Joe Blaes, DDS
Orascoptic® HIRes™ Class II Loupes from SDS-Orascoptic. I have been using magnification for at least 25 years. My patients are so used to seeing me in my loupes that they remind me if I have forgotten to put them on. They don't want me to cut on their teeth without being able to see their tooth larger than life. At the Chicago Midwinter meeting, I was asked to try the new Orascoptic HiRes Loupes. Wow, what a difference! Through a revolutionary new optical design, HiRes combines the most important features in a loupe system — high resolution, a wide viewing field, and lightweight comfort. All of this is packed into a smaller loupe system. The result is that I can see well with a more comfortable system.
The HiRes Class II Loupes are offered in two optical shapes. A round shape provides the standard round view of the oral cavity. A new elliptical shape incorporates the same optics, and the same four inch field width, with more viewing area above the loupes. Stop guessing about your margins! Order some HiRes loupes today and do better dentistry for your patients. Order from your dealer or call (800) 369-3698 for a custom fitting or more information.
bluephase® LED Curing Light from Ivoclar Vivadent — Yes, it is another cordless LED curing light! But this one has a lot of great features. The bluephase uses a state-of-the-art, lithium-ion battery that provides a power supply for 60 continuous minutes of operation without a decrease in performance. Even though it is battery-operated, the bluephase has a unique "click-and-cure" feature, which provides an optional AC power source that fits into the battery compartment in the handpiece — so you'll never be caught without power. The handpiece is lightweight and well-balanced and cradles nicely in your hand. The high power of bluephase generates light intensity of 1100 mW/cm2, ensuring fast, effective curing of light-cured materials. The bluephase has three easy-to-use programs to meet all clinical indications. A high-power setting gives you consistent intensity of 1100 mW/cm2 for fast polymerization of direct restoratives and cement through indirect restorations. Low power gives a lower intensity of 650 mW/cm2 for the curing of adhesives, liners, and restorative materials near the pulp. Soft start provides a gradual increase from 0 to 650 mW/cm2 in five seconds and then a maximum intensity of 1100 mW/cm2 for reduced shrinkage of restorative materials. Multiple pre-set cure times of 10, 20, 40, and 120 seconds, along with a cure memory that saves the last setting used, makes the bluephase a "smart curing light" for your practice. If you are looking for a LED curing light, this would be an excellent choice. Order from your dealer, or call (800) 533-6825 for more information.
Flexitime® VPS Impression Material from Heraeus Kulzer — Imagine yourself in this situation: You are placing the wash impression material, and the assistant is standing by with a tray full of impression material. She's waiting for you to finish, but you're not even close. Will the tray material set before you get it into the mouth? Not if you are using Flexitime. With this impression material, you can take as little as 30 seconds of working time for routine cases, or take a full two-and-a-half minutes for more complex cases. Flexitime conforms to the way you work. OK, so how does it know how much time you need? The secret is in the temperature. It has a unique Advanced ThermaSense® formulation that actually delays the set until the tray is fully seated in the patient's mouth. Whether your working time is long or short, Flexitime always sets fast when the try is fully seated in the mouth, taking just two minutes and 30 seconds from insertion to removal of the finished impression. Outstanding details and high-contrast material colors make reading the impression an easy step. Flexitime is a great new idea in impression material technology. Order from your dealer or call (800) 431-1785 for more information.
Doctor Did You Check the Breaker, Too? by Dave Cheney. Early in my dental career, I found I was always at the mercy of the dental supply company service technician. Things would break down, and I would have the receptionist call for the service tech. But many times, it was something really simple and I felt like a fool. Dave Cheney is a retired service technician from Patterson Dental with over 30 years in the dental industry. He has put together a book that is full of information on simple things, such as checking the power sources to the amalgamator like the plug and the circuit breaker. He covers many other repairs that are fairly technical in an easy, step-by-step manner, along with detailed schematics. The manual has 17 chapters that cover just about everything that can go wrong in a dental office, such as fiber optics, lights, Cavitrons, Prophy-jets, autoclaves, and air compressors, to mention a few. The manual is available in book form for $49.95 or on a CD for just $39.95. I favor the CD because I can print off whatever schematics I need. This is really a no-brainer! Order one today by visiting the Web site at www.davandental.com, or call (800) 695-0943. This book could save you a lot of expensive service calls over the next few years. In fact, the first unneeded service call will more than pay for the book.
Better Service, Better Dentistry, Better Income by Steve Shapiro & Ron Schefdore, DMD. This book is about a simple plan to build a more profitable and enjoyable dental practice. Dr. Ron Schefdore has written some articles for Dental Economics, and I was intrigued when he sent me a draft copy of his new book. I started reading it and could not put it down. It is a short book — only 60 pages — but it is packed with information that is vital to your office. The book describes the key to success in any dental practice and really in any job. I guess I liked the book so much because I found this key a number of years ago, and it took my practice to heights I never imagined. Every dentist should order and read this book and then sit down with staff members and discuss the contents. You will absolutely love the results! Pick up the phone and call (800) 443-9935 to order. The book is a steal at $26.90. Or, order online at www.exxelmedia.com (click on Steve Shapiro).
