“Is it possible for a toothpaste to be, well, sexy?” mused Jen Doll of New York Magazine on Ultradent’s Opalescence® whitening toothpaste. We’ll leave that up to the user, but one thing is certain—everything, from the refreshing flavor profile to the smooth texture, to its ability to keep teeth sparkling was specifically planned and perfected. Every detail, says Peter Allred, Ultradent’s Director of Formulations Technology, was scrutinized, then scrutinized again, until… well…you’ll have to try it for yourself.

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky to take my bride, Leenie, on a business trip to Italy for the launch of Mosaic® universal composite, a product we’ve been testing and working on for years—making the trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world that much more exciting. However, we made sure that a trip to Italy wasn’t strictly business. This trip was one of the few that Leenie went on with me. We set it up so we would arrive on Saturday and be able to take a couple days to relax and decompress. On Sunday, Aurelio Gisco, the director of Ultradent’s Italy office, and the fabulous Barbara Madalena took us to the Piedmont area vineyards, just north of Milan, where they grow and make the world-famous Barolo wines. What a stunningly beautiful part of the world. That night, we ate in one of the farm restaurants of the vineyard owner himself, where we were served wonderful, high-quality, down-to-earth, delicious Italian cooking.

Ending childhood poverty, helping underserved kids get their next meal, helping to pay for a child to attend school, ensuring children around the world have access to clean water… they all seem like daunting tasks that we all want to help solve, and thanks to Red Nose Day, we can! At Ultradent, we’re proud to support Red Nose Day, and we’re not afraid to show it! Even our founder and CEO, Dr. Dan Fischer, is getting in on the concept of using humor and fun for a good cause. “There are children in America and all over the world that are disadvantaged in so many ways. One of the most important ways in which they’re disadvantaged is in their overall health and access to healthcare. Additionally, their nutrition, their dental health, and their education suffers, or they don’t get the help they need at all. This year, Ultradent very excitedly purchased red noses for our employees and outside sales representatives to wear to help raise awareness and show their support for ending childhood poverty and its effects.” He continues, “Anything that can help alleviate this problem throughout the world is always wonderful to see and that is why Ultradent supports Red Nose Day.

As a new regular feature on The Arch: The Ultradent blog, we’re going to share Dr. Fischer’s responses to the frequently asked questions he receives about Ultradent products and dental procedures. In this, our second edition of “Ask Dr. Fischer,” he answers questions about the science behind tooth whitening. He also answers a very frequently asked question about the effects of tooth whitening on enamel. Enjoy!

Utility Think of a diode laser as the Swiss Army Knife of dentistry. There are so many FDA-approved procedures that can be completed with a diode laser—like frenectomies, gingivectomies, implant recoveries, cuspid exposures, and more—that owning one brings an incredible amount of utility to a clinician. Essentially, any soft tissue work that needs to be done can be completed with a diode laser. And they make the work so simple! You only need to grab the laser from the counter, put a new tip on it, and get to work. Utility is the #1 reason dental offices should own at least one diode laser. When most offices purchase a diode laser, they say they intend to use it mostly for troughing, but then they see a patient that has a cold sore and they end up finding more and more reasons to use it. Read about Dr. Tanya Lawhon, who upon purchasing her first diode laser, found that it was in such high demand among her staff and patients that she now owns three!

What is your favorite time of the year and why? My favorite time of the year is spring, and it’s because of all the new life in every form. I love the fresh colors of the new sprouting buds and grasses. It’s that zest of new life. Otherwise, I would choose fall, but with fall you’re always looking down the gun barrel to winter. With spring, you at least have summer ahead, and that’s a much more pleasant thought.

According to a recent Dental Economics article1, the overall cost of impressions is greatly influenced by the time spent taking the impressions themselves. The article’s author, Dr. Ronald D. Perry, says “a close examination reveals the financial impacts of impression-taking involve far more than material costs, and many dentists who seek to cut corners in this area may be costing themselves more in the end.” Thus, it is the quality of the material and time spent on the procedure that determine how much impressions may be costing the average clinician.

What is your name and official title at Ultradent? Ryan White, Campaign Marketing Manager/Media Buyer. What did you do before you came to Ultradent I was really lucky very early on because I got some marketing internships in high school. One was interning in the corporate office of a growing company called Lovesac. I worked as a marketing intern there, and that is when I knew that marketing would be my career choice. What happened next? I got a scholarship to Brigham Young University, even though I’m a Utah fan. From there I started doing email marketing and campaign management with other companies. And then I came here. What are your days like at Ultradent? It really depends on the month. For the most part, I try to start off the day looking at reports that tell me how our customers are interacting with and responding to our campaigns. I do our forecasting, dabble in design for our campaigns, etc.

Dr. Tanya Lawhon, DDS, of Bishop, Texas Dr. Tanya Lawhon says it wasn’t difficult for her to give Ultradent’s new Gemini® 810 + 980 diode laser a try. “I love everything Ultradent makes,” said Dr. Lawhon, who runs her own dentistry practice in Bishop, Texas. “I love their products, and on the rare occasion I do get something I’m not in love with I always give them my honest feedback on what I would change. I’ve never been afraid or shy to do that."

Earlier this year, my wife, Leenie, and I travelled to Europe for various meetings with our wonderful colleagues across the Atlantic. Later we went on to Barcelona, Spain, where we met with our European management team where various colleagues, including myself, presented and shared ideas about the future of Ultradent and its products. Here's a recap of our fabulous trip below: