The Best Seat in Connected Care

Dr. Joe Chichetti has 2 North Carolina-based dental practices: one he built from the ground up with A-dec solutions and a pre-existing office that came with equipment from another manufacturer. While he did his research and was well aware of A-dec’s reputation for excellence when he built his second office, he wasn’t prepared for how much of a difference choosing this integrated, connected equipment would make in his day-to-day.

In his words, “It’s been huge,” improving efficiencies and making his days less stressful.

“If somebody is building out a new office like we did, having everything integrated is a no-brainer,” he said. “Going back and forth between the 2 offices allows me to see both sides of the coin, and the new office is quite a bit better.”

Dr. Chichetti invested in A-dec’s 500 Pro chair and delivery system as well as the Midwest add-ons—and that means his endo motor, apex locator, and saline pump are integrated right into the unit. There’s also a built-in communication system that can be accessed via the A-dec+ software platform, making it easy for Dr. Chichetti and his team to talk between operatories. All of Dr. Chichetti’s presets are part of his user profile that follows him from operatory to operatory, another time saver.

Because everything is integrated, there’s much less clutter to deal with, Dr. Chichetti said, and that translates into more focused dentistry.

“I’m not having to leave my zone of concentration to change equipment out,” he explained, “and when you’re not breaking concentration, you’re more efficient.”

Seamless Integration

Scheduling back-to-back endo and implant appointments at his original office creates stress for Dr. Chichetti and his team. Nothing is integrated there, so setup and breakdown take a lot of time. That’s not a problem in his new location.

He sees fewer patients at his A-dec equipped practice, but he takes on larger cases. He might spend 5 to 6 hours on one patient, and having easy access to his endo and implant motors boosts efficiency and his comfort. Performing multiple procedures on one patient is now much easier on him and his team, and patients stay relaxed in an ergonomic chair throughout their appointment.

How does all this technology work in synergy?

The built-in implant motor is both mechanically and digitally integrated, Dr. Chichetti said. It pairs with his implant library perfectly, and it's programed to his preferences. He never has to change his settings; he just hits the foot switch and it takes him to the next step in the implant sequence.

The apex locator is also built into the delivery system’s LCD interface, giving him easy access to a library of endo protocols.

Significant Time Savings

Not only do these integrations free up counterspace, they also save Dr. Chichetti and his team a significant amount of time. They’ve shaved off 5 to 10 minutes from implant placements—patients even comment on how fast the appointments are—but the real time savings are in the setup and breakdown. Now, that takes the team 10 minutes or less.

“Setup and breakdown are both so cumbersome in my first office, pulling out motors and the saline bag and getting everything all set up,” Dr. Chichetti said. “In my new office, we just hook up the handpiece to the delivery unit. That’s a big deal. We can turn over a room after an implant case as fast as if we just finished a filling, and that changes a lot.”

Enhanced Communication

Integrating communication into the delivery system through A-dec+ has also had a positive impact.

Team members can send Dr. Chichetti a message to let him know they’re ready for a hygiene check, for example. The message tells him exactly what they need; he doesn’t have to think about what a certain color on a light system means.

It’s also easy for Dr. Chichetti to respond to messages, or to simply go to the room and complete the hygiene check once he’s notified.

“It’s really convenient,” he said. “And it works really well with the way I have my office set up.”

Exceeding Expectations

Dr. Chichetti describes A-dec as first class. Everyone he’s worked with is very knowledgeable, and it’s clear they come from a service and quality first mindset.

He’s so impressed with the sleek, ergonomic equipment and its built-in integration that he plans to outfit his original practice with A-dec solutions in the next year or so.

“A-dec worked around our goals, rather than us working around the limitations of the chair,” Dr. Chichetti said. “We looked at several different brands of core equipment and A-dec just stood out. And it has far exceeded my expectations.”