Dental News - Forward Science acquires intelligent, high-definition earpieces

Dental Tribune USA

Wed. 7 August 2019

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HOUSTON, Texas, USA: Forward Science has acquired exclusive rights to intelligent, high-definition earpieces from Dental Innovations, LLC, a company that was founded by a periodontist with hopes of addressing issues confronted by dental professionals during daily practice.

Nearly 50 million Americans experience hearing loss, according to Forward Science. If hearing loss were officially considered a disability, it would rank as the largest disability class in the country, the company said. Further, dental offices have multiple sources of high decibel and frequency noises that can potentially damage hearing permanently, the company said. These noises include high-speed handpieces, high-volume suction, ultrasonic instruments, model trimmers and other laboratory devices.

Hearing loss is a cumulative and additive phenomenon; small exposures over time can result in permanent damage equivalent to that of high exposures in sudden bursts. Dental professionals have long careers and chronic exposure to these damaging noises are prevalent, Forward Science said.

“The only real preventive solution is protection with noise reducing earpieces,” explains Sam Shamardi, DMD, founder of Dental Innovations. “I created the high-definition electronic earpieces to help the dental industry prevent noise-induced hearing loss. No other solution existed that could protect our hearing while still allowing us uncompromised communication with our patients and staff.”

Forward Science has acquired the intelligent earpieces from Dental Innovations and will be rebranding them to EarAID, The Intelligent Earpiece.

“It is important to make known that this is not a typical noise-dampening earplug, but a smart earpiece,” states Forward Science Chief Technology Officer Brian Pikkula, PhD. “EarAID is more than just protection because it allows you to easily communicate at normal office audio levels, while protecting your ears from decibels that could cause permanent hearing damage.”

Dental Innovations spent years researching to create the product with a company that had the backing of nearly a hundred patents and a proven record of scientific efficacy, the company said. After an in-depth, multi-year American Dental Association Professional Product Review, it is now recommended by the ADA.

“We know the product works, we just needed to find a better way to get our message out to the dental industry,” Shamardi shares. “As a practicing periodontist and part-time clinical instructor at Harvard University, I knew I couldn’t build a company around this product alone, so I went to the company that has proven success in launching niche’ based products to the dental industry, Forward Science.”

“Forward Science was founded with a mission to innovate current technology into cost-effective solutions to change more lives,” says Forward Science CEO Robert J. Whitman. “No different than oral diseases, xerostomia or mucositis, hearing loss can present many challenges to people’s lives. We are excited to continue the great work from Dr. Shamardi and launch EarAID to prevent hearing loss worldwide.”

(Source: Forward Science)