Nov 6, 2019
Michelle recently dropped by Dentsply Sirona World, a three-day conference for dental professionals held in Las Vegas, where she had the opportunity to speak with three dental hygienists who generously discussed some of the modern technology used both regularly and on occasion in the average dental office.
Martin Helmbrecht is the Vice President of Operations for OperaDDS and OperaVR, the latter of which uses virtual reality to calm anxious patients. Meghan Wood works for Raleigh Dental Arts in North Carolina and was at Dentsply Sirona World supporting the 3D Dentists team. Jessica Lawson is based in Nashville and has been practicing dental hygiene for two and a half years. In this time she’s worked in an office that is a little bit behind on current technology and one that’s on the cutting edge.
In this episode, our guests discuss the sedative power of virtual reality, relate their own experiences working out outdated technology, and explain which new tools have benefitted their offices the most.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
Interview starts: 2:58
- Martin explains how virtual reality can be a psychological tool for reducing stress in some dental patients.
- The guests relate their own experiences working with new and old technology—including X-ray dark rooms!
- Why our guests think it’s okay to ask about the particulars of an office’s technology when interviewing for a position.
- What are some absolutely necessary pieces of technology modern offices should have?
- What is CBCT (cone beam) technology and why it’s such a boon to the average dental office.
- How do their patients respond to new dental technology, and how can a little bit of tech go a long way in building patient relationships?
- Their advice for keeping your head high when exposed to a lot of new tech while on the job.
QUOTES:
“Instead of seeing the needles and being afraid, they can sit on the beach while they get the work done.”
“Seek out the dentists that do that stuff, because those are the ones that you’re gonna enjoy your career with.”
“Don’t be scared of your doctor. They’re not there to make your life miserable.”
“If you’re somebody who knows you’re not going to be into technology, go find an old school office.”
“You are here to do the best that you can, and if you miss something, guess what? You’re gonna get it the next time.”
“Sometimes you’ve gotta bite the bullet and just be on the lower part of the pole so that you can work your way up.”
LINKS:
OperaDDS homepage - https://operadds.com/
Martin’s email: martin@operadds.com
Meghen’s email: meghan@raleighdentalarts.com
Jessica’s email: 3jessicalawson@gmail.com
Thank you to Paradise Dental Technologies aka PDT for providing sponsorship for this episode!
Be sure to thank the sponsor for this episode by heading over to www.PDTDental.com and picking up a new instrument or telling them thank you in person at one of the conferences!
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