Pack the perfect toolbox with these latest product picks from your dental peers, courtesy of the annual DPS Readers’ Choice Survey
Picture this: You’ve decided to take the leap into digital dentistry and you’ve begun to research the many options available for your first intraoral scanner. Walking into this year’s local dental show, the first thing you see is a manufacturer’s display of its latest scanner. Facts are presented. Questions are answered. You may even be invited to test it. At this point, you’re probably happy and relieved because you think your search is over. You can even toss out all your brochures and notes. That is, until you move on to the next booth—and there it is, another intraoral scanner!
If that scene sounds familiar, you may even see the similarities between the challenges of making hundreds of dental purchasing decisions and the Greek mythology tale of Sisyphus, who spent his days incessantly rolling a boulder up a mountain, only to have it come crashing down just as it reached the top. But the good news is, you’re not alone.
It’s times like these when the opinions of your peers—those who walk the same walk as you, day after day, workflow after workflow—can be especially helpful. Plus, if you know certain items are favored by your peers, the process of choosing dental products instantly becomes easier and far less stressful.
And—drumroll, please—it’s for that reason the DPS Readers’ Choice issue is one of the most anticipated arrivals of the year. Featuring an in-depth look at the results of our annual Readers’ Choice survey, it’s an opportunity to see what other dental professionals deem their favorite dental products.
Vetted and Accepted by DPS Readers
This year, DPS received hundreds of responses from dentists and hygienists, all of whom told us their favorite products across more than 40 different categories. That includes the materials, instruments, technology, and equipment they've found indispensable for successful dentistry. When you choose a dental product that’s won a Readers’ Choice award, it means it’s been vetted—and accepted—by your peers.
“The Readers’ Choice award is a good indication that a product is highly effective or that it promotes efficiency since a great number of clinicians voted for it,” shared Malee Wong, RDH, who practices in Colorado and Texas. “Garnering a Readers’ Choice award is a great way for products to get additional exposure from clinicians who haven’t yet tried them.”
In fact, Wong lists Young Dental's Classic Elite and Contra Elite as 2 of her favorite hygiene tools, only to discover the disposable prophy angles were winners in this year's Readers' Choice survey.
“I am not surprised that they were winners in the Prophy Angles category,” she said. “I have been using them since 2013, when I had the wonderful opportunity to try them as a Dental Product Shopper evaluator. The external ridges, ergonomic angle, and perfect cup thickness/flare were just love at first usage for me! I have tried so many others but these are definitely my absolute favorite.”
Decisions Made Easy
Another DPS reader, Ravi Juluri, DDS, a periodontist in Springfield, IL, listed Kerr’s OptiBond as his top adhesive choice. It’s an opinion he shares with many other clinicians across the country, who deemed OptiBond a winner in the Bonding Agents category.
“I was actually introduced to Kerr’s OptiBond through Dental Product Shopper,” Dr. Juluri shared. "I have been using it in surgical sites for procedures like canine exposure with bracket and chain, and also as a suture anchor during soft-tissue surgeries."
Knowing others rely on a particular dental product makes the purchasing decision instantly easier. It also means an end to countless hours spent researching before you buy.
“When I see a winning product that I’ve never tried, I always look into it and see if I can get some free samples to try in my workflow,” Wong said. “As clinicians, we need products to make our workday as smooth as possible."
In the following pages, DPS highlights the top 3 winners in categories spanning imaging, restorative dentistry, and technology. Relax, take a look, and bask in the knowledge that your next purchasing dilemma can be an easier, less stressful decision.
Check out this complete list of every product winner in this year’s Readers’ Choice survey:
Bonding Agents
Solventum - 3M Scotchbond Universal
Kerr - OptiBond
Dentspy Sirona - Prime&Bond
Cements – Glass Ionomers/RMGI
GC America - GC Fuji
Solventum - 3M Vitrebond
Directa - Ceramir Crown & Bridge QuikCap
Cements (Temporary)
Kerr - TempBond
Premier - NexTemp
Solventum - 3M RelyX Temp
Cements (Permanent)
Solventum - 3M RelyX
Kuraray - PANAVIA
GC America - G-CEM family
Bioactive Materials
BISCO - TheraCal/Thera Family
Dentsply Sirona - Dycal
GC America - GC Fuji Automix LC
Universal Composite
Solventum - 3M Filtek Universal
Tokuyama - OMNICHROMA
Dentsply Sirona - TPH Spectra ST
Flowable Composite
Solventum - 3M Filtek Supreme Flowable
Tokuyama - OMNICHROMA Flow
Shofu - Beautfil Flow Plus/Beautfil Flow Plus X
Bulk Fill
Tokuyama - OMNICHROMA Flow Bulk
Kerr - SimpliShade Bulk Fill/SonicFill 3
Solventum - 3M Filtek One
Core Build-Up
Premier - CompCore
Kerr - Build-It FR
DMG - LuxaCore
Burs
Brasseler
SS White
Microcopy
Matrix Systems
Dentsply Sirona - Palodent Plus/Palodent 360
Garrison - Composi-Tight 3D Fusion/Fusion Anterior
Ultradent - Triodent V3 Sectional Matrix System
Curing Lights
Ultradent - VALO
Solventuem - 3M Elipar
Ivoclar - Bluephase
Lasers
AMD Lasers - Picasso +/Picasso Lite+
Biolase - Waterlase/Waterlase iPlus
Ultradent - Gemini/Gemini EVO
Isolation
Zyris - Isolite
Solmetex - DryShield
Zirc - Mr. Thirsty
Handpieces
KaVo
NSK
Dentsply Sirona (Midwest)
Sterilization
Midmark
Tuttnauer
SciCan
3D Printers
SprintRay
Dentsply Sirona
Formlabs
Chairs/Delivery Units
A-dec
Belmont
Midmark
Digital Impressions
Align Technology - iTero Element Series
3Shape - TRIOS 3-5
Dentsply Sirona - Primescan/Primescan 2
Chairside Milling
Dentsply Sirona - CEREC MC X/Primemill
Planmeca - PlanMill
Glidewell - fastmill.io In-Office Mill
CBCT
Dentsply Sirona - Axeos/Orthophos/Galileos
Vatech - Green
DEXIS - OP 3D/i-CAT
Sensors
DEXIS - DEXIS Platinum/Titanium
Dentsply Sirona - Schick AE
Carestream - RVG 6200/5200
2D Pan Imaging
Dentsply Sirona - Orthophos
Planmeca - ProMax 2D
Carestream - CS 8100
CAD/CAM Blocks
Ivoclar Vivadent
Dentsply Sirona
Glidewell
Loupes
Orascoptic
Designs for Vision
SurgiTel
Endo Files
Dentsply Sirona
EdgeEndo
Brasseler
Practice Management Software
Henry Schein One - Dentrix
Patterson - Eaglesoft
Open Dental
Patient Communication
Weave
Henry Schein One - Lighthouse 360
Henry Schein One - Dentrix Patient Engage
AI X-Ray Software
Pearl
Henry Schein One - Dentrix Detect AI/VideaHealth
Overjet
Dental Analytics
Weave
Dental Intelligence
Practice Analytics
Patient Financing
CareCredit
Sunbit
Cherry
Implants
Straumann
Nobel Biocare
Zimmer Biomet/ZimVie
BioHorizons
Regenerative Materials
BioHorizons
Nobel Biocare
Zimmer Biomet
Clear Aligners
Align Technology - Invisalign
ClearCorrect - ClearCorrect
Dentsply Sirona - SureSmile
Whitening - In-Office
Ultradent - Opalescence Boost
Philips Oral Healthcare - ZOOM!
Evolve - KoR Whitening
Prophy Angles
Dentsply Sirona - Nupro Prophy Angles
Young Dental - Young Classic/Contra
Henry Schein - ACCLEAN Disposable
Prophy Paste
Dentsply Sirona - NUPRO Prophy Paste
Premier - Enamel Pro
Henry Schein - ACCLEAN Prophy Paste
Prophy Handpieces
Dentsply Sirona - Nupro RDH
Young Dental - Young Hygiene Handpiece
DENTALEZ - Prophy Star
Power Scalers
Dentsply Sirona – Cavitron
Parkell - TurboSensor
Hu-Friedy - Piezon
Fluoride Varnish
Solventum - 3M Vanish 5% NF
Solventum - 3M Clinpro Clear
Dentsply Sirona - Nupro White Varnish
Ultradent - Enamelast
Sealants
Ultradent - Ultraseal XT Plus/XT Hydro
Solventum - 3M Clinpro Sealant
Pulpdent - Embrace Wetbond
PPE (Gloves/Masks)
Henry Schein
Cranberry
Patterson
Dash Medical
Caries Prevention/Treatment
Colgate - PreviDent 5000 Booster Plus
GC America - MI Paste
Solventum - 3M Clinpro 5000
Power Toothbrushes
Philips - Sonicare
Procter & Gamble - Oral-B iO Series
Waterpik - Sonic-Fusion
Surface Disinfectants
Kerr - CaviWipes
Metrex - CaviCide
SciCan - OPTIM
Waterline Treatment
ProEdge - BluTab
Sterisil - Citrisil
Hu-Friedy - DentaPure
A-dec - ICX
