"Must haves" for your practice

By John W. Farah, DDS, PhD

The editors of THE DENTAL ADVISOR™ proudly bring you the third "Shared Secrets" column. Every other month, we will feature dental products and equipment that have received top ratings in THE DENTAL ADVISOR™. Take your practice to the next level with the help of our "Shared Secrets."

STATIM 900

SciCan
(800)572-1211
+++++/96%, Vol. 17-9

STATIM 900 is a steam autoclave designed to rapidly sterilize instruments. This countertop unit is esthetically pleasing and very user-friendly.

Rapid instrument sterilization can be accomplished between patients, a benefit for the busy dental practice. Solid instruments are processed in three-and-a-half minutes, handpieces in five minutes, and rubber and plastics in 30 minutes.

Dental assistants find STATIM 900 especially useful for handpieces, as it provides efficient and reliable sterilization.

Veladerm

LavaDerma
(212)673-8031
+++++/97%, Vol. 17-9

Veladerm is a professional handwash lotion excellent for use in a clinical setting where dry skin is common. Rather than detergents, urea is utilized to clean without destroying the skin's protective lipid layer.

Veladerm is used like a liquid soap on moist hands, distributed evenly, then rinsed off. Consultants found that the use of Veladerm improved the feel of their skin, leaving their hands moist, despite the regular use of gloves.

DIAGNOdent

KaVo America Corp.
(888) 528-6872
++++1/2/93% Vol. 18-1

This is a battery-operated unit that quantifies laser fluorescence to aid in caries detection. The handpiece emits red laser light (l mW, 655 nm). Quartz fibers around the tip collect reflected light that is filtered and then transferred to a photodiode that measures the amount of fluorescent light. The fluorescence is displayed as a numerical value of 0-99, accompanied by an auditory tone that changes in pitch as scale values increase. The value display correlates to the appropriate treatment: seal, restore, or monitor. Consultants found DIAGNOdent useful as an adjunct to traditional caries diagnosis. It eliminates the need for "exploratory" opening of pits and fissures. Scanning the tooth with DIAGNOdent helped clinicians determine the extent of the caries and the need for anesthesia. The unit is easy to use, and its small size allows easy portability.

Note: For information on the "Shared Secrets" seminars or to subscribe, contact THE DENTAL ADVISOR, Ann Arbor, Mich., by phone at (800) 347-1330, by e-mail at [email protected], or visit www.dentaladvisor.com.

John W. Farah, DDS, PhD, an editor of THE DENTAL ADVISOR™, maintains a full-time dental practice in Ann Arbor, Mich., and lectures internationally on dental products, materials, and equipment. John M. Powers, PhD, an editor of THE DENTAL ADVISOR™, is a professor and vice-chair of restorative dentistry and biomaterials at UT Health Science Center at Houston. He also is director of the Houston Biomaterials Research Center.