Professional Courtesy: Running With the Dentists by Dr. Thomas Giacobbi

Professional Courtesy: Running With the Dentists


by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director


The running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, is an annual event that occupies a spot on many bucket lists. Video of the event dominates the evening news every July and while the video is exciting to watch, it is an event that must be seen in person to really fathom the full experience.

The same is true for the International Dental Show (IDS), minus the bulls. I recently returned from the 40th IDS, a meeting that started 100 years ago and is currently the largest gathering of dental professionals on the planet. Held in Cologne, Germany, every two years, it is a bellwether for the health of our profession around the world.

40th IDS Meeting by the Numbers
100 years
since the first IDS meeting

1,788 companies
from 60 countries

34 football fields
equivalent of exhibition space

Nearly 120,000
trade visitors from 162 countries

I left this year’s meeting feeling positive about our industry and rejuvenated by the positive energy generated by more than 100,000 people all in the same place talking about dentistry. The superficial impression from the show might leave visitors with the thought that every dentist on the planet is placing implants, using a 3D printer and taking digital impressions!

Booth spaces at this show make a statement of their own, because they’re not the small squares you’re familiar with from the ADA or Chicago Midwinter meetings. At IDS, many booths include a lounge with food and drinks because relationships are an important part of business in this setting. A lot of big names we’re familiar with in the U.S. were at the meeting in a big way—Ivoclar, 3M, Dentsply Sirona, Ultradent and Henry Schein, to name a few. In fact, there was a pavilion in one of the halls that hosted U.S. exhibitors aiming to grow internationally.

I can’t possibly cover all the products and technology displayed, but I will share a few items of interest to give you a taste of my experience.

MediSensonic, a Polish diagnostics company, had two concepts on display:
  • Microwave pulp vitality tester. Using microwave technology, this tester can evaluate the blood flow in the blood vessels of the pulp and assess the tooth’s vitality. This product is expected sometime later this year.
  • Deventiv automatic oral scanner. The device on display was not a functioning prototype; this product is not expected to be available until 2024/2025. In a nutshell, this handheld intraoral scanner will employ multiple cameras to capture an entire arch. Rather than move a camera around the mouth as we currently do, this device will be inserted over the teeth and the multiple cameras will capture all the details.
Admetec, based in Israel, sells lightweight loupes and headlights around the world. At IDS, the company debuted a lightweight integrated HD camera and headlight called Flamingo. (Learn more about this item in our New Products roundup here.)

ProxiHealthcare USA promoted Tromatz toothbrushes, which use a low-frequency electrical current to disrupt the biofilm on teeth and facilitate the removal of plaque and bacteria.

TS1’s tongue vacuum cleaner is a handy attachment that connects to a saliva ejector. One side massages the cleaning gel and the other side works as a tongue cleaner with a vacuum assist from the saliva ejector. (Sadly, this is not currently available in the states because the screens are not intended to be removed from the tips of our saliva ejectors.)

I hope this is sufficient inspiration for you to add this experience to your dental bucket list. Mark your calendar for March 25–29, 2025! If you plan to attend the show, remember to book accommodations early because the hotels surrounding the event will sell out. The food is great, the beer is cold and there are plenty of wonderful places you can visit before or after the show.

If you have attended the IDS or have questions about the show, please join the conversation online. I can be reached via email at tom@dentaltown.com.


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