SmileCon 2021
Beyond Design attended SmileCon in Las Vegas this October to check out some of the best innovations the dental industry has to offer. Even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, dentistry has remained essential. However, along with any industry, there are adjustments and new safety protocols needed to be taken to ensure the safety of patients as well as the dentists. At SmileCon, we saw some awesome products that are taking safety to the next level through new, intuitive and innovative designs to help move the industry foward.
Breathe Easy
We came across a familiar face at SmileCon this year. Over at AirGuard™, we met up with Dr. Orrington II, a practicing dentist in Chicago, IL, who invented and developed the AirGuard™ in conjunction with Beyond Design. In the face of COVID-19, clinicians had to take extra precautions in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. It is a vacuum accessory that is used as a transparent shield against aerosol sprays that come from the patients’ mouths. AirGuard™ allows for dentists to fully access patients without obscuring visibility. Four beautiful, high quality products were brought to life for the safety of everyone. The AirGuard™ received the Planet Innovation Bright Award and was featured on CBS and America by Design. For more information about AirGuard™, visit their website at airguardhealth.com.
Work Efficiently in Comfort
We loved a couple of the products Snap On Optics was showcasing at their exhibit this year. Made in the USA, Snap On Optics products are efficient in helping your posture and saving your neck while working with patients. The LED powered Loupe Light weighs only 3 ounces with 16 hours of continuous run time. The light easily fits to all loups with the ability to easily install or remove using the fitted adapter. The cordless Loupe Light delivers comfort to the operator, benefiting from all the advantages of being cordless without the excess weight. It has 3 hours of continuous run time and is also easily fitted to all loupes.
Designing with Dentists in Mind
WhipMix has been a leader in the dental industry for over 100 years. During SmileCon, we checked out their VeriOne Digital, the one-stop-shop for all digital printing needs. This all-in-one product is able to print crowns, bridges, models, splints, surgical guides, custom trays and removables. The VeriOne Digital has 4 components which are all engineered to be compatible with each other. Designed to save time , money and offer more convenience to users and cusomters alike, the VeriOne Digital by WhipMix is easy to use, safe and reliabele with speedy performance and precise customizations.
Deliver a Trouble-Free Treatment
Mavrik Dental Systems sparked our interest this year at SmileCon, exhibiting their TheraSmile Whitening System, the first and only automated whitening technology of its kind. It is designed to deliver trouble-free treatment, keeping the comfort of the patient and operator in mind. The TheraSmile enhances patient experience with a soft, pliable mouthpiece and fresh fluids that continuously circulate over the targeted treatment, protecting sensitivity. The Gel Applications are convenient and automated, ensuring precise and consistent concentration. The Mavrik Dental Systems product is an overall easy and intuitive user experience.
Shift Forward in the Dental Laser Industry
Convenient in use, the Fotona Lightwalker is an ultra performance laser providing an intuitive, easy to use color touch screen with an adjustable tilt and 60+ customizable presets. The product is designed to provide comfort when operating as well as impressive patient comfort with speed and efficiency. With an integrated self-contained air supply, the Lightwalker allows for more precise cutting and user experience. There is an easy access spray and heated water reservoir, making the laser system mobile and hassle-free. Operators can avoid the unnecessary tangling of cables with the product’s wireless foot switch. As designers, we are always looking for cutting edge ergonomics, and the Lightwalker has exactly that with easy to use handpieces providing durability for constant handling and frquent sterilization. Fotona truly is shifting the dental laser industry forward with the option to upgrade to the ATS model, allowing the performance of aesthetic treatments such as wrinkle removal, hair removal, and skin rejuvenation.
Expand your Practice
We had the opportunity to visit the iTero exhibit at SmileCon this year. With their existing iTero Element Platform scanners, they set the bar for accurate, fast, and convenient scanning. We took a look at their latest innovation, the new iTero Element Plus including imaging systems in both cart and the new mobile configuration. With 20% less waiting time for the scan to process, operators can be productive faster, while also having access to a more detailed visualization and wider viewing angles engineered for a better patient experience. Ergonomically designed, the iTero Element Plus combines 20+ years of engineering experience with compelling product design to offer a state of the art experience. Take your scanning mobile with the portable scanner and bring your practice to the next level with enhanced productivity.
Flexible Integration with Forward Thinking Design
Beyond Design really enjoyed their experience at the A-Dec exhibit. We were introduced to the new and refined A-Dec 500, designed to function holistically and intuitively. This new system delivers optimal access, allowing operators to work with a better posture and positioning for minimal reach. Stay in control with this customizable and easy-to-navigate system, ensuring the freedom to focus. With the A-Dec 500 you have the ability to activate, deactivate, position, and place your instruments without looking away from your procedure. The redefined patient chair ensures comfort with a perfectly positioned headrest and access angles that adjust on the fly. Operators can simplify their experience with the positionable deluxe touch pad with a tilting screen and rotating arms for precise viewing from multiple angles. Flexibly designed to provide complete comfort for both the operator and patient, A-Dec products are engineered to last for a superior overall experience.
Simplify the Intraoral Scanning Experience
Intelliscan 3D was showcasing their beautifully designed, self-developed dental 3D scanner software that integrates rich data processing functions to obtain high-quality digital impressions. Their product is able to obtain full-color 3D data of teeth and soft tissue directly. It is powderless, guaranteeing a simplified scanning process and improving patients’ clinical experience. The Intelliscan 3D is easy to operate with its user-friendly intraoral scanner interface while a single dentist can experience sterile scanning using the motion sensing function.
Defend your Patients against Airborne Infection
Further safety precautions have become essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and WellAir has developed improved air disinfection devices to further the safety of patients and staff alike. We checked out both the Defend 400 and Defend 1050 portable recirculating air cleaning systems. These FDA cleared medical devices inactivate aerosolized viruses, bacteria, and fungi while purifying the air. WellAir products are sleek in design amd suitable in size. The Defend 400 can be used in small to medium rooms in hospitals, medical care facilities, and dental clinics while the Defend 1050 can disinfect larger spaces such as operating room suites, emergency rooms, and patient wards. WellAir Defend products can simply be plugged in and switch on, suitable for 24 hour use. These unique functions ensure convenience for operators and staff alike.
And that is the best of SmileCon 2021! We look forward to attending again next year for some new awesome innovations and designs in the dental industry.