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2 Must-Have Dental Supplies For 2017

22 February 2017 by Alexis Montgomery

It can be tough staying on top of all of the latest dental technology when you are already managing a busy dental practice. In addition, when you learn about dental supplies that can help you save time and increase patient satisfaction, you may realize that the price of the new equipment requires a large investment that may not pay for itself for many years. With the new year already in full force, it is a good time to think about the supplies and technology that other dentists are finding very useful in their practices and how you can work the cost of them into the year's budget. 

Read on to learn what the two must-have dental supplies of the year are. 

1. Digital X-ray Equipment

While 75 percent of medical facilities in the United States have switched over to digital radiography, only about 36 percent of dentists surveyed by the American Dental Association have taken advantage of this new technology. However, other dental experts suggest that the number is closer to just 25 percent of dentists. 

A prominent dental office consultant urges all practicing dentists to embrace the technology. Compared to the cost of digital dental x-ray systems of the past, he states that today's systems are much more affordable and will pay for themselves quickly. 

Not only will a digital dental x-ray system save you time, but they can also improve patient satisfaction and even help you earn the business of new patients. Many people today are becoming very conscious of the radiation they are exposed to during analog x-rays and opting to visit dentists who offer digital x-rays that expose them to much less radiation. 

Patients also enjoy the precise image of their caries that digital x-rays allow them to view, and the ability to quickly snap an x-ray and show it to a patient can help encourage them to comply with prescribed dental treatments. 

2. Fluorescent Light Caries Detection Device

If you are still using a dental explorer hand piece to detect caries in your patients' teeth, then realize that many dentists have embraced fluorescent caries detection technology to catch caries earlier in their development and perform a full caries exam much more quickly. 

These devices vary slightly in design by manufacturer and model, but they all detect caries in a similar way; you simply wave the device hand piece over a patients' teeth slowly and an image of each tooth will project onto a digital screen. Since caries will absorb the fluorescent light instead of reflecting it, they will stand out on the screen and appear fluorescent for easy detection and further examination by you. 

These devices vary in cost, but some are offered for as low as several hundred dollars when you purchase them from a discount dental supplies store. 

When deciding what new dental supplies you will purchase for the new year, remember that you can use the section 179 tax deduction on next year's tax return to help you cover the expenses. Remember to always look into new dental technology that can improve your practice by allowing you to perform exams more quickly and increase patient satisfaction. For more information about modern or discount dental supplies, contact an equipment brokerage near you.     

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