For the tenth year, a committee of dentists has met in Chicago in February and looked at the past year’s technology products. As one of its core members, I have spent hours researching, looking at, and trying many of the products in my dental practice to take a real-world look at them. In addition, my Fitbit has been pushed to new limits as I run up and down the aisles of dental meetings. My colleagues on the panel do the same, and all of us report year-round to you, our colleagues, through print and online media such as Dentistry Today and in other forums, as well as in lectures at large and small dental meetings and study clubs. The latter often gives us all a chance to poll the dental attendees about some the products we have seen and get feedback on how others use, love, or dislike these very items. At the end of the day, though (literally into the wee hours of the morning on voting day), it comes down to our discussions and a compilation of the information we have gathered all year long. Most of the feedback is based on real, in-office clinical use and outcomes, as opposed to sophisticated tests and measurements that are done by some organizations.
Some products jumped out as emerging new ideas and technologies. Others were extremely useful products that have been in the marketplace for a while—some of which have undergone upgrades. Although we are primarily examining “technology” products, several restorative ideas has crossed over into this list. AdDent and Garrison, for example, have products that we all felt have made composite restorations more predictable in placement technique. A couple of new areas, such as 3-D printing, are changing so rapidly that we chose a winner that was ahead of the pack at the exact time of voting. Other areas were so dynamic that there was no clear winner.
It is important to note, again, that the members are totally independent of manufacturers and none are paid directly or indirectly for influence. If there is a member who feels there is a conflict, he or she is excused from the vote. As has been mentioned in previous years, Dr. Lou Shuman chairs the committee. He does not have a vote, although we all appreciate his years of expertise and experience in the dental industry. Dr. Shuman states: “To be designated Best of Class is a sign that a product has revolutionized, simplified, or advanced its category in a distinctive way. The manufacturers represented here are driving the conversation for how dental practices will operate today and in the future. The foundation for our success in bringing attention to these products has always been consistent: We recognize technology leadership in dentistry without bias and while remaining not-for-profit.” And, as technology rapidly changes, there are some new products or versions of products that may have appeared in the past few months that could have been a winner—they will have to wait until next year—but be assured the members are already looking at them. The details of this process can be found at cellerantconsulting.com.
This Year’s Winners
AdDent Calset Composite Warmer and CoMax Composite Dispenser
Bien-Air TornadoS Air-Driven Handpiece
Bien-Air iOptima Electric Handpiece System
Shofu Dental EyeSpecial C-III Digital Camera
Digital Doc LUM G2 Illumination System
3D Systems NextDent 5100 3-D Printer
3Shape Trios Move Intraoral Camera System
DDS Rescue Data Management and Recovery
Henry Schein One Dentrix G7 Practice Management Software Upgrade
Garrison Dental Solutions Composi-Tight 3D Fusion Sectional Matrix System
Dexis and Simplify DEXVoice Digital Assistant
LED Dental VELscope Vx Oral Assessment System
KaVo DEXIS FS Ergo Flexible Sensor
MMG Fusion ChairFill Scheduling Software
Ultradent Products Gemini 810 + 910 Diode Laser
Orascoptic Spark Cordless Headlight
Simplifeye Amplify Marketing Software
