An Interview with DentalEZ Group
Randy Arner, Vice President of Marketing
INSIDE DENTISTRY (ID): What do you see as the most significant changes in the oral healthcare arena over the past 5 to 10 years?
Randy Arner (RA): The first has been the move to higher-technology products: 3-D imaging, digital radiography, and CAD/CAM have all been driving a lot of interest and growth within the various equipment segments. Dental professionals can use this to their advantage by promoting their high-technology-equipped practice to existing and prospective patients. Secondly, with the increase of paperless and environmentally conscious operatories, the demand for more “green” products for the dental practice is growing. Many times, these products provide additional economic advantages to the dentist by reducing material and energy costs for the practice.
ID: How, internally and in the broader marketplace, has your company responded to these changes?
RA: DentalEZ® is unique in that we have long manufactured products that address environmental issues. Two examples of this are our full line of Star Dental® LubeFree™ handpieces, as well as our CustomAir® by RAMVAC® oil-less compressors that provide a cleaner environment while saving the entire dental team time and money. Both of these concepts were first developed and introduced by DentalEZ.
Furthermore, our RAMVAC® dry vacuums were, and continue to be, 100% water-free, conserving both water and sewer usage. We are considered pioneers in our industry, in that we have always developed environmentally conscious products.
As far as providing higher-technology products, DentalEZ recently launched the new everLight™ LED operatory light. There are many factors we took into consideration when choosing to launch an LED light, including environmental—LEDs require 70% less energy, resulting in lower utility bills; they run at a consistent cool temperature; and last much longer than the halogen lights currently being used. We wanted to provide an attractive offer to the dental practitioner that meets all their operative needs, including superior color matching and a no-cure setting, while still considering patient comfort and the environment.
We also offer a high-quality, value-priced line of equipment. The Simplicity by DentalEZ™ line provides an efficient and economical solution designed for the entire dental team that can be customized around personal operatory requirements. Simplicity is a reliable solution for all operatory situations and one that is sensitive to the economic situation we all currently face.
ID:What do you see as your biggest responsibility to the marketplace, and why does your choice rank as your top priority?
RA: DentalEZ strives to provide products that meet the dental community’s current requirements while staying true to our commitment for ergonomics—that is our number-one concern. We at DentalEZ strive to create products that allow the entire dental team to operate in a healthy, safe, and ergonomically sound environment. By incorporating the latest advancements in technology, we provide products that are efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly. Products that will continue to allow the dental team to work smarter, faster, and healthier—this is what we strive for.
ID: What do you think is the best approach to research, development, and ultimate delivery of needed advancements?
RA: Our approach at DentalEZ is to start with internal discussions on product ideas. These discussions are based on product needs and wants that we receive as feedback from our sales organization, the dental community, and/or our dealer partners. We also conduct focus groups, talk to key opinion leaders in the dental community, and confer with dental institutions to further understand the needs for a product, such as usability and functionality. We then analyze the market, evaluate what is presently offered, and determine where this product fits.
Once we define, engineer, and manufacture the product, we then conduct extensive beta testing to ensure that the product is meeting all the anticipated market and user needs. We then train our sales teams and our dealer partners, and provide product to key evaluators.
ID: How is your company helping to resolve the challenges facing dentistry and oral healthcare today?
RA: In addition to creating products that meet and exceed the industry challenges we all face, we at DentalEZ are creating several personal communication outlets through our Web site, e-newsletters, and our new Dr. Practice Blog. These tools allow us to educate and inform the industry, while encouraging two-way communication and feedback from our existing and prospective customers.
We are actively communicating information through these outlets, and more. For example, our Dr. Practice Blog is not just about DentalEZ and its products, but also about new trends in dentistry, industry events, tips for the dental practice, and promotions. We greatly encourage feedback on all topics. New tools such as these break down the walls between manufacturer and consumer and, ultimately, benefit us all.
