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The Dentist’s Network –
Reliable Solutions for Dentists
Dear Doctor,
Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Dentist’s Network. Just as the name indicates, this newsletter provides you, the dentist, with easy, ongoing access to a network of dentistry’s most highly regarded experts. Twice a month you will receive The Dentist’s Network newsletter. Our goal is to make this your number one source for reliable, current information on key practice issues from transitions, to marketing, to technology, to financial and more.
It is an honor for me to bring The Dentist’s Network to you, as I am confident it will become your most reliable source for dental practice product and service information. What gives me such confidence? Over the years, I have worked closely with each of the individuals and companies that will be providing editorial content for The Dentist’s Network. I have come to sincerely value their vast knowledge and expertise. They are truly the best of the best in our profession.
I would like to introduce you to the founding contributors of The Dentist’s Network. As you can see from the list below, they are dental professionals you can trust and companies you can depend on:
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Tom Snyder, DMD MBA |
Joel Harris, CEO |
Lorne Lavine, DMD |
McKenzie Management has partnered with this select group of highly respected companies and individuals that are widely regarded for both their product expertise and their unwavering professional integrity. We look forward to expanding the list of reputable contributors to the Network over the coming months.
As a subscriber to The Dentist’s Network, not only will you have access to valuable expertise and information on key practice issues, you also will receive special subscriber courtesies just for mentioning that you read it here, on The Dentist’s Network.
Sally McKenzie, CMC
sally@thedentistsnetwork.net
Getting a Quick Start with Digital Radiography
By Dr. Lorne Lavine
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The dental office of the 21st century continues to evolve. Many systems that were paper and film-based are now being replaced by digital counterparts. In the late 1980’s and 1990’s, intraoral cameras were the “hot” technology. However, in the past 10 years, there’s little doubt that digital radiography is the most in-demand technology that dentists are considering. A recent survey in Dental Products Report showed that over 40% of dentists currently have digital x-ray systems. In my personal experience, that number is a bit high (it’s probably closer to 25-30%), but I do believe that at least another 15-20% of dentists do plan to add this technology in the next 12-18 months.
In my conversations with dentists, there are a number of reasons why offices have not taken the plunge with digital radiography. Some are worried that the image quality is not on par with film. Others are concerned about comfort issues. Still others worry about the myriad of options and simply find it overwhelming. However, the number one reason given for hesitation is the cost.
Most offices, when they first start exploring digital radiography, are surprised to learn about the cost of not just the systems, but the entire infrastructure that’s required. This infrastructure extends to many different systems, including:
- The computer server. Digital x-ray images take up far more hard drive storage than practice management data, so many offices will need to upgrade their servers accordingly.
- Computers in the operatories. A good # of all offices still do not have computers in the ops, so there is the expense and challenge of adding a computer, one to two monitors, mounts, and wireless keyboards and mice.
- Monitors. To view digital images, it’s ideal to use a monitor that has a high contrast ratio, so many offices will need to replace their older monitors.
- Printers. Laser printers are not a good option for printing images, so offices will need either an inkjet or color laser printer.
- Data backup. Now that the office is digital, having a good backup protocol is critical, and often, more expensive and extensive systems are needed.
While all of these systems must be considered in a perfect world, it’s important for dentists to understand that many options exist. For the practice that wants to get into digital radiography but has a more limited budget, an excellent option already exists: laptops. Many offices already use laptops but aren’t aware that these same laptops can be used for digital radiography. One of the companies that have always promoted the use of laptops is DEXIS, and they are still a good option. Since the DEXIS system uses a PC Card interface, the same interface that is used in almost every laptop on the market, it makes it a very compact and portable solution. Most other vendors use USB boxes, which are still completely compatible with laptops, although it adds one extra small box that needs to be carried with the sensor and laptop.
In this scenario, most offices can get into digital radiography for under $16,000…sure, it’s not cheap, but far less than the $40,000-$50,000 that it costs to do a full overhaul of the technology systems. What’s also nice about this approach is that once the office can move forward with upgrading of the infrastructure, the laptop can still be utilized in the office, either in a clinical or administrative setting.
Using a laptop is a great option for offices that want to get into digital radiography now. You can still have the same functionality as you’d have with a desktop system, and it’s a solid investment since that same laptop can be used in a more advanced network configuration should the office decide to go that route down the road.
Interested in speaking to Dr. Lavine about your technology concerns?
Email him at Drlavine@thedentistsnetwork.net
Interested in having Dr. Lavine speak to your dental society or study club? Click Here.
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