makes healthy habits effortless to keep.”

In addition to its clinically-proven formulation, SuperMouth prioritizes radical transparency and ingredient safety. All products are free from harsh irritants, titanium dioxide, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and forever-chemicals — while also being safe if swallowed, a critical differentiator in an industry where many products still carry safety warnings. Designed with the intention of making oral care accessible and enjoyable, SuperMouth’s offerings are especially appealing to families and ingredient-conscious shoppers looking for cleaner alternatives.

SuperMouth’s Dubai Chocolate Toothpaste ($16.99) and Mouthwash ($18.99) can be purchased individually or as a bundle ($32.99) at SuperMouth.com. For more information about SuperMouth and the Dubai Chocolate collection, please visit www.SuperMouth.com.

About SuperMouth®

SuperMouth is a dentist-founded oral care brand offering over 200 best-in-class products and holding nearly 300 patents, reflecting its commitment to innovation and excellence. With products designed for every age and stage of life, SuperMouth continues to push the boundaries of oral care, creating solutions that combine safety, effectiveness, and fun. Learn more at www.SuperMouth.com.

vVARDIS Announces Investment from Apollo —Achieves Unicorn Status

2026-04-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Investment will support global commercial expansion of the Curodont™ technology platform, the first and only non-invasive peptide-containing formulations designed to treat tooth decay drill-free throughout the depth of the lesion.

vVARDIS Holding AG (“vVARDIS”), a high-growth dental medtech company pioneering non-invasive cavity treatment, today announced a strategic minority investment from Apollo-managed funds (“Apollo Funds”).

The investment will support vVARDIS’ next phase of global growth and commercial expansion, including the continued rollout of its Curodont™ suite of products. The investment establishes vVARDIS as one of Europe’s few privately owned, billion-dollar-plus, healthcare companies. vVARDIS’ founders and co-CEOs, Drs. Haley and Goly Abivardi, will retain a substantial majority shareholding in the company.

vVARDIS is redefining the treatment of cavities through its Curodont™ technology, the first and only commercially available non-invasive peptide-containing formulations clinically proven to treat tooth decay.

Curodont™ supports enamel repair by facilitating the formation of crystalline mineral structure throughout the affected area, giving dental professionals an easy-to-use, restorative option to treat early-stage cavities as an alternative to traditional drilling.

Since the launch of Curodont™ Repair Fluoride Plus in the U.S. over two years ago, it has been used to treat approximately 3 million teeth, is now present in nearly 20 percent of general dental practices nationwide1 and is one of the fastest-growing dental products in the U.S.2.

“vVARDIS has built a differentiated business, with Drs. Haley and Goly Abivardi pioneering a new category in dental care backed by peer-reviewed clinical studies,” said Jeremy Honeth, Partner and Andrea Vanni, Managing Director at Apollo. “Apollo Funds’ investment supports the company’s continued expansion in key markets across the US and Europe, bringing this restorative therapy to more practices and patients worldwide.”

“Curodont™ fills a longstanding gap in dentistry: when prevention fails, dentists now have a quick, easy-to-use non-invasive treatment free of drilling and needles. The rapid adoption of Curodont™ reflects the urgency of that unmet need,” said Haley Abivardi, DMD, co-CEO and co-founder of vVARDIS. “Apollo Funds’ investment strengthens our commercial foundation in the US and Europe and enables us to scale this environmentally sustainable technology across markets.”

Goly Abivardi, DMD, co-CEO and co-founder of vVARDIS, said, “Our mission is to bring a medical, science driven approach to dentistry. Using peptide-containing formulations, our non-invasive technology is an innovative treatment designed to treat tooth decay without drilling and without polymer materials. Apollo Funds’ investment reinforces our leadership in generative dentistry and advances the future of oral science.”

Tooth decay is the world’s most prevalent non-communicable disease, affecting nearly 90 percent of US adults. Oral health is closely linked to overall health, and untreated cavities can contribute to serious chronic conditions, including a 26 percent increased risk of all-cause mortality.3. Recently published WHO guidelines reinforce vVARDIS’ mission of early intervention and non-invasive care, as the company targets an addressable market of over $30 billion in the US.

The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About vVARDIS AG

vVARDIS is a disruptive Swiss healthcare company in the dental med-tech sector headquartered in Zug, Switzerland that offers groundbreaking, non-invasive solutions for dental professionals with the Curodont™ brand of products. Founded by Drs. Haley and Goly Abivardi, DMDs, sisters, internationally renowned dentists, innovators and self-made serial entrepreneurs, vVARDIS is the result of more than 25 years of research, paired with the commitment of its founders to make an impact on people's lives, especially the underserved.

vVARDIS' mission is to expand access to novel approaches that create new standards of care in dentistry with the purpose of improving oral health – the foundation for overall health. Backed by 25 years of research and more than 10 years of use in clinical practices globally, vVARDIS’ products and science are supported by more than 250 scientific publications, including meta-analysis, peer-reviewed and long-term peer-reviewed real-world evidence clinical studies, with a documented success rate above 90%. Curodont™ products are already presented in the lectures of renowned universities as a standard of care for the treatment of early decay. vVARDIS was awarded the 2026 Innovative Company of the Year and is a member of the World Economic Forum Innovator Communities. For more information, visit vVARDIS at www.vVARDIS.com and www.linkedin.com/company/vvardis .

About Apollo

Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of December 31, 2025, Apollo had approximately $938 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

References:

1 Data on file

2 vVARDIS’ ranked first in growth rate in the 2024 vs 2023 and YTD June 2025 periods among dental manufacturers with more than $1M sales in both the all merchandise & small equipment categories and preventive in the U.S. (Source: SDM Northcoast, LLC).

3 Liu J et al. Int J Epidemiol. 2022;51:1291-1303

Photo credit: Jos Schmid, Photographer

ChatGPT Announces a New Version for Clinicians

2026-04-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Making ChatGPT better for clinicians

Open AI just introduced ChatGPT for clinicians. This is a free version for healthcare providers. The tool will be free for doctors, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in the US. Below is a post from the OpenAI blog about the new system. If you'd like to read the full version of this announcement directly from the company, follow this link.

We’re introducing ChatGPT for Clinicians, a version of ChatGPT designed to support clinical tasks like documentation and medical research so clinicians can focus on delivering high-quality patient care. We’re making it free for any verified physician, NP, PA, or pharmacist, starting in the U.S.
The U.S. healthcare system today is under extraordinary strain. Clinicians are being asked to care for more patients while managing growing administrative demands and a rapidly expanding body of medical research. Many are already turning to AI tools like ChatGPT for support. According to a 2026 survey by the American Medical Association⁠(opens in a new window), physician use of AI is now at an all-time high, with 72% of physicians reporting they now use AI in clinical practice, up from 48% last year. Today, millions of clinicians worldwide use ChatGPT to support their clinical care every week, for applications like care consult, writing and documentation, and medical research. Clinician usage of ChatGPT has more than doubled over the past year.
As demand for AI in clinical settings grows, so does the responsibility to continuously improve our model’s performance and safety on clinical use cases and offer solutions that can safely and effectively support healthcare workflows. Earlier this year, we introduced ChatGPT for Healthcare,⁠ which allows organizations to deploy ChatGPT to clinicians, administrators, and researchers with the compliance and controls they need at scale. Clinicians across leading U.S. health systems are now using it to move faster through administrative work like medical research and documentation, and get time back for patient care.
Enabling free access to ChatGPT for Clinicians is the next step, in support of our mission to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity. Learn more on our website⁠(opens in a new window) or get started⁠(opens in a new window).
ChatGPT for Clinicians builds on our foundation of continual model evaluation and improvement in health in partnership with clinicians. With its release, we are also introducing HealthBench Professional⁠(opens in a new window), an open benchmark for real clinician chat tasks across three use cases: care consult, writing and documentation, and medical research, building on HealthBench’s⁠ broader evaluation of health conversations.