In all avenues of life, folks behind the scenes often don't receive the acclaim they deserve. From hospitality, to healthcare, to Hollywood, people operating out of the spotlight can be ignored while the front-and-center stars get showered with praise. Travelers thank pilots, but air traffic controllers go about their duties without garnering the gratitude flight crews receive. Dental assistants are in many ways the air traffic controllers of their practice, directing the complex flow of an office while caring for patients and undertaking tasks others overlook.

The digital world is putting new pressures on the cosmetic dental industry. The desire for a dazzling smile is no longer just for face-to-face interactions—for many, their virtual grin is far more vital. Photogenic smiles get blasted across the globe on the seemingly endless supply of social media platforms. A picture becomes a post and that post gets viewed by our closest friends, family… and the internet at large. The ensuing digital judgement crosses back through the virtual matrix and skews our real-world perceptions.

What's the best thing you bought on Black Friday?

Logo and title excluded, the above is a non-doctored image of a VALO Grand curing light as it ascends through Earth's atmosphere. The True Story of One VALO Curing Light's Journey to Space There's a deflating helplessness all golfers know, when you take two shots to get the ball on the green, then another two, three, or four shots to reach the bottom of the cup. Those final few feet between tee box and pin routinely humble the most optimistic golfer.

Sending a VALO™ Grand Dental Curing Light to Space When Ultradent started manufacturing the VALO dental curing light in 2009, we aimed to produce the best curing light on the market, crafting each from a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum. So, it felt like destiny when the aeronautical DNA took over and we let a VALO light take flight. To mark the VALO curing light line's 10-year anniversary, we sent one to space. Seriously.

Recently, Ultradent added two new vice presidents to its executive team—Dr. Jaleena Jessop as VP of Clinical Affairs, and Karen Phillips as VP of Sales and Marketing. Both women bring a rich background and breadth of experience to their new roles and are proven, outstanding leaders in their field of expertise. Today you'll have the chance to learn about both women's impressive professional backgrounds, and also a bit more about their dynamic personalities—their favorite movies, their favorite Ultradent products, and more!

Ultradent has a commitment to providing superb training and Continuing Education to clinicians—surrounding not only our products but also the most innovative, minimally invasive dental techniques and practices—as part of our mission to improve oral health globally. In line with this mission, Ultradent seeks out the very best dentists from around the world to teach seminars, host lectures, and attend our yearly Ultradent Summits as well as destination CE events. This provides you with the very best CE, no matter where you live.

Ultradent is proud to announce its endorsement and support of Veterans' Smile Day, an initiative that encourages dentists across the country to offer a day of free dental care and support to our nation's military veterans anytime in the month prior to or after Veteran's Day, which is November 11th. The foundation also encourages offices to host Veterans' Smile Day events around Memorial Day and/or the 4thof July if that better fits their office's schedule and agenda. Ultradent will support the cause this year and in the years to come with digital and public relations support, as well as through dental product donations to dentists across the nation that wish to hold their own Veterans' Smile Day events.