Last reviewed: May 14, 2026 · By DentalAirPolisher Editorial Team
Two generations of EMS air polishing — the Airflow Prophylaxis Master (flagship until 2025) and the GBT Machine (launched at IDS 2025). Same clinical workflow, different rollout status. Which one is current in your country, what actually changed, and what to buy today.
The Airflow Prophylaxis Master is EMS's previous-generation cart-style integrated unit. The GBT Machine is its named successor, launched at IDS 2025 in Cologne. Both run the same 8-step Guided Biofilm Therapy protocol. The differences are connectivity, sustainability and UX, not core clinical capability.
Which one is "current" in your country depends on the rollout. In most of Europe and North America the GBT Machine has shipped and is the unit your distributor will quote. In parts of Latin America and Asia, the Airflow Prophylaxis Master is still actively commercialised — and that is what your distributor will quote in 2026. Both are first-line EMS products in the markets where they're sold; the distinction is about availability, not "old vs new".
| Dimension | EMS Airflow Prophylaxis Master | EMS GBT Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Generation | Previous (flagship until IDS 2025) | Current (launched IDS 2025) |
| Form factor | Cart-style integrated unit | Cart-style integrated unit, redesigned station |
| Core handpieces | Airflow, Perioflow, Piezon | Airflow, Perioflow, Piezon |
| Piezo module | PIEZON PS NO PAIN | PIEZON PS NO PAIN MAX (gradual adaptation to calculus nature) |
| Protocol | 8-step Guided Biofilm Therapy | 8-step Guided Biofilm Therapy |
| Validated powders | Erythritol (PLUS), glycine (COMFORT), bicarbonate (CLASSIC) | Same powder range |
| Connectivity | Standalone | MyEMS dashboard — treatment data, powder consumption, maintenance schedule, remote support |
| Materials | Plastic-heavy | 30% less plastic; aluminium and tempered glass |
| Handpiece recognition | Manual setting | Automatic GBT-mode activation on handpiece removal |
| Certification visibility | Not on unit | "GBT" letters light up pink on certified units |
| Where sold (May 2026) | Parts of Latin America, parts of Asia | Most of Europe, North America |
| Service window | Multi-year continued support | Full forward support |
The big operational change is automatic handpiece recognition. On the Prophylaxis Master, the clinician selects modes and adjusts power/water manually. On the GBT Machine, removing a handpiece automatically activates GBT mode with the optimal power and water settings, which prevents over-instrumentation and reduces powder consumption. The intuitive three-setting interface for power and water simplifies daily workflow and reduces training time for new hygienists.
The updated piezo scaling module on the GBT Machine adapts power output gradually to the nature of the calculus encountered. The result is a more minimally invasive and comfortable treatment for the patient, particularly in supportive periodontal therapy and during recall appointments.
This is the first time prophylaxis equipment has carried a connected dashboard. Through MyEMS the clinician sees treatment data, tracks powder consumption, monitors maintenance schedules and accesses remote after-sales support. Maintenance needs and service prompts are displayed on the device and on the cloud dashboard. For multi-chair clinics this changes the operations conversation — you can see device usage and treatment volumes across operatories without manually logging anything.
30% less plastic in the device body. Aluminium and tempered glass on the redesigned station, which improves cleaning and disinfection. The water bottle now supplies both handpieces, giving better autonomy between refills and a cleaner workflow.
For GBT-certified practices, the "GBT" letters on the front of the unit light up pink — a visible signal in the operatory that the practice has earned formal certification. A small touch, but a smart way for certified clinics to communicate standards visually to patients and visitors.
The clinical output is the same. Both units run the 8-step Guided Biofilm Therapy protocol with the same Airflow / Perioflow / Piezon handpiece sequence. Both use the same erythritol-based PLUS powder for biofilm management, the same COMFORT (glycine) and CLASSIC (bicarbonate) powders for the situations where those are indicated. A clinic that has been delivering GBT successfully on the Airflow Prophylaxis Master will not change its treatment outcomes by switching to the GBT Machine — the upgrade is in the operations layer, not the clinical layer.
The 94.1% patient preference for GBT over conventional prophylaxis reported in the 400,000-patient EMS survey was generated on the Airflow Prophylaxis Master generation. The clinical promise transfers directly to the GBT Machine.
Europe, North America and most Tier 1 markets: your EMS distributor will quote you the GBT Machine because it's the only model they're shipping. There isn't really a choice. Negotiate on training package, demo arrangements, financing, powder starter quantities and service contract — the unit is fixed.
Parts of Latin America and Asia: your distributor will quote the Prophylaxis Master because that is what they have. Don't wait. The clinical workflow is the same, the protocol is the same, the powder is the same, the training is the same. Buying the Prophylaxis Master in 2026 in a market that hasn't yet received the GBT Machine is buying the current EMS option in your country — not buying a discontinued product.
The one thing to confirm with your distributor: continued service window. EMS has historically maintained service and parts for previous generations for many years. Get the commitment in writing.
The generation question is internal to EMS. Whether you compare against the Woodpecker PT-E, the Mectron Combi Touch, the NSK Varios Combi Pro2, or the handpiece-style NSK Prophy-Mate neo, the same trade-offs apply regardless of which EMS generation you're looking at: premium price tier, the erythritol powder advantage, formal GBT certification and protocol training, integrated workflow.
One factor that is generation-independent and worth pricing into the decision: EMS holds the European patent on erythritol air polishing powder. Whichever EMS unit you buy, you have access to the only EU-validated erythritol formulation. Non-EMS units in the EU run glycine or sodium bicarbonate. If your hygiene team has built its case-mix around erythritol-based GBT, that capability stays with you on either the Prophylaxis Master or the GBT Machine — and is lost if you switch to a non-EMS brand. See our erythritol vs glycine explainer for the clinical implications.