Software pioneer Chaz Cone has joined topsXtreme, Atlanta, the Mac OS X-based orthodontic practice-management system with imaging, as sales development manager. Cone created one of the first comprehensive orthodontic practice-management systems in 1983. It was installed in 1,100 locations around the world before it was purchased by another company.

"Chaz Cone’s programming prowess and understanding of the systematic needs of our profession are priceless when helping orthodontists update their practice-management programs," said Mark Sanchez, DDS, president of Cogent Design Inc, which develops and markets topsXtreme. “Our goal is to give our users the best: a crash-free, stable, and secure environment for their practices. Chaz achieved this with his original program and understands how important these characteristics are to an orthodontic practice.”

"When Mark asked me to join his team, I did a thorough evaluation of topsXtreme and Cogent Design Inc,” Cone said. "I found topsXtreme to be full-functioned, easy to use, fast as lightning, stable as a rock, and supported by a team of eager, young, caring people. That business plan sounded so much like OPMS I simply had to come aboard to help.”

Cone’s experience includes 22 years with IBM Corp, in which he started as a sales trainee and later held top positions in systems engineering and PC application software sales.