The Gold Standard of Dentistry

The Gold Standard of Dentistry

Dental professionals can rely on the value of independent peer-to-peer product reviews as they seek the ‘Best Products’ for their practice

Whether in the market for dental materials, supplies, or technology, it’s important for any practitioner to research their investment and consult peer reviews. While individual reviews certainly help, there is no comparison to the Dental Product Shopper product review, where groups of objective dental professionals put products to the test in their own practices for several weeks, judging them on carefully selected key criteria. Those products that make the most positive impact across the board are awarded DPS Best Product status—a badge of honor that should be noted by anyone in the market for a purchase.

Take it from Bilyana Tesic, DDS, a dentist in Monterey, CA, who has volunteered to participate in nearly 2 dozen DPS product reviews. “A product that is evaluated and scored as a Best Product is automatically given more credibility and is more likely to be purchased,” she said. “Fellow dentists have already tested it numerous Monday mornings and found it worthy.”

A case in point was the review of a handpiece in NSK’s Ti-Max Z Series. While the high-speed handpiece won Best Product status primarily for its cutting performance, ease of use, and maneuverability, Dr. Tesic and others found that its smaller head size created greater visibility and accessibility, and the DURAGRIP coating improved handling and reduced hand fatigue. She was impressed enough to change over to the Ti-Max handpiece after the review.

“A product that is evaluated and scored as a Best Product is automatically given more credibility and is more likely to be purchased.” 

- Bilyana Tesic, DDS

Dr. Tesic is among more than 1,000 dental professionals who’ve signed up to participate in DPS product reviews so they can try out dentistry’s latest and greatest in their operatories and share their experiences with peers. When they appreciate a product enough to grant Best Product status, it usually means it’s brought about better patient care, greater effi ciencies, or has helped the practice overcome a challenge.

It’s the Little Things

Sometimes, the product making an impact is one that typically goes unnoticed. For example, some clinicians may not give much thought to which articulating paper, silk, or foil to use during a restorative procedure. Still, Dr. Kenneth Hsu, of Walnut Creek, CA, would often find it difficult to separate articulating paper from its booklet. It was also awkward to place and remove with a dental instrument, and would smear or leave indistinct markings, especially when influenced by saliva. Considering that all these occlusal obstacles increase procedure time, Dr. Hsu was excited to share his experience evaluating TrollFoil 4.5, a new product from TrollDental.

At 4.5 microns thick, it is the thinnest articulating product on the market and offers several user-friendly features that help achieve high-quality, accurate occlusion on the first try.

“TrollFoil 4.5 makes articulating and finding occlusion easier,” he said, adding that it is easy to handle, ready to use, and doesn’t get smeared by saliva. Mounted on its own frame for instrument-free placement, TrollFoil 4.5 was given a Best Product award by the team of evaluators, who found it to be an ideal articulating solution that allowed them to create precise markings and fi ne-tune occlusal adjustments while reducing frustration and chair time.

Elevating Patient Care 

Other times, it’s the big products that, indeed, make the biggest difference. A case in point is the PreXion Excelsior PRO, a CBCT system with advanced 3D technology. Dr. Kevin Shively, Lubbock, TX, took part in the DPS current customer evaluation after investing in the system to support his digital implant workflow and to limit the use of full-mouth x-rays that eat up time and inconvenience patients.

In addition to enjoying a transformed implant workflow, he found that 4 bitewings and a CBCT scan provided considerably more information than a panoramic and full-mouth series. As an example, he described a patient who had been seen by 2 dentists, neither of whom found anything wrong despite the patient’s claim that “something just doesn’t feel right.” Determined to solve the mystery, Dr. Shively scanned the patient with his PreXion Excelsior PRO and discovered “a very large periapical radiolucency that was draining into the sinuses” as well as 4 additional infections. Those reviewing the CBCT unit said the elevated diagnostics and treatment led to the best patient care possible. “Patients love how thorough it allows me to be,” Dr. Shively said.

Manufacturers’ Claims Confirmed

Most of the time, a DPS Best Product rating means that dental professionals can vouch for the manufacturers’ claims regarding the product’s virtues. When Brasseler USA introduced the EndoSequence ESR-CM (controlled memory) reciprocating file system, it sought to provide patients and dentists with a quick, efficient, and comfortable root canal treatment experience. Endodontist Dr. Paul Kaplan, always open to finding a more predictable way to clean and shape canals, was eager to see if the fi les allowed for efficient cutting and easy navigation of curved canals while preserving coronal tooth structure.

After using the ESR-CM file system over several weeks for the DPS review, Dr. Kaplan found that it worked as advertised, describing it as a very well-designed sequence of file usage that made the process of cleaning and shaping the root canal space easy and predictable. “I would not hesitate at all to use these files on every patient going forward,” he said.

Shining a Light on Dentistry’s Best

Interested in what a Best Product can do for you? In the pages ahead, we detail a selection of the greatest dentistry has to offer, drilling down to find out what makes them excel and how they bring about positive change.