Leading the way in dental photography and videography

Dr Rhona Eskander shares with readers the difference an auto focus 4K non-interruptive medical camera, multi-mounted design for all purposes, has made to her, her practice, and her patients.

You have had a digital dental camera for a few months now. What was your process like before you got it and how has it changed things for you?

For me, I think being so digitally driven, much of the success of my business is down to the patients being able to visualise any treatment I am proposing. As the saying goes, seeing is believing.

Previously, I was using an educational tool that also helped to show the possibilities of treatment. But it was difficult because I’d get one nurse to stand over me with an iPhone whilst one other was suctioning.

I also wanted to record what was happening for further educational and social media purposes. All with the patient’s permission, of course. It was too much of a juggling act to do it justice.

Ultimately, I chose to buy the miniature Futudent 4K camera. This mounts onto my loupes or light, and it’s recording the whole time. It’s really changed things in terms of ease, sophistication, education, and treatment visualisation, and I feel every dentist should have one to achieve best practice.

How do you feel it has changed your workflow and the patients’ journey in the practice?

I think getting patients to consent to treatment involves understanding and that’s such a hot topic in dentistry. So, as part of the consent process from the very beginning, I can show my patients what I see in their mouths.

Even recording simple things like the examination, where you can see tartar, cracked teeth, fillings that are failing and so forth. Being able to show the patients in real time the realities of their oral health means that they can then consent to the next stage.

Then, when I also film the actual procedure, I can show them what was going on and they say to me, ‘Oh, that was what you were doing in my mouth, that’s amazing!’

For the most part, patients want to know what is going on. It reduces the fear element that results from the unknown.

Take the noise of the drill for example. It is horrible, and we can’t change that. But when a patient knows it’s not as invasive as it sounds, that offers a huge amount of reassurance.

How do you use Futudent to support patient education?

I think that there is always a risk of a patient not understanding what you’re saying, even if you think you are removing the dental jargon. Many dentists draw diagrams to help their patient fathom treatment processes. But really there’s nothing more helpful that seeing your own mouth.

As a patient, sometimes it’s a bit of a blur. We’ve all been there with healthcare professionals, losing track of what they’re saying. But with the camera, I can show them exactly what they’ve got going on, what I can do for them and what they can do for themselves.

What are the differences now for you and your team in terms of issues like record keeping and guarding against litigation?

For our team, I think it makes us feel really safeguarded. For record keeping nowadays, taking and saving contemporaneous notes is not really enough.

We need to be able to show evidence, because sometimes it’s just our word against that of the patient. But if you can actually show what was going on thanks to camera footage, people can’t fault or doubt you.

So, as long as you’ve done everything right and can justify your choices, camera footage will save you from the uncertain elements of possible complaints and/or litigation.

What are your favourite features of Futudent?

Firstly, that it is lightweight, so I can have it on my loupes, and I barely know it’s there. Another feature that I love is the foot pedal. You don’t need to worry about turning it on and off while your hands are gloved. Then there is the high-definition quality, it’s so detailed; when you see the images, you realise what you are missing out on when you use your iPhone!

What are your top three tips for using a digital camera?

Spend some time familiarising yourself with how to set it up and really understanding how it works. It can be a little bit complicated at first.

Also, make sure you use it all the time. It’s not an optional extra. Embrace the future and recognise that technology is going to be a part of everyday dental practice.

Lastly, when you do decide to use a camera, make sure you have the patient’s consent. Obviously, filming requires consent.

Ultimately, investing in Futudent has been a breakthrough for me in my practice. It has multiple benefits, from patient education and treatment documenting, as we’ve already talked about, to use on the lecture circuit and on social media.

At the end of the day, if you invest in new technology for your practice, you can take control of the patient experience in a really positive way and your business will grow.


If you would like to hear from Rhona on this topic, her free webinar, ‘Astonishing non-interruptive hands-free cameras for dental documentation and communication’ will be hosted on dentistry.co.uk on 16 March at 7pm – simply register here.

Sponsored by Quintess Denta, supplier of Futudent cameras in the UK and Ireland, they can be contacted at [email protected] or call (UK) 028 6862 8966 (ROI) 048 6862 8966.

Favorite
Get the most out of your membership by subscribing to Dentistry CPD
  • Access 600+ hours of verified CPD courses
  • Includes all GDC recommended topics
  • Powerful CPD tracking tools included
Register for webinar
Share
Add to calendar