Trade News

Royal Philips Electronics has agreed to acquire Discus Holdings Inc. Through this acquisition, Philips expands its oral healthcare portfolio, adding to Philips' globally leading Sonicare electric toothbrush business. Upon closing of the transaction, pending regulatory approvals and expected in the fourth quarter of 2010, Discus will become part of Philips' Consumer Lifestyle sector's Health and Wellness business. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Oral healthcare is an important part of our strategy to enhance consumer health and well-being, and an important growth driver of our portfolio. Discus' professional tooth whitening business provides a strong foundation for growth in the cosmetic dentistry space and will strengthen Philips' position as a leading oral healthcare brand amongst dental professionals and consumers," said Philips Consumer Lifestyle CEO Pieter Nota. "Moreover, Discus' oral care products complement our existing Sonicare portfolio, further building our relationship with dental professionals."

Henry Schein has acquired a 50% non-consolidating interest in Guney Dis Deposu (Guney), a full-service dental distribution business headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. The remaining 50% will be held by Ferizan Peker, whose family founded Guney in 1950. For the past 40 years Mr. Peker has managed Guney, a leader in the EUR 90 million (USD$126 million) Turkish dental market.

"The Turkish dental market is growing rapidly at approximately 10% to 12% per year, and our investment in Guney brings to Henry Schein a well-respected, market-leading business with a 60-year history," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. "This strong history has been supported by a successful distribution model that we expect to maintain in order to continue to drive future sales growth.

"We are fortunate that the Guney name is well-respected in Turkey, and that the company has exclusive distribution rights with many manufacturers. We see considerable growth opportunity in Turkey, including focusing on under-penetrated brands, and introducing certain new brands and Henry Schein private-label products."

With approximately 70 team members, Guney's operations are supported from a centralized warehouse in Istanbul. Guney had sales of EUR 17 million (USD$24 million) for the past 12 months, of which approximately 60% were from dental equipment, 35% from dental consumables and 5% from technical service.

There are approximately 23,000 dentists in Turkey, of which approximately 63% were in private practice in 2008.

A grand opening ceremony was recently held for GC America's (GCA) expansion and renovation project. A 40-year resident in Alsip's industrial community in Illinois, GCA expanded its manufacturing facility by 25% to 100,000 square feet. The new facility includes a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

GC Corporation (GCC) has transplanted its dental stone manufacturing plant from Japan to Alsip. This move increased production in the United States, and expanded employment opportunities directly and indirectly, making GCA a leading global manufacturer.

"When other companies are moving manufacturing offshore, this transplant is a show of confidence in GCC's U.S. subsidiary," said Carolyn Van Eck, vice president and CFO of GCA.

From left to right: John O'Neill (Vice President, Sales and Marketing), Carolyn Van Eck (Vice President, Finance and Legal Affairs), Monique Davis (Illinois State Representative), Makiko Nakao, Makoto Nakao (President and CEO, GC Corporation), Patrick Kitching (Mayor, Alsip, Ill.), Yutaka Suzuki (President and COO, GC America), Tom Sadler (Director, Manufacturing), Dr. Jurgen Eberlein (Director, International Business), Richard Foster (Director, Quality Assurance), Dr. Mark Heiss (Director, Regulatory Affairs, Academic Affairs, and New Business Development).

Midmark has signed a consulting agreement with Larivière GmbH to establish a phone helpdesk to assist its customers in Europe. Larivière GmbH will provide technical phone support for Progeny imaging products and software from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. European Standard Time, Monday through Friday, for all Midmark authorized dealers.

The service is now available through +49 421 40899260 or 800 589 1210 (Germany only toll free number).

AMD LASERS is expanding its domestic and international distribution channels of the Picasso®. The expansion includes the buildup of AMD sales representatives in the United States and a new agreement for Ortho Technology to distribute AMD LASERS' products to the orthodontic market in more than 65 countries, including the United States.

"We have been quietly building our U.S. sales force, international distribution channels, customer service, and expanding our R&D and manufacturing facility to meet the demands for our products," said Alan Miller, president and chief executive officer.

J. Morita USA has discontinued the sale and distribution of the ATD Automatic Crown and Bridge Remover in North America. This decision was made as a result of the company's desire to focus resources on equipment developed by its parent company, J. Morita Manufacturing Corporation. This change takes effect immediately, as inventory supplies have been depleted.

J. Morita USA will continue to offer repair services and parts. Questions regarding new distribution arrangements and product availability in North America, or abroad, should be directed to the product manufacturer, Anthogyr, at +33 (0) 4 50 58 02 37 or [email protected].

For product support information, contact J. Morita USA at 877-JMORITA (566-7482).

JC Thomas Marketing Communications, Inc. announced its partnership with the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) in a complete rebranding campaign recently launched.

"We're excited to work with OSAP," Joel B. Thomas, president of JC Thomas Marketing Communications said. "The organization is truly a valuable resource for the dental industry. With our dental marketing expertise, plus significant corporate and non-profit branding experience, we are able to provide OSAP with the right campaign that promotes their new message in a creative and highly relevant way."

The agency began the campaign by designing a new logo for OSAP with the tag line, "Because Safety Matters." JC Thomas then developed several key brand identity elements and other marketing materials. The campaign will continue to unfold with the implementation of a marketing blitz emphasizing the organization's dedication to promoting infection control prevention throughout the global dental community.

Hayes Handpiece Company has opened a new location in Queensland, Australia. Hayes Handpiece Repair Australia is owned and operated by Adam Mathews, and provides local handpiece repair service, staff training and handpiece and instrument sales to the Brisbane area.

"Our job is to educate our customers on handpiece technology, maintenance and infection control, so we are very dedicated to providing thorough training to every new Hayes employee and franchise owner," says Joe Hayes, chief executive officer of Hayes Handpiece Company. "We are very excited to have Adam Mathews as part of our international team of Hayes locations."

3M ESPE Dental Products recently donated 24,600 units of Vanish™ 5% NaF White Varnish to National Children's Oral Health Foundation: America's Toothfairy (NCOHF), to support the establishment of community-based NCOHF Oral Health Zone Programs through Affiliate locations across the country.

Additionally, during the recent American Dental Association Annual Session in Orlando, convention goers helped 3M ESPE donate $10,000 worth of dental products to NCOHF by recycling promotional cup bands at the 3M ESPE booth.

The cup bands, printed on post-consumer recycled paper, were handed out by street teams (above) dispensing complimentary beverages as part of the RelyX™ Unicem 2 Automix Self-Adhesive Resin Cement launch.

"We received enormous support from ADA attendees who were eager to help 3M ESPE support the NCOHF and make a difference for underserved children in need of oral care," said Tim McGlynn, 3M ESPE marketing manager.

The first-generation VELscope device was introduced in 2006 and, since then, LED Dental has sold almost 6,000 devices, which have been used to conduct almost 10 million enhanced oral soft tissue exams worldwide.

Sybron Dental Specialties, Inc., and Implant Direct Int'l Inc. have entered into a definitive purchase agreement pursuant to which Sybron Dental and Implant Direct will combine their implant and abutment businesses into a single operation to be named Implant Direct Sybron Int'l. The combined business will be led by Dr. Gerald Niznick, president and founder of Implant Direct.

"Under Dr. Niznick's continued leadership, this acquisition, in combination with Sybron Implant Solutions and Attachments International, strengthens Sybron's position in the implant industry and offers Implant Direct the opportunity to accelerate sales growth of what is already the fastest growing company in the implant industry," said Dan Even, president of Sybron Dental Specialties.

Midmark Corporation has entered into an agreement to acquire Newmed, S.r.L., a leading manufacturer of tabletop sterilization products and accessories for the medical, dental and animal health markets. Based in the region of Reggio Emilia, Italy, Newmed is a six-year-old company that has quickly established itself as a high-quality and innovative manufacturer of sterilizers.

"Midmark's desire is to be a global leader in the markets we serve," said Anne Eiting Klamar, president and chief executive officer of Midmark. "With this alliance, Newmed and Midmark will create a portfolio of instrument processing technology that will bring efficiency and quality to healthcare environments around the world."

Newmed designs and manufactures a variety of Class-B, Class-S, and Class-N autoclave sterilizers. The company's products are sold throughout Europe and the Middle East, primarily to private dental offices and dental clinics. Guido Chierici, Corrado Caiti, and Luca Campani, founders and principles of Newmed, will remain with Midmark in similar leadership positions. Newmed employs approximately 30 people in Quattro Castella, Italy.

Rapid Dental Solutions, a dental distributor based in Mobile, Ala., has joined American Dental Cooperative (ADC). Rapid Dental Solutions will now have access to the Quala Brand of dental products, exclusive to ADC members.

Rapid Dental Solutions is a full-service dental supply company serving Mississippi, Alabama, and surrounding areas. Rapid Dental Solutions, under the direction of John Midkiff, employs five sales representatives and four service technicians to support all authorized product lines.

Patterson Dental and the Patterson Foundation have been honored with awards for significant contributions to Donated Dental Services (DDS), a program of Dental Lifeline Network. Patterson Companies President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Anderson and Patterson Dental President Paul Guggenheim accepted the awards at a reception celebrating the 25th anniversary of DDS during the recent American Dental Association Annual Session in Orlando.

Patterson Dental President Paul Guggenheim (second from left) and Patterson Companies President and CEO Scott Anderson (third from left) accepted awards to Patterson Dental and on behalf of the Patterson Foundation from Dental Lifeline Network Founder and Chief Executive Officer Larry Coffee (far left) and Dental Lifeline Network President Fred Leviton, both of Dental Lifeline Network, formerly the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped.

"We are humbled to be a longtime supporter of this organization and of the dentists whose heroic acts make such a great impact on people in need," Guggenheim said.

Dental Lifeline Network, formerly known as the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, is a charitable affiliate of the ADA. Presenting the awards were Founder and Chief Executive Officer Larry Coffee and President Fred Leviton. Through DDS and other programs, the organization provides comprehensive dental care to people who are disabled, elderly or medically at-risk and has a nationwide volunteer network of 15,000 dentists and 3,000 laboratories.

"Without the outstanding support of Patterson Dental and the Patterson Foundation, DDS could never have reached today's milestone of providing dental therapies valued at $181 million to 100,000 people in 50 states," Leviton noted.

Whip Mix recently hosted six of its top dealer representatives from Lincoln Dental Supply, Patterson Dental, and Benco Dental for product training. Participants learned about Lost Wax Casting, Whip Mix Equipment, LEAN and Gypsum products in addition to new products. They also participated in a "hands-on" training which included model and die preparation and waxing, spruing, investing, and equipment programing.

To close out dealer training, attendees enjoyed a tour of the manufacturing facility before heading to Churchill Downs for an afternoon of racing.

Top Row: Bryan Murphy, Whip Mix; Patrick Montagna, Benco Dental; Ted Tingsdorf, Benco Dental; Emilie Ewald, Lincoln Dental Supply; Jim Robinson, Whip Mix; Anita Seekins, Whip Mix; Bob Long, Whip Mix; Rita Davis, Whip Mix; Craig Pickett, Whip Mix; Will Devine, Whip Mix Bottom Row: Candace Howerton, Whip Mix; Tina Lawson, Whip Mix; Candace Juinto, Lincoln Dental Supply; Joe Miller, Whip Mix; Matt Haven, Patterson Dental; Shawn Enderle, Patterson Dental; Lisa Argabright; Whip Mix.

Heraeus Kulzer, LLC, recently entered into an exclusive importation agreement with its parent company Heraeus Kulzer, GmbH, where it officially and legally acquired the sole rights as the exclusive importer of the Heraeus Kulzer branded dental products into North America.

"Essentially what this means is that we now have the legal backing to combat unauthorized or grey-market materials from entering the country through alternative routes," explained Chris Holden, president of Heraeus Kulzer, LLC. "Grey-market materials pose a threat to manufacturers, dental professionals, and even patients because of the lack of scrutiny on the quality of certain products.

"We understand the seriousness of the issue and the potential health threats tied to grey-market products. Above all, we want to ensure the freshness and superior quality of every product we offer, and we will continue to push back against this growing problem."

Connect with your colleagues at the top social and philanthropic event in dentistry on Wednesday, February 23 at Chicago's historic Field Museum. Hosted by Oral Health America (OHA), the goal of the 21st annual gala is to raise funding for communities in need through a proven mix of superb fare, unbeatable networking and the chance to share Steven Spielberg's delight in the neoclassical home turf of the intrepid archaeologist and adventure hero, Indiana Jones.

Belle of the ball, 67-million-year-old Sue will be on hand to welcome you to the Stanley Field Hall's gleaming white marble interiors, skylit vaulted ceilings, and stately columns. More than 900 guests will "party for a cause" in support of OHA's mission to change lives by connecting communities with resources to increase access to oral health care, education, and advocacy. OHA and its community-based program partners routinely go above and beyond the call of duty in preventing and treating dental disease for at-risk children and families.

To obtain your tickets, contact Joe Donohue at (312) 836-9900 or [email protected].

At the recent Australian Dental Industry Association general meeting, the following people were elected to the board.

Daryn Bungey (Henry Schein Halas, Federal President), Nigel Davis (A-dec Australia, Federal Vice President), Pam Clark (Cattani Australia, Federal Immediate Past President), John Waghorne (STS Health, State Branches' Representative), Phil Jolly (Ivoclar Vivadent, Appointed Director), Trevor Martin (Gunz Dental, Appointed Director), Nathan Chanesman (EmployNow, Appointed Director).

Ultradent Products, Inc., was recently announced as the winner over eBay in the "Reach Higher" food drive. Ultradent employees won the competition with an impressive total of 68,549 pounds of canned food — a 60,000-pound increase over Ultradent's first food drive in 2007. Ultradent and eBay combined donated more than 100,000 pounds of canned food to the Utah Food Bank.

The IDS (International Dental Show), the world's largest trade fair for dental medicine and dental technology, is scheduled to be held in Cologne, Germany, from March 22-26. This year's IDS is expected to attract around 1,800 suppliers from 56 countries, who will be presenting a broad range of product innovations and services.

In addition to halls 3, 4, 10, and 11, for the first time hall 2 will also be occupied and, as a result, gross exhibition space will be 143,000 square meters. Organizers say that all occupied exhibition halls smoothly adjoin one another and are accessible over the shortest distance via the South, East, and West entrances open for IDS 2011, ensuring that the influx of visitors is distributed as evenly as possible.

In all, 65% of the exhibitors will be from non-German countries. IDS will host a total of 14 group participations from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Japan, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, and the United States. IDS organizers are expecting 185 companies to show their products for the first time.

"Due to the excellent response on the exhibitors' side, we expect that we will also be able to build on the success of the previous event in terms of visitors, when more than 100,000 came to Cologne," said the GFDI (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH), the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI), together with Koelnmesse, in a joint statement. "As a result, the IDS will impressively confirm its position as the world's leading fair for the dental industry not only in terms of exhibitor figures, occupied space, and internationality, but also with regard to visitor numbers."

Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., recently donated more than $100,000 worth of OraVerse® product to National Children's Oral Health Foundation: America's Toothfairy (NCOHF) to support comprehensive Affiliate pediatric oral health services.

Additionally, Septodont recently donated more than $10,000 in dental products to support NCOHF Affiliate oral health programs.

Four NCOHF Affiliates received a generous donation of Octocaine 50 anesthetic and needles that will help provide critical oral health services for children in need.

"It is an honor for Septodont to partner with NCOHF on such an important program for underserved children in America and we are very happy to be able to give back to the community that has trusted us for so many years," said Kent Chiu, president of Septodont.

During the recent Greater New York Dental Meeting, attendees rose to the recycling challenge from 3M ESPE to help reach the goal of donating $10,000 worth of dental product to NCOHF.

"We are thrilled that Greater New York attendees rose to the challenge to help us reach our donation goal," said Tim McGlynn, 3M ESPE marketing manager. "The combined effort from all tradeshow attendees was overwhelming."

As part of the RelyX™ Unicem 2 Automix Self-Adhesive Resin Cement launch, special cup bands — printed on post-consumer recycled paper — were handed out by street teams dispensing complimentary beverages. For each cup band recycled at 3M ESPE's booth, a donation was made to NCOHF (see article earlier in Trade News).

More than 400 guests recently attended SCO Family of Services' black tie gala, the Shepherd's Ball, at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. The Shepherd's Ball raises funds that help SCO provide vital services for children and families throughout New York City and Long Island.

The Shepherd's Award, SCO's highest honor, was presented to Stanley Bergman, Marion Bergman MD, MPA, and Jost Fischer. Stanley Bergman is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. Marion Bergman MD, MPA is the Healthcare Project Director for Miracle Corners of the World, Inc. and former Medical Director of Respiratory Care Services for Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. Jost Fischer is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sirona Dental.

Dentsply International entered into a strategic partnership with DIO Corp., a company based in Busan, South Korea, that produces dental implant devices and associated accessories.

Jin Cheol Kim and Jin Baek Kim, co-founders of DIO, will retain a significant ownership in the company and remain active in the management and operations of the business.

The Greater New York Dental Meeting, with the approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce, sponsored and assisted in obtaining Trade Fair Certification for the recent Sino-Dental Meeting in Beijing. Having achieved this special recognition for the third consecutive year, the Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM) hopes to help increase sales opportunities for U.S. dental manufacturers and distributors.

Dr. Robert R. Edwab, GNYDM's executive director (pictured above, second from right), is always seeking ways to find new and expanded markets for their exhibitors. "Now that we have obtained certification for the AEEDC-Dubai Meeting and Sino-Dental Beijing Meeting, hopefully U.S. companies will have additional venues to sell more products. Not only is exporting beneficial for these companies, but it also helps the U.S. economy enormously." One goal of the GNYDM's strategic plan is to find opportunities for the exporting of products, not only at their November meeting, but throughout the year. This would help the U.S. dental trade gain sales domestically and worldwide.

China has approximately 90,000 dentists to serve a population of over 1.3 billion. With its booming economy, the city of Beijing has become China's political and cultural center. This year's 15th Sino-Dental Exhibition and Congress was held in the recently built National Convention Center, the same headquarters that housed the press and media for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 2010, over 40,000 professional visitors from 80 countries and regions visited the exhibition. With China's ever expanding population and its modern Convention Center, this 2010 meeting included more than 600 exhibitors from 20 countries. Most notable was the large increase in exhibit space. This meeting has evolved into one of the most impressive and professional meetings in China. The event featured cutting-edge technology and both foreign and domestic products, materials, and instruments.

Sino-Dental is an ideal business platform for the dental industry, and the Greater New York Dental Meeting is proud to have been designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce to assist Sino-Dental 2010 in earning Trade Fair Certification status. This certification allows the Greater New York Dental Meeting to contact members of the U.S. dental manufacturing and distributing community to offer them exhibiting information for the Sino-Dental Beijing Meeting. This greatly assists U.S. dental exhibitors in finding Chinese distributors for their manufactured products or for exhibiting independently.

Sino-Dental significantly expanded its international pavilions at this year's meeting with representation from the United States, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Korea, Germany, and Brazil. It is gratifying that the United States' booth was given such immense exposure. Sino-Dental also honored the Greater New York Dental Meeting by introducing them to government and trade officials at all their major functions and due to the auspicious exhibitor's location they were given. Furthermore, the Greater New York Dental Meeting was given a unique honor in the prestigious introduction section of the program guide along with only three other dental trade organizations: Germany, Japan, and Korea.

The Greater New York Dental Meeting met with officials of the U.S. Department of Commerce from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and discussed ways to expand the business opportunities of U.S. companies in China. Dr. John R. Halikias, general chairman of the GNYDM, said, "Not only do we help our exhibitors by finding sales opportunities abroad, we also encourage potential attendees who visit our booth to come to New York and attend our annual session held every November."

Air Techniques has sold the Jelrus burnout oven product line to the Whip Mix Corporation. Whip Mix will now be responsible for sales, manufacturing and repairs for both in and out of warranty for the Jelrus Infinity and P.D.Q Digital Single-Stage burnout ovens. Please direct all inquiries to Whip Mix Customer Service toll free at (800) 626-5651 or (502) 636-5651.

Furthermore, Air Techniques has ceased production of its porcelain furnaces, the VIP Universal and VIP Universal X-Press. Air Techniques will continue to repair these products and sell spare parts. Please contact (516) 433-7676 for customer service regarding the VIP Universal and VIP Universal X-Press.

After being confronted with a suit before an Italian court brought by Biomax, BIOMET 3i's Italian distributor, Straumann Italia recently admitted in court that flawed clinical conclusions were drawn from the preclinical study it sponsored by Dr. Frank Schwarz comparing SLActive Implants to BIOMET 3i NanoTite™ Implants.

In addition, Straumann Italia admitted that it falsely identified BIOMET 3i NanoTite™ Implants in its marketing literature that referenced Dr. Schwarz's preclinical study. Straumann admitted that the preclinical study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, entitled "Influence of Titanium Implant Surface Characteristics on Bone Regeneration in Dehiscence-Type Defects: An Experimental Study in Dogs," concerns dehiscence-type defects artificially created in animals. Straumann Italia admitted that if such dehiscence-type defects created during the preclinical study should be found in humans, it would be correct to follow a bone reconstruction procedure.

In addition, while the SLActive and BIOMET 3i NanoTite Implants have several design differences, Straumann also admitted that these other design differences were not evaluated by Dr. Schwarz and that the comparison made by Dr. Schwarz concerned only one of several issues that can determine an implant's success. Straumann Italia's marketing piece highlighting Dr. Schwarz's preclinical study included a comparative photo of two implants, one of which Straumann identified as a BIOMET 3i NanoTite Implant that had allegedly failed. However, Straumann Italia now admits that this allegedly failed implant in its photos was not, in fact, a BIOMET 3i NanoTite Implant.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the litigation concluded with this admission made by Straumann Italia in favor of Biomax and continue to stand behind our NanoTite Implant product line and its strong global growth. We are confident that outcomes such as this will encourage industry to focus on credible, evidence-based science rather than inaccurate comparisons," said BIOMET 3i President Maggie Anderson. "BIOMET 3i will continue to support clinical research that is accurate and evidence based and let the results speak for themselves."

The National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH) has changed its name to Dental Lifeline Network to better reflect the organization and its mission moving forward. Through the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program alone, Dental Lifeline Network has provided access to some $181 million in dental care to 100,000 patients in all 50 states since it was founded more than 35 years ago. DDS coordinates the services of 15,000 volunteer dentists and 3,000 volunteer laboratories to provide comprehensive dental treatments to society's most vulnerable individuals.

DentaCheques is a main funding source for DDS. While Dental Lifeline Network will become the umbrella name for the national organization, DentaCheques and DDS will retain their names and missions.

The U.S. office of Koelnmesse GmbH, organizer of the Cologne based IDS show, has announced the premiere of MobileAppEx 2011 (Mobile Apps & Business Solutions Expo), set for June 14-16 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

The event will provide dental offices, dealers, and labs with innovative mobile business solutions for increased productivity. These solutions are divided into zones such as mobile payment, mobile marketing, retail and business solutions, enterprise, entertainment, and social gaming. These zones allow business owners, operators, and marketing and sales specialists to focus on finding solutions to help improve their business.

The three-day conference and two-day trade show will be the first dedicated mobile application and business solutions event for the rapidly evolving mobile app industry. Show management expects some 5,000 attendees and 120 exhibitors for this first time event. For additional information, visit www.mobileappex.com.

Dentatus and Henry Schein, Inc., have agreed that Henry Schein will no longer be the exclusive distributor of the Dentatus ATLAS® Narrow Body implant system and that Dentatus will reassume direct marketing and distribution of all Dentatus implant products. Though the Dentatus ATLAS Narrow Body implant system can now be purchased directly through Dentatus, it will also continue to be available through Henry Schein.

Dentatus will continue to offer its proprietary HOW™ Hands on Workshops to train professionals in the one-hour chair-side procedure for creating overdentures supported by ATLAS implants and retained with the cushioned Tuf-Link® liner, without copings and O-ring technologies. The HOW workshops will also include clinical and technical instruction for Dentatus's ANEW® Narrow Body Implants for fixed interim and lab customized longer-term restoration.

KAB Dental Equipment and Supply recently received approval by the U.S. Government as an authorized GSA provider for both dental equipment and supplies. The contract names KAB Dental as an approved vendor for these items. The process involved a two-year review of their contracts and product offering.

Dentium USA, a manufacturer of dental products developed by clinicians for clinicians, recently hosted its 7th annual Dentium World Symposium event at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. Developed in conjunction with Loma Linda University, all 550 dentists who participated in the symposium received up to 16 CE units from the University.

"We were extremely pleased with this year's Dentium World Symposium," remarked Tom Gregor, director of sales and marketing for Dentium USA. "It was an educational experience in which each and every component of dental implants was presented and explored by seasoned dental professionals."