Choose Wisely

The development of digital technology for dentistry has enabled the creation of new protocols that have improved efficiency, accuracy, predictability, profitability, and more. As the technology has evolved with the profession, so too have the options for dentists, allowing them to create more personalized protocols to realize the benefits of digital dentistry in a manner that best suits their individual practices and preferences. But do dentists need to adopt certain technologies in order to be successful in today's market? Although digital dentistry is clearly the future of the profession, like any tools, devices must be used appropriately in order to improve patient care and profitability; otherwise, they can end up sitting somewhere gathering dust. For largely analog practitioners who are considering going digital, there are many factors to consider. Our April cover story examines these factors, including the costs, learning curve, staff and resources required, patient demand, and most importantly, the specifics of how each device will be implemented into the practice's workflow.

In 1988, I bought a CEREC 1 to mill inlays, but I never evolved. Why? For me, the time that it took to design and mill didn't align with my goals as my practice was growing. You have to fully understand the advantages and limitations of technology and what it can do for you to determine if it's the right fit. Everyone's practice is different. With only one assistant and limited space to design and mill, I realized that my time was worth more than the laboratory bill. I didn't have enough interest in design work and producing restorations in-house to drive me to acquire a second assistant and change my practice to make same-day dentistry profitable. That's were personal preference and patient demand come into the equation. What kind of dentistry do you want to be doing? What kind of dentistry does your patient base want? Once you've acquired technology, you can certainly change your practice to make it profitable, but if you aren't spending your time doing what you want, you'll quickly become dissatisfied and burnt out. Yes, proper implementation is the key to success, but your practice should be driving your decisions about technology—not the other way around!

Robert C. Margeas, DDS
Editor-in-Chief, Inside Dentistry
Private Practice, Des Moines, Iowa
Adjunct Professor
Department of Operative Dentistry
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
rmargeas_eic@aegiscomm.com