by Heartland Dental’s DeAnn McClain to serve on Efficiency in Group Practice advisory board
DeAnn McClain, vice president of operations for Heartland Dental, has agreed to serve as an editorial advisory board member for Efficiency in Group Practice. Born and raised in Hidalgo, Ill., McClain graduated from Eastern Illinois University and joined Heartland’s accounting department in 1996. Heartland Dental is an Effingham, Ill.-based dental service organization with more than 550 dental practices in 26 states.
DGPA announces new executive director
The Dental Group Practice Association (DGPA), has announced the appointment of Quinn Dufurrena, D.D.S., J.D., as its new executive director, following a nationwide search. Dr. Dufurrena comes to DGPA with more than 30 years of dental experience in government, private practice and nonprofits. He received his D.D.S. from the University of the Pacific in 1983 and his J.D. from Concord Law School in 2008. Most recently, he served as the executive director of the Colorado Dental Association. He also previously served as executive director of the Idaho Dental Association. Prior to those roles, he provided dental care to patients in a private practice and as part of the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. Beyond his chair-side duties, Dr. Dufurrena served an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine and worked at the ADA as a Hillenbrand Fellow.
Heartland Dental opens new offices and affiliates
Heartland Dental announced the opening of several new full-service, state-of-the-art family dental offices, including:
- Complete Dental Care of Richmond – Richmond, Va.
- Dental Care of Manassas – Manassas, Va.
- Oak Hills Family Dental – Kansas City, Mo.
- St. Lucie Family Dental – Port St. Lucie, Fla.
- Family Dentistry of Ellisville – Ellisville, Mo.
- Prairie Ridge Dental Care – Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
- Milton Family Dental Care – Milton, Ga.
- Woodland Family Dental Care – Gurnee, Ill.
Also, Heartland Dental recently affiliated with Robert Wootton, DDS and his team members at Midtown Dental Associates in Austin, Texas. Heartland Dental also announced its affiliation with Dr. Denise Flynn and her team members at Flynn Orthodontics located in Peoria, Ill., and Pekin, Ill. Additionally, Heartland Dental affiliated with Michael Price, DDS and his team at Family Dentistry of Poplar Bluff in Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Ivoclar Vivadent hosts “Experience Innovation” event at the 2014 Mid-Winter Meeting in Chicago
Ivoclar Vivadent brought together dental leaders, influencers and innovators during the Chicago Mid-Winter Meeting when they hosted “Experience Innovation.” The exciting and entertaining event celebrated the advancements in dentistry and the innovations that are shaping the future direction of the laboratory industry. Highlighting the event was the unveiling of the new Wieland Zenotec select platform of milling systems, designed specifically for the dental laboratory industry. “The dental industry is rapidly changing,” says Robert Ganley, CEO of Ivoclar Vivadent. “We believe that these changes will point the dental industry in a more digital direction with an emphasis on consistent high-quality materials, processes, and results. With collaborative partnership and strong leadership, we can connect to the heartbeat of innovation and see improved efficiencies and growth throughout our profession.”
More dental hygienist jobs on the way
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Washington, DC) and its Occupational Outlook Handbook, the in-demand job paying more than $70,000 per year is dental hygiene. According to the report, dental hygiene is expected to add 33 percent more jobs over the next 10 years, which is three times more than the estimated 11 percent job growth in the U.S. The anticipated job openings are a result of greater focus on dental health, an aging population, and Federal health legislation. More than 114,000 jobs will be added from 2012 to 2022, and 64,000 of those will be new jobs and not simply filling existing jobs of people retiring or leaving the workforce.
ADA: Chairside screenings for chronic disease could save millions
According to an American Dental Association (ADA) (Chicago, IL) Health Policy Resources Center (HPRC) survey, chairside screenings by dentists for the most common chronic medical diseases could save the American health care system as much as $102.6 million annually. The findings were published February 13, 2014 in the American Journal of Public Health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Atlanta, GA), 7.8 percent of the U.S. population has undiagnosed hypertension, 2.7 percent has undiagnosed diabetes, and 8.2 percent has undiagnosed high cholesterol. There is potential for additional savings over the long term through prevention, health promotion, and early interventions that the study did not model.
Smile Source adds 24 new locations in March 2014
Smile Source®(Kingwood, Texas), a large dental group made up of independently owned dental
offices across the nation, announced the addition of 24 new locations in the month of March 2014. These like-minded professionals offer preventive, general, restorative, orthodontic, periodontal, and cosmetic dentistry, as well as lifelike replacement teeth and state-of-the-art technology. Many of its dentists also treat other conditions, like sleep apnea, TMJ dysfunction, and special needs patients. The expansion brings the company’s total number of offices to over 120.
Crosstex/SPSmedical launches High-Level Disinfectant Website: OPA28.com
Crosstex/SPS medical has developed an informational website for healthcare professionals dedicated to the High-Level Disinfectant: Rapicide® OPA/28. Rapicide® OPA/28 High-Level Disinfectant from Crosstex/SPSmedical is a fast-acting, long lasting, highly compatible high-level disinfectant that ensures a safe and healthy environment for patients and staff. This reusable ortho-phthalaldehyde disinfectant is designed for use on heat-sensitive, semi-critical devices that are unsuitable for sterilization. Recognized as a leader in sterilization & infection prevention training, with award winning speakers and a commitment to best practices, Crosstex/SPSmedical is proud to offer this new educational website, which includes a web-based seminar approved for 1.0 FREE accredited CEU by IAHCSMM, CBSPD, and CBRN. For more information
visit www.Crosstex.com or www.SPSmedical.com.
