high-temperature sintering firings and all dental ceramic substructure materials. By utilizing a material-friendly procedure with a controlled cooling phase of up to 400 °C, the system can sinter bridge substructures with up to nine units and fully anatomical restorations in only 80 minutes.

The VITA ZYRCOMAT 6000 MS packs a lot of features into an innovative, space-saving design. For convenience, the unit includes a firing chamber designed with a capacity of up to 25 units, while new pull-out, fold-away trays safely accommodate all work pieces. Fully automatic temperature calibration is possible thanks to the use of high-performance heating elements made of molybdenum disilicide. The heating elements also provide an even distribution of heat in the sintering chamber with a high degree of temperature consistency and an innovative ventilation system ensures reliable operation and a long life.

 “The VITA ZYRCOMAT 6000 MS provides users with the ability to sinter up to nine unit zirconia bridges or single units in 80 minutes, increasing the daily productivity and efficiency for labs of any size,” explains Jim McGuire, Director, Technical Sales Consultant and Support for Vident. “The furnace is also a good solution for increasing profitability in CEREC offices.”

The VITA ZYRCOMAT 6000 MS provides three unique sintering modes – High Speed, Conventional or User Defined. Each system produces superior results through controlled cooling phases, ensuring material-friendly sintering for white as well as industrially and manually shaded YZ. As part of the New Generations series of furnaces, the VITA ZYRCOMAT 6000 MS can be controlled with one of three control pads: the highly ergonomic vPad comfort, the feature-rich vPad excellence or the vPad clinical – all three providing exclusive, one-touch operation with intuitive symbols. Customers who already own one of the vPads and a New Generation furnace may realize additional savings, since the control units can control from 2 to 4 furnaces (depending on configuration). The VITA ZYRCOMAT 6000 MS firing units, which require a 220v connection, are available in two different finishes: stainless steel or painted anthracite.

Vident has been a provider of innovative dental products since 1985 and is the North American subsidiary of VITA, manufacturer of the internationally recognized Classical Shade Guide, 3D-Master Shade System and quality VITA restorative materials. 

Moderator Mark T. Murphy, DDS will guide this panel of industry giants:

• Vanik Jinoian, MDT
• Warren Rogers
• Amos Harting, CDT
• Bennett Napier, CAE
• Dr. Stefan Holst
• Trevor Laingchild, RDT
• Richard Harrell, CDT

Friday, February 24th, 1:00 – 4:00, Sheraton Chicago Ballroom 7

$30 admission, 3 CE Credits provided by Vident, attendance is limited and early registration required. Call 800-828-3839 ext. 238 to register.

Click here for additional information. 

These certificates give the labs verification that the Vident materials they work with contain only the substances they expect, and this is information that can be passed along to the dentist to confirm that restorations made with Vident materials matches up to the prescription. Clinicians can also use the certificates to educate patients and confirm that they are providing the highest quality of care available.

Vident joins a long list of leading material manufacturers working with the Council and all of them deserve to be recognized as leaders pushing the industry toward greater reliability and accountability in the materials used to fabricate dental restorations.

Read the full press release below:

Vident to Back Its Material Quality and Content with IdentAlloy and IdentCeramCertificates

Vident, the Brea, California-based supplier of VITA dental restorative materials in North America, has signed onto the IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council’s program of material content certification.

Laboratories will now receive certificates attesting to the content of restorative materials so that they and the dentists they serve can use them to verify compositions, explain material choices to patients, document insurance claims and file with permanent records.

“We welcome Vident and the VITA line to the program,” said Charles Yenkner, Executive Director of the IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council. “Vident is joining with other industry leaders in helping laboratories and dentists improve outcomes and build patient confidence andsatisfaction.”

”Quality and service have been core components of Vident’s value system since our founding 26 years ago,” according to Fred Ketcho, Vident CEO. “Joining the IdentAlloy/IdentCeramCouncil’s program gives our customers another tool to use in ensuring patients the best results.”

Vident provides customers with a wide range of VITA shade determination and restorative products. The company’s customers can also take advantage of its technical support team and professional education resources.

The IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council is a nonprofit organization formed to raise healthcare standards through the documentation of alloys and ceramic materials used in dental restorations. More information regarding the Council’s materials documentation program and other activities is available by calling 888-577-2634 or at www.IdentAlloy.org. IdentAlloy andIdentCeram are trademarks of the IdentAlloy/IdentCeram Council.

Back Row Left to Right:

Jason Lohr, RDT, CDT (Instructor, Fixed Prosthodontics for NAIT) Edmonton, AB
Ken Chizick, RDT, CDT (Instructor for Vident/VITA) Winnipeg, MB
Chris Breunig, student
Marie-Michele Beaudin, student
Lisa Almoneda, student
Nicky Pethick, student
Anna Nham, student
Alanna Arden, student
Yousef Oweis, student
Amanuel Betsuamlack, student
Steven Jagpal, student
Aidan Bryant, student
Mary-Jane Scragg (NAIT Instructor)

Front Row Left to Right:

Suane Chan, student
Sara Syed, student
Jade Connors, student
Kris Puzon, student
Laila Akbari, student
Devon Cainey, student
Brenda Bortnick, student

Course offerings currently include denture setup techniques for full arch, single arch and lingualized occlusion featuring Dennis Purinton, CDT. Dr. Ed McLaren is featured in a video on porcelain building techniques, and Gary Morgan of Safelink Consulting is featured in a video titled “Basics of the FDA for the Dental Lab.”

“Our goal is to provide high quality, reasonably priced distance-based education,” said Andy Klein, laboratory marketing manager at Vident, “In the current economic environment, it is important to provide educational opportunities in a variety of low-cost formats. And it doesn’t matter if the person attending an online course is a customer or not, we just want to build a library of educational videos the market can rely on.” Klein went on to state that they continue to have a strong roster of live, in-person courses and that the new online approach is a supplement.

Each video features a 2-minute trailer that can be previewed prior to purchase and comes with 1 hour of CE credit after quiz completion. The price for each video is $39.95. A 15-minute video on denture mould selection can be viewed free of charge.

Future additions to be added to the library include tips and techniques for getting the most out of lab furnaces, precise shade measurement and additional porcelain technique videos.

Still images from Vident’s online videos: Denture Tooth Selection with Dennis Purinton, CDT (left); Porcelain Building Techniques with Dr. Ed McLaren (right)

With the aid of the bleached shade samples, dentist and patient are able to discuss the desired result in advance and to precisely monitor the results of the patient’s tooth whitening during the treatment. VITA Bleached Shades offer balanced color values, resulting in shade differences which are clearly predictable and distinguishable to the human eye. It’s also possible to adjust the shade of prosthetic restorations to match the shades of bleached teeth with VITA Bleached Shades.

The VITA Bleached Shades consist of shades 0M1, 0M2 and 0M3 from the VITA 3D-Master Shade System, and come with a convenient holder that clips onto the VITA Classical Shade Guide, offering a linear extension to the existing shade tabs. For dentists who use the VITA 3D-Master shade system, the VITA Bleachedguide 3D-Master is available and is specifically designed for tracking a bleaching regimen.

Participants (Left to Right):

Kyaw Lin, student NYCCT, Brooklyn, NY
Quay Cho, Burney Croll, DDS, New York, NY
Lisa Graye, Vident, Brea, CA
Michael Wolk, Vident, Brea, CA
Jimmy Fincher, Cosmetic Advantage, McKinney, TX
Nicholas Manos, Professor NYCCT, Brooklyn, NY
Lucas King, Shaw Lab, Kingston, ON
Joji Kawabata, Gerald Cohen, DDS, Greenwich, CT
Israel Mejia , Endo Dental Lab
Jennifer Crane, student NYCCT, Brooklyn, NY
Claude Sieber, MDT, Instructor, Spring Valley, NY
Marisa Papandrea, Jonathan Ferencz, DDS, New York, NY
Alwyn Naraine, Gallery 57 Dental, New York, NY
Pasquale Fanetti, Jonathan Ferencz, DDS, New York, NY
Carlos Rivera, Montefiore Dental Lab, New City, NY
Jim McGuire, CDT, Vident, Brea, CA
Renata Budny, Assistant Professor NYCCT, Brooklyn, NY

Longtime Vident executive, Wayne Whitehill, recently announced his retirement as CEO, effective August 1.  Mr. Whitehill will stay on as a Vident Board Member and consultant for the near term. President Fred Ketcho has taken over as the new CEO.

One of the original founding members of the company, Wayne Whitehill, along with Ray Morrow and Vern Hale, launched Vident in 1984 to represent the VITA product line in the United States. All three had worked with VITA in one capacity or another and were looking to partner with the dental laboratory industry, laying the groundwork for the founding of Vident. The trio opened up shop in Baldwin Park, California and got to work designing the first product catalog, unloading boxes and labeling products. “The three of us worked really well together,” explains Whitehill. “We split up the duties and each took on different areas of responsibility. I oversaw administration, Vern was in charge of sales and marketing and Ray handled the technical side. We were very efficient and were able to use our combined expertise to help grow the company.” First year sales for Vident were nearly $3 million. Today, Vident has a roster of almost 100 employees and has experienced strong growth at a phenomenal rate, increasing sales more than eight times over the last 20 years.

For more than two decades, academic and industry leaders worked closely with Whitehill to develop some of today’s most innovative products lines. “Mr. Whitehill and I met 25 years ago when he and Henry Rauter visited MIT to review our proposal for research leading to Mark II ceramic blocks,” explains Dr. Robert Kelly, Professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center in the Department of Reconstructive Sciences. “My capabilities were enriched enormously by annual visits to Vident and VITA, especially watching Wayne grow and develop Vident into the unique and successful enterprise it is today.”

Whitehill prided himself on forging quality relationships in the industry, allowing him to get to know people on a personal level, as well as a business one. “In the 35 years that I’ve worked in the dental industry, there isn’t a relationship that I’ve enjoyed more than the one I’ve shared with Wayne Whitehill,” says Josh Green, President and COO of National Dentex Corporation. “Wayne had a vision with a quality product and was able to combine that with his technical training to support his customers. Whenever I needed to speak with Wayne directly, he made himself available, even as the CEO. He is a man with a great deal of integrity who constantly did the right thing and he will be sorely missed.”

Known for his tireless pursuit of product innovation, Whitehill used his extensive experience and contacts to make an impact in the industry. “Wayne’s visionary leadership has helped propel a niche collection of quality products into an awesome resource that promotes the well-being and success of their laboratory, dental practice and patient end users,” says Mark T. Murphy, DDS, Vice President of Clinical Education for DTI-Microdental Laboratories. “Vident’s attention to quality and support is not an accident.  It is the heartbeat of a business design that partners with dentistry at every level.  The hand-off to Fred Ketcho as CEO will provide a seamless transition and continuation of an exceptional customer engagement strategy.”

 In 2009, Vident began to actively seek a candidate for President of the company and after a nationwide search, Fred Ketcho was hired on in April 2010 to fill the role. “When we were looking to fill the position of President, we did so with the knowledge that the candidate would one day be stepping into the job of CEO,” said Whitehill. “We were looking for an individual with the right background, education and experience and Fred was the clear choice. His broad professional experience, leadership abilities and energy, along with his strong focus on customer relationships made him the perfect candidate.”

Ketcho’s priority of being customer focused has been evident from the start. “My interactions with Fred have been impressive,” states Dr. Sameer Puri with SoCalSmiles. “With Fred at the helm, Vident will do very well and have a positive impact on the dental market. A powerful leader like Fred will do great things for the company.”

With his recent promotion to CEO, Ketcho will tap into his vast management experience to help lead Vident into the future. “Over the years, I have learned to place a great deal of importance on who I work for,” explains Ketcho. “From the beginning, Wayne and I were able to develop a trusting relationship that laid the groundwork for a successful working environment. He provided just the right amount of coaching and tutelage to help me learn the business, but also gave me room to manage and lead. His accessibility, high level of integrity and respect in the industry has made him an ideal mentor.”  

In his new role, Ketcho will assume responsibility for the day to day operations of the company, including his top priorities of focusing on close collaboration with Vident’s customers, evaluating the training and development needs of the staff, keeping an eye on the financials and driving continuous improvement from a process and system-wide standpoint.

“As a company, we will continue to leverage the heritage of our core beliefs and values and to actively demonstrate our devotion to our customers each and every day. To accomplish that, we have launched a focused strategy to get closer to both our clinical and laboratory customers and to really understand and meet their needs,” said Ketcho.

Participants (L to R):

Janet Kissling, Dresch, Toledo, OH
Tom Guyer, DSG Corporate, Harrisburg, PA
Francis Ciminea, Yankee Dental Arts, Hartford, CT
Karen Panavas, Davis, Grand Rapids, MI
Gary Karlsrud, Denticon, Tucson, AZ
Terry Adams, Huemann, Kansas City, MO
Betty Lafary, Muth & Mumma, Harrisburg, PA
Jennifer Doyle, DSG or Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Richard Harrell, DSG Corporate, Clearwater, FL
Gil Villavecer, Vident, Brea, CA
Wooyong Choi, Americus New York, New York, NY
Caroline Coman, Vident, Brea, CA
Mike McIntee, Vident, Brea, CA
Lisa Graye, Vident, Brea, CA
Jim McGuire, Vident, Brea, CA
Carlos Robayo, Vident, Brea, CA
Ken Chizick, Instructor, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Rebecca Wade , Clearwater, FL
Ken Zaker, Vident, Brea, CA