Dentaltown December 2020 - 20

industry
news

Report Finds COVID-19 Rate Among Dentists Less Than 1%
The American Dental Association Science and Research Institute and Health Policy Institute recently found that less than 1% of dentists nationwide
were COVID-19 positive, according to a report based on data collected in June. In addition, 99% of dentists are using enhanced infection-control
procedures such as screening protocols and enhanced disinfection practices when treating patients.
The report is the first large-scale collection and publication of U.S. dentists' infection rates and infection control practices related to COVID-19.
Dr. Marcelo Araujo, ADA Science and Research Institute CEO, added that the authors of the report-researchers from the ADA Science and Research
Institute and Health Policy Institute-are continuing to collect and will report infection rate data on dentists and have added hygienists to their ongoing
survey, in collaboration with the American Dental Hygienists Association.
This report focused on nearly 2,200 dentists, finding that 82% of dentists were asymptomatic for one month before the survey and 16.6%
reported getting a COVID-19 test. Those who tested positive were not clustered in any particular geographic region. Among those not tested, less than
1% (0.32) were given a probable COVID-19 diagnosis by a physician. The authors weighted the results to align with U.S. dentists demographically and
geographically and found an estimated prevalence of less than 1% (0.9) with a margin of error of 0.5%.
Information: mouthhealthy.org

Industry News
Information in this section is culled from releases that were delivered to
news@dentaltown.com. All material is subject to editing and space availability.

Align Technology to Award Research Programs
Advancing Orthodontic and Dental Patient Care
Align Technology has opened its 2021 Research Award Program to support
clinical and scientific dental research in universities across the globe. This year, up
to $300,000 will be awarded to university faculty for scientific and technological
research initiatives to advance patient care in orthodontics and dentistry.
Align Technology has funded approximately $2 million in research awards since
the program's inception in 2010, providing insights that include intraoral scanning
and patient experience, quality of life changes, and insights into the biochemical
markers of bone metabolism during early orthodontic tooth movement with clear
aligners.
Eligible applicants for dental research awards include full- and part-time faculty
involved in dental or scientific research at universities at which Invisalign treatment or
the iTero scanner is available. All applications are reviewed by an independent academic
committee that forwards its recommendations to Align Technology for final selection.
Research proposals and completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. Pacific time
on March 5, 2021, and award recipients will be notified by June 7.
Information: learn.invisalign.com/research-awards-landing-page

Dental Industry Leaders
Launch Dental AI Council
Leaders from across the dental
industry recently announced the
formation of the Dental AI Council
(DAIC), an organization devoted to
helping define the future of artificial
intelligence (AI) in dentistry through
research and education.
DAIC members are clinicians,
professors and senior executives
from companies such as Cigna, Delta
Dental, DSG, Heartland, Henry Schein,
NDX and Walmart. As AI begins to
yield increased efficiency, accuracy,
consistency and insight in a variety of
dental applications, the DAIC will seek
to stimulate greater industrywide
understanding of the technology.
The DAIC's primary function
is to lead independent research to
determine where and how AI will prove
most valuable to dentistry, empirically
validate its functional capabilities and
performance, and answer fundamental
questions related to AI's role in the
oral health care ecosystem. In addition
to research, the DAIC will facilitate
AI-related educational programming,
thought leadership content and public
advocacy initiatives.
Information: dentalaicouncil.org

DECEMBER 2020 // dentaltown.com

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11/17/20 9:45 AM

http://www.mouthhealthy.org http://learn.invisalign.com/research-awards-landing-page http://www.dentalaicouncil.org http://www.dentaltown.com

Dentaltown December 2020

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