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Choosing the Best Portable X-Ray Device

How to Choose the Best Portable X-Ray Device for Your Practice

How to Choose the Best Portable X-Ray Device

As a dental healthcare professional, the ability to diagnose and plan treatment for your patients is important, and dental X-ray machines make that possible. That said, it can be challenging choosing the best portable x-ray device for your clinical needs. Below, we discuss how to choose the best portable x-ray device for your practice.

Ease of Use

Choosing an x-ray device that is difficult for you and your staff to use is not practical. You’ll be using it quite often, so why not choose something that’s user friendly? Do some research on testimonials and the type of software it uses. This will directly affect how easy it is to implement your new portable handheld x-ray.

Ease of use can also come from the quality of the customer support that the manufacturer offers. For example, Digital Doc offers virtual demonstrations and training, making the transition that much smoother.

Quality Dental Technology Brand

Always do your research before investing in dental technology for your practice. Finding a manufacturer with a well-known reputation is the key to finding the best dental technology. As a dentist, it’s your responsibility to provide the best dental care possible, which means you need dental products you can heavily rely on.

Dr. Chris Green, an emergency dentist in Parker, CO, suggests that you only buy a handheld dental x-ray machine if you are certain that the manufacturer has a solid reputation in the industry. That way, you and your team can get the support your dental practice needs and enjoy the benefits o your purchase.

Low Patient Exposure

Most of us are exposed to some sort of radiation every day. Whether the radiation is from your cell phone, computer, microwave, etc. Many every day, things emit some level of radiation. As a dentist, it’s important to follow safe and extra precautions. For example, patients are required to wear a lead apron to prevent radiation exposure.

You may be happy to hear that digital x-ray devices only need 20% of the amount of radiation traditional x-rays machines need. Schedule a virtual demonstration to learn more about Digital Doc’s portable x-ray device.

High Image Quality

Our digital x-ray device is like no other. That’s why thousands of dentists worldwide trust Digital Doc products. Doctors and team members are able to take numerous high-quality images using our XTG handheld x-ray device. Just like any premium HD camera, the device is able to enhance the clarity of all images. Additionally, there is little human error when you use our portable handheld x-ray device.

As you can see, the task of shopping for a handheld dental x-ray device for your practice needs to be preceded by sufficient planning and research so that you can avoid making a costly mistake. At Digital Doc, we have your needs at heart and will help you every step of the way so that you can have the best dental technology. Contact us today to schedule a virtual demonstration.

COVID-19 Recovery Guide for Dentists

COVID Recover Guide for Dentists - Digital Doc

COVID-19 Recovery Guide for Dentists

Digital Doc's Covid-19 Recovery Guides for Dentists

Before the COVID-19 pandemic held the world hostage, it was normal to set a five-year plan for your dental practice. As a dental care professional, you are faced with a real existential question of where your practice will be five months from now. With the pandemic in full force, it is now crucially important that you adjust how you approach strategic planning only to focus on the four critical components that will determine the survival of your dental practice. Here’s a quick COVID-19 recovery guide for dentists from Digital Doc.

The 1-Page Recovery Plan

Dental offices that think ahead and plan how they will recover once this crisis is over will be miles ahead of those that scramble to come up with a solid plan in place.

This one-page COVID-19 recovery guide for dentists may look simple, but it will require lots of hard work and careful thought to generate. To ease this process, our team at Digital Doc suggests the following steps.

Step #1: Create 4 Quadrants on a Piece of Paper

Get a piece of paper and divide it into four quadrants. Each of those four will represent a strategic area that you need to pay attention to at your dental practice. Those four aspects are patients, staff, practice, and financials.

Step #2: Add Value-Based Strategies

Think carefully about each of the four quadrants on your piece of paper and select 3-4 value-based strategies which you can include under each category. Make sure that everything you include as a strategy has to aid the recovery effort after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anything that doesn’t assist the recovery process is a low priority. You want to have laser-focus on recovery so that your practice can bounce back as quickly as possible.

When we say you choose value-based strategies, we mean that you need to list only those activities that will add value to your plan to recover post-COVID-19. For instance, you are unlikely to add any value to your recovery plan if you spend time calling patients who have gone three or more years without coming for their scheduled appointments. Instead, focusing on those with more recent missed appointments is likely to yield better results. Dr. David Moghadam, the best dentist in Easton, PA, recommends using dental software for scheduling patients. That way, patients can easily schedule their appointments.

Step #3: Write Goals for Each Quadrant

Select 1-2 goals for each of the four categories outlined in your one-page recovery plan. The goal should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound). Remember, you are focusing on recovery, so the goals should drive your practice on that path.

For example, in the quadrant of financials, you could indicate that you want to grow the monthly revenue to $30,000 between July and December 2020. Such a goal may help you recover some of the income you lost while the office was closed due to the pandemic.

For the quadrant of staff, you can set a goal to cross-train each team member so that they can take on additional roles in case you have to reduce staff or give some members days off work.

In the practice quadrant, you can set a goal to increase efficiency in every process. For example, you can upgrade to the best handheld dental x-ray device or the best dental cameras from Digital Doc so that patients’ photos can be uploaded directly to digital files. Once these goals are properly outlined, proceed to the final step of the process.

Step #4: Work the Plan

Get to work and implement your recovery plan. You need to measure how you are doing on each quadrant. Course-correct as soon as you see that you’re off track. Make sure that you and your team look at the one-page recovery plan daily so that everyone is reminded of what needs to happen.

Strategic planning now takes on added importance as the pandemic continues. Sadly, many dental practices will not survive the crisis and its aftermath, but yours doesn’t have to be one of them. We hope you utilize this COVID-19 recovery guide for dentists. If there is anything else we can do, please let our Digital Doc team know. We are always happy to help. Let us know what we can do to better serve your practice. For information about our dental technology or customer support, contact Digital Doc today.

Tips to Increase Case Acceptance

Tips to Increase Case Acceptance with Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Sully Sullivan

Digital Doc recently had the pleasure of hosting a webinar with leading dentists, Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Sully Sullivan. During the webinar, we hear from two perspectives, baby boomers and millennials. Here we highlight some of the tips to increase case acceptance at your dental practice.

Sight and Sound Are Key

About 94% of how we buy is determined by what we see and what we hear. When you put a picture in front of baby boomers, they have ownership and will be more likely to accept the treatment you are recommending.

Many patients, especially younger ones, come to the dental office when they’ve already “educated” themselves about their condition on Google. Having an image to show the patient prevents an argument about what’s going on.

Put Patients in Charge

Give patients the driver’s seat. Allow them to tell you what they do and don’t like about their smile. Images captured with the best dental cameras from IRIS make this possible.

You can create a sense of urgency with every patient. As a result, case acceptance will shoot through the roof. Dr. Boals, the best dentist in Colorado Springs, recommends that you capture a picture for every patient before, during, and after treatment.

Use Positive Communication

Rather than scaring patients into accepting treatment, how about being positive about their dental health? For example, during a hygiene visit, you can tell the patient that you see wonderful enamel on 26 of their teeth, but there are some issues on two teeth. You then ask for their permission if they wouldn’t mind hearing about the issues in those two teeth. The resultant discussion will be a joyful one, rather than a reprimand.

It is important to take photos of every stage of the treatment process so that when a patient returns with an additional complaint. For example, if your patient comes to you with tooth sensitivity, you can point to the crack in their tooth as the reason for that sensitivity. Also, if insurance tries to deny a claim, those photos will provide solid proof of the necessity of the treatment given, and the claim will be approved. This gives patients more leeway to accept treatment recommendations.

Does the size of the TV monitor in your dental office matter?

The bigger the screen, the better. This is because older patients don’t have very good eyesight, so bigger screens work best for showing them images of their oral structures. Younger patients have big screens in their homes, and they use large screens at work. So, it is only natural that bigger screens would be ideal at the dental office to suit the expectations of these patients.

The Monitor Quality Matters

Note that it isn’t just about the size of the monitor. The quality also matters, especially for younger patients who have grown up in the age of HD. They are used to high-quality images, and they expect high-quality images at the dentist.

Get sleek equipment, such as Digi-Doc dental cameras. They are easy to sanitize and carry around, especially in this COVID-19 era, when people are worried about becoming infected.

Reduce Visual Clutter

Get the artwork out of the operatory so that you can keep patients focused on what you are showing them on the monitor.

For reps selling dental equipment and supplies, your focus should be on asking dentists what goals you can help them with. For example, baby boomer dentists may have offices that look like they are stuck in the 1950s. Transitioning to newer technology will attract younger patients to walk through the door.

In addition, reps can sell dental technology by breaking down the cost of how it will improve the bottom line of dental offices. For example, a dental camera will be used to take an image of every patient who comes in, and those images can result in one extra crown being fitted every week. As a result, revenue will increase every month.

Treatment Calibration Puts Teams on the Same Page

Treatment calibration is also important so that all team members look at images in the same way as you do. This calibration can be done by blocking out some time each week and sitting together to discuss image by image. Each person will share their views, and by the end of the session, members will have got insights that will help them to see things better and educate patients better.

Avoid Technical Language

Write out your treatment plan in language that the patient understands. Using technical language alienates the patient since it will be removed from what they are used to. The easier it is to understand, the better.

If your goal is higher revenue, implement these tips to increase case acceptance. To watch the full webinar, visit Digital Doc’s YouTube channel or click below.

At Digital Doc, we are committed to providing you the best technology, such as the best intraoral dental cameras, handheld dental x-ray devices, and LuM Transillumination devices. Make use of these technologies so that you can SEE More, DO More! Schedule your free virtual demonstration today.

Tips for Purchasing Intraoral Cameras Online

Purchasing Introal Cameras Online - Digital Doc

Tips for Purchasing Intraoral Cameras Online

Digital Doc's Tips for Purchasing Intraoral Cameras Online

An intraoral dental camera is one of the best tools that any dentist can have in their office. Dentists everywhere agree that diagnosing treating and monitoring the dental health of patients becomes a whole lot easier with this device. Consider following the tips below if you are considering purchasing intraoral cameras online.

Do Your Research

As much as we would like to do business with you, we don’t recommend purchasing the first dental camera you find.

Start by doing thorough research. Not only intraoral cameras in general but also about the specific brands you are considering.

For example, dental cameras can be wireless or wired. Do you know the pros and cons of each? Do you or your team have a preference? Decide which type of intraoral camera will work best for you.

Your research also needs to cover the practice management software you use and whether it will be compatible with your office system. This transition will be much smoother if you can find a camera that works with your current practice management system.

Next, examine the specific features of the different intraoral cameras on your shortlist. For instance, if you’re interested in switching to autofocusing intraoral cameras, then the IRIS X80 Liquid Lens Autofocus camera from Digital Doc would be a good fit.

Dr. Green, a dentist in Parker, CO, recommends that you assess every detail and feature about each camera and finally zero down on the one that will make your investment worthwhile.

Talk to the Dental Supplier

Once you have selected a potential supplier of dental cameras for your office, contact that supplier, and discuss how their products can meet your needs. This step is optional but necessary because we at Digital Doc strive to customize a solution for our clients’ needs. Our goal is to help you increase case acceptance and patient rapport.

That’s why we’ve put together virtual or in-office demos of our products. At the end of this step, you can be confident with your purchase decision.

Order the Dental Products

Hopefully, you now have a clear picture of how many IRIS intraoral cameras you need for your office and the accessories that would go with those cameras. All you need to do is simply select the products you would like to purchase from one of our distributors. With your order placed, sit back and wait for your shipment to arrive!

With Digital Doc, your installation is made easy. The IRIS X80 intraoral camera is plug-and-play ready. If you’re having difficulties, our support teams are available to address any issues you may have. If this sounds like something you would like, contact Digital Doc, and we will discuss how your dental practice can benefit from the technologies we have developed.

What Patients Ask About Teledentistry

What Patients Typically Asks Dentist About Teledentistry

What Patients Ask About Teledentistry

Today, more than ever before, the need for teledentistry services has grown tremendously. So, what do patients ask about teledentistry as you integrate it into your office? In this article, we’re sharing how dental offices are making a smooth transition into teledentistry.

How Do Patients Search for Teledentistry?

Our research at Digital Doc indicates that not many patients will enter the word “teledentistry” as a search term when looking for a modern dental office.

Rather, patients are more likely to use the words virtual, online, or telehealth together. For example, a patient may search for “online dentist” or “virtual dental care.”

As you implement teledentistry, keep those words patients are likely to use in mind to communicate with them in a language they understand.

Do You Offer Teledentistry Services?

You must make it easy for existing and prospective patients to know that you offer teledentistry services. For example, the emails that you send to patients should have a sentence or paragraph highlighting the fact that you offer teledentistry. The same message should also be conveyed on your website. It wouldn’t hurt to promote your online service on social media platforms.

Once patients know that you offer these services, they can take the next step of contacting you to access those services.

What Do I Do to Get Started?

After patients know that you offer teledentistry services, they’ll want to know how to get started.

Make the next steps as easy as possible. For example, provide a form that patients can complete or include a call-to-action asking them to call and book a virtual appointment. Dr. Beth Herko, a New Providence dentist, agrees that the easier you make it, the better.

Can I Use My Phone to Send an Image or Message You About My Concerns?

There are synchronous and asynchronous ways to offer teledentistry services. Synchronous methods are those in which the dental office and the patients use the same system to interact. For example, the Smile Virtual platform allows cosmetic dentists to conduct virtual smile consultations. The patient registers on the platform and uses it to interact with the dentist.

Asynchronous methods refer to those methods in which the dental office isn’t necessarily using the same platform or communication system as the patient. For instance, a patient can take a photo using their phone and then email it to the dental office.

Each option (synchronous and asynchronous) has its pros and cons, and you must let your patients know how you prefer to work when delivering teledentistry services.

How Do I Access My Data After a Virtual Consultation?

If the platform you use allows you to create a portal that patients can access, share it with your patients. Explain how they can access that portal and where they can share data.

If such a system isn’t available, provide alternatives. For instance, how will they receive the video containing your recommended procedures for fixing a cosmetic problem?

Ultimately, set up the teledentistry system or platform with the patient in mind. When done right, patients will only come to the office after all the preliminary steps have been completed. If you would like to learn how to implement digital technology like intraoral cameras to boost your ability to offer teledentistry services, contact Digital Doc today

Cost-Effectiveness of Handheld X-Rays

Cost Effectiveness of Handheld X-Rays

Cost-Effectiveness of Handheld X-Rays at Digital Doc

Any decision to purchase new dental equipment for your office will require strong justification. A lot of time and money can are on the line when you invest in your business, but there’s no need to worry. Our dental technology experts at Digital Doc offer free virtual demonstrations so you can make an informed decision. If you’re on the fence about purchasing our x-ray system, read below to learn about the true cost-effectiveness of handheld x-rays.

Ensures Patient Security and Comfort

Patients today are much more demanding of their healthcare providers. Having to move patients from their dental chair to a dental x-ray room detracts from patient comfort. New patients may even be taken back by the lack of modern technology.

However, when you have a portable dental x-ray device, the need to move patients is eliminated. Patients can remain comfortable while the bedside x-ray device is used to get the necessary radiographic imagery needed.

Space Economy

A discussion about the cost-effectiveness of portable dental x-ray devices is incomplete until the limited amount of space they require is considered. Traditional x-ray equipment is so bulky that a lot of space has to be dedicated to it.

Rather than occupy an entire room as the traditional radiology equipment does, the XTG handheld x-ray device is so compact that one would hardly notice that another device from Digital Doc has been added to the operatory.

The space saved can be used for anything you want. You can even transform it into another operatory or use it for additional storage.

High Diagnostic Efficacy

Handheld dental x-ray devices make it easier to arrive at the right diagnosis the first time. Additionally, patients will be able to start treatment much sooner.

Getting high-quality x-ray images the first time means that the dental practice will not waste time on retaking x-ray images. So, the operating costs of the office will remain manageable.

Dr. Kristina Neda, a dentist in Georgetown, KY, agrees that dental offices with modern dental technology have a higher case acceptance. Patients feel confident in their decision to start treatment when they’re shown how urgent the problem is. Handheld x-rays allow you to do just that.

As you can see, portable dental X-Ray systems offer both clinical and cost-effectiveness benefits when compared to traditional x-ray devices. If you are looking to upgrade your x-ray system, contact Digital Doc, and we will happily help.

How Autofocusing Intraoral Cameras Work

Digital Doc - Autofocusing Intraoral Camera

How Autofocusing Intraoral Cameras Work

Everything You Need to Know About How Autofocusing Intraoral Cameras Work

Technology is advancing at a massive rate in all industries. You may be wondering whether it is really necessary for you to upgrade your current dental cameras to the IRIS X80 Liquid Lens Autofocus Intraoral Dental Camera. Here is a brief overview of how autofocusing cameras work and why so many doctors are upgrading to the IRIS X80.

The Challenges of Taking Great Intraoral Images

It can be quite difficult to capture high-quality images of the oral cavity. Luckily, dental technology continues to improve. Here are some of the challenges doctors often face when using a cheap intraoral camera.

Insufficient Lighting. The oral cavity is a rather small space, which makes good lighting minimal. Without proper lighting, you won’t be able to capture high-quality photos, properly diagnose patients, and increase case acceptance.

Insufficient Contrast Between Backgrounds and Objects. For a clear image to be taken, there needs to be sufficient contrast between the primary subject, such as a decayed tooth, and the background (the roof of your mouth, for example). This lack of contrast means that the person taking the images has to do a lot more work (by focusing the lens of the camera multiple times, for example) in order to capture the right image.

Moving Subjects. Patients normally try to remain still when you or a hygienist is trying to take intraoral images, but some movements are unavoidable, and these can compromise the quality of the images captured. Flinching or even breathing can trigger movements that make it even more difficult. Without an autofocusing dental camera, you’ll spend more time trying to find the perfect image.

How Autofocus Intraoral Cameras Address Those Challenges

Using Digital Doc’s intraoral cameras is truly a game-changer.

The IRIS X80 dental camera has active and passive sensors that detect how much more light is needed for a clear image to be captured. Those sensors communicate with other camera components. These include the LED light array, to automatically tweak the lighting to the desired level. In this way, the challenges associated with insufficient light are minimized by the autofocus intraoral camera.

The autofocus dental camera also automatically determines whether the lens needs to move closer or further away from the subject. Once again, the IRIS camera does this work, so you don’t have to.

The beauty of the IRIS intraoral cameras is that it performs just how you need it to.

Why You Need These Sophisticated Cameras

For decades, dentists have always struggled to make patients see things from their perspective. With an IRIS X80 Autofocus Intraoral Dental Camera at your office, you will be able to show patients in real-time exactly what you’re seeing. Cracked teeth, tartar, and gum disease are much easier to show patients with the X80 intraoral camera.

Armed with those images, you will no longer struggle to explain a defect that needs to be addressed. Instead, the patient will see the importance of treatment.

Dr. David Moghadam, an Easton, PA dentist, agrees that intraoral cameras are well worth the investment. Digital Doc’s autofocusing dental cameras not only allow you to show patients the problem, but it allows your hygiene team to take quality photos in half the time. This extra time can be spent building rapport with patients.

As you can see, dental technology has come a long way. If you’re interested in learning more about autofocusing intraoral cameras or want to learn about other Digital Doc products, contact Digital Doc today to schedule a virtual demo.

Understanding Liquid Lens Autofocus Technology

Liquid Lens Autofocus Technology - Digital Doc

Understanding Liquid Lens Autofocus Technology

Everything You Need to Know About Liquid Lens Autofocus Technology

You may have heard about the IRIS X80 Liquid Lens Auto Focus Intraoral Camera, the latest addition to the Digital Doc family. You may be wondering why the current emphasis on liquid lens technology. In this article, you’ll learn what liquid lens technology is and how it works to deliver superior images at your dental office.

How Liquid Lens Technology Works

The liquid lens technology uses an electrowetting process to achieve the best autofocus capabilities possible. The process of shaping the oil drop is continuous, can be reversed, and all this happens quickly regardless of whether you would like to capture the image of a small or a large object. This is the primary reason why you can quickly shift from taking an image of a patient’s full smile and, in the next second, capture an image of just one arch.

Another key feature that you should know about liquid lenses is that they don’t contain any moving parts. This brings a huge benefit to dentists and staff at dental practices. The absence of moving parts makes intraoral cameras with a liquid lens more resistant to the adverse effects of vibrations and shocks.

Liquid Lenses Deliver Superior Autofocus

High-quality images can only be captured by your dental cameras if you have precise control of the focus of the device. A liquid lens camera delivers superior autofocus by making the subject of the image sharp while leaving the objects in the background to be blurry.

This capability explains why liquid lens technology has found its way into diverse aspects of other industries. The applications include:

Industrial data capture
Digital photography
Biometric data collection
Barcode reading

As you can see, liquid lenses are extremely valuable in settings that require capturing images of different objects whose distance from the camera keeps varying.

Why You Should Start Using Liquid Lens Technology

Liquid lenses, such as the ones found in the IRIS X80 Intraoral Camera, bring flexibility to your dental practice. This flexibility is especially important if your practice is busy, and you frequently take different kinds of intraoral images.

If you still use traditional lens systems, you will notice that you spend a lot of time adjusting the focus manually in order to capture images of oral structures that differ in size. Dr. Ben Kacos, a dentist in Shreveport, LA can attest to the importance of having the best dental technology around. He says it saves you time and money. The time you spend adjusting the focus for those different images would have been better used by seeing other patients and increasing the bottom line of the practice.

Retakes are also minimized when you use an intraoral camera with liquid lens technology. This is because you will always capture crystal-clear images on the first try.

Liquid lens technology has taken the world by storm, and our Digital Doc team is glad to be among the forerunners in bringing this technology into the world of dental imaging. You no longer have to struggle with your dental camera, thanks to the IRIS X80 by Digital Doc. Contact us today and schedule a virtual demo. You will see for yourself how the X80 is the best dental camera on the market.

Generating Revenue

Generating Revenue in Your Dental Practice

Offices are opening back up, and it is time to start generating REVENUE. A good way to start is by setting a number of image expectations for Hygiene. We call it 12 images in 2 minutes. Showing patients the treatment they need vs. telling them will make an immediate difference. Would you agree that we as consumers buy emotionally? Is it also true that we live in an HD world where everything we watch and connect with is shown in HD?

If both statements are true, then why save money on the most important piece of technology connected to the patients’ ability to say yes to treatment? Cathy Jameson has tracked revenue increase for 30 years with the right number of intraoral cameras in the practice. 30% increase every time. What is the minimum number of dental cameras to see that 30% increase? A camera per chair or at a minimum a camera per provider (2 doctors and 2 hygienists) then 4 cameras.

Ask Your Dental Patients

For the fun of it, have Mary at the front ask the next 100 patients that come into your practice, 2 questions:

What kind of cell phone do you have?
How big of a TV do you watch at home, 55″, 65″?

Track it, then ask yourself if it is time to upgrade the size of the TV in your Operatory and show them HD images like they get from their cell phone. If you look at your patients through a different lens, as a CONSUMER, then the mindset changes on how we connect with them.

Does HD really matter?

Click the video to hear what a fellow dentist has to say on this:

Schedule a live demo, and we can walk you through the 12 images in 2 minutes.

Here is to increasing revenue now,

Brett Wilson

One Question to Improve Case Acceptance

One Question To Improve Case Acceptance

Ask This One Question To Improve Case Acceptance

Are you telling the patients what they need? When is the last time you enjoyed being “told” what to do? If you focus on what your patients want and how they make purchasing decisions you both get what you want.

You enter the room for the exam with the patient. Your Hygienist or Assistant does an amazing hand-off finishing with asking “John, did I leave anything out?” She has already notified you that the patient is a D on the DISC scale (highly recommend taking your tea through this training. Tony Robbins has a free DISC assessment online. You will be able to speak to a patient in the language they speak, in the way they speak it. Talk about changing the patient dynamic. Not to mention your team dynamic and your personal life. More on this in another blog.

You proceed with what you have found, but instead of offering solutions to everything you have found you simply stop and ask ” John, based on what we have covered, what solutions are you interested in hearing based on the concerns I have converted.” Stop, pause, and stay quiet until they speak. It may be uncomfortable but if you have a D in the chair, they will tell you immediately. An S will take a while longer so get comfortable with the silence. This is about what “they” want. Remember, throwing all the solutions to the patient before they have given you permission is a finger in the ear moment waiting to happen. You lose them.

If patients can’t see images of what you are talking about you have lost them. Watch this video below and hear the line “it is hard for me to put a picture in your brain.” All of these doctors have a dental camera in every operator and are in the 1% of dental office collections in North America.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFv4Ev2f6VQ