Matthew Stump, DDS, DICOI, is a big believer in technology, and his practice has invested in many high-tech products, including the 3D imaging system, the GXDP-700 from Gendex. Dr. Stump tells Dental Product Shopper why he feels investing in this technology is a good value for his patients and his practice.
As a practitioner, technology allows us to see more and do more, which helps improve our production. It is also a huge service to patients. We can treat them more effectively by having better diagnostic capabilities and improved outcomes. This results in a better patient experience.
Anything we can do to improve a patient’s comfort during a procedure is a tremendous benefit for the patient, and technology can often allow us to do that. For example, with a digital scanner, the patient doesn’t need to endure impression material in his mouth for 5 minutes. We simply take pictures with a digital scanner instead which leads to improved patient comfort and happier patients. Sometimes it can lead to better treatment acceptance. For example, a patient who hates traditional impressions may agree to the treatment if he knows that a digital impression is a much more comfortable option.
At the same time technology allows us to diagnose more efficiently. For example, digital x-rays have incredible clarity and I can adjust the contrast if need be to diagnose caries or periodontal disease more efficiently. You can’t do that with traditional x-rays.
Education is a key component in the doctor-patient relationship. It helps build trust and confidence. Digital imaging is also ideal for consultation. It allows us to show our patients what we have found and allows them to visualize the problem or condition. This improves a patient’s understanding, which aids in the decision making process and has a positive impact on treatment acceptance.
As technology allows us to do more procedures and treat more conditions, we’re also providing better patient care which translates into growth in many areas of our practice in terms of loyal patients, referrals and increased production.
Matthew Stump, DDS, DICOI focuses on comprehensive, cosmetic, and implant dentistry at Howard and Howard Dental in Charleston, WV. His practice has invested in many high-tech products, including: Gendex GXS-700 digital sensors, Gendex intraoral cameras, Gendex x-ray units, and the GXDP-700 , a 3-in-1 imaging system with the ability to transform from 2D panoramics to cephalometrics to 3D. Dr. Stump says they choose Gendex because of their extremely high-quality products and the great Gendex representatives.