Dental Products Report-2010-04-01

THE SET-UP

Even within the digital world, new technology-like the DEXIS® Platinum sensor-continues to enhance the x-ray process all around the office. I have owned digital x-ray since 1993, and I have not seen advancements like those that have taken place in the last year.

High-tech doesn’t have to mean bad for the planet. In fact, upping your practice’s use of technology is one of the easiest ways to lighten your environmental impact and make your practice more attractive to patients looking to lighten their own impacts. Whether through reduction of waste, energy savings or simply by promoting an eco-friendly wellness model of care, all of the these product categories qualify as “green.” Click here to see a slideshow of the product categories and thoughts on what makes each one "green." 

Since its debut, more than 37 million crowns and veneers have been fabricated with the IPS Empress pressed ceramic system. As a result, the IPS Empress all-ceramic brand has become synonymous with the highest level of esthetics for mimicking natural teeth. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to restore the optical properties of natural teeth using one shade of composite and achieve similar results.

The Eco-Dentistry Association’s Top Choices THE SET-UP The EDA publishes an entire product guide intended to make finding “green” products easier. THE CRITERIA The EDA measures “green” in four main ways: Reduces waste and pollution Saves energy or water High-tech Wellness based THE RESULTS

The Cloth-Op line of infection control barriers of chair and head rest covers not only protects, but also improves patient comfort according to Transcendentist.

I have to start this article off with a big “wow.” Wow! How can I limit this to just one tip, when my lab does so much? I feel very fortunate to have a lab, strike that, THE lab, that gives me exactly what I need when I need it and meets even my unrecognized needs. It all starts with our “pearl” of the day, communication. From single-unit crowns to bridges to smile designs, there is a lot of information that is exchanged between me and my lab tech, Jeff Austin, at Utah Valley Dental Lab.

The old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” is so appropriate when thinking about the opportunity to convert a first-time caller into a loyal patient. The first minute of the call can make or break the relationship. A shared goal

01 Tell us about the Kerr process. How do you get from a good idea to a good product launch?

Everyone is talking about it: Social Media. From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn, and from YouTube to the blogosphere, it’s difficult for the dental team to know what’s relevant, where to start, and how it’s ultimately going to improve the practice’s bottom line. It’s important and almost impossible to fathom the size of the opportunity and to grasp just how many new patients you stand to lose by not joining the conversation.

Hu-Friedy launched its Environdent instrument recycling program 15 years ago, long before it was the cause du-jour. In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Environdent program is being updated to make it even more accessible.

Forget Birkenstocks. Forget patchouli oil. Forget the long hair, laid back, hippie images you have in your head. forget all the stereotypes you’ve heard about going green. As it turns out, “tree huggers” are pretty savvy businesspeople. 

One of the most frequent calls we get on our Hotline at Pride Institute is the dentist or team member asking when and how to dismiss a patient from the practice. There is usually a long story involved and lots of confusion. Typically, they have waited far too long to take this action and have endured a lot of stress as a result. True, it can be uncomfortable. And true, it is easier to hope the patient just goes away. But that rarely happens. Dismissal protocol

Even if you have the best relationship with a committed patient, sometimes in the “real world” you will get an objection. The good news is, there are tools to navigate around the stop sign. Here are five we recommend and what you can say when a patient tells you "If my insurance won't cover it, I can't afford to see the hygienist every three months": Active listening: “Sounds like you have some concerns regarding affordability?”

Has this ever happened to you? The other day I was watching TV and eating some pistachios, and before I knew it, I had eaten nearly half the bag. I realized that if I didn’t stop I might not be hungry for dinner, so I decided to have one last nut. I fished one out, cracked the shell, bit down and immediately my mouth was filled with a harsh, bitter flavor. I realized the nut I had grabbed was burnt and overdone, and the taste was so bad I had to run to the kitchen just to rinse my mouth. After that, I didn’t even want to look at the bag of pistachios.

The set-up