Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine to Acquire, Implement Robotic-Assisted Surgery

BOSTON — Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) has become the first U.S. dental school to acquire, install, and use two surgical robotic devices for dental implant surgeries.

These devices will provide an opportunity for the school’s predoctoral students and postdoctoral residents to learn how state-of-the-art robotic technology, with its accuracy and precision, can augment and enhance patient care and outcomes.

The robot-assisted surgical device, known as Yomi, was developed by Miami-based health care start-up Neocis. It is the first (and to date, only) such device cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for dental implant surgery.

Using the Yomi system, the surgeon first creates a virtual plan for the placement of a dental implant using detailed 3D scans of the patient’s mouth. The system then uses physical cues to guide the provider along the precise implementation of that plan — but the technology is also able to adjust dynamically to accommodate mid-procedure changes. Yomi augments a provider’s “feel,” and offers real-time feedback via haptic technology to guide a provider along the treatment plan. But the provider controls the handpiece at all times.

The school, with the assistance of trained technicians from Neocis, completed installing and calibrating the robotic devices in late September. GSDM faculty members participated in a rigorous two-day trainings on the Yomi system in September, with additional trainings slated for October and November. Once trained, faculty members will use the Yomi system on their own patients and will also instruct GSDM predoctoral students and postdoctoral residents on the technology. Neocis will provide ongoing service and support.