Lubbock, TX, December 1, 2009 - Osteogenics Clinical Education, a division of Osteogenics Biomedical, has announced dates for its 2010 Global Bone Grafting Symposium. The symposium will be held March 26 and 27, 2010 at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Led by keynote speaker Dr. Michael Pikos, the symposium will feature presentations from world-renowned speakers in dental bone grafting, including Dr. Dexter Barber, Dr. Suzanne Caudry, Dr. Daniel Cullum, Dr. Andreas Siebold, Dr. Hom-Lay Wang, and Dr. Thomas Wilson Jr. Approximately 300 clinicians from around the world are expected to attend the symposium. This will mark the second consecutive year Osteogenics Clinical Education has hosted the symposium in Scottsdale.

“Based on last year’s overwhelmingly positive attendee feedback, this educational format of having keynote speakers, case presentations, and a hands-on workshop is very effective,” said company president Shane Shuttlesworth. “Once again, we’re honored to have such a talented and experienced group of lecturers, and we know that attendees will be very pleased with this year’s program.”

The 2010 symposium will focus on treatment planning routine and complex bone grafting cases in an environment conducive to group learning. Attending clinicians will be able to actively participate in the symposium through interactive treatment planning sessions and a hands-on ridge augmentation workshop.

“Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment planning is the cornerstone of all that we do in dentistry”, said Dr. Pikos. “While there can be more than one treatment plan for a given case, there is but one diagnosis, and cone beam CT has had a dramatic impact on this critical process, both in my private practice and with the Pikos Implant Institute.”

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa was chosen due to the mild weather the Scottsdale area receives in the springtime and for the resort’s amenities. The resort offers 27 holes of championship golf, a 9,000 square foot water park, and a world-class spa. The resort is also within walking distance to Kierland Commons, a 38 acre upscale shopping and dining complex.

For more information, including registration and additional hotel information, visit www.osteogenics.com/courses, or call 1.888.796.1923. Tuition is $695 for clinicians and $250 for assistants and office personnel. Attending clinicians are eligible for up to 14 CE credits. Registration ends February 26, 2010.

Both The Foundation and The Pankey Institute believe in the importance of dentists and dental technicians learning together and through these programs it is our goal to provide convenient, high quality dental education.

The Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization which was started by the National Association of Dental Laboratories in 2008, for the express purpose of supporting education. Our commitment is to make dental and dental laboratory technology education available to every interested member of the dental team.

For more information on The Foundation, please contact The Foundation for
Dental Laboratory Technology at (866)627-3990 or foundation@dentallabfoundation.org.

1. Why should I go to this meeting?

If you have any additional questions that haven’t been answered here, please contact us at Contact@ACEsthetics.com and we’ll be happy to answer them.

We look forward to seeing you at the
ACE 2009 Symposium on Periodontics & Systemic Health from November 12-14, 2009 at the Hyatt Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch!

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What you already know…

The issue at hand…
On June 1, 2009, Align Technology, Inc. announced Invisalign® Proficiency Program. This new training standard is mandatory for dentists who offer Invisalign. Here’s an excerpt from the press release:

“Effective June 1, the Invisalign product proficiency program requires every Invisalign provider in North America to start 10 Invisalign cases and complete at least 10 Invisalign-specific continuing education (CE) credits each calendar year to maintain active provider status. Doctors who do not meet the annual case start and CE requirements by the end of each calendar year, starting with December 31, 2009, will be able to continue treating any cases in-progress, but they will not be eligible to submit new Invisalign cases or to use Invisalign marketing resources. Doctors can reactivate their provider status by retaking Invisalign Clear Essentials I training and meeting the proficiency requirements during the new calendar year.”

Dan Ellis, VP of North American Sales, says that a dentist’s Invisalign treatment proficiency is a reflection of case experience. The “Proficiency Pathway” program is a way to ensure that six milestones set by Align Technologies are met by Invisalign dentists.

How this affects you…
Grumbling has ensued. Many dentists want to choose the CE courses they take each year instead of having a product manufacturer dictate them. Is Align just trying to increase profits at by forcing current customers (dentists) into the training program? With the recent legal issues between ClearCorrect™ and Invisalign®, it’s no secret that Invisalign has competition. Some dentists are turning to competing products to continue to offer clear braces for patients. On the flip side, Invisalign’s marketing is great. For those dentists who comply with the new Proficiency Program, there could be marketing benefits. Invisalign products should appear more exclusive and could gain a reputation as the solution of choice for high-income, image-conscious consumers who can afford to pay for cosmetic dentistry.

A little optimism…
The June 2 press release from Align states that the company does not expect the Proficiency Program to impact financial results for 2009.

Dallas, TX – (May 10, 2009) – The lineup for CADapalooza ’09 has just been announced! Join Dr. Gordon Christensen, Dr. Ed McLaren, Dr. Curtis Jansen, Lee Culp CDT and others at this blockbuster event highlighting the newest innovations in CAD CAM Dentistry for dentists, lab technicians and all dental team members. “CADapalooza ’09 is a must for anyone who wants to understand and see where digital dentistry is now and more importantly where it is headed,” said Dr. Gary Severance, D4D Technologies’ VP of Clinical Affairs. “Conference participants will enjoy a full program of case presentations, expert panel discussions, and live demonstrations that showcase the latest developments in laser chairside and benchtop 3D imaging. They will see how this technology will broaden their horizons and deliver a new level of excitement, efficiency and control to the dental laboratory and practice while maintaining the highest quality esthetics and function.”

CADapalooza ’09 will be held at the beautiful Fontainebleau Miami Beach and will include an evening “Millin’ Around” reception on Thursday, August 6 from 6:00-8:00pm for all registered attendees, a full-day program on Friday, August 7 and an opportunity to fabricate your own restoration on Saturday, August 8 during a limited number of special Backstage Pass “Builda-Crown™” workshops from 9:00am-2:00pm. CADapalooza attendees will earn 7 CE credits.

See and experience the future of CAD CAM Dentistry at CADapalooza ’09! Space is limited so register yourself and your team today. Registration is $195 for dentists and dental technicians and $149 for additional team members from a preregistered office or laboratory.

To register, call 877-293-4945, visit www.CADapalooza.com or email
CADapalooza@d4dtech.com. A limited number of rooms are available through a special CADapalooza room block at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach for $149/night + tax (call the Fontainebleau at 800.548.8886 or visit  www.fontainebleau.com) to take advantage of this special hotel rate.

CADapalooza ‘09 is sponsored by D4D Technologies, Henry Schein Dental, Ivoclar Vivadent, 3M ESPE and Premier Dental. Go to www.CADapalooza.com for more information!

About CADapalooza
CADapalooza is an annual conference designed to provide attendees with the most recent information and a vision of the capabilities of chairside and laboratory dentistry using products and technologies offered by D4D Technologies and Henry Schein Dental. The interactive venue will also feature the latest applications and techniques utilizing materials designed especially for digital dentistry today and in the future.

• Enhanced treatment control
• Easier to understand and shorter runway to proficiency
• Developed by leading dentists in clear aligner orthodontics
• Lower lab fees
• No midcourse correction fees
• No refinement fees
• All treatment products include initial retention at no extra charge
• More affordable option for dentists and patients
• Superior training and certification
• Responsive customer service

According to Dr. Willis Pumphrey, ClearCorrect CEO and practicing Houston dentist, “For the past two years, we’ve concentrated on growing our business, first locally, then regionally. With more and more dentists getting trained and certified on ClearCorrect and recommending it to their patients, we’re ready to go national.”

The company has carefully prepared for the launch by developing an informative and user-friendly website, www.ClearCorrect.com, which has sections for clinicians and patients alike. There has also been a significant
investment in the development of marketing brochures, promotional videos, and patient education materials.

“We not only have the tools to help dentists market ClearCorrect, we have the hands-on certification training they need to ensure patient success,” adds Dr. Pumphrey. “You can have the best marketing in the world, but without providing excellent training and support, your success as a dental manufacturing company will be short-lived – we’re in it for the long haul!”

The ClearCorrect certification workshops are conveniently scheduled throughout the country so dentists can attend without losing valuable time in their practices. Upon completing the course, dentists are not only certified as official ClearCorrect providers, they earn eight hours of continuing education credits as well.
ClearCorrect certification workshops are scheduled for the following cities during the remainder of the year, with additional dates to be continuously added:

Date City
4/25 Chicago
5/9 Phoenix
5/16 New York
5/29 Philadelphia
6/13 Las Vegas
6/26 Los Angeles
7/11 San Diego
7/25 Boston
8/8 San Francisco
8/22 Seattle
9/12 Denver
9/26 Salt Lake City
10/17 Atlanta
10/30 Houston
11/07 Orlando
11/21 Miami
12/12 New York

In addition, for experienced ClearCorrect doctors seeking a fast track to certification, there are one-hour online webinars avaliable. The next webinar is scheduled for May 29th with additional dates expected.

For a complete and updated schedule and to enroll online for certification workshops and webinars, please visit http://www.clearcorrect.com/doctors/becomeaprovider.html.

About ClearCorrect, Inc.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ClearCorrect was founded by dentists to serve the dental and orthodontic industry by providing a superior and more affordable clear aligner system. The highly sophisticated ClearCorrect treatment delivery system and corresponding aligner products are based on years of research and clinical experience. Cutting-edge technological advances and advanced treatment expertise, coupled with comprehensive marketing and sales support, make ClearCorrect the premier clear aligner solution of choice for informed dentists and patients. The company’s modern, needs-based approach for serving doctors and patients has earned it a leadership position within the dental industry. For information about ClearCorrect, the company, and its products, visit www.clearcorrect.com or call 1-888-331-3323.

ACE Conference on Dental Marketing & Web Optimization
March 27-28 – Grand Hyatt Tampa, Tampa, FL
http://www.acesthetics.com/  

Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research
April 1 – 4 – Miami, FL
http://www.aadronline.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3775   

Predictable Dentistry with Dr. Dawson & Dr. Cranham (Kirk Behrendt, Sandy Roth, Joan Forrest, Larry Guzzardo)
April 3 – 4 – JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL
http://www.thedawsonacademy.com/Default.aspx?p=17404  

International Association for Orthodontics Annual Meeting
April 23 – 26 – Louisville, KY
http://www.iaortho.org/annual_meeting.htm  

25th AACD Scientific Session – Excellence in Cosmetic Dentistry
April 27 – May 1 – Honolulu, HI
http://www.aacdconference.com/2009/credentialing.cfm  

ADA 23rd New Dentist Conference – Making Waves in Miami
April 30 – May 2 – Hyatt Regency Miami, Miami, FL
http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/newdent/index.asp  

ICOI Temple University Spring Symposium
May 7 – 9 – Downtown Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia, PA
http://www.icoi.org/dentist-meetings-courses.htm  

Freehand Composite Bonding – The “Ultimate” Esthetics Course
May 15 – Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA
http://www.dental.washington.edu/conted/courses/CE0800Courses/CE0885Willhite.php

ICOI/CSA Implant Symposium and Training Course
June 23 – 24 – Jiangsu, China
June 26 – 28 Shanghai, China
http://www.icoi.org/dentist-meetings-courses.htm

AGD Annual Meeting
July 8 – 12, Baltimore, MD
http://www.agd.org/baltimore09/?PubID=95&IssID=919&ArtID=4883&nIssID=919

ADA/Kellogg School of Management – Executive Management Program
July 9 – 14 – Kellogg’s Chicago Campus, Chicago, IL
http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/kellogg/index.asp

2009 Management Conference Week
July 20 – 23 – ADA Headquarters, Chicago, IL
http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/management/index.asp

Be sure to visit www.kirkbehrendt.com to learn about his upcoming speaking engagements or to register for “Motivate Your Team with Some Recession Proofing Energy” on Friday, May 1st in Eastchester, NY. At the website, you’ll also find an arsenal of free articles, videos, and a blog with excellent direction to help your practice succeed!

DB: What is ACT Dental, and how did it begin?

KB: Well, here’s how I got involved in dentistry. I worked in a dental lab in college and we built a supply company there. I didn’t really enjoy dentists as a whole; I had a couple thousand I was calling on. I didn’t find them happy overall, and they weren’t good business people. A select population was great – and they loved dentistry.

At 23, I made a decision to leave dentistry, and some folks talked me into staying. I went to Pankey to see Pete Dawson, Mike Schuster, Greg Tarantola, and all of the people at the Pankey Institute. They would introduce other people to me that took me to lectures of Frank Spear and John Kois. At all of these places were some of the greatest people and the greatest minds in denitstry. I was completely energized! It was a great time for me. I was single, could travel, could learn the excellent components in dentistry. So in my mid 20s, I made steps to be around these types of people, and I found they all flocked together. It was really interesting. It’s no mistake that those who really care about dentistry and are trying to be really good run in the same circles. It’s very energizing!

Pete Dawson’s first lecture I attended opened my eyes up the most. He sounded like my father! He talked about doing the right thing, finding passion and balance, enjoying family, living up to God’s calling. These lit my fire very early. When I spoke with Pete Dawson or any of these people, they sent me to another – it was very energizing! The most fulfilling part was that I engaged in a profession to help people, wasn’t selling a doodad or pushing a product. I wanted to be a schoolteacher. Now it’s like I am – and I find significance in my job. I can’t even describe the level of fulfillment when someone gets to change their life – see their kids again, save their marriage – it’s the most incredible thing. It’s off the charts. People light my fire every day.

Eleven years ago, ACT started with three of us. We really wanted to create a small community of dentists to coach and mentor, and they could help push each other. It grew into something much bigger than us, which we were really excited about. I pulled together some of the best minds in dentistry. ACT was a play on words – get your act together. Now, it’s an active community of trainees. This is very special to us because I never wanted company to be about me. I wanted it to grow well beyond me – us – and members of the community would be the most important part; they’d feel well cared for and well coached. It’s grown way beyond our greatest imagination! We’ve been overseas, done some work in Switzerland, as well. We’ve been very blessed!

We start with the core group that we coach – one or two practices a month. That’s all we can handle. After they’ve been coached for about a year, they become mentors and coaches for other practices. It starts by going in and becoming a coach; once they have great marketing, exposure, and organization, we ask them to become members, and it becomes a great relationship.

DB: You’re not the only speaker with ACT. You have an entire team. Tell us about how the team came together and how ACT is growing.

KB: I set out to find the best team members I could find to support this community. Our group of three is different than it was at the start. Sherry Kay, our Lead Practice Coach, an invaluable asset. She is truly one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She has more energy than I do. On top of it, she is (by far) the most gifted facilitator I’ve ever met. Shannon Pace, another truly dynamic Practice Coach with an amazing amount of talent, handles all of the assisting courses at the Dawson Center. Our whole team is super high energy. We are focused on excellence in dentistry. Our job is to support our clients.

A few other recent additions to ACT are Jane Burdette, an incredible mind in dentistry, and Rachel Berman, our Operations Director, who has the skills to manage our growth and keep us all focused. Our growth has been a huge blessing. We also have an entire panel of speakers – dentists, who have been with us for many years. Many are going through their AACD accreditation, and they have extensive technical knowledge and backgrounds. We’ve added four more dentists to our panel that aren’t on the site yet. ACT Dental is not comprised of a few people; it’s 44 members strong as of last January’s meeting.

DB: Why would a dentist seek out private coaching from ACT?

KB: We don’t necessarily limit our coaching to the practice. I think it’s hard to separate life and work in dentistry. Most of our practices thrive professionally, but making sure they’re well equipped to deal with life challenges is important. We really get involved in our clients’ lives. We build lifelong relationships. We’re going to be pushing you until the day you leave dentistry!

We also lecture to outside groups. I really enjoy the one-day lectures, and I didn’t know that I would when I started a year or two ago. I do one-day lectures all over. It’s grown into a tornado. We have so many dates on the calendar this year! The Greater New York Dental Meeting is one that I’m looking forward to. I thank God every day that I get to do this job! I serve people and it’s really high energy. I used to do stand-up comedy in college. So I get to do that, too.

 [PLAYLIST not found]

I would do this for free! It’s that much fun.

DB: What do you feel is the most pertinent issue that you lecture on in today’s economic situation?

KB: It is very important for dentists to understand that we are not in the same economy as we were five years ago or even last year. The most important issue in practices today is to understand that fear is a virus that can be very toxic! While we can’t control what’s going on the economy right now, we can control our own minds. We teach our practices to choose not to participate in the recession. This isn’t to ignore the world, we don’t stick our heads in the sand, but we have a choice to feel fear and engage in it with patients – or we can remain focused on why patients are coming to us.

It starts at the top. If a dentist feels fear about the economy, it will resonate through the team and patients. Fear is very unattractive in the dental practice. Confidence is attractive. People move toward confidence and away from fear. If your front desk person is fearful that people won’t pay, she’ll translate that. The number one thing we teach is that dentists should chose not to participate in the recession. We have to protect our minds, our brains. I tell people not to watch the news. Turn on CNN for 15 minutes, then tell me if you feel better or worse after you turn of the TV. You’ll feel worse! Same thing with patients. We have to be clear with patients about our stand; listen to them, accept the situation, then focus solely on them.

It’s only speculation where we are in this recession, and we have no control over that. What we do have control over is our thoughts.

DB: Many dentists are refocusing their practices from cosmetic dentistry to general dentistry. What’s the most effective way to market this type of change?

KB: The pendulum is swinging back from cosmetic dentistry. It was very flashy. Because of the changes in the economy, more practices are shifting back to general dentistry.

Talking is the worst form of communication. Stop telling patients; start showing them. When it comes to general dentistry, most importantly, listen to patients. When they describe their needs, we need to understand their picture. I am a big fan of the viral aspect of marketing – visual, websites, appearance, image. We need to make sure what they see of us online, in person, or in their own minds as they communicate with us is consistent with the message we want to send.

There’s also the diversification component. More general dentists are placing implants, doing more endo, reverting back to single-tooth procedures, and that’s okay. Just remember, the most effective way to market this is visual and viral.

DB: What do you recommend dentists do to motivate their team in a time when salaries are stagnant, bonuses small or nonexistent, and unemployment is high?

KB: I think this is a fantastic question because it’s really important to understand this. I’ve interviewed hundreds of auxiliaries. Overall, TEAM MEMBERS DON’T THINK PAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR. It is one of the top three or five. The number-one concern is that they need to feel valued and appreciated.

But there are actually two parts to this answer. First, understand that the people in your practice need to feel appreciated, valued. Work is the safest place in the world to some of them. You can give them a safe place to feel appreciated! Some of them are unappreciated at home. Their four year old doesn’t look up and thank them for dinner. They need it at work. It’s really cool to make people feel appreciated and safe, to contribute to peoples’ lives. The US Dept of Labor & Statistics states that the number-one reason people leave their jobs because don’t feel appreciated.

Second, bonuses are small sometimes when the economy is poor, but as a dentist and team, it’s important to understand that bonuses come from increases in profit, not increased production or longevity on the job – they only come from profit increases. As a team, it’s really important to understand how pay is affected by a practice’s profitability. Don’t keep the team in the dark. It’s important for all team members and dentists to understand in this climate.

I tell teams and dentists that if you aren’t in a position to offer bonuses, tell the team where your practice needs to be to give bonuses. Appreciate and value them; let them know where the practice needs to be in order to see bonuses. Sometimes the road getting there can take several months. In getting there, I tell dentists once the goals are clear and you’re moving toward them, take the team out to dinner as a little incentive to show appreciation and say we’re getting there. A hundred dollar bonus can help. Show that you value them and appreciate their efforts. That in itself is a huge morale booster.

DB: How can dentists increase their marketing efforts and save money to continue to make a profit this year?

KB: It’s really important to understand that everything a dentist does is marketing – from first phone call to every conversation people have about you is marketing and opportunity.

As you’ve probably seen, dentists have tried everything in marketing in the past few years. They’ve gone to large companies for direct mail, external advertising, and it’s produced a poor ROI. In every major city, you see dental saturation in high-end magazines. You see ads everywhere. That marketing is becoming cost prohibitive. Dentists are having to find other ways to market and make a profit.

The most profitable dentists do most of their marketing virally. The dental practice website is an anchor. It is a very high-quality image of the philosophy they are trying to project into the community. That is just one anchor. When it comes to cost-effective marketing, we see people increasing electronic newsletters, blogging, electronic communication and relationship building between general practitioners and specialists. Also, we see increased visual communication between team members and patients.

Digital photography is huge leap forward in effective dental marketing. You are stuck in marketing unless you’re good at photography. You can only go so far without it. The practices that have made huge jumps forward use digital photography – all team members know how to use it efficiently. When it comes to digital photography, they shoot great photos, then ask patients about the photos when they are describe what they want or their challenges. A lot of digital cameras I see in an office have dust on them! The dentist isn’t the only one who can take pictures. Train the team to take the photos! It’s easy and exciting to team members. What a great opportunity! Put the pictures up on a giant screen to stir emotions visually in patients. It’s very powerful! Don’t talk to people; show them.
Be more visual than verbal!

Viral and visual are critical components. Viral is everything we consider soft. TNT is huge with this, and a lot of our practices use TNT for dental websties. Practices should actually use the technology they have. When patients call our practices, the treatment coordinator asks, “Are you near a computer? Please type in our website address. Now click on About Us. That’s me – I’m the first face you see.” They aren’t letting a technology sit stagnant in cyberspace. They are sending patients there. Patients have a reference, a visual image. Use all of your tools – they are only effective as well as we use them. I never tell people about my website, I drag people to my website. Then I take them there to tour the site, so they become more familiar with everything it has to offer.

Email newsletters grow automatically – SmileReminder (I love and technologies like this). Someone doesn’t have to manually manipulate them. They are automatic and work in a viral environment.

DB: You’re a big proponent of family, happiness, and personal fulfillment. Time seems to be a major factor when you discuss how dentists can live life to the fullest. What are some of the major time issues dentists face in a modern private practice?

KB: This isn’t just a concept to me, it is my life. God has blessed me with an incredible wife and four children under eight. I live chaos and activities every day. Breakfast can be quite chaotic! This isn’t a foreign concept to me. When a dentist says he has little kids, needs to manage his practice, and do marketing – I get it! When it comes to family, happiness, personal fulfillment, I understand and value time. Everyone in the world is experiencing a time famine. We don’t have enough hours in the day. We need to be clear about what our life is all about. If you’re working past 5:00, extra hours won’t fix your problem. The single biggest failure in America is not having dinner with the family. It’s the core essence of what we’re all about.

The major time issues, like the pile on the desk, will only continue to grow. The practice appetite will grow over the course of time. The demands will never lessen, they’ll only increase. There’s always going to be a pile there. Clarify what your life is, what your practice is. We tell our clients you can only work 32 clinical hours in a week. That’s it. Otherwise, something will fail – health, marriage, desire. Eight hours of clinical dentistry per day is the max. If you do more, something’s got to give.

It’s important that a dentist do only what he or she is licensed to do – dentistry and diagnostics. We encourage our dentists to be doing these two things 80-90% of the time. It’s a fallacy to think the team can’t take photos, talk to patients, mount models. That’s just not true. What makes your practice most efficient? The dentist has to position himself to do only what he’s licensed to do.

There are so many disruptions in business! Email is one of the biggest disruptions in the modern world. There is nothing in email that will improve your life. Stay focused on the practice moving forward. No dentist in the world should work past 5:00 or on Saturday. Give your patients a reason to come in during the week before 5:00. Don’t be at the mercy of your fears.

DB: You have a busy calendar in 2009! What event are you most looking forward to and why?

KB: As excited as I am about the future professionally, nothing dental can compare to having four little kids. That is my first focus. We have so much cool family stuff planned this year! I tell dentist they need four weeks of vacation every year. Kids need to think you’re cool parents! My kids are super excited, too. That’s really what excites me more than anything.

But I do love to speak and help people! I am very, very blessed to speak at these meetings. I’m looking forward to going back to the New York Greater Dental Meeting and the Florida National Dental Convention.  We are also going to work with Disney Isntitute later this year to learn how they orchestrate teamwork behind hte scenes. Last year we did snowmobiling in Rocky Mountains. I thank God everyday that we get the chance to do cool things with cool people in cool places! I am literally overloaded with gratitude that we get a chance to do this. I am excited to see what challenges and people God puts in front of us in 2009!

DB: What books are on your nightstand right now?

KB: I have three books – Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink – incredible reading, one of the top five ever business books ever written. The Bible – always. And a fantastic book, Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller. I have so many books in my library that I haven’t read, but I feel smarter just walking in there!

See Kirk Behrendt in action on YouTube!  

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Kirk Behrendt is a practice performance coach, international speaker and author.Kirk has spent his entire professional life studying the elite practices in dentistry and the leadership that guides them.As the founder of ACT, his vision is driven by the commitment to provide highly personalized care to the dental profession. By creating a small and talented team of experts, Kirk and his team continue to positively impact the practice of dentistry one practice at a time. The Pankey Institute and Dr. Peter Dawson’s treatment philosophies influenced Kirk early in his career. Since then, his mission has been to provide the most ethical and value driven service known to the dental practice development profession. His personal mission is “to use up every ounce of my potential.” Kirk lectures all over the United States to help individuals take control of their own lives. Kirk has competed internationally in 4 Ironman Triathlons and 9 Half-Ironman triathlons. He currently trains with some of the most elite pro and age-group triathletes competing in the world today. His feeling is that there is no greater parallel to optimal business performance than optimal athletic performance. He loves golf, basketball, stand-up comedy, and most of all, spending time with his wife, Sarah, and children Kinzie, Lily, Zoe, & Bo. His e-mail address is kirk@actdental.com.

Visit Kirk online!
http://www.kirkbehrendt.com/
http://www.actdental.com/
http://web.me.com/kirkbehrendt/THE_ACT_DENTAL_BLOG/Blog/Blog.html

During the two-day event, world-renowned experts on the topics of bone grafting and implant dentistry will present the latest research, interactive treatment planning, live demonstrations and a hands-on workshop. The symposium will be moderated by an expert panel of doctors.

“The goal for all of our educational programs is to create an open, interactive environment for group learning. With attendance expected to be approximately 150 surgeons both nationally and internationally, the expert panel will help ensure we maintain our goal,” said company president Shane Shuttlesworth.

Lecture topics and demonstrations will highlight surgical techniques used in a variety of bone grafting procedures including three different approaches to vertical and horizontal ridge augmentation, ridge expansion, ridge preservation and implant site development.

Symposium faculty includes Dr. Henry Greenwell, Dr. Eiji Funakoshi, Dr. Daniel Cullum, Dr. Jeffrey Lemler and Dr. Barry Bartee.

Tuition is $595 for doctors and $150 for assistants and office personnel.

For more information, contact Osteogenics Biomedical at 1-888-796-1923, or visit www.cytoplast.com under the “Courses” tab.

About the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa:
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. offers 27 holes of championship golf, a 9,000 square-foot water park and a full service spa. The resort is within walking distance from fine dining options and 38 acres of upscale specialty retail stores.

About Osteogenics Biomedical:
Osteogenics Biomedical is a leader in the development of innovative guided tissue regeneration products for use by oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists and other clinicians involved in regenerative or implant dentistry. Based in Lubbock, TX, the company distributes its products under the Cytoplast® brand.

ACE membership is a wonderful opportunity for dentists and hygienists alike. Annual dues are $300 for dentists and $50 for hygienists, and when weighed against the benefits, this is a phenomenal deal. In addition, membership includes a significant discount toward attending ACE events, such as the upcoming Marketing Program in Tampa, Florida. ACE members may also apply for fellowship, FACE. Learn more about FACE here.

Future ACE events include ACE Conference on Minimal & No-Prep Veneers, June 5-6 in Cleveland, Ohio and ACE 2009 Annual Symposium on Esthetic Dentistry, November 11-14 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Join Dr. Larry Emmott, our DentalBlogs columnist and the nation’s top dental technology expert, on a three-day, high intensity continuing education vacation program. Each day, Dr. Emmott will lead a mountain biking group in the morning and a seminar in the afternoon.

At the detnal technology seminar, Dr. Emmott will give you the tools you need to make wise choices for your dental practice – choices that will save you time and thousands of dollars. Plus, you’ll learn in one of the West’s most beautiful places – Sedona, Arizona. For non bikers, Sedona offers fabulous shopping, tours of ancient cliff dwellings, and golf or jeep rides to explore the area’s natural splendor. Local bike rental is available, as well. Visit Emmott on Technology to learn more, or email Dr. Emmott at larryemmott@drlarryemmott.com.

The programmes are designed to involve all key members of the modern dental practice professional and could qualify you up to 12-hours of verifiable CPD. You will be inspired to develop and grow your career.

The five conference streams include:

Aesthetic Dentist – for private thinking dentists

An international clinical programme combining the growth areas in UK dentistry including: Dental Implantology, Cosmetic Dentistry and Facial Aesthetics. Creating a remarkable opportunity to see the cutting edge clinical techniques that together form the basis of total facial and dental rejuvenation.

Simply Dental – for NHS dentists

This programme will be geared up to get dentists to think outside of their usual routine.

Hygienist Symposium – for hygienists and therapists

Listen to speakers on topics surrounding dental implants, whitening, sales coaching and oral health and hygiene.

Dental Insight – for practice managers

To help busy, stressed practice managers run successful and profitable practices.

Aesthetic Technician – for dental technicians and laboratory owners

We believe that with the right knowledge, the skills of a dental technician can be maximised to combine the latest surgical and aesthetic dentistry.

Come and listen to leading industry leaders including:

Ashok Sethi, Hew Mathewson, Mhari Coxon, Bob Khanna… amongst many others.

You can register for the full two-day conference for only £295 +vat (worth £495)!

For full information and to register please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk or call 0044 (0)1926 485151.

• February 26 to March 1, 2009 – Scientific Sessions
• February 27 to March 1, 2009 – Commercial Exhibition
• Pre-Registration Now Thru January 31 – Register Online Here
• Session & Speaker Descriptions Available Online
• Download Event Brochures

See videos from last year’s meeting…

• Sci Can Step Matic
• Septodent Composite Resin
• Snap On Smile
• D4D One-Visit Crowns
• One Bite Occlusan Plain Analyser

• Visit the ADA’s Annual Session page to learn more about this exciting event.
• If you’ve registered for courses, you can download handouts online.
• VisitSanAntonio.com also has an ADA page for you to review.

If you’ve never been to San Antonio and you can find some free time, don’t miss The River Walk, Market Square, and The Alamo. Weather looks rainy, though, so be sure to take your umbrella!

The dinner meetings are designed as an adjunct to Novartis’ recently-launched web seminar series and are being offered for dentists who prefer live seminars and the opportunity to interact with the presenters as well as their peers.

A total of ten 2-hour dinner meetings (www.oralhealthdinnermeeting.com) are to be hosted between September and December, and will be presented by a rotating roster of clinicians who are leading experts on this compelling and highly relevant subject.

“Benefits of Bisphosphonate Therapy vs Frequency of Oral Complications: An Educational Program for Dental Professionals” will cover the following topics that every general practice dentist needs to know:

• Overview of bisphosphonates and uses in treatment of osteoporosis and metastatic
  bone disease
• Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) background
• ONJ frequency in oncology and osteoporosis patients treated with bisphosphonates
• Review of ONJ studies and management

The convenient schedule for the 10 Novartis dinner meetings is as follows:

For more details and to register for any dinner meeting session of “Benefits of Bisphosphonate Therapy vs Frequency of Oral Complications: An Educational Program for Dental Professionals,” visit

www.oralhealthdinnermeeting.com.