12 June 2017

Carestream: 120 years in the service of dentistry

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants” — wrote Isaac Newton. Carestream Dental brand, appeared on the market in 2007, stands upon the shoulders of companies whose history traces its roots back to the distant past: Kodak, Trophy radiologie, Practiceworks…

«YOU PUSH THE BUTTON — WE DO THE REST»

That was the motto of Kodak, a company, thanks to which the first materials for X-ray images — plates and paper, appeared. It happened in 1896, in a year after a famous physician Wilhelm Rontgen made his invention, i.e. X-rays, public. George Eastman, a founder of Kodak, was one of the first who understood huge prospects of photography not only as entertainment for aesthetic pleasure, but also as a practical activity. The first amateur cameras, the first photographic film and cinefilm, at first black-and-white and then color, the first digital camera — all of these are merits of his company.

Kodak also contributed just as much to the development of medical equipment, in particular dentistry equipment. The first X-ray plates and paper, the first X-ray film, the first special dentistry X-ray apparatus — all these are Kodak. A succinct word that George Eastman made up and which is phonically similar to a camera shutter sound.

«ATTENTION! I’M KODAKING…»

Kodak — is not just a symbol of the whole photo industry of the XX century. At the beginning this word meant a process of filming itself before the verb “take photographs” became a part of our everyday vocabulary. Look at pre-revolutionary portraits of people in smart clothes who came to an atelier to a make a “picture”. Before seeing a flash, all of them heard: “Attention! I’m kodaking!»

TROPHY RADIOLOGIE. A MATTER OF TECHNOLOGY

1946. The first post-war year. France. Two young engineers enthusiastic about developing new devices, Lucien Troillet and Ander Fiz, start their business. They try themselves in totally different areas — from automobile speedometers to veterinary equipment — and finally find their niche. It is radiology. They call their new company “Trophy Radiologie”. The first devices of this brand enter the dentistry market in the late 60s of the last century. Very soon this equipment will be installed in the best dental centers.

The French inventors own patents for lots of important innovations. It is the first in the world digital intraoral sensor. The first timer for the X-ray apparatus. A multitude of devices based on the principles of radiovisiography, which is X-ray involving transmitting of the image to a monitor. A device allowing to make an X-ray photograph around the skull and others. Devices developed by Troillet and Fiz are in dentists’ offices all around the world.

PROGRAMS ARE ESSENTIAL

“Matrix has you!” — it was said like this in the cult movie at the turn of the century The Matrix. In fact, in those times computer technologies already have a serious impact on the situation on the market. Digital corporations, such as Microsoft, IBM, Apple, etc., become market leaders in a number of areas.

In the category of software for dentistry there also appears a big player — an American company PracticeWorks. Apart from developing its own products, the company is actively working on strengthening its positions — it acquires small prospective firms with interesting groundwork. Soon PracticeWorks begins dominating on the market of software for dental offices and clinics. However, where there are programs, there is equipment: the Americans give close attention to Trophy Radiologie, software and hardware combine together and this is only the beginning!

KODAK. WALKING ON THE MOON

The second half of the XX century was a period of endless belief in progress and the same number of inventions. Everything we see, from a microwave in the kitchen to a TV-set, and from a computer in the study to a mobile phone in our hands, was developed in the way we know in the post-war decades. The man has gone to space, landed on the Moon… And all this was photographed, broadcasted with the participation of Kodak. The company also made a number of innovations itself. By this moment the company has already put a color film, a convenient camera, allowing to make series of automatic pictures, on mass sale. Neil Armstrong used this camera to make his moon shots.

UNITED WE ARE STRONG!

Since the advent of digital technologies the world domination of Kodak has been coming to an end. The company starts restructuration and aims at strengthening its positions in medical business, in particular in dentistry. In 2003 Kodak acquires PracticeWorks with Trophy Radiologie. Thanks to this integration, Kodak Health Group enters the market with a complete package of services for dentists, including both equipment and its software. The most important milestone in the formation of the company is its split-off: in 2007 Onex Corporation acquires control over Kodak Health Group and launches Carestream Health brand.

NEW REALITY

The rapid development of 3D, virtual reality, digital technologies has led to the demand for offers in the area of visualization of a totally different level. Modern devices let doctors to carry out diagnostics with unprecedented accuracy and detailing, obtain images in a quick and easy way, and integrate them into computer systems.

A patient with a focus on a high level of service receives treatment in comfortable conditions with a higher quality guarantee. A history of development of dental equipment of more than 120 years comes to its original objective — to provide the doctor with such instruments that will help him to fully implement his professional skills for the patient’s sake.

CARESTREAM DENTAL FACTOR program is based on three key concepts: diagnostic perfection, integration of workflow and humanize technologies.

A patient receives treatment in comfortable conditions with a higher quality guarantee.

TECHNOLOGY NOT FOR THE SAKE OF TECHNOLOGY

The company’s current philosophy is stated in Carestream Dental Factor program. It is based on three key concepts: diagnostic perfection, integration of workflow and humanize technologies. In other words, equipment should provide high accuracy, be a part of the whole clinical system and correspond to the patients’ expectations regarding service.

For many years, thanks to the work of its predecessors, Carestream has passed through different stages of technical development. Today, having rich experience, the company has an opportunity to focus on those developments that help dentists to achieve the best clinical results, facilitate their work and let render the most possible assistance to patients.

BRAND HISTORY

Kodak offers the first media for X-rays

Special dental X-ray film was invented

The first periapical X-ray was made

The year of foundation of Trophy Radiologie company

Kodak dental X-ray apparatus was created

The first Kodak X-ray film with extraoral photos

Trophy presents an apparatus for panoramic X-rays

X-ray timer, controlled by a microprocessor, appears

A workstation combines digital radiography and intraoral camera

Sensors are integrated into a personal computer

A digital sensor for filmic apparatuses for panoramic photography

The first completely digital dental panoramic system

Kodak acquires OREXComputed Radiography

The first extraoral system of 3D-visualization for dentists

The first digital system for full skull

The appearance of a visualization
system that makes 3D more accessible

Carestream Dental Factor: a new approach to dentistry is stated

22 June 2017

Hands Getting Smarter

In the last year UNIDENT has supported several large training competitions for the beginner dentists in the leading medical universities of Russia. Participants came from multiple corners of Russia, while the honored guests came from the countries with the most developed technologies in this area of medicine. Such events increase the level of specialists and reveal new talents. But why are these competitions needed in real life and in sense of common future?

7 June 2017

“Innovation-2017” award laureates are announced

An award ceremony for the “Innovation 2017” State award laureates in the area of modern art was held in the Moscow Planetarium in the evening of 30 May. A strategic partner of the award was U-Art foundation, and the sponsor is UNIDENT Group.

6 June 2017

Official DRC online shop has been opened

DRC Group, which has already been pleasing its customers with unsurpassed quality of products under R.O.C.S.® brand for more than 10 years, has made one more step towards them — it launched an official online shop. On www.personal-care.ru there are all oral hygiene tools by R.O.C.S.®: adult and child toothpastes and toothbrushes, oral rinses, sprays, and professional care products as well.

6 June 2017

The Return from Europe to Russia

The State Russian Museum with the participation of Alexei Jawlensky's Archives and with the assistance of the U-ART Foundation prepared a large-scale international project dedicated to the creative work of the Russian artist Alexei Jawlensky and his son Andreas. The grand opening of the “Alexei and Andreas Jawlensky. Adventures in Color” exhibition took place on 10 August 2017 in the branch of the Russian Museum in Malaga. It is planned to bring the exposition from Spain to St. Petersburg, Russia, where it will be shown in the halls of the Russian Museum.

2 June 2017

R.O.C.S. ® brand №1 in chemists’

The “National pharmaceutical rating”, defining the best products in the Russian market, was presented in Moscow for the first time. R.O.C.S.® production was recognized as the leader in the category of “Toothpaste brand”.

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