Primescan® and SureSmile® Help Dentist Deliver Boutique Care
Inside Dentistry provides the latest in endodontics, implantology, periodontics, and more, with in-depth articles, expert videos, and top industry insights.
May 1, 2024
Volume 20, Issue 5, May 2024
Page(s): p. 14
Starting a new practice in an area already saturated with dentists requires a clear plan for differentiating oneself from the competition. For Mahfuzur Rahman, DDS, that plan involved delivering a premium patient experience, and one of his keys for accomplishing that has been intraorally scanning every patient. "I believe that it is one of the most important things you can do as a clinician," he says.
Using a Primescan® from Dentsply Sirona and the DS Core™ cloud solution, Rahman displays patients' intraoral images on large screens in full color. "Patients sometimes have a difficult time grasping the nuances of dental disease, whether it is malocclusion, periodontal disease, or anything else," he says. "But when they can visualize something, it becomes more tangible, and that creates more buy-in and allows them to take ownership of their care. Visualization enables patients to grasp complex concepts better. The more we scan, the more conversations we can have, and the more we can help people."
The Primescan also lends itself to accomplishing more scanning because of its ease of use. "It is so easy that hygienists do not even need to think about it, so they scan more patients," Rahman says. "As the business owner, I need that to maximize my return on investment."
Scanning every patient has led to notable increases in volume for a number of procedures for Rahman when compared with his previous practice experience, and perhaps the most noteworthy is in clear aligner therapy. When patients decide to move forward with treating their malocclusion, Rahman uses Dentsply Sirona's SureSmile® Clear Aligners. He emphasizes that patients notice the short treatment times and the comfort of the aligners, which is aided by the SureSmile® VPro™, a device that delivers gentle vibrations to help the aligners fit properly and potentially reduce discomfort. Meanwhile, his patients and his staff alike appreciate the relatively low number of attachments that are necessary as well as the reduced need for interproximal reduction (IPR). "The trimlines that we are able to develop with the SureSmile software can eliminate much of the need for IPR," Rahman says. "When I can avoid spending time on IPR, and my staff only needs to bond, perhaps, four attachments instead of 20, that helps me run a more efficient business. The results are also more predictable. For the cases that I treat, SureSmile has been a perfect tool."
Dentsply Sirona's customer support has been an important asset as well. "The decisions that you make about your manufacturer partners are critical, especially if you are a new practice owner," Rahman says. "Dentsply Sirona's on-the-ground support is fantastic. If we ever need anything, their representatives are always available."
Rahman would recommend trying SureSmile to any dentist, even if he or she is not ready to purchase a premium intraoral scanner. "The beauty of SureSmile is that it is an open platform, so it works with any scanner," he says. "It is a fantastic product, and you can start with an entry-level scanner to get more cases under your belt and work your way up to a more robust scanner, like a Primescan. And you will want to make that investment because your ROI will just continue to increase."
MANUFACTURER INFORMATION:
Dentsply Sirona
dentsplysirona.com • 844-848-0137
