Improving the Patient Experience With Computer-Assisted Anesthesia
Inside Dentistry provides the latest in endodontics, implantology, periodontics, and more, with in-depth articles, expert videos, and top industry insights.
July 1, 2023
Volume 19, Issue 7, July 2023
Page(s): p. 70
Sean Daly, DDS, wraps up each workday by making a series of phone calls to every patient that he administered anesthetic to on that day. This is just one of the personal touches that has helped him grow his practice to the point where he needs to bring on an associate if he wants to keep expanding. "Recruiting dentists to small towns like this can be difficult," says Daly, who practices in Hastings, Nebraska, "but we recently purchased space to expand because we have grown so much."
Daly's philosophy has centered on being family-oriented and providing as comfortable an experience as possible for patients. Furthermore, he has undergone training to keep as much restorative, implant, orthodontic, and endodontic work in-house as possible so that his patients do not need to go to an unfamiliar office unless absolutely necessary. "Anything that I can do to provide care with a more personal touch helps," Daly says. "Letting people know that I know how they feel and that I feel for them is what has helped me the most in growing my practice."
Nonetheless, Daly notes that three or four times every day a patient will tell him that he or she fears coming to the dentist. Among the main culprits, unsurprisingly, are injections. "Even at the medical doctor, getting shots is what most people fear," Daly says. For that reason, when a representative approached him last year and recommended that he try the CALAJECT™ system for computer-assisted local anesthesia, Daly was more than willing to try it.
CALAJECT helps dentists deliver pain-free injections by controlling the flow rate, which ensures a smooth and gentle flow of anesthetic. Even palatal injections can be carried out with less discomfort for the patient. According to Daly, the problem with most anesthesia systems is that the anesthetic is injected too quickly, which causes pain. "It is hard to slow down at a busy practice," he says, "but that is what is best for the patient. Having a product that ensures the correct pace is so helpful." In addition, patients do not want to see a big, metal syringe coming at them. CALAJECT does not look or sound like a syringe, so it changes the entire experience. "Some patients close their eyes," Daly says. "Oftentimes, they'll hear the beeping sound made by the CALAJECT and then ask if I have started numbing them yet. When I tell them that I have already finished, they are shocked. They cannot believe it. Every single patient asks what the system is, and most comment about how amazing the lack of pain is."
Daly notes that CALAJECT has a number of applications. "I can use it to do a periodontal ligament injection for local anesthesia on just one tooth," he says. "When working in the mandible, I can numb one tooth instead of a whole quadrant and avoid also making the patient's tongue numb. Numbing a single tooth can work great, and the effects of the anesthesia do not last as long. Instead of numbing patients for 3 to 4 hours, I can numb one tooth to restore it and have them feeling normal again shortly afterward. Nothing is sacrificed; it just makes everything more pleasant for the patient."
Another advantage of CALAJECT is that the handpiece is light and held with a pen-like grip, which provides a relaxed working position. "I have been practicing dentistry for 21 years, and I have some tendinitis in my elbows from being bent all day long," Daly says. "With the CALAJECT, I experience substantially less pressure now on my thumb and my wrist. The whole process becomes easier because of that. I do not feel as sore and tired at the end of the day." The automated nature of the system also means that less manual pressure is required to be applied to deliver the anesthetic. "There is much less stress on my hand because I do not need to physically push anesthetic through a syringe," Daly says.
Among the clinical and ergonomic benefits of CALAJECT, there are financial benefits as well. There is no need to purchase tubing. "Everything needed is part of the system," Daly says. "All I do is put a needle on." In addition, the system makes it easy to delegate work to hygienists who have received training. "If I have patients who are seeing a hygienist first, they can be numbed by the hygienist so that they are ready to go as soon as I enter the operatory," Daly says.
Daly has not had any problems or issues with the CALAJECT system, and if any did arise, he is confident that they would be dealt with efficiently because of the quality customer service provided by the system's US distributor, Directa USA. "With our previous system, some of the components were on back order at one point," he says, "but that has never happened with Directa. Maintenance is really simple, and my assistant has had no issues with ordering."
Daly emphasizes that any practice that considers itself to be patient-centered should consider adding CALAJECT to its armamentarium. "You will not be disappointed," he says. "There will be less stress for you, and your patients will be happier, especially if they are accustomed to being numbed in multiple quadrants. This is so much more pleasant, so the next time they come in, they will feel less anxious. It is about the patients-that is the bottom line. Ensuring that they are comfortable and that they do not have a bad experience are the top priorities. The CALAJECT system is an excellent product that helps me accomplish those objectives. I am shocked that more dentists do not use it because it just makes everything easier."
•The CALAJECT system controls the flow rate, which ensures a smooth and gentle flow of anesthetic.
•Even palatal injections can be carried out with less discomfort for the patient.
•The handpiece is light and features a pen-like grip that provides a relaxed working position.
•The system is easy for trained dental hygienists to use, which can boost productivity.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ronvig - A Division of DirectaDentalGroup • directausa.com • 800-537-8765
