[SPONSORED] Closed vs Open Imaging Systems: A Q&A with DentiMax's Imaging Director, Jim Ramey

­CLOSED VS. OPEN IMAGING SYSTEMS

A Q&A with DentiMax’s Imaging Director, Jim Ramey

Jim Ramey, our Imaging Director, has received a LOT of questions from people calling in to talk about adding Dentimax Dream sensors into their existing systems.

Here are some frequently asked questions and the answers to your thoughts:

Q1. We have CDR sensors and the CDR software at the moment. Schick has told us they’re discontinuing supporting these products by March 31,2018, so, naturally, we are very anxious to find a solution to this problem.

What can you tell me about it and what do you recommend?

A1. Schick announced to their customers that they will discontinue supporting CDR Sensors and CDR Software after March 31, 2018. As their CDR sensors go bad, this means you will require an upgrade to the Schick 33 sensors (with new boxes!) because the CDR boxes do NOT work with the new “33” sensors.

Q2. Upgrades and switches with CDR / Schick usually require additional hidden costs. What all would I be looking at?

A2. All of the boxes will also need to be replaced. This adds-up to around $12,000 to $14,000 or more depending on how many operatory computers you have. This cost reflects only the boxes! No-one wants to pay that much money simply to upgrade to a newer version of the same sensor.

If you also have the CDR software, Schick will support the CDR software going forward but they may will also try to “upgrade” you to the “Sirona Sidexis software” - which is another program to learn and there is quite a bit to the application. The CDR software keeps you trapped within the most closed version of any software capable of utilizing the Schick sensors. Upgrading to an open platform system would allow you to retain the sensors you have, and to use whichever sensors that you choose when you find yourself needing new ones.

Another Tip: Jim mentioned watching a new office set-up Eaglesoft recently that also included Schick 33 sensors integrated with the Sidexis software, but due to all the different platforms they had to bridge from Eaglesoft to Sidexis! They could not capture into the Eaglesoft / Patterson imaging software, this is most likely because Patterson sells Dexis sensors and Schein sells Schick sensors.

Q3. How does the integration between Carestream Software look with other brands of sensors?

A3. People with Carestream typically want to be able to use another sensor in the software, but Carestream is “locked down.”

If you capture a TWAIN sensor image into the Carestream imaging software, the software recognizes that the image comes from a sensor that’s not its brand and applies a terrible filter. It makes the resulting images look horrible and undiagnostic. 

Newer versions of the Carestream software allow you to capture an image from a TWAIN sensor source, but you can only capture single images. You must manually move them into a “mount” if you want to store them the way you’re used to. There is no way to capture the images directly into those mounts unless you use a Carestream sensor.

Tip: Those who talked with Jim continue to hear this same story from each Dental Software company, which is namely that literally no brand can integrate into the Carestream software. They remained locked in high prices and high “warranty programs” to protect the sensors. 

This trap requires you to buy the new Carestream sensors at full retail price, no matter what “deal” they give to buy the system.

Q4. How does Dentrix Imaging Software work with other digital sensor brands?

A4. Typically TWAIN drivers can resolve the issue between imaging and digital sensors of different brands, but old Dentrix Imaging software allows only to capture one image at a time. In addition to that, the users have to also click “acquire” for every image, so the functionality behaves exactly like the CDR Software.

Q5. How do I get out of this trap? Would bridging with DentiMax Imaging fix my closed-system problem?

A5. With other dentists and practices like you who struggled with Schick and Carestream specifically, open platform software is revolutionary! DentiMax does not lock people into a system.

Our imaging software works with ALL of the sensors on the market (with the one exception of the Dexis sensor). We can integrate the Schick/CDR sensors or the Carestream sensors into the DentiMax Advanced Imaging software. You can continue to use those sensors until they no longer work.

You can also add our DentiMax Dream sensor into the mix as your older, more expensive and proprietary sensors die. That’s not all, even down the road, if a customer wants to try a different sensor, intra oral camera, or add a digital pan into the mix, we support all of those imaging products on the market. 

DentiMax is a true open system. We have award winning images. Our image quality is as good or better than Dexis or Schick 33 (and definitely much better than the Schick CDR sensors!)

Conclusion

DentiMax has the solution for all of these practices who feel trapped and forced to upgrade and pay for the newest, latest and greatest. You do not have to be trapped, you have a choice!

Try out DentiMax and the DentiMax Dream Sensors. You will very happy that you did.

Call Ian or Al at (844) 846-7735 to get integrated with DentiMax Imaging today.