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Get the latest tidbits from around the industry.
New Sunshine Act Applies to
Laboratories
Recently, NADL’s general counsel reviewed the
newly enacted Federal Physician Payment Sunshine
Act, which seems to indicate that dental laboratories
and dentists would fall under the requirements.
According to Kaiser Health News, “The
Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires companies
to begin recording any physician payments that are
worth more than $10 in 2012 and to report them
on March 31, 2013. That includes stock options,
research grants, (gifts), consulting fees and travel to
medical conferences at chi-chi hotels. The details will
be posted in a searchable (online) database starting
Sept. 30, 2013.”
Dentists are considered physicians under the
law. Dental laboratories, under previous FDA
consultation, are applicable manufacturers under the
law. Therefore, it appears that payments or other
transfers of value made by dental laboratories to
dentists are subject to the new Physician Payment
Sunshine provisions.
Dental laboratories would not have to start
tracking payments for public speaking engagements
to dentists until January 2012. Also, the secretary of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
must issue regulations by October 2011, which may
provide some clarity on this issue.
NADL will be working further on this issue to
determine how dental laboratories can best comply
with these pending new requirements barring any
Congressional action that would repeal such a
requirement.
Stern Empire Day Declared
(Pictured above) NADL Co-Executive Director Bennett
Napier, CAE, (left); Stern Empire Vice President of
Industry Relations Gerry Mariacher, CDT; and Stern
Empire President and GM Robert R. Allen proclaim
Sept. 24, 2010, as Stern Empire Laboratory Day.
Industry Mourns
Kempnich
Karl-Heinz Kempnich,
83, passed away at
North York General
Hospital on Nov. 13.
He is survived by his
wife, Karin Kempnich;
son Julian Kempnich
and his wife Lynn; and
grandchildren Natasha
and Jaden. In his
distinguished dental
laboratory career
Kempnich was the first
president of Ivoclar
NA, vice president of
Williams Gold Canada,
and founder and
president of Swiss NF
metals Toronto.
Braydich Passes
Away
James B. Braydich,
52, who passed away
Oct. 13 after battling
kidney cancer for six
months. In 1982, he
received a dental
technology degree
from Columbus Institute
of Technology. In 1985,
he started Excel Dental
Lab in Hubbard, Ohio.
In spite of illness, he was
very committed to his
clients and continued
to work right up to the
time of his death. He is
survived by his mother,
four brothers, several
nieces and nephews
and grand-nieces and
nephews. Material
tributes may be made
in Jim’s memory
to Sister Jerome’s
Schools, Inc., 44 Essex
St., Youngstown, Ohio
44502.
Sun Dental Labs to Provide
Certificates
The IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council announced
that Sun Dental Labs will begin providing laboratories
and dentists with complementary IdentAlloy and
IdentCeram certificates verifying the content of
Suntech Full Zirconia, Suntech Layered Zirconia
and Suntech Zirconia Copings as well as SunCast
Premium Partial Denture restorations.
U.S. Implant Market Shrank in 2009
While Canada typically mimics U.S. trends in
the North American dental implant market, 2009
was very different, according to Millennium Research
Group. The struggling American economy led to
a shrinking market for dental implants, while the
Canadian market achieved moderate growth of 5.6
percent.
The greatest discrepancy was seen in the North
American market for regular-diameter dental implant
fixtures. As volumes shrank in the U.S., prices
dropped as manufacturers attempted to maintain
volumes through discounting. As a result, the U.S.
regular-diameter dental implant fixture market
experienced a moderate decline. The final abutment
market also declined in the U.S. in 2009. Volumes
decreased as a result of fewer regular-diameter dental
implants placed that year, but this was slightly offset
by a small increase in price.
DLAT Gives Award
The Dental Laboratory Association of Texas’
Dental Laboratory Excellence Award was given to
Stern Empire. Pictured above are DLAT President Leo
Cortes, CDT; DLAT Executive Director Milton C.
Pokladnik, CDT retired; and Stern Empire President
and GM Robert R. Allen.
42 Journal of Dental Technology January 2011

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GC America Opens New Facility
GC America, Inc. (GCA) is very pleased to
announce a grand opening ceremony was recently
held for their expansion and renovation project. A
40-year resident of Alsip, Ill.’s industrial community,
GCA expanded its manufacturing facility by 25
percent to 100,000 square feet. The new facility
includes a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.
GC Corporation (GCC) has transplanted its dental
stone manufacturing plant from Japan to Alsip.
This move increased production in the United
States and expanded employment opportunities
directly and indirectly, making GCA a leading global
manufacturer.
Gottlander
Leaves Nobel
Biocare
Nobel Biocare
announced that
Executive Vice
President Key Account
Management Robert
Gottlander has
decided to leave the
company on May
31 to pursue new
opportunities outside
the company. He will
step down from his
duties with immediate
effect and will remain
at the disposal of
the CEO for special
projects until his final
leaving.
NADL Visits Laserdenta
Laserdenta Inc., Director of Technical Training and
Support John Just, CDT, with NADL Co-Executive
Director Bennett Napier, CAE (pictured above).
Just was training South America Dental Dealers at
CARDENT International’s Dealer Symposium in Florida.
WSDLA Honors Attendees at October Meeting
ODLA Host Annual Meeting
Mike Girard, keynote speaker, and Ohio Dental
Laboratory Association President R.J. DeLapa
(pictured above) at Ohio Dental Laboratory
Association Meeting in October 2010.
Pictured left is Cliff
Webster, CDT, receiving
his 30 year certificate and
pin on Oct. 8, 2010, at the
Washington State Dental
Laboratory Association's
Owners Roundtable
Retreat in Washington.
New Class of Metal for Dental
Prosthetics is Introduced
The first FDA-approved dental implant made
with nanotitanium, a metal that is stronger than
conventional alloys and integrates much more
quickly with human bone, was installed in the
mouth of the scientist who helped develop it.
Nanotitanium is the product of a collaboration
of American scientists at Los Alamos National
Laboratory and Russian scientists to repurpose
weapons technology for peaceful means. According to
its inventors, it’s a breakthrough advancement for the
prosthetics and medical device industry. The implant
is manufactured and distributed by BASIC Dental
in Albuquerque, N.M. under a non-exclusive license
limited to dental implants.
Maurice Gress,
CDT, FNBC, (far right)
received the Chet Claus
Award at the Washington
State Dental Laboratory
Association's Roundtable
Retreat on Oct. 8, 2010.
January 2011 Journal of Dental Technology 43