Imagen Dental Partners, a new Dental Partnership Organization (DPO), is bringing together technology-forward, high-performing dental practices with the shared goal of creating long-term wealth.

The group's business model allows dentists to retain their clinical autonomy while using the latest dental technologies and pursuing mastery of advanced clinical skills. The group's business model takes a long-term approach and provides dentist partners with financial incentives related to the dentistry they produce, the profitability of their individual practices, and the profitability of the DPO as a whole. 

Partner dentists in Imagen have access to training, mentoring, and resources from Spear Education and CDOCS. The DPO also provides a suite of proprietary growth playbooks and business support.

The focus on technology is a part of the DPO's core, and all Imagen practice partners must have CAD/CAM and cone beam imaging technology in place or be willing to add the technology upon joining the group. 

Imagen Dental Partners currently operates in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin and has plans to expand further in 2021.

Articles

New dental practice group brings a new business approach with a focus on adding high-performing practices to expand the group.

Imagen Launches Dental Partnership Organization Built Around Technology-Focused Practices

Global dental manufacturers Ivocalr Vivadent and 3Shape have worked together in the past on oral health solutions and now they’re expanding their collaborative efforts.

Ivoclar Vivadent specializes in dental materials and in producing smart product systems for the dental industry with the objective of giving people around the world a smile. 3Shape is a developer of 3D scanners and the associated software that is setting new standards in digital applications. The product portfolio of the Danish company ideally complements the systems composed of dental materials and production equipment from Ivoclar Vivadent.

Both companies strive to offer highly efficient and fully integrated digital workflows. The scanning and CAD software solutions from 3Shape are coordinated with the PrograMill and PrograPrint CAM machines from Ivoclar Vivadent. This clever combination is designed to ensure outstanding results that promote good health and well-being.

The 2 companies are collaborating in the following areas:

Patient consultation with IvoSmile, an augmented reality software that provides the patient with a preview of the treatment result in real-time 3D.

A fully integrated chairside solution featuring PrograScan One intraoral scanners and PrograMill One, a compact 5-axis milling machine designed for IPS e.max.

Integration of the Ivotion Denture System and the patented workflows from Ivoclar Vivadent in the 3Shape Dental System 2020.

Diego Gabathuler, the CEO of Ivoclar Vivadent, says the latest collaboration offers competitive end-to-end solutions not only for dental offices, but also for laboratories and orthodontic practices.

Creating patients' future smiles together


IvoSmile is an augmented reality-based software that is designed to help dental professionals advise their patients effectively. IvoSmile has been integrated in the 3Shape TRIOS treatment simulator. Therefore, patients can be given a preview in real-time of their prospective new smile after an orthodontic treatment. IvoSmile is now fully compatible with the 3Shape Dental System. The new version of the app* ensures complete CAD integration. IvoSmile data is transferred quickly and easily to the dental lab via a special interface. Subsequently, the construction data is sent from the 3Shape Dental System back to the practice, where the patient is shown the treatment proposal in detail. The laboratory and the dentist can then effectively coordinate the work needed to create the patient’s new smile.


Two new intraoral PrograScan One scanners powered by 3Shape have joined the fully integrated chairside system from Ivoclar Vivadent, which enables dentists to fabricate highly esthetic and precise dental restorations in-house. PrograScan One is seamlessly coordinated with the PrograMill One milling machine – a chairside milling machine that has been specially developed for processing IPS e.max – for an unparalleled user experience. This process is designed to change the way dentists do their work. The versatile PrograDesign software features intuitive workflows involving both PrograScan One and PrograMill One. This comprehensive, integrated clinical system offers dentists exceptional flexibility: They can choose between one-day treatments in which the restoration is produced in-house or procedures where the fabrication of the restoration is outsourced to a preferred laboratory partner or a third-party supplier.


The Ivotion Denture System from Ivoclar Vivadent provides a comprehensive and smooth digital workflow for the fabrication of high-quality removable dentures. The bicoloured, monolithic Ivotion CAD/CAM disc – in combination with the PrograMill milling machines – allow you to fabricate upper and lower dentures efficiently and predictably in one milling process. The “Shell Geometry” which is located within the disc is a three-dimensional tooth arch structure that defines the transition between the tooth and the gingiva sections of the disc. It is said to ensure results that are stress-free and very strong and homogenous. The intuitive Ivotion CAD Design software, which is integrated in the 3Shape Dental System 2020, enables you to customize the removable denture to the individual needs of the patient. After the denture has been milled, it only requires polishing.

PrograMill©, PrograPrint®, IPS e.max® and IvoSmile®

are registered trademarks of Ivoclar Vivadent AG.

* The IvoSmile app is available in selected markets.

Dental manufacturers are intensifying their collaborative efforts with the common goal of developing the best possible oral health solutions for the health and well-being of patients.

Ivoclar Vivadent, 3Shape Continue to Scale Up  Collaboration

Dr. Lorne Lavine, founder and president of The Digital Dentist, has more than 30 years invested in the dental and dental technology fields. A graduate of USC, he earned his DMD from Boston University and completed his residency at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, N.Y. He received his specialty training at the University of Washington and went into private practice in Vermont until moving to California in 2002 to establish TDD, a company that focuses on the specialized technological and HIPAA needs of the dental community. He can be reached at drlavine@thedigitaldentists.com or 866-204-3398.

I have seen many incorrect assumptions and statements about encryption, so I wanted to tackle the most common misconceptions here:

This is simply not true. If you look at the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) laws, there are essentially 2 types of rules: required and addressable. Required is cut and dried: You must do it. Addressable is a bit more gray, but not that difficult to understand: 

If it’s reasonable and appropriate, you must do it 

(emphasis mine). If it is not reasonable, then come up with an alternative or document why you don’t think it’s required. This is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, because it all boils down to that reasonable and appropriate statement. You have to be able to prove that based on current standards, the requirement isn’t reasonable, and as you’ll see below, that’s a hard argument to make.

2. There are no consequences if my data isn’t encrypted.

 Even if we ignore the HIPAA requirement, this would be a significant mistake. Although much of HIPAA is somewhat ambiguous, the Breach Notification Rule is not: If you suffer a breach, then by law you must notify your patients in writing, alert the local news media (in certain cases), and be listed on the HHS “Wall of Shame” (if your breach affects 500 or more individuals). Getting back to that get-out-of-jail-free concept, it actually does exist, but only in this specific case: If your data is encrypted, then you are exempt from that breach notification. For this reason alone, it’s almost impossible to not justify encrypting your data. Another fun fact is that most (but not all) ransomware viruses have difficulty attacking encrypted files, so you reduce your chances of a ransomware infection if the data is already encrypted.

3. It’s too expensive to encrypt my data. 

Well, considering that it’s free, good luck with that argument! If yours is like most practices, you can and should be storing all your data on your server. With Windows Server 2008 no longer being supported and patched (and, thus, a HIPAA violation), you should be using either Server 2012, 2016, or 2019 as your server operating system. And every one of those operating systems (including Windows 10) has a built-in encryption software called BitLocker. It’s part of the system and costs nothing to activate. Unless you have extensive information technology (IT) experience, you’re better off having an IT specialist set it up for you and document it, but compared to the downside of declaring a HIPAA breach, it’s worth every penny.

 This may be true in theory, but the real-world consequences are almost impossible to detect. Decryption occurs on the fly, and modern processors handle this very quickly. For example, if it normally takes 1.5 seconds for your practice management system (PMS) chart to open, if the data is encrypted it may now take 1.6 or 1.7 seconds. Those are just random numbers; whatever slowdown might occur will be so negligible that you really won’t even be aware of it.

There is no good excuse for not encrypting your data. It’s a HIPAA law, it protects your data from infection, and it’s free. Above all, it protects the practice from having to declare a breach, which would be devastating to any dental office.

[ Editor’s Note: The Authentic Frontier Gibberish headline is a reference to the 1974 movie “Blazing Saddles,” directed by Mel Brooks. ]

In Part 4 of this series, Lorne Lavine, DMD, discusses the importance of encrypting your data and how consequential not doing so can be to your dental practice. 

‘Authentic Frontier Gibberish’

Videos

Dental Products Report Managing Editor Stan Goff speaks with Editorial Advisory Board member Jason Goodchild, DMD about sedation dentistry and making dental visits as comfortable as possible for patients.

Putting Patients at Ease So They Can Receive the Care We Prescribe: A conversation about sedation dentistry with Jason Goodchild, DMD

Sunstar recently agreed to sell its Degradable Solutions division including its GUIDOR line of synthetic resorbable materials to Collagen Matrix, Inc.

The Degradable Solutions division, based in Switzerland, has been a part of Sunstar Group since 2011. It produces a range of synthetic tissue regeneration products including the GUIDOR line including bone graft materials, and resorbable matrices and membranes.

Collagen Matrix plans to expand its dental product lines in 2021 with a new type of dental membrane, and company executives said in a press release that the GUIDOR acquisition fits into the company's plans to take a leadership position in the dental bone graft and membrane market.

The sale includes not just the GUIDOR products, but Sunstar's entire Degradable Solutions division.

Sunstar Sells GUIDOR Synthetic Bone Graft and Membrane Products Lines to Collagen Matrix

The History of Dental Filling Materials from Prehistoric to Modern Times

Dental issues have plagued humankind throughout history and evidence of preparing and filling cavities dates back at least 13,000 years. Here's a look at some of the different materials used to fill cavities over the years.

SS White Dental® has announced a new distribution partnership with Grignard Pure to create safer spaces for dentistry with the introduction of new technology. Grignard Pure™ is an antimicrobial air treatment solution that is formulated to kill more than 98% of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in the air while in use.

Grignard Pure has just received a Section 18 Publish Health Emergency Exemption for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in Georgia and Tennessee in approved indoor spaces when adherence to current public health guidelines (social distancing, limited occupancy, etc) are difficult to maintain. It’s expected that other states will file for Emergency Exemptions in the comings days or weeks.

The partnership between the 2 companies will see the introduction of Grignard Pure into dental offices, starting with Georgia and Tennessee, and SS White will retain exclusive distribution as more states received EPA approval.

“We are very excited to partner with Grignard Pure to bring a solution to the dental community that targets the airborne pathogens which have caused significant loss of life, dental shutdowns, and immeasurable economic impact,” says SS White CEO, Tom Gallop. “We can now kill 98% of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the air. This builds on work we have done with great doctors for 175 years to bring better patient outcomes to the dental community. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed needed dental care for many and dental practices have moved quickly to revamp infection control protocols. The use of Grignard Pure™ provides a key layer of protection to an effective COVID-19 safety protocol in dental office spaces that includes personal hygiene, mask protection, and social distancing, to ultimately restore patient confidence in returning for dental care.”

Grignard Pure is said to be the only EPA-regulated solution that provides continuous protection, killing SARS-CoV-2 virus particles as they enter the air from talking, coughing, sneezing, etc., significantly reducing what is the primary cause of infection. Grignard condenses and penetrates the virus, attacking its protein and membrane structure, and is reportedly safe for patients, practitioners, and the environment.

For more information, including a full list of approved use sites included in the Emergency Exemption and access to safety and efficacy reports, visit 

Grignard Pure has just received an Emergency Exemption from the EPA and SS White will help introduce the air treatment solution to dental offices.

SS White Becomes Exclusive Distributor of Grignard Pure Antimicrobial Air Treatment

Business intelligence solutions provider P&R Dental Strategies, LLC announced an exclusive partnership with Denti.AI. The partnership aims to create advanced AI-assisted dental image analysis tools to complement P&R’s suite of utilization review solutions for dental payers.

“This partnership is a perfect strategic and tactical fit,” said Paul T. Sheils, CEO of P&R. “By combining P&R’s market-leading big-data and analytics expertise with Denti.AI’s deep AI expertise and innovative technology, P&R takes yet another bold step to further advance our mission to provide our dental payer clients with the most sophisticated and cost-effective technology-enabled solutions to optimize their dental operations. Denti.AI impressed us with their state-of-the-art computer vision technology, their deep dental clinical image analysis expertise, and, best of all, their shared vision of how AI technology, including AI-powered dental image analysis, will be a key part of the future of dental analytics.”

"We are thrilled to be entering into a strategic technology partnership with the premier big data and analytics company in the dental industry," said Dmitry Tuzoff, founder & CEO of Denti.AI. "P&R has built a reputation as the 'Gold Standard' in dental claim review and we're excited to combine the power of our advanced AI-powered dental image analysis platform with P&R's suite of advanced, technology-enabled utilization review solutions. I'm eager to show the market just how powerful it will be to combine the speed and accuracy of our AI-powered computer vision dental image analysis platform with Pronto's big-data, algorithmic, and rules-based smart claim review selection engine. Our organizations are aligned in the belief that AI-powered image analysis can bring significant innovation to the dental claim review process and we're excited to see what additional solutions we will develop together."

Sheils added that he is particularly excited about future plans to deploy Denti.AI’s image analysis engine to enhance and complement P&R’s smart claim review selection tool, Pronto®.

The partnership's aim is to create advanced computer vision-assisted review tools for dental payers.

P&R Dental Strategies Announces Partnership with Denti.AI 

Carestream Dental has announced a new partnership with Howard University to provide digital solutions to the university’s College of Dentistry. The intent of the partnership is to give students the resources they’ll need to deliver excellent care once they start practicing. The in-kind gift is valued at $430,000.

Students at Howard’s College of Dentistry will be able to start training on technology from Carestream Dental—allowing them to experience first-hand how digital dentistry makes treatment more approachable.

“When we partner with universities, we know we’re investing in the future of the industry,” said Lisa Ashby, CEO, Carestream Dental. “But this partnership with Howard is different. This is more than an investment in the future of dentistry, it’s an investment in young, diverse talent—both doctors and STEM students—and supporting Howard’s mission in improving access for underserved populations. There’s no better return on investment than that.”

Carestream is also adding support to Howard University Hospital’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Post-Doctorate program and General Dentistry Practice Residency program. The hospital’s dental department will be equipped with new 3D cone beam CT units, which allows the department state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment imaging.

The company also plans to source Howard’s business and technical talent through internships in a variety of departments. There are also plans to include the university’s students, alumni, and professors in advancing product innovation, and both organizations plan to share speakers across a variety of disciplines.

“We are excited about our partnership with Carestream Dental and we are thankful for their generous contribution of this advanced digital technology,” said Andrea D. Jackson, dean of the Howard University College of Dentistry. “The partnership is a great opportunity for our students and will be for years to come.”

Howard’s College of Dentistry is recognized as the 5th oldest dental school in the US and graduates about 75 students per year.

“Howard University’s leadership team, especially its president, Dr. Wayne Fredrick, made this partnership a natural fit,” Ashby said. “I admire Dr. Frederick’s commitment to changing the underrepresentation of African Americans in healthcare, and—as one of the few women running a multi-national medical device and software company—his passion regarding gender equality also resonates deeply.”

Carestream Dental contributed digital dentistry technology to the university and has committed to using the college's talent to fill internships in various departments.

Carestream Dental Announces Contribution, Partnership with Howard University

Described as providing visitors with an immersive digital experience, Mavrik Dental Systems recently launched a new, interactive website.

 includes a detailed product overview with information about the company's TheraSmile Whitening solution which is scheduled to be available in California in the next few months. The website includes information on the company's patented whitening technology, including the science of how it works.

The new online home of Mavrik Dental Systems is debuting ahead of the launch of the company's TheraSmile Whitening product.

The History of Dental Filling Materials from Prehistoric to Modern Times

SS White Becomes Exclusive Distributor of Grignard Pure Antimicrobial Air Treatment

P&R Dental Strategies Announces Partnership with Denti.AI

Carestream Dental Announces Contribution, Partnership with Howard University

Mavrik Dental Systems Launches Redesigned Website