hall dental distribution fame of - amazon s3...content from first impressions’ digital supplements...

HONORING:Meyer Cyker

andRichard Saslow

For Dental Sales Professionals June 2013

For Dental Sales Professionals June, 2010A partnered publication with Dental Sales Pro • www.dentalsalespro.com

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content

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Phone: 770/263-5257FAX: 770/236-8023

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Senior EditorLaura Thill

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PublisherBrian Taylor

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First Impressions (ISSN 1548-4165) is published bi-monthly by Medical Distribution Solutions Inc., 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Copyright 2013 by Medical Distribution Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: $48 per year. If you would like to subscribe or notify us of address changes, please contact us at the above numbers or address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Medical Distribution Solutions Inc., 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors.

13 June

Follow the Money ..................................p.6

What You May Have MissedContent from First Impressions’ digital supplements ....................................p.8

Ask the ExpertA former practicing dentist and current sales expert answers your questions .......p.9

A Winning TeamTogether, dealer and vendor reps can provide a powerful source of expertise for their dental customers ...... p.10

Know Their RolesBe familiar with the players in the administrative area of the practice ..... p.13

Choose Your Friends WiselyThe perils and promise of sales professionals ‘friending’ clients on Facebook ...............................p.16

Find Out What it MeansCreate better relationships with your doctors and their teams through respect .......................................p.18

Perfect ComboTrust, communication lead to excellent service, says technician Mako Middleton .................................... p.20

Good ImpressionsDentists have choices when it comes to selecting impression materials. Well-informed sales reps can help them make the right one. ............ p.24

Dental Distribution Hall of FameMeyer Cyker: One tough cookie Richard Saslow: Had to always make it better ..........................................p.28

The Elephant in the OperatoryDentists face a challenging future. So do the reps who service them. But together, they can come to terms with the shift in the market ...... p.44

Talking PointsFollowing the shocking news of unsanitary conditions at an Oklahoma oral surgeon’s office, reps can help make sure their customers are up to date on infection control procedures ............... p.46

Resin Composites. .............................p.53

Following the SignsAn exceedingly generous gift brings three people closer together. ............... p.56

News .............................................................p.59

Products ......................................................p.61

Dental Office Horror Stories Part 2 ........................p.62

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publisher’s letter

FBrian Taylor

“Follow the money.” We’ve all heard this phrase, and while it may seem overused, it is usually a good place to start when trying to understand why something happens in a business situation. Whether you are asking why your customer bought from someone else or why they purchased a particular prod-uct or why they altered the way they practice, there is a good chance that following the money will provide insight into the decision.

Of particular interest in this issue is the article by Charles Blair DDS, “The Elephant in the Operatory” on page 44. Blair explores the rapid growth of PPO plans in dental cov-erage. The numbers don’t lie, as the percent-age of PPO plans grows and exerts downward pressures on margins that cause a change in behaviors. Witness the trend toward group practices. Many dentists faced with these pressures seek efficiencies by aligning either with a small group, or in many cases, contract-ing with a large commercial group. Throw in the new generation of dentists who emerge from dental school with massive debt and the prospect of further investment (debt) in set-ting out on their own is daunting. A corporate dental option certainly becomes attractive to many of these young professionals.

Another area that can be explained by following the money is the decline in outside dental labs. CAD/CAM technology and digital

Follow the Money

Steve Desautel, Dental Health Products Inc.Paul Jackson, Benco DentalSuzanne Kump, Patterson Dental

Dawn Metcalf, Midway Dental SupplyLori Paulson, NDCTim Sullivan, Henry Schein Dental

Clinical boardBrent Agran, DDS, Northbrook, Ill.Clayton Davis, DMD, Duluth, Ga.Sheri Doniger, DDS, Lincolnwood, Ill.Nicholas Hein, DDS, Billings, Mo.Roshan Parikh, DDS, Olympia Fields, Ill

First Impressions editorial advisory board

impressions have reduced the demand for tra-ditional lab services and the added problem of offshore labs with low prices further muddies the waters. It puts additional pressures on reps to sell against the perils of unknown sources for products and services.

But with these financial pressures come opportunities for you to thrive by providing solutions to your customers in areas where they need help. In order to do so, however, a relationship of trust and confidence needs to exist between you and your customer. Understand how their practice works from front office to back. Know their customer base and payer profile. Use solutions gleaned from other customers to share with those that might be struggling. Learn how to lever-age and use your supplier partners to your best advantage. The financial pressures we read about and see in healthcare are real, but there is still an abundance of money that flows through these channels. Your fair share (to repeat a rather popular phrase these days) is out there waiting for you to claim it by assisting your customers in streamlining practices, protocols, and products that best fit their needs. Go for it!

Good selling.

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Content from First Impressions’ digital supplements

Sales reps do their part to involve dentists in charitable program.From FI May: Not everyone can manage the cost of good dental treatment. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t need and deserve it. The Dental Lifeline Network recognizes this, and for nearly 40 years the organization has worked to ensure access to care for those who desperately need it, but cannot

afford it. For distributor sales reps, this means an opportunity to work with their dental customers through Dental Lifeline Network’s DentaCheques program, which helps fund direct service programs that provide dental care to thousands of people across the country each year.

“Our goal is to increase access to comprehensive dental treatment for these people who desperately need help, but cannot afford it,” says Stacy Wamsley, DentaCheques manager. “Our flagship program, Donated Dental Services (DDS), has provided more than $220 million in dental care to over 113,000 people in all 50 states [since 1974, when the program began].”

The program works as follows: Dentists and specialists have an opportu-nity to purchase a dental product value book for $149 from their distributor sales rep. The book includes invoice credits from the dentist’s supplier, as well as free product offers and rebates. One hundred percent of DentaCheques proceeds, in turn, supports the Dental Lifeline Network programs.

What You MaY have MIssed

Clock management

From FI May: Of all the tasks that a salesperson performs on the job, almost all are in preparation for, or in reaction to, sales time. All the results for which salespeople are held ac-countable accrue as the result of what happens during sales time. Yet, sales time accounts for only about 25 percent of the typical salesperson’s work week.

That makes the decision as to how to invest sales time one of the most important decisions that a salesperson makes.

News of the WeirdFrom the Weekly Drill: She’s a vaga-bond toy poodle, named May by SPCA staff, because earlier this month she

fell out of the sky and landed in the grounds of Sechelt’s Shorncliffe Nursing Home in Vancouver, BC, Canada. How she

came to be flying over the nursing home is explained by the deep talon marks in her back and sides, showing she was probably the unwilling passenger of a hungry eagle that had picked her up but eventually found her 18 pounds too heavy to hold on to. The Sunshine Coast SPCA treat-ed her broken ribs, lacerated back and ingrown nails at a cost of some thou-sands of dollars but May, who appears to have been a stray for a long time, needed almost $4,000 in dental work to fix her badly decayed teeth. “The BC SPCA has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for May. Thank-fully, we’ve received enough donations to cover May’s surgeries and she is at the veterinary hospital for the first of her dental surgeries,” a spokesperson said.

»Don’t miss an issue! Sign up for First Impressions’ digital magazines at http://www.firstimpressionsmag.com/subscribe.asp.

Sign up for the Weekly Drill at http://news.firstimpressionsmag.com/Register.aspx.

www.firstimpressionsmag.com : First Impressions : June 2013 : 9

A: This is the question that everyone in dental sales should focus on. When working with company managers and lead-ers, they often tell me their teams need help in the close. I always say that it isn’t usually the close – the open is most im-portant. Reps aren’t closing mainly because the first conver-sation didn’t clearly differentiate them, so it isn’t clear to the dentist as to why they should work with that rep and/or buy their products/services.

Regardless of what you sell, the overwhelming num-ber of dentists know whether or not they are going to do business with you by the end of the second conversation. Of course, that doesn’t mean they will buy after the sec-ond conversation, but they know whether they will even-tually. Therefore, the old phrase “you don’t get a second chance to leave a good first impression” truly applies here. Otherwise, we are often chasing offices we think are pros-pects, but are really just wishy-washy dentists who don’t always feel comfortable just saying “no.”

Why should the dentist choose you?Often, reps try to do too much in the first conversation. This is somewhat understandable since they’re worried they may not get another shot. Reps also don’t always know how much time they have. They usually then try to squeeze in a full demo, or pitch, almost immediately. While it is possible the dentist wants to do business with you after your “fast demo” hooks them, very often this doesn’t work well. It usually takes several conversations to get the dentist’s busi-ness. What will make them receptive to meeting you again? What will give you the edge?

There should be three things you are looking to accomplish in the first conversation: 1. Determine their “why.”

What is their hot button? Why would they want your product/company? Is it a financial or an emotional reason? For example, does your product help them beat last year’s numbers (financial) or get more “Thank You’s” (emotional) from their patients? You must know this as soon as possible; otherwise telling them how great your product is (and rattling off all the features and benefits) doesn’t make the connection.

2. Get them to talk about themselves. If you can get them talking about what they’ve accomplished, what they like to do – get them to brag a bit – you are in good shape, because they will look at you positively (even though you haven’t even pitched yet).

3. Set up the second appointment. This sounds simple, but the feedback I get from reps is that they haven’t talked about their product features yet. You might be able to do your demo in the first meeting, or it may be in meeting two. They will give you the signal when it’s your turn. Then, they will listen more, and in fact, since you know their hot button, you can streamline your demo to make it more customized and more efficient.

Focus on the three objectives and watch your results. Your sales cycle will decrease and your new account numbers will soar!

Ask the ExpertBy Anthony Stefanou, DMD, Founder, Dental Sales Academy

Editor’s Note: Anthony Stefanou, DMD, will answer reps’ questions on their dental customers. E-mail him your questions at [email protected].

Q: What should I accomplish, at a minimum, in my first conversation with a dentist?

ask the expert

A former practicing dentist and current sales expert answers your questions


first person By Laura Thill

“The relationship between [dealer and manufacturer reps] must be com-plementary,” Hawkins says. “Both sides must benefit from it.” So, whereas dealer reps must have a broad knowledge of a large repertoire of products and equip-ment, vendor reps must have a deeper knowledge of a smaller number of products. “When a problem arises with regard to infection prevention or impres-sion materials, the vendor rep wants to be the go-to person for their dealer rep partners,” he explains. “At the same time, distributor reps have an in with their den-tal customers.” As such, they can bring together the vendor rep with the end user, and educate the office about a new or changing technology. If both reps keep the dentist’s best interests in mind, together they have a greater chance of

making their customer’s practice more profitable and efficient, he adds.

Knowing what it takesIf anyone has an eye for what it takes to service dental customers and help them succeed, it’s Hawkins. His experience working in the dental industry predates the 22 years he has been with Sultan. “I grew up in a dental family,” he says. “My dad was a dentist, and I worked in his office from the time I was 14. I would go in after school and help with the books and lab work.” After graduat-ing from college, his plan was to go to dental school. And though he followed through on his goal, he realized it was not his dream. “I attended the dental program at MUSC, but I could see the clinical work [wasn’t for me].”

A Winning TeamTogether, dealer and vendor reps can provide a powerful source of expertise for their dental customers.

A successful distributor-

manufacturer relationship should be complementary

“Both sides must benefit from it.” If a problem arises with the product, the

manufacturer rep needs to be the go-to source for the distributor. At

the same time, distributor reps can help make the connection between

manufacturers and end users.

Great sales reps rarely work alone. Indeed, it’s often a team effort on the part of distribu-tor and manufacturer sales reps – along with a genuine concern for the success of their

dental customers – that add up to topnotch customer service. So notes Doug Hawkins, director of sales, Sultan Healthcare. Whether they represent the dealer or the ven-dor side, sales reps must work together to build a trusting relationship with their dental customers, as well as with each other, he points out.

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first person

One of his father’s former retail reps, who had moved on to become president of Healthco, suggested that Hawkins consider joining the dental products industry. One thing led to another, and in 1991, he be-gan working for Sultan. About 5 ½ years ago, Dentsply Caulk acquired Sultan – a move that reflects the widespread consolidation that has taken place in the industry in re-cent years. Indeed, the trend toward consolidation has been one of the biggest changes in the dental indus-try as far as Hawkins is concerned. “For sales reps, this means the field is more competitive,” he points out. “There are fewer jobs and reps to-day must think faster.”

They must think smarter, too. When Hawkins hires new sales reps, he looks for “a personality that is hungry to succeed.” Some reps come to the table with a drive for success, he notes. “Sales reps get a lot of ‘no’s,’ so we look for those who can get back up and persevere.” He also looks for reps that have a strong academic re-cord, a history of involve-ment in activities and orga-nizations, good analytical skills and an outgoing per-sonality. And, he considers how well newcomers will fit in with the Sultan cul-ture, he adds.

It comes down to trustTrust is key to a strong partnership between dealer reps and vendor reps, says Hawkins. And, reps are more likely to trust one another when they can count on them to be available when they are needed. “We always stress [to our

reps] that following up [with their dealer reps] is the most critical thing,” he explains. “We tell them, ‘If your dealer reps can’t count on you to an-swer their questions or help take care of their dentists, they will find some-one else [to do so].”

Ride-alongs (or detail days) and lunch-and-learns are great ways for dealer and vendor reps to strength-en their relationship, he continues. From the dealer standpoint, this is an opportunity to learn more about products and services from their vendor rep partners. And, from the manufacturer perspective, it’s an op-portunity to meet the end users and ensure they are using products prop-erly and efficiently. The more reps learn from one another, the stronger they will be, he says. And, the bet-ter reps service their customers, the more profitable and efficient each

practice is likely to become – and, in turn, the more it will value its sales reps.

Indeed, a constantly changing marketplace re-quires sales reps to do what it takes – including present-ing a strong united front to customers – to provide the best solutions and service. “Looking at the last two years, we see big techno-logical changes, includ-ing the switch from film

to digital radiography the way CAD/CAM has evolved,” says Hawkins. In addition, today, regulatory compliance is becoming more complex and complicated, he notes. Distributor sales reps must know that all of the prod-ucts they put in a dental office meet regulations. Working closely with their vendor rep partners is one step toward ensuring this. [FI]

New sales reps must…Think smarter. When Hawkins hires new sales reps, he looks for “a personality that is hungry to succeed.” Some reps come to the table with a drive for success, he notes. “Sales reps get a lot of ‘no’s,’ so we look for those who can get back up and perse-vere.” He also looks for reps that have a strong academic record, a history of involve-ment in activities and organi-zations, good analytical skills and an outgoing personality. And, he considers how well newcomers will fit in with the Sultan culture, he adds.

Doug Hawkins and family.


Be familiar with the players in the administrative area of the practice

The business managerThe first category is the “business man-ager” situation. In this type of office the manager has primarily high-level re-sponsibilities with minimal patient care involvement. He or she is usually tasked with many operational duties (similar to a COO of a corporation). These duties include (but are not limited to):

• Payroll and accounts payable• Hiring and employee management

( a significant part of the job)• Report generation and interpreta-

tion (including accounts receivable)• Initiating and tracking

marketing efforts

• Evaluating new instruments, equipment and comparing prices with other suppliers

• Staying current with new CE for the team

Editor’s Note: The relationship between office managers and sales teams can be a beautiful thing when it works well. The American Asso-ciation of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) would love for every manager to have great relationships with their reps. We’re thankful that First Impressions has allowed us to strengthen this relationship by giving us a voice in this column. Office managers will respond to questions in order to provide insight into the decisions we’re faced with for our practices.

Heather Colicchio Teresa Duncan

Know Their Roles

Do you know who does what in the dental office? We’ve received several questions about how dental offices are staffed, and more specifically we’ve been asked how to quickly recognize the decision maker. Offices today fall into one of two categories. It’s important to adjust your time expectations when dealing with an office based on its staffing model.


office managers

Business Manager. Tasked with high-level responsibilities (including accounts payable, hiring, evaluating new instruments), similar to the COO of a corporation.

Receptionist Manager. Common in smaller offices. Time split between care and administrative duties.

Treatment and Insurance Coordinators. Verify eligibility of patients, filing claims, preparing information for patient’s consultation.

This manager is actually easier to gain face-to-face time with than our second category. She has more non-patient time but more administrative duties. Dropping by unannounced won’t throw her schedule into disarray, but you should still call ahead if you have new products or sales you wish to promote. You’ll find this level of man-ager in a multi-location practice or in a small-to-medium group practice.

Receptionist managerThe second category is the “reception-ist manager” staffing model. This hap-pens in smaller offices with only one or two administrative team members. This manager has to split her time be-tween patient care and administrative

duties. She may not have some of the higher-level duties because with this size office the doctor is usually more hands-on with the business aspect. As the doctor becomes busier, the man-ager is given additional operational duties. This is a tricky process because the existing receptionist duties do not go away. This manager is often very busy, and is multi-tasking like crazy to keep up with all the duties. Her duties typically include:

• Answering the phones• Scheduling patients and

collecting copayments• Gathering payroll hours

for payment• Filing and tracking of

insurance claims• Managing OSHA and HIPAA

for the practice• Ordering supplies• Treatment and financial

presentations to the patient

As you can imagine, this manager is like an octopus with many tentacles moving in all directions. And she’s hard to pin down for face time sim-ply because she doesn’t know what is coming next in the day, plus her daily duties are substantial and need to be completed before she has time to chat with you. Calling ahead for an appointment with her isn’t a guaran-tee, but will be appreciated. This type of manager will most likely talk with you during the lunch hour, but please don’t visit first thing in the morning. She will be busy rescheduling can-cellations and fitting in emergencies along with calling for a temporary employee if any team members call in sick. Many times she IS the temp and will throw on scrubs to help the clinical team.

What about those who sit in corners and are always on the phone or are buried in paperwork? These are your treatment coordinators and insurance coordinators. Many times the manager can pull double duty as the treatment coordinator, but in larger offices these two posi-tions can merit a full- or part-time position. The insurance coordinator

What about those who sit in corners and are always on the phone or are buried in paperwork? These are your treatment coordinators and insurance coordinators.


Heather Colicchio is the President and Founder of the American Association of Dental Office Managers and Teresa Duncan serves as their Educational Content Adviser. For more information on AADOM please visit www.dentalmanagers.com.

Are you wondering what’s on our mind? Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “First Impressions.”

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is in charge of verifying eligibility, re-questing benefit information, filling claims and following up on outstanding charges. The treatment coordinator is responsible for entering and presenting treatment into the computer and pre-paring the information for the patient’s consultation. This includes obtaining accurate benefit information, gather-ing visual aids to help in case presen-tation and also being a part of the ac-tual presentation. She will also track the patient’s treatment to ensure it is com-pleted (especially if a referral office is involved) and follow up with the patient after appointments.

The insurance coordinator and the treatment coor-dinator typically don’t need to meet with you, the sales

representative. However, it would be wise to know who they are, because one day they could move into the managerial position. These employees often work very closely with the manager who will value their opinion. If you ignore them but smile big for the manager, it will be noticed.

As a sales representative walking into a new office it would help for you to know the players in the administrative area of the practice. Remember, your time in the office has to be purposeful or the manager/team will tend to ignore you or make excuses to not see you. Call ahead if

possible to make sure you can have the face time you want with one of the practice’s decision makers. Respect of the manager’s time will win you a friend for life! [FI]


social media

Choose Your Friends WiselyThe perils and promise of sales professionals ‘friending’ clients on Facebook

First let’s look at the downside of someone friending a corporate or business account on Facebook. This type of business friending would be no different than letting any other corporate entity be your personal friend. That means if Target, Capital One or Coca-Cola could friend you, suddenly

that corporation or business would have access to your personal profile. You would never allow that, right? Most people wouldn’t want to give a for-profit corporation or business en-tity access to their personal profile.

Sales professionals could envi-sion what it would be like to allow their client’s business, say a dental practice, access to their personal profile. Can you imagine, suddenly

that business knows when you are getting married, di-vorced, celebrating the birth of a child or experienc-ing a terminal illness? These are all life experiences that many people choose to share with select individuals – not business entities.

By Rita Zamora

You’ve seen the Facebook accounts, Jane Smith Com-pany Name or Jack Smith Business Name. You may have friended some of these individuals. These are pseudo individual Facebook profiles that some sales

professionals set up to “friend” their clients. While the idea of closer relationships with your clients may seem like a great idea, you must also consider the perils of these new opportunities.


Ask any of your salespeople if they would allow a corporate entity access to their personal Facebook profile, and most would adamant-ly say no. Unfortunately some of those same adamant salespeople are those who are friending their clients with their pseudo friend account. In other words, rather than friending clients from their authentic personal profile, they create a second profile “just for business.” This practice is a violation of Facebook’s terms of service because Facebook forbids the creation of more than one personal account per individual – and the account should be in your real name.

Facebook set up the system this way for a reason, because real people benefit from real relationships. Any-thing other than that and you’re at risk of creating one-sided, somewhat predatory, relationships. A relationship where one gets to see and know everything about you, but you only get to see limited information about the other person is just not right. In addition, and perhaps the most important issue from a business standpoint, is that companies and individuals lose out on opportunities to grow high value relationships when they employ pseu-do friending. A salesperson’s success often rests in their ability to create and grow relation-ships. Getting the initial sale, repeat sales, and referrals often relies on individual’s relationship-building skills. Facebook offers your sales team tremendous promise to create and grow effective and profitable relationships – when used properly.

The Johari WindowThere is a relationship model called the Johari Window, which was created by two psychologists,

Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham. The basic premise of the model is that we all have “windows” of information about ourselves that can either be open or closed. A window of information could be basic generally-known public in-formation, such as your name, the city you live in, and whether you are male or female (similar to the

type of information that is public on Facebook person-al profiles). Another level of information is more per-sonal, which could be your hobbies, whether you have children, what your family life is like, spiritual or politi-cal beliefs, etc. This level of deeper information is often what is shared among Facebook friends.

The most productive relationships share Johari win-dows that are appropriately open – or closed – with each other. When your clients see that they share things in common with you, whether it’s your love of fam-ily, hobbies or pets, they feel a connection with you. Those two-way open relationships create environments of trust and camaraderie, and this in turn fosters sales, referrals and loyalty.

If salespeople choose to keep their personal windows closed, then they shouldn’t put their clients in an unfair situ-

ation by friending them with a pseu-do account. In those situations, it’s best to avoid the potential peril and avoid using Facebook as a relation-ship tool. On the other hand, if you are comfortable with an open/au-thentic window, and it’s appropriate for you to friend your clients, then friend away. Over time, you will ex-perience the promise Facebook has to offer, which is closer, more enjoy-able and profitable relationships with your clients. [FI]

Rita Zamora is an authority in social media marketing for dental professionals. She is a highly sought-after consultant and speaker who has trained and motivated dentists, teams, consultants and corporate clients. Zamora is published frequently in the United States and Internationally. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing. Visit: RitaZamora.com.

Think twice Can you imagine your

dental practice customers knowing things like when you are getting married,

divorced, celebrating the birth of a child or

experiencing an illness?

Be real Perhaps the most important issue from a business stand-

point, is that companies and individuals lose out on opportunities to grow high

value relationships when they employ pseudo friending. A salesperson’s success often

rests in their ability to create and grow relationships.


sales

I was recently in the company of two hygienists who were sharing their frustration over a com-mon experience with some of their local dental sales representatives. It went something like this:

“I just don’t get it!” ““Me either, it’s so annoying.” “We are a business that runs on appointments, so why do they always show up without one?”“Exactly! We are all about providing the best patient experience possible, so why do they interfere rather than support us in this goal?” “And then they have the audacity to waste my time with incomplete clinical data.” “You too? It’s crazy that I often know more about the efficacy of ‘their’ product than they do.”“I don’t have time to teach them dentistry and I don’t appreciate them wasting my time.”“And if I’m giving them a few minutes that I don’t really have to spare, I don’t appreciate all the flirty, small talk. Get down to helping me, don’t waste my time.”

“If they really want to talk with the doctor, why don’t they say so? Why bug the admins to bug

me? I’m not the doctor’s gatekeeper.”“Better yet, if they want the practice to consider what they have to offer, why not treat each team member

with the respect they deserve?”“Don’t get me wrong. I know they are just trying to do

their job. I wish someone would help them to do it better.”“Me too! I respect that they have a job to do and that we need them to do our best work. There’s got to be a better way to work together to support each other.”

Find outThroughout the conversation, I had visions of Aretha Franklin crooning her signature song in support of these hygienists: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.” On the surface, I believe all the different players in dentistry have respect for each other on a basic level. How-ever, what does that need to look and feel like to have last-ing impact on our working relationships?

By Ginny Hegarty

Create better relationships with your

doctors and their teams through respect

Find Out What it Means


Over the past few months, I asked numerous administrative team members, clinical assistants and hy-gienists how they would prefer their sales representatives work with them. I heard two particular comments over and over again.

• No. 1: “Ask me what’s best for me!” Don’t assume that what works for another person will work for me.

• No. 2: Please learn something about what I actually do in the dental practice. Once you understand my role, my challenges and daily routines, you’ll be better able to understand how to support me and my challenges in a way that helps us both.”

In an interesting coincidence, I had lunch with a couple of doctors at a recent industry meeting. One doctor had his wife with him as he was visiting multiple vendors to research a digital panoramic X-ray unit. The doctor’s wife stepped away from a particularly technical part of the conversation

and walked to the other side of the booth. Two of the rep-resentatives who had been involved in the conversation with her husband came over and began criticizing her husband. “Do you believe this guy?” After venting their frustration for a few minutes, they noticed the doctor’s wife and asked if they could help her. She smiled and said “No, thank you. I’m with him” and pointed to her husband. The representa-tives were aptly embarrassed and left the area.

The conversation continued with the doctors sharing their frustration over the number of lunch & learns that get scheduled without their knowledge or approval. The doctors wondered if the product representatives realized that the practice must pay the team members to attend

their lunch & learn. The doctors would prefer to make strategic decisions about when, where and who attends these meetings so the return on their continuing education investment is maximized.

None of these situations reflects well on product sales representatives. To add fuel to the fire, an assistant started a similar thread on my Facebook newsfeed recently com-plaining about the time wasted with representatives who don’t understand HOW to be of service. A thoughtful exchange followed where participants acknowledged that product representatives have a valuable role to play, they just wish there was a greater professionalism and respect in place.

How can you bridge this gap and create a better re-lationship with your doctors and their teams, one that

supports growth for everyone and has your clients look-ing forward to your visits rather than dreading them? If you’re thinking you’re so much better than the examples above, how can you know for sure?

This is an opportunity and a challenge for you. When is the last time you checked in with your practices to see how well you are serving them? Have you considered asking your doctors how you can be of better support to them and their team? A 360-degree performance re-view allows everyone to weigh in on your effectiveness … have you ever done one? Are you ready to raise your game? This is a great topic for personal reflection and your next team meeting. [FI]

Key to successThe 360-degree evaluation. Swallow your pride and ask if your customers would be willing to give you a thorough evaluation of how you are serving them. The review allows everyone to weigh in on your effectiveness.

Do you know their role? One of the most oft cited frustrations is that vendors don’t know who does what in the dental practice.

“Once you understand my role, my challenges and daily routines, you’ll be better able to understand how to support me and my challenges in a way that helps us both.”


service tech profile

Middleton was an Air Force child and traveled the States as a young-ster before settling in Marin County in the mid-1960s. He took various business management courses at the College of Marin after high school to pursue a career in retail manage-ment. After considering the various companies in the dental supply and service industry, he joined Patterson in 1993. Today, he services practices in the North Bay area, which in-cludes Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa counties. He also serves customers in Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties as needed.

“Over the years, I have wit-nessed numerous changes in the dental equipment industry and in dental practices,” says Middleton.

“Digital technology, merely a thought in most practices in the early 1990s, is now a fully embraced, accepted – and expected – part of today’s dental practice. Operatory and mechanical equipment have become more tech-nologically advanced as well. We are living in one of the most progressive, exciting times with respect to the ad-vancements in just about all aspects of the dental world.”

‘High expectations’In many ways, the expectations of to-day’s customers are the same as they were 20 years ago, notes Middleton. “They all have high expectations.” But, he adds, “[o]ur current gen-eration of dental practices now re-quires technologically skilled service

Perfect Combo

Mako Middleton

Mako Middleton’s introduction to a career as a dental service technician came in the early 1980s, when his father-in-law, who was staff photographer at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry,

informed him of an opening at the school for an equipment tech-nician for the dental department. “I spent seven years at U.O.P. getting acquainted with the dental equipment and the education process students go through on their way to becoming doctors, so I have much respect for their accomplishments,” says Middle-ton, service technician at Patterson Dental’s East Bay branch in northern California. “I had the opportunity to become a field service technician with a dental supply company, which opened my eyes to the expansive world of dental equipment.”

Trust, communication lead to excellent

service, says technician

Mako Middleton


service tech profile

technicians, in addition to the fun-damental ‘nuts and bolts’ technician of yesteryear. They all want quick, knowledgeable and efficient techni-cians to keep their practice on the cut-ting edge of a competitive industry.

One of the most important com-ponents to continued success is build-ing relationships and never taking cus-tomers for granted, says Middleton. “Display professionalism, knowledge, skill, confidence, efficiency and thor-oughness – all with a smile. Assure cus-tomers that their situation and interests are of the utmost importance to you.

“I place high value on our cus-tomers’ business and want them to feel that they have gotten their mon-ey’s worth. It’s important to remem-ber that our customers have options and can seek service elsewhere. I also keep in mind that Patterson is an employee-owned company. Posi-tively impacting the practice and staff contributes to return business and growing business, which in turn grows the value of the company for all of us as shareholders.”

To provide the best possible service, service techs must com-municate with their fellow service

technicians and vendor partners, says Middleton. “Communication is your best tool for success; lack of com-munication can lead to undesired as-sumptions. Establishing trust also is key. Making a good impression with integrity can go a long way.

Communication with the sales and equipment reps is important too. “Openly displaying teamwork builds strong working relationships, but also makes an impression on customers and gives them another reason to work with Patterson on many levels.

“The bottom line is relationships. Great things happen when you form a bond with your co-workers, vendor reps and customers. We all need each other to be successful, and by work-ing together harmoniously, we cre-ate a winning combination for prac-tices. Although similar, each office is unique in personality and equipment needs. As we go on service calls, we are all coached to pay attention to equipment condition and the doctor’s needs. Doctors tend to trust the ad-vice of service techs, regarding when to replace vs. repair. When opportu-nity arises, communication between the service tech, the doctor, the sales rep and the equipment rep can create a desirable win-win experience for all involved. It comes down to paying at-tention and communicating.”

Middleton lives in Rohnert Park, Calif., in the middle of Sonoma County. He has two sons, Anthony and Wesly; and two stepdaughters, Dawn and Tawny. When he’s not servicing equipment, he enjoys bar-becuing, going to baseball and foot-ball games, and playing music with local musicians. [FI]

Perspective Middleton says it’s important to remember that customers have

options and can seek service elsewhere. “I also keep in mind that

Patterson is an employee-owned company. Positively impacting

the practice and staff contributes to return business and growing

business, which in turn grows the value of the company for all of us

as shareholders.”

Teamwork To provide the best possible

service, service techs must communicate with their fellow service technicians and vendor

partners, says Middleton. “Communication is your best tool

for success; lack of communication can lead to undesired assumptions.

Establishing trust also is key. Making a good impression with

integrity can go a long way.”

“ Openly displaying teamwork builds strong working relationships, but also makes an impression on customers and gives them another reason to work with Patterson on many levels.”

– Mako Middleton

The Industry, and the 8,200 who have downloaded the app would like to thank the participating manufacturers that have included their

product information and rep rosters within DSP Connect.

Thanks You!

3M ESPEAADOMA-decActeon North AmericaAccutronAdDentAir TechniquesAmerican Eagle InstrumentsAnsellAribexAxis/Sybron EndoBiotrolBosworth CompanyBrewer DesignCetylite IndustriesColteneCrosstexDMG AmericaDentalEZDenticatorDentsply MidwestDentsply ProfessionalEssential Dental SystemsFlow DentalGC America

Garrison Dental SolutionsGeorgia-PacificHager WorldwideHandler ManufacturingHeraeus KulzerHu-Friedy ManufacturingIvoclar VivadentJ Morita USAKerrKavoKeystone IndustriesKuraray AmericaMarusMedicomMeisinger USAMidmarkMiltex (Integra)NSK DentalNu Radiance

PDIPDT, Inc. - Paradise Dental

TechnologyPulpdentPelton & CranePentronPlanmecaPorter InstrumentPremier DentalProgenySDI North AmericaSchick TechnologiesSciCanSempermed USASeptodontShofu DentalSirona Dental SystemsSS WhiteSultan HealthcareSuni Medical ImagingSunstar AmericasTHE DENTAl ADVISORTotalCareVOCO AmericaYoung Dental

For additional information go to www.dentalsalesproconnect.com


sales focus

Dentists have a lot riding on the impression ma-terial they use, and they rely on their distribu-tor sales reps to steer them to the best solution. Impression material should work predictably in

any environment and provide accurate details for the labo-ratory. Distributor reps who offer top quality materials are certain to make the best impression on their customers.

A wide selectionGeneral dentists, prosthodontists and orthodontists all rely on good quality impression material. Materials today offer a number of advances over those of years past, including greater tear strength, better flow and improved handling. They are faster-setting to facilitate quicker mouth removal and patient comfort. And, some materials offer longer working times for larger cases. In addition, dentists and specialists can depend on:

• Pre-impression surface optimizers, designed to equalize the surface tension of gingiva, dentin, enamel and metals, and allow wash material to flow better and capture fine details.

• Specific viscosities for triple trays, which are rigid to avoid distortion.

• Unidose delivery systems for wash materials.

Regardless of each dentist’s preference, reps should be able to provide a general overview, such as the following, to keep their customers current in their thinking.

• Vinyl polysiloxanes (VPS). Because they rely on surfactants for wetability, results may vary. However, some VPS materials today include surfactants designed to make them more hydrophilic, with multiple set times. They are indicated for crown and bridgework, inlays and onlays, partial or full dentures, veneers and implants, and they reportedly taste better than some materials.

• Polyethers. Polyether materials today offer excellent flow and high hydrophilicity, however they are known for low tear strength and a poor taste. Some dentists may value their extended setting time, which offers a longer work window. Polyethers are indicated for impressions of

Good Impressions

Dentists have choices when it comes to

selecting impression materials. Well-

informed sales reps can help them make

the right one.


the inlay, onlay, crown and bridge, as well as veneer preparations, functional impressions and implants. They constitute 14 percent of the total combined market.

• Vinyl polyether silicones (VPES). They feature high tear strength, good flow and hydrophilic characteristics. VPES materials are indicated for crown and bridgework, inlays and onlays, partial or full dentures, veneers and implants.

• Alginates. At 7 percent of the total combined market, alginates are said to be very hydrophilic. However, some experts feel they are dimensionally unstable, with only fairly accurate results. Alginates are used for diagnostic models, bleaching trays and sports guards. They are designed for preliminary – not final – impressions. And, because the material is soft and flexible, and less likely to extract teeth, it is said to be good for patients with compromised teeth.

• Silicones. An older technology, silicones are rubber-based materials that contain silicone. They constitute 1 percent of the total combined market and are used to check the intra-oral fit.

• Rubber-based materials. An older technology comprising 1 percent of the total combined market, rubber-based impression materials feature extremely high tear strength, but reportedly are not very hydrophilic. Typically, they have a poor taste and are associated with poor deformation.

• Compounds. An older technology, compounds are an inflexible material used primarily for casts and models. They constitute less than 0.5 percent of the total combined market.

• Hydrocolloids. An older technology, hydrocolloids are an elastic-type alginate. Hydrocolloids gel via a chemical reaction. Once the gel process begins, it is irreversible. Reversible hydrocolloids, which must be boiled, also are available. Hydrocolloids constitute less than 0.1 percent of the total combined market.

Packaging and costGenerally, impression materials are packaged in 50-mil-liliter cartridges, which are extruded with a dispensing gun. The cartridges include a base and a catalyst, which are mixed together as they extrude through the mixing tip. The cartridges come in two- or four-cartridge refills.

Another packaging option is the automatic mixing machine, which mixes and dispenses the material directly into the impression tray. This is particularly convenient and efficient when an office is producing a large volume of impressions. Other packaging options include putty, which often requires the dentist to mix the base and catalyst by hand, and powder substances (usually associated with cer-tain alginates) that come in a foil pouch or metal container.

Vinyl polysiloxanes, vinyl polyether silicones and poly-ethers range in cost from 25 cents to 30 cents per millili-ter, for a standard value product, to 40 cents or 50 cents per milliliter for a premium quality product. Some experts believe the more expensive materials are more advanced and work better with the fluids in the mouth to capture critical marginal detail, whereas inexpensive materials may not flow as well and tear more easily when being removed. That said, tray selection and tissue management can af-fect the outcome of an impression, even when the highest quality material is used.

How to sellOnce dentists find an impression material they are comfort-able using, it can be challenging to convince them to try a new product, particularly since so many factors can impact the accuracy and outcome of the impression. Sales reps

Once dentists find an impression material they are comfortable using, it can be challenging to convince them to try a new product, particularly since so many factors can impact the accuracy and outcome of the impression.


sales focus

should position themselves as prob-lem solvers, consultants and a source of technical expertise. By working closely with their manufacturer rep partners, distributor reps can stay on top of the latest technology and keep their customers informed.

Reps should ask the following ques-tions to determine whether their customers can improve their im-pression technique by switching to a new product:

• “Doctor, what impression material are you currently using?”

• “What do you like – or not like – about the impres-sion material you currently are using?”

• “If you could change one thing about the impression material you are using, what would that be?”

• “How often do you experience the need for a retake?” (e.g., The impression has defects upon removal from the mouth and must be retaken immediately.)

• “How often do you experience the need for a remake?” (e.g., The crown doesn’t fit during seating, and the dentist must start over.)

• “What types of impression defects do you experience? Voids or bubbles? Pulls or drags? Setting issues?” (Distributor sales reps should involve the manufacturer rep, who can troubleshoot problems. Proper technique and more forgiving impression materials can resolve such problems.)

• “How do you store your impressions material? Do you generally store it with the used mixtip?”

• “When do you bleed the cartridge?” (The dentist should bleed the cartridge prior to each use. Cartridge ports are susceptible to cross contamination of the base/catalyst, which causes the material to set up and block the ports.

Providing dentists with sample impression materials to try, third-party evaluations or peer recom-

mendations may help convince them to switch to a new product. In addition, sales reps should emphasize the benefit of using premium impression materials. Better hydrofilicity and greater tear strength help reduce the need for retakes and remakes, making the additional a worthwhile investment.

By working closely with their manufacturer sales rep, distributor reps can educate their dental customers about the best solution for their practice. Particularly with regard to viscosities and timing options, not every impression material is right for every dental practice. And, reps must ensure that their customers use tray and wash materials that are compatible. (One manufactur-er’s tray material will not necessarily work with another manufacturer’s wash material. Doing so can lead to de-fects and cost the dentist extra time trying to adjust the patient’s crown.)

In the end, showing your customers they can depend on you as the impression material expert may be the factor that convinces them to make a change for the better. [FI]

Editor’s note: First Impressions Magazine would like to thank Dentsply Caulk for its assistance with this article.

Better hydrofilicity and greater tear strength help reduce the need for retakes and remakes,

making the additional a worthwhile investment.


Dental DistributionHall of Fame


Dental DistributionHall of Fameental distribution has

a rich history. Some of today’s distributors and

manufacturers have roots that go back 50, 100, 150 years. Others

have made their mark much more recently. Last year, First Impressions launched the Dental Distribution Hall of Fame as our way of saying thanks to those who have brought us to the point we are today. It’s a way of sharpening our collective

memory, and it’s a way to keep our role models front and center. We introduce our second set of inductees – Meyer Cyker

and Richard Saslow – in this month’s issue.


Dental Distribution Hall of Fame

Built piece by piece largely through acquisitions of local dealers, Healthco ultimately reached $450 million in an-nual sales. But the company collapsed just a couple of years after it was ac-quired by an investment firm in 1990. Even so, Healthco continues to have an impact on the industry, with many of its former reps still calling on custom-ers today. Cyker died in October 2012.

“What I learned from [Meyer Cyker] is that an immigrant can arrive in this country with nothing, not even speaking a word of English, and create and develop a dream and fulfill that dream,” says Stanley Bergman, chair-man and CEO of Henry Schein, whose company ended up hiring many Healthco field reps, and in the process, made the transition from a catalog company to a full-ser-vice dental distributor.

World War IIThat Cyker came to this country with nothing isn’t far from the truth. Born into a Jewish family in Poland in 1928, the Cykers faced hardship during World War II. In October 1942, the family – Leiba and Sofia Cyker, and their sons, Musik (later Meyer) and Meisha (Michael) – managed to escape into the forest following the murder of Jews in the Zdolbunow ghetto in modern-day Ukraine. They were given shelter and protection near the village

of Stepanovka by a non-Jewish family, the Kravchuks. The fear of being discovered is said to have reached a climax during the German retreat in the spring of 1944, when German soldiers stayed in the Kravchuk home for a few days. In April 1944, the Cykers left the house and went to Zdolbunow.

One tough cookie

Tough as nails but intensely interested in the welfare of oth-ers, particularly young people, Meyer Cyker – with his younger brother, Michael – created a national dental distribution firm – Healthco – that spanned the country and extended into Western Europe. A tough negotiator who spoke with a

heavy Polish accent, Cyker thrived on big-volume deals with manufactur-ers, built a formidable private label brand of dental products, and was the No. 1 provider of financing for dental customers.

Healthco founder

demanded attention…

and got it

Meyer Cyker:


In 1947, the Cykers immigrated to Boston, where So-fia Cyker’s sisters lived. There, Leiba Cyker opened a ko-sher butcher shop, where young Meyer worked. In fact, his first job in this country was cleaning Thanksgiving turkeys, says Jenny Cyker, Meyer Cyker’s wife. He tried to pursue an education in engineering, which he had begun in Europe, but was unable to because of the language bar-rier. So he went to work for two brothers, Ben and Harry Rower, at a Boston dental supply company called Rower Dental Supply. He started sweeping floors and learning the different instruments, recalls Jenny Cyker, who mar-ried Meyer in 1956.

“As the story goes, one day he asked Ben Rower if he could do more than stock shelves,” says Larry Barton, field sales consultant for Henry Schein, and Meyer Cyker’s

son-in-law. Rower reportedly told him if he wanted to work Saturdays, he could call on some local customers to see what he could do. Cyker met with much success, particularly selling products to the students at nearby Tufts Dental School. At some point, he ended up buying out Rower.

‘Fantastic salesman’“He was a fantastic salesman,” recalls Jenny Cyker. “He knew what he was selling. Many times, people thought he was a dentist himself. His customers became his friends; they trusted him implicitly.” In fact, their home on Beacon Street became like Grand Central Station, she says. “Den-tists would come for advice; he would mediate between partners; he would help them look for locations.” Meyer Cyker

“He was a people person,” who took an

avid interest in people regardless of their

stature in life. – Fred Cyker



“He loved the interaction with dentists,” says Cyker’s son, Fred Cyker. He took an interest in the international dental students at Tufts, and found those relationships helpful when establishing European operations much later. “He was a people person,” who took an avid interest in people regardless of their stature in life, he says. “Even when he was well off and living at the Four Seasons, he knew each doorman, where they were from, how old they were, whether they were in school. Education was a big focus for him.”

“He spoke English, but if you weren’t use to his dialect, he was very hard to make out,” recalls Barton, who joined Healthco in 1979 as a salesman and who later served as

New York region manager. As a rookie rep in New York, Barton met Cyker for first time at the New York Dental meeting. “I had heard about him, but had never met him. Meyer and Michael walked into the room; someone kicked me and said, ‘That is the CEO and president of the com-pany, so look sharp.’” He recalls Cyker being personable at that meeting, but he also recalls being peppered with ques-tions about the products at the booth. Later, Barton ended up marrying Cyker’s daughter, Elizabeth.

“What always struck me was that [Cyker] had a really solid relationship with [the regional managers],” says Bar-ton. “I always thought that, because of the way he came up through the ranks, he had an affinity for salespeople. And in turn, salespeople had an affinity for him, because they knew he wasn’t a manager who had never been on the street, or who had never fought the fight that salespeople do every day.”

Growing a companyIn the early years, a few big dental distributors controlled much of the business, making it difficult for small compa-nies to get lines, says Barton. That didn’t deter Cyker. “Be-cause he couldn’t get the traditional lines, he had to seek secondary lines from companies whose products weren’t being sold as well as the main lines, and then go out and sell them.”

Cyker built his company by acquiring mom-and-pop dental supply companies, first in New England, then around the country. He also acquired dental labs and even some nursing homes, and grew a Healthco medical distri-bution firm as well.

“In almost all of [the ac-quired dealers], whoever had been the owner became an employee of Healthco,” says Barton. Cyker was able to build a great deal of loyalty throughout the growing company. At its peak, Healthco employed about 600 sales reps in about 100 locations.

To raise the capital for his ac-quisitions, Cyker awarded shares of company stock to investors. So, in a sense, in the early 1970s, Health-co was already a public company,

though not a publicly traded one. Eventually, close to half of Healthco’s stock was controlled by the Loews Corp., through its subsidiary, CNA Corp., with the remainder owned by Cyker and those whom Healthco had acquired.

Healthco ultimately became the country’s largest den-tal dealer, and probably accounted for about 25 percent of all manufacturers’ sales, says Fred Haggerty, who worked at the company for 23 years. “[The company was] ‘king of the hill,’ so to speak.” A one-time sales rep and then product manager for Unitek in California, Haggerty joined Healthco as national marketing manager. He later became vice president of marketing and eventually, a corporate of-ficer responsible for developing Healthco brands.

A difficult first meetingHoward Wax’s first meeting with the Cyker brothers in Rower Dental Supply’s Boston headquarters is indicative

“ What always struck me was that [Cyker] had a really solid relationship with [the regional managers]. I always thought that, because of the way he came up through the ranks, he had an affinity for salespeople.”

– Larry Barton



of the way they approached their business partners. “I re-member it vividly,” says Wax, retired CEO of Hu-Friedy, and now its senior business advisor. “My first meeting with Meyer and Mike was everything that I had anticipat-ed. Both were very difficult. Meyer, as an example, never referred to me by name at that meeting. He continued to refer to me as ‘the brother-in-law.’” (Hu-Friedy owner Dick Saslow was married to Wax’s step sister.)

But over time, Wax’s relationship – and fondness – for Meyer Cyker grew. “If you’re a salesman and pride your-self on being relatively competent, you love those kinds of challenges. ‘One of these days, I’m going to get this guy to call me Howard.’” Mission ac-complished. “In fact, I subsequently looked for-ward to going to Boston.”

Cyker liked to do things big, says Wax, who recalls a story about Cyker ordering a gross of instru-ments from Hu-Friedy prior to Wax’s joining the firm. “A gross of any-thing was phenomenal. But that’s how he would work. He’d get your atten-tion with the big numbers. Then, as everybody knew, you’d wait like hell to get paid for it.

Our way or the highway“They were tough,” says Wax, speaking of the Cykers. “Their attitude was, ‘If you want to do business with us, you do business our way, and that’s it.’ You have to decide, ‘Is it worth it?’ And, indeed, it was.”

“He wouldn’t make a promise he felt he couldn’t de-liver,” says Fred Cyker, speaking of his father. If he sought an exclusive contract with a manufacturer, it was because he felt he could grow that company’s market share.

“If someone came to the table with a request, my father would say ‘Yes,’” says Cyker. “Then they would have a long discussion of what ‘yes’ meant and what each party had to do to achieve ‘yes.’ He was very deep in his grasp of what he was trying to do.”

When Hu-Friedy would introduce a dealer special campaign, Healthco rarely – if ever – failed to take advantage of it, says Wax. “And I mean take advantage of it. Most dealers would buy one or two months’ sup-ply. Meyer and Mike would buy a year’s worth. That was how they built the company. And it made doing business with Healthco important, if not critical, to many companies.”

Cyker routinely railed against mail order compa-nies, complaining that they were destroying margins, discounting, and generally messing up things for com-panies that had salespeople on the street, says Wax. Nor did he like manufacturers who sold to such companies. “We did an experiment with a product category of ours that Healthco wasn’t selling. We learned together that competition improves sales for everyone, including Healthco. Still angry that we had opened the door to ‘mail,’ he had to have recognized the new business that he earned as a result.”

“He loved the interaction with dentists.” Cyker’s son, Fred Cyker,

says he took an interest in the international dental

students at Tufts, and found those relationships helpful when establishing

European operations much later. “He was a people

person,” who took an avid interest in people regard-less of their stature in life,

he says. “Even when he was well off and living at

the Four Seasons, he knew each doorman, where they

were from, how old they were, whether they were in school. Education was a big

focus for him.”

“They were tough,” says Wax, speaking of the Cykers. “Their attitude was ‘If you want to do business with

us, you do business our way, and that’s it.’ You have to decide, ‘Is it worth it?’ And, indeed, it was.”

– Howard Wax


Private labelAs with other aspects of the business, Cyker did private label in a big way. According to Haggerty, Healthco’s pri-vate-label sales reached $65 million in 1992.

Says Wax, “I believe Healthco was the first company in our industry to put a dedicated person in charge of their private brand business. There was talk that Healthco in-tended to drop name brands in favor of Healthco brands. That never happened.

“Many manufacturers encouraged their sales folks to stop training and working with Healthco branches. We took advantage of the time that opened up as a result and doubled our selling efforts with their sales organization.

“I remember being at one of the Chicago meetings and some-body came to the booth and said something about Healthco instru-ments,” continues Wax. “I said, ‘No, you must be mistaken.’ He said, ‘No I’m not; I saw them at their booth.’ So I went over there and saw a whole display of Healthco private-label instruments in the booth. And here I thought we had a pretty good relationship with them.”

Years later, Hu-Friedy was suc-cessful in securing virtually all of Healthco’s private-label instrument business. In fact, Cyker’s broth-er, Michael, announced at one of Healthco’s national sales meetings that commissions would only be paid for Healthco private-label and Hu-Friedy brand in-struments, says Wax.

Medical supplyWhile growing a national dental firm, Cyker set about growing a national medical distribution company as well. “Meyer was a visionary, and was attempting to build a national network of medical distributors as he acquired many regional medical distributors in the Northeast and Midwest,” says Doug Harper, group vice president, sales and market development, North America, for Invacare.

“Many future entrepreneurs and industry executives came out of Healthco.”

Harper first met Cyker when Harper, then a college kid, was a teaching golf pro at New Seabury Country Club on Cape Cod. “I became friends with Meyer and his fam-ily, and was invited to his home many times,” he recalls. “As the summer came to an end, Meyer asked me what I was going to do the rest of my life and why not come to work for him? I had no idea what he did for a living. He invited me to his Boston offices where I learned all about Healthco Dental and his newest division Healthco Medi-cal. I interviewed with the medical president, Bob Fine,

and the VP of physician sales, John Stutz. My assignment was a new territory calling on physicians on Cape Cod. I remained with Healthco until Meyer sold the medical divi-sion to John Foster and it became Foster Medical, now McKesson Medical-Surgical.

“I will always be indebted to him for giving a kid who had no idea where he was going a chance, and for all the support, education and opportunity that I received at Healthco,” says Harper. Harper ultimately founded his own physician supply company. “A short time thereaf-ter, I received a note from Meyer congratulating me and

Meyer Cyker and wife Jenny.



wishing me luck and any help that I might need from him.” Harper later became president of Jacksonville, Fla.-based physician supply company PSS.

Another person involved in Healthco’s medical sup-ply business was Bob Cohen, who was hired by the Cyk-ers in 1973 to handle corporate purchasing for the medi-cal supply division. “He was very energetic, extremely smart,” recalls Cohen, speaking of Cyker. “Everybody who worked for him was loyal to him. He was a good guy to be around, and a wonderful entrepreneur.”

Human calculatorCyker was indeed smart, says Barton. At business meet-ings, “I remember people sitting in the room with cal-culators, and Meyer being able to work things out in his head faster than they could. It amazed me how this guy with broken English was able to communicate and build a company the way he did.

“He was an innovator. With his mechanical engi-neering background, he always had a keen eye for innova-tions in products and technologies. There’s a great picture of him with the first high-speed handpiece. He was excited to find something like that, introduce it, run with it.”

“He was a leader in advancing technology in the den-tal industry in the 60s and 70s,” says Bergman. On the equipment side, he was the leader in the area of connect-ing technology, which was modest at the time.

Demise of HealthcoThe Cykers continued to run a tight ship as their company grew. In fact, it is said that if you were to call the company’s Boston headquarters after 5 or 6 in the evening, there was a good chance Cyker himself would pick up the phone.

But as time went on, the challenges of managing the far-flung company grew. “My father empowered his branch managers around the country,” says Fred Cyker, who spent a good portion of his time with the company traveling the country to review operations with regional managers. “He really believed in that. But it was becom-ing more and more obvious that not everybody can run a $2 million, $5 million or $10 million branch.” That’s what drove the company toward implementing a compa-nywide information management system, and to consoli-date its operations.

In the late 1980s, Healthco proceeded to consolidate its myriad of branches into a hand-ful of large distribution centers. For example, the company opened a facility in Westborough, Mass., to handle distribution in the East; in Charlotte, N.C., to handle the Southeast; and in San Francisco. The company was in the pro-cess of building another facility in Orlando and implementing an informa-tion system when events overtook it.

In 1990, a minority shareholder began a proxy contest to remove the in-cumbent board. Then Hicks Muse, a Dallas, Texas-based leveraged buyout firm, emerged as a white knight offer-ing to acquire the company. In September 1990, the new Healthco board agreed to sell the company to an affiliate of Hicks Muse for $250 million. Trouble was not far be-hind. In fact, in June 1993, Healthco filed for relief under the Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Several months later, the case was converted to Chapter 7, and the com-pany was liquidated.

Hicks Muse knew distribution, but not dental distri-bution, says Barton. And the deal was heavily leveraged. “You could see the handwriting on the wall,” he says. “You could see this unraveling.”

“The collapse had nothing to do with Meyer Cyker or his family,” says Bergman. “They sold to a private equity firm, which [amassed] a lot of debt, who thought they could cut costs. But the dental business is unique; it’s high gross profit, but it also involves a lot of services. The private eq-uity firm thought they could drop the cost, but they didn’t know the services that were involved.” Many Healthco reps went to Henry Schein, Sullivan Dental, Benco, Patterson and others, but many other personnel lost their jobs.

“The company went from being the leader in their field, to being taken over, and in three years, being destroyed,”

You had to earn it

Howard Wax recalled his first meeting with the Cyker brothers a chal-

lenge. “If you’re a salesman and pride yourself on be-ing relatively competent, you love those kinds of

challenges. ‘One of these days, I’m going to get this guy to call me Howard.’” Mission accomplished. “In fact, I subsequently

looked forward to going to Boston.”


says Barton. “It’s hard to imagine that could happen to a company.” Barton and Fred Cyker, started their own dental supply company, which they sold to Henry Schein in 2004.

“You hear these stories about executives and owners of companies that put together these golden parachutes,” says Barton. “That wasn’t Meyer at all. Healthco was his baby. He loved the business, the company. His love for the dental profession itself was tremendous. He helped so many customers. He’d lend dentists money to open up offices, he developed a lot of really strong relationships. He was in shock when the whole thing went down. To be honest, I don’t think he was ever the same person again.”

After HealthcoCyker remained active in the indus-try after leaving Healthco, says Fred Cyker. He was never employed by another company, nor did he start one. But he was often called on for advice or consulting. He became more involved with his grandchil-dren (he had 12 at the time of his death), and enjoyed playing golf, though he had mixed feelings about the latter. “He believed in being more productive,” says Fred Cyk-er. “His mind never stopped working. He just didn’t sit around doing nothing; he was always engaged in what-ever he was doing.”

Cyker retained his love for the business after re-tirement, says Barton. “He knew the business from the ground up. If he was riding in the car with my wife and me, he’d see a location and say, ‘That would be a great place for a dental office to set up.’”

In 1991, Cyker traveled with his wife, Jenny, to the Ukraine to search for relatives of the family who had rescued him and his family during the war. On April 10, 2005, Yad Vashem – the Israeli Holocaust memorial – rec-ognized Afanasy and Likeria Kravchuk and Dmitry and Nadezhda Kravchuk as Righteous Among The Nations, a program that conveys the gratitude of the State of Israel and the Jewish people to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

He also headed fund-raising drives on behalf of Har-vard University, Tufts University and Boston University; made contributions to Brown University, The Dana-Far-ber Cancer Institute, The Forsyth Research Institute and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; and funded the Marvin Meyer and Jenny Cyker Professorial Chair for Dia-betes Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. He served on the board of directors of the Weiz-mann Institute.

‘Changed the industry’“Meyer was a key entrepreneur who changed the indus-try,” says Haggerty. He and his brother combined the

scope of a national chain with the appeal of a “full-service operation,” catering to the entire dental office – dentist, hygienist, assistant, lab. “They helped dentists with the business aspect of their practices, from setup to selling it.” Meyer Cyker was a real gambler, a street fighter, with a long-range plan, he continues. And his brother, Michael, was the key to running the business on a day-to-day basis. “They made an amazing pair to change the dental industry.”

“Meyer Cyker was a true entrepreneur,” says Berg-man. “He put into place systems and procedures which, for the time, were quite advanced, so economies of scale would be realized. He allowed for people at the local level to have space to act in the local way – that was his genius.

“He arrived in this country with nothing, but he had a vision, and he implemented it.” [FI]

“ He knew the business from the ground up. If he was riding in the car with my wife and me, he’d see a location and say, ‘That would be a great place for a dental office to set up.’”

– Larry Barton



When 27-year-old Saslow acquired – with help from his father, Joseph, who had been in the dental laboratory business most of his life – a Chicago-based instrument company – he didn’t know much about the dental business, let alone the company. “Hu-Friedy? What’s a Hu-Friedy?” he recalls think-ing to himself. In fact, the company was named for its founder, a Viennese immigrant named Hugo Friedman, who started his business on the city’s Northwest Side in 1908. When Saslow acquired the company in 1959, Hu-Friedy had six employees – two skilled craftsmen, two in the office, two in shipping. They made great instru-ments, but were overshadowed by big-ger instrument makers who were more savvy in sales and marketing.

Had to always make it betterRichard Saslow:

Obsession with quality built a company

Richard Saslow

They say suc-cess leaves footprints. That being

the case, Hu-Friedy’s success can be tracked back to the shoes of Richard Saslow.


“[Friedman] was quite a colorful guy,” says Saslow, who retired from the day-to-day affairs of the company in 2000. “But we got along very well.” However, their rela-tionship was short-lived.

“We made a deal [for Saslow to buy the company] and shook hands, then Hugo went to St. Petersburg, Fla., for a short holiday,” he explains. “He was going to come back and teach me the business.” Friedman never returned, in-stead dying of a stroke in Florida. “Now I am the owner of this little company,” says Saslow. “I don’t know the cus-tomers, I don’t know dental instruments, much less how they were made or what they were used for.”

But he had a few things going for him. The first was his older brother, Dan, who had acquired a dental distri-bution company, which he renamed D.L. Saslow, also based in Chicago. “Dan was six years older than me, and he knew the dental field well,” says Richard Saslow. “I’d be on the phone with him three or four times a day.”

The second thing Saslow had going for him was a strong drive for perfection in the products his com-pany made. “He’d work in the fac-tory with the teams there and focus on a single question – ‘How do we make it better?’ ‘How do we make it better?’ ‘How do we make it bet-ter?’” says his son, Ron Saslow, now Hu-Friedy’s chairman and CEO.

The third thing was an ability to set aside ego, create a culture of teamwork and tap into the abilities and exper-tise of others. “He would surround himself with people who were extremely talented in their particular areas, then engage them,” says Ron Saslow. “He was very comfort-able letting other people lead at their particular special-ties. That’s how Howard Wax [retired CEO of Hu-Friedy, and now a senior business advisor] had such success. He was very strong in the sales and marketing world,” while Saslow preferred to focus on the manufacturing and engi-neering functions of the company.

And the fourth was the company’s reliance on dis-tributors. Saslow believed in the value of the dealer

distribution channel and committed early on to culti-vating strong dealer relationships. “We’ve stayed with dealers to this very day,” he says.

Interesting yearsBorn and raised in Evanston, Ill., just north of the Chica-go city limits, Saslow attended Evanston High School and Northwestern University. He served in the Army’s coun-terintelligence corps and was looking for something to do in the dental industry when he returned. His father heard that Hu-Friedy – a small instrument company located near the now-demolished amusement park, Riverview – was for sale. “It was tiny, but it had a very good reputation,” says Saslow. “I knew I wanted to be in the dental business,

and this was the chance to come in and learn the industry.” Then Friedman died.

“The first few years were interesting,” he says. “Here I am, in charge of the place. Probably no one was very happy to see me there. [Friedman] had run it as a disinter-ested owner. Now here’s this young college kid coming in, and what does he know?”

In addition to the two skilled craftsmen in the factory, Saslow was able to tap into others on a part-time basis in the Chicago area. But he knew that in order to build Hu-Friedy, he needed to assemble a strong team. He placed ads in the local papers, including those geared to the siz-able German and Polish populations in the city. “One

“ He would surround himself with people who were extremely talented in their particular areas, then engage them. He was very comfortable letting other people lead at their particular specialties.”

– Ron Saslow



thing led to another, and we built a strong team of about 10 people in the factory,” he recalls.

Five years after Saslow acquired the company, fate intervened once again. Two employees left and started their own firm. “So it was, ‘OK, what are we going to do?’” he says. By then, he knew that instrument-making required a great deal of physical dexterity, but that the process could be broken down into multiple steps, such as grinding and polishing. So he adjusted his training program and focused on bringing in talented people who shared his passion for perfection. With a strong workforce in place and a steadily growing demand for dental instruments, the company began to gain momen-tum. “The periodontal market was growing very nicely in those years,” he says. “That was our main thing.”

Still, the early years were tough. “We were a young company. There were major companies that were bigger and more well-known than we were.” So Saslow spent a great deal of time on the road, meeting “everybody in sight,” he says. His brother, Dan, introduced him to distributors and helped him better under-stand the industry.

The power of distributorsIn 1970, Saslow’s brother-in-law, Howard Wax, joined the company. He had returned to Chicago from Los Angeles, looking for an opportunity to buy into other businesses. After one deal fell through, Saslow and Wax talked about the possibility of Wax coming to work for Hu-Friedy. “We both had concerns,” recalls Wax. Was it a good idea to mix business with family? They agreed to give it a try, with two conditions: They would move forward for a year, with the understanding that at the end of that year, either one could walk away without hard feelings. Second, they pledged that whatever issues the two might have with each other at Hu-Friedy, they would not take them home to their respective

spouses. “We adhered to those principles forever,” says Wax. “As Dick would say, we had 43 one-year contracts.”

One of the first things they did was update Hu-Friedy’s catalog, which was a woodblock-cut publication that hadn’t changed much in 20 years. They also changed Hu-Friedy’s product numbering system so that numbers coincided with those of the rest of the industry.

But it was another bout of misfortune that sent the company in a direction that ultimately would lead to its success. Prior to Saslow’s acquisition of the company, Friedman had been sued by one of his largest customers – Litton Dental Products, a division of Litton Industries – which accused him of unfairness in his discount struc-ture. After Saslow acquired the company, he settled the suit, agreeing to give Litton credit on a finite number of future purchases.

Litton instructed its sales reps to sell as many Hu-Friedy products as possible, given that the company was

A strong team

As a young business owner, Saslow knew he needed to assemble a

strong team. He placed ads in the local papers, including those geared to the sizable German

and Polish populations in the city. “One thing led to

another, and we built a strong team of about

10 people in the factory,” he recalls.

One of the first things they did was update Hu-Friedy’s catalog, which was a woodblock-cut publication that hadn’t

changed much in 20 years. They also changed Hu-Friedy’s product numbering system so that numbers coincided

with those of the rest of the industry.

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP,A PASSION FOR PERFORMANCE

To learn more visit Hu-Friedy.com©2013 Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., LLC. All rights reserved.

Congratulations RICHARD SASLOW, Chairman Emeritus, on your induction to the Dental Distribution Hall of Fame from your teammates at Hu-Friedy!

HUGO FRIEDMANFounder

RON SASLOWChairman & CEO

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP,A PASSION FOR PERFORMANCE

To learn more visit Hu-Friedy.com©2013 Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., LLC. All rights reserved.

Congratulations RICHARD SASLOW, Chairman Emeritus, on your induction to the Dental Distribution Hall of Fame from your teammates at Hu-Friedy!

HUGO FRIEDMANFounder

RON SASLOWChairman & CEO



getting a credit on each sale. Had the distributor continued to buy Hu-Friedy’s products at its historic rate, it would have taken several years to earn all the credits awarded by the settlement. But sales picked up, so much so that the distributor burned through its credits in barely a year. Af-ter that, sales continued at the higher rate.

“It demonstrated the power of the distribution chan-nel and what they could accomplish,” says Wax. Hu-Friedy pressed its advantage, diligently honoring the credits Lit-ton was due and delivering products promptly. The com-pany went overboard to show Litton how committed it was to the relationship. Once Litton used up its credits, its business with Hu-Friedy continued to grow.

Early on, Hu-Friedy recognized the importance of dental schools and students. The business strategy was a simple one – go to the dental and hygiene schools and introduce the students to Hu-Friedy. The desired result was for graduating students to ask their distributor for Hu-Friedy products as they entered the industry. Thus began the company’s dedication to focusing on the full professional lifecycle of a dental professional – from stu-dent to practitioner.

Quality first“He has an unrelenting drive for perfection,” says Ron Saslow, speaking of his father. “In the early days… we separated ourselves from competitors by having a

much better product….That drive toward perfection not only set the stage for the company, but also says something about his leadership style. When meeting with him, it wasn’t just to talk about today’s issues and opportunity, but how we’ll address and make things better for the future.”

“I would say there is probably no individual in our industry more committed than Dick to delivering the pro-fession the highest possible quality of product that can be achieved,” says Wax. “And he would not rest on his laurels and say, ‘Gee, our product is the best.’ He would continue to challenge, ‘You always want to be better than the com-petition.’ And he made sure that message was understood

by our team as they came to work every day.”

Saslow developed collabora-tive relationships with dentists around the country, particularly those in the schools, and the company’s catalog became popu-lated with instruments with den-tists’ names attached to them. “We worked very closely with a lot of the thought leaders all over the world,” he says. Den-tists would approach him about making instruments for specific applications. “We spent a lot of time trying to solve some of their problems. If they really liked it,

they would put it on what we called the school list. Then they would become popular.”

Leadership styleSaslow never employed an autocratic style of leadership, says Ron Saslow. “His magic was, he was able to build a relationship among the Hu-Friedy teammates that was strong. He would engage teammates to, ‘Let’s make this better.’ And his relationships were as strong with the per-son on the floor as with the faculty at the university.”

Says Wax, “We sometimes disagreed, but at the end of the day, he empowered me to drive sales and market-ing decisions, while he drove the decisions that went on in manufacturing, engineering and purchasing. Never

“ That drive toward perfection not only set the stage for the company, but also says something about his leadership style. When meeting with him, it wasn’t just to talk about today’s issues and opportunity, but how we’ll address and make things better for the future.”


• Ken Austin, co-founder, A-dec.

• Stanley Bergman, president and CEO, Henry Schein.

• Perry Burkhart Jr., former president, owner, Burkhart Dental.

• Larry Cohen, former president, and current chief customer advocate, Benco Dental.

• Peter Frechette, former president and CEO, Patterson Dental.

Former inducteesPast Dental Distribution Hall of Fame inductees are:

ever in 43 years did he say, ‘I’m in charge, and this is the way it’s go-ing to be.’”

Since stepping down from his day-to-day duties at the company in 2000, Saslow has moved into a se-nior advisor role. “Though it was hard for him to give up the reins, he was very helpful moving into that role and understanding that it was necessary for me, in particular, to learn and start making decisions and benefiting from those decisions,” says Ron Saslow. “A lot of people, particularly entrepreneurs, have a difficult time doing that. He was not like that. That’s a unique skill.”

Not one to seek the limelight, Richard Saslow was satisfied with Hu-Friedy earning a reputation – not him personally, says Ron Saslow. “He was in the factory every day, working with the teams there. He recognized his passion was for making an impact on the company and the industry by driving better products.”

“When I think of the legacy of Dick Saslow and Hu-Friedy, [I think] of products of high and consistent quality,” says Chuck Cohen, managing director, Benco Dental. “It reminds me of a quote I read a long time ago about Lego. ‘Have you ever seen a broken Lego piece?’ The answer is, you never have, because one of Lego’s innovations was their consistently high quality. The same could be said for Hu-Friedy.

“It’s one of those things you take for granted until you think about it,” continues Cohen. “Dick did an amazing job on something seemingly so simple, but we all

know it isn’t.”Says Ron Saslow, “It really gets down to that passion,

that excitement for continuous improvement. A lot of people say that, but he really taught everyone here how to live it.” [FI]

Quality counts

There is probably no individual in the industry more committed than

Saslow to delivering the profes-sion the highest possible quality of product that can be achieved, says Wax. “And he would not rest on his laurels and say, ‘Gee, our product is the best.’ He would continue to challenge, ‘You always want to be better than the competition.’ And

he made sure that message was un-derstood by our team as they came

to work every day.”

“He was in the factory every day, working with the teams there. He recognized his passion was for

making an impact on the company and the industry by driving better products.”


trends

The Elephant in the Operatory

Dentists face a challenging future. So do the reps who service them. But together, they can come to terms with the shift in the market.

PPO plans accounted for 77 per-cent of commercial dental benefits by plan type in 2011, compared to just 42 percent in 2002. Indemnity plans went the other way: Thirty-five percent of commercial benefits by plan type were indemnity plans in 2002, but just 9 per-cent were in 2011. The result? “There has been a spiraling downward of con-tracted fees, and I’m not sure we’ve reached the bottom yet,” says Blair.

Dental practices face another threat from payers – fee-capping, that is, the practice whereby insurers (or self-funded plans) cap the fees dentists charge not only for covered services, but those not covered by the plan as well. (Though more than 30 states have passed laws forbidding fee-capping, the federal government – which regulates the self-funded industry – has not.)

There’s only one way for dentists to respond, he says: Become more efficient. And their suppliers have to help them succeed.

Traditional approach won’t work anymoreDental professionals might look to their medical counterparts for a glimpse into the future, says Blair. The medical market is dominated by PPOs today. In response to reduced profit margins, physicians have moved from solo prac-tices, to small-group practices, to large group practices. Hospitals have been on a physician-practice acquisition binge, and the hospital industry itself is under-going rapid consolidation. In fact, it is estimated that hospitals or hospital sys-tems employ half the physicians in the United States, and may employ as many as 70 percent in three years.

More than 80 percent of dentists are contracted with at least one PPO. Most traditional dentists who resist the trend and are out of network will continue to lose patients, says Blair. Like physicians before them, dentists are joining forces with others and extending office hours in order to stay competitive. Many are joining one of the

big dental corporations. In fact, dentistry – one of the last mom-and-pop professions in the country – is changing permanently.

Throw in an influx of dental schools (non-profit and for-profit), rising levels of student debt, and a glut of dentists in metropolitan areas (though not in more remote locations), and the future looks hazy. “I have been looking at some of the online dentistry message boards, and I see pre-dental students wondering, ‘Is it worthwhile becoming a dentist?’” says Blair.

There is an elephant in the operatory, and it’s present-ing all kinds of challenges for dentists and, by exten-sion, distributor sales reps, says Charles Blair, DDS, of the consulting firm Dr. Charles Blair and Associates,

Belmont, N.C. That elephant is the preferred provider organiza-tion, or PPO. Blair presented a program entitled “The Future of Dentistry” at the recent Hinman Dental Meeting in Atlanta, Ga., and spoke with First Impressions after the presentation.

Dr. Charles Blair


No doubt dental school applicants will decrease with the growing uncertainty.

Dentists aren’t the only ones in the industry facing a squeeze. Dental labs are facing stiff competition from non-U.S. sources, as well as the rising popularity – and lower costs – of in-office CAD/CAM and digital impression technology, says Blair. Given their larger purchasing power, dental corpo-rations get lab services and capital equipment at lower prices than can the solo or smaller dental group practices.

“This is the chaos that’s out there,” he says.

Successful strategiesSome dental professionals are ignoring the larger trends, or are simply too busy working at the chair to take it all in. But others are rising to the challenge. Some examples of successful strategies:

• A growing number of entrepreneurial dental professionals are building large group practices to achieve economies of scale and greater efficiencies.

• Some dentists have developed their own in-house discount plans for those without insurance, whereby they offer enrolled individuals and small employers discounts on their services. Half the population has no dental insurance, and dentists offering discount plans will dramatically increase, says Blair.

• Many dental professionals are investing in technology in order to become more efficient and productive, and in order to perform procedures that they used to refer out to specialists in the past. “If I’m able to work in a couple more procedures a day in an unbooked operatory, that’s the difference between a $600,000 practice and an $800,000 one,” says Blair.

• More dentists are recognizing the need to take full advantage of the skills of properly trained staff to increase productivity and patient throughput. In the long term, the count for mid-level providers will increase, says Blair. Laws and regulations must be changed in order

for the dentist to be more productive with the dental team in a PPO environment, with less reimbursement.

To-do list for reps“The bottom line is, [dentists] have to become better busi-nesspeople,” says Blair. To be successful, they have to be 20 percent to 25 percent more productive than they have been in the past in order to maintain past income level. Their sup-pliers must help them become more business-minded as well.

In order for suppliers to remain relevant – and to keep their customers relevant – they will need to:

• Become more consultative and be the “go to” source for current information on all things dental.

• Offer technology suites and compatible equipment mixes that increase efficiency and work throughput.

• Teach dentists to be “revenue-savvy,” not “cost-based.” Helping the customer grow the top line – not cutting the supply bill – is the answer.

• Work to earn – and keep – the business as never before. Just taking orders isn’t enough to succeed in tomorrow’s environment. Adding value to the equa-tion is essential for customer retention and to grow the territory.

Over the next 10 years or so, corporations could comprise 20 percent to 25 percent of the market, says Blair. In addition, multi-doctor practices will dramatically increase while the solo count will plummet. “The terri-tory representative faces a shrinking customer pool base. No doubt this should be a wakeup call.

“Just as dentists must change for their survival, the ter-ritory representative must change for their survival.” [FI]

Successful tip: In-house discount plans for those without insurance Half the population has no dental insurance. Practices can help by offering enrolled individuals and small employers discounts on their services.

In this case, go with the flow More than 80 percent of dentists are contracted with at least one PPO. Most who resist will continue to lose patients, says Blair.


The news that broke on March 28 of a Tulsa, Okla., oral surgeon who treated patients under unsani-tary and unsafe conditions “is as shocking to den-tal healthcare professionals as it is to the patients

for whom we provide oral healthcare,” says the Organiza-tion for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP). At press time, news reports suggested that there was at least one sus-pected case of hepatitis C transmission to a patient due to negligence on the part of the practice.

The dentist was reported to have used instruments that were rusted and pitted, rendering them unsuitable for prop-er sterilization. Sterilization procedures were lax, at best, and the office lacked any written infection control proto-cols. The clinician was also suspected of using single vials of medications on multiple patients and allowing unlicensed individuals to perform procedures that would require licen-sure, such as administration of intravenous medications.

If there’s anything good to come out of calamity, it’s this: Sales reps can use news of the incident to reinforce how things ought to be done. OSAP suggests that First Impres-sions readers use the following talking points to discuss in-fection control procedures with their customers:

• The practice should inform patients that the practice uses evidence-based infection control precautions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest recommendations and other resources can be downloaded from the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/index.htm.

• The practice should explain that dental anesthetics are provided using sterile single-use needles and cartridges of anesthetic and that these items are properly discarded after each patient.

• The practice should explain that, if IV medications are used, those medications are either from single-dose vials or that multi-dose vials are accessed only once with a single needle and syringe; and that

additional medications, even for a single patient, are drawn with a new syringe and needle.

• The practice should provide an explanation of the sterilization process, including thorough cleaning, examination and then sterilization of instruments.

• The practice should provide reassurance that instruments are maintained in sterile pouches or wrap until they are needed for patient care. It may be particularly useful to only open pouches once patients have arrived, so they may see for themselves that the instruments are properly packaged.

• The practice may discuss with patients the processes used for sterility assurance, including chemical indicators on and/or in packs of instruments and the regular monitoring of the sterilization process through the use of a biological indicator (spore test).

• The practice should reassure the patient that all procedures requiring licensure or certification are provided only by professionals licensed to provide those services. More information may be found through the American Dental Association (www.ada.org).

A reminder for allThe Oklahoma case serves as a reminder to all professionals to understand the guidelines and regulations related to infec-tion control practices in dentistry, says OSAP. Every dental healthcare professional should periodically review infection control procedures and have those procedures in writing. Communication between team members is also essential to ensure that everyone understands their role in the infection control processes. At least annual review of written protocols should include all team members, and the scientific literature as well as other resources such as the CDC, OSAP and ADA should be reviewed for changes in recommendations.

Sales reps can play an important role as well, says Tim Lorencovitz, OSAP vice chair and marketing manager, Sultan Healthcare. “Patients may come in more aware [of infection control], yet may never bring up the Oklahoma

infection control

Talking PointsFollowing the shocking news of unsanitary conditions at an Oklahoma oral surgeon’s office, reps can help make sure their customers are up to date on infection control procedures


infection control

case, or they may be too afraid to ask. They may just ob-serve the dental practitioner’s actions.

“Practitioners always need to demonstrate proper pro-tocols, but it is even more critical in front of the patient. A rep can point out situations that a patient can see, such as hand-washing when entering the operatory, taking a fresh mask and gloves and wearing them correctly, or opening a

sterile pouch in front of the patient. It’s a good way to give patients peace of mind without saying a word – in case it never comes up in conversation.”

OSAP has a broad array of instructional content and edu-cational resources available to dental clinicians at www.OSAP.org. The organization will continue to monitor the situation and post new information and resources as they become available. [FI]

Sales reps can help increase the awareness of safety and infection control among their custom-ers with tools developed by the OSAP, the Orga-nization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention. The downloadable tools are designed to stimulate an ongoing dialogue around the importance of patient safety in dentistry. They can be found at http://www.osap.org/?page=IC_in_the_news.

Patient resourcesThe website includes the following tools designed for patients:

• Questions for your dentist: Five questions patients should ask about infection control. (Examples: How do you know that the sterilizer is working properly? Do you disinfect the surfaces in the operatory between patients?)

• Travel resources: a traveler’s guide to safe dentistry.

• Overview of dental office infection control practices: a variety of infection control resources – including online videos – from the American Dental Association.

• Five things to do in the dentist’s office: an article for patients from CNN Health. (Here are the five: Watch the gloves, check out the office, ask for autoclave validation, check the instruments, speak up)

Dental team resourcesThe OSAP toolkit includes the following resources for the dental team:

• Reassuring patients: Seven key talking points.

How to discuss infection prevention with your patients.

• OSAP infection control workbook. “CDC Guidelines: From Policy to Practice by OSAP,” is a 170-page workbook with practical information to help healthcare professionals put recommendations into practice.

• OSAP interactive guide to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Complimentary interactive guide, also available in Spanish.

• OSAP checklist for incorporating CDC guidelines. OSAP converted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings - 2003” into a checklist for dental practices.

• CDC Guidelines and Recommendations: Oral health resources, including information on safe injection practices from the nation’s leading public health agency.

• CDC “Recommended Infection Control Practices for Dentistry.” Infection control resources, including fact sheets, FAQs, glossary and publications.

• American Dental Association “Statement on Infection Control in Dentistry,” issued March 29, 2013.

• ADA “Policy Statement on Bloodborne Pathogens, Infection Control and the Practice of Dentistry.”

• Strategies to reassure patients. Tips on reassuring patients of the dental practice’s safety procedures.

Infection control tools for your customers

To visit the OSAP toolkit, go to http://www.osap.org/?page=IC_in_the_news.

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infection control

What to tell your customersManufacturers offer input on how reps should approach customers in wake of Oklahoma breach

Customers are seeking best practicesSubmitted by J. Hudson Garrett, Jr., PhD, MSN, MPH, FNP-BC, CSRN, VA-BC; senior director, clinical affairs, PDI

With the recent developments and complete breakdown of infection prevention and control practices in the Oklahoma outbreak, now more than ever, customers are seeking simplistic yet impactful best practices for disinfection and sterilization, as well as safe injection practices. Of particular concern is the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C Virus as a result of improper sterilization practices and reuse of single-use, disposable and sterile needles and syringes. This recent outbreak has resulted in over 7,000 patients being exposed to potentially deadly and highly infectious diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis.

Here are a few key focus items for reps to stress to their customers who are seeking guidance on infec-tion prevention best practices to mitigate risk for similar outbreaks:

• Utilize an EPA-registered disinfectant for hard, non-porous to disinfect high-touch surfaces.• Follow a standardized, evidence-based process for terminal sterilization (i.e. autoclaving with steam).• Clean instruments and remove gross organic matter prior to sterilization.• Use single-dose medication vials when possible.• Dispose of contaminated sharps (i.e. needles, syringes, etc.) after every single use, even when

used with the same patient.

Assisting your customer with compliance with the above items is critical in preventing future outbreaks. These healthcare-associated infections are devastating to the patients, but also to the dental practice, and most often result in practice closure, so infection prevention and control is certainly on the forefront of dental practi-tioners’ minds given recent events.

Use current events to initiate conversationSubmitted by Tim Lorencovitz, marketing manager, Sultan Healthcare.

Reps can use current events such as this to start a conversation with customers. Confirm if they are prepared to talk to their patients about this situation. Ask if they are comfortable with their own infec-tion prevention protocols or if you may make suggestions to help them in their practice, such as:

• Show patients that those in the practice perform hand hygiene regularly – and have soap and sanitizer dispensers readily available and in view to patients.

• Confirm that staff change their PPE regularly between patients, one per patient – including gloves and face masks.


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• What is the condition of their instruments? Are they rusted and pitted like the ones used in the Tulsa office? Are they following the correct protocol to ensure they are cleaned properly, and validating if their ultrasonic machines are working properly? Recommend using a cleaning solution that will help protect instruments and keep them looking better.

• When sterilizing instruments, ensure the sterilizer is operating correctly. When using sterilization pouches, the tighter parameters of a class IV indicator will give confidence that the appropriate sterilization parameters are in place in between the times when the autoclave is being tested. In addition, an internal indicator can be used to attach to the patient’s file in case a patient is concerned if the instruments were sterilized.

• Open pouches with the patient in the room right before use. Do not let pouches sit out in the open prior to the patient entering the operatory.

While the practitioner should always follow proper infection prevention procedures, it is really impor-tant to demonstrate them in front of their patients. Many patients may feel uncomfortable raising a red flag if they see something that makes them uncomfortable, but may be silently observing their practices. If they see something they do not like, they may never come back.

Take advantage of this opportunity to discuss with the dental team and use it as an educa-tional opportunity to help increase infection prevention compliance.


infection control

Know the details of the complaintSubmitted by SciCan Dental

Developing a deeper understanding of federal and local compliance as well as what aspects of infec-tion control guidelines are most relevant to dentistry is a key part of addressing the concerns arising from this situation. To help answer questions about this developing case, [following] is a summary of the allegations.

• Assistants unlicensed to conduct such duties were performing IV sedation and determining amounts of drugs to be administered.

• Drug logs were not maintained nor was there a daily count of scheduled drugs.

• The drug cabinet was unlocked and unsupervised.

• Multiple drug vials (scheduled and legend) were expired.

• Open drug trays were kept and multi-dose vials of controlled and legend drugs were used on multiple patients.

• The staff transported instruments and drugs to a second office where the doctor did not have a DEA permit.

• The doctor’s drug licenses were not on display and no dental assistant permits were found except for one expanded duty permit for radiation safety.

• Due to the high population of infectious disease carrier clients, two sets of instruments were kept – one for known carriers and one for non-carriers. Each set of instruments was cleaned in a different manner. (Carrier client instruments were dipped in bleach along with other cleaning methods.)

• Red-brown spots made some instruments appear to be rusted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that rusted instruments are porous and cannot be properly sterilized.

• The sterilizer was not being used properly, as no monthly test was performed and sent to a lab to determine that it was successfully sterilizing instruments. According to records, no such test had been done in the last six years.

• No autoclave bags were used; instead, instruments were wrapped in cloth and secured by autoclave tape.

• No written infection control policies were available or used by staff.


The most common classification sys-tem for resin composites considers the distribution and average particle size of the composite filler. Most resin composites can be classified into three main categories: mi-crofills, microhybrids and nanofills.

Microfills. Particle size: 0.02- 0.04 ìmMicrofilled composites work best for anterior restorations due to their translucency and high luster polish (due to small par-ticles). However, because they are less filled than other com-posites, they lack strength and should not be used in heavy stress-bearing areas. Microfills are declining in popularity due to advances in microhybrid and nanohybrid composites.

Microhybrids. Particle size: 0.4-1.0 ìmMicrohybrids have the needed strength and wear for pos-terior composites due to their particle size and filler load. They have the polish and esthetic characteristics for an-terior restorations, but these properties are not sustained long term. They are the most opaque of all composites and, therefore, are great for supporting a microfill layer. Microhybrids are considered a universal composite that can be used in anterior and posterior teeth.

Nanofills. Particle size: 0.01-0.10 ìmNanofills contain the smallest particles and are the most recently introduced composite.

The two types, nanofills and nano-hybrids, are composed of various nano-sized particles and fillers. They share the excellent wear and strength properties of microhybrid composites. They are su-

perior to microhybrids in surface smoothness and polish. Nanofills and nanohybrids continue to gain popularity and acceptance due to their excellent strength, wear resistance and polishibility.

The latest trendsBulk-fill Composites All resin composites exhibit some degree of polymeriza-tion shrinkage. To reduce the amount of shrinkage, incre-mental layering during placement is recommended. Voids or gaps in the restoration can occur if the technique is not done properly, leading to postoperative sensitivity or secondary caries. Curing between layers also adds addi-tional time to the procedure. To address the issues with incremental layering, some manufacturers have developed bulk-fill flowable composites (SureFil SDR flow, DENTSPLY Caulk; Venus Bulk Fill, Heraeus). Another

Resin Composites By Mary Yakas, THE DENTAL ADVISOR

Over the past 50 years, resin composites have undergone tremendous improvements in strength, wear resistance, reduced polymerization shrinkage, esthetics, and handling characteristics. The addition of nanofillers to composites has resulted in better polishability, surface smoothness and translucen-cy. Recently, new formulations of composites provide the ability for bulk filling, adhesion without

a separate bonding agent, and improved flowability in a universal composite.

Editor’s Note: At The Dental Advisor, not a day goes by without our phone ringing from a customer asking for the “best.” As a dental publication that was designed after Consumer Reports, over the past 25 years we have learned one thing – the best changes from day to day. Providing relevant and timely information to customers is something we strive for. This series of Tech Talks focus on educating dental sales professionals on the products and technology they are selling so they can in turn educate their customer. Product evaluations are available at dentaladvisor.com.


tech talk

approach is a bulk-fill composite utilizing sonic technol-ogy (SonicFill, Kerr Corporation). The high translucency of these materials allows for high light penetration, ensuring a deep depth of cure.

• Bulk-fill Flowable Composites. These composites can be used as a bulk-fill base (up to 4 mm in depth), a timesaving feature. The high viscosity allows for good adaptation to walls and proximal boxes. A shortcoming is that these composites are not highly filled and exhibit low wear resistance; therefore, they must be layered with a stronger composite.

• Bulk-fill: One Step. SonicFill (Kerr Corporation) and Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill (Ivoclar/Vivadent) are single-step, bulk-fill composites that does not require an additional composite layer. In the case of SonicFill, sonic activation lowers the viscosity of the highly filled composite, allowing for easy placement and adaptation.

Self-adhesive Flowable CompositesTraditional composite restorations require the ap-plication of a bonding agent to the tooth before the placement of the composite. While a two-step pro-cedure works well in a majority of cases, there are some situations where a one-step composite restora-tion would be beneficial, especially when working with pediatric patients where you need to work quickly.

In recent years, two manufacturers have introduced self-adhesive composites (Fusio Liquid Dentin, Pen-tron Clinical; Vertise Flow, Kerr Corporation). These composites bond to tooth structure without the need of a separate bonding agent, thus reducing the num-ber of steps, saving time, and potentially reducing postoperative sensitivity. Self-adhesive composites are ideal for use as a liner under larger restorations, as pit and fissure sealants, and as small Class I and Class II restorations

Universal Flowable CompositesTraditional flowable composites are known to adapt well to cavity preparations and are easy to place. Un-fortunately, some flowable composites lack strength and wear resistance due to their low filler content and have primarily been used as a base or liner or for minimally invasive restorations. Recently, manufactur-ers have developed a new generation of highly filled flowable composites indicated for Class I-V restora-tions (BEAUTIFIL Flow Plus, Shofu Dental Corpora-tion; G-aenial Universal Flo, GC America; GrandioSO Heavy Flow, VOCO America). The high filler content increases strength and wear resistance, lowers polymer-ization shrinkage, and allows the material to be stacked. The addition of nanofill particles assists in creating highly esthetic restorations.

Material choice and technique will vary by clinician, so be sure to know what type of dentistry they are focused on in practice. Further information can be found on our website or by emailing us at [email protected]. [FI]

While a two-step procedure works well in a majority of cases, there are some situations where a one-step composite restoration would be beneficial, especially when working with pediatric patients

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rep corner

Call it fate, or call it coincidence. Unlikely as it was, an order for IV dressings, an inspiring sermon and a service video led not only

to a bond between two unsuspecting sales reps, it also saved a life.

For years, Atlanta Dental sales & mar-keting product manager Mike McGuire watched his wife, Anisa, battle polycystic kidney disease – a life-threatening, he-reditary disease that has also afflicted her mother and two siblings. “The cysts grow larger and larger and eventually take over the kidneys,” McGuire explains. The opti-mal solution is a kidney transplant, which is difficult to make happen under any cir-cumstances. Anisa’s Indian heritage, how-ever, made it even more challenging to find a donor with a matching blood type. She faced a three-to-five year wait, he says.

“Anisa began dialysis about a 1 ½ years ago,” says McGuire, noting that dialysis re-quires the patient to have a temporary port placed in his or her chest – a procedure that can lead to a difficult-to-control infection. “I watched this happen to Anisa’s brother, and I was determined it would not happen to Anisa as well,” he says. So, he placed an or-der for the IV dressings and some numbing cream through Crosstex. By chance, Cross-tex sales rep Marel De Jesus noticed the or-der and learned of Anisa’s plight. “And so began an incredible chain of events,” he says.

“Marel is young and has two young children to consider,” says McGuire. “It’s difficult for [people] to make such a major decision and we were concerned for her.” In addition, she had never met Anisa, he

By Laura Thill

Following the SignsAn exceedingly generous gift brings three people closer together.

Marel (right) donated her kidney to Anisa (left), who battled polycystic kidney disease.

Anisa McGuire and Marel De Jesus meet for the first time.


points out. In fact, he had only met Marel a couple of times. Still, De Jesus couldn’t stop thinking about Anisa’s situation, and how she could help. Then a couple of things happened. First, De Jesus heard a sermon at church about following – and acting upon – signs. Together with the sermon was a video about how others have responded to signs and, by doing so, have helped people in need.

“The video could have been about anything – even do-nating food to a food pantry,” McGuire points out. “But the video she watched happened to be about a man who donated his kidney to a stranger.” De Jesus was convinced: Helping Anisa was the right thing for her to do. “The signs couldn’t have been more evi-dent,” he says. “Marel couldn’t ig-nore the action they were prompt-ing her to take.”

A difficult journeyAs proud as he was of his wife’s strength and perseverance as she battled her illness, it pained him to watch her struggle. “Anisa was on dialysis three days a week,” Mc-Guire recalls. Throughout it all, she continued to work full time as an executive assistant to the chief clinical officer at the corporate of-fice of a long-term care company, in spite of the scary and debilitat-ing side effects from her illness. One of her greatest challenges was the rate at which her kidneys grew. The oversized kidneys were pushing on Anisa’s other organs, making her even more uncomfortable. And, to add insult to injury, well-mean-ing people were advising her to exercise and lose weight. “When your spouse is going through this, you feel helpless as you watch [him or her] suffer,” he adds.

Dialysis helped, but even that wasn’t challenge-free. In addition to risks of infection, the proximity of the chest port to the aortic artery is a potential danger. So, three months be-fore dialysis can begin, the doctors create a fistula – where they tie together a vein and an artery – on the patient’s arm. “This

provides a safer way to dialyze,” says McGuire. In Anisa’s case, the first fistula was unsuccessful, and the doctors had to follow up with a second procedure.

“It was a difficult time, but Marel entered into the picture about three months after Anisa began dialysis,” says McGuire. It was overwhelming to think that someone would even con-sider doing this for his wife, he notes. “I barely knew Marel at the time,” he says. “She left me a voice message. When I didn’t return her call, she called me back and floored me when she said she was donating her kidney.” And, while some people may

have good intentions but understandably are not able to fol-low through, De Jesus had already contacted Emory University Hospital about being tested to see if she was a matching blood type with Anisa. “Marel called with the greatest gift we would ever receive. The experience [would] bring us close together.”

A twist of fateEverything appeared to be on schedule for a June 2012 kidney transplant. But, when De Jesus’ son became ill, the procedure had to be placed on hold. Six months later, in

Marel and Anisa, just before the transplant.

“ She left me a voice message. When I didn’t return her call, she called me back and floored me when she said she was donating her kidney.”

– Mike McGuire


rep corner

December 2012, De Jesus donat-ed one of her kidneys to Anisa. “When we returned in December for the transplant, we had a new doctor – Dr. Kirk,” says McGuire. This physician happened to be involved in research regarding the body’s ability to accept a new kidney. “Twenty patients prior to Anisa had successfully completed the research program,” McGuire says. “Anisa was to be the first pa-tient on the second set of 20 pa-tients approved for his study!”

“She is using a new anti-rejec-tion medicine,” McGuire explains. “These new medications appear to have fewer side effects and may not require the patient to take them throughout [his or her] life.” That’s great news, considering that traditional anti-rejection medications are associated with such side effects as bloating, cancer or kid-ney failure. “Dr. Kirk’s goal is for his patients to be weaned from these new medications,” he says, adding that it’s all a big balancing act. “Anisa still requires monthly anti-rejection therapy, along with oral medication, but it’s less [than she would require] had she not been involved in the trial. If the transplant hadn’t been delayed, we wouldn’t have [been as-signed to] Dr. Kirk, and Anisa never would have received these new drugs.”

Within a month of her transplant surgery, Anisa needed emergency surgery to remove her old kidneys, which by now had become enlarged to a dangerous size, resulting in an in-cisional hernia. (While it is typical for the failed kidneys to

be removed after the transplant surgery – rather than during the transplant – to help avoid the introduction of bacteria, Anisa’s kidneys were too enlarged to permit her to wait any longer.) “By the time they were removed, her kidneys were 36 times their normal size,” says McGuire. “Anisa came out of surgery 35 pounds lighter.”

Slow, but steadyFollowing the transplant, De Jesus has recovered well. As one might expect, Anisa’s recovery is taking longer, but this time there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Since the sur-gery, the McGuire and De Jesus families have met and look forward to celebrating together soon. “We are better for this experience,” says McGuire. “It’s been an amazing journey.” And when he considers the way it turned out, he asks himself, “Was this fate, or was it coincidence?” [FI]

Editor’s note: For information regarding Emory Healthcare’s kidney donor program, visit http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/transplant-center/index.html?gclid=CKSvgrvvwrYCFRRwnAodAFUAGw.

Anisa and Mike, celebrating with son Shaz and daughter Karishma.

Since the surgery, the McGuire and De Jesus families have met and look forward to celebrating together soon.

“We are better for this experience,” says McGuire. “It’s been an amazing journey.”


Henry Schein donates products to Santa Barbara Neighborhood ClinicsHenry Schein Cares, the social responsibility program of Henry Schein Inc (Melville, N.Y.), will donate $25,000 in products over the next two years to Santa Barbara Neigh-borhood Clinics (Goleta, Calif.). Ongoing participation in the Henry Schein Cares program will enable Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics to carry out its mission providing quality, affordable medical and dental care to over 70,000 patient visits each year. The mission of Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is to provide high quality, compre-hensive, affordable healthcare to all people, regardless of their ability to pay, in an environment that fosters respect, compassion and dignity. For more information, go to www.henryschein.com.

Patterson again named one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy CompaniesFor the second year in a row, Patterson Companies Inc (St Paul, MN) was named one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in Forbes’t (New York, N.Y.) annual survey. To determine the rankings, Forbes turned to GMI Ratings (New York, N.Y.) to create the list based on quantitative and qualitative data. The

selected companies consistently demonstrated trans-parent and conservative accounting practices and solid corporate governance and management. The compa-nies also have low incidence of high-risk events and appropriate board supervision. For more information, go to www.pattersoncompanies.com.

Dentsply realigns management, names new CFODentsply International (York, Pa.) realigned its executive management team. Chris Clark, formerly president and COO for the past six years, will assume the role of president and CFO. His primary responsibilities will include strategy and business development activities, all finance functions, as well as the company’s corporate functions for clinical affairs, information technology, manufacturing, human resources, and research and development. Jim Mosch, currently EVP, will be promoted to the position of EVP and COO with re-sponsibility for all of the company’s operating units. Mosch has worked at Dentsply for 19 years and recently managed the company’s acquisition and integration of Astra Tech, the largest transaction in the company’s 114-year history. William Jellison resigned as SVP and CFO to assume the CFO position at Stryker Corp (Kalamazoo, MI). For more information, visit www.dentsply.com.

Submit your people news and new product announcements to: Monica Lynch at [email protected]

Nathan Shack: Territory Manager, Alabama / Florida Panhandle / Southwestern Georgia. Nathan has a Master’s in Education from Plymouth State University and lives near Atlanta, Ga.

Alex Gagne: Territory Manager, Montreal / Quebec / Canadian Maritimes. He has a Master’s from the Universite Panthon-Assas and has enjoyed great marketing and sales experience in the medical industry. He is bilingual.

Daniel Blankenship: Territory Manager, Western Tennessee and Arkansas. Daniel has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and has eight years’ sales and business development experience in the dental industry.

Coltene’s Spring 2013 Training Group

news


news

Tom Francis: Digital Technology Specialist. Francis will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Northern Virginia. He has eight years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as president of the J3 Group, Inc.

James C. Harrington: Field Sales Consultant. Harrington will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Richmond, Va. He was previously employed as a territory manager and received his B.S. from Radford University in Radford, Va.

Scott Miller: Digital Technology Specialist. Miller will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Boise, Idaho. He has 11 years of experi-ence in the dental industry and was previ-ously employed as a territory manager. Mill-er received his B.S. from Portland University in Portland, Ore.

Dave Rudloff: Field Sales Consultant. Rudloff will rep-resent Henry Schein Dental at its center in St. Louis, Mo. He has 27 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a sales representative.

Rebecca Hammermeister: Cad/Cam Specialist. Hammermeister will represent Henry Schein Dental in the Pitts-burgh and Cleveland area. She has four years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a senior sales execu-tive. Hammermeister received her B.A. from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.

Robert Lind: Digital Technology Specialist. Lind will represent Henry Schein Dental at its cen-ter in Indianapolis, Ind. He was previously employed as a financial representative and received his B.A. from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisc.

Damon Geanas: Digital Technology Specialist. Geanas will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Richmond, Va. He has 10 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a certified integra-tion technician. Geanas received his B.A. from York College in York, Pa.

Paul Blocchi: Digital Technology Specialist. Blocchi will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Long Island, N.Y. He has over 20 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a sales man-ager. Blocchi received his B.S. from RIT in Rochester, N.Y.

Kevin Regan:Regan will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Northern Los Angeles. He has six years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a territory manager. Regan received his B.A. from Uni-versity of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.

Henry Schein New Appointees


Brian Bae Erica Cleary Matt Cuculich

Patterson Dental Sales Graduates

Ramon DeLaCruz

ACTEON North America® launches SoproCARE ACTEON North America® has announced the launch of its revolutionary new camera SoproCARE®. SoproCARE was developed to answer the needs of the dental profes-sional during caries detection, prophylaxis and periodontal treatment in the clinical environment. Utilizing patented fluorescence technology, SoproCARE illuminates dental tissue to reveal occlusal caries, plaque, tartar and gingival inflammation. In addition, So-proCARE can be used as an intraoral camera providing the dental professional with all of

the necessary tools to perform a complete and time effi-cient oral examination. SoproCARE is both Windows and MAC compatible and will function in nearly all imaging software applications, allowing images to be easily saved in the patient’s chart. SoproCARE is compatible with current and previous SOPRO docking stations allowing for an easy upgrade to the new technology. For more information, visit www.us.acteongroup.com.

SDI introduces Riva Self Cure Starter KitSDI’s Riva Self Cure is now available in both regular and high viscosity formula-tions and can be purchased in conveniently packaged Starter kits. Riva Self Cure is a self curing, tooth rem-

ineralizing glass ionomer restorative material which chemically adheres to the tooth structure. It has very high fluoride releasing and recharging abilities and is a strong dentin replacement. It is also BPA and HEMA free. Riva Self Cure is designed for minimally invasive dentistry, when dentists need to bulk fill and need radi-opacity. Riva Self Cure is available in both regular and high viscosity formulations. The Starter kit contains 10 capsules of regular viscosity and 10 capsules of high viscosity. Each kit is available in A1 or A2 and in fast or regular setting times. In addition, each kit contains the powerful Applicator gun and Riva Conditioner. For more information visit www.sdi.com.au.

Natasha Duran Chip Flinchum Shelby Greenbauer Mike Matzke

Phillip Nguyen Christina Olson Steve Sheally Sean Skelly

products


The current dental office horror news is the Dr. W Scott Harrington story out of Oklahoma. You can read about the Tulsa oral surgeon on page 46.

The following is a continuation of my column from April regarding Dental Office Horror Stories. You can find the entire thread at http://www.dentalsalespro.com/forum/topics/dental-office-horror-stories.

Dental Office Horror Stories Part 2

Follow me on twitter twitter.com/dentalsalespro

Join our LinkedIn groupDental Sales Professionals

Like our page on Facebook First Impressions magazine

Dental SalesPro.com

Please send me your suggestions, comments or stories to [email protected].

By Bill Neumann

Reply by Anonymous Rep 6Rat’s Nest: A figure of speech right? Oh no, I once worked at an oral surgeon’s office where I went to service the utility center (in the operating room) and upon taking the cover off, a rat jumped out at me. No joke – I ended up catching the thing for a few quick pictures. Holding on to those.

Reply by Anonymous Rep 7That didn’t take long, you win, lol. Mine is tame by comparison, a high-end practice in Boca Raton not sterilizing handpieces, because “It’s too hard on them, we just wipe them down.”

Two weeks ago, an oral surgeon had a very old Ni-trous unit that flowed straight N2O without O2. He wasn’t concerned, because “I watch them real good.”

A few years ago while pulling out an old Executive cabinet in an op, I found plastic leaves from a fake plant in the waiting room under the cabinet – a rat had used them as a nest. We found the culprit and “removed” him.

Reply by Anonymous Rep 8I was watching a general dentist (whom I will not iden-tify) performing an extraction. It seemed normal, only

this guy was not wearing a face mask at the time. All of a sudden, a piece of the bloody tooth left the patient’s mouth and landed right in the mouth of the good doc-tor. I almost lost it watching him spit the broken bloody piece of root from his mouth as he turned quickly and spit it on the floor!

This guy pretty much ignored any infection control protocols.

Unreal.

Reply by Anonymous Rep 9Not more than two months ago, I was demonstrating at an office and the doctor had her new puppy there. I went out to the car to get something, and when I came back I noticed an awful, unmistakable smell. Not only did the dog crap in the operatory ... I had stepped in it and tracked it all over the hall and waiting room. Blech....

Watch your customers closely this summer. Looks like there are some great selling opportunities behind these stories.

Bill Neumann

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