by Aspen Dental Management promotes Dr. Arwinder Judge to chief clinical officer
Aspen Dental Management Inc. (ADMI), a dental services organization that supports more than 450 Aspen Dental practices in communities across 28 states, announced Arwinder Judge, DDS, has been promoted to chief clinical officer. Since joining ADMI in 2008 as Vice President of Clinical Support Services, Dr. Judge has been instrumental in the development of ADMI’s Doctor Orientation, Doctor Development and Practice Execution programs. In his expanded role, Dr. Judge will continue to enhance support systems for clinicians. Prior to joining the leadership team at ADMI, Dr. Judge founded and spent 11 years as president of a dental group practice, during which he established six de novo dental practices in New York and Texas. He currently serves as treasurer of the Dentists for Oral Health Innovation and has been a member of the American Dental Association, New York State Dental Association, Fifth District Dental Society, Empire Dental Political Action Committee, and Indian Dental Association. Dr. Judge was also a member of his society’s Peer Review Committee and has been recognized twice by the New York State Dental Association for his dedication to the profession and patient care.
Heartland Dental announces new offices, affiliations
Heartland Dental recently announced several new openings and affiliations. The following are new full-service, state-of-the-art family dental offices:
- Atlantic Family Dental in Delray Beach, Fla.
- Little River Family Dental in Woodstock, Ga.
- Sugarloaf Family Dental in Lawrenceville, Ga.
- North Pointe Dental Care in Fort Wayne, Ind.
- Rivers Dental Care in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Family Dental Care of Owasso in Owasso, Okla.
Affiliations include: Ben G. Williams, DMD and his team members at Rolling Ridge Dental Care in State College, Pa.; Norman D. Peets, DDS and his team at Green Street Smiles in Gainesville, Ga.; Deno Chrysostom, DMD, his associates, Mallory Northcutt, DMD and Virginia Fadeley, DMD, and their team at West Columbia Family Dentistry in West Columbia, S.C.; Stephen Foster, DDS and his team at Pleasant Grove Dental in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
Smile Source joins forces with The Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics (A.C.E.)
Texas-based dental alliance, Smile Source, has signed an agreement with The Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics (A.C.E.). In this agreement Smile Source will continue to offer strategic marketing, growth tools and services to empower independent dentists to reach their full potential, and now has increased their offering to member dentists with a more robust educational platform and an extensive online community. Both organizations are dedicated to sharing best practices and providing signature dental care to their patients by some of the top, independent dental clinicians around the country. Smile Source and A.C.E. will collectively account for an online community of over 11,000 dentists, dental professionals, and dental auxiliaries with over 400 dental locations in the United States, making them the largest independent alliance of dentists.
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation welcomes new board
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s ToothFairy (NCOHF) (Charlotte, NC) welcomed a new board of directors for fiscal year 2015 under the chairmanship of Henk van Duijnhoven, SVP at Danaher Corporation (Washington, DC). Other Board officers include First VP Avi Reichental, president and CEO of 3D Systems (Rock Hill, SC), second VP Allison Farey, president of Wells Fargo Practice Finance, treasurer Paul A Guggenheim, president of Patterson Dental Supply Inc (St Paul, MN), and secretary Robert Size, SVP of DENTSPLY International (York, PA).
California approves dental telehealth program
California passed a new law expanding the Virtual Dental Home (VDH), a program that uses telehealth technology to bring dental services directly to patients in community settings, such as schools and nursing homes. The bill was the outgrowth of a demonstration project established in 2010 by Paul Glassman DDS, director of the Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry’s Pacific Center for Special Care (San Francisco, CA). The law expands the scope of practice for dental hygienists and assistants and provides payment for telehealth-enabled dental services under California’s Medicaid program. It uses dental hygienists to screen patients and send data electronically to dentists at clinics or offices who advise the hygienists which preventive and routine restorative care should be done. Services provided include cleanings, sealants, fluoride, X-rays, chart preparation, oral hygiene instruction, nutritional counseling, and placement of interim therapeutic restorations. Patients requiring more complex care are referred to dentists who review the records before an office visit.
Air Technique’s Monarch CleanStream Evac System
Cleaner gets high reviews in peer-to-peer evalAir Techniques Inc’s Monarch CleanStream Evacuation System Cleaner was given a 4.1 rating (out of a posible 5.0) when evaluated by 13 dental professionals who had a combined 228 years in practice. This Peer-to-Peer product evaluation was conducted by Dental Product Shopper. The evaluation process included a four week trial where each evaluator used the cleaner in their practice. The final score was calculated by combining the evaluator’s individual criteria average with their overall satisfaction average. Monarch CleanStream’s unique, non-foaming formula cleans and deodorizes lines for all brands of wet and dry vacuum systems and features an easy-to use dispenser system that makes mixing simple. For more information, visit www.airtechniques.com.
VA proposes increased pay for its dentists, physicians
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (Washington, DC) is proposing increased salaries for incomingdentists and physicians as part of its recruitment efforts to hire more clinicians and expand veterans’ access to care. The updated pay ranges propose increases of $20,000 to $35,000 annually for dentists and physicians who care for veterans. They are also proposing the expansion of the loan repayment program, as included in the recently passed Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act. Not only is the VA the second largest national employer, it is also the largest employer of healthcare providers. More than 70 percent of all US doctors received training at the VA; VA facilities train 62,000 medical students and residents, 23,000 nurses, and 33,000 trainees in other health profession fields annually.
3M ESPE unveils Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative
3M ESPE’s introduced Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative, a one-step placement bulk fill material that delivers stress relief, wear resistance, and the ability to place up to five mm in one increment. It eliminates expensive dispensing devices, additional layers, and multiple steps, saving valuable chairtime and offering improved productivity. The technology was co-developed through collaboration with Professor Christopher Bowman from the University of Colorado (Boulder, CO), with the financial support of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Bethesda, MD). For more product information, go to www.3MESPE.com/Filtek
Patterson Dental introduces newest members of its Special Markets team
- John Adams, Special Markets – Northeast Territory Manager
John Adams will focus on managing and growing DSO and government and institutional business in Patterson Dental’s Northeast Region through technology, products, services and after-sales training and support. Adams brings nearly 15 years of experience in dental as a corporate account manager and senior manager, professional field sales. Adams earned a bachelor’s degree from Towson State University in Maryland. - Rhonda Durante, Special Markets – Southeast Territory Manager
Rhonda Durante will be working with customers and manufacturer partners to identify growth opportunities and drive sales growth across multiple markets in Patterson Dental’s Southeast Region. Durante has spent 24 years in the dental industry, managing all aspects of customer accounts, while building relationships with customers and business partners. She studied dental assisting/hygiene and radiology at the University of Kentucky.Brooke Hilzendager, Special Markets – Technology Sales ManagerBrooke Hilzendager will manage the technology sales segment of Patterson Dental’s Special Markets Division, specifically in the areas of digital imaging, CAD/CAM and digital sensors. In addition to her technology product expertise, Hilzendager brings experience in the healthcare field that includes sales and territory and account management. She also has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. - Joe Techar, Special Markets – Equipment Sales Manager
Joe Techar will oversee nationwide sales of basic dental equipment for Patterson Dental’s Special Markets Division, working closely with manufacturing partners and Patterson branches and equipment specialists to provide a best-in-class client experience. Previously Techar was a territory sales representative with Patterson Dental’s Omaha Branch, serving clients in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. His prior roles in healthcare include director of national sales, account manager and division manager. Techar graduated from Creighton University with a double major.
