BALTIMORE, April 3, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Today, at the Nobel Biocare World Tour Conference in Baltimore, Nobel Biocare (Other OTC:NBCHF) (Stockholm:NOBE) and the University of Maryland Dental School signed a three-year partnership to position the Dental School as a leading center for students and alumni to learn advanced techniques such as dental implants, esthetic dentistry, patient management, and guided surgery. The grant of USD 2 million will become a major impetus to launch new initiatives in curriculum, patient care and research and development.
"Nobel Biocare is committed to developing the most advanced esthetic dental solutions and playing an active role in educating and training dental students and dental practitioners on these state-of-the-art techniques," said Heliane Canepa, President and CEO of Nobel Biocare. "Collaborating with the University of Maryland Dental School will help contribute to the success of today's practicing dentists and dental students, and ultimately help to elevate the state of patient care, now and for years to come."
The Dental School, home of the world's first dental college, is Maryland's largest single provider of oral health care. Later this year, the Dental School will open a new, innovative education and patient care facility equipped with advanced digital technology. This digital environment sets the stage for sophisticated training that will aid in the development of modern approaches to oral health education, research, and patient care. As part of the grant, Nobel Biocare will provide equipment, implant components, and associated training -- ensuring Dental School students have access to the most advanced technologies and are trained on the most advanced solutions.
Dean Christian S. Stohler, DMD, Dr. MedDent, said, "Through this generous agreement with Nobel Biocare, we are able to provide our patients state-of-the-art care while our students benefit from the experience of placing and restoring implants in people who would not ordinarily be able to receive them."
As part of the grant, the Dental School will develop a curriculum on women's health as well as research collaborations in areas such as materials science and regenerative biology.
Training and Education are cornerstones of Nobel Biocare's strategy to offer durable and esthetic tooth replacement solutions to dental professionals and patients. As one of the world leaders in continuing, under- and post-graduate education, the company has been providing specialist training and mentoring for its clinically documented treatment concepts for more than 20 years. In 2006, Nobel Biocare expects to enroll over 300,000 dental professionals in its training and education courses around the world.
Disclaimer:
This release may contain forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, projections of future performance of materials and products, financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows, containing risks and uncertainties. These statements are subject to change based on unknown risks and other factors that could cause the actual results or performance to differ materially from the statements made herein.
Nobel Biocare is a medical devices group and the world leader in innovative esthetic dental solutions with its brands Branemark System(r), NobelSpeedy(tm), NobelReplace(tm), NobelPerfect(r), NobelDirect(r), Replace(r) Select, NobelGuide(tm) (dental implants) and Procera(r) (individualized dental prosthetics). Nobel Biocare is a one-stop shop for restorative esthetic dentistry based on science, offering a wide range of innovative Crown & Bridge & Implant products, as well as training and education and clinically documented treatment concepts.
Nobel Biocare has some 1,650 employees and recorded revenue of EUR 485 million in 2005. The company is domiciled in Zurich, Switzerland with headquarters in Zurich and in Gothenburg, Sweden. Production takes place at four production sites located in Sweden and the USA. Nobel Biocare has direct sales organizations in 33 countries. The shares of the parent company Nobel Biocare Holding AG are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Sweden.
In 1965, the first patient was treated with the original scientific dental implant system, Nobel Biocare's Branemark System(r). For 40 years, Nobel Biocare has introduced hundreds of industry-leading advancements such as the NobelGuide(tm) guided surgery protocol, lifelike alumina and zirconia Procera(r) crowns, and the groundbreaking Teeth-in-an-Hour(tm) protocol.