Innovation and Infection Control: Highlights From W&H at Chicago Dental Midwinter Society Meeting

W&H’s presence at the Chicago Dental Midwinter Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, from February 20 to 22, 2025, highlights cutting-edge dental innovations, including the Lexa Mini rapid sterilizer and Synea Power Edition handpiece, which enhance infection control and dental efficiency. Doris Schneider, senior marketing manager for North America for W&H North America, emphasizes W&H’s commitment to proper sterilization education, ergonomic dental tools, and improving patient experience. Attendees can explore these products at booth 1634 and the Innovation Lab.

Doris Schneider: The first product we have, released just a few months ago in November [2025],is the Lexa Mini [rapid sterilizer]. It's a Class B rapid sterilizer. It's a compact sterilizer so that it can be used either as a supplemental sterilizer or you can stack them and have multiple sterilizers, but they don't replace the full tabletop. So, it's a smaller one, but it's packed with the same innovation as our award-winning Assistina sterilizers. It uses freshwater for every cycle and closed-door drying to ensure bone-dry loads for effective sterilization.

One of the other products I forgot to mention is our Synea Power Edition handpiece. What's unique about this handpiece is that it's electric and specifically designed to cut through the toughest materials, such as zirconia crowns.

Most dentists dread cutting through zirconia, so when they experience this handpiece, besides, it's, you know, a different level of torque, less manual hand pressure. It gives an effortless feel. We have several interesting video testimonials from the Stanley Institute. They tested the product out, and they were amazed with, you know, one of the dentists had, I don't know how many zirconia crowns they worked on throughout the day, and her hands were so tired at the end of the day, on average, when she used the new Synea Power Edition handpiece, she had no hand fatigue. She did not have sore hands at the end of the day. And when you think about that, it helps her keep her career longer because that eventually takes its toll physically. It's quieter, less on the ears, especially for the patient, and a better patient experience. You don't have that dreaded high-pitch drill sound. If you've ever been to a dentist, you do not hear that with this hand piece, it's awesome. We encourage people to come to our booth, where we will have zirconia samples.You can use the handpiece, cut through it, and see for yourself that it's an amazing handpiece.

ICT: Would you discuss your company as a whole?

DS: The company has been around for over 130 years. However, what's interesting is that we're still relatively new in the US and Canadian markets. A few years ago, we started to ramp up our branding and strengthen our sales team. We work through an office based in Ontario, Canada, and several remote employees throughout the US and Canada; we have a new sales team that's super energetic, very knowledgeable about the products, and very excited to have people at our booth.

ICT: Many in ICT’s audience have never attended that meeting. However, infection prevention in the dental industry is crucial, just as in any health care sector. That's very true, but it hasn't been fully addressed yet. Could you provide some insights into the conference overall and explain why you think it's important for your company to participate and why you and others need to attend.

DS: That's a great question because one of our goals is to better educate and advocate for proper sterilization and hygiene, specifically in dental practices. We recently renewed our super sponsorship, I with ads, which is the Association for Dental Safety, which is an organization that advocates for infection control, and we have a few [key opinion leaders] as well that have spoken on our behalf and have discussed our sterilizers as examples of there's a lack of education, conversations for dry packs at the end of a sterilization cycle. Our sterilizers always guarantee bone dry loads.

We do not advocate Open Door drying because the load still comes out wet. One thing I found very interesting was that, in just listening to these different webinars and speaking with our [key opinion leaders], there is such a lack of education in that specific space. And this meeting has an interesting platform. I noticed several people speaking on infection control in the dental learning area. There are a lot of new students,and a lot of hygienists will be there. And this is a growing topic that will be more prevalent in many events such as [the] Midwinter [meeting].

ICT: Is there anything specific people should look for at the conference to ensure they get everything they want?

DS: Oh, for sure, aside from visiting our booth at 1634. We have oral surgery, restorative handpieces, equipment, and new sterilizers, so our team can take you through all of our products, depending on your focus and practice or what you're studying. But what I love this year is midwinter has a new dental Innovation Lab on the show floor, and that's going to be a showcase area where all new products will be on display for all exhibitors that are at the booth, and something attendees can walk through and just check out instead of having on going to the booth of each [company]. I like that. This is one area you can go for all the latest innovations across all manufacturers, and it's a great thing that they're doing. We have both products in that lab:the Synea Power Edition handpieces and our Lexa mini rapid sterilizer.So, I'm excited to have them showcased there as well.

ICT: Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

DS: No other than [to] encourage people to come to our booth. Try out ourhandpieceand test it on zirconia. We have cutting stations. We will also take you through our new sterilizer products, especially since you and I have discussed infection control.We love that our sterilizers offer closed-door drying and fresh water for every cycle, which minimizes any risk of cross-contamination.