For any dentist, managing dental clinic equipment is a crucial step in starting a practice. Whether renovating an existing clinic or establishing a new one, the scientific and rational selection of dental medical equipment is essential to create an efficient, comfortable, quiet, and user-friendly environment. This contributes significantly to the clinic’s healthy development. However, for a dentist, choosing and replacing dental medical equipment is no easy task.
Last week, Professor Li Gang from the Fourth Military Medical University introduced us to the principles, positioning, and comparative methods for selecting dental medical equipment. In this issue, Professor Li continues to explore further considerations when purchasing dental medical equipment.
1. Comparative Trials of Dental Medical Equipment
Dental medical equipment is not like household items; they are used on patients and require high technical competence for their use and maintenance. Some manufacturers refuse to sell products to physicians who have not undergone specific training. Nowadays, more manufacturers and distributors invite experts to conduct training courses with practical operations, which is an excellent form of promotion. While it is unrealistic for organizers or sponsors to completely eliminate economic interests, responsible physicians should not only highlight the superiority and benefits of a technology or product but also address its shortcomings and precautions when introducing it to colleagues.
Nowadays, there are many manufacturers and distributors of the same materials used frequently in dental clinics, such as water gates, impression materials, and adhesives. As a manager, it is essential to first understand whether these materials have various qualifications for introducing new materials into dental clinics and to understand their performance, clinical effectiveness, price, etc. Listen carefully to the manufacturer’s product introduction and compare it with similar products to identify differences in performance and characteristics that meet the clinical needs of the department; Secondly, there must be a certain trial period to determine the clinical effects of the materials through the responses of doctors, nurses, and patients; Finally, compare the prices of similar products. If the performance is the same and the effect is similar, in order to save departmental expenses, choices must be made.
2. Proper Advancement
New equipment is an important symbol of modern dental clinics. In the past ten years, technological miracles have transformed the world. The technological revolution also affects dental clinics, including management software, intraoral cameras, digital radiography, lasers, computerized probes, CAD/CAM restoration manufacturing systems, orthodontic imaging, improved dental products, and many other innovations.
When purchasing dental medical equipment, the most indecisive thing is the configuration of equipment functions. The development speed of dental comprehensive treatment stations is very fast, and it is not practical to take a one-step approach. Where economic conditions permit, as much as possible to add excellent performance, complete functions, higher-grade instruments and equipment, to shorten the operation time, reduce the intensity of physicians, improve efficiency, ensure the quality of medical care.
Well-equipped devices are also a powerful “selling point” for external publicity in dental clinics, such as imported mobile phone sterilizers, panoramic dental X-ray machines, dental implant equipment, and digital cameras for oral endoscopy. If possible, it is worth considering appropriate advance investment.
Whenever a new patient comes to the clinic, the receptionist should guide them to visit and introduce the design and decoration, separate layout, equipment and equipment, so that the patient can understand the concept and level of the dental clinic, and also understand the psychological characteristics, needs and desires of the patient. In this way, when the dentist introduces the treatment plan, talks about digital X-ray machines, Periolase laser machines, and CEREC’s CAD/CAM technology, the patient will feel more vivid and friendly.
