DentiMax Donates Digital X-ray Equipment to Help Samoan Clinics

DentiMax President David Arnett (second from left) traveled to Samoa, where he donated dental equipment to the Samoan government and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | Image Credit: © DentiMax

David Arnett, co-founder and president of DentiMax, recently traveled to Samoa, where he donated DentiMax sensors, laptops, and software to the Samoan government and to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. DentiMax provides practice management software and dental x-ray sensors and solutions for dental practices that want to increase their productivity and profitability.

Arnett learned about the need for equipment in Samoa when speaking to Brad Smith, former dean of the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona. “He told me there was a need and I asked him what I could do to help,” Arnett says in a press release.

Samoa’s dental clinics are dwindling as dentists move to nearby islands like New Zealand for better pay and equipment. Currently, only a handful of dental offices are left on the island, including the government clinic and the clinic for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With Samoa’s limited resources, access to proper dental care is challenging.

Steven Titensor, DDS, (center) and his wife Lisa Titensor are volunteer missionaries who run the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ dental clinic in Samoa. | Image Credit: © DentiMax

The clinics’ new DentiMax equipment will not only allow these dental professionals to see more patients but also allow them to diagnose and treat patients more effectively. “The government clinic has been using film, which takes time to develop. Now that they are able to use digital radiography, they can provide care to more patients,” adds Arnett in the press release. DentiMax offers a variety of sensors and imaging software solutions, including the Dream Sensor and the Open Sensor, which are said to deliver high-quality images and work with most of the imaging software.

Steven Titensor, DDS, and his wife Lisa Titensor are volunteer missionaries who run the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ dental clinic in Samoa. This clinic offers free dental treatment for children and adults. “We were always bottlenecked because we only had 1 sensor and 6 chairs. Being able to not wait for a sensor and computer in between patients makes a huge difference and can really speed things up,” says Lisa Titensor in the press release. “Plus, if that one sensor goes down, that’s all we have. Getting a sensor and supplies over here would take months.”

The couple regularly travels to educate children about proper dental hygiene in local schools. “We encourage parents to come and see how to brush and floss their kids’ teeth. Plus, the sensors are great at showing decay in between teeth, which helps patients understand the importance of proper oral hygiene,” Dr. Titensor says. “Without sensors, that would be impossible.”

This spring at the Samoa Dental Association meeting, it was reported that there is just 1 dentist for every 2,000 Samoans when it comes to oral healthcare in the nation. Samoa Dental Association President, Sala Dr. Ioanatana Faatonu shared concerns about this lack of access to oral care. He also at the scientific seminar that the demand for oral healthcare was increasing daily and clinicians in Samoa were doing their best.

DentiMax’s charitable program has also donated to Tonga and Guatemala. For more information on DentiMax’s sensors, visit dentimax.com.