Bring it on.

That’s what some dentists say when new products, equipment and technology are introduced to the market. But it’s not always that easy. Some doctors won’t spend big bucks on new technology until it has stood the test of time, while others will stick with the same materials and instruments for decades because that’s what they’ve become accustomed to using in their practices. Even those docs who consider themselves techy pioneers don’t want to make a major purchase unless they know it will benefit both their practices and their patient care.

Dentists always have a lot of things to factor in when making purchases, even more so now in these shaky economic times. But more than a quarter of our readers (26%) are predicting an increase in their purchasing of both technology and equipment in the next 12 months according to our latest exclusive survey. That figure is encouraging and is backed by Cynthia Mattson, a Utah dental CPA who focuses on providing accounting, tax and consulting services to dentists. “Something I emphasize is the importance of differentiating your practice now in these economic times,” says Mattson, who also has hands-on experience in managing her husband’s dental office. “Where we’re at in Utah is much more competitive than most areas and our saturation of dentists is really high.”

Even so, Mattson says, the practices she works with have remained quite productive. Where they have noticed a drop is in appointments down the road. “I have seen that in my clients’ practices, patients are hesitating on booking appointments,” she says. “The monthly production so far has still held up but they’re not booked out as far.”

Recent tough times have hit a lot of folks hard, including some dentists. Just over 44% of the survey respondents indicated the current economy has kept them from purchasing specific products in the past 12 months. Slightly more positive is the fact that only half of these GPs feel the economy will stop them from making these purchases in the next 12 months.

When we asked you what investments—aside from products and equipment—you were forced to delay due to the economy, 46% who answered this question said hiring new staff, making the choice the most popular in the hard-hit category. Practice marketing (40%) was the second hardest hit category on the list, with event attendance not far behind (38%). The economic woes also forced one-third of you to hold off on remodeling.

Why buy?

It may sound elementary, but before making a purchase you should make sure it will benefit you in some way. Mattson states key areas of such benefits include timesavings/efficiency, improved patient care and the sometimes over-looked intangible of “energizing” the doctor and/or the practice.

“From my standpoint, when doctors call me, I ask, ‘Is it going to make your life easier? Is it going to help you enjoy dentistry? Is it going to deliver a better product for the patient?’ You need to answer ‘yes’ to these questions. If it doesn’t improve something, then why are you buying it?”

She adds, “It has to help you give better dentistry. Sometimes it’s just that your mental attitude is better because it’s kind of a new fun thing. So it’s not that the old type of composite didn’t work, but this one works better or faster. So better, faster, easier, more fun—if it does a combination of those, then I tell them, ‘Now we look at timing. When do we want to buy it?’”

Technologies such as practice management software, digital radiography, CAD/CAM systems and lasers can help benefit in all of the areas mentioned above. Of course, regular everyday necessities like trusty handpieces and doctor seating are always being added to practices, and they’re high on the list of purchases planned by our readers over the next 12 months. More than 45% of you plan to add a handpiece in the next year, while digital x-ray and computer hardware for the operatory rank next, at 25%.

Mattson says practices need a plan in place to prepare for major purchases, but also need to know just how many benefits can come from various new technologies. For instance, digital radiography can save a lot of time, but sometimes benefits such as marketing, patient acceptance and perception, and cost savings in terms of eliminating things required for traditional x-rays (film, processors and dark rooms) are not considered when bringing on the new technology. The same can be said when converting a practice to digital.

“When switching to all-digital and going paperless, you know that it’s going to be hard at first and there are going to be some days where you do not like it,” Mattson says. “But in six months you’re going to say, ‘I can’t believe I waited so long.’ ”

As an example, “We all know the radiation exposure under traditional film is fine and safe, but patients love that it’s only 10% [with digital x-rays]. Then, by using monitors that they can see, you get the ‘wow factor,’ which is huge and really hard to quantify dollars- wise. But it’s what gets the buzz about your practice.”

Other perception enhancements can come from just sending patients home with a digital image or printing out the panoramic x-ray for a child. Mattson tells of one practice that uses Planmeca USA’s ProMax (planmeca.com) digital x-ray unit and the response has been great with children. “The kids stand in front of device because it’s kind of space-age stuff and they’re okay with that,” she says. “So you can get a great x-ray. You print it on regular copy paper and send it home with them, and they’ll put it on their fridge and tell their friends. It’s very inexpensive, but great marketing.”

Mattson says her husband, Dr. Rand Mattson, has had new patients enter his practice after a fellow patient told them about KaVo Dental Group’s DIAGNOdent caries detection device (kavousa.com). “We call it the ‘woo-woo machine.’ Because if it has decay it goes woo-woo,” she says. “It makes that noise and the little kids love it. It saves so much time in that the parent says, ‘Oh, what’s that? That means they have a cavity. Oh well, let’s fix it.’ You didn’t have to tell them to see this little spot on this 1x1 little film in which they can’t notice the difference.”

She says one patient’s father, who is an applied physicist, liked the technology so much he had several co-workers make appointments at Dr. Mattson’s practice.

Regardless of why you are planning purchases for the next year, we wanted to know what your plans were in terms of purchases for 2009 in specific categories: materials, technology and equipment . Almost two-thirds of our readers expect to make the same amount of purchases for materials next year (65%), while 24% plan to increase their purchases of things like impression materials, bonding agents and composites.

More than a quarter are looking to increase their purchases in both the technology and equipment categories, but 29% are planning to cut back in those two categories as well.

“I tell people they need to have a budget for technology,” Mattson says. “So they shouldn’t be spending everything they get every month or taking it all home. They need to save some in the practice so when something new comes out that they have investigated, then they’ve got the money. It has to fit their business style. But that’s where they need to have done their homework and talked around to all those people. And find the dentists who practice similarly to them and get their opinions.”

Purchasing influences

So you’ve decided adding a new piece of equipment or product will help better your practice. What next? Who/where do you turn to for sound advice?

A colleague or partner is what the largest portion of you answered (37%) when we asked who you trust most for input on purchases. A key opinion leader in the industry was a close second at 35%, while 10% of you rely on input from a manufacturer or distributor sales rep.

Mattson agrees that bending the ear of a colleague is critical when considering a big purchase, but adds it’s also important to have a strong relationship with your sales rep(s).

“My clients call me and as far as when to buy things, I always tell them obviously, their first contact usually is the rep,” she says. “Whenever you’re doing anything with money you’ve got to look at where the money is going. Because there’s the interest there. Obviously, the rep wants to sell you something. But if you’ve developed a relationship with the rep over a period of time...you use one main person because they need to understand your comfort level. Then they will introduce things because you need to be told what’s out there.

“If you have a rep who understands your comfort level that rep will introduce and appropriately push you toward the purchase. And I think that understanding is developed over time. But after you’ve been introduced to it I think you need to investigate and learn about the product. Continuing ed classes are critical so you hear about how a certain product or technology is used. You see that demoed, and then you go to the vendors on the trade show floor and talk. Then I also think that you talk to colleagues who are movers and shakers within, and that’s why study groups are important.”

Continuing education plays the biggest role in influencing GPs’ purchasing plans. Seventy-seven percent of the survey respondents indicated that CE courses typically influence their product purchases, while colleague recommendation was next at 65%.

A good fit

Mattson advises her clients to do their homework, know what they will do with the added technology or equipment and then not shy away from adding high-end products and equipment to their practice.

“I have always been of the philosophy that you should buy what you need and you buy good quality,” she says.

Her final piece of advice: Invest some extra time into CE and trade shows to help you get what’s best for you.

“It is hard trying to stay on top of everything,” Mattson says. “But that’s why you need to go to meetings like the Chicago Midwinter, the California ones in the spring and the fall and the ADA. Even some of the local ones are really good. It’s not like you have to travel, but you have to look and you have to go around. Dentistry isn’t just 8 to 5, four days a week. You’ve got to do the CE.”

If it’s done well, you should make some smart purchasing decisions. 

Click here for full survey results.

Check out the products in our 2009 Technology Guide

Stan Goff is the executive editor of Dental Products Report. Contact him at sgoff@advanstar.com.