Ask Marty: If you were going to invest in a new radiography system for your office, what would be your contenders and why?

Q: If you were going to invest in a new radiography system for your office, what would be your contenders and why? Is there a downside to switching to digital radiography?

A: The first decision is based on needs. Do you have a fully functional panoramic system? If you do, then you may want to consider starting with a phosphor plate scanning system, such as ScanX or DentOptix.

I have both phosphor plates and sensors in my office. The plates require a scanner and can accept regular-size plates along with larger sizes. The concept for the staff is much easier to grasp as it retains their current workflow. Plates are similar to film, and the scanner is the digital developer. Plates are less expensive to replace than sensors but will deteriorate over time, so they do need to be replaced.

Sensors are larger in size (thicker) than plates and require the staff to learn how to place the sensors in the patients' mouth. It is not difficult to learn. The images are displayed more quickly then plates because they do not have to be placed in a scanner. Most sensors have a wire attached to them.

I think sensors give a better image than plates, but they are both diagnostic.

I would also look at the software that you want to use. How easy does it integrate to your practice management software, or do you want to run a separate database? I run a separate database.

The most important thing is to involve the staff in the decision process, as they will be using both the software and hardware. Have the various vendors come to your office and shoot radiographs with your x-ray heads to see the quality of the radiographs in your office.

Take it from someone who did not move into digital radiography quickly: There is no downside. It will make educating your patients easier. It will allow your staff to duplicate the radiographs more efficiently, along with being greener for the environment (no more fixer and developer). The best part, though, is ease of retrieving images and never finding a radiograph on the floor and wondering who it belongs to.

Martin Jablow, D.M.D., is a practicing dentist and a self-professed technophile who lectures and blogs on a variety of technologies used in dentistry (dentechblog.blogspot.com). If you have a technology question for Dr. Jablow, e-mail it to us at [email protected]. If we use your question, you'll receive a $10 gift card from Amazon or Starbucks!

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