January 31, 2003
ViziLite™ - Top Chariside Product
ViziLite(TM), a biophotonic device for the early detection of abnormal oral tissue, has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Chairside Products in the December 2002 issue of Dental Products Report, one of the leading dental publications in the U.S. and Canada. The list is comprised of products that readers expressed the most interest in during the past year.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030130/DATH044 )
According to Dental Products Report, the interest in ViziLite is a result of increased awareness of the importance of early detection of oral cancer. At present, only about 35% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the early phase of the disease. The American Cancer Society reports that oral cancer is among the 10 most common cancer types. Based upon past history, the American Cancer Society predicts that 29,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year in the U.S., and 7,400 Americans will die of this disease.
ViziLite is a disposable test kit to be used in combination with traditional oral screening by a healthcare provider to increase identification, evaluation and monitoring of oral mucosal abnormalities in populations at increased risk for oral cancer. During the ViziLite exam, oral abnormalities appear bright white, allowing them to be monitored, biopsied, treated or excised.
ViziLite is marketed by Zila(R) Pharmaceuticals, a division of Zila, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZILA) , Phoenix-based international provider of healthcare and biotechnology products for dental/medical professionals and consumers. Zila Pharmaceuticals markets ethical and over-the-counter drugs and medical devices for oral soft tissue management. For more information, visit www.ViziLite.com or call 1-800-922-7887.
CONTACT: John Maverick
PHONE: (602) 266-6700
E-MAIL: jmaverick@zila.com
January 29, 2003
Sybron -27% Increase in Net
ORANGE, Calif., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sybron Dental Specialties, Inc. (NYSE:SYD) , a leading manufacturer of value-added products for the dental and orthodontic professions and products for use in infection prevention, announced today its financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2002.
First Quarter Results
Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2003 totaled $120.1 million, compared to $97.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 22.8%. Sybron's total internal growth rate was 15.2% for the first quarter, and 9.4% for consumables. The internal growth rate for equipment was 183%, which was driven by initial stocking of the Company's new Demetron curing light by its distribution partners. Consumable supplies represented 92% of total sales in the first quarter.
Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2003 was $9.6 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, an increase of 27% over net income of $7.5 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the same period of the previous year.
Effective October 1, 2002, Sybron adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets," and is no longer amortizing its goodwill.
Sybron generated $21.4 million in free cash flow, defined as operating cash flow minus capital expenditures, in the first quarter. This represents an increase of 328% over free cash flow of $5.0 million in the same period of the previous year.
"We are beginning to see the positive impact of the changes we made throughout the organization in the second half of the last fiscal year," said Floyd W. Pickrell, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Sybron Dental Specialties. "We saw strong internal growth by our Kerr subsidiary of 21% this quarter as our dental distribution partners have responded well to our more focused end-user promotions. We have dedicated additional resources to our marketing efforts at Kerr, and we are providing our distributors with enhanced collateral and educational materials to help their sales organizations present our products to their customers in a more effective manner. Most importantly, we saw a consistent order flow throughout the quarter, and we believe the inventory position of our distributors bodes well for a continuation of this pattern.
"Our Ormco subsidiary also had a very strong quarter with 8.1% internal growth. These results were driven largely by increasing sales of our high-end brackets. We continue to improve our ability to manufacture these brackets in larger quantities. As we continue to increase production volumes, we will expand our marketing efforts related to the high-end brackets to capitalize on the growing demand that exists in the marketplace," said Mr. Pickrell.
See http://www.sybrondental.com/investors/pubs.html for more info on Sybron Dental.
January 26, 2003
First DIGITAL Dental Laser
Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. Announces First DIGITAL Dental Laser With First FDA Laser Curettage Clearance
CERRITOS, Calif., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. (MDT) announced today it has received FDA clearance for the first ever digital dental laser in the U.S. marketplace -- the PerioLase(R) MVP-7, and also has received the first ever FDA regulatory clearance for the specific wording and procedure known as "laser curettage" (removal of diseased or inflamed soft tissue in the periodontal pocket).
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030122/LAW002-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030122/LAW002-b )
MDT is also the first and only company to receive FDA clearance in the company's Professional Instructions for Use for a patented periodontal procedure called Laser Periodontal Therapy(TM) (LPT) and cleared to market LPT(TM) to improve: Gingival Index (GI) -- improving the quality, quantity, and severity of disease; Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) -- reduce bleeding from the gums; Probe Depth (PD) -- reduce the depth of the periodontal pocket; Attachment Level (AL) -- increase the level of tissue attachment; and Tooth Mobility (TM) -- lessen loose teeth. These new clinical claims validate the successful use of the PerioLase and Laser Periodontal Therapy for the treatment of periodontal disease without using scalpels and sutures.
The PerioLase(R) MVP-7 continues the founders' commitment as a continuum of lasers dedicated to the treatment of moderate to severe periodontal disease.
The PerioLase(R) MVP-7 is a TruePulse(TM) free-running, neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (FR) Nd:YAG. The PerioLase(R) is the only laser in the dental marketplace with Multi-Variable Pulse(TM) (MVP(TM)). MVP(TM) requires digital electronics and allows the operator to change between 7 discrete pulse durations. Pulse durations known as "free-running" are measured in the millionths (10(-6)) of a second.
The digital PerioLase(R) MVP-7 weighs 42 pounds and can sit on its own rolling cart with storage drawer, or sit on a table top. It features a real-time energy/Joule counter, a printer for recording patient treatment settings and total energy used, a built-in power meter for measuring true energy delivered to tissue, and a tiltable touch-screen that includes a menu of laser procedure settings for instant clinical usage.
No PerioLase(R) MVP-7 is sold without extensive training. The PerioLase Periodontal Package(TM) sells for $44,995, and includes 5 days of clinical training spread out over twelve months, including 3 initial days of Laser BootCamp(R). Laser BootCamp(R) is offered through the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry and is an American Dental Association recognized course provider for national continuing education credits through their ADA-CERP program.
For further information, please contact: Dr. Robert Gregg, President, cell, +1-562-577-2454, rgregg@millenniumdental.com, or Dr. Delwin McCarthy, COO, cell, +1-562-577-2455, dmccarthy@millenniumdental.com, both of MDT, +1-562-860-2908.
January 21, 2003
Whitestrips Top Colgate Simply White
14 Jan 2003 17:06 GMT
University of Florida Study: Crest Whitestrips Top Colgate Simply White in Head-to-Head Comparison of Tooth Whiteners
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- According to two new clinical studies, Crest Whitestrips has been proven to be an average of five times more effective in whitening teeth than the Colgate's "Simply White" paint-on gel.
At the University of Florida College of Dentistry, a 14-day, randomized, blinded clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of two similar concentrations of these nationally distributed whitening products. The 32 healthy adults were randomized to Colgate Simply White, an 18% carbamide peroxide (6.5% hydrogen peroxide equivalent) paint-on liquid in an applicator bottle, or Crest Whitestrips, a 6% hydrogen peroxide gel on a thin strip. Each participant treated his or her front teeth twice daily for 30 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions.
Color changes were measured using before-and-after digital images. "Ninety-four percent of the patients who used Whitestrips had what is commonly thought to be meaningful whitening compared to only a few people in the Colgate Simply White group," says principal investigator Dr. Ingvar Magnusson, D.D.S., Professor of Oral Biology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
The Secret is in the Strip
One reason for Crest Whitestrips superiority is that Simply White's whitener stays on the teeth for only a few minutes before it is washed away by saliva, according to kinetic tests. Ninety percent of the original peroxide concentration was gone after two minutes, and 99 percent was gone after five minutes.
"The strip technology of Crest Whitestrips prevents peroxide from being worn away. The whitening gel can stay in contact with the teeth 30 minutes without interruption," says Dr. Magnusson.
Many tooth whitening products claim to lighten teeth by several shades, but Dr. Magnusson points out that "shades are in the eye of the beholder." Digital images of teeth provide a superior technical measurement of whitening changes, he said. Other studies confirm that "human evaluation of tooth shade is subjective and inconsistent," he says.
"Perhaps it's time to come up with a common definition of whiteness to compare whitening products more objectively. It would be in the consumer's best interest to move towards more standardized measures of whiteness, in a similar way as suntan products list the extent of sun protection factor (SPF)," says Dr. Magnusson.
Tooth whitening (bleaching) in the U.S. has grown by more than 300% in the last five years, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. For consumers looking for the best whitening products, this news couldn't come at a better time.
Source: DeVries Public Relations
CONTACT: Rachel Kopiec, +1-212-891-0413, rkopiec@devries-pr.com, or
Jessica Wander, +1-212-891-0404, rkopiec@devries-pr.com, both of DeVries
Public Relations
January 7, 2003
NTI-TSS Inc- New Device Design
Beginning January 1, 2003, the standard NTi Kit will include the new "DE-Universal", which is an enhanced Universal device, incorporating a Discludding elemant (a on the standard device). The new DE-Universal device, for example, will facilitate treating those patients with severely worn incisors, who require additional retention.
Standard kits will include 2 DE-universal devices and 2 universal devices (instead of the four Universal devices as previously packaged). The replacement of two Universal devices with DE-Universal devices in the standard kits will esentially be providing two morefully functional devices to the standard kit!
Begining immediately, you will be able to order NTI kits and components on-line from the NTI website (www.nti-tss.com). Also effective January 1,2003, there will be an overall 3% price increase to all NTI kits and components.