You would think by now that most dental practices have made the move to digital panorex X-ray systems. But every day here at Renew Digital, we speak with practices that are still capturing X-rays using traditional film. In fact, a recent blog post cites that 66% of dentists use digital X-rays. That means that nearly 34% of dentists still use film!
For those practices still stuck in the "dark room ages", we thought we would review the advantages of digital radiography over film just in case you were still wondering.
Higher Quality of Care
The equipment in your office says a lot to your patients. Today’s patients are more concerned with radiation exposure than in the past. Using film can put you at a disadvantage. Digital panorex images typically reduce radiation exposure by 75% or more. Your patients will appreciate the higher level of care you provide with digital X-ray equipment.
X-ray Image Enhancement
With a digital X-ray system, you are able to control the exposure of each image in real time. This allows you to make images lighter or darker, enlarge images, make enhancements to color, and superimpose textures – all with a click of the mouse.
With these added features, you’re better able to see tiny fractures and imperfections you may have otherwise missed, detect disease, and provide visual evidence to your patients to help better educate them on their oral health. This means they are more likely to understand and accept your proposed treatment plans.
Fewer Files Cluttering the Office Space
In today’s increasingly digital world, filing, organizing, and storing paper versions of patient charts can be time-consuming. With a digital panorex system, you save physical space in your office, as well as time from hunting down the patient’s file. All computers on a single network can be linked via the X-ray’s software so they are available to anyone at any time.
No Chemical Developers
Dealing with harmful developing chemicals and fixing solutions is a task nobody likes. With a digital panorex system, you completely eliminate the need for these items, as well as the odor, wait times, and space they require.
Time and Productivity Savings
Conventional radiography takes much more time to develop images. With digital X-ray images, that time is reduced to mere seconds. Plus, the images are immediately stored on your computer, just a few clicks away.
This also makes sharing images a breeze. When you need to send an X-ray to an insurance company or another specialist, you don’t need to worry about creating a duplicate copy or shipping the film. The other party will receive the image in just minutes, instead of days. This allows for faster claims processing, faster diagnoses, and faster treatment completion.
No More Lost Images
From storing to sharing, there’s a lot that can go wrong and cause you to misplace a traditional film X-ray. With a digital panorex, this isn’t an issue. Each image is immediately captured and stored to your computer network so you don’t have to worry about losing a file or having it get lost in transit to the insurance company or another dental care provider.
Easier to Use than Conventional Radiography
Many dentists who have made the switch from film to digital panorex imaging say that they can’t believe they didn’t make the change before. It’s easier, cleaner, and faster than conventional radiography, and only requires a small amount of training for you and your staff.
Contact Renew Digital
If you still have a film panorex X-ray, unfortunately, we can't buy it from you. But, we can help you find ways to safely recycle it. Contact Renew Digital to make your move to digital panorex imaging today.
