Improving Case Acceptance With Simplified Photography
Chad C. Duplantis, DDS, on Shofu’s EyeSpecial
In today's clinical environment, there are so many technological advancements available for practitioners to choose from to best benefit their practices. Many of these advancements, although extremely beneficial to dentistry, are costly and require significant thought, planning, and sometimes education prior to incorporating the technology. In my practice, one particular piece of technology has been a consistent revenue generator over time-the digital camera.
Photography is perhaps the most vital aspect of case documentation; however, dental photography can present certain challenges to the practitioner as well. These challenges include acquiring a knowledge of photography and how to properly use a camera in order to achieve a consistent image quality. Despite these challenges, there are numerous benefits to dental photography. The benefits include the ability to communicate in a visual manner with the patient, the laboratory, and any specialists or referring doctors involved in the treatment. In addition, when cases are appropriately documented, liability reduction can be a benefit as well.
In an effort to overcome the challenges associated with dental photography, Shofu released the EyeSpecial digital dental camera. This device is lightweight, user-friendly, and compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The camera has nine different shooting modes designed for the most common dental photographs that can be selected with a simple touch of its LCD screen. In addition, the auto-focus, anti-shake, and gridline features make taking consistent pictures effortless. It can be disinfected with a wipe and easily transported throughout the office, allowing for an efficient turnaround between team members and patients.
The fact that pictures have a more significant effect than words when communicating with patients has been well-documented in the literature. In our practice, photographs allow us to accurately and immediately share the dental conditions that we see. We have found that patients appreciate the use of imagery and that it calls them to action greater than words alone. In other words, including visualization in our communication allows us to properly educate our patients, which then leads to greater case acceptance. Furthermore, without the use of such aids, you are not servicing your patients in an effective manner. Since we adopted the EyeSpecial camera, our ability to acquire excellent images has increased. With this increase and the ability to instantaneous share the images, patients have been much more engaged and ready to appoint for restorative, orthodontic, and implant cases.
It is imperative that we properly educate our patients and document our cases. Furthermore, we should all strive to do so in an efficient manner. The EyeSpecial camera has enabled us to move forward, increasing productivity along the way. We simply can't practice without it!
Key Takeaways
1. Nine dental shooting modes that capture perfect pictures every time
2. Water/chemical resistance permits disinfection between patients to prevent cross contamination
3. Auto-cropping, smart focus, and zoom features create a user-friendly experience
4. Auto flash adjustment produces images in true color
Chad C. Duplantis, DDS
Fellow
Academy of General Dentistry
Private Practice
Fort Worth, Texas
Manufacturer Information
Shofu Dental Corporation
shofu.com
800-827-4638
