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December 2008 | Dental Products Report
DPR Survey: Technology

This year has been an exciting one as cone beam technology becomes a hot topic in dentistry. To see video featuring J. Morita’s cone beam offering, click here.   Related Products     Offering high-quality imaging, the DEXIS Digital X-ray System includes several filters that allow clinicians to enhance images to highlight specific features and assist with diagnosis. Click here for more information.    Consult-PRO’s Chairside 2009 patient education software comes with an array of 3D animated movies and features allowing clinicians to explain anything and everything at the click of a button. Click here for more information.   The SIROLaser™ from Sirona Dental Systems is a versatile and compact diode laser suitable for a variety of laser treatment applications including endodontics, periodontics and oral surgery. Click here for more information.   The DPR Top 100 Products: Technology Top New Products New "Classics" All Technology Products

Almost three-quarters of respondents ranked “Provide better care for patients” as a “very important” consideration when they’re investigating a new technology purchase, and less than 1% said providing better care was “not important.” “Return on investment” was a “very important” consideration for 60% of respondents, and 57% placed “increase productivity” in the same category.

Productivity for patients

Putting the patients first may be the “fuzzy and warm” response to the question, but Dr. Bill Busch, who runs a practice in Kansas City, Mo., believes the survey respondents’ priorities actually should be reversed. The way he sees it, dentists who are looking to invest in technology should think about how the new tools will improve the way their practice operates first and foremost because getting the most out of the investment will lead to improved patient care.

“If you increase your efficiency with the technology, that’s better for the patient,” he said.

Making new tools work

Dr. Busch explains that researching the ways a potential technology investment can impact productivity is important because while every piece of equipment is designed to provide better care for patients, every new technology will not be a perfect fit at every practice. Understanding exactly how a new technology works and how it will work in your practice is key. There is a low return on investment for purchases that don’t get incorporated into daily operations. Dr. Busch recommends trying things before making a purchase.

“I think more hands-on (training) from the technical reps that come out is key,” he said. “Sometimes certain purchases don’t make sense and you find out the hard way.”

After a new technology is added to a practice, it’s simple to spur some return on the investment by advertising the new tool to patients. This doesn’t mean calling the local newspaper to buy space promoting the new gear, Dr. Busch said, so much as it means posting clever signs around the office alerting patients to the advancements that can make their visit more comfortable and their care more effective.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Staying up-to-date with other practices is another factor Dr. Busch feels dentists should be considering when looking into new technologies. The survey results showed slightly more than 10% of respondents ranked “keeping up with colleagues” as “very important” and another 23% said that consideration was “important” in their purchasing decisions.

As Dr. Busch sees things, dentists who don’t think about the technologies their competitors and colleagues are using could be hurting their ability to remain competitive in the future. The students currently in dental school are being trained with technology that is as or more advanced than what most practices are using. When these students graduate, they’ll be attracted to practices using these technologies.

“The students getting out of school today are not the students getting out of school 10 years ago,” Dr. Busch said. “Doctors who are looking to sell their practice need to start talking to the students in dental school.”

The dentists of tomorrow expect to use the latest developments, and Dr. Busch notes “it’s not just all the flashy stuff, it’s the electronic record.” Practices that keep ahead of the curve will not only be the ones providing the best care to their patients, they’ll be the most attractive to the next generation of dentists, and thus, easier to sell when the owner is ready to move on or retire.

Providing better care to patients is the goal of all dentists, and new technologies can certainly help that goal be realized. However, if clinicians aren’t thinking about staying competitive and being more productive by using these technologies, they might not be investing in the right tools. 

 
Noah Levine is an associate editor for Dental Products Report. He can be reached at 773-249-4514 or via e-mail at nlevine@advanstar.com.

 
June 2008 Technology Survey, "High-Tech Census"