March 2018

Last Fall, the American Heart Association released new blood pressure guidelines—the first comprehensive set since 2003—lowering the definition of high blood pressure. Previously, high blood pressure was defined as 140/90; now, 120/80 is considered elevated and 130/80 is considered Stage...

Stocks for companies that distribute medical supplies tumbled recently after Morgan Stanley warned dental investors that “Amazon is here,” and The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon has been holding meetings with hospital executives to learn more about the needs of the industry.

Amazon...

The Center for Research and Technology in Education (CRET)—a group that helps dental schools integrate innovative equipment and products into their curriculum—recently shared the results of its 2017 Technological Readiness Assessment of Dental Schools. 

While CRET acknowledges a response...

"We don’t have a fixed turnaround time for our products; instead we schedule our workflow based on return date. The dentist puts the patient’s delivery date on his instructions and then, as much as workflow allows, we try to batch all the work for that doctor to minimize our shipping costs;...

"To expand our laboratory, we recently secured substantial bank financing and, with that extra flexibility, we now negotiate with vendors to buy in large quantities for significant discounts. For example, we may only use 150 pucks of zirconia per month, but our last purchase was for over 1,000 pucks...

In 2017 and 2016 the ratio of dental school graduates was nearly 50/50. Here’s a closer look at the class of 2016: 

Graduates of advanced dentistry programs were 55.8% male and 44.2% female. Among graduates of these advanced programs, a higher percentage of female dentists are specializing...

After being flat for several years, dental spending increased in 2016 for the second year in a row, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute’s report, U.S. Dental Expenditures 2017 Update. Specifically, the spending increase comes from programs covered by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...

A recent study measuring noise levels in the dental operatory environment found hazardous levels under two conditions:

The use of high-volume suction with an obstructed, thumb-operated air valve.

The use of high-volume suction with valve unobstructed in combination with a running handpiece. Although...

With some of Invisalign-maker Align Technology’s patents expiring last year, a new crop of high-tech startups offering clear aligners with a “direct-to-consumer” business model are hitting the market. Hoping to tap into this $11 billion market* and appeal to the 65% of the population...

Ninety-nine percent of commercial dental insurance plans are currently purchased through standalone dental insurers. However, a new study finds that 60% of executives at dental and health plans across the country believe the percentage of standalone dental plans will significantly decrease in the next...

"Retaining clients is the best way for my small lab to stay profitable. Here are three of my tried-and-true strategies for building client relationships and keeping communication flowing: 

"Get to know the staff, especially the assistants! As a former assistant of 13 years, I personally know the...

According to market research firm Grand View Research, the global restorative dentistry market will reach $25.9 billion by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. The company attributes this growth to a variety of factors, including:

Increased enrollment in dental schools, fueling...

With the largest attendance in LMT history—over 4,600 attendees, including nearly 600 dentists!—the energy at LAB DAY Chicago 2018 was electric!

This was our fourth year at the Hyatt Regency and the hotel convention staff members, who witness about 100 shows per year, paid our exhibitors...

are the least likely to go to the dentist twice a year, due to factors like cost of treatment and lack of awareness and education about the importance of good oral health. 

Source: The Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America

“The demographics of the industry bode well for the future. Lab productivity will increase as will overall lab production,” said Bob Ganley, CEO of Ivoclar Vivadent, during his State of the Industry presentation at the NADL’s Vision 21 meeting in Las Vegas in January. 

Saying that...

Xerostomia, or chronic dry mouth, affects about 64 million Americans each year and is a side effect of many common prescription drugs and autoimmune diseases like Sjogren’s Syndrome. While currently available saliva substitutes and topical therapies like toothpastes and mouthwashes have not proved...

Business executives, bloggers and marketing experts point out a variety of trends every entrepeneur should be watching.

"We have a monthly budget planning meeting where we sit down with our accountant, go over our numbers and see where we can cut costs or improve performance. For instance, because we were spending so much on zirconia staining liquids, we decided to switch to pre-shaded zirconia blocks. The pre-shaded...

Sharks and other creatures replace broken or missing teeth, so why can’t humans? Medical scientists believe we can, and research continues into methods that will enable us to activate our tooth-regeneration superpowers. Among the most recent promising discoveries is a medication already used to...

While digital technology offers labs increased efficiency, broad material choices and lower labor costs, respondents to LMT's 2018 Remake Survey are mixed on the effect it's having on external remakes.

The tooth root pulp of wisdom teeth is rich with stem cells but the common methods for extracting it—drilling into, removing the top of or shattering the tooth—reduces the number of viable stem cells due to damaging heat from the drill, corrosive elements in the water used to rinse teeth,...

"A decade ago, everyone was at a 10-day turnaround time, but in today’s market you have to do better. In 2013, we conducted a time study for every product we offer to determine how long each step should take. We then tested the numbers to be sure everyone was comfortable with them and entered the...

Founded in 1988, German manufacturer vhf camfacture AG celebrates its 30th anniversary and launches a new mill at LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2018