VERSAILLES, Ohio--Midmark Corporation has announced that the Elevance Dental Chair has been selected as a finalist in the Dental Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies category of the 2012 Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. Research and development yielded a patient chair that is a departure from other dental chairs. With a Cantilever Forward design, advanced hydraulic system and a fully integrated heat and massage option, the Elevance chair delivers styling, patient access and patient comfort.Related information, click here.Columbus, Ohio-based Design Central played a role in the development and design of table components that increase the esthetics and ergonomics of the table.Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry, the global MedTech authority that provides the medical device industry with the latest news, information, and in-depth analysis, announced the finalists and their suppliers in the 2012 MDEA competition in its April 2012 issue. Sponsored by MD+DI and organized by UBM Canon, the MDEA (www.MDEAwards.com) competition is an awards program for the medical technology community. It recognizes the achievements of medical device manufacturers, their suppliers, and the many people behind the scenes—engineers, scientists, designers, and clinicians—who are responsible for the innovations that change the face of healthcare.A comprehensive review of the entries was performed by an impartial, multidisciplinary panel of third-party jurors with expertise in biomedical engineering, clinical practice, diagnostics, human factors, industrial design, manufacturing, and medicine. Entries are evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials, user-related functions that improve health-care delivery and change traditional medical attitudes or practices, features that provide enhanced benefits to the patient, and the ability of the product development team to overcome design and engineering challenges so that the product meets its clinical objectives. The 2012 MDEA Jury selected 41 finalists in 10 medical product categories. “We are honored to be recognized by the MDEA judges,” stated Eric Shirley, vice president and general manager, dental division for Midmark. “Building from Midmark’s reputation for exceptional patient comfort, the Elevance truly creates the ideal patient experience while maximizing performance for the dental professional.” Winning products will be announced at the MDEA presentation ceremony May 23, 2012, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown hotel. The ceremony is held in conjunction with the MD&M East Event (www.MDMEast.com) at the adjacent Pennsylvania Convention Center, May 22-24. For more information, visit midmark.com.To comment on this topic, go to community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/.