TLC Technology Lighting Center from the Seltzer Institute, Inc

Imagine a dental office in which patients express their appreciation every day and dentists are 15% to 25% more efficient. A high-tech product, the TLC Technology Lighting Center from Seltzer Institute, Inc, helps make patients so comfortable that they express their appreciation in both words and actions. Patients in practices with the Lighting Center accept proposed treatment, refer new patients, and keep their mouths ergonomically positioned so that the dentist can work more efficiently.

Clinical Features

The TLC Technology Lighting Center has an advanced, daylight color, dual-beam fiber-optic operating light which is brighter than conventional lights, and is so cool that plastic infection control wrap can be placed around the lens without melting the plastic (Figure 1). By activating the built-in orange “no-cure” mode, the dentists can see what he or she is bonding and work without any concerns of composites setting up.

Because the TLC operating light focuses on the mouth, patients enjoy programs on the integrated multimedia monitor located directly overhead without distracting glare in their eyes (Figure 2). The monitor is optimally positioned to provide a home theater viewing experience while keeping the patient’s chin up, thereby eliminating any tendency for the patient to "turtle" (Figure 3). Dentists who use the TLC System have made comments such as, “Patients are so comfortable they act like they are sedated,” and “The patient’s head doesn’t move. It’s like working on a mannequin in dental school.”

Integrated Technology

Without having to reposition the patient during treatment, which can be a huge barrier to patient comfort as well as the integration of technology, the dentist can press a button on the TLC’s remote control and instantly change from a DVD movie or cable television program to intraoral camera images, digital radiographs, or patient education (Figure 4). A major inhibitor of technology use is inconvenience and, by integrating technology and making it convenient to use, the TLC System improves the use of the technology already in place.

Uniquely designed as a complete system, which integrates the operating light with the multimedia monitor, the TLC System avoids common pitfalls associated with add-on monitor mounts, such as unsightly arms, which can bang into the monitor, glare from the operating light, which can heighten patient anxiety and discomfort, and lack of flexibility. A key TLC design feature is the unique ability to view the monitor when the patient is upright or supine, permitting maximum flexibility and benefit for patient education, case presentation, and patient distraction. Other monitors typically compromise function and/or esthetics, and may function marginally in either the upright or supine positions, resulting in stressed viewing for the patient, suboptimal posture for the dentist, or interference in workflow.

Patient Comfort

Functioning as a multimedia “babysitter,” the TLC System eliminates the stress many dentists experience when leaving a patient unattended in an operatory. Patients do not notice how long the dentist has been out of the room because they are perfectly content watching television or a movie on the TLC system. An added plus is that everyone’s day is more enjoyable because patients are less anxious, and transfer less stress to the staff. Patients often comment that the TLC experience was their most enjoyable dental experience. Many dentists report that the TLC System has reduced the amount of anesthetic they use, and some dentists have greatly reduced or even eliminated the use of nitrous oxide in their offices.

When treating children, the TLC System immobilizes and distracts the patient so effectively that cooperation is greatly enhanced. General dentists report that they successfully treat children who otherwise would have been referred to a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists report that they are completing treatment in a single visit on children who previously were so difficult to treat that the same procedures were never completed, even after multiple visits.

Orthodontists who use the TLC System report that children and adults truly appreciate the experience and that the orange no-cure mode prevents brackets from getting sticky and they experience less fatigue because they can see better.

Conclusion

A common remark dentists make is that the TLC System is the technology centerpiece of their practices, which showcases the level of care they provide and differentiates them from other practices. Patients notice the sleek design and nonthreatening appearance of the operatory, and look forward to a relaxing visit to watch television or a movie. Sometimes the dentistry becomes incidental to their entertainment as they become so engrossed in the TLC experience that they almost forget they are at the dentist.

For More Information
Seltzer Institute
Phone: 1-800-229-8967
Web site: www.tlcdentist.com

Figure 1 The plastic barrier will not melt on cold fiber-optic lights.		Figure 2 TLC provides a glare-free home theater viewing experience.
Figure 3 Patient's head is immobilized and "chin-up" due to the TLC's ergonomics.		Figure 4 The TLC monitor is optimally positioned for reading radiographs.