The worst of dental technology
I'm a sucker for gadgets. I always have been. Dentistry is a great profession if you're into gadgets. The corollary to that statement is that dentists are great subjects to market to. If you design some thing to look cool and tell us it's going to boost our profits and put a hot chick in the ad it's money in the bank.
I want to believe that some shiny high-tech looking thingy is going to make my job easier and impress my patients. In fact, sometimes it happens just like that. Adding technology is a bittersweet deal. The sales folks will make lofty proclamations about what it will do for your bottom line. Remember that they make $$$ when you buy, not when your production and collections skyrocket.
So, what technology is good and what's not? I suppose that it's different for each office but prior to purchasing you should take a look at a few things.
What else have you bought that just plain sucked?
I want to believe that some shiny high-tech looking thingy is going to make my job easier and impress my patients. In fact, sometimes it happens just like that. Adding technology is a bittersweet deal. The sales folks will make lofty proclamations about what it will do for your bottom line. Remember that they make $$$ when you buy, not when your production and collections skyrocket.
So, what technology is good and what's not? I suppose that it's different for each office but prior to purchasing you should take a look at a few things.
- Does the technology allow you to perform a service that you can't already perform?
- Does the technology allow you to perform a service faster than you can right now?
- Can the technology do what it says it can do? (two words: Zoom light)
- Will you use it?
- Does it make work more fun? Does in make work $x more fun if it isn't adding to your arsenal of worthwhile and helpful services? (that's the real question, isn't it?)
- Never buy something at a convention that you weren't planning on buying before you got there
- Always research the product online. If possible, search for "reviews" of trusted contributors to DentalTown. If you saw it at a show or in a magazine you've only seen what the manufacturers/marketers want you to see.
- Whenever possible try the product in your office on regular patients. (e.g.--Designs for Vision gives a 45 day money back guarantee and the 45 days starts the day you receive your loupes. They REALLY believe in their product!)
- Don't take cold calls from sales people.
- Don't impulse buy, particularly at a big meeting like the Chicago Midwinter or the ADA. This is where new (read: barely tested) products are introduced and you might be paying for the privilege of beta testing something awful. If you feel like you REALLY want/need something you saw at a show give it a couple days. A stand up company will give you the show special a couple days after and that way you know you didn't just fall in lust.
- air abrasion: This is an AWESOME technology! In the lab. In a box. With suction. It's just not that good in someones mouth. I can do exactly the same thing with a $1.20 fissurotomy bur in 1/4 of the time without turning my operatory into the "Saraha Room." Also, the claims of "no anesthesia" because of air abrasion are greatly exaggerated. I heard Tim Rainey go on and on about how he hadn't numbed a patient with air abrasion in 40 years or something. A few years ago when I had first bought the thing I was trying to make it work (loan payments will do that to you) I would tell patients that we were going to do a painless filling with the wonders of air abrasion (parallel air/water abrasion, even). They were pretty excited until I hurt them. And they had had to wipe the sand off of their tongue. and face. and eyes. Maybe I just suck and there's a special way of cutting a hole in a
tooth with a sandblaster that doesn't hurt, but I couldn't figure it
out. Yeay air abrasion! What, only $12K? Sign me up!
- Carifree: The concept is great. The execution is a nightmare. The concept is to assess a patient's individual risk for tooth decay. Those with low risk you don't medicate, but if they're high risk, you treat them with medicated mouth rinses. Sounds good. The problem: you "test" them for caries risk with very expensive Q-tips in a very expensive machine. It give a number on a scale that allows you to quantify risk. I tried it on lots of different patients. We closely followed the instructions. My numbers never really matched up with any of the other criteria I would measure. The kid who gargles with Mountain Dew and has giant craters in his teeth would measure a near pristine 210 while my completely cavity and plaque free appointment coordinator measured in at a whopping 6000 or something. Again, maybe I just suck, but until the testing is a bit more idiot-proof you might save your $$$. Once you've determined that a patient is high risk you treat them with the Carifree treatment rinses. You mix the "ingredients" (full strength lye and kerosene, I think) in a very clinical looking measurement tube and rinse for the longest minute of your life. The sales rep said "it tastes like minty pool water." After using the product (once...I survived, dammit!) myself I would describe the taste more like "minty liquid death." I completely lost my shirt on Carifree. I do love the caries management by risk assessment concept (CAMBRA )and I wanted to love Carifree, but each time I think about the actual product I find myself under my desk curled up in a ball and crying.
- StatusBlue alginate replacement: Hey, why don't we use an impression material that is 10 times more expensive than alginate, yet takes worse impressions? Hey, sounds great! Sign me up! Honestly, I still use the stuff because it is much less messy than alginate and can be repoured. They're really accurate, too. Except since it's a polyvinyl it has pulls all over place. My assistant loves the convenience and cleanliness of it but there's going to come a time when I move back to alginate because my study models will be much better! Also, it's dispensed out of a cool looking MixStar machine which is very high tech looking.
What else have you bought that just plain sucked?
Did u buy the Wand? I didn't.
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I'm demo'ing the STA. STA = "new improved Wand that costs about $500 more."
Which means I'm a glutton for punishment?
They didn't get me in the first few permutations...perhaps they'll reel me in this time.
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