MAY
10
0

Henry Schein Digital Symposium opens the minds of the profession

henry-schein-digital-2018

 

Attendees at this year’s Henry Schein Digital Symposium were left in no doubt about the exciting opportunities and mind-expanding innovations that are already transforming dentistry and are set to continue in the coming months and years.

On 27th and 28th April, digital advocates from all areas of dentistry gathered in London to talk technology and discuss the latest developments and trends in areas such as predictive treatment, diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention.

This year’s Keynote Speaker was the Medical Futurist Dr Bertalan Mesko, a self-confessed “geek physician” with a PhD in genomics and an acclaimed author, who challenged the audience with his predictions on the way in which digital heath technologies are set to impact on the future of health care.

Dr Mesko was joined by a first-class line-up of speakers including, Rune Fisker, Sinead McEnhill, Colin Campbell, Adam Nulty and Josef Kunkela, as well as renowned technicians Petr Hajny, Vicken Hatsakordzian, and many more. Topics were wide-ranging and included the importance of retaining the human element in digital dentistry, the rising influence of digital dentistry apps and how dentists can drive patient engagement through the use of digital technology.

Henry Schein ConnectDental was a pivotal part of the two-day event, showcasing a comprehensive range of digital solutions, which can help practitioners harness the efficiencies of digital workflows and benefit from the economic impact of offering single-visit dentistry. The pace of change in digital is already being felt by the profession and improvements in aesthetics, guided implant surgery and digital shade matching is quite breath taking, and the rise in 3D printing and digital dentures is now taking treatment options to a whole new level.

There was much interest in the many innovative digital solutions on show and five in particular caught the profession’s imagination:

The 3Shape TRIOS® MOVE

This mobile HD touch screen is the ultimate communication tool that enables dentists to involve and engage patients in their treatment. Compatible with all TRIOS 3 scanners, it has an adjustable arm and swivel screen enabling the clinician to position it exactly where needed and facilitating vastly improved patient engagement and treatment acceptance.

The 3M™ True Definition Scanner

Available in mobile or cart edition, this scanner offers excellent accuracy, ease of use and affordability for making fast, precise digital impressions. The 3D-in-motion video technology generates a true replica of the patient’s oral anatomy – improving visibility right from the start. The innovative design ensures fast, comfortable intraoral scanning for greater patient comfort.

The Dentsply Sirona Chairside Solution

The original chair side solution, CEREC makes it possible for dentists to offer patients genuine same-day dentistry – from fast and accurate digital scanning, to versatile and intuitive digital design to in-house milling, sintering and glazing. Catering for patients’ increasingly busy lifestyles CEREC maintains excellent quality and functionality, but with the speed and precision now so much in demand.

The 3Shape X1 4-in-1 CBCT scanner

This CBCT scanner offers low dose scanning and high image quality with its innovative motion compensation and dynamic field of view (FOV) technology. Its sleek design and no requirement for head fixation provides a comfortable scanning experience for the patient. Ease of operation and intuitive workflows, combined with full integration with 3Shape treatment modules for orthodontics and implant dentistry, makes this digital equipment extremely versatile.

Formlabs Form 2 3D printer

The Form 2 3D printer, which is now available from Henry Schein Laboratory, provides high-resolution 3D printing, featuring laser-sharp prints and stunning surface finish. It can deliver both large, solid parts, and small intricate detail and has a small desktop footprint. The Form 2 has wireless connectivity and touchscreen control and integrates seamlessly with 3Shape and other dental software systems.

The 2018 Henry Schein Digital Symposium did not disappoint, and delegates came away with their heads full of new ideas and genuine excitement about the possibilities that digital dentistry is opening up. As billed, it truly was “the ultimate digital experience”.

 

To find out more about all Henry Schein ConnectDental’s digital solutions, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit hsdconnectdental.co.uk.

henryschein.co.uk

Twitter: @HenryScheinUK

Facebook: HenryScheinUK

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APR
10
0

Digital technology and patient care

carestream-dental-23

by Nina Cartwright Carestream Dental - Product Manager

A recent survey found that there are over 42 million smartphone users in the UK.[i]. This number is only going to keep increasing, and reliance on apps and other digital technologies is likely to rise with it. A recent survey concluded that average UK smartphone owners use 30 apps per month and 10 apps regularly each day, showing how deeply the technology has integrated into our lifestyles.[ii]

Why do people use apps?

The main reason people have adopted apps and other digital innovations is because they add a high level of convenience to our lives. They can be used to shop online, pay our bills and keep track of our eating and exercise habits.

Furthermore, social media and other communication technologies allow people to speak to one another in a variety of new and instant ways, broadening how we connect with one another.

Digital access for patients

In light of this, all industries have developed apps and other digital presences in order to stay relevant. Dentistry is no different, and there are now hundreds of apps and other digital programs that patients and professionals alike can download to streamline their daily lives.

From digital oral hygiene guides to apps that help patients overcome any dental phobias, the range of apps available is extensive. These platforms can even encourage patients to communicate with dentists, as some of them will raise awareness or give them the information they need to inspire them to seek out professional attention.

Technology in the dental practice

As the digital lifestyle is now so prominent, it makes sense to invest in technology that means you can communicate with patients in a way that appeals to them.

Digital products help you communicate with your patients on a more accessible level when you’re treating them in the practice. New systems are very visual and can show them graphs and detailed explanations of the treatments you are suggesting, delivering information in a way that the patient understands.

Cutting-edge visual graphics are just one of the many benefits of the CS R4+ practice management software from Carestream Dental. Functioning at the heart of your practice, the system can streamline your patient care routine by acting as a tool to educate patients and communicate their treatment plans in an appealing, visual way.

Implement the technology that works best for your patients

By implementing apps and other digital technologies into your professional workflow you can communicate with patients in a way that’s easier for them to understand. This leads to better patient care, as they feel more comfortable and informed.

For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or

visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook

 

[i] E-marketer. UK Digital Users: The eMarketer Forecast for 2017. Link: https://www.emarketer.com/Report/UK-Digital-Users-eMarketer-Forecast-2017/2001988 [Last accessed March18].

[ii] App Annie. Spotlight on Consumer App Usage. Link: http://files.appannie.com.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/1705_Report_Consumer_App_Usage_EN.pdf [Last accessed March18].

  3467 Hits
3467 Hits
MAR
08
0

Help me with end of year spending.....

Help me with end of year spending.....

 

Below you will find an infograph we have created from a recent thread on GDPUK which was titled - help me with end of year spending....

The thread is still ongoing but we think it demonstrates the way our users use the site. They take advice from each other and peer reviews are therefore important. 
 
We are pleased buying decisions are formed via the forum, this shows the importance of opinions from peers and how we believe GDPUK is used to form decisions before making purchases.
 
The forum is now approaching nearly 270,000 posts, from just over 23,600 threads, so similar discussions to the one we have highlighted are taking place every day.
 
As you can see from the infograph below some of the items discussed are big purchases. Digital products are obviously the products that are at the top of “wish lists” but some affordable items also on the infograph. We hope you find the info and thread interesting and certainly extremely positive to see a buying thread with so many opinions and knowledge. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thanks for reading, we hope you have found the infograph and thread on the forum useful.
 
 
 
  4851 Hits
4851 Hits
OCT
26
0

What makes a successful banner ad?

What makes a successful banner ad?

 

 

A few basic things are always needed in a banner ad to ultimately give you an excellent click through rate. (CTR) We have collected our experiences and thoughts together to produce a short blog on what makes a successful banner advert.

 

A clear call to action (CTA), has to make sense for your product or service. Such as “Shop Now”, “Learn More” etc. A call to action always has to be included.

Secondly the banner ad can be compared to the billboard in the street, the consumer has a split second to decide if they are interested in the product or service. So you need to decide what you want the consumer to see and take away in those few seconds you have to grab attention to your product or service. This can be a catchy headline, an aspirational image or a hybrid of the two!

Basic animation is also always recommended. Animated GIF is therefore recommended over a static image. Keep it simple and to the point, telling a story rarely works. But the advantage of the animated GIF is that you can put together a  series of frames then combine them in such an order that will eventually form some sort of animation and attract attention.

A theme I always go back to when talking to customers is the landing page. The clickthrough needs to land on a landing page that delivers what the banner ad promises. So that when you do secure the click from the consumer, you make sure they get the information the consumer desires. So basically you need to ensure you promote a product or service and not a website / homepage!

This blog - http://www.boxofads.com/blog/always-fine-tune-your-landing-page/ sums up the value of a landing page quite nicely. While designing a campaign think about it as a whole, an ad makes the first impression, and a landing page is a continuation of this impression.

We also recommend that our clients don’t just have one version of the their banner ad. We always say to test the colours, the CTA or the headline and see what works in line with the branding of your business. The software we use (DFP) can handle more than one ad in the space you book, so it's always worth testing a few banners and seeing what performs best. The same can also be said of landing pages as well.

Thanks for reading, hope this short guide to what makes a successful banner is useful.

 
  3995 Hits
3995 Hits
OCT
16
0

New Sirona Connect software 4.5 enhances digital impressions for practices and labs

New Sirona Connect software 4.5 enhances digital impressions for practices and labs

 

Sirona Connect has always stood for comfortable, digital intraoral impressions in the dental practice and the quick and secure transfer of data to the dental laboratory. And with growing success, up to 2016, more than a million dental restorations were made using Sirona Connect. Dentsply Sirona has now enhanced the no. 1 in digital lab connections with the latest Sirona Connect software 4.5 update. Additional software services and new portal functions offer advantages for dentists and dental technicians.

Bensheim/Salzburg, October 10, 2017. The number of digital intraoral impressions completed in dental practices is steadily growing. Sirona Connect is increasingly used in practices and labs for transferring the impression data to the dental lab, allowing dentists to provide their patients a modern practice concept, take impressions quickly and comfortably thanks to intraoral scanning, and ensure faster overall treatment. Sirona Connect benefits the dental lab with direct connection to the practice, and quick and secure transfer of digital impression and order data. In addition, Sirona Connect saves the practice and lab valuable time by enabling the immediate exchange of information during the patient's visit.

Sirona Connect SW 4.5 with enhanced features

With the new Shade Detection tool for the CEREC Omnicam, the latest Sirona Connect software analyzes the scan and indicates the tooth color as a VITA* Classic or VITA* 3D Master shade. This function supports dentists in selecting the suitable shade for the restoration.

For even more flexibility, digital intraoral impressions can be made for Dentsply Sirona or third party implant systems and different scan bodies can be used.

Sirona Connect SW 4.5 also allows the practice to make an open scan export of the model data in STL format for direct transfer to the lab's CAD software.

There is another interesting enhancement for Sirona Connect labs. For the first time, they can create a customized lab profile on the Sirona Connect portal and show offers for appointments, materials, degrees of refinement, special services, and much more for the individual lab. This gives Sirona Connect dentists an optimum, customer-friendly overview of the range of services and saves them time when ordering from a lab.

The new Sirona Connect SW 4.5 is available to Sirona Connect users with CEREC Omnicam, CEREC Bluecam, and APOLLO DI as a free auto-update or as a download at www.dentsplysirona.com.

Due to various certification and registration periods, not all products are immediately available in all countries.

 
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3846 Hits
JUL
21
0

Defining the Digital Revolution

Defining the Digital Revolution

Defining the Digital Revolution

 

The Digital Revolution is truly upon us – and nothing defines this more than the True Definition Scanner from 3M Oral Care. Let’s take a closer look:

 

  • with a 99.7 per cent fit rate since launch, the True Definition scanner is one of the profession’s most accurate intraoral scanners[i]
  • through the use of video imaging technology,[ii] the True Definition scanner can replicate the entire dental anatomy with optimum accuracy[iii]

 

Combined, this means better diagnostics, better restorations and better results.

 

To take part in the Digital Revolution, contact the expert team at 3M Oral Care today.

 

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

 

 

 

 

3M and True Definition are trademarks of the 3M Company. – NB to editors: this line must be included at end of editorial when published

 

 



[i] 3M Oral Care Internal Data: 99.84% fit rate. Claim 5640 (2016)

[ii] 3M Oral Care Internal Data: Unique video imaging technology (true definition). Claim 5371 (2012)

[iii] 3M Oral Care Internal Data: Replicate entire oral anatomy. Claim 5372 (2012)

 

 

  3846 Hits
3846 Hits
JUN
23
0

ICE and Straumann CARES® come together in Manchester to showcase the latest digital workflow solutions and training opportunities

ICE and Straumann CARES® come together in Manchester to showcase the latest digital workflow solutions and training opportunities

 

Dentistry is moving into a new digital age and clinicians across the UK are seeking training and support to adopt these technological advances.

Straumann and Implants Centres of Excellence (ICE) recognise this demand and have collaborated to provide a valuable opportunity to see the full range of digital workflow solutions and educational opportunities currently available.

Straumann CARES® Digital Solutions combines interconnected software platforms and open, fully-validated workflows, alongside a wide variety of materials to deliver an unrivalled digital solution. On the 17th and 18th July, they will be bringing all this technology to the Old Trafford home of Manchester United on their massive 16-metre long Digital Performance Roadshow juggernaut which houses a full digital workflow.

Nearby at the ICE headquarters and hospital, the Straumann CARES® Digital Solutions portfolio will also be on display, including leading chairside scanning and milling technology and 3D printing, in the impressive ICE facilities which include training surgeries, an operating theatre, a laboratory and lecture facilities.

For a fully immersive experience, attendees can dive into a virtual reality experience, showcasing Straumann’s impressive digital portfolio and centralised manufacturing facilities. The Straumann and ICE team will also be on hand to advise and give a full overview of different product solutions.

Stephen Booth, Country Manager, Straumann UK comments, “We are delighted to be working closely with ICE as this underpins our commitment to facilitating a successful educational pathway for clinicians, whilst delivering the latest innovations and ultimately improving the patients’ quality of life’.”

 

For the perfect opportunity to gain direct experience of the latest digital products and an insight into the latest training available, book a free place today at straumanndigitalperformance.co.uk

 

straumanndigitalperformance.co.uk

therevu.co.uk

Facebook: Straumann UK

Twitter: @StraumannUK

  4679 Hits
4679 Hits
JUN
06
0

Ivoclar Digital attracts at Dentistry Show and DTS

Ivoclar Digital attracts at Dentistry Show and DTS

 

 

The Dentistry Show and Dental Technology Showcase (DTS) 2017 saw Ivoclar Vivadent UK & Ireland showcase their new brand, Ivoclar Digital, to the British market for the first time since it’s official launch at IDS, Cologne, in March.

Thanks to their prime location with clinical and technical stands adjacent to one another, Ivoclar Vivadent were able to demonstrate that their new digital products will provide both dentists and dental technicians with state-of-the-art professional expertise throughout the entire digital process journey.

The main attraction and making its debut as Ivoclar Vivadent's first chairside mill for clinical use, the PrograMill One. The world’s smallest 5-axis milling machine combines industrial manufacturing quality with high precision and modern design. In the innovative 5-axis turn-milling technique, the workpiece rotates around the tool at a constant feed and the tool never leaves the block, ensuring short milling times and minimal tool wear.

Various validated processing strategies are available for different materials and indications; the unit has been particularly developed for milling IPS e.max CAD and the new innovative IPS e.max ZirCAD. The machine’s wireless capabilities allow it to be operated from any location within close proximity with the help of a special app for tablets and smartphones; its optical status display shows the current status of the machine. PrograMill One is coordinated with intra-oral scanners and Design Studio software from 3Shape.

The PrograMill One will once again be demonstrated in June at Ivoclar Vivadent’s annual ICDE event, exclusively alongside the new PrograMill PM7 which will be presented to laboratories as a future-proof solution for the digital manufacture of prosthetic restorations.

The consistent hub of visiting dental professionals were assisted by Ivoclar Vivadent’s attending product specialists across both stands, who provided demonstrations on the new and existing ranges available, as well as special offers and expert advice. 

Ivoclar Vivadent’s Technical & Digital Product Manager, Leo James, who was on hand over the course of the two days commented, “ since the launch of Ivoclar Digital at IDS we anticipated that DTS (Dentistry) would be the perfect platform to showcase Ivoclar Vidadent's latest digital innovations to the UK’s dental industry.”

“We’re delighted with the enthusiasm that the Ivoclar Digital concept has been met with, overall the show has proven itself to be an invaluable lead & sales generator for us and I’m looking forward to seeing the new portfolio being integrated into the market further”.

 

For more information on the Ivoclar Digital product portfolio and technical support please contact a Digital Specialist or visit http://www.ivoclardigital.com/en

·         South and Ireland - Vicken Hatsakordzian 07772 746780

·         Midlands and North - Tom Rolling 07817 441320

 

Facebook: Ivoclar Vivadent UK & Ireland

Twitter: @IvoclarUK

Instagram: @IvoclarVivadentUK

  3837 Hits
3837 Hits
MAY
24
0

Henry Schein ConnectDental Digital Symposium – another huge success

Henry Schein ConnectDental Digital Symposium – another huge success

 

 

A gathering of more than 400 delegates at this year’s Henry Schein ConnectDental Digital Symposium is testament to just how far the digital message is resonating with the profession. Organised at the splendid Grange St Paul’s Hotel in central London, the Digital Symposium is now rightly regarded as the premier digital event in UK dentistry.

 

The diverse two-day programme covered all aspects of the digital spectrum, through a series of lectures, presentations and break-out sessions and was opened with a keynote lecture by Ian Buckle. Mr. Buckle, an experienced clinician with a private practice in the North West, examined the important relationship between clinicians and their technical colleagues and how the use of digital tools can aid communication not only with the laboratory, but also other specialists, including orthodontists, implant dentists and surgeons. In a frank and entertaining personal commentary, Ian discussed what works, what does not and what the future might hold for those reluctant to adopt digital processes.

The Henry Schein ConnectDental platform offers digital technology solutions to help improve efficiency and productivity for both the practice and the laboratory with the aim of enhancing the patient experience by delivering predictable, high-quality dentistry. The role of digital dentistry in achieving this aim was perfectly illustrated by one of the highlights of the Symposium—a  two-part presentation by Colin Campbell and Jameel Gardee, which included a full case study on digitally planning the smile and guided implant surgery. The presentation included details of how intraoral scanning, CBCT, digital x-rays, digital photography and smartphone video were all used to provide a fully-planned, interdisciplinary case, which included the live capture of a patient’s information. In addition, the case demonstrated how to create a digital wax-up as well as the production of a milled implant surgical guide. The case was completed on the Saturday morning when Colin described the surgical procedures and compared the relative benefits of the different guided systems used on the case.

 

With content to excite and inspire dental professionals at every stage of their digital journey, the Digital Symposium is clearly at the forefront of digital education. Dental professionals rely on Henry Schein’s experience and advice. With this symposium, the company guided those taking their first steps in the digital world and assisted those practitioners who have already embraced the technology and are seeking to perfect their craft.

 

Jane MacRae, Marketing Manager at Henry Schein Dental, was delighted with the response from the profession and the industry: “The Digital Symposium is the perfect vehicle for us to demonstrate the way in which the clinical solutions we offer help our customers remain at the forefront of patient care. These solutions work across numerous dental disciplines, including implants, orthodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, laboratory services, and many more. We believe that the experience and knowledge shared at this event will show customers our commitment to help them achieve their digital vision. This year’s event encapsulated a shift in the acceptance of the digital transformation and I think we can look forward to some very exciting times in the near future.”

 

Videos and images of the event are available to download at hsddigitalsymposium.co.uk

  5721 Hits
5721 Hits
MAY
15
0

Listening, talking and networking:- Dentistry Show 2017

Listening, talking and networking:- Dentistry Show 2017

We enjoyed an extremely busy couple of days at the Dentistry Show on Friday and Saturday in Birmingham. This year we didn’t have a stand, so we did a lot of walking, talking and listening of course…...

A few initial thoughts and products that caught the eye:-

The Full Picture

In a room of a few thousand people, it always intrigues me the different impressions people get from the show. “Fantastic show”, “our stand has been so busy” “selling loads of gear” and then you move about 3 feet to the next stand and the reaction is totally different “waste of time”, “not as busy as last year” “this part of the room isn’t getting any footfall” so when stepping back and looking at the full picture, I reckon it is somewhere in the middle. The show was certainly busy but it is not for everyone.

Takeaway - it is not always about following the crowd. This kind of show works for some companies but not all.

Closer Still

Closer Still Media, have built an amazing business, which is demonstrated by the fact that the show attracts a huge number of exhibitors, speakers and visitors. As you will know from previous blogs, GDPUK have not always had the best experience at the Dentistry Show but we must say that it has a great spirit, atmosphere and 2 days seems a perfect amount of time.

Well done to all the Dentistry Show team and the wider Closer Still Media team which is now over 200 people strong. They obviously understand the formula to produce extremely successful events.

Internet of Things

Last year we reported on Oral-B’s move into connected toothbrushes and now Philips have followed with the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart which not only is incredibly smart with its matt black handle, black brush head and charge in glass technology, it also uses connected technology to inspire and motivate patients to take better care of their oral health. I believe it will be available to consumers in the next few months. Great to see dentistry leading the way in connected devices and improving oral-health at the same time.

Good to Great

“Good to Great” is a journey to greater business prosperity for dentists, which has been underpinned in the last 12 months by the introduction of SoE’s Customer Success Programme. (Software of Excellence). The Good to Great Challenge encourages dentists to think more clearly about how they can optimise their performance and maximise revenue and provides a vehicle by which dentists can track and follow the progress of likeminded dental practices. More information available here - http://www.g2gchallenge.com/ 

Will be interesting to see how many practices get involved in this challenge and what affect it has on their practice over the 12 months.

Social

The show is great for networking which is demonstrated by the thousands of people attending and the huge queues at the Starbucks just outside hall 5! I really enjoyed this element of the show, fantastic to catch up with so many people from all areas of the profession.

A few other mentions and thoughts

  • The Simply Health juice drinks were delicious and perfect after a few beers on the Friday evening. I am sure anyone who attended the Dental Awards or the Dental Circle party also found those drinks refreshing :)
  • Prem at Quick Straight Teeth certainly caught the eye but I know this has been covered elsewhere on social media :)
  • The dental industry certainly seemed positive overall, digital is growing. Innovation isn't always the quickest in dentistry compared to other sectors but some of the options and resources available to a dentist just starting their dental practice journey are endless.
  • The 3M intraoral mobile tablet scanner is extremely clever and could be excellent for interaction with your patient. Info here.

Thanks for reading and hopefully see you at the BDA Conference in a couple of weeks. Get in touch if you would like to meet up or need some advice on the best restaurants in Manchester.

  5667 Hits
5667 Hits
MAY
04
0

STRAUMANN JUGGERNAUT LAUNCHES NATIONAL UK DIGITAL TOUR

STRAUMANN JUGGERNAUT LAUNCHES NATIONAL UK DIGITAL TOUR

 

Straumann UK invites you to rock out this summer at one of the most instrumental roadshows UK dentistry has ever seen. They will have you jamming to the tune of digital success as they unveil a number of exciting developments to their digital solutions portfolio.

For 10 days in July the ‘Straumann Juggernaut’ will play host to the Digital Performance ‘rock n roll’ themed tour, taking to the road and visiting seven locations across the UK. The highly-anticipated rock fest will showcase to clinicians, tech-nicians and CDTs the potential to amplify their career with the NEW synchronised digital workflow from Straumann® CARES® Digital Solutions.

This epic roadshow, is a result of Straumann’s commitment to ensure clinicians, technicians and CDT have everything they need for every step of the treatment pathway. Audiences can expect to see exclusive performances from headlines acts such as Case Planning & Guided Surgery, Digital Impressions, Lab Scanners, In-Lab & Centralised Milling, 3D Printing and Scan & Shape.

ROCK OUT TO DIGITAL…

The new and exciting Straumann® CARES® Digital Solutions offers the complete digital workflow to help achieve pre-cision and efficiency, together with the peace of mind of Straumann’s quality, reliability and service. Combining inter-connected software platforms, open and fully validated workflows alongside a wide variety of materials to offer - Strau-mann® CARES® Digital Solutions is a true benchmark in digital dentistry.

•       CASE PLANNING & GUIDED SURGERY - The workflow between coDiagnostiX™ and Straumann® CARES® Visual is completely seamless with DWOS Synergy™. Transfer coDiagnostiX™ implant planning to CARES® Visual and receive the restorative plan from the lab technician. Provides complete data visualisation to achieve real-time surgical and restorative case planning.

•       INTRA-ORAL SCANNING - Designed for high performance, ease of use and optimal patient comfort, the extremely compact Straumann® CARES® IO Scanner and Straumann® CARES® IO Portable Scanner allows clinicians to quickly and easily create digital impression data that can be used to design and produce effective prosthodontic solutions. 3Shape TRIOS® Wireless Intraoral Scanners enhances patient experience, reduces chair-time and unlocks the widest range of treatment opportunities. Backed by continuous software updates, upgradable hardware and add-on treat-ment modules, the 3Shape TRIOS® 3 range of intraoral scanners offers accurate, ultra-fast, powder-free scanning.

•       LAB SCANNERS - Straumann® CARES® 3Series and 7Series Desktop Scanners effectively combine proven and estab-lished scanning process with the latest computer technology in an elegant, functional design, to accurately scan models and impressions. The scanners combine proven laser triangulation technology with three or five axes of free-dom and are embedded with a powerful PC and several DWOS applications.

•       IN-HOUSE MILLING & 3D PRINTING - Straumann offers the capability of milling custom dental prosthetics in-house via the flexible Straumann® CARES® Series Milling Units (C, D & M Series). Additionally, the Straumann® CARES® P Series 3D Printer sets a new standard in 3D printing for labs, offering speed and reliability specially tailored to satisfy the highest demands in both the practice and laboratory.

•       OUTSOURCED PRODUCTION – The Straumann® CARES® Centralised Milling facility operates as an extension of the modern laboratory, with state-of-the art equipment and validated workflows. There is a comprehensive range of products to choose from, including one-step restorations, customised abutments, screw-retained bridges and bars, copings, bridge frameworks as well as full contour crowns and bridges. Alongside this, Straumann offer a variety of materials including multiple glass ceramics, zirconia available in numerous shades and translucencies, cobalt chrome, titanium and polymers.

By adding an all-encompassing digital dimension to their portfolio Straumann have added a completely new vibe to their offering – they’re more than a dental implant company, they’re your digital solutions partner.

TOUR DATES

Audiences will be driven wild by the great product deals, insightful presentations and hands-on demonstrations on offer at the Straumann Digital Performance Tour. Plus, with exclusive backstage access to the live music and entertainment on offer, and after parties scheduled at selected locations, the Straumann Digital Performance Tour promises to be a must-attend event for any technician, CDT or clinician looking to enhance their digital offering in 2017 and beyond.

•   10TH – 11TH JULY

LONDON

12TH JULY

EXETER

•   13TH – 14TH JULY

COVENTRY

•   17TH – 18TH JULY

MANCHESTER

19TH JULY

LEEDS

20TH JULY

NEWCASTLE

21ST JULY

EDINBURGH

 

 

Don’t miss the opportunity to see these fantastic innovations at the Straumann Digital Performance Tour. FREE to attend places are limited - to book your place visit straumanndigitalperformance.co.uk, or visit Straumann at TDS / DTS on Stand B10 or call 01293 651230.

 

straumanndigitalperformance.co.uk

straumann.co.uk

therevu.co.uk

Facebook: Straumann UK Twitter: @StraumannUK #digitalperformancetour

  5028 Hits
5028 Hits
SEP
09
0

Digital dentistry made easy with Planmeca!

Digital dentistry made easy with Planmeca!

 

Join Planmeca and special guests on stand E70 and experience how easy it is to embrace digital dentistry within your practice!

Planmeca are hosting a series of 1 hour workshops taking you on a ‘same day digital dentistry’ journey starting with renowned dental business consultant Chris Barrow. Chris will present a look into the future of the ‘Connected Digital Dental Practice’ and talk about the benefits of integrating digital dentistry within your practice. This session will be followed by the Nordic Institute of Dental Education (NIDE) who will present a hands-on  ‘CAD/CAM for dental clinics’ session, utilising Planmeca’s chairside digital impression system; PlanFITTM, and giving each delegate the opportunity to scan design and manufacture their very own restoration guided by the digital experts from Planmeca and NIDE.

Closing the workshop will be Ivoclar Vivadent, who will provide an overview of the process of staining, glazing and characterisation of your restorations, plus the material choices available and the aesthetic results achieved.

If you’re interested in digital dentistry then make Planmeca your no.1 destination at this year’s dental showcase.

For more information and to secure your place on one of the 16 workshops, please call us Freephone 0800 5200 330 or visit www.planmeca.com for more information.

  4001 Hits
4001 Hits
OCT
28
0

Planmeca opens a state of the art customer experience centre and head office.

Planmeca opens a state of the art customer experience centre and head office.

Situated just outside Coventry and within the spectacular Ricoh Arena – home to the Wasps, Europe’s most progressive rugby club – Planmeca welcomed their new distribution partners and esteemed guests last Thursday to officially open a new customer experience centre and UK headquarters.

The showroom was opened by Tuomas Lokki, Planmeca Group Senior Vice President and Karl O’Higgins Managing Director of Planmeca UK.

Tuomas said “this is a new era for Planmeca UK and our new home is one of the most important foundations from which success can be built upon. This new facility offers the perfect environment to discover our range of digital imaging solutions, world class CAD/CAM system and our range of highly innovative digital dental units.”

Karl echoed Tuomas’s comments by saying “This stunning facility is testament to Heikki Kyöstil?’s vision for Planmeca UK to be an integral part of Planmeca’s global success – Mr Kyöstil? is founder and president of the Planmeca Group, who unfortunately could not be present for the event, but wished the local team and distribution partners well for the future.

Via our new and expanded distributor network, alongside a world class product portfolio and innovative mobile showroom, we are now well positioned across the UK and Ireland. Any dentist or DCP wanting to experience Planmeca’s innovative digital workflow now has that opportunity through multiple channels and in multiple environments.

The new customer experience centre features a dedicated CAD/CAM training zone alongside a full range of 3D imaging machines showcasing the latest in imaging technology. The showroom also includes Planmeca’s range of digital dental units, all combined through the comprehensive and modular Romexis software. The showroom can be easily transformed into a small conference and event facility capable of hosting courses for up to 40 delegates.

The showroom is equipped with the latest technology to ensure seamless presentations with full HD LED projectors and multi speaker surround sound installed, ensuring a seamless experience for both presenters and delegates. There are a number of meeting rooms available, all of which are equally fitted out with the latest conference technology and catering is available from the Ricoh Arena in-house hospitality team. If you have need for a high quality Midlands lecture and events facility, maybe give us a call.

 

To view the complete range of Planmeca digital solutions at our NEW customer experience centre, please call 0500 500 686, alternatively email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


www.planmeca.co.uk

0500 500 586

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5123 Hits
OCT
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Redefining Digital Expertise | Carestream Dental

Redefining Digital Expertise  |  Carestream Dental

The digital workflow is growing ever more powerful in the dental profession. In fact, we found that 95% of dentists who employ digital technologies enjoy a smoother workflow, 88% suggest any staff training expenses are perfectly acceptable, and more than 50% experience an increase in earnings. Perhaps most importantly, the majority of users also agree that the patient experience is enhanced.

 

At Carestream Dental, we understand the pressures on modern professionals and have invested heavily in research and product development to create effective solutions to the challenges you face every day. All our technologies are available on their own but work together seamlessly for a flexible and totally integrated workflow.

From the very beginning, our new CS Digitalizer enables you to quickly and easily evaluate your practice to establish your individual needs and discover the most suitable innovations for you. The Needs Assessment Survey will enable you to enter basic information about your practice and future goals, and then produce a full report with suggestions of relevant areas to consider in order to optimise and grow your business. Available on the website www.carestreamdental.com/digitalizer or from the App Store, this quick and convenient tool will show you exactly how your practice stands, offering the opportunity to see how others compare in your area.

Whether you are looking to increase your digital capabilities, or take your first steps towards a digital workflow, we provide a range of solutions backed up by expert advice and support. From the handheld CS 3500 intraoral scanner to the CS 7200 imaging plate system, our user-friendly technologies deliver outstanding image clarity for accurate diagnostics, with the flexibility to work in the way you prefer. The innovative CS 8100 3D imaging system even harnesses the power of 3D and brings it within every general practice’s reach, all the while limiting radiation dosage for a safer examination process for both patient and professional.  

Offering further benefits to you and your team the CS R4+ practice management software, featuring Springboard, operates in real-time data, giving you an up-to-the-minute analysis of your practice performance whenever required. Focusing on chair occupancy, treatment plan uptake, appointment confirmation and recare protocols, the programme highlights strengths and weaknesses in an instant so you can manage your business as efficiently as possible.

When utilised effectively, the digital workflow offers copious advantages for the modern dental practice. Every day systems are simplified and streamlined, with enhanced diagnostics, treatment planning and patient communications contributing to an overall superior patient service. At Carestream Dental, we will continue our commitment to you through our leading innovations and first-rate customer service, and we are always on hand should you need more information, advice or technical support. A move towards digital is often much easier and less costly than you would think – and the rewards can be mind-blowing.

 

For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

For all the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook

 

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MAY
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Balancing the Digital Dentistry Stool | Chris Barrow

Balancing the Digital Dentistry Stool | Chris Barrow

The concept of digital dentistry is a three-legged stool. In no particular order, those legs are digital equipment, the tools used to make teeth; digital smile design, the way you treatment plan; and digital marketing, the way you get people in through the door.

I frequently speak about what is known as the ‘adoption cycle’. This is a bell-shape curved graph, and working from left to right you have ‘innovators’, ‘early adopters’, ‘late adopters’ and ‘laggards’. At the far left hand-side of the curve, you have the few people who are keen to try something new without any concrete evidence. The ‘early adopters’ are those who will try new things once some evidence of their success is made available, and the ‘late adopters’ will only jump on the bandwagon once solutions are tried, tested and refined. The ‘laggards’ tend to be those who are open to very little change, if any at all.

As a group, dentists are not brilliant at moving through the adoption cycle. The majority of dentists operate at the ‘late adoption’ stage of the curve, with the next largest group ‘early adopters’ and an ever-diminishing number of ‘laggards’. There aren’t, unfortunately, many dentists working in the ‘innovation’ phase either, although this is somewhat understandable – as trained medical professionals, they want to see clinical evidence of new products or technologies working effectively before they employ them in their own businesses. This does, however, make the process of innovation and development quite difficult in dentistry, as suppliers and manufacturers have limited options regarding who will trial their latest products.

Digital equipment

There is a growing range of dental technologies available on the dental market designed to facilitate the reproduction of natural-looking and functional dentition. Equipment has been advanced and refined over time to now produce clinical results of previously unparalleled accuracy and quality, enhancing the standard of dental treatment provided to patients, increasing their satisfaction and therefore helping businesses to grow. Technologies have also been developed to streamline the clinical and management workflows within practices, allowing more efficient daily processes for happier and more relaxed staff.

The umbrella term of ‘digital equipment’ now includes everything from milling machines to CAD/CAM software and 3D printers, but its place on the adoption cycle varies between countries. In the USA, for example, digital equipment is in the ‘early adoption’ phase, but the UK is slightly behind in the ‘innovation’ stage. This is an opportunity for the manufacturers of digital technologies in the UK and Europe to expand their market reach, and we will continue to see the arrival of more new equipment on British shores in the near future for this reason.

Digital Smile Design (DSD)

Here we start to get into the territory of Christian Coachman – a kind of ‘Photoshop on steroids’ for enhanced treatment planning. Once again, much of the developed world is currently moving into the ‘early adopters’ stage with regards to DSD, while the UK remains in the ‘innovation’ step of the curve. Deployment of the DSD concept may be somewhat slow here at the moment, but it offers huge potential for those who invest.

Digital Marketing

This embraces the lifecycle marketing concept that is now working its way through the dental arena. Following seven proven principles, digital marketing involves attracting new patients, encouraging them to return and encouraging referrals for new business from them. When considering Google, pay-per-click, adwords, search engine optimisation and effective website design, most dentists in the UK are probably towards the top of the curve, moving from ‘early’ to ‘late adopters’. Even the most cantankerous principals now widely accept that a practice website is necessary for the growth of a modern business. When you look at elements such as Facebook advertising, however, most practices will slide back down to the ‘innovation’ stage very quickly. This is a similar story when you consider CRM software, such as that available from InfusionSoft, and automated email marketing.

Don’t break a leg

It is essential for dental practices to look at all three legs of the digital stool in order to successfully adopt the concept and technologies and use them to enhance the patient service provided. This is particularly important for independent practices – corporates and large groups of practices will take more time to innovate and implement the changes needed as they have more management levels to work through. Independent, single practices have the opportunity, therefore, to get ahead of the game and distinguish themselves from the competition.

We at 7connections can provide any bespoke advice or information you might need to make sure you remain at the cutting-edge of dentistry, while also helping you optimise your business for maximum long-term success.

 

For more information about 7connections and the business coaching opportunities available, please call 01647 478145,

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.7connections.com

  4936 Hits
4936 Hits
OCT
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Toothpick.com awarded Smarta Top 10 ‘Most Innovative Businesses’

 

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Toothpick.com has recently been announced as one of this year’s entries in the Smarta Top 100 Business Awards. Launched in November 2012, the company has been acknowledged within the Top 10 ‘Most Innovative Businesses’ category.

In partnership with O2, The Smarta 100 Awards (http://www.smarta.com) aims to celebrate innovation and finds the best 100 businesses in the UK. This year’s entrepreneur judges of the Top 100 include Ben Dowd (Business Director, O2), Holly Tucket MBE (Co-Founder and CEO, Notonthehighstreet.com) and Piers Linney (Dragons’ Den and CEO, Outsourcery).

As the only dental-focused business to be included within this category, Toothpick.com has been recognised for strongly supporting the growth of dental practices within the UK with an aim to provide transparent access to patients with a live online booking system.

All the winners of Smarta 100 have been invited to the awards ceremony, taking place in central London mid-November. The overall Business of the Year and winner of the £10,000 grand prize will be announced on the night alongside the winners of each category.

To put online dental appointment booking on the map place your vote here http://www.smarta.com/smarta100/2013/toothpick/

For more information about Toothpick visit www.toothpick.com/get-listed, call 020 77681851 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Facebook: /ToothpickDental

Twitter: @toothpick

 

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15219 Hits
OCT
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A third of cosmetic treatments booked online!

 

 

A third of cosmetic treatments booked online!

Recent booking data analysis by Toothpick (toothpick.com) has identified that online appointment booking is fast-becoming a must-have service within the dental practice, revealing that half of all live bookings (50%) [i] made are done so outside of surgery hours (Mon-Fri, 9am – 5pm).

This ever-increasing statistic represents a dramatic shift in the way patients perceive dentistry and the options available to them, as their personal time is being spent researching cosmetic treatment and trawling practices for last-minute appointments whilst sitting in the comfort of their own home.

The analysis also uncovered that over a third of these bookings (37%) were made for cosmetic consultations. With around one in ten general dental practitioners now signed up with toothpick.com and the average practice offering cosmetic treatments, online appointment booking is proving to be an ideal platform to promote these services.

Mintel’s ‘Dentistry MBD 2013’[ii] recent report also supports these statistics, reporting significant growth in cosmetic dentistry over the last five years, increasing to £1.3 billion in 2013, and highlighting that there is likely to be as much as 21% growth in the next five years.  Such findings are further evidence that by opening your doors 24/7 with an online appointment booking system, your practice can generate additional revenue and become more profitable whilst working the same surgery hours.

Additionally, this electronic revolution offers an obvious solution to prevent last minute ‘white space’ in the appointment diary, as Toothpick’s analysis confirmed that over 1 in 5 (21%) bookings are made within 24 hours of the practice putting them online, successfully making unfilled gaps in the diary visible to potential patients and ensuring they’re quickly occupied.

 

See the results for yourself and try online appointment booking for FREE* today, with a no-obligation, no-risk trial. If it’s not for you, don’t worry – you can choose to cancel for free! For more detailed information visit www.toothpick.com/get-listed, call 020 77681851 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Facebook: /ToothpickDental

Twitter: @toothpick

 

[1] Toothpick booking data analysis, online bookings, Jul-Aug 2013

[1] MINTEL, 2013. Dentistry MBD August 2013. London.

 

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7022 Hits
SEP
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Why do we love Digital Publishing?

 

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Since starting as a mailing list in 1997, GDPUK has evolved into one of the major digital publishers of Dental content in the UK. With around 6000 members regularly using the dental forum, plus a range of dentals news and blogs constantly being published, I want to look at the advantages of digital publishing, why we enjoy it so much and how the UK Dental profession is benefitting.

Instant news

As written in a previous blog, we have all become addicted to the latest news and information. As I write this blog, the football transfer deadline is looming with fans hoping their team will sign players or hold on to players. Fans follow the transfers on social media, through TV and on their phones either reading mobile sites or communicating with their friends. News is constant and moves at a quicker pace than ever before and dentistry is no different. GDPUK often publishes content in a matter of minutes, like yesterdays exclusive UK Graduate news. Publishing everything online means we have no print deadlines and can publish articles within a few minutes.

Content

A unique advantage of digital publishing is that you can constantly produce content. We do this through the news, blogs and forum. The forum has over 500 different contributors a month, which means that a range of opinions are expressed throughout the day and some fantastic, well informed debates take place. We have a number of bloggers as well, who write dental focused content for the site and this produces insightful, humorous and thought provoking blogs for the site. We also constantly publish dental news, with a number of exclusives pieces of news a year. This means that the content on the site is consistently evolving and staying fresh.

Interaction

GDPUK members’ interacting with each other is the lifeblood of the forum. Members enjoy engaging with each other on a regular basis, sometimes giving useful information, sometimes being critical, sometimes being provocative but all this interaction creates a sense of community. Members who read but do not post (lurkers) still get the feeling of being part of the community and read the posts on the forum with interest. Dentists are gaining information, insight, advice and education from the forum; we believe the ever increasing interaction between the members is great for the dentists and the profession.

Accessibility

As a digital platform the site can be accessed from anywhere. August a traditional holiday month in the UK was the busiest month in the history of the site, with our members accessing the forum from all corners of the world on a range of mediums. The eagerly awaited GDPUK app is nearly close to completion and this will give further accessibility to dentists who are looking for regular dental news & opinion on a tablet device. We believe that the site has become a central part of our member’s daily lives; they will check general news, social media and then GDPUK. This can be confirmed by a recent GDC report on Standards with the paragraph reading as follows on social media, “Social media covers a number of internet based tools which allow people to create and exchange content. It includes blogs, internet forums, content communities and social networking sites such as Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn, GDPUK, Instagram and Pinterest.” This small sentence from the GDC is a great example of how information is being accessed, 24 hours a day an this is certainly something the dental profession is embracing. Interacting with colleagues, suppliers and customers now happens through a number of mediums.

Numbers Show Interest

At GDPUK we are known for reciting stats and we pride ourselves on offering up to date numbers on how often the site is being used. We prefer to focus on unique visitors and number of visitors because they are seen as a great indicator of traffic to a website and that the content is interesting. The last 8 months has seen a huge rise in these numbers. Each unique visitor in the month is from a single IP address, the total visits in August show that each visitor makes an average of more than 4 visits per month, at an average greater than 4,000 per day. These stats show GDPUK has further cemented its place in the UK Dentistry landscape. We offer a unique place to receive news, information and opinion on the constantly changing world of UK Dentistry. The table below shows that the site has seen some great growth and we appreciate everyone’s support from the dental community. Keep spreading the word and we will continue to grow the resource and community together.

 

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Passion!

As you can probably tell the GDPUK team is passionate about digital publishing and embracing the advantages I have listed above. Digital publishing is still evolving and that is why it is exciting to be part of. In the last few weeks we have improved the site further with a new modern template, plus introducing fresher advertising banners that give greater exposure to our advertising partners. As mentioned earlier in this blog we also hope to introduce a GDPUK App which further enhances our digital publishing pedigree.

How has digital publishing helped your dental business or dental practice? Maybe you do a regular blog or email newsletter? Do you agree that it has helped dentistry? I would love to hear your thoughts and how you see dental publishing evolving?

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Digital Dentistry

Digital Dentistry - DentistGoneBadd drags you into the 21st century

  8952 Hits
8952 Hits
AUG
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4 A * Reasons Email Marketing is still Alive!

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As I have mentioned in my previous digital dentistry blogs, online marketing is a growing industry, with companies investing in a number of different digital formats: Search, Video, Rich Media, Social Media, Mobile and Display. One of the areas that digital marketers still spend their advertising budget in is Email Marketing. Email Marketing sounds like it is old fashioned but if done correctly it is still well and truly alive!

Email marketing is directly marketing a commercial message to a group of people using email. Email marketing in dentistry terms is used in a number of ways. Companies will email current or previous customers to encourage brand loyalty and hopefully win or repeat business. Companies will also send emails in the hope of acquiring new customers. The third way is companies will add advertisements to email messages sent by other companies to their customers. Recent research has suggested that conservative estimates of US companies alone spent US $1.51 billion on email marketing in 2011 and will grow to $2.468 billion by 2016. Amazingly still a growing market.

We now need to look at how email marketing can be used in terms of the dental profession whether you have a new product that you would like dentists to look at, or you would like to attract more patients to your practice. Below are 4 A* reasons (in celebration of exam results) we can still use email marketing to benefit your business and hopefully it will give you some inspiration to revisit your email marketing campaign!

1.    Addiction

After I hit the snooze button for the third time at about 7:30am, I reach for my phone half awake and peruse my emails. We all love to check our emails and unlike other mediums, virtually everyone uses email. Many of us will check email first thing and see what emails we could have been sent in the 7 and a half hours since we last checked! Recent studies have suggested that reading emails consumes 28% of the average workers week and we each send or receive over 112 emails a day! Those stats suggest we keep a close eye on our email inbox. We all have accounts on social media and many of us also check them with regularity but one thing we all have in common is that we all check the email inbox constantly. This means that if you are looking to promote a new product or service, you need to be in your customers email inbox. Email should therefore not be ignored.  

2.    Automated

Auto-responders can easily be set up, which allows you to write and schedule a series of emails that will be sent at regular intervals to any potential customers. They immediately provide information to your prospective customers and then will follow up over a set period. This means that over an example 6 month period you have sent a number of emails and engaged with your customers. Mail Chimp and other email marketing companies offer an auto responder service, which is easy to setup and simple to put in practice. Patients could be sent regular special offers for example over a set period.

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3.    Accountability and Value

 

An exact return on investment (ROI) can be tracked because you will know how many people have received the email, how many people have opened and what the click rate to your message is. This gives you wonderful accountability and value for money. You will also get results instantly. For example with GDPUK when companies advertise in our daily emails or on the website we provide full stats for our customers once a week and even more if they request it. This means that the customer can see what kind of return they are receiving from their digital campaign, with the opportunity to change the banner or message as the campaign progresses.

4.    Aggressive

After we build up a decent list of contacts, prospects and customers, sometimes we can then be cautious with the list. In my previous employment we very rarely sent out email campaigns because we were afraid of appearing too spammy or aggressive but I believe that was a mistake. Please don’t take this advice and send out hundreds of emails a month but if you have something to say or announce, make sure your email list knows about it. (your competitors will be doing the same) There is nothing wrong with sharing information and showing you are doing a good job or can offer excellent value, you want to stay in front of your customer’s eyes as well as plant your brand in the customers mind! Email marketing needs to be constant, well thought out and engaging.

So how can we use email marketing in dentistry?

At GDPUK we keep our members engaged on the site by sending daily digest emails, 3 times a day. This sounds like a lot but these emails all contain different content and contain the latest dental news and the most recent forum posts of the day. This gives our members a chance to check their email inboxes and then click on subjects that interest them. The emails are certainly popular because in an average month they get opened and read 130,000 times. These emails also contain banner ads, which often get excellent click through rates for our customers because our members want to read the emails and the advertisers are reaching a target audience of engaged dentists.

In a dental practice you could send special offers to your patients or an interesting newsletter every few weeks. It means you are proactively communicating with your existing and potential patients instead of hoping they will call or walk in. This will hopefully increase business and develop further patient loyalty. If you send a good offer for “teeth whitening” for example, you could also invite your patients to forward the email offer to their friends or colleagues who might have interest in the offer. So once organised, a few minutes of work every couple of weeks will hopefully fill an empty one or two appointment spaces in the practice! 

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What is the next major trend in Dental Marketing?

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Over the next few years, video will become an integral part of dental marketing. Video attracts and holds customer attention and can contribute to a huge range of marketing ideas whether you are looking to attract new customers or engage current ones.

When we venture online, we are now seeing adverts that are similar to TV ads with the same quality and spend but they are appearing on the computer screen. Some evidence found here suggests that in June 2013, 183 million Americans watched more than 44 billion online content videos and more than 20 billion video advertisements. That is a lot of hours spent watching video! Video content has become increasingly important; in the last year alone over 38 million people watched video on their mobile phones. DG, one of the largest digital ad agencies in the world, point out that in-stream video advertising represents a huge opportunity for advertisers. It is believed that over 200 billion videos are viewed online every month worldwide. DG’s, recent survey results show that click through rate of video ads is on average nearly 2000% more than standard banners. This data suggests that video could be an extremely effective way to drive people to your website, increase traffic levels and ultimately convert sales!

Video ads often get included under the rich media umbrella. The term rich media was coined to describe a broad range of digital interactive media. Rich media can be downloaded but nowadays it is more likely to be embedded within a web page. Rich media is advertising that contains perceptual or interactive elements more elaborate than the usual banner ad. Today, the term is often used for banner ads with popup menus or videos that let the visitor select a particular page to link to on the advertiser's site.

Below is a video about the rise of rich media and its increasing importance in online advertising.

How can video benefit your dental business?

Below are 6 benefits of embracing rich media and online video. These can all be applied to the dental industry.  

1.   Show off your expertise

A video or interactive banner ad can be a fantastic way of showing the world what you know, this then builds credibility with potential customers. This means there has to be a focus on quality content and a well thought out video or advertising campaign.

2.   Make your customers the stars of the video

Colgate and Aquafresh often do this on TV adverts using dentists to endorse their toothpaste but a genuinely satisfied customer is even better, so where possible put customers in the spotlight and let them do the talking about how your product or service has been fantastic or a life saver. This then produces interactive testimonials that show customer satisfaction.

3.   Video becomes part of your overall advertising campaign

The majority of dental companies will have campaigns over multiple mediums. For example, a handpiece manufacturer is promoting their new ultra modern hand piece. They are likely to launch the new handpiece at a trade show, advertise the product in dental magazines and dental websites plus have their rep take it around dental practices, either to existing customers or even potential new customers. As part of this campaign the dental company could also produce a short video that will show how the handpiece works, what the benefits are and maybe some dentists talking about how excellent and easy it is to use. Video could be an exciting addition to a company’s advertising campaign.

4.   Impact on Social Media

The video can be shared across social media, so as well as having it available on a website as an online ad, you can also share the video with your followers on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest or Twitter. Pinterest for example is no longer just images it is now moving past the static images it was originally known for. Sharing of videos within the dental community get people talking and sharing. Video adverts account for 31% of all videos views, if your ad is interesting or different, it will get shared on social media.

5.   Measures Time

With TV we never know how long people are watching TV ads or how long they listen on the radio but with rich media we are able to measure how long the consumer is looking at the advert or content. It is estimated that consumers are 25% more likely to click on a rich media banner than a normal static banner.

6.   Create an engaging story

Create an engaging story, once the consumer is engaged and clicks on the rich media ad or video they want to learn more and like to see the outcome of the story. Increase interest and intrigue in your brand, consumers will start to remember the ad and reports suggest that branded searches will increase threefold. Below is a good example to a link of a dental company promoting a new product and I personally think they have used video brilliantly. What do you think?

 

So how could video work for the dental profession?

So we have seen the benefits but how could we use video? Video could be introduced in a number of areas of the digital dental world. You could put video on your practice website (many people already have this), introduce your product or brand on your company website through a quick video or instead of playing safe with a printed advert or online banner, why not invest in something a bit more innovative or imaginative and try the online video ad like the example we have viewed above. I am sure there are already many possibilities you have envisaged of how video could be used in dentistry, please share them below, we would love to hear your ideas.

GDPUK can now make rich media a reality, if you would like to discuss running a rich media campaign or publishing video ads on our website, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be to discuss marketing opportunities with you. Alternatively please come and visit us at the Dental Showcase @ NEC on stand L06a from the 17th - 19th of October 2013. 

 

 

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Is the Dental Industry ready to embrace Digital Marketing?

People far wiser than myself; tell me with a hint of frustration that the Dental Industry has historically always been a few years behind what is happening in other professions & industries. I believe this applies when looking at the dental industry in relation to advertising & marketing to dentists, their customers.

Online Marketing is about attracting your target market to you by making sure you’re on the platforms that your prospects are using to search for their wants and needs. Online marketing has been increasingly taking a prominent role in businesses that realise the older-fashioned; more established methods such as cold calling, direct mail and print advertising were becoming less and less effective.

Traditional advertising power houses have seen their print advertising revenues decline over the past few years, with huge investment & growth taking place in their online versions. One great example of this is the Daily Mail. Even with its traditional, conservative reputation, The Daily Mail has seen huge revenue decline over the last few years in relation to their print advertising. In the meantime the Mail online website has become a huge draw for advertisers because of its 6.6 million unique visitors a day, which makes it the largest newspaper website ahead of The New York Times and The Guardian. Through a combination of comprehensive news, sports and showbiz reporting, the Daily Mail have embraced online publishing and of course the revenue possibilities.

Over the last few years, we know consumers are making the majority of their purchases online but now this also incorporates industries and professions.

So where am I going with all this? Let’s have a look at the profession we all care about; The Dental Profession. Historically, companies would put special offers or promotional material in trade magazines and expect a response and some return on investment but at GDPUK we know and can see this is changing. The printed magazines are no longer being opened and read like they once were, in my humble opinion they are often left in a heap in the corner of the dental practice. Dentists are looking online for their information, plus they love to share their knowledge with each other. One of the places this is done on an increasingly regular basis is the GDPUK Forum.

GDPUK has been established since 1997 and has evolved into the largest online community for dentists and dental professionals in the UK with approx 6000 members signed up to the site. The site is not open to the public, which means that the GDPUK Forum has become a form of social media for the dental community, where dentists discuss what materials or equipment they use, advise each other on surgical procedures, have lively discussions on the future of UK Dentistry and most importantly feel like they are in a secure environment that provides support and expertise.

Like other online publications, GDPUK has seen huge growth over the last the least few years, while 2013 has been exceptional. The below graphic shows the surge in unique visitors and number of visits in a month since Jan 2013, one we are very proud of. The image illustrates that dentists are using the site day in and day out, they have understood that joining an online community like GDPUK offers a place where they can learn, receive the latest dental news and opinion, take part in the discussions, gather information and form long lasting friendships.

 

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GDPUK Server Statistics August 2013.

 

Membership of the site is free and we look to earn revenue from companies who want to embrace a terrific target audience of dentists. GDPUK offers a number of advertising opportunities on the site. These range from publishing articles in our blog section to a full marketing campaign that can be spread over a number of months. Our clients can try a number of marketing ideas and see what results and ROI online marketing brings them. This is the huge advantage online marketing brings, results are totally transparent and with weekly reporting our clients know when campaigns are successful or need tweaking. Over the years we have seen that marketing on our site has increased numbers at trade shows, improved brand awareness and has been instrumental in the promotion of new products or services which have entered the dental market. As I wrote earlier, “Online Marketing is about attracting your target market to you by making sure you’re on the platforms that your prospects are using to search for their wants and needs”. As you can see from the stats above, GDPUK is one of those platforms.

So I am posing a number of questions that I would love to be discussed.

Should you still be throwing money at traditional advertising streams? Should companies be embracing online only? Would you rather focus marketing on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? Are we still at the point where companies like to mix their budgets all around the industry and see benefits in all mediums? At GDPUK towers we are obviously firm & passionate believers in the online platform and can see signs the dental community is moving closer to embracing the social media and marketing world but what do you think? I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts. 

If you would like more information on GDPUK, how we can work together and make online marketing work for your business, please get in touch with Jonny Jacobs – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I will be glad to chat and show how you can work with our growing community of dentists to grow your business. 

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Recent Comments
Jonny Jacobs

Good Advice in this article as...

http://bdaily.co.uk/opinion/31-07-2013/not-a-marketer-dont-fret-you-can-succeed/... Read More
Friday, 02 August 2013 12:52
Guest

Good Question

That is a very good question, I think it will be a case of the early adopters will benefit, whereas the dental practices and suppl... Read More
Wednesday, 07 August 2013 10:32
Jonny Jacobs

Re Good Question

Thanks Nat, agree with your posting, as I said in the blog, it is all about attracting your target market (which we are all lookin... Read More
Wednesday, 07 August 2013 10:35
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