The live presentation to 2015 award winners at the American Dental Association’s annual session in October marked the end of a transition year for the industry’s most prestigious honor for dental companies. The Cellerant “Best of Class” Technology Award, formerly known as The Pride “Best of Class” Technology Award, recognizes innovative game changing technology offerings, services and devices. In February of 2016, Dr. Lou Shuman launched his new industry-side consulting company, Cellerant, which provides a range of services to accelerate the growth of dental manufacturers and solution providers. As founder of the “Best of Class” Awards, it was natural that the award follow Dr Shuman and transition to the Cellerant name.
While the name of the award changed in 2016, the “Best of Class” commitment to integrity, based on its rigorous selection remains the same. Since its inauguration eight years ago, the “Best of Class” designation has become a coveted honor for industry. As importantly, it has also become a trusted criterion for dental professionals to make educated, informed product and technology investment decisions for their practices and their patients. The selection process relies on an expert panel of dentists recognized as thought leaders and educators that includes Dr. Paul Feuerstein, Dr. John Flucke, Dr. Marty Jablow, Dr. Parag Kachalia and Dr. Shuman. Over the course of each year, the panel members seek out and conduct research on potentially practice-changing technologies, with deliberations on nominees and final voting taking place in February. Panelists are precluded from voting in any category where they have consulting relationships. The entire selection process is conducted and managed on a not-for-profit basis.
“Best of Class” Technology Award winners have been showcased throughout this past year in the industry’s leading journals and at the ADA annual meeting held in Denver in late October. Cellerant “Best of Class” winners have the opportunity to participate in the ADA Technology Expo, providing dental professionals the unique ability to speak with each company and investigate the award-winning products all in one location. While the celebration and recognition of this year’s award winners is just winding down, the 2017 selection process has been underway over the course of 2016.
In a recent interview Dr Shuman commented, “The committee members have been out there all year (2016) looking at products and technologies. We’re bombarded by companies on a weekly basis who want to make sure we’ve seen their product. Paul, John, Marty, and Parag have been on the show floor at all the meetings, going booth to booth, looking at every technology.” The selection panel will convene with me at the Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting to deliberate on and select the leading technologies for 2017. To win, a technology must provide clear benefits for dental providers and their patients and be truly differentiated from the competition. The “Best of Class” selection process and award uncovers, highlights and rewards those companies and products that will dictate and drive the technology discussion in 2017 and beyond.
