Dental Tribune South Asia No. 3, 2023

News / “Shaping the dental future” with 100 years of success at IDS / Study establishes patient motivations for seeking clear aligner therapy across five European countries / 3D-printed denture teeth suitable for long-term clinical use / News

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DENTALTRIBUNE
The World’s Dental Newspaper · South Asia Edition

Published in India

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100 years

Aligner therapy

3D printing

Study establishes
patient motivations
for seeking clear
aligner therapy

“Shaping the
dental future”
with 100 years
of success at IDS
” Page 3

03/23

40th IDS

3D-printed denture
teeth suitable for
long-term clinical
use
” Page 4

Outlook for the 40th
International Dental
Show: “Things are
looking up”
” Page 5

” Page 6

“Clove Dental aims to provide worldclass dental experience to every
household“
Interview with Amar Singh and Vimal Arora
By Dr. Rajeev Chitguppi,
Dental Tribune South Asia
Clove Dental, the most
prominent dental clinic chain in
Asia aims to become the world’s
most extensive and most loved
dental brand. We interview
Amar Singh, the founder-CEO
and Lt Gen Vimal Arora, Chief
Clinical Officer of Clove Dental.
Clove is a chain of multispecialty dental clinics based
in India, targeting Indian
consumers. Clove offers highquality dental care (from scaling
to implants to surgeries) in
conveniently located dental
centers across India.

when I accompanied my wife for
her dental check-up. The quality
of service and the customer
experience were so below
average that it made me think
about how she could have had a
better experience.
To provide consumers in
India with high-quality oral
health at reasonable pricing,
we launched our business in
2011, and today, we are India‘s
largest dental chain with over
350 state-of-the-art clinics across
the country backed by a fleet of
850 plus highly trained dental
experts who serve more than
40,000 patients every month.

Rajeev Chitguppi: We have
heard that you come from a Tech
background. What made you
decide to venture into dentistry?
Amar Singh: The inspiration
came from a personal incident

How is dental health
awareness in India, and in this
regard, where do you see Clove
in the next five years?
90% of Indians have dental
concerns but do not pay much

Amar Singh, Founder & CEO of Global Dental Services (CLOVE brand),
is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with over twenty-five
years of experience in entrepreneurial ventures and large corporate
organizations. Before founding Global Dental and Clove Dental in
India, Mr. Singh ran a supply chain software company based in San
Francisco, California.

Clove Dental aims to grow our chain of clinics, expand their laboratory, and invest in innovative consumer
products while leveraging technological advancements in dentistry. (Photo: Clove Dental)

attention to them until it reaches
a state where pain brings them to
a clinic.
We at Clove aim to make a
difference in every household
by offering world-class dental
experiences each time we touch a
patient‘s life.
We have mobile vans that
travel around, provide urgent
care, and increase awareness.
Additionally, we operate ten
charitable clinics that charge a
very nominal fee.
The journey will progress
from 350+ to 1,000 clinics
over the next five years, along
with the latest technological
advancements in our dental
chain.
We want to expand our
network and deliver the best oral
health and dental care to every
Indian consumer. Our vision is
to be Asia‘s (and even the world‘s)
most extensive and most loved
dental brand.

What were the challenges
you had to overcome when you
started?
Looking at the kind of services
we offer to our customers keeping
in mind the highest standards of
safety, sterilization, the materials
we use for treatments, and the
overall patient experience, it has
been a battle between quality and
cost.
Unfortunately, dentistry has
been undervalued. The historical
format of independent dental
clinics has set the prices at such
a low bar that it took us a while
to sensitize our patients about the
quality and safety at competitive
pricing. As the business started
growing, we gradually reached
a point where economies of scale
started playing on our side, but
until then, we never compromised
on our service delivery.
Clove has become Asia‘s
most prominent dental clinic
chain. What has helped you
grow to this level?

The two pillars that we based
our business model around
our quality and transparency.
We have a rigorous method
of hiring. We pick and choose
the best talent. Over the past
12 years, we have mastered the
training methodologies – we
make them unlearn and learn in
a way that uses their skills and
strengths. We have standardized
the products we use in our chain
across the country. Our quality
control measures are very intense
– we may be the only dental chain
that does peer reviews of cases.
Almost 25000 peer reviews
are done monthly, where every
treatment gets reviewed. We use
computer vision and AI-based
software technologies to monitor
safety functions at our clinics.
We have made considerable
investments across the entire
value chain - software, dental
laboratory, sourcing, distribution,
quality management systems,
products, recruiting, training
dental assistants, etc.

[2] =>

2

News

Our mix of people, processes,
and products at transparent
pricing has helped us grow to
this level.
You have recently been
funded. What are your nextlevel plans?
Dentistry is an underfunded
industry in our nation. The
dental care market is expected to
grow annually by 3.73%, and this
funding was a milestone for us to
go forward in the industry.
We aim to grow our
chain of clinics, expand our
laboratory,
and
invest
in
innovative consumer products
while leveraging technological
advancement
in
dentistry.
Everyone must prioritize their
oral health, and in days to come,
we will focus more on providing
quality service that is easy on the
consumers‘ pockets.
Our focus is to be there in Tier
1, 2, and 3 cities, but we also have
ambitions to expand into rural
areas with even more stringent
oral health regulations. We aim
to grow from 23 cities to over
100 cities across India. We need
additional medical professionals
willing
to
visit
remote
settlements, especially in rural
areas. Today, we already provide
care to underprivileged people
across cities with subsidized oral
health care.
Can you share how the most
decorated and distinguished Lt
General Vimal Arora, with four
presidential medals (PVSM,
AVSM, VSM & Bar (Retd)),
decided to turn into the Chief
Clinical Officer of Clove Dental?
General Arora: Serving
in the Armed Forces prepares
one to respond to any evolving

03/23

situation. It gives you an
advantage over others as you
are exposed to working in a
hierarchal system and working as
a team with synergy at all levels.
Working with diverse people and
mindsets and rallying towards a
common goal comes naturally
after serving in the Army Dental
Corps. Further, I have never been
a passenger in my life. I have
always strived to achieve the
highest standards for my officers
in the Corps at all echelons. That
makes life easier when settling
into a new environment based
on your skills and your thinking,
which has evolved over time.
Adhering to the highest
principles
of
discipline,
commitment,
professional
conduct, and a sense of pride
while adhering to ethical values
and the highest ethos has been my
guiding light for all endeavors.
And I am fortunate to be a part of
an organization that reflects the
same value system. And I have
been lucky to have moved to
this Dental group, Clove Dental,
where I could inculcate these
values into our young colleagues
to give them a purpose with a
clearly defined goal of patient
service.
Presently, I have taken the
task of establishing and bringing
ethical and the best clinical
practices within the realm of the
commoner at affordable prices at
Clove Dental. My experience of
managing and laying guidelines
for the best practices in the Army
has come in handy to ensure the
core values are maintained.
Further, Clove Dental, as a
group, follows ethical working
in every sphere, whether dealing
with the patients or the doctors.

Lt Gen Dr. Vimal Arora PVSM AVSM VSM & Bar; OSRE (Oman) is presently
working as the Chief Clinical Officer of Clove Dental Chain in India. Gen
Vimal has 40 yrs history of working in the Army Dental Corps.

My firm belief is that success
comes your way if one is true to
one‘s core values and ethics and
stays committed to the cause.
India has a large community
of independent dentists; How
did you get them together under
one umbrella, and has it worked
well for you?
As you rightly said, India
produces more than 30,000
dentists yearly from more than
300+ colleges. There are very few
colleges, which are providing
wholesome teaching to students.
The young doctors are rich in
academics but need hands-on
experience and communication
skills.
We employ the largest
number of dentists today, and
with our expansion plans of
hiring another 1000+ dentists
this year, we have a task at hand
to make them proficient quickly.
Quality runs deep as the core
value across our organization.
We unite our dentists through
the common thread of ‚focus
on patient care with ethical
treatments.‘ Further, we manage
their
performance
through
quality audits, helping them
improve and learn while working.
We decided that each of
our 350-plus Clinics will be
owned and operated by Clove
Dental and not on a ‚franchise
or partnership model‘ to deliver
quality treatments consistently.
There is immense respect for each
clinician; the whole team walks as
one with an ‚ownership model.‘
Doctors enjoy great freedom and
carry on their professional tasks
based on their clinical judgment.
How is Clove Dental
redefining the landscape of
dentistry in India?
At Clove Dental, we rigidly
ensure compliance with all
safety and sterilization protocols.
We have our trademarked
‚sterilization protocol‘ practiced
in every surgery. Every Clove
Dental doctor is aware of the
stringent quality checks on
sterilization, carrying out the
‚asepto‘ before every patient,
ensuring ‚radiation control‘ in
each surgery, and carrying out
‚spore testing in every clinic‘ to
make sure that the surgery is
sterile. These practices do not
exist even in the best clinics
worldwide, and we take pride in
giving our patients these facilities
backed by our commitment
to our profession. This is our
commitment that the patient gets
the best.
When a patient comes
to us for treatment and sees
such refined protocols, he also
expects the same from his other
care providers, which makes it
mandatory for our neighboring
dentists across 26 cities to provide

the same standards and to stay in
the competition. This has driven
the much-needed change in the
landscape of dentistry.
At Clove Dental, we share
uniform pricing with the
patient, which is visible to the
patient and ensures that they
are never overcharged. The
computerized
records
and
Clove Dental guarantee of using
genuine materials from reputable
companies
and
specialists
performing
the
specialized
treatments ensure that Clove
Dental delivers what it promises.
These are the changes in the
‚landscape‘ which are making
sure that people put their faith
in Clove Dental for their repeat
treatments.
We have a whole team of
specialists for every discipline
who enjoy a name and reputation
in dentistry, and we provide inhouse training in the Clove
culture of ‚Patient first.‘ Advanced
specialty treatments like Adult
Incognito Orthodontics, Guided
Template Implantology, and smile
designing form the backbone in
addition to routine dentistry.
Stringent ethical norms are
in place, and accountability is
the bottom line of every action to
ensure that our patients get the
best professional services, which
makes Clove Dental the preferred
choice for super-specialized
treatments.
How do you stand apart from
other dental brands?
As India‘s largest dental
network, we take responsibility
for being pioneers on multiple
fronts. Some of them are as below:
a) AI monitored dental chair
and surgery sterilization – the
first time in India.
b) Every patient‘s dental
details are digitized and stored
in proprietary software.
c) One out of every 2 cases is
reviewed by qualified dentists for
diagnosis, treatment planning,
and treatment protocol at the
backend.
d) Bi-monthly review of all
Clove clinics by a quality control
team for Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP) adherence on
Bio-Medical waste management,
4-step sterilization, and 10x
safety protocol.
e) All Clove Clinics are
company owned and operated,
and all Clove dentists are fulltime employees (not on revenue
sharing model).
f) At Clove, 70% of the dentists
are empowered women dentists
who manage the clinics end to
end.
g) 75% of all dentists working
at Clove are Post Graduates of
clinical specialties
h) Only internally accredited
dentists are allowed to do clinical
practice at Clove Dental clinics.

i)
Transparent
digital
software-based
treatment
pricing.
j) Clove uses only 100%
ADA-approved
equipment
and dental treatment material
(consumables).
k) At Clove, we believe only
the best will do for our patients
and have all the globally reknown brands under one roof,
i.e., Invisalign, ClearConnect
(Straumann), LoveMySmile, 3M
Braces, Daemon Braces, etc.
How do your expansion
plans impact dentists?
Clove Dental today operates
out of 350 clinics in 26 cities
across the country. We have
plans to build 1000 clinics, which
will be the game-changer for
the dentists and dental colleges,
the profession, and the dental
suppliers.
The success of the Clove Dental
model is seeing a rapid inflow
of funds in the country. Many
companies in the recent past have
raised millions of dollars and
invested in oral health, opening
new avenues and thereby
improving the employment
avenues in dentistry. With scarce
employment opportunities, many
dental colleges are experiencing
a massive downfall in yearly
numbers, forcing many dental
institutions to shut down.
The thrust in dental hiring
with a renewed focus on quality
by the dentists led by the dental
chains spells good days ahead for
dental manufacturers and dental
suppliers. The DSO model has yet
to be successful in India. In the
coming years, with the entry of
many new players, there will be
a massive thrust in this field, and
we will witness rapid growth,
thereby infusing new life into the
profession.
The DSOs bring fresh
breath with excellent working
conditions, dignity and respect,
and handsome salaries, further
incentivizing
performance.
Dentistry has never had it so
good as this period which is
dawning now, and those who can
make changes to their thinking
and join the bandwagon are sure
to make rich gains both in name
and fame and revenue.
The openings in the field of
support roles in dentistry have
increased 1000 times; because of
this, many dentists are excelling
in training, quality, marketing,
HR, finance, legal, IT, and patient
care.
Clove boasts of being the best
hirer of these talents, the true
game-changers in the profession.
Tomorrow‘s dentists are going to
be empowered not only in their
profession but also managing
their businesses and carving
out new opportunities for the
profession.

[3] =>

Interview

03/23

“Shaping the dental future”
with 100 years of success at IDS
radiographic examination. This
also brings us to the topic of
artificial intelligence, which is
particularly effective in detecting
structures and patterns in
images, such as those indicating
caries and caries-free areas.
The use of intra-oral scanners
and pattern recognition software
that employs artificial intelligence
will also help to change the way
that dentists and dental clinics
communicate with patients.
Using intra-oral images, the
goals of treatment and options
available can often be explained
much more clearly to patients.

Mark Stephen Pace is chairman of the board of IDS co-organiser the Association of the German Dental Industry. (Image: Koelnmesse/IDS Cologne)

The 40th IDS marks 100 years
of the trade fair, and this is
surely a reason to celebrate, says
Mark Stephen Pace, chairman
of the board of the Association
of the German Dental Industry,
co-organiser of the event. In
this interview, he shares his
thoughts about the anniversary
and the ways in which this IDS
takes history in its stride while
looking far into the future.

could gain from new concepts
and products. This leads to
lively discussions, which are
always a stimulating experience.
IDS has been achieving this for
longer than the span of a typical
human life—this fascinates me!
At the same time, I find difficult
it to comprehend the amount of
courage shown by the initiators
of the trade fair considering that
in 1923, when the first IDS was
held, Germany was in a state of
crisis.

Mr Pace, what ideas come to
mind when you think of the 100year anniversary of IDS?
I have always experienced
IDS as what it primarily is, the
leading dental industry event.
At IDS, we regularly see stateof-the-art
technology
and
current innovations from the
dental industry. Dentists, dental
technicians and their teams come
here to experience what they

How can one seek to do
justice to this long tradition
while also focusing on the
future of dental practice?
I tell myself that it took a great
deal of effort to initiate IDS and
to maintain its growth with an
ingenious concept. We will be
celebrating this and doing justice
to a long tradition by pausing for
a moment to look back. Primarily,
we will be taking a close look at

By Dr Christian Ehrensberger

IDS 2023 will mark 100 years of the dental exhibition—pictured is
the 1986 iteration of the event. (Image: Koelnmesse/IDS Cologne)

innovations and thus preparing
ourselves for the next 100 years.
At its essence, IDS 2023 will strike
a balance between reviewing
dental revolutions of the past
and offering a careful preview of
those to come.
How have you determined
what pioneering advancements
from the past to highlight
and what promising areas of
innovation to discuss?
This can be best determined
by
looking
at
different
innovations that have been or are
currently being presented at IDS.
For instance, one example from
the past is the replacement of
vulcanite with heat-polymerising
polymethylmethacrylate resin as
a denture material. This year, the
extended range of indications of
the intra-oral scanner and the
possible applications of artificial
intelligence are likely to attract a
great deal of attention.
Could you explain your
example of denture acrylic resin
in a little more detail?
In the first third of the
20th century, vulcanite was
the denture material of choice,
despite
it
having
several
downsides. Patients did not
find it to be overly comfortable,
and the material was associated
with unpleasant odours that
developed owing to the added
sulphur content. Nonetheless,
masticatory
function
could
be carried out. It was the best

material available at the time, and
it heralded a massive step forward
compared with the 19th century.
But
polymethylmethacrylate
heat-polymerising resin set a new
standard when it was presented at
IDS in 1937—including a practical
procedure for processing. It gave
patients unprecedented wearing
comfort, and this acrylic resin
is still widely used around the
world.
You mentioned expanded
applications
for
intra-oral
scanners. What can visitors
expect from the 40th IDS in this
regard?
Dental professionals have
become familiar with the benefits
of using an intra-oral scanner, for
example being able to produce
impressions without impression
material. Many patients prefer
the improved comfort that
this digital procedure offers,
and they are surprised to
hear that it can be superior to
elastomeric impression taking
in terms of accuracy for smaller
restorations, up to small-span
bridges. However, the use of
physical impressions remains
indispensable, including in areas
that are difficult to see or in broad
areas of implant prosthetics.
In the future, the intra-oral
scanner will also be used for
preliminary examination and
in caries diagnosis, and this
information will complement
that gained from clinical and

“IDS 2023 will strike
a balance between
reviewing dental
revolutions of the past
and offering a careful
preview of those to
come.”
How has the format of IDS
evolved in the past?
For 100 years, IDS has been
a classic trade fair—classic in
the sense that visitors attend
the event in person in order to
experience it. In the past three
years, the fair has developed to
also include hybrid visitation.
Like in 2021, IDS 2023 will again
offer digital features. IDSconnect
gives visitors and exhibitors
alike the possibility of preparing
for their time in the exhibition
halls, of meeting in virtual rooms
and exchanging ideas, and of
following up on conversations
and meetings held at IDS 2023,
after the event. These tools will
be utilised to an even greater
extent in the future.
At the same time, I see an
increase in appreciation of faceto-face meeting in the exhibition
halls. We are social beings, and
in my opinion, visiting the show
provides a great feeling, makes it
easier to maintain contacts and
offers a very human approach.
I look forward to many good
meetings and intensive exchange
within the dental family—on-site
or via IDSconnect—at the 40th IDS.

[4] =>

News

03/23

Study establishes patient
motivations for seeking
clear aligner therapy across
five European countries

IMPRINT
PUBLISHER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER
Torsten R. OEMUS
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
Claudia DUSCHEK
DENTAL TRIBUNE SOUTH ASIA
EDITION
PUBLISHER
Ruumi J. DARUWALLA
CHIEF EDITOR
Dr. Meera VERMA
CLINICAL EDITOR
Dr. Dilip DESHPANDE
RESEARCH EDITOR
Dr. Shobha DESHPANDE
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Dr. GN ANANDAKRISHNA
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Dr. Rajeev CHITGUPPI
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE EDITORS
Dr. Nisha DESHPANDE
Dr. Amisha PAREKH
DESIGNER
Anil LAHANE
PRINTER
Mehernosh & Burzin MISTRY
Ampersand, Mumbai, India
Material from Dental Tribune
International GmbH that has been
reprinted or translated and reprinted
in this issue is copyrighted by Dental
Tribune International GmbH. Such
material must be published with
the permission of Dental Tribune
International GmbH. Dental Tribune
is a trademark of Dental Tribune
International GmbH.

A retrospective study has compared the demographic background of patients seeking clear aligner therapy between five European countries
and found many similarities but also a number of socio-economic, oral health and age factors that differed widely by country.
(Image: Vladimir Trynkalo/Shutterstock)

By Anisha Hall Hoppe,
Dental Tribune International
BERLIN, Germany: There is
increasing demand for CAT for
mild to moderate malocclusion
in adults. However, there is a
lack of information on the motivations of adults seeking CAT,
as well as their socio-demographic information and oral health status, across countries.
Researchers in Germany compared this in adult patients in
Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland
and Spain to provide clinicians
with country-specific information for their treatment selection and planning. They found
that adult patients who are dissatisfied with their appearance
and who generally have good
oral health are more likely to
seek CAT.
The main demographic findings were that adults seeking
CAT were mostly younger than
35 and female. Patients in Italy
and Germany were the youngest,
the majority being in the 18- to
35-year-old age group. The hig-

hest proportion of men seeking
CAT was in Italy and the lowest
in Poland.
When it came to motivation
for seeking CAT, crowding was
the top reason, but this was more
frequent among the Spanish and
Italian patients, and tooth spacing was a more common reason
among the German and Austrian
patients. Men more often gave
spacing as their primary motive,
and women more frequently indicated crowding as their reason
for pursuing CAT.
Certain trends in oral health
status were also noted. Patients
older than 55 had a higher prevalence of periodontal disease than
their younger counterparts, who
were more likely to have untreated caries. Patients in Spain had
a higher rate of untreated caries
and of periodontitis and had a significantly higher rate of missing
teeth. Poland, however, had the
highest number of patients missing more than five teeth.

The researchers noted that
the patients had an overall better
quality of oral health than the general population, likely because
they are more concerned about
their oral health as evidenced by
seeking CAT. As the treatment is
mostly an out-of-pocket expense,
the researchers also noted that
the socio-economic status of the
patients likely differs from that
of the general population, giving greater access to oral care
and oral health literacy. Because
spending on healthcare in countries such as Spain and Poland is
lower, the researchers drew the
conclusion that this, combined
with the nature of healthcare
systems in each country (such
as more privatised healthcare in
Spain), was reflected in the patients’ overall oral health status.
The team used anonymised data from Berlin-based CAT
provider DrSmile to retroactively evaluate dental records, socio-demographic information,
general health history, self-reported motivations for seeking
CAT, data on caries, missing

teeth, periodontal disease and
craniomandibular dysfunction,
and other evidence to contraindicate CAT as an appropriate therapy. The records from DrSmile
were compiled from over 500 associated practitioners across Europe. The resulting sample size
was 15,015 patients.
From the editor’s desk:
Clear Aligner Therapy is a
popular orthodontic treatment
that uses a series of clear,
removable aligners to move
teeth into their desired position
gradually. Unlike traditional
braces, clear aligners are virtually
invisible and can be easily
removed for eating, brushing,
and flossing. Treatment with
clear aligners typically takes
around 12-18 months, depending
on the case complexity. Clear
aligners are custom-made for
each patient and are designed to
apply gentle pressure to specific
teeth, gradually shifting them
into place. Clear aligner therapy
is a convenient and discreet
way to achieve a straighter
smile without the hassle and
discomfort of traditional braces.

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GmbH.

[5] =>

News

03/23

5

3D-printed denture teeth suitable
for long-term clinical use
By Anisha Hall Hoppe,
Dental Tribune International
DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia:
The
method
of
denture
fabrication and material used are
relevant to longevity, strength
and occlusal wear resistance.
3D-printing technology has
brought many advancements for
complete denture fabrication,
but there is a lack of knowledge
on the mechanical behaviour
of 3D-printed teeth. For this
reason, researchers with the
Imam
Abdulrahman
Bin
Faisal University in Dammam
evaluated and compared the
fracture resistance and wear of
various brands of 3D-printed
denture teeth to those of
prefabricated ones. The team
determined that the majority
of the 3D-printed teeth tested
stood up point by point against
the prefabricated ones.

As 3D printing has begun to
offer fabrication options that are
more affordable and less wasteful
than traditional subtractive
milling methods, corresponding
technology in 3D scanning has
also enabled researchers to
overcome previous limitations
in comparing tooth wear across
different types of material.
For this study, the researchers
evaluated 60 3D-printed teeth
created using resins from Asiga,
Formlabs and NextDent.
The 3D-printed teeth were
created from scans and printed in
the respective resins based upon
the respective recommendations
of each manufacturer. Prior
to testing, every printed tooth
was scanned for a baseline
measurement. Each 3D-printed
specimen was subjected to
5,000 thermo-cycles, to simulate
temperature change in the oral
cavity, and those samples selected
for wear testing experienced
170,000 cyclic loads in a chewing

simulator,
representing
an
average year of use.
For
assessing
fracture
resistance, the team used a testing
device with a stainless-steel ball
indenteor in contact with each of
the four cusps of each 3D printed
tooth with a 1.5 mm rubber sheet
in between to better distribute
the force, loading until failure.
Wear
resistance
was
measured by evaluating volume
loss. Teeth created with NextDent
resin demonstrated the most
significant volume loss compared
with other printed teeth and
prefabricated teeth, whereas
Formlabs teeth exhibited the
least. The prefabricated teeth had
a marginally higher fracture load
than the teeth printed with Asiga
and Formlabs resins, but the
NextDent teeth demonstrated a
much lower load tolerance than
all other teeth types.
The team attributed the
strength of the prefabricated teeth
to their method of fabrication and

A recent study has demonstrated that digital dentures produced by
3D-printing perform just as well overtime as milled dentures. (Image:
ivanvislov/Shutterstock)

their glossy coating mimicking
enamel that further increased
wear resistance. They also noted
that the Formlabs teeth likely won
out on tests owing to the digital
light processing technology used
in printing with this resin.
Both Formlabs and Asiga
resins were found by the
researchers to be suitable
for
clinical
use
because
their measured values were

comparable with those of the
prefabricated controls. They
recommended that NextDent
be further evaluated. The team
also suggested that nanoparticle
reinforcement could provide
increased wear resistance and
higher strength to resin teeth, in
much the same way that denture
base resins were reinforced with
zirconia or silica nanoparticles.

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[6] =>

News

03/23

Outlook for the 40 International
Dental Show: “Things are looking up”
th

By Dr Christian Ehrensberger
In this interview, Dr Markus
Heibach, executive director of
the Association of the German
Dental
Industry
(VDDI),
explains the importance of the
40th International Dental Show
(IDS) from the perspective of
the dental industry and what
it means for dentists, dental
technicians and their teams.
Dr Heibach, for much of the
last three years, the entire global
economy has been driving with
the handbrake on. There are
numerous challenges facing
industry at once. How is the
dental industry doing?
The Association of the
German Dental Industry was
constituted in 1916, at that time
under the name of “Association of
German Dental Manufacturers”.
This was in the middle of the
First World War. IDS was also
started in the middle of a crisis
year: 1923. Ever since then, it has
been a catalyst for innovation for
the entire industry.
This is not to trivialise our
current problems. It’s not only
the rising cost of energy that
is a major issue occupying and
even burdening our member
companies, but also the sheer
number of changes occurring
together. Company leaders in
the German dental industry
have to wrestle with solutions to
these varied and interconnected
changes daily. For example,
in addition to energy prices,
procurement channels for raw
materials have changed. This
relates to glass, metals and plastic,
for example, as well as logistical
and transport bottlenecks in
this regard. All these interacting

Industry and trade representatives, dentists, dental technicians and their teams-IDS 2023 will bring together all important participants in the
dental market once again. (Image: Koelnmesse/IDS Cologne/Hanne Engwald)

factors in combination—not just
the single issue of the energy
price—have an impact on our
medium-sized manufacturers.
Regarding these challenges,
I think that it is apt to quote the
philosopher Karl Popper: “There
is no reasonable alternative to
optimism.” We hope that, with
the quantum leap now occurring
in Germany, the course is set
towards a continued sustainable
future and strengthening of
the companies in the industry.
Political will to free companies
from bureaucratic burdens and,
wherever possible, promote
innovation is still absolutely
critical in this regard. We are
continually
pursuing
this
jointly and in agreement with
our umbrella association, the
Federation of German Industries.
Parallel to that, I see further
positive developments. People

Dr Markus Heibach, executive director of the Association of the
German Dental Industry. (Image: Marie Heibach)

are placing a higher value on
health than they did three
years ago and are more open
to high-quality dentistry. This
helps the whole industry. The
German industry in particular
is well positioned thanks to
its high-quality products and
global recognition of its dental
profession and dental technician
craftmanship.

eyes of customers provides
enormous motivation and drives
innovation in our industry.
Celebrate successes, rework any
deficits and triumph at the next
IDS with an even better idea—
that’s the name of the game! That
is how the trade fair in Cologne
functions as a catalyst for dental
innovation.

What importance does IDS
hold for the dental industry?
The essence of IDS can be
formulated very succinctly: as
the German industry, we invite
all competitors from Germany
and abroad to a central location in
fair competition to present their
products to international experts
and submit them to market
participants for evaluation. This
has developed into Olympiclevel friendly rivalry to develop
the best concepts and products.
The result is acceleration of the
innovation cycles in our industry
and correspondingly higherquality treatment of patients.

“[IDS] has developed
into Olympic-level
friendly rivalry
to develop the
best concepts and
products.”

Do manufacturers watch
each other closely at the show?
Everyone is curious to see
what others have to offer the
audience of dentists, dental
technicians and their teams. This
is the nature of the market—there
is intense competition, which our
dental industry clearly perceives
as incentive for innovations.
Internationally, the German
dental industry has been a market
leader for decades in many
segments of dental technology.
Direct
benchmarking
of
manufacturers under the critical

How does this work exactly
in the exhibition halls?
First and foremost is the
professional
exchange
with
dentists, dental technicians and
their teams. Their feedback on the
proven and innovative concepts
and products on display is the
lifeblood of the dental industry.
On the basis of conclusions drawn
from this feedback, research and
development departments effect
improvements
and
develop
revolutionary innovations in the
coming years.
Furthermore,
exhibitors
establish new contacts at IDS
and initiate new business
opportunities.
Deepening
existing
relationships,
exchanging information with
the dental trade about current
trends,
customer
wishes
and expectations, involving
international
importers
as

partners—these are all crucial
components for success.
International meetings have
intensified from IDS to IDS.
Today, importers from Asia
or South America meet their
customers from all global markets
in Cologne, making IDS the most
comprehensive marketplace.
What’s the significance of a
visit to IDS for dentists, dental
technicians and their teams?
At the trade fair, they find
themselves in the position of
decision maker, because they
determine which of the many
products will ultimately be the
better solution for them. At the
same time, thanks to this careful
selection, they ensure that they
are in an excellent position and
gain an advantage over their
competitors.
How
extensive
will
the selection of exhibiting
companies be at this year’s IDS?
We already have 1,700
exhibitors [as of 23 January].
This guarantees a complete and
representative overview of the
industry and a uniquely large
showcase of products for optimal
choice.
Things are looking up for us
all. It is no secret that the past
three years were particularly
difficult. The German dental
industry has overcome them. We
will take a brief look at the past
100 years of IDS and then look
ahead to the next century. The
40th IDS will provide the initial
spark.

[7] =>

News

03/23

7

Taking stock and looking ahead—
the current and future dental
implant landscape
2.
Ratka C, Weigl P,
Henrich D, Koch F, Schlee M,
Zipprich H. The Effect of In Vitro
Electrolytic Cleaning on BiofilmContaminated Implant Surfaces.
J Clin Med. 2019 Sep 6;8(9):1397.
Erratum in: J Clin Med. 2022 Feb
08;11(3): PMID: 31500093; PMCID:
PMC6780638.

By Dr Amit Patel
The
digital
revolution
continues. Like all areas of
dentistry,
implantology
is
going digital. The potential
benefits of a digital workflow
can be applied to various
stages in the treatment journey,
often improving outcomes, as
well as both the patient and
professional experience.
We are seeing an increase in
the use of intra-oral scanners,
which can acquire highly
accurate
impressions
while
improving
patient
comfort
compared
to
conventional
alginate methods. For the clinical
team, digital scans can be easily
integrated within the wider
digital workflow and facilitate
prosthetic design, as well as
streamlining communication and
collaboration with colleagues. I
would estimate that around 20–
30% of clinicians in the UK now
own and utilise these scanners,
but I would expect this to increase
in the next couple of years as
the technology improves and
becomes even more accessible.
CBCT is the other digital
solution
supporting
dental
implantology
today.
These
scans have become central to
precise and confident treatment
planning, allowing clinicians
to determine the ideal position,
angle, depth and width of dental
implant in every single case. This,
combined with prostheticallydriven
planning
protocols,
ensures that any dental implant
placed can be restored correctly
for good function, aesthetics,
maintenance and longevity.
Attitudes to metal in the
mouth
Another trend we are seeing
in the UK is an increase in a
patient-driven move away from
metal. While certainly not yet
the norm, my colleagues and
I are receiving more enquires
about and requests for metalfree alternatives to conventional
dental implants. This echoes
some of the changes already
seen across other sectors such as
restorative dentistry and creates
an interesting dynamic for the
future. Ceramic implants are
available for clinicians to utilise―

About:
(Image: Nick N A/Shutterstock)

backed by science and proven to
deliver good clinical results―and
these are now being employed
more regularly than they were
just a few years ago.
Yet to come
There are some interesting
technologies currently being
introduced and in development
that could have a positive impact
on dental implantology in the
future. For example, there is
navigation software that allows
the clinician to prepare the
dental implant site while using
the CBCT scan in real time as a
kind of virtual guide. It offers
an alternative way to provide
guided surgery, allowing for a
free-hand approach that makes
use of digital technology for more
accurate and confident dental
implant placement. This kind of
technology is still quite new to
the field, but it is likely to become
a more popular technique as the
software evolves.
The other area in which
changes are afoot, is the
management of peri-implantitis.
Prevalence is difficult to measure,
but according to current research,
it occurs in 12.5–19.5% of cases at
patient-level and implant-level,
respectively.1 A leading cause of
dental implant complications, it
remains a disease that is not fully
understood by the profession or by
patients. Prof. Niklaus Lang from
the Queen Mary University of
London once said at a conference
I attended: “Periodontitis was
made by God, peri-implantitis

was made by man.” This
illustrates the difference between
the two diseases, and we must
develop management techniques
that take this into consideration.
As a specialist periodontist,
this is a topic I feel passionate
about, and the Association of
Dental Implantology has long
recognised as an important area
for the progression of the field.
We have held events dedicated
to discussing the challenges of
peri-implantitis and exploring
potential solutions for this very
reason.

“It is an exciting time
to be involved with
the dental implant
field and to utilise
many new innovations
as they reach the
market.”
For the future, how we clean
dental implants will likely be
further scrutinised. There is
already technology available for
electrolytic cleaning of the dental
implant surface, which has been
shown to inactivate bacterial
biofilm far better than using a
powder-spray system.2 Given
the spotlight on prevention of
bacterial infection in the UK
dental implant field, effective
new ways of cleaning the
products that we use would be
widely welcomed.
Of course, this will be in
addition to―or perhaps even

second to―prevention of the
disease in the first place. We
know the risk factors for periimplantitis, but if we can hone in
on the exact mechanisms behind
development, then we could
change the game entirely for many
patients. With more research,
a greater understanding of the
disease and the next generation
of technology and materials, we
will be even better equipped to
stop peri-implantitis before it
becomes a problem.
Aside from these, there will
no doubt be a shift in some of
the other clinical techniques
and products employed as part
of the dental implant workflow
in the near future. For example,
socket shielding is being brought
to the fore at professional
events and conferences, and
novel dental implant designs
are being worked on to help
further
minimise
potential
complications. It is an exciting
time to be involved with the
dental implant field and to utilise
many new innovations as they
reach the market. Concentrating
on science-backed and evidencebased solutions remains crucial,
but we can expect to deliver everbetter dental implant treatment
to patients in the years to come.
References
1.
Diaz, P., Gonzalo, E.,
Villagra, L.J.G. et al. What is the
prevalence of peri-implantitis?
A systematic review and metaanalysis. BMC Oral Health 22, 449
(2022).

Dr Amit Patel

Dr Amit Patel graduated in
dentistry from the University of
Liverpool in the UK in 1997 and
obtained his membership of the
Faculty of Dental Surgery of the
Royal College of Surgeons of
Edinburgh in 2000. Dr Patel also
underwent a four-year training
programme in periodontics and
implantology at what is now
King’s College London Faculty of
Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial
Sciences in the UK, achieving a
master’s degree in periodontics
and clinical dentistry. Passionate
about
providing
specialist
dentistry to the highest degree,
Dr Patel also trains other dental
professionals.
As
associate
specialist in periodontics and
honorary clinical lecturer at
the University of Birmingham’s
School of Dentistry in the UK,
he teaches at undergraduate
and postgraduate level. He also
lectures both nationally and
internationally and is the current
president of the Association of
Dental Implantology, the UK’s
leading professional organisation
in the field. More information can
be found at www.adi.org.uk.

[8] =>

Amelotech
Synahealth Singapore Pte. Ltd.
16 Raffles Quay
#41-01 Hong Leong Building
Singapore 048581

LifeCare Devices Private Limited
New Jubilee Building, Office no. 1, Laxmiben Chheda Road,
Nalasopara West, Palghar 401 203. Mumbai Metropolitan Region,
Maharashtra, INDIA. | E: info@lifecare.in | Website: www.lifecare.in
| Customer Service : +91 99304 50170
| Customer Service WhatsApp : +91 99304 50169
| Management WhatsApp : +91 99304 50163/+91 99997 86275

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[cover] => Dental Tribune South Asia No. 3, 2023

[toc] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [title] => News [page] => 1 ) [1] => Array ( [title] => “Shaping the dental future” with 100 years of success at IDS [page] => 3 ) [2] => Array ( [title] => Study establishes patient motivations for seeking clear aligner therapy across five European countries [page] => 4 ) [3] => Array ( [title] => 3D-printed denture teeth suitable for long-term clinical use [page] => 5 ) [4] => Array ( [title] => News [page] => 6 ) ) [toc_html] =>

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