Industry news from the editorial staff at Proofs magazine, a PennWell publication
Sikka Software and Dental Economics Announce Alliance
Sikka Software, a provider of business optimization software based in Milpitas, CA, said Feb. 9 that it had partnered with Dental Economics to provide enhanced practice monitoring and metrics.
Sikka Software's products assist dentists and their office team in enhancing the financial performance of their practice. Dental Economics will utilize Sikka Software's trending and benchmarking, and both companies will collaborate on a new Web portal for this purpose.
"The valuable tools Sikka Software has developed will be available for dentists to try free on a trial basis at www.dentaleconomics.com," said Lyle Hoyt, senior vice president and group publisher of Dental Economics.
Dentsply To Offer Training To Dental Hygiene Instructors
Dentsply Professional, which last year recognized the 50th anniversary of Cavitron, recently launched a "train the trainer program" for educators in dental hygiene programs.
The inaugural Dentsply Professional Ultrasonic Scaling Teaching Institute will begin July 21 at the company's headquarters in York, PA. In January, Marie George, RDH, MS, the clinical education manager for Dentsply, invited two instructors each from 10 dental hygiene programs to participate.
"While the usage of ultrasonics has increased significantly over the past 25 years, the availability of instructional resources and support specific to teaching ultrasonic instrumentation has not kept pace," said George. "Dentsply Professional is uniquely qualified to provide clinical faculty with the resources and expertise required to facilitate the instruction of both magnetostrictive and piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling."
Pulpdent Donates 60,000 Free Sealants
Pulpdent Corporation fulfilled its commitment as a sponsor of Oral Health America's "National Sealant Alliance" and "Smiles Across America" program by distributing 60,000 sealants to public health programs that provide preventive services for underserved children. Pulpdent has agreed to continue its support in 2008. Oral Health America announced in 2007 that Pulpdent would donate 60,000 Embrace WetBond Pit and Fissure Sealants in honor of the company's 60th anniversary.
In addition to the sealants, Pulpdent provided Etch-Rite dental etching gel, Flecta disposable mirrors, posters, educational leaflets, and "Embracelets" — colorful bracelets that invite children to "embrace oral health." Pulpdent is now offering a public health sealant kit for institutions and public health clinics.
Carecredit Donates $100,000To Give Kids A Smile
CareCredit, which provides patient payment programs to dental offices, continued its support as founding donor of the Give Kids A Smile fund with a $100,000 donation made at the recent Give Kids A Smile advisory board meeting.
The fund provides grants to help dental practices and clinics expand access to care for children from low-income families. The 2008 grant recipients will be announced at the ADA Foundation Give Kids A Smile Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. on May 13.
This year's Give Kids A Smile one-day event was hosted on Feb. 1. More than 1,700 programs participated and more than 44,000 volunteers, including 11,700 dentists, provided care to over 440,000 kids.
"We are very pleased that the ADA"s Give Kids A Smile program has been so well received over the years," said ADA Executive Director James B. Bramson, DDS.
