Cliff's Notes

Enamel Remineralization & “Vacuum Pumps” Care for Them & They’ll Care for You!

Cliff’s Notes for March 21, 2010
…..E-Blast…..

Cliff Marsh, Henry Schein ……Cell: 201-321-7494……Fax: 201-262-2210…..E-mail: cliff.marsh@henryschein.com
http://www.cliffsnotesblog.wordpress.com

“A man may build a complicated piece of mechanism, or pilot a steamboat, but not more than five out of ten know how the apple got into the dumpling.”
Edward A. Boyden

Dentrix/EZ Dental Users Group – Friday, March 26th, Paramus, NJ – 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM – Call Cliff for Details!

In This Week’s Issue
• Man Imposes, God Disposes!
• Enamel Remineralization, Not Everything is High Tech! (See Attachment)
• Joe Blaze is Coming with “Pearls For Your Practice”!
• Vacuum Pumps, Care for Them & They’ll Care for You!
• Sunday March 14th, before the storm.

Man Imposes, God Disposes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
What a week! There was no Cliff’s Notes last week due to the storm. With all the technology and advancements that we have introduced to our world, we can’t overcome nature’s will. Although my family was without power for 6 days and several trees closed off the road, I didn’t have a tree fall on my house. I guess that every now and then we are reminded that we need to respect the power of Mother Nature. I do hope that all of you got through the week safely.

Now, back to dentistry and the quest for “disposable income”.

Enamel Remineralization, Not Everything is High Tech……………………..(See Attached pdf File)……………………………………………..
Kudos to Dr. M, for creating a successful program that appears to be very well excepted by the patients, raised the practice’s standard of care and increased gross revenues in the process. Not everything is high tech, some of it is just good science. As we all know, cosmetic dentistry is down. Patients are putting off elective procedures mostly due to finances. Care Credit & CitiHealth are being looked at as additional credit cards that should only be used for emergency treatments and large co-pays. So, how can we keep the cosmetics going until the economy completes the 180?

In some cases, the remineralization of enamel in conjunction with in-office or home bleaching has produced incredible clinical and cosmetic results. Attached is a presentation on the techniques using MI Paste. It is recommended that you contact me to schedule a lunch and learn so that you and your staff can fully understand the product, the program and predictable results.

The cost of the product can be incorporated into the treatment plan or dispensed separately. MI Paste will net out at less than $11.00 per unit. At $29.95 ( or whatever you feel the patient cost should be) you realize a $19.00 return (36% ROI). Most offices can have 10-15 patients on the program in the first 30 days. You need to remember, this is a treatment plan and repeat visits need to be scheduled. The program also offers opportunities for bleaching within the treatment plan.

This is an incredible technique and the program allows you to offer, when applicable, a more “financially palatable” cosmetic treatment plan without a prolonged invasive procedure. For more information on this program, please feel free to contact me at any time @ 201-321-7494. This is good dentistry.

This image shows the effectiveness of MI Paste. Please review the attached PDF file, consult with your hygiene department and schedule a lunch & learn.

Dr. Joe Blaes is Coming to Town with “Pearls For Your Practice”………………………………………………………………………………….
On Friday, May 7, 2010, Dr. Joe Blaes will be at the Glenpointe Marriot Hotel in Teaneck, NJ. This is a full day event (7 CE’s CERP/PACE) that should not be missed. For more information or to register, call 201-485-7755. You can also log onto: http://www.symposiaCE.com

Vacuum Pumps, Care for Them & They’ll Care for You……………………………………………………………………………………………
They are noisy, occasionally smell and seem to have no personality. However, what happens when they clog or shut down? The answer is, you stop dead in your tracts. Outside of an electrical black-out, there is no other single piece of equipment in your practice that can do that. Your Vacuum & Compressor are your un-sung heroes. We’ll discuss compressors in a future E-Blast, but today is about the “PUMP”.

Your vacuum pump, in design, is very similar to the pump that filters a pool, however, a dental pump is commercial grade and built out of much different materials. They are not complicated but do require daily maintenance and do suggest daily.

There are 2 different types of dental vacuum pumps. They are “Wet Ring” pumps known as water pumps and “Dry Systems” known as dry vacs. The wet ring pump is the most common mostly because of price and space. Wet rings are less expensive and smaller in size, but they are more expensive to maintain and operate. A wet ring pump is connected to and powered by your in-bound water supply. The motor turns a impeller that drives the in-bound supply through the system creating the vacuum (negative pressure) in your operatory evacuation lines. Wet ring pumps will use as much as 1 gallon of water every minute they are running. If you pay your own water bill, this can become very costly so I do recommend a water recycler (std. on most models). The recycler will reduce the water usage to about 1 gallon an hour.

Quality wet ring dental vacuum pumps are made brass. They are built to run continuously in a wet environment. Prices range from $1200.00 to $4000.00 depending on the size needed for the facility. The difference in price between the economy models and the best is about 10-12 years or double the life span.

Dry vacuum pumps work a little different. They are “advance commercial vacuum systems” that are also built for continuous operation. Dry pumps are usually more expensive that wet rings because of their design, however, they do not need an in-bound water supply and the motor replacements (when needed) are often less expensive. In the past, dry vacuums had the reputation of being a very loud vacuum cleaner. Today, they are very quiet and very economical to operate.

All vacuum pumps need to be vented. Before the waste enters the facility’s main system the air needs to vent. It is important that you vent your vacuum to the outside. The vapor that is created is contaminated more than a saliva ejector. If your pump does not have a sealed waste line and it is in the same room as your compressor, what quality of air is being compressed and returned to the operatory? This is also a big O.S.H.A. concern if you are using O2/N2O scavenging systems.

I recently got a call form an office complaining about a smell in the operatories when they walked in the morning. It seemed to dissipate after the first patient and isn’t notice again throughout the day. The solution was simple, the staff was using an evacuation cleaner that was not an enzymatic. On top of that, the solution was only used twice per week and this was a full time practice. They switched solutions, started daily maintenance and the issue was solved.

It is important to use solutions that do not create foam. If foam builds up around the impeller, it will begin to cavitate. When this happens on a repeated basis it will cause premature failure of the impeller and shaft. Powder cleaners tend to foam the most so it is always better to use liquid concentrates. Don’t fall for the scented product ads, they are more expensive and that fresh lemon smell is gone is a few minutes. Enzymatic formulization is the key. My product of choice is Or-Evac #102-6316 and at a usage cost of less than $0.50/day it is economical and very effective.
Or-Evac 32oz Enzymatic Concentrate #102-6316

To learn more about Wet Ring Pump maintenance, please follow the link to MidMark Dental’s Parts & Service pdf.

Click to access 10546500.pdf

Sunday, March 14, 2010…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
It was Sunday, March 14th and it was raining. Maybe that was fitting because on Friday I was informed about the passing of a colleague and friend. Dr. Alvin Bodenstein passed away leaving his patients, friends and family to reflect on 50+ years of the practice of dentistry. Integrity, accountability, compassion and family were what he was about. On behalf of the entire Henry Schein organization I want to extend the deepest sympathy to Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence Bodenstein and their entire family.

We all have choices in life. As we get older they sometimes become more defined. Although it is difficult, I personally choose not to morn, but to celebrate a wonderful life and legacy with the faith that we will continue our friendship and conversations on the other side.

Sunday, March 21, 2010…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Today is Sunday, March 21, 2010. It was a tough winter but now it’s Spring! Enough said, enjoy the day and please be safe.

Cliff Marsh
Henry Schein Dental
P.O. Box 663, 45 Rt. 46 East, Suite 605
Pine Brook, NJ 07058
tel. 201-321-7494
fax.201-262-2210
e-mail. cliff.marsh@henryschein.com
http://www.cliffsnotesblog.wordpress.com

March 21, 2010 - Posted by Cliff's Notes Blog | 1