Accelerating a World Without 'Gag Reflex' in Dental Impressions: June 1st Medical Fee Revision Increases IOS Reimbursement by 1.5x and Expands Coverage. White Essence Hosts 'Medical Fee Revision Seminar' for Dentists.

White Essence Co., Ltd. (President: Yusa Iriyama; Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), which operates whitening and cleaning services at affiliated dental clinics nationwide, will hold an online 'Medical Fee Revision Seminar' for dentists on May 31 (Sun) and June 14 (Sun) in line with the medical fee revision effective June 1, 2026.

1. [Key Points of the Revision] Expansion of Evaluation for 'Optical Impressions' Using Intraoral Scanners In the medical fee revision effective June 1, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has set 'promotion of digitalization in dental treatment' as a priority theme. The points for 'optical impressions' using intraoral scanners (IOS) will increase 1.5 times from 100 points to 150 points per tooth. Furthermore, the scope of application will be expanded to include CAD/CAM crowns (insurance-covered crowns).

2. [Challenges of Conventional Impressions] The 'Gag Reflex' That Has Plagued Patients In dental practice, taking impressions has traditionally required patients to remain still with materials in their mouths. However, the unique smell of the materials and the sensation of touching the tongue or throat have caused gag reflexes in a certain number of patients, which has been a major long-standing issue in the dental field.

3. [Tailwind for IOS Adoption] Reducing Patient Burden and Promoting DX in Clinics Using an intraoral scanner (IOS), data can be captured by simply inserting a pen-sized camera into the mouth and scanning the tooth surface for a few minutes. Since there is no need to keep materials in the mouth, the cause of the gag reflex is eliminated, significantly reducing the burden on patients. Additionally, scanned data can be displayed in 3D on in-clinic monitors. Patients can also check their tooth images anytime via a dedicated app on their smartphones (on select models). For patients, dental treatment becomes an experience of 'seeing their own mouth and making decisions together while receiving explanations.'

For dental clinics, the process of model production and delivery can be significantly shortened, leading to improved efficiency. Furthermore, since the acquired data can be checked on the spot, the burden of 're-taking impressions (re-visits)' often caused by traditional methods is reduced.

This expansion of evaluation through the medical fee revision creates economic rationality for dental clinics to introduce intraoral scanners and serves as a tailwind to strongly promote the 'DX of dental medicine,' which enhances operational efficiency while reducing patient discomfort.

4. Seminar Overview White Essence will hold a seminar to explain the real impact of this revision on the field and propose 'new options' for solving challenges in introducing intraoral scanners.

Date/Time: May 31 (Sun), June 14 (Sun); Morning Session 10:00-12:00, Afternoon Session 14:00-16:00 Format: Online Target: Dentists Main Content: 1. Real impact of the June 2026 revision, 2. New options from White Essence, 3. IOS demonstration.