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ADA Foundation names William Calnon as president
The ADA Foundation’s (Chicago, IL) board of directors elected William Calnon, DDS, as its new president. Calnon succeeds Reneida Reyes, DDS. Calnon has previously served as the VP of scientific research on the ADA Foundation board of directors. He has also served as the president of the ADA and a trustee on the ADA board of directors.
School dental-sealant programs could prevent most cavities, lower treatment costs in vulnerable children
The CDC released research showing that dental sealants to shield the back teeth could prevent up to 80 percent of cavities in school-aged children. According to a new CDC Vital Signs report, about 60 percent of children ages 6-11 don’t get dental sealants. Dental sealants are a thin coating that is painted on teeth to protect them from cavities. One way to provide sealants to more children is by increasing their access to school-based sealant programs (SBSPs). SBSPs are especially important for children from low-income families because such children are less likely to receive dental care. These programs target schools with a high percentage of children eligible for free or reduced-cost meal programs. As a result, SBSPs provide sealants to children who are at higher risk for cavities and less likely to receive preventive care, according to a CDC release. The report also said that school-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants and that applying sealants in school-based programs to the nearly 7 million low-income children who don’t have them could save up to $300 million in dental treatment costs. To read the entire Vital Signs report, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/sealants. For more information on SBSPs, dental sealants, and CDC’s work, visit www.cdc.gov/oralhealth.
Great Expressions Dental Centers expands Texas footprint with three new affiliations in Austin
Great Expressions Dental Centers (GEDC) (Southfield, MI) announced its affiliation with three Family Tree Dental Group (Austin, TX) offices. The recent affiliations bring GEDC’s footprint in Austin to six offices and a total of 15 offices in Texas. Family Tree Dental Group is a member of The American Dental Association (Chicago, IL), Texas Dental Association (Austin, TX), and the Academy of General Dentistry (Chicago, IL). Patients will be able to enjoy all existing services, in addition to having access to GEDC’s Smile Protection Plan – a dental insurance alternative for patients without insurance looking to live a healthy lifestyle, as well as Invisalign, a clear alternative to metal braces.
Patterson Dental selected as distribution partner for Heartland Dental
Heartland Dental (Effingham, IL) selected Patterson Dental, a unit of Patterson Companies (St. Paul, MN), as its distribution partner, effective January 1, 2017. Heartland Dental supports more than 1,100 dentists nationwide. Heartland officials said it will benefit from Patterson’s expertise in logistics, technical service, ecommerce, and technology.
“We are extremely excited about this strategic relationship with Patterson and the added value it will bring to the dentists and team members we support,” said Patrick Bauer, president and chief executive officer of Heartland Dental. “After a thorough process, we selected Patterson Dental because of their history of market-leading service, which dovetails with our experience in the evolving DSO space. Our partnership will benefit from Patterson’s expertise in logistics, technical service, ecommerce and technology, which enables our commitment to mutual growth.”
“Innovation is at the center of who we are as an organization and what sets us apart in the DSO space,” said Rick Workman, DMD executive chairman and founder of Heartland Dental. “This strategic relationship with Patterson will continue to accelerate that legacy. In addition to this being a critical element in enabling the dentists we support to bring excellent care to their patients, it’s also an incredible opportunity for the community of Effingham, Illinois and our respective teams based here.”
Aspen Dental opens new practices
Aspen Dental Management Inc (ADMI) (Syracuse, NY) opened a new practice in Winona, Minnesota. The new practice is led by Dr. Phong Ly. Dr. Ly and his team will provide dental services ranging from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration. The Winona office, located in Winona County, is one of 11 Aspen Dental practices in Minnesota. Aspen also announced the opening of a new practice in Middletown, Ohio. The new practice is led by Dr. Lindsey Whealton. Whealton and her team will provide dental services ranging from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration. The Middletown office, located in Butler County, is one of 46 Aspen Dental practices in Ohio.
Raynor Dental acquires practice in Peterborough (NH)
Raynor Dental (Keene, NH) announced the acquisition of the dental practice of Dr. Peter Cerroni in Peterborough. Existing patients of Cerroni will continue to receive the same patient care they are used to. Raynor Dental is a family-friendly, full-service dental group located in Keene and, now, Peterborough.
Dental Care Alliance acquires Konikoff Dental Associates
Dental Care Alliance (DCA) (Sarasota, FL) announced the affiliation of Konikoff Dental Associates (KDA) (Hampton Roads, VA), a group of seven practices in the Tidewater area. There are three practices in Chesapeake, three locations in Virginia Beach, and one practice in Suffolk. With this affiliation, DCA now supports 30 dental practices in the state of Virginia and a total of 248 dental practices across 13 states in the eastern U.S. DCA also announced that, to accommodate its recent growth and enhance support of its affiliated practices, DCA is breaking ground on an additional 12,000-square-foot office building to expand its corporate headquarters in Sarasota. The construction is expected to be complete in mid-2017.
Superior Dental Care names Traci Harrell as new CEO
Superior Dental Care (SDC) (Centervillle, OH) named Traci Harrell as CEO. Harrell joined SDC in 1994 as an account executive. Since then, she has held several key roles at the company including director of sales and chief marketing officer. She succeeds founding CEO Rebecca York, who now serves as the company’s corporate advisor.
