Oticon Medical US is thrilled to announce that in January 2026 the successful implantation of our 1,000th patient with the Sentio™ System was performed! This marks a significant milestone in the lifecycle of the Sentio, our first active transcutaneous bone anchored hearing system (BAHS) since its launch in late 2024.
The patient who received the implant, Erin L., expressed excitement after activation of her Sentio 1 Mini processor. “I definitely can hear better now!! I’m extremely grateful for this journey. You don’t realize what you’re missing out on until it’s brought back to you!”
Oticon Medical Regional Sales Director Michael Giaccomo, Clinical Territory Manager Dina Panopoulos, and Territory Manager Corey Brackmann were on hand to support the procedure. The team later hosted a celebration at Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center, where Erin’s implantation procedure was performed.
Erin’s surgeon, ENT-Head & Neck Surgeon Dr. Jonathan Law, stated, “It’s a privilege to offer a surgery that is straightforward, yet profoundly rewarding, offering patients a transformative and life-changing improvement in hearing and connection with others.”
“It was both exciting and professionally rewarding to reach the 1,000th Sentio milestone for Oticon Medical, and for me as an audiologist,” shared Dr. Gisselle Warren, Erin’s audiologist. “Even more rewarding was observing, firsthand, the patient’s positive response to improved hearing for daily life communication and quality of life.”
Please join us in congratulating everyone involved in helping us reach this major milestone! We look forward to helping thousands of others who would benefit from our Sentio System for many years to come.
*Dr. Law has no financial relationship with Oticon and did not receive payment or sponsorship for his involvement in the featured case.
In memoriam, Ponto processor donated to a child in need
Oticon Medical has had the privilege of working with so many incredible individuals and families affected by hearing loss, including many who use our Ponto™ and Sentio™ Systems. Over the years we’ve built meaningful relationships with hearing health advocates, who are passionate about supporting others by sharing their personal experiences with hearing challenges.
One of our dearest advocates, Tamala “Tammy” Sullivan, recently passed away. Tammy touched countless lives with her kindness, courage, and unwavering dedication to the hard of hearing community. She offered not only information and guidance, but genuine hope—the kind that comes from someone who has walked the same path and chooses to light the way for others.
To honor Tammy’s generosity and the impact she made, we have donated a Ponto processor to a child in need.
Turning hearing challenges into a passion to help others
Tammy was especially passionate about helping children access the tools they need to thrive, which is why we felt this donation would be a meaningful way to continue her legacy.
“My family are honored that you are doing this,” said Tracy Sullivan, Tammy’s sister, when we consulted her about the donation. “My sister was a huge advocate for helping kids get what they needed to be successful. She loved to help people and would love this being done in her honor.”
Tammy learned sign language as a teenager and started working with the Deaf community. She was hard of hearing her entire life and was fitted with her first hearing aids as a teenager. When she read about bone anchored hearing systems, she was excited. Her traditional hearing aids had created problems that the bone anchored devices eliminated.
Meet Noah, recipient of Tammy’s gift of hearing
Another longtime advocate, Oticon Medical advocate-Ambassador Angela Sabal, helped us identify a family whose child needed a bone conduction processor but weren’t in a financial position to obtain one.
Noah is two-years-old and was born with hemifacial microtia, which his mother, Jessica, told us was “a surprise” when he was born. The family faced a long process of acceptance, researching the condition, and figuring out what steps to take moving forward.
Because of his condition, Noah is completely deaf on his left side. He has a plastic surgeon on board to reconstruct his ear when he is old enough (around 7-9 years old), an otolaryngologist to do the implantation surgery for a bone anchored hearing device (at around 5-7 yrs old), and an audiologist who Noah’s been seeing every six months since he was born. According to Noah’s otolaryngologist, he would not qualify for the surgery unless he wore a bone conduction device or something similar on a band as a first step. His audiologist loaned the family a bone conduction hearing processor to use until they were able to get one of their own.
The challenge for the family was insurance. They tried to go through their insurer twice, but both times were informed that insurance would only cover a small portion of the total cost. The balance was beyond the family’s means to cover out-of-pocket.
Upon being contacted by Oticon Medical about this donation in honor of Tammy, Jessica reached out to Noah’s audiologist, who confirmed that Noah would be able to use the Ponto being offered. She would just have to bring it in to be programmed for his specific hearing requirements. Jessica thanked Oticon Medical for reaching out and expressed her appreciation upon being informed of this opportunity to treat Noah’s hearing loss.
We will share more about Noah’s progress with his new Ponto processor when it becomes available.
This series of posts introduces you to our current roster of Oticon Medical employees in the United States. As you know, we’ve been through a lot of changes over the past few years. We are pleased that so many wonderful new people have joined our team of dedicated employees!
Robert Gulock, General Manager and Vice President
Please join us in welcoming our new General Manager and Vice President of Sales, North America, Robert!
Background
Robert was excited join Oticon Medical as General Manager and Vice President of Sales for North America back in July of 2025. “For those of you who know and love her…I’m the “new Laura,” he said.
Robert’s career in healthcare spans more than 30 years, including leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, and Advanced Bionics/Sonova. Much of that time was spent building hearing healthcare businesses across the US, Asia, and Latin America. He helped open the Chinese market for cochlear implants, scaled sales more than tenfold in Japan, and supported physicians and audiologists in 25 countries.
Customer service has always been at the heart of everything Robert does. Whether it was partnering with surgeons in Tokyo, training distributor teams in Brazil, or working side by side with US audiologists, he has spent decades ensuring that providers have what they need to deliver the best outcomes for their patients. That focus on service and partnership is something he’s delighted to carry forward at Oticon Medical.
Current Responsibilities
Robert said he “feels honored” to step into the role of General Manager and VP Sales, North America with Oticon Medical, a company rooted in innovation, purpose, and a deep commitment to improving lives through hearing health.
Throughout his career in medtech and commercial leadership, he has had the opportunity to help build and scale businesses that drive meaningful outcomes for patients. Oticon Medical’s unwavering focus on people, both in the technology we bring to market and in the teams that make it possible, convinced Robert to join the company.
He is looking forward to partnering with our talented teams across the US, Canada, and globally to expand access to our Ponto™ and Sentio™ bone anchored implant solutions, strengthen relationships with clinicians and healthcare systems, and advocate for patient choice. “The hearing healthcare space is evolving rapidly, and I believe Oticon Medical is uniquely positioned to lead with integrity, science, and heart,” Robert said.
On a personal note, Robert was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan (“Go Blue!” and “Go Lions!”). He has had the incredible opportunity to live and work in Belgium (one year), Switzerland (five years), and Japan (23 years) throughout his career. He has been married to his wife, Grace, for 35 years. They have one daughter, who will be graduating from Johns Hopkins next year as the first doctor in their family. Robert now resides in Denver, Colorado and enjoys spending his free time in the mountains golfing in the spring and summer, fly fishing in the fall, and snowboarding in the winter.
Please join us in officially welcoming Robert to the team!
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Oticon Medical is available to assist you by phone during office hours of Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 7 pm ET. Please feel free to call (888) 277-8014 or you can send them a message anytime via email at [email protected].
Earlier this year, Oticon Medical Marketing Manager and audiologist, Hilary McManus, had the opportunity to travel to Malawi with Hearing the Call, a nonprofit organization that focuses not on short-term relief, but on the long-term development of sustainable hearing healthcare in the communities it serves. Rather than providing one-time care and moving on, Hearing the Call collaborates with local professionals to build lasting systems through education, training, and access to resources.
This model of development over relief is backed by growing global health research. Short-term missions can sometimes unintentionally undermine local providers, disrupt continuity of care, and create dependency. Sustainable development, on the other hand, strengthens local infrastructure, empowers communities, and ensures that care continues long after international teams depart.1.2.3.4.
In Malawi, Hilary saw firsthand the vital role local providers play in ensuring that care is both sustainable and culturally responsive. These providers bring invaluable insights into their communities, enhancing the quality and relevance of the care delivered.
During three clinical days, Hilary’s group saw 174 patients, which included 113 traditional hearing aid fittings and eight Ponto™ fittings. They were also able to provide training to local audiologists and audiology students to ensure these patients receive top-tier follow-up care.
It was a whirlwind of activity, but what stood out most was the collaboration with dedicated Malawian clinicians and students, whose commitment to their patients and profession is nothing short of inspiring. Hilary’s group tried to see as many patients as possible while still providing excellent care. Even in this fast-paced environment, every individual on the team was able to not only teach, but learn from clinicians, students, and patients.
One of the audiologists on the trip asked everyone to think of one word to describe their time in Malawi and the first word that popped into Hilary’s mind was laughter. “Of course, we all worked hard giving those who attended the outreach clinics the best possible care,” Hilary shared. “But what I remember most are the moments of shared laughter between team members, with patients, and with my Malawian colleagues. It was the kind of laughter that supersedes language barriers, eases the weight of long days, and reminds you why you chose this profession in the first place.”
Despite the high prevalence of otitis media (an infection of the middle ear) and associated hearing loss, few Malawians have ever received a hearing device. Misconceptions about hearing loss and ear infections, combined with limited access to care with widespread use of home remedies, highlight critical gaps in hearing health literacy and service delivery. Bone anchored hearing systems like Ponto are uniquely suited to these communities, where conductive hearing loss and middle ear conditions are extremely common.
A Note from Yamikani Dumbo, Local Malawi Audiologist
Malawi faces significant challenges in addressing hearing loss due to limited resources. There is only one institution offering an Audiology degree, making it difficult for aspiring audiologists to access education and training. Consequently, the country lacks sufficient audiologists to provide essential services. Those who do qualify often seek job opportunities abroad, leaving Malawi with a severe shortage of skilled professionals.
Although four government hospitals offer audiology services, access to care remains insufficient due to limited equipment and resources. Furthermore, the absence of hearing aids at these hospitals limits the effectiveness of hearing loss diagnoses. This lack of services and essential tools deepens the problem, leaving many individuals without access to the care they need.
The state of audiology in Malawi is concerning and requires attention. There is a need to raise awareness through educating the public about the importance of ear health and the consequences of untreated hearing loss. Increasing accessibility in audiology education and training opportunities to increase the number of skilled professionals is needed to minimize challenges in accessing care. It is also essential to improve local audiology services by providing appropriate equipment and resources so they can offer comprehensive care.
Resources and Special Thanks
Hearing the Call was founded in 2016 to address the needs of thousands of individuals worldwide with treatable hearing losses who lack access to hearing aids. If you or your organization would like to support their efforts to aid hard of hearing people around the world, please visit https://hearingthecall.org/. You can also learn more about their outreach trips and volunteer opportunities.
Hilary and Oticon Medical would like to personally thank all the Hearing the Call employees and volunteers she worked with on this trip, including co-development and clinical lead Dr. Heidi Hill, co-development lead Dr. Jenna Vallario, Entheos Director of Education and Research Laurel Gregory, and photographer/videographer Cristian Veaudry.
Thanks also go out to the hearing care professionals who joined HIlary on the Malawi trip, including Dr. Sarah Conrad, Dr. Nad Kattan, and audiology student Anna Rippy and Malawian audiologists Yamikani Dumbo and Alinane Malili, Head of the Audiology Department at African Bible College (ABC), ENT physician Dr. Julia Toman and infectious disease specialist Dr. Zach Porterfield.
Most of all, we’d like to share our deep appreciation of the incredible, very soon-to-be audiologists Mphatso Dube, Enittah Chikuse, Flocy Square, Angella Banda, Peace Chikuniwenda, Micah Mbewe, Mercy Msakwiza, Cuthbert Mbalame, and Jane Iradukunda.
References
1. Chaus, M. (2020). The dark side of doing good: A qualitative study to explore perceptions of local healthcare providers regarding short-term surgical missions in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Journal of Global Health Reports, 4, e2020002. https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.11876
Journal of Global Health Reports
2. Tracey, P., Rajaratnam, E., Varughese, J., Venegas, D., Gombachika, B., Pindani, M., Ashbourne, E., & Martiniuk, A. (2022). Guidelines for short-term medical missions: Perspectives from host countries. Globalization and Health, 18(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-022-00815-7
BioMed Central
3. Melby, M. K., Loh, L. C., Evert, J., Prater, C., Lin, H., & Khan, O. A. (2016). Beyond medical "missions" to impact-driven short-term experiences in global health (STEGHs): Ethical principles to optimize community benefit and learner experience. Academic Medicine, 91(5), 633–638. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001009
ResearchGate
4. Prasad, S., Aldrink, M., Compton, B., Lasker, J., Donkor, P., Weakliam, D., Rowthorn, V., Mantey, E., Martin, K., Omaswa, F., Benzian, H., Calgua-Guerra, E., Maractho, E., Agyire-Tettey, K., Crisp, N., & Balasubramaniam, R. (2022). Global health partnerships and the Brocher Declaration: Principles for ethical short-term engagements in global health. Annals of Global Health, 88(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3577
This series of posts introduces you to our current roster of Oticon Medical employees in the United States. As you know, we’ve been through a lot of changes over the past few years. We are pleased that so many wonderful new people have joined our team of dedicated employees!
Henrietta Arocho, Senior Customer Service Operations Manager
Please join us in welcoming our new Senior Customer Service team manager, Henrietta!
Background
Prior to joining Oticon Medical, Henrietta was in Pharmaceutical Sales for more than 15 years. As the Associate Director of Client Services/Operations, she was the primary contact for customer needs, issue resolution, and service improvement. Her team managed field team launches ranging from 10-500+ representatives, ensuring seamless onboarding, training, and operational support.
Henrietta has a personal connection to hearing health, which drew her to Oticon Medical. A close family member was born with a severe hearing loss, and Henrietta witnessed firsthand the importance of having the necessary device and support to allow her relative to thrive and reach major milestones. She was excited to join Oticon Medical and contribute to our mission of creating hearing solutions designed with users in mind.
Current Responsibilities
In her current role with Oticon Medical, Henrietta manages a team of three representatives, who provide excellent customer service support to our field teams, clinicians, and valued patients. The team’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Processing orders
Handling customer returns, exchanges, and repairs
Managing customer/user communication (via phone and email)
Henrietta isn’t afraid of challenges. She once did an evening climb to the summit of Mt. Fuji, which required hiking through the night. She did this even though she is not a mountain climber and was not very well prepared for the climb. While it was grueling and exhausting, she was able to finish and witnessed the most beautiful sunrise after reaching the summit. It was a wonderful adventure…but one she says she will never do again!
The members of Oticon Medical’s Customer Service team assist our Ponto™ and Sentio™ wearers and candidates by answering questions, placing and managing orders, and helping them find conveniently located audiology clinics. Customer Service is available to assist you by phone during office hours of Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 7 pm ET. Please feel free to call (888) 277-8014 or you can send them a message anytime via email at [email protected].
This series of posts introduces you to our current roster of Oticon Medical employees in the United States. As you know, we’ve been through a lot of changes over the past few years. We are pleased that so many wonderful new people have joined the dedicated employees who remain with us!
Dr. Shelby Peeler, Auditory Technical Support Services
Please join us in welcoming our new Auditory Technical Specialist, Shelby Peeler!
Background
Shelby Peeler, AuD, CCC-A, PASC graduated as a Doctor of Audiology in 2018 from Auburn University. Prior to joining the Oticon Medical team, she practiced as a pediatric audiologist, but also enjoyed working with all ages during her schooling and externship. Her special clinical interests are early intervention, working with oncology patients, tinnitus and hyperacusis, hearing conservation, and of course bone conduction.
Shelby spent five-and-a-half years as a clinical audiologist, including three years at a children’s hospital in South Texas serving a patient population with a high rate of microtia and atresia, which is where her love of working with bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) was born. She holds a pediatric audiology specialty certification from the American Academy of Audiology.
Shelby’s favorite pastime is going to concerts and music festivals! In the last year she has traveled from her home in Atlanta to Nashville, Baltimore, Chicago, Milwaukee, and even Amsterdam to see some of her favorite artists.
Shelby is a member of the Auditory Technical Specialists (ATS) team at Oticon Medical. The ATS team are dedicated and highly skilled audiologists who assist clinicians and Oticon Medical BAHS wearers and candidates with a broad range of inquiries. They provide numerous services, including:
Programming support
Answers to candidacy questions
Troubleshooting of Ponto™ and Sentio™ Systems and related accessories
Bluetooth® connectivity guidance
The ATS team is responsible for knowing about all things Oticon Medical and enjoys coming up with creative solutions to assist clinicians, patients, and candidates.
Oticon Medical’s Auditory Technical Services team is available to answer patient inquiries during office hours Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm ET. Please feel free to call us at (888) 277-8014 (choose Option 4 when prompted). Or you can send us a message anytime using this convenient ATS Submission form or send an email to [email protected].
This new series of posts introduces you to our current roster of Oticon Medical employees in the United States. As you know, we’ve been through a lot of changes over the past few years. We are pleased that so many wonderful new people have joined the dedicated employees who have remained with us despite it all!
Stephanie Gardner, Senior Insurance Manager
Please join us in welcoming our new Senior Manager of Insurance Services and Reimbursement Support, Stephanie Gardner!
Background
Prior to joining Oticon Medical, Stephanie worked for an oncology company as their Revenue Cycle Manager. She has more than ten years of experience in the account receivables field and five years of experience in the revenue cycle process, including precertification, eligibility and benefits, oral pharmacy for oncology medicine, patient financial advocacy, and patient accounts receivable.
Current Oticon Medical Role
Stephanie is responsible for managing, leading, and developing our Insurance Support Team, which assists wearers of our Ponto™ and Sentio™ bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) and hearing care professionals with insurance and reimbursement inquiries.
Once BAHS candidates have decided on a bone anchored solution, they must determine and verify that their benefits will cover it. While this may seem daunting, the Oticon Medical Insurance Support Team is here to make the process easier for them, hospitals and clinics. They will assist with everything, including:
Verification of benefits for new Ponto or Sentio wearers
Verification for current BAHS wearers seeking coverage for upgrading their processors to our latest technology
Submitting paperwork to insurance providers
Requesting and receiving pre-authorization for minimally-invasive Ponto surgery (MIPS) or Sentio surgery
The team does this this in a confidential and private manner to protect candidates and wearers’ healthcare information through each step of the process.
Fun Fact
One of Stephanie’s hobbies is putting together 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles.
Please join us in welcoming Stephanie to the Oticon Medical Team!
If you need to speak to someone in our Insurance Support Services Department, you can reach them anytime at [email protected] or by phone Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm Eastern Time at 855.400.9761.
Whether it be the ringing of the bell, the sharpening of a pencil, or the voice of an instructor, every sound in a school environment plays a key role in not only facilitating learning processes but establishing a rhythm of daily activities. Without sound, it is difficult to foster a conducive environment for students and educators alike.
Some students may have conductive/mixed hearing losses or single-sided deafness (SSD). Conductive or mixed hearing loss are the result of issues present in the middle or outer ear. These may include ear infections, problems with the middle ear bones, or malformations of the outer ear or ear canal, such as microtia and atresia. In the case of SSD, the student has one completely non-functional ear, while the other may have reduced or normal hearing.
Having access to sound is a critical element of a child’s success in regular classroom environments. Some students with hearing challenges may have bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) like Ponto™ to help alleviate possible difficulties keeping up with lessons. A BAHS is a type of hearing device that sends sounds directly into the inner ear, using a process known as bone conduction.
A Teacher’s Quick Guide to Ponto
The Ponto System consists of two main parts: either a softband or surgically implanted abutment, and an external sound processor. The softband/abutment holds the sound processor on the head, while the processor captures sound from the wearer’s surroundings and transfers it through the skull, in the form of vibrations, to the inner ear.
For educators with young students, you should know how to change the Ponto battery, as shown below, if the battery dies during the school day.
If the sound processor falls off, position it vertically with the microphone inlets toward the bottom, aligned horizontally. If possible, avoid letting anything touching the sound processor to prevent a whistling sound known as feedback. If the student is wearing a softband, it should fit snugly but comfortably against the head. You should be able to insert two fingers between the softband and the head. The following photo shows proper softband placement.
Supporting students
In addition to supporting device functionality, there are other strategies educators can use to enhance the learning experience for their hard of hearing students, such as:
Repeating or rephrasing information when requested
Speaking slowly and clearly at a comfortable volume
Employing written instructions or visual cues
Maintaining good visibility by facing the child
Avoiding face or mouth coverage, and ensuring adequate lighting in the classroom
Enhancing classroom acoustics by:
Closing doors
Placing tennis balls on furniture legs
Using carpets and wall coverings for sound absorption
Positioning desks away from noise sources
Adhering to guidelines in the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan, if applicable
Using an EduMic or similar microphone
Using the EduMic in the Classroom
The EduMic is an extremely helpful accessory that provides Ponto users with an even better experience with their BAHS. It serves as a bridge system providing wearers with microphone, FM, audio jack, and telecoil modes. Microphone Mode is a powerful tool, carrying the teacher’s voice directly into the student’s Ponto, reducing background noise interference between the student and teacher.
To achieve the best results in Microphone Mode, clip the EduMic a maximum distance of eight inches away from the speaker’s mouth. Take care to avoid scratching noises and jewelry clinking against the microphone, as these sounds will also be relayed directly to the student. In order to use FM mode or take advantage of the audio jack mode, insert either the auxiliary cord or the FM connector to the bottom of the EduMic.
Set Your Students with Bone Conduction Hearing Devices Up for Success
Supporting students with hearing loss, particularly those using a BAHS like Ponto, requires a combination of technical knowledge and well-planned classroom strategies. By understanding the functionality of the Ponto System, educators can ensure that students are able to not only access sound effectively, but also engage fully in classroom activities. Teachers play a critical role in fostering a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, empowering students with hearing challenges to reach their full potential.
Many veterans experience hearing loss due to physical trauma endured while on duty. Many of these losses may be treatable with traditional hearing aids. However, some forms of hearing loss—typically involving damage to the outer ear, ear canal, or other physical components—may not be. Yet many vets are unaware that they have options beyond regular hearing aids, such as bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS).
If you served your country, you may qualify to receive coverage from the government for a BAHS. Read on to learn more about this advanced treatment and whether it might be the solution you need.
Types of Hearing Loss Commonly Experienced by Veterans
More than 1.3 million US veterans receive disability compensation for hearing loss. Considering how frequently military personnel are exposed to extremely loud sounds for extended periods, including explosions, weapons fire, military air-and-seacrafts, and more, it is no surprise that so many experience noise-induced hearing damage, aka sensorineural hearing loss. This form of hearing loss is most often treated with traditional, air conduction hearing aids—the removable devices worn either in the ear or behind the ear.
However, hearing losses related to physical injuries typically require an alternative treatment that utilizes bone conduction to improve hearing ability. Known as conductive hearing losses, these may result from the loss of the pinna (outer ear), damage or loss of the ear canal, or similar injuries. Those with single-sided deafness—whether due to sensorineural or conductive hearing loss—may also experience better results from bone conduction.
Bone Anchored Hearing Systems Aid Certain Service-Related Hearing Losses
As mentioned above, bone anchored hearing treatment utilizes bone conduction to improve hearing ability. While regular hearing aids go in or on the ear to receive, amplify, and clarify sound, BAHS are worn on small, implanted posts called abutments near the ear. Bone conduction may be a viable option if your cochlea (inner ear) is still intact and functional.
A processor that receives sound is snapped onto the abutment a few weeks following implantation. This device transmits sound via unnoticeable vibrations through your skull bone, bypassing the damaged or missing portions of your ear, directly into the cochlea. The sound is then sent to your brain for normal processing as comprehensible speech, music, or other sounds.
Next Steps for Vets Interested in Bone Conduction
If you think your hearing loss might be treatable with a BAHS, your first step should be to contact your local Veterans Administration and schedule an appointment with an audiology professional. Depending on your past service, you might qualify for free or reduced-cost hearing healthcare, including diagnosis and treatment. You may also qualify for monthly disability compensation payments, tax-free. Please note that if you don’t live near a VA hearing clinic or the wait is extensive, you might be able to utilize VA Community Care to see a local hearing healthcare provider.
To find out which benefits you qualify for, please contact your local VA medical center representative.
Oticon Medical Ponto System for Veterans
Oticon Medical offers bone anchored hearing solutions that are used by wearers all over the world to help them overcome hearing loss at home, work, and in social situations. For more information on our minimally invasive Ponto™ surgery for implantation of an abutment and our most current technology, the Ponto 5 family of hearing processors, please visit our website.
Somerset, NJ. Oticon Medical will once again celebrate Good Vibrations Day on May 3, 2023. This marks the third year since the company founded this non-branded celebration to raise awareness of bone conduction hearing treatment, which is also known as Bone Anchored Awareness Day. By opening the celebration to all bone conduction device manufacturers, audiology professionals, and wearers, the hope is that more people who could benefit from this hearing solution will learn about its benefits worldwide.
May 3 was selected specifically because it is the birthday of Per-Ingvar Brånemark, a Swedish physician and research professor known as the father of osseointegration, and the godfather of bone anchored hearing. His discoveries enabled the development of modern bone conduction hearing devices.
Wearers first joined the celebration of Good Vibrations Day in 2021 by sharing video clips, photos, and stories depicting their lives with a bone anchored hearing system. They have continued to share their experiences with others year-round, helping to spread the word about bone conduction as an effective treatment for certain forms of hearing loss.
“For over 10 years I lived unaided and was miserable,” said wearer Ross W. “I would often sit with others and just smile because I was lost by the conversations going on around me. I never could tell what anyone was saying, so it created a disconnect. But when I got my first bone anchored hearing system, I was out in the open talking to everyone rather than in a corner. I was also smiling a lot because I was engaged. It changed everything!”
Bone conduction describes having sound vibrations conducted into the cochlea via the skull. Bone anchored hearing systems use this process, bypassing missing or damaged portions of the wearer’s outer or middle ear and sending vibrations via the skull directly into the inner ear. From there, they can be processed by the brain as sound.
Currently, more than 250,000 people from all over the world use some form of a bone conduction hearing device. Good Vibrations Day celebrates them and their treatment—regardless of brand—by providing an opportunity and encouragement to share their experiences with this life-changing hearing technology.
“Oticon Medical knows that sound matters,” said René Govaerts, General Manager at Oticon Medical. “We launched Good Vibrations Day in 2021 and have continued to celebrate it annually because it is an important way to raise awareness about the benefits of bone conduction. Many people around the world still don’t know that bone anchored hearing systems are options for addressing their conductive or single-sided hearing losses. We will proudly continue to do whatever we can, in partnership with other manufacturers, hearing healthcare professionals, and current wearers, to spread the word about this effective treatment option.”
Leading up to and including May 3, Oticon Medical will be celebrating Good Vibrations Day around the world by sharing information, videos and photos from wearers, holding contests, and more through its social media platforms. As a non-branded awareness day, the company invites other bone anchored brands to join in the celebration by sharing content and organizing celebrations of their own.
Good Vibrations Day posts, stories, tweets, reels, etc. can be shared by all using the #GoodVibrations and #BoneAnchoredHearing hashtags. They can also be viewed and shared via the official Good Vibrations Day Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/boneanchoredhearing. Hearing healthcare professionals and wearers alike are encouraged to join the Good Vibrations Day Facebook Page.
About Oticon Medical
All our passion, knowledge, technology, and global resources are aimed at supporting professionals and helping users overcome their hearing loss so they can live full lives – now and in the future. Because we know how much sound matters.
More information can be found at www.oticonmedical.com/US
Tammy was especially passionate about helping children access the tools they need to thrive, which is why we felt this donation would be a meaningful way to continue her legacy.
Upon being contacted by Oticon Medical about this donation in honor of Tammy, Jessica reached out to Noah’s audiologist, who confirmed that Noah would be able to use the Ponto being offered. She would just have to bring it in to be programmed for his specific hearing requirements. Jessica thanked Oticon Medical for reaching out and expressed her appreciation upon being informed of this opportunity to treat Noah’s hearing loss.
