Biolase Initiates Management Changes
Biolase Technology, Inc. announced Nov. 6 that Federico Pignatelli was installed as interim CEO, replacing Jeffrey Jones. The company also announced that it was conducting a nationwide search for a new CEO.
The company’s former CEO, Jeffrey Jones, and Keith Bateman, executive vice president of global sales and marketing, left Biolase “immediately.”
Pignatelli said in the announcement, “It is now time to take the company to its next stage of development as a broad-based leader in water and laser microsurgery and other laser technologies with a dominant U.S. presence, a substantial international reach, and products in a variety of dental, medical, and consumer markets.”
The California company’s quarterly report, also released on Nov. 6, indicated that revenue has slipped to about $4 million less than what it was in 2006.
Oral Health America Board Elects New Board
Oral Health America announced the election of new board members at a meeting in St. Paul, MN, in November. Gail Stoops, RDH, a senior executive with Philips Sonicare, and Larry Twersky, president of 1-800-DENTIST, were selected for the OHA board of directors.
Stoops has been active in curriculum projects and course development protocol for oral health education with the National Institute of Health, the National Institute of Dental Research — Science Transfer Task Force, and Philips Oral Healthcare. Ms. Stoops served nine years on the ADHA Board of Trustees, including the position of president in 1996. She invented and markets a window-design suction tip for use with sonic and ultrasonic scalers to decrease contaminated aerosols. Ms. Stoops works and resides in northern Arizona.
Oral Health America hosts its 18th annual Gala Dinner and Silent Auction on Feb. 21 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
DEXIS Celebrates 10th Anniversary
DEXIS, LLC, commemorates 10 years of expansion as a leader in dental digital imaging.
DEXIS® started as a marketplace contender in digital radiography with the portable DEXIS PerfectSize™ sensor system. DEXIS continued to achieve other “firsts,” such as the ADA Seal of Acceptance, DICOM conformance, and the Reality Magazine Five-Star Award for four years in a row.
“Our phenomenal growth over the past 10 years and our prolonged success today is a testament to the vision of the early leaders and dedication of those who follow in their footsteps,” offers Stanzi Prell, vice president of DEXIS Marketing. “It’s the combination of technical know-how, understanding of dentists’ needs, and our industry-leading customer service that has created such a large base of loyal owners.”
Dr. Jeff Dalin, a Dental Economics columnist who maintains a private general practice in St. Louis, said, “I have had my DEXIS system for almost nine years now. This is one technology that I could not practice without.”
In its recent history, the Illinois company partnered with Sullivan-Schein Dental as its exclusive U.S. distributor. “Sullivan-Schein is proud to support DEXIS on an exclusive basis,” states Tim Sullivan, president, Sullivan-Schein Dental. “DEXIS consistently produces innovative, high-quality products, which closely integrate with practice management systems and provide great benefits to members of the dental community. I am confident that our partnership will continue to be mutually beneficial well into the future.”
ADEA Official Receives Nonprofit Award
The American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) chief operating officer, Abigail W. Gorman, recently received the CFO Rising Star Award at the 2007 Nonprofit CFO of the Year Awards Luncheon. Gorman was honored for producing exemplary work in the nonprofit industry and representing the future of the nonprofit financial management profession.
“Everyone at ADEA is thrilled to see Abigail recognized for her significant contributions to the field of financial management and to ADEA in particular,” said ADEA Executive Director Richard W. Valachovic, DMD.
Gorman directs administrative, financial, and organizational activities as COO of ADEA. Since joining ADEA in 2002, she has implemented the highest standards of financial stewardship and workflow efficiency. ADEA’s membership has grown from 2,500 individual members to more than 16,000, with a 90 percent retention rate. Institutional membership has grown more than 25 percent.
She became the organization’s first COO in 2005 after negotiating a successful transition from offices located on Massachusetts Avenue in the District of Columbia to larger quarters on K Street, also in the District.
3M Honors Dental Scientist
3M recently awarded its highest honor to Dr. Rainer Guggenberger, 3M ESPE laboratory manager in Seefeld, Germany, with his induction into The Carlton Society. Guggenberger’s work has led to the successful development of numerous dental materials, including products, such as 3M ESPE Protemp™ II Temporization Material, 3M ESPE Rocatec™ Bonding System, and the 3M ESPE Ketac™ family of glass ionomer materials for tooth filling and cementation.
Guggenberger also developed the groundwork for 3M ESPE’s technology to replace metal crowns with high-strength ceramics, which today has become the Lava™ Precision Solutions.
“Dr. Guggenberger’s innovative vision, collaboration and willingness to hold his work to a higher standard have been vital to the success of 3M ESPE,” said Jeff Lavers, division vice president, 3M ESPE. “He exemplifies the company’s culture of discovery through his application of research and development expertise; an expertise which has resulted in the creation of groundbreaking products that deliver quality results for the betterment of dentistry.”
Founded in 1963, The Carlton Society exists as 3M’s Hall of Fame and acknowledges that growth and diversification originate with people of talent who are encouraged to do their best. The Carlton Society recognizes scientists making extraordinary contributions to the more than 40 diverse technologies of 3M. Elections to the society have been made annually to recognize 3M employees wo achieve a high standard of originality, dedication, and integrity in technical fields and encourage junior employees to achieve the same. In three decades, more than 150 scientists have received Carlton honors for creating technologies and products that have produced significant growth for 3M, and even some that have changed the world.
Dental Museum Launches Allied Committee
The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry (NMD) has launched a new committee to give allied dental professionals the opportunity to have a personal working relationship with NMD. The National Allied Advisory Committee, chaired by Ann Battrell, RDH, MSDH, (executive director of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and a member of NMD’s Board of Visitors) will support NMD in its mission to educate the public about the importance of oral health in overall health.
“I’m looking forward to working with these outstanding dental hygienists as committee members to promote NMD and its goals on a national level,” said Battrell. “We will be raising awareness of and support for both NMD’s national membership program and outreach activities. Dental hygienists play a key role in promoting the importance of oral health as part of total health. We look forward to working with NMD to promote the importance of oral health in communities across the country.”
The newly formed NAAC will be composed of two allied dental professionals representing each state, and NAAC members will work with the Museum to promote programs:
- On site — Innovative exhibitions, educational tours, and family programs
- Online — MouthPower, which shares the power of a healthy smile with children across the country through an entertaining and educational Web experience, now available in English and Spanish at www.MouthPower.org.
- Across the Country — NMD’s traveling exhibition program has reached more than 2 million people in 21 states, inspiring visitors of all ages to keep their smiles bright and healthy.
Charter members of NAAC include:
- Massachusetts — Ann-Marie DePalma, RDH, MEd, and Pat Ramsay, RDH
- Mississippi — Gennette Robinson, RDH, MS
- New Jersey — Sandra Berger, RDH, BS, and Jodie Heimbach, RDH
- New York — Chrisoula Doulas, RDH
- North Carolina — Nancy Barnes, RDH, and Charlotte Peterson, RDH, MS
- Oklahoma — Donna Brogan, RDH
- Pennsylvania — Sherri Meyers, RDH, MS
- Texas — Kathleen O’Neill-Smith, RDH, MS
- California — Maria Goldie, RDH, BA, MS
- Connecticut — Sharon Efron, RDH
- Florida — Linda Harvey, RDH, MS
- Hawaii — Jill Rethman, RDH, BA
- Illinois — Ann Battrell, RDH, MSDH, Patti DiGangi, RDH, BS, Pat Gile, BSDH, Katherine Logsdon, RDH, MSEd, and Karen Neiner, RDH, BSDH, MBA
- Indiana — Kathleen Hinshaw, LDH, EdD
- Maryland — Jane Casper, RDH, MA, and Cheryl W. Hall, RDH, BS
Ultradent CEO Rewarded For Efforts Behind Minimally Invasive Dentistry
Dr. Dan Fischer, president and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc., was recently recognized by the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry (WCMID) at their eighth annual conference for his effort in promoting minimally invasive dentistry.
Founded in 1999, WCMID is a nationally recognized community of health-care professionals dedicated to the philosophy of minimally invasive dentistry.
At the organization’s recent conference in San Diego, Dr. Fischer was presented the Manufacturer Award. Presented by the president of WCMID, Timothy R. Harbolt, and the executive director, V. Kim Kutsch, the award recognizes individuals who make a significant contribution and demonstrate leadership in the field of minimally invasive dentistry.
ADA Announces Service Awards
Dental Health for Arlington, Inc. is the recipient of the American Dental Association’s 2007 Community Dentistry Award. In addition, the ADA awarded a program administered by the Illinois State Dental Society the 2007 Geriatric Oral Health Care Award.
ADA’s Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations oversaw the two award programs. The ADA Foundation sponsored the community service award while Johnson & Johnson sponsored the geriatric oral health award.
Dental Health for Arlington, Inc. (DHA) was created in 1993 to provide dental care for low-income residents of southeast Tarrant County in Texas. To date over 38,500 patients have received $6 million in free and low-cost treatment in the clinic, through the efforts of the many volunteers and dental staff who provide care.
Dental hygiene organizations involved in supporting and staffing DHA include the Greater Fort Worth Dental Hygiene Society and Texas Woman’s University School of Hygiene.
The Illinois State Dental Society initially developed the Dental Directions Oral Health Long-Term Care In-Service Training Program in 2001 as a pilot program of the ISDS Access to Care Committee. The program was designed to provide long-term care facilities’ direct care staff with a one-hour continuing education course on the basic daily oral health care needs of it residents.
The ISDS Access to Care Committee obtained a grant to develop the program, hire coordinators, and train local dentists and dental hygienists to present the continuing education course. ISDS is currently in the process of applying to IDPH to renew the grant for an additional three years. IDPH has verbally indicated that they are very interested in renewing the program.
OSAP Calls For Abstracts
The Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) recently announced a call for abstracts for the association’s 2008 annual symposium on June 12 to 15 in Palm Springs, Calif.
Abstracts may be submitted in the categories of infection control, occupational safety and health, and environmental science.
Researchers are encouraged to read OSAP’s Workshop Proceedings regarding the Dental Infection Control Research Agenda (www.OSAP.org) for suggestions on research topics.
All submissions must be received at the OSAP Central Office no later than March 1. OSAP is offering mentorship prior to the submission deadline. For more information, call 800-298-OSAP (6727) or visit www.osap.org.
Millennium Appoints New CEO
Millennium Dental Technologies (MDT), a manufacturer of dental laser devices for the treatment of periodontal disease, announced the appointment of Michael Minailo as president and chief executive officer.
Minailo has more than 20 years of experience in the medical device industry. With recent roles as COO and CEO in bringing new technologies to international markets, his experience is expected to help MDT drive its vision of establishing LANAP® (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) as a new standard of care for the treatment of periodontal disease.
Robert Gregg, DDS, MDT’s co-founder and now chairman of the board, said, “The addition of Michael Minailo to our company is an exciting development in the company’s transition from an emerging growth company to a worldwide operating entity.”
Minailo has held executive roles within large medical device companies such as Edwards Life Sciences, St. Jude Medical, and Bergen Brunswig.
MDT has grown more than 50 percent annually over the past three years to its current revenue base of over $10 million annually and its estimated treatment of over 14,000 patients yearly with periodontal disease.
The company also has solidified its key scientific and technological positions with the appointment of Millennium’s two founders; Dr. Robert Gregg to the role of Chief Dental Officer, and Dr. Delwin McCarthy to the role of Chief Technology Officer.
Millennium Appoints New CEO Natural Dentist CEO Joins Forsyth board
Nancy J. Rosenzweig, CEO of The Natural Dentist, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of The Forsyth Institute in Boston.
“I am honored to serve The Forsyth Institute,” said Rosenzweig. “Forsyth is beloved for its philanthropic dental programs in Boston and admired internationally for its ground-breaking work in oral health and scientific research. It’s an exciting time for The Forsyth Institute, as it grows to provide further advances at the leading edge of biomedical knowledge.”
“We are thrilled to have an executive of Nancy’s caliber join our board,” said Dominick P. DePaola, president and CEO of The Forsyth Institute. “Her expertise in oral health coupled with her entrepreneurial spirit and creativity make her an ideal Board member for Forsyth.”
The Natural Dentist is based in Medford, Mass. Rosenzweig has served as CEO since April 2005.
GC Scores High In Quality Survey
The Japanese-based Nikkel Business Daily recently reported that GC Corporation ranked 14th in the 3rd Quality Management Survey conducted by Nihon Keizal Shimbun Inc., and Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.
The survey is based on companies in the manufacturing and construction industries in Japan and 215 of them participated in the survey. In 2005, GC Corporation, which is the parent company of GC America, was ranked 18th in the 2nd Quality Management Survey.
The Quality Management Excellence is defined by the efforts and accomplishments of the company for quality improvement which affect the value of the company and competitiveness of its products. The survey was evaluated from six aspects and GC took 10th place for “commitment of top executives” and eighth for “product development.”
