DrBicuspid.com Business & Industry Insider

Dear Business & Industry Insider,

Is dentistry ready for "the cloud"?

Whether you know it or not, you likely are already using it. If you've ever downloaded an email from Hotmail, made a Skype phone call, bought something from Amazon, or checked your bank balance online, you've used cloud computing.

So what advantages does it bring to the business of dentistry? Read about some companies that offer dental-specific cloud-based services, and why some dental practices are already singing their praises, in this latest Business & Industry Insider Exclusive.

In other Business & Industry Community news, the skyrocketing price of gold has spurred a shift to zirconia and lithium disilicate restorations in dentistry. In fact, for many dentists, gold restorations are becoming nearly out of reach. Read more.

Meanwhile, Dentsply International made big news with its announcement that it is buying AstraTech for $1.8 billion, making it the No. 3 player in the global dental implant market. And just last week the company confirmed in an earnings call that it had made another acquisition during the second quarter that further expands its product portfolio into new territory.

In other industry news, a Canadian software developer and scanner manufacturer is working with some of the leading providers of dental CAD/CAM equipment, materials, and services to spearhead software standardization in digital dentistry -- and hopefully remove barriers to adoption in the process. Read more.

And Johnson & Johnson is facing a multimillion lawsuit from Oral Cancer Prevention International (OCPI) that alleges the medical products giant interfered in a contract OCPI had with OraPharma for distribution of the Oral CDx oral cancer brush test.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the ongoing economic crisis, daily online deals have become increasingly popular -- even in the dental supply business. Now a Web-based start-up is bringing a new approach to this popular Internet sales model and is hoping dentists take notice. Read how the company has taken a page from Groupon's playbook by clicking here.

And two Purdue University graduates have invented a lightweight, portable dental chair that overcomes many of the limitations of conventional portable chairs -- an important advantage for doctors providing care in remote areas and Third World countries. Now they're looking for a manufacturer for the patent-pending product. Click here to find out more.

Finally, in other product news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking to reduce its regulatory requirements for certain diagnostic products and radiology device accessories -- including some specific to dentistry -- that have already been shown to be safe and effective. Read more.