FAQs When Buying Refurbished Dental Equipment

Written by Sam Saidman | December 17, 2020

Like most electronics these days, there is a large market and many options for refurbished dental equipment. Here are some questions to ask the seller before you select refurbished dental equipment, especially very expensive and specialized equipment such as used dental X-ray machines.

Where to Buy Refurbished Dental Equipment

We have discussed in previous articles the places where you can buy used dental equipment: from a colleague or another practice, from eBay or other unknown seller, from used dental equipment vendors, etc. But for this article, we’re going to assume you have decided to purchase from a used dental equipment vendor.

What are the Unit’s Specifications?

Size – Make sure it will fit without having to remodel your entire office! Be sure to consider actual as well as recommended dimensions, since patients and staff will need to get around it and in it. Also think about OSHA requirements and managing wheelchair patients and those with disabilities.

Age – What year was the unit manufactured? Is it new enough to integrate with the latest technology or is it obsolete? What workarounds will you have to take, if any, and are they acceptable?

Power – What type of power connection is needed? Is it a standard 110 or 220 V plug? Is the unit sensitive to power fluctuations or storms that are common to certain areas? Do I need a dedicated line?

Use – Like mileage on a car, most X-ray machines keep track of how many images have been captured. Is the machine heavily or lightly used?

What is Included with My Purchase and What Additional Items Should I Budget For?

Consider and be aware of these extra charges when purchasing refurbished dental equipment, especially used dental X-ray machines:

Current X-Ray – How am I going to dispose of that and how much will that cost? Does it have any value? If so, can I trade it in to help offset my purchase?

Shipping – Is there a shipping fee? Properly crating and shipping heavy and delicate dental X-ray machines is expensive. Be leery of companies offering free shipping. What happens if the item is damaged in shipping if improperly packaged and handled?

Tax – Does the vendor I am purchasing from have NEXUS in my state, and if they do, should I be paying taxes? Beware of national pre-owned equipment sellers that don’t charge sales tax.

Computer – Digital dental X-ray machines require at least one acquisition computer. Who is providing that? What are the specifications, especially for larger, more robust dental cone beam images? How much will the computers needed throughout the practice cost?

Networking – How will my images be shared across the network? Is my current software/network sufficient, especially for dental cone beam images? Can I manage this on my own or should I contact a professional?

Software – What software comes with the machine? How many licenses do I get? How will my practice management and imaging software be integrated? Who will take care of that, the imaging equipment or software vendor?

Installation – Is there an extra cost for installation? Who does the installation, the refurbished dental equipment vendor or a third party? Will the vendor stand behind the work if done by a third party?

Training – How will I receive training for my X-ray? 2D X-ray machines are relatively straightforward to use, but dental cone beam requires training for properly capturing, reading and manipulating the dental cone beam scans.

Ongoing Service – How will ongoing service and support be handled for the refurbished dental equipment? What about replacement parts? How long will replacement parts be available for the used X-ray machine(s) I am considering?

Why Was the Unit Traded In?

Make sure you research the source of all refurbished dental equipment. Some options include:

Practice closure such as doctor retiring, etc.
The practice upgraded to newer unit. Sometimes there is nothing wrong at all with practice’s current X-ray and they just want the latest “bells and whistles” with the newest model.
In the case of dental cone beam, the doctor originally bought an 8 x 8 cm field of view (FOV) for implants and now wants to perform treatments requiring a larger FOV.
The practice wants to upgrade to cone beam and/or they want to add features like bitewings and cephalometric which is not available with their current model.
It no longer worked properly and needed to be repaired. Of course, you want to avoid these scenarios.

What is the History of the Machine?

Try to determine the history of the refurbished dental equipment. Ask specific questions such as:

How many owners has it had and/or has it ever been moved? This is difficult to know for sure, but it certainly can’t hurt to ask.
Was it refurbished or changed in any way before being resold? If so, what parts were replaced?
What is the re-certification or inspection process like before the unit was purchased from the previous owner? Who does that, the vendor or the third party?
Does it have any manufacturer warranty left?

What are the Seller’s Credentials?

Make sure you are buying the refurbished dental equipment from a reputable source. Be sure to ask questions such as:

How many units have they sold? Do they have references or online reviews? Be sure to actually contact references. Ask specific direct questions about their experience(s) to solicit honest answers.
Do they employ their own technicians, or do they utilize the services of third-party providers? If they have their own technicians, how are they trained? How much experience do they have? Are they registered to perform service in your state, if required?
How about the company’s remote support technicians? How long have they worked with dental equipment, particularly dental X-ray machines and dental cone beam systems?
Do they have a team that helps manage the installation process or am I going to have to figure it out myself? What about regulatory considerations?
Does the company have a specific focus or do they sell all types of refurbished dental equipment?