The most important benefit of having a technician on-site is the dentist’s ability to discuss certain aspects of a person’s treatment, face to face. For instance, if I am doing porcelain veneers for a patient, I can show my technician just how the patient and I want the teeth to look. If my technician has any questions, he can show me exactly what he needs clarification on. In some cases, I will bring my technician into the treatment room to see the patient so he can better understand what I would like him to do. This is very different from a dentist using a technician at a remote location. In this situation, the dentist and technician can only rely on what is written on a prescription pad, or discussed by phone. In some cases, important details can get “lost in the translation”.

Another benefit of having an on-site technician is when fast turn-around is essential. If a patient breaks a front tooth off their denture and needs to get to a wedding in an hour, having a technician on-site is a great advantage. I also believe that the quality of the working relationship between the dentist and technician has a direct impact on the quality of dental care that patients receive. Having the technician on-site greatly improves communication and attention to detail that is necessary for successful dental treatment.