Benco Dental (Pittston, PA) and Heraeus Kulzer LLC (South Bend, IN) announced a partnership to make it more profitable and convenient for Benco customers to trade in scrap metals for cash. Heraeus guarantees fair market value for customers' precious metals (gold, platinum, palladium and silver), with settlement based on the London PM prices on the day of assay valuation. Customers can be paid in gold investment coins, with a check, and/or electronic transfer. Heraeus Precious Metal Refining heats, melts, separates and analyzes precious metals in a single location to give laboratories and dentists the highest possible return for their dental scrap metal. By eliminating surprise fees and minimum lot charges, the company is able to give its customers the best value and service. For more information, visit www.benco.com or www.heraeusdentalusa.com.

Sirona Dental Systems (Long Island City, NY) and Patterson Dental (St Paul, MN) partnered to launch the “Wake Up to the Trade Up Opportunity.” During this promotion, which continues through July 27, 2012, CEREC 3 owners can “wake up” with the help of a free Keurig® Coffee Maker when they schedule and complete an in-office CEREC AC or MC XL milling unit demonstration with their local Patterson representative. CEREC 3 owners will have a last chance opportunity to “trade up” to a CEREC AC powered by CEREC Software 4.0 and/or the CEREC MC XL milling unit at special promotional pricing. CEREC 3 owners have the opportunity to incorporate fresh technology, enjoy instant savings and receive an instant incentive. For more information visit www.sirona.com or www.pattersondental.com.

3M Unitek (Monrovia, CA) today launched the Unitek™ Treatment Management Portal | TMP, an advanced orthodontic software platform that combines the latest in digital model imaging with state-of-the-art interactive technology to enable customized treatment planning for orthodontic patients. The new software is also designed for use with 3M Unitek’s Incognito™ Appliance System. Benefits include: high-quality, 3D digital models for effective treatment planning; ability to display, analyze and archive digital study models for analysis and treatment planning; and enhancement of patient consultations with 3D digital models while increasing office productivity and efficiency through digital workflows. For more information, go to www.3M.com.

iSmile Dental Products Inc. (Sacramento, CA) moved to into a new office and warehouse facility to accommodate its increasing product lines and growing sales. The new complex is located at 4201 Sierra Point Drive, Suite 102 and features 17,000 sq ft of work space, which is three times larger than the previously occupied office and warehouse space. For more information, visit www.ismiledentalproducts.com.

All Smiles Dental Center (Dallas, TX), a chain of 51 dental clinics in Texas that has been the target of investigations into its Medicaid billing practices, filed for bankruptcy, listing $50 to $100 million in liabilities and $1 to $10 million in assets. Founder Dr. Richard Malouf is listed as owning 28 percent of the company, while Valor Equity (Chicago, IL) owns the remaining 72 percent. Malouf flaunts two corporate jets, a Bentley, a Porsche Carerra and a mansion that is listed at $11 million and is untouchable in the bankruptcy. In March 2012, Malouf agreed to settle a Medicaid billing case for $1.2 million. The federal government charged him with fraudulent Medicaid billing for four years, ending in 2007, before his biggest Medicaid billings. Those troubles behind him, he is expanding the mansion. Construction crews are at work doubling it in size.

Dental website provider Internet Dental Alliance (IDA) (Bedford, IA) will release a dental marketing video series free of charge for dentists and practices that want to expand their internet video presence. Video content is increasingly important to dental patients trying to find a dentist online, but many dentists don't know where to start. The introductory video can now be seen at www.InternetDentalAlliance.com. Over the coming weeks, IDA will be releasing additional videos on subjects including how dentists can add video testimonials to their websites, how to easily set up a mini video studio, how to script videos, and how to integrate video content with an overall dental website marketing program. IDA provides total dental marketing campaigns for practices looking to attract more new patients, integrating the latest technologies into these new patient marketing programs.

MetLife (New York, NY), a provider of dental plan administration for over 19 million people, announced the expansion of its Dental HMO/Managed Care plans into New York and New Jersey, increasing choices for lower cost - higher coverage plan designs for employers. The company said that these managed dental products offer a solution for providing employees a benefit that can aid in addressing loyalty and retention goals, while also addressing the oral health needs of employees and their families. MetLife said that the new managed offerings provide dental coverage and feature no claim forms, no deductibles, no calendar year maximums, and an easy-to-understand schedule of benefits.

Due to a rare disorder, a dental nurse confessed to eating 4,000 sponges and more than 100 bars of soap. Kerry Trebilcock, 21, suffers from pica, which causes victims to crave objects that are not food. She said she likes to spice up her bizarre snacks with hot sauce or mustard. Sometimes, she dips them in tea or hot chocolate like biscuits. She has endured severe stomach cramps, constipation and diarrhea. Kerry’s eating habits changed after a holiday to Morocco in 2008, during which she picked up an infection of hookworm, a parasite that lives in the small intestine. A program of counseling and vitamins has set her on the road to recovery. And she is determined to succeed. But it is a slow and arduous process.

**"News of the Weird" is for entertainment purposes only. Dail-E News does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information or content included in the "News of the Weird" section. Views expressed on linked Web sites do not represent MDSI, and MDSI is not responsible for any material found on linked Web sites.**

Each Tuesday, MDSI (Lawrenceville, GA) and DSPConnect, which launched April 1, 2011, will recognize one manufacturer who is providing distributor reps instant 24/7 access to their libraries of product literature, white papers, and a directory of their field reps. DSPConnect puts all of that data just a few clicks away in an easy-to-use app for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android smartphones, and iPad and Droid tablets, that has been downloaded over 4,500 times! Call Bill Neumann today at 770-263-5264 to learn how you can get your company listed in DSPConnect.

This week's manufacturer:

Kerr (Orange, CA)

For more information, visit www.DentalSalesProConnect.com.

Quotes last updated at 5/15/2012 11:05:25 AM EST