For the past ten years, the people of Ultradent have come together in tremendous and caring ways to raise food and money for not only the Utah Food Bank, but to help support many important and pressing causes all around the world. Most recently, half of the funds raised during our annual food drive went to help our brothers and sisters in Nepal, whose lives and homes were ravaged and devastated by a massive earthquake in the region, which killed and injured many. Additionally, throughout the year, Ultradent supports numerous humanitarian causes and missions at home and abroad by donating funds, dental supplies, and the like to organizations seeking to help improve the quality of life of others—be it through dental care or other important and worthy means.

“There was a time, maybe 15–18 years into my practice as a dentist that in regards to using a caries indicator, I thought, ‘I think I’m a reasonably good dentist​​. Shoot, if I can’t identify caries then something is wrong with me!’” says Dr. Fischer, president and CEO of UItradent Products, Inc. “Finally, I decided to give one of the caries indicators that were on the market at the time a try and quickly discovered that something was wrong with me!” he laughs.

 Opalescence® celebrates a very exciting anniversary in this month—25 years since Opalescence® PF, Ultradent’s premier whitening line, first burst onto the market. Of the brand’s sensational growth both nationally and internationally over the last 25 years, Dr. Fischer, president and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc., says frankly, “It’s beyond what I could have imagined.” Peter Allred, Ultradent’s Technology Director over Formulations, came to work at Ultradent in 1991, just one year after the advent of Opalescence PF. He’s quick to attribute not only Opalescence’s growth, but the huge international whitening “craze” largely in part to Dr. Fischer. “Dr. Fischer is the originator of contemporary whitening as we know it—which has now gained worldwide acceptance. He is the person responsible for bringing it to the masses. Prior to sticky-viscous whitening products like Opalescence PF gel, yes, there was whitening, but it wasn’t convenient. It was liquid that came in horrible tray systems—and the product would run down the patient’s throat—it was just awful.”

Moisture. It’s the constant battle of dentists everywhere as they fight, on a daily basis, to perform quality, precise work that offers longevity to the patient. This can only be done in the presence of zero to very little moisture, thus, clinicians are constantly looking for effective ways to block and/or slow its flow while they work. One of the “old reliables” dentists turn to time after time remains the rubber dam—a standard, yet polarizing tool that been in most dentist’s bag of tools since its advent by Sanford C. Barnum in 1964. The many advantages the rubber dam has brought to modern dentistry can arguably far outweigh its disadvantages, but Dr. Dan Fischer, president and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc., says, “It has its limits.” And when the rubber dam has reached these limits, Dr. Fischer points toward another reliable product that is always there to “fill in the gaps,” so to speak. That product is OraSeal.

  Never a “me too” brand, Opalescence has, from the beginning, sought out new, different, and better ways to make whitening faster, more effective, more convenient, and more comfortable for the patient. Since its introduction of Opalescence® PF—the first sticky, viscous whitening gel available on the market (1990)—dentists and patients alike have come to expect exciting innovation with each new Opalescence product launch over the past 25 years. However, no one could have predicted the exciting impact the brand would make when in 2013, it released perhaps its most revolutionary product yet, Opalescence Go®.

  Last Friday night, Dr. Fischer and his wife Leenie welcomed over 81 Ultradent employees, along with their families and loved ones into their home to celebrate the 20+ year anniversary of each attendees’ time here at Ultradent– and boy did they celebrate!

  Many clinicians encounter the dark staining of a patient’s tissues after the use of a hydrophobic cement. Fortunately, this is a challenge that is treatable, and even better, preventable! First, let’s take a look at the reasons behind why this pesky staining occurs in the first place. It’s all about the chemistry. Non-sealing cements allow saliva and bacteria to move between the temporary and preparation. Coagulum within cut tissues is a source of iron, which reacts with the hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg gas, H2S) produced by anaerobic bacteria in this septic environment. The reaction yields ferric sulfide—the harmless, yet annoying dark surface stain shown in the photo below.

All clinicians encounter challenges when it comes to tissue management. Even with high-quality, predictable tissue management products and techniques out there (such as Astringedent® X or ViscoStat®​ used with the Metal Dento-Infusor® tip​), it helps to know a few tips and tricks for the extraordinary cases that inevitably come about from time to time.

As children, most of us remember the highs and lows of our twice-annual trips to the dentist: the x-rays, the friendly hygienist asking how often we ate candy and if we remembered to floss every day, trinket toys as a reward for no cavities, and of course, picking out a flavor for the foamy fluoride treatment at the end. However, for many adults, the frequency of those memorable appointments diminishes with age. Jobs, family, friends, and the daily concerns and stresses of life take precedence, and often, dental health suffers. In fact, a whopping 34% of the American adult population didn’t see their dentist last year at all! Yes, daily brushing and flossing can make a huge difference, but regular dental care remains vital. One of the key reasons? Fluoride treatments.