In celebration of National Dentist’s Day, we wanted to look back on some of dentistry’s key moments, as well as get Ultradent Founder and CEO Dan Fischer’s thoughts on the profession and why he continues to lead the company’s quest to improve oral health globally.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and while there are a wide array of very important topics that pertain to children’s dental health, it’s most important to begin with the basics: good dental hygiene. However, with children, maintaining proper hygiene can prove to be quite the challenge, especially if they are just learning to take care of their teeth and/or if they love sugar and candy, as children are wont to do!

“I have the best job in the company—nobody knows that,” says John Hofeling, Ultradent’s driver. “I wouldn’t trade it with anyone!” He continues, “Every day, for the most part, is different for me. I usually start the day by picking up all of Ultradent’s mail and bringing it back so it can be distributed throughout the campus, but from then on, it’s anyone’s guess.”

Australian-based dentist Dr. Sigal Jacobson created the ingenious Uveneer™ direct composite template kit when she found that traditional freehand direct composite veneers were artistically challenging, time-consuming, unpredictable, and not always cost-effective. She spent years working with engineers to create the perfect design and process for her anterior facial matrix template system. The Uveneer direct composite template kit is great for more than just veneers and anterior restorations, though. Dr. Harry Marget, President of the Empire State Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, called the Uveneer direct composite template kit “a simple, masterful piece of dental kit that [gives] the dentist not just the ability to do a veneer, but [to create a temporary] bridge, cover an implant, repair a broken tooth, disguise a stain, and so much more.”

This past May, following a nation-wide nomination and voting process, Ultradent Products, Inc., an international dental supply and manufacturing company based in South Jordan, Utah, was selected out of over 3,000 other nominated companies to receive the Golden Hands Award of Xcellence for Truth and Ethics in Advertising at a national dental trade show in Anaheim, California. Initial nominees for the prestigious award were selected by a respected group of well-known clinicians and leaders in the dental industry, including numerous, well-known Key Opinion Leader doctors. They selected the nominees based on the merits of ethical conduct, placement of public health before profits, dependable products, knowledgeable personnel, and excellent customer service. The nominees were then voted on by thousands of practicing dentists across the nation to select the winner.

It all began with tissue management here at Ultradent. Following graduation from dental school at Loma Linda University in 1974, Dr. Fischer returned to his beloved native home, Utah, and started his own dental practice. As business increased, Dr. Fischer found that rapid, profound hemostasis was imperative for quality operative dentistry. After an exhaustive search, he quickly realized that there were no products on the market that predictably controlled bleeding and sulcular fluid, so Dr. Fischer put his own natural-born insight and determination to work in order to find a predictable solution to this problem. Often working late into the night, he experimented with different chemistries—even drawing his own blood to test their hemostatic effects.

Dentaltown.com is a place where dentists from around the world can connect with each other. Registered participants can share practice tips, pose clinical questions, and debate topics with their fellow “Townies.” It’s become a bustling communication hub for dentists, with the site averaging around 2,515 posts per day. And every year, Townies unite to vote on their favorite dental products in a wide range of categories that include anesthetics, office equipment, hygiene and restorative dentistry products, and more.

Dr. Fischer has spoken many times about the importance of happiness in the workplace—even going so far as to say that the quality of Ultradent’s products depends on it! “We believe not only in the quality of products, but in the quality of the workplace, or the quality of the work environment—with an emphasis on happiness. We believe that it’s difficult to have quality products if there’s not a quality culture and quality of life in the workplace,” he says. Ultradent has long hung its hat on being a family company—not only in that it started as a family-only company in 1978—but that family, and Ultradent’s family culture, despite the company’s incredible growth since its humble beginnings, still remains incredibly important. When it comes to work/life balance, being able to spend time with the ones you love and care for remains paramount to Dr. Fischer and to Ultradent’s company culture.

In addition to healthy teeth, nearly every dental patient would love a bright white smile. Give the people what they want! It’s a win-win for the patient and the dental office. Educating patients about their whitening options and offering a wide-variety of procedures and prices to fit each individual’s whitening needs simply equals good practice management.

With Christmas just a little more than two weeks away, perhaps you’ve finished picking out gifts for the special people in your life—now it’s time to wrap up the little details. Because the holidays have become synonymous with eating cookies, cakes, and sweets of every kind, here are a few stocking stuffer ideas that will help keep your loved ones’ smiles as happy as their tummies. Ultradent® Tooth Brushes With a comfortable grip and integrated tongue cleaner, Ultradent’s toothbrushes are effective in removing plaque and bacteria—providing gentle cleaning to the teeth and gums. They’re also available in a variety of colors, including red, purple, green, and blue.