Solmetex is Here at SAS!
When we think about the dental industry, our minds often drift towards thoughts of clean and sterile environments, meticulous instruments, and skilled healthcare professionals. While these factors undoubtedly play a pivotal role in providing effective dental care, one critical aspect often goes unnoticed – the quality of the water used in dental practices. Water, an essential element in everyday life, becomes even more indispensable within the dental industry. From rinsing and sterilizing tools to preparing dental solutions, water usage in dental practices is extensive and fundamental in maintaining optimal oral health for patients. Thus, it comes as no surprise that ensuring high-quality water is of utmost importance for dental professionals.
That being said, in this article, we’d like to talk about someone who knows water quality like no other. A company that’s been in the business of water quality for quite some time. And a company that’s recently been making some big developments to their brand. Today, we’d like to talk about Solmetex, a huge name in water quality. And a brand we have the pleasure of distributing here at SAS! We’ll go over a bit about them as a whole, and some of their technological achievements.
Who is Solmetex?
Solmetex is dentistry’s complete provider of water solutions. Since 1994, they’ve been helping dental practices meet the standards set by organizations like the EPA. Starting with amalgam separators and a focus on environmental sustainability, Solmetex has been an innovator in the dental field. And along the way they’ve done some very interesting things.
Contracted by the Navy
In 2002, a press release from Solmetex stated that they were selected by the U.S. Navy to help solve a mercury crisis in Navy dental clinics. The Navy found that mercury in discharged amalgam was causing mercury contamination in their waterways. In need of a solution, they determined that Solmetex’s amalgam separation technology provided the reliability they needed to clear their water. So, Solmetex signed a 4 year contract for a new “Mercury Abatement Program” with the US Navy. The goal? “To eradicate mercury waste from Navy dental clinics in the US down to less than 1ppb” (parts per billion.) Now armed with a device that has a mercury removal rate of 99.82%, the Navy began to install Solmetex devices in all of their dental clinics.
The innovations they’d continue to make in both the stand against mercury contamination and their other work would start to net them some awards. Their amalgam separator won them the 2004 Environmental Award. Their HG5 winning in the Dental Town Magazine “Townie Choice Award” for the “Amalgam Separator” category in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Acquiring Sterisil and Dryshield
Acquisitions are nothing new to anyone. An acquisition is just the act of acquiring something to utilize its resources alongside yours to expand your expertise and ability to become a complete solution in your industry. And that’s exactly what Solmetex did. In 2022, Solmetex released statements saying they had acquired both Sterisil Inc, and Dryshield Inc. Both are very reputable companies that bring varied histories of incredible innovation along with different skill/product sets. This move was perfect for a company that’s also in the game of innovating for the future.
In their statement regarding the acquisition of Sterisil, they described Sterisil as bringing “25 years of excellence and leadership in dental waterline infection control.” Adding that as part of the Solmetex platform “will expand and strengthen its ability to develop and implement transformational technologies.”
Regarding Dryshield, they said, “DryShield brings a history of innovation in the development of dental technologies designed to bring unmatched levels of ease, comfort and safety to dentists and their patients and, as part of the Solmetex offering, will expand its continued focus on developing and implementing treatment focused technologies.”
With two medical powerhouse companies now under their umbrella, Solmetex has proven that their focus is to help shape and progress the future of dental technology. And since we have the opportunity to distribute Solmetex products, we’d like to show you some of their fantastic offerings.
What Solmetex Has to Offer
Now that you know the story, it’s time to talk about what makes Solmetex so great. As we’ve mentioned numerous times, since the beginning, they’ve strived for innovation. And now with them expanding their list of available products with Sterisil and Dryshield, there’s quite a bit they have to offer now.
Solmetex Lineup
With Solmetex products, your dental office has a partner you can trust for all your water needs. From conditioning municipal tap water for the clinical environment to controlling potentially hazardous aerosols generated during procedures to safely capturing and recycling your amalgam waste.
With Solmetex’s lineup, you can get things like:
Amalgam Buckets: Amalgam Buckets are for the recycling of chair-side traps, leftover or spent amalgam, removed teeth with amalgam fillings, empty amalgam capsules, and vacuum trap containers located by the vacuum pump. All of these contain amalgam residue.
Biohazard/Sharp Bins: Biohazard Sharps must be recycled properly. Solmetex provides a DOT/EPA approved storage and shipping container with prepaid return shipping, and certificate of recycling.
Collection Containers: Solmetex provides dental practices with this safe and reliable solution for capturing, handling, and recycling amalgam waste from their wastewater systems.
Lead Buckets: Lead Buckets are for the recycling of lead waste, lead foil, bitewing x-ray, and sterilization (autoclave) tape.
The NXT Hg5 Amalgam Separator (shown above): The NXT Hg5 meets all EPA and state requirements for the handling of dental amalgam waste. It is compatible with all dental vacuum systems, wet/dry and can be installed in both new and existing dental offices.
The NXT Tankless Dry Vacuum Dryvac: Compact, efficient, and quiet, the NXT DryVac is the next evolution in dental vacuum technology. The NXT eliminates the shortcomings of traditional wet-ring systems, operates without water, and reduces noise level in utility room without sacrificing suction.
Powerscrub Vacuum Line Cleaner: PowerScrub Vacuum Line Cleaner’s intelligent design lets biology do the work. Its 100% biodegradable formula uses microbes to dissolve debris on contact. It’s environmentally safe and can be used with any water temperature.
Powersonic Ultrasonic Cleaning Solution: Keep your ultrasonic bath and instrument washer clean with PowerSonic Ultrasonic Cleaning Solution. A patented plant-and-mineral-based catalytic cleaner, it uses nano-oxygen bubbles to super-charge the action of your ultrasonic bath and instrument washer.
Sterisil Lineup
Sterisil has a goal to ensure clean and safe water through water purification, treatment and testing solutions. They’re the market leader in dental unit waterline treatment. And now part of a bigger family, their goal becomes that much more realized with the help of Solmetex. With the Sterisil available products, you get options like:
Maintenance: The category for all of your dental bottle and treatment options, as well as accessories and parts for your Sterisil purification systems.
Shock: This category is for all of your shock tablet needs for water shock treatments.
Systems: This category has all of the water purification systems that Sterisil has to offer. Systems like the Sterisil AC+ (shown above), the System G4 and the System G5, and their accompanying parts and accessories for purchase.
Testing: This category is products that suit your dental waterline testing needs with In-Office Dental Water Testing kits.
Dryshield
DryShield empowers dental professionals to provide exceptional care and maximum protection from potentially harmful aerosols. Like their autoclavable isolation system that combines the work of a high-suction evacuator, saliva ejector, bite block, tounge shield and oral pathway into one device. DryShield leads the market in providing clinicians with isolation technology that maximizes ease, comfort, safety, and productivity. And also like both Solmetex and Sterisil, Dryshield has it’s own powerful lineup that got them the reputation they have. With Dryshield, you have options on the market like:
Mouthpieces: Dryshield’s signature line of dental mouthpieces. From autoclavable multi-use pieces (like the one shown above), to single use disposable pieces for your practice. All with a slew of benefits.
Isolation Systems: The DryShield Isolation System simplifies the dentist’s job by combining a high-suction evacuator, bite block, tongue shield, and an oral pathway protector into an all-in-one solution. Easy to install and comfortable for patients, the system allows procedures to be completed up to 40% faster. While helping clinicians produce higher quality results.
Accessories: This category can help you navigate for any parts and accessories you need for your Dryshield products and systems. Things like nylon brushes, o-rings, couplings, hoses and more.
Final Thoughts
Solmetex, a company with a fascinating history, driven by a goal for the assurance of creating clean dental water wherever possible. With their own innovations leading the way for the future, they thought it time to expand their horizons. So they made the decision to bring two other reputable brands into the fold to accomplish their mission. Sterisil and Dryshield are now under the Solmetex umbrella. And now, Solmetex products, as well as Sterisil and Dryshield, are now available here with us at SAS!
From the amalgam separation systems, dental vacuums, waste buckets and varied collection containers that Solmetex offers. To the water purification systems, shock treatments and testing products from Sterisil. Even the mouthpieces, isolation systems and parts for upkeep on your Dryshield products. All of these products can be found in the links below on our website to suit your various dental needs.
If you have any questions about this or anything else, call us at 704-966-1650, option 3 for free tech support. Or you can find us using our program links below.
Links
As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”
We also offer FREE VIRTUAL TECH SUPPORT to “See and Talk” with a “Real Time Live Technician” for any problems you may be in need of help with.
You can also use our “FREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”. Take the guesswork and worrying about what unit is due for maintenance and which maintenance cycle it is time for. We will keep track of all your autoclaves and let you know when it’s time for anything.
The Solmetex family of products can be found here on our website
The Dryshield product categories can be found on our site here.