In the busy environment of a dental practice, ensuring the safety and cleanliness of dental waterlines is paramount. The often-overlooked biofilm buildup in these waterlines can harbor dangerous pathogens, posing significant health risks to both patients and staff. Enter the FASTCheck15 waterline test—a quick, reliable solution designed to give dental professionals peace of mind. Because, as we know, “it’s not just your water, it’s your waterlines.”

The Biofilm Challenge

Biofilm, a slimy layer of bacteria that can form inside waterlines, is an invisible, persistent problem in dental practices. This biofilm is the home for potentially harmful bacteria that pose a health risk to patients and clinicians when exposed during dental procedures. The implications can be serious: infections, complications, and a potential loss of trust from patients.

Dental waterline safety is not just about adhering to regulations; it’s about ensuring every patient receives the highest standard of care. That’s why proactive waterline testing is important, and the new FASTCheck15 test leads the way.

Why FASTCheck15?

FASTCheck15 from Sterisil is a game changer in waterline testing that empowers dental professionals to stay ahead of the persistent bacteria and biofilm formation in dental waterlines. Here’s what makes it different than other testing methods:

1. Speed and Efficiency — The name says it all—FASTCheck15 delivers quick, conclusive results in just 15 minutes. In the fast-paced world of dentistry, time is of the essence. This quick turnaround allows for immediate action if any issues are detected, ensuring that patient safety is never compromised.
2. Simplicity — New FASTCheck15 doesn’t require mailing a sample or waiting days for paddle test or flow test results. It works like a COVID in-home test, with an easy-to-use test strip. Simply collect a sample, follow the instructions, and get results in just 15 minutes. It’s a hassle-free process that fits seamlessly into your daily routine.
3. Accuracy — FASTCheck15 provides reliable and accurate results, giving you the confidence that your waterlines are safe. The easy-to-read test strip provides simple, clear results and detects common dental waterline microbials exceeding 500 CFU/mL. With a straightforward indicator strip—1 line means Pass, and 2 lines mean Fail—you can quickly determine the status of your waterlines. It’s not just about compliance with health regulations; it’s about being confident in the safety and quality of care you provide.
4. Most Affordable Testing Option — At about half the cost of other in-office tests such as paddles and color-changing vials, FASTCheck15 provides dental practices with a cost-effective way to ensure the water is safe for their patients anytime.

Making it Routine

Incorporating FASTCheck15 into your practice is simple and invaluable. It helps meet regulatory requirements and sets a standard of excellence in patient care. It shows that you’re not just reactive to problems but proactive in preventing them.

Proactive vs Reactive

In prevention of biofilm formation and bacterial contamination, an ounce of prevention can make the job of maintaining safe water much easier and more reliable. Because FASTCheck15 is so fast and easy to use, it can make your waterline maintenance protocol much simpler, easier, and more reliable. So, you can identify and address potential issues before they become serious problems.

Building Trust Through Safety

Patients trust dental professionals with their health, and maintaining that trust requires a commitment to the highest standards of care. Regular waterline testing with FASTCheck15 demonstrates your dedication to patient safety, reassuring patients that their well-being is your top priority.

Part of the Sterisil SafeWater Solution

The new FASTCheck15 waterline test is part of the Sterisil® SafeWater Solution: an end-to-end Dental Unit Waterline suite of products and support that was designed with the busy dental office in mind. This solution delivers unmatched disinfection efficacy, ease of use, and affordable value that is changing the game in DUWL management, for efficiency and safety.

FASTCheck15 is the latest addition. Now you can make your waterline testing protocol easier, simpler, and more reliable. And, more affordable, too. Take the proactive step in safeguarding your practice and your patients. Integrate this essential test and make it a routine part of your dental practice’s commitment to excellence.

For more information, visit www.solmetex.com/fastcheck15.

SEE HOW IT WORKS:

If you think this is something that will benefit your practice, please let Dentron Systems know and they will gladly set it up for you.

This whitening module is free and the license never expires.

For more information, you can contact Dentron Systems by calling (225) 612-8300 or by emailing sales@dentronsystems.com.

You can also visit their website at www.dentronsystems.com.

What is Google Business Profile?

Many users still call it by its former name, Google My Business. The name change to Google Business Profile (GBP) took place in late 2021. Essentially, it’s a free tool that helps businesses manage their online presence across all of Google’s apps and functions. Any business — including a dental practice — can take advantage of GBP, improving customers’, in our case patients’, ability to find them through online search and apps like Google Maps. When a dental practice has a complete and accurate profile, patients can learn more than just its location and contact info. For instance, the business profile also shows reviews submitted through Google, which are vital for patients when choosing a dentist.

What’s Changed? The Good and the Not So Good.

Google has announced and implemented several changes to GBP so far this year. Most are positive for businesses and dental practices, expanding GBP’s capabilities. A couple of changes that became effective after July 31st took away functions that some practices had been using. However, this does not diminish the importance of using GBP. It just means practices need to find alternatives for those functions. Let me break it down:

1. NEW – Socials Appear on Profile: This is huge! Practices with active social media pages can now list them on GBP, and patients can go to them directly from the profile. Since the practice’s GBP is usually the first thing a patient sees when searching on Google or in Maps, it’s extremely convenient that they no longer have to scroll through the search results or initiate a new search to also find the practice on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. Now, along with the practice’s website, patients will see active links to its social media channels for easier engagement.
2. NEW – Emoji Reactions: Practices can now use emojis, like a heart or a smiley face, to react to patient reviews. This may not seem like much, but it could potentially make a real difference. Having the ability to use emoji reactions brings a more social media look and feel to the Google profile. Now, it’s even easier for practices to engage with reviews. If the practice’s marketing manager wants to show appreciation for a great review a patient just posted, they can immediately react with a heart or other symbol of gratitude.
3. NEW – Terms and Conditions: As with any major application update, GBP users are required to accept some new terms and conditions. The updated terms have implications for content management, data access, licensing, compliance, service termination, and more. While none of the new conditions is particularly surprising, reading through them before hitting the “I Accept” button is generally a good idea.
4. GOING AWAY – Chat: After July 31, 2024, patients can no longer use GBP to initiate a chat with the dental practice. This will impact practices that regularly receive incoming messages directly from GBP. To prevent continuity issues and missed messages, dental practices can switch to another chat function, with many reputable ones to choose from. Additionally, the practice’s chat history is still available to download from Google Takeout.
5. GOING AWAY – Call History: Starting August 1, 2024, Google no longer tracks calls as part of its engagement metrics. Call history will no longer be visible with GBP, only downloadable via Google Takeout. This means a practice will have to track that metric manually rather than rely on Google’s analytics. The call feature remains. So, patients can still contact the practice directly from its profile. The difference is that those calls are no longer included in measuring engagement.

Overall, Google Business Profile is an excellent tool for dental practices. The benefits to a practice’s online presence far outweigh any changes in functionality or tracking capability. For practices actively managing their GBP, staying on top of current and future updates is essential to prevent interruptions to patient communications and take advantage of any new features.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With more than a decade of experience in corporate dental laboratory marketing and brand development, Jackie Ulasewich-Cullen decided to take her passion for the dental business and marketing to the next level by founding My Dental Agency.

Since starting her company, she and her team have helped a wide variety of practices all over the nation focus their message, reach their target audience, and increase their sales through effective marketing campaigns.

She can be reached at (800) 689-6434 or via email at jackie@mydentalagency.com.

Dental Care Alliance and Overjet Launch Historic Rollout of AI

“Transforming dental care through AI isn’t just about innovation or technology,” said Jason Heffelfinger, CEO of Dental Care Alliance. “It’s about empowering our supported providers, advancing precision, personalizing patient experiences, and pioneering a new era of oral health. We are proud to partner with Overjet to be the first DSO to implement this game-changing platform across our family of more than 400 affiliated practices.”

Overjet is the AI platform for dentistry. Its FDA-cleared technology is trained on millions of X-rays and continuously tested by a team of leading dentists, enabling it to detect, outline, and quantify oral diseases with millimeter-level precision. In addition to analyzing X-rays, Overjet is also an essential tool for educating patients, since it highlights cavities, calculus, and other pathologies with colorful overlays that patients can understand. The result is greater trust in the dentist, which leads to higher case acceptance.

DCA’s leadership recognizes that its success with AI will depend on its people, who are ultimately responsible for understanding and implementing the new technology. That was the motivation for DCA’s unique and comprehensive rollout plan, carefully designed to maximize Overjet’s impact across all of its providers. Through a combination of in-depth training sessions and study clubs led by Overjet’s expert clinical team, deep integrations with providers’ existing systems, and high-profile promotional campaigns, DCA is setting the example for how to implement dental AI at scale.

This organization-wide expansion builds on DCA’s initial partnership with Overjet that began in May 2022, and which has produced overwhelmingly positive reactions from both its providers and patients. Beyond the dental chair, the platform will help DCA’s providers grow their practices — from streamlining the morning huddle to identifying opportunities for care.

“The most successful DSOs of tomorrow will be those that embrace AI today,” said Wardah Inam, CEO of Overjet. “From the very beginning of our partnership, DCA’s leaders wanted to do more than just keep pace with the latest technology. They wanted to push dentistry forward. With this milestone deployment of AI, Dental Care Alliance will set the new standard for what patients expect at the dentist.”

About Dental Care Alliance

Dental Care Alliance’s mission is to advance the practice of dentistry by partnering with and supporting dental professionals to create a lifetime of healthy smiles. DCA currently supports over 400 allied practices and supports over 900 dentists across 24 states. DCA’s allied practices represent all dental specialties and treat patients under more than 150 brand names. Learn more at dentalcarealliance.com.

About Overjet

Overjet is the world-leader in dental AI. Founded by experts from MIT and Harvard University, Overjet builds artificial intelligence that helps dental organizations give patients the highest quality of care. Our FDA-cleared technology is the first objective standard for making oral health decisions — so that dentists can detect pathologies with precision and educate patients with confidence. To learn more, visit Overjet.com.

Today, thousands of labs globally already use DS Core. Dentsply Sirona is now introducing new functionalities for labs on DS Core, enabling labs to collaborate in an excellent way with the dental practices they serve.

Gain an overview with the dashboard, collaborate with other labs, take dentists with you on your digital journey

Order management has received a major boost with the enhanced dashboard. Orders and media are listed under client and patient names for quick and easy access to the relevant information.

Another new feature is the ability to outsource jobs to other labs or even DS Core Create, while retaining all the original job details and files. This is useful when working with production partners or managing temporary staff bottlenecks.

“For me, DS Core is an efficiency gain because I can find everything, I’m looking for in one place. From intraoral scans and X-rays to my orders and correspondence,” says Devaughn Fraser, Director of Highland Dental Lab in Canada. “The potential is vast: with this digital step forward, practices and labs are now digital neighbors – no longer limited by distance, time or file types. All information and communication is centralized – no need to check seemingly endless portals, emails, text messages and file transfer services. All information now cohabitates happily under one roof.”

With DS Core Light*, Dentsply Sirona is also launching a new subscription option that provides two important additional functions. It provides users with 1 TB of storage space and enables labs to store order and design files. Another very special tool: Labs can take their more conventional partner dentists with them on their digital journey. Digitized models of physical impressions and design proposals can be shared back to a dentist via DS Core, even if the dentist is not yet a DS Core user. Once dentists start using intraoral scanners to take impressions, they can send their orders via the DS Core platform that they are already familiar with.

Consistently turn DS Core into an enabler 

Since its launch, DS Core has inspired many users around the world. As an open ordering and collaboration solution, it connects dentists and dental technicians in a broad network for efficient collaboration. DS Core is open for numerous data formats (dxd, .stl, .ply and .obj as well as .dcm x-ray images), enabling nearly every dentist to send data to the lab, regardless of the digital devices they use. The data input can be easily viewed by the laboratory partner via a web browser—without the need to install special software so dental technicians are free to choose which lab software they use to design or fabricate their applications.

“Dentistry is a team sport, and dental labs are an essential part of the dental care team. That’s why we are continuously developing DS Core to enable the dental care team to advance with confidence and play together effectively. The latest updates are specifically made for dental labs” said Max Milz, Group Vice President Connected Technology Solutions at Dentsply Sirona. “With DS Core, dental labs can efficiently work together with practices using digital impressions, designs and even X-ray data, supported by real-time chat functionalities. DS Core is a single channel for exchanging many types of data securely, which is a huge improvement compared to the usual fragmented communication channels used today and a significant step towards a new era of connected dentistry.”

According to Andreas Frank, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer at Dentsply Sirona: “At Dentsply Sirona, we partner with dental professionals to advance our shared vision of transforming dentistry. We are committed to enhancing patient outcomes and supporting practice success. DS Core positions our customers to advance with confidence on all fronts.”

Further information on the product can be found here.

Customer Support can be found here.

(*) Requires a paid DS Core subscription. 

Registered brands, trade names and logos are used. Even in particular cases, when they appear without a TM or ®, all corresponding legal rules and provisions apply. All rights are retained by Dentsply Sirona. Clinicians may have been compensated for use of their experiences and testimonials.

About Dentsply Sirona

Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, with over a century of innovation and service to the dental industry and patients worldwide. Dentsply Sirona develops, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive solutions offering including dental and oral health products as well as other consumable medical devices under a strong portfolio of world class brands.

Dentsply Sirona’s products provide innovative, high-quality and effective solutions to advance patient care and deliver better and safer dental care.

Dentsply Sirona’s headquarter is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company’s shares are listed in the United States on NASDAQ under the symbol XRAY.

Visit www.dentsplysirona.com for more information about Dentsply Sirona and its products.

DISCLAIMER

This information and any attachment thereto contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements reflect views and assumptions regarding expectations and projections about future events and are based on currently available information or information available on the date of any document incorporated by reference. You can generally identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “estimate,” “will,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “think,” “intend,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” “forecast”, and similar words and expressions. However, these words are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements and may include statements relating to future revenues, expenses, margins, profitability, net income/(loss), earnings per share, and other measures of results of operations and the prospects of future growth of our business. These forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict.

For a discussion of such risks, uncertainties, and other matters that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks relating to, among other factors, the market for dental products and services, pricing, future sales volume of the Company’s products, the possibility of changing economic, market, and competitive conditions, dependence on products, dependence on key personnel, technological developments, intense competition, market uncertainties, dependence on distributors, ability to manage growth, dependence on key suppliers, dependence on key members of management, government regulation, our ability to integrate the businesses of Dentsply Sirona, acquisitions and affiliations, readers are urged to carefully review and consider various disclosures made by the Company and Dentsply Sirona in their public filings, including in their Annual Reports on Form 10-K and in their reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document or the attachments to reflect new information or future events or developments after the date any such statement is made.

Registered brands, trade names, and logos are used. Even in particular cases, when they appear without a TM or ®, all corresponding legal rules and provisions apply. All rights are retained by Dentsply Sirona. Clinicians may have been compensated for use of their experiences and testimonials.

The MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel breaks brushing down to a science.

With tooth decay affecting 90 percent of US adults and gum disease impacting 50 percent of US adults, it is clear that traditional toothpastes aren’t working. The oral microbiome, a complex community of microorganisms in the mouth, is crucial in maintaining oral and overall health. Oral health issues caused by underlying, suboptimal microbial activities – such as cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss – can and do affect overall health. As the entry point to your entire body, the oral microbiome has been implicated in many systemic diseases. In fact, 95 percent of Americans with diabetes also experience periodontal disease, and up to 50 percent of heart attacks and strokes are attributed to oral pathogens. Additionally, those affected by gum disease are 70 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

Viome has historically been a pioneer in personalized health, starting with its early adoption of the gut microbiome, its impact on overall systemic health, and its role in the progression of chronic conditions and aging. In the last few years, the company has uncovered the essential role of the oral microbiome and its equally crucial impact on health. Viome is leading the way for a new frontier of personalized and preventative oral health, committed to increasing access to products that address underlying root causes. Viome’s oral health products are designed to boost the mouth’s defense mechanisms naturally and effectively, leading to cleaner teeth, healthier gums, and a stronger microbial community that supports full-body defenses.

“At Viome, we are committed to revolutionizing the oral health landscape with the same focus on individualization and prevention, harnessing the power of our unique technology to provide custom solutions that make daily habits more effective and meaningful. Our new MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel product exemplifies our mission to continue providing these solutions as we better understand the human microbiome and its role in health and aging,” said Viome founder & CEO Naveen Jain. “As we grow, we remain dedicated to transforming our data and discoveries into actionable products that reshape health and wellness, one microbiome at a time.”

The MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel breaks brushing down to a science. Viome’s at-home test analyzes the saliva of each individual, measuring the unique activity of their oral microbes and determining how they may be contributing to bad breath, gum inflammation, cavities, and other common oral health concerns. Viome maps each user’s activity from there to specific prebiotics, postbiotics, polyphenols, and other effective ingredients. The MyBiotics Toothpaste & Gel formula is meant to work synergistically, from morning through night, to support oral microbes and keep the mouth healthy and resilient. It is free of harsh abrasives, sugar, dioxides, SLS, saccharin, triclosan, sulfates, BPA, phthalates, parabens, and artificial sweeteners or colors.

• Sunrise Cleanse & Restore Gel (AM Pack) – Start with the MyBiotics Gel for a deeper clean. Powered by Livfresh Technology and formulated from 26 research studies at top US universities, it works up to 250 percent better at removing plaque than leading toothpaste brands, 250 percent better at reducing gum puffiness, twice as effective at controlling overnight plaque buildup, and shields your teeth from plaque-forming microbes and tooth staining. By using a synergistic blend of Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP), Viome’s Gel not only removes existing plaque but also forms a protective barrier that repels bacteria and prevents new plaque from attaching to your teeth.
• Nightly Nourish & Protect Toothpaste (PM Pack) – The MyBiotics Toothpaste formula is an oral supplement that contains both oral and full-body health benefits when ingested. It includes each user’s personalized formula, complete with prebiotics, postbiotics, and other powerful, evidence-based ingredients designed to address their test’s Oral Health Scores. This formula also supports the natural repair process of the teeth through remineralization for more resilient teeth over time. Employing safe, enamel-friendly molecules to effectively whiten teeth without the harsh abrasives commonly found in other whitening products ensures a brighter smile while preserving the natural integrity of enamel.

“Leveraging the latest breakthroughs in oral health science, Viome’s products are designed to outperform leading toothpaste brands by transforming your oral microbes into beneficial allies for your overall health,” said Viome’s chief dental officer, Edward Zuckerberg. “These benefits are crucial because they improve oral hygiene and enhance overall health by reducing the risk of systemic diseases linked to oral health issues. After decades of stagnation in the oral care industry, Viome is introducing the innovation consumers have been waiting for, revolutionizing daily oral care with scientifically advanced solutions promoting a healthier mouth and body.”

This latest announcement comes off the heels of multiple different initiatives Viome has spearheaded to improve our approach to oral care, including the debut of their first B2B product, Oral Health Pro with CancerDetect, and a corresponding partnership with medical device distributor Henry Schein to provide better access to the test.

For more information, please visit https://www.viome.com/.

About Viome

Viome is a pioneering longevity and preventive healthcare company committed to bridging the gap between scientific breakthroughs and their practical implementation as health solutions. Utilizing cutting-edge AI and the world’s largest gene expression database, Viome’s home-based tests offer individuals personalized nutritional guidance and innovative microbiome health products to enhance lifespan and health.

Viome has empowered over half a million users with its unique approach that marries groundbreaking proprietary RNA sequencing methods with AI technology. This combination analyzes epigenetic biomarkers, providing robust, AI-driven health insights that contribute significantly to promoting a healthy lifespan. With its top-tier precision nutrition recommendations, Viome offers a comprehensive and personalized solution to aging – at its optimum. This is more than just health optimization; it’s a revolution in understanding how we age and enabling us to do so with vitality and wellness.

Brighter Way has treated over 183,000 unique patients since opening in 2001. Its model incorporates both staff and volunteer dentists, engages for-profit and non-profit sectors, and provides remote mobile access to help close the growing gap in care for vulnerable individuals across Arizona.

“This generous donation from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation will allow us to provide over 10,000 comprehensive oral health services to an additional 1,300 patients,” said Brighter Way Institute’s founder and CEO, Kris Volcheck, DDS, MBA. “Our oral health specialists understand the link between oral health and general health. Not only does chronic dental disease impact appearance and self-esteem, but it also leads to emergency room visits for pain and infection control. We’re honored that we can create a brighter future for our children, homeless adults, and veterans in our community.”

The 2022 Arizona State Health Assessment estimates that 13% of Arizonans, including 19% of children under the age of 18, live below the federal poverty level, and the majority of low-income and homeless individuals have multiple disparities that prevent them from visiting a dentist. Over 66% of Arizonans do not visit a dentist regularly because of cost, and 48% avoid smiling because of the condition of their teeth (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2015).

“Dental care is often one of the first things to go when money is tight,” said Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Brighter Way is changing the game for children, veterans, and homeless people in need with their low- to no-cost, comprehensive dental services.”

For many Brighter Way patients, circumstances like homelessness, the high cost of care, a lack of insurance, and inconsistent transportation create barriers to ongoing access to an oral health care dental home. For patients on Arizona’s Medicaid plan, only adult emergency care is provided, and complex procedures for children are not covered. Working poor families are often transient, and many are forced to choose between paying for food and shelter or expensive dental procedures for themselves and their family.

Each year, The Bob & Renee Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry, a pediatric specialty clinic operated by Brighter Way in the Murphy district, treats thousands of children who suffer from severe dental disease and untreated infections that result in missed school days, bullying, and chronic pain. With this grant, Brighter Way Institute has the capacity to treat more children at a much earlier stage of infection, improving their overall health outlook, establishing a life-long practice of oral health care, and preserving the integrity of their future adult teeth. Specialized oral health professionals are also available for children with developmental disabilities.

“Most of us don’t stop to consider how essential dental health is to overall well-being and quality of life,” said Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Brighter Way is bringing a critical service to many who would otherwise have little or no access to care.”

Brighter Way Institute was founded by Dr. Kris Volcheck in 2001 as a pilot project out of a small trailer located at the Human Services Campus (now Key Campus) in downtown Phoenix. In 2016, Brighter Way Institute became a separate nonprofit organization under an expanded framework that includes all vulnerable members of our community, in addition to those experiencing homelessness. Today, Brighter Way Institute’s dental centers provide comprehensive routine, restorative, and reconstruction services that include dentures, implants, oral health education, and a full range of conscious and unconscious sedation options for children.

In Maricopa County, Brighter Way Institute works with a committed group of nonprofits, volunteers, and institutional partners to strategically expand access to oral health for their patients. To learn more about Brighter Way Institute, visit www.brighterwaydental.org.

About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation

The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture, and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation’s giving is driven by the core belief that all people—regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity—deserve access to quality healthcare, education, and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community.

FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Kalhh from Pixabay.

Le and collaborators are coaxing gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs)—stem cells from gum tissue—to produce nerve-supportive cells that facilitate nerve regrowth.

“We wanted to create a biological approach and use the regenerating ability of stem cells,” said Le. “To be able to recreate nerve-supportive cells in this way is really a new paradigm.”

For more than a decade, Le’s lab has explored the use of GMSCs to regenerate different types of craniofacial tissues and to treat osteonecrosis of the jaw, which can occur when a patient takes bisphosphonate, a drug used to treat metastatic cancer or prevent bone loss in osteoporosis. Her lab team was able to apply their previous understanding of GMSCs to facilitate their conversion into Schwann-like cells, the pro-regenerative cells of the peripheral nervous system that make neural growth factors and myelin, the insulating layer around nerves.

To move the work forward, Le collaborated with bioengineer D. Kacy Cullen of Penn Medicine, an expert in creating and testing nerve scaffold materials. Together they showed that infusing a collagen scaffold with these cells and using them to guide the repair of facial nerve injuries in animals was just as effective as an autograft procedure. Although the repaired gap was small, the team is continuing to refine the method to repair larger ones that often result from trauma or tumor-removal surgeries.

Le notes that this approach would enable patients with oral cancer or facial trauma to use their own tissue to recover motor function and sensation following a repair.

While Le’s group focuses on the head and neck, further work on this model could translate to nerve repair in other areas of the body as well.

“I’m hopeful we can continue moving this forward toward clinical application,” she said.

The intraoperative use of uAI MERITS

Overcoming Challenges in Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery 

This surgery helped a patient who had lost part of her mandible due to cancer by successfully reconstructing the mandible and restoring normal aesthetics and functions. The surgery involved the transplantation of a free fibular flap from the patient’s lower leg, which encompassed bone, and soft tissue, to reconstruct the missing mandible and oral mucosa. At the same time, dental implants were placed in the newly transplanted bone, restoring the patient’s masticatory functions, anatomical structures, and facial aesthetics.

Maxillofacial reconstruction surgeries have been constrained by the complexity of anatomical structures, the high demands for aesthetics and functionality, and the necessity for surgical precision. In this case, the accurate identification and localization of perforator vessels within the soft tissue were pivotal to the success of mandibular reconstruction using a free fibula flap.

In traditional approaches, it is imperative for surgeons to possess an exceptionally high-level of expertise and extensive surgical experience to minimize errors when localizing perforator vessels. Historically, physicians have relied on auxiliary tools such as ultrasound to estimate the location of these perforator vessels, a method that often lacks precision and fails to achieve optimal surgical outcomes. Moreover, the surgical process demands a significant expenditure of time and effort from the surgeons, who must manually compare and delineate between conventional cross-sectional CT images and the surgical site. This process poses considerable challenges to the efficiency and accuracy of the surgery.

AI-Assisted Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery Achieves Outstand Results

For the first time, Professor Su’s team successfully completed an oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery with the assistance of a large multimodal model for medicine. The innovation of this technology lies in its ability to address the clinical challenge of surgeons relying on empirical knowledge and best estimates to locate perforating vessels during free flap harvesting surgery. This solution is achieved through a robust, large-scale transformer model trained on a diverse array of medical images for precise segmentation preoperatively, and a large multimodal model for 3D image and video registration, prospective projection, and dynamic visual tracking intraoperatively. This integrated approach significantly improves surgical efficiency and accuracy.

Empowered by AI, the mandibular reconstruction surgery utilized the UII Discover – Runoff CTA system, an advanced intelligent system for evaluating the arteries of the lower extremity. This system facilitated rapid and automatic reconstruction of a comprehensive 3D model of the lower limb’s arteries, bones, and skin, offering a multimodal, 360° rotational view. It intelligently identified and outlined the perforator vessels in the leg, and displayed them in various colors, which streamlined the preoperative planning process and enhanced surgical efficiency.

During the surgery, the uAI MERITS system, which integrates advanced AI technologies such as large multimodal models and digital twins, played a pivotal role in enhancing precision and efficiency. It provided real-time projection of anatomy that intelligently and dynamically aligned the 3D reconstruction from the CTA system with the patient’s surgical site, seamlessly adapting to patient movement without compromising the accuracy of the procedure. This goggle-free approach allowed for the rapid and precise delineation of the surgical field, significantly improving the precision and success rate of the surgery.

The success of this oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery is a testament to the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and large multimodal models, with real-world medical use cases. It also marks the world’s first oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery driven by a large multimodal model for medicine.

Currently, the team has successfully completed three oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgeries using the uAI MERITS platform. Notably, distinct from the first two free fibula flap surgeries, the third surgery marked a milestone by introducing another groundbreaking technique of harvesting the anterolateral thigh flap for the first time.

At the International Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation Conference held in Hong Kong in June, Professor Su shared a successful case of using uAI MERITS for oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery, which garnered widespread attention from the attending experts and clinicians. Additionally, James J. Xia, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at United Imaging Intelligence, shared the latest advances of AI technology in the field of medicine. He expressed that the company will continue to collaborate with medical professionals to discover more clinical use cases and develop more clinical applications leveraging large model technology, thereby expanding possibilities for physicians and patients worldwide.

Disclaimer: Products and features mentioned herein may not be commercially available in all countries. Their future availability cannot be guaranteed.

Does it mean communications from front to back or back to front?

Does it have to do with patients understanding their treatment plans?

Maybe you don’t have clarity about the doctor’s expectations?

Perhaps you just mean literally that your team is not communicating… period.

What does “communication” mean to you and your team?

To fix your communication challenges, let’s begin with the end in mind and set you and your team up for success when it comes to your communication strategy.

Yes, you need an actual communications strategy. Because like anything else, effective communications are not going to happen effectively by accident. In fact, with everything in life, it’s on purpose or by happenstance. And since there are quite a few things out of our control (that happen by happenstance anyway), we darn sure better control all of the others on purpose.

There’s nothing more important in your practice (and your life) to do ON PURPOSE more. This is especially important when it comes to communication. You want it to be high quality, effective, intentional, and on purpose. To do this, there must be a plan and an approach in place that you can all work with and agree on.

Everyone on your team must be committed to your communications strategy. Otherwise, you’ll have breakdowns all day long. There are several parts to this…

1. Allow time for communication and have structured protocols with clear expectations.

That means you want to have disciplined Huddles where each person knows what the expected contributions are, every day. By stopping everything to focus on goals, activities, and responsibilities (and allowing for feedback), you provide instant reminders of what’s important. In a busy dental office, this aligns everyone on the same path.

This is why it’s so important to have a morning and an evening Huddle in some way, shape, or form. There are always checks-and-balances with a forced communication structure which leads to more organized execution.

This is all fundamental and you probably do this already. The key question is… how is it working? What can be better? Where does your effectiveness wane? What do you accomplish or not accomplish in your communication structure and why?

I want you to assess every meeting and communication protocol you have to see where you can enhance the outcome.

Remember, it’s not about your convenience; it’s about your outcomes.

Does everything you do and talk about lead to helping more patients, scoring more points, getting more “yeses,” collecting more money, and producing more? This exact same thing applies to phone calls, triangles of trust, the tag team clinical experience, presenting treatment, etc.

Everything is communication and therefore everything should have strategy and purpose.

Which leads me to…

2. Identify where communication breaks down.

Where do communications break down in your process, treatment, patient, and schedule flow… in every part of your dental practice?

The only way to know this is to ask each and every team member (technically, you’ll also want to survey your patients too, but this is a good start). Let each person talk from their perspective and share where they feel they are missing information, unsure about something, making guesses, and other issues.

For assistance, here are some keys to communicate with your team (and everyone for that matter) to create great relationships…

• Ask A Question.
• Be Curious.
• Care.
• Listen.
• Restate.
• Explain Clearly.
• Be Transparent.
• Verify Understanding.

If you want to be the best… add a few adjectives to each and you will be on your way to becoming a more effective communicator with everyone:

• Ask MORE and BETTER Questions.
• Be GENUINELY and STRATEGICALLY Curious.
• Care DEEPLY and with AUTHENTICITY.
• Listen INTENTLY and ACTIVELY.
• Restate FREQUENTLY and COMPASSIONATELY.
• Explain Clearly WHAT Matters Most To THEM.
• Be Transparent with YOUR Objectives and THEIR Experience.
• Verify Understanding at EVERY Step and Decision.

Now, some may not have much to say, others may have a lot, but note that this goes far beyond just understanding what each other does, though that is important. This is about ensuring that there are no broken lines of communication or places where it’s inadequate in serving its purpose of achieving the desired outcome.

3. Make a list.

When you go around the room, list the specific places where communication breaks down and/or where it can be improved. Each team member has a different vantage point and perspective, so you need everyone’s input to cover all points of contact with patients.

Where do you feel right now you could improve patient communication?

Just take each step in your process and experience, and determine what you can do better to…

• Convey your philosophy;
• Discover the patient’s goals;
• Exemplify your differentiation from others;
• Calm the patient, build trust and engage;
• Involve the patient in the clinical experience and diagnosis;
• Work together to create a mutually agreed upon optimal treatment plan;
• Close on money, next steps, commitment to long term outcomes; and
• Use referrals, reviews and all other valuable things patients contribute.

The point is obvious. There are so many things the patient goes through in your practice; most of which they had no idea about or may not even understand because they are part of YOUR process. What great communication will do is the magic that I often describe as dentistry happening WITH someone instead of TO someone. This special 180-degree difference is all done through communication.

Use Your List!

Once you have this information, use it to your advantage. When you fix the communication breakdowns within your team, you will be amazed at how much more treatment you will close and money you will collect – patients get lost in the shuffle whether you believe it, or want to admit it, or not.

Focus on this process in three ways:

1. What do you need to know about the patient to help make it a successful experience for them?
2. What does the patient need to know about you, themselves, the process, and everything involved to make it a successful experience?
3. How does this relate to your own personal position and responsibilities and how can you help other team members?

The secret to this is that no one person stands alone with the patient. It is about making sure that you are successfully helping the patient be prepared for the next step, phase, and team member in the experience.

That’s how we connect patient communication to team member communication, which is so incredibly important.

Remember your List is the key. You know best where you take shortcuts, miss steps or do not fully engage patients. Start communicating effectively and act on what you learn. Make this happen, because good communication is the key to making positive changes happen at your practice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Recognized by thousands of dentists across North America, Scott Manning is an accomplished author (“The Dental Practice Shift” is the #1 most requested book in dentistry) and a highly sought-after public speaker. For almost two decades, he has dedicated his life to inspiring and motivating dentists worldwide to create wealth and lifestyle-based practices. Today, when he is not sharing his positive messages worldwide, he loves to travel and spend time with his beloved wife Kristen and daughter Saylor.

To learn more, visit https://dentalsuccesstoday.com.

FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Bpawesome/Shutterstock.com.