Gary Radz, DDS Blog
March 23, 2009
I recently returned from the Chicago MidWinter Dental meeting. I found a few interesting new technologies that may be of interest, especially on the patient education aspect of a cosmetic dental practice.
First was a new patient education program available thru Schien, called GURU. Very simple to use, has great interfacing with existing software, good/brief/accurate descriptions that will help the patient understand better conditions and treatments we are discussing with them. I’m current doing an in office evaluation of GURU. Our initial impression has been very positive.
Another cool piece of software I found is by Dentsply Prosthetics called TruRx. It is a digital denture prescription. Very helpful for the dentist that does not do alot of removable work. The software will guide you thru how to select the teeth. The most interesting thing about the software is it’s ability to do instant smile imaging. Using a digital photograph of the patient the software perform a smile enhancement instantly on the patients photo to be able to provide the patient with an idea of how their smile can be improved. What I really like about this application is that you can use the imaging on the patient whether you are doing a denture OR doing veneers!
Along these lines Heraeus has an online program available at www.smilebyvenus.com which can allow anyone to upload a digital photo onto the Venus site and the patient can actually do their own imaging! Really cool stuff with lots of potential. Definately makes me glad that I signed up to be a “Venus Provider”. I think this website can certainly draw a few patients to our website and hopefully our office.
All of the above are interesting technologies that are worth a look.
Gary Radz, DDS
February 21, 2009
Yesterday I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Benco National Sales meeting. What a great day! This was a bit different for me….there was not a single dentist in the audience of 500 people. Rather it was the entire sales force of Benco. It was a fun challenge to present to a nondentist group.
What I learned in my preparation and my 3 days participating in their meeting is that this is a great company that’s trying hard to do the right thing. Benco has only recently started expanding West so I really didn’t know that much about the company. Now, knowing them better I’m truly impressed with the goals and the direction of this company! They truly are dedicated to the success of their dentists/clients.
I having a great time here with this group and will leave with a new appreciation for Benco and it’s dedication to our profession.
February 18, 2009
Recently we have started testing two shade taking devices.
The potential of this technology is very exciting. We have the Vita EasyShade Compact and the Olympus Crystal Eye. If this technology works it will be a huge advantage for dentists trying to do better (and profitable) cosmetic dentistry. The EasyShade, is just that very easy. the Crystal Eye, though easy to use is a far more complex machine. To date we have not done enough evaluation to give a fair opinion on either, but our initial impression is that these can certainly be helpful tools in arrive in the correct color selection.
That being said, it does not appear to be able to completely eliminate the human element of using your own eyes and make informed decisions. Certainly the potential exists to be able to more accurately select the appropriate shade for an anterior bonding case or a porcelain veneer case and even the dreaded single unit anterior crown!!
January 26, 2009
In late August we recieved our iTero digital impression machine from Cadent. We have had impressive results and are really excited about the potential this technology brings to our office.
Recently I’ve been working with the leadership with Cadent and discussing how we can help with exposing more dentists to this technology. In the very near future we expect to be holding some evening courses in our office to demonstate this technology. Check back to this site or email me (radzdds@aol.com) for more infomation.
Additionally, I will have an article published in the March addition of Dental Economics regarding digital impression technology and our experiences with the iTero unit.
Gary M. Radz, DDS
www.garyradz.com
January 8, 2009
As of Monday, we are now open for business in our new downtown dental practice in Denver.
Although not entirely complete we are able to see patients and conduct business. It is going to be a wonderful place to work.
Also, our education facility is nearly completed. Looking forward to start booking some educational events here in the near future. Currently in discussions with the Tulsa Implant folks and the Cadent iTero sales team to begin to host some programs for them.
Looking forward to getting that aspect of our facility going as well. Continue to follow this blog for more information regarding dental education and/or go to the schedule section of www.garyradz.com for a complete listing of our in office programs as well.
Gary Radz, DDS
Snow Mountain Seminars
www.garyradz.com
303 298 1414
December 19, 2008
In September we had the first organizational meeting of the Colorado Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. This group is an affilate of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (www.aacd.com) . I look forward to having a local group of like minded dentists to share ideas.
This group also will help to provide a venue to bring to Colorado esthetically focused continuing education. I accepted the job as CE chairman for our new organization. Having served in the past and currently in a similar capacity within our parent organization I hope to use that experience to bring in some excellent speakers.
Our first program will be on Feb. 6th, 2009 at the CDA/MDDS building. We will have 2 great speakers at this program. First will be Dr. Hugh Flax from Atlanta. Hugh is currently the AACD vice-president and will assume the presidency in two years. Hugh also founded the Georgia AACD affilate, so he will be a great source of information for our membership as to how to fully utilize our new organization. Additionally, Hugh as a wealth of knowledge in the area of laser usage in cosmetic dentistry and will be doing a presentation on this subject as well. Our second speaker is local prosthodontist Dr. Aldo Leopardi. Aldo was one of the highest rated speakers at the last AACD national meeting! He’ll be presenting his anterior implant lecture, which is an excellent program for any cosmetic dentists to learn more.
Anyone interested can contact me directly at radzdds@aol.com .
I look forward to learning more locally and to the challenge of bringing to Colorado cosmetic dentists great speakers.
Gary M. Radz, DDS
www.garyradz.com
downtown denver dental practice : www.radzdds.com and www.downtowndenverdentist.com
December 13, 2008
Last Monday I spent the day at the South Bend offices of Heraeus.
We discussed their ideas of improving the level of continuing education to several of us who travel extensively teaching.
The idea is to bring effective teaching ideas to dentists.
Heraeus is making efforts to create an esthetically focused line of materials that you may have seen marketed under the “Venus” brand.
Venus can refer to their porcelain and/or composite materials. Both materials have excellent physical properties and are highly esthetic. The teaching concept is to teach dentists great materials with predicatable techniques.
I envision this to be an excellent program to help dentists improve their final results in direct bonding, porcelain veneers, and posterior esthetics. I’m looking forward to working with Heraeus to help other dentists improve their cosmetic dentistry.
Gary Radz, DDS
www.garyradz.com
November 5, 2008
Getting ready to head out to Bonita Springs, Florida this afternoon.
I’m the program chairman of the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics (www.acesthetics.com) annual meeting. I’m excited to see many new friends and hear a number of great speakers. Should be a great meeting both educationally and socially.
I am doing a shortened version of my porcelain veneer lecture. I’ll be focusing on the basics in porcelain veneer preparation. Will be discussing minimal preparation, partial preparation, and no preparation veneers. The no prep concept is very interesting. DenMat and Lumineers have done a great job of creating interest in the general public. There is alot of information and misinformation on this subject. On Saturday I’ll be sharing my experience and opinion on this area of “controversy”.
Gary Radz, DDS
www.garyradz.com
November 3, 2008
We have started working on moving our office within our building at 999 18th St. in downtown Denver.
It’s an exciting and nerve wracking process!!!
Of interest to this blog it that within this new space I have made room for a small teaching facility (glorified word for a conference room). My hope and intent is that this become a place for myself and others to be able to teach to very small groups. Whether it is a presentation I’m doing on veneers/cosmetic dentistry or a manufacture presenting a new material or dental equipment……we will now be able to do more locally in the area of dental education.
So going forward we will be posting on here what we will be doing educationally in the new facility.
Thanks!
gary radz, dds
www.garyradz.com
October 25, 2008
I’ve been sitting in the Professional Education Committe board meeting all day.
I’m really excited about the program the PEC has put together for this meeting. Lots of great speakers, excellent workshops, a fantastic venue. This has all the makings of a great meeting.
I’ll be very busy at this meeting. Aside from a number of courses that I’m looking forward to attend, I will be taking the written examination for accreditation to maintain my sustaining member status as I continue my accreditation process. Additionally, I’ll be doing 3 presentations:
Monday: I’m doing a corporate symposium for Septodont to discuss their new composite resin system, and will focus on the posterior applications as well as it’s potential for anterior bonding.
Thurs: AM) Will be my favorite lecture “Cosmetic/Elective Dentistry for Adolescents and Young Adults”. This program discusses bleaching, bonding, no-prep veneers (discussion of Lumineers and other similar porcelain products), and focusing on minimally invasive elective dentistry that can create great, improved smiles. PM) I will be leading a hands on workshop for Heraeus featuring the uses of the VENUS porcelain system and it’s application for use as a porcelain veneer system to create smile makeovers. Did this program last year and recieved excellent feedback. So I’m excited to present it again in Hawaii in ’09.
Hope to see you there!
gary radz, dds
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