Dr. Ng (right) with a representative in the Henry Schein booth.
Every year, Dr. Jonathan Ng travels across the country from Vancouver to attend the Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting for the newest and latest equipment and support solutions that are showcased. One of the biggest dental shows in North America, this year’s show didn’t disappoint in keeping him on track with the latest in innovation and technology.
Fresh from his Midwinter experience, we asked Dr. Ng to recap his valuable finds. He found that CAD/CAM technology is now readily available to the clinician with little barrier to entry, proliferating the show and providing endless advantages to dentists employing the technology.
Henry Schein was the driver of his impressive experience. “The wide array of products that Henry Schein provides covers all the needs that I have,” noted Dr. Ng. “Even though today I may not require a certain product...I will need something, and it is highly likely that Henry Schein will have it.”
Henry Schein Shines with a Variety of CAD/CAM Solutions
New products and more variety are what Dr. Ng has come to expect of digital dentistry. When asked what he found interesting, he stated that he relished seeing Henry Schein break out of the one option mentality that many suppliers follow for CAD/CAM. “It’s comfortable to know that my overall practice needs are looked after by Henry Schein. It’s not just the products, but the service as well.”
Dr. Ng with a Henry Schein Digital Technology Specialist in front of the new CEREC Primemill.
As Henry Schein has become the market leader in technology, Dr. Ng is pleased to see them leverage its influence to provide some of the best options in CAD/CAM solutions. “They are able to partner with the biggest and most trusted brands, which provides them with a very respectable repertoire of products from the best companies,” said Dr. Ng.
The commitment that the Henry Schein staff showed to providing the best customer support was evident at Chicago Midwinter, as well. “I saw the reps were asking really good questions to product representatives,” stated Dr. Ng, “so that they can gain more knowledge about each product Henry Schein is now supplying to better support their customers.”
New and Notable Products
Dr. Ng found the “amazing upgrade” of the CEREC Primemill nothing short of astounding. Due to the real integration with scanner and design software, this mill is truly a chairside solution. Most notable is the mill’s speed. “Four minutes for milling a zirconia crown! That is unheard of!” exclaimed Dr. Ng. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology for monitoring bur quality and life is an innovative development on this CEREC mill. Like a battery meter, it utilizes a sensor to assess how much longer the bur will function. The result is a more advanced mill with exceptional technology packed into the same compact footprint of older CEREC mills.
Amann Girrbach PL900S Mill
Additionally, Amann Girrbach introduced a mill, PL900S, that takes this trusted lab brand to the dental office. With its reliable 3Shape connection, the stability of acquisition and design connects well with the system. The look of the Amann Girrbach PL900S mill machine is refined, solid, and professional grade.
Another new Henry Schein arrival is the all-purpose EnvisionTEC 3D Printer. This printing system has a wide range of printing options. Thanks to captured oxygen in the back and tank, the EnvisionTEC can print faster—taking just 1.5 hours to print three dentures. “It’s very nice to see a wide array of products that can be printed with it,” Dr. Ng commented. “Night guards, surgical guides, models, and even dentures!” A Henry Schein representative explained that this 3D printer offers seven different shapes for teeth and four different shapes for dentures.
The Mastermind of Monitoring
Early Warning System notification.
With great technology comes great responsibility. So, Henry Schein has introduced the Early Warning System for preemptive maintenance. “This gives piece of mind for watching for major equipment failure,” remarked Dr. Ng. “It acts as such a valuable asset to monitor equipment.” Like an alarm system for equipment and its functionality, it also provides diagnostics for servicing. While Dr. Ng is a fan, he’s also eager to see the next iteration. “I wish that it could monitor or control things like mills and printers. App-controlled function and user controls via app would also be helpful.” Dr. Ng concluded it helps him to envision the future dental office much like a smart home, controlled and monitored by app.
And with that, Chicago Midwinter 2020 is a wrap. Three jam-packed days of learning, new product launches, and networking have concluded. Dr. Ng is looking forward to next year’s Dental Meeting, and is excited to see what’s new to come.