Dentists who want to check out new equipment in person before making a purchase don’t have many options. Trade shows highlight the latest and greatest tools and technology on expansive exhibit hall floors, though travelling to these conferences isn’t always convenient. Or, some dentists may be fortunate enough to visit fellow practitioners who already have some particular gear installed in their offices. Henry Schein offers a third alternative, with a recently opened, 13,000-square-foot facility in Moonachie, New Jersey.
“Typically, dentists think they’re coming here to look at a chair or an x-ray unit or something like that. But when they get here, they’re wowed by all the technology and all the equipment that’s here,” said Marty Schayowitz, a Henry Schein field sales consultant. “When they see this beautiful showroom with everything on display, they go, ‘Wow,’ and the mind starts thinking.”
When clinicians visit the new Henry Schein location, they can tour its selection of dental chairs, cabinetry, sterilization units, imaging systems, and more, including practice management software. Everything is on the showroom floor and operational, waiting to be tried. It’s not a retail location, though, where dentists drop in to browse the way they would their local hardware store. Henry Schein’s representatives simply build on their customer relationships.
“Most dentists that I work with don’t reach out to me. We’re creating the need for them to upgrade or replace their equipment. By being intimately involved in their practice, we know what their individual needs are and can appropriately advise them on how to help them grow their practice. By introducing that into the discussion, they then ask, ‘All right. What’s next?’ And that prompts the trip to this showroom, and the added assurance that they can rely on us as their trusted advisor,” said Schayowitz.
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| Figure 2. A complete operatory based on A-dec’s Inspire line of furniture is on display at the showroom. | Figure 3. Clinicians interested in digital dentistry can get their hands on gear from 3Shape, Planmeca, and more. |
“The goal of this facility is to bring doctors through whatever scenario they imagine, from adding on to their practice, to starting anew, or a doctor just out of school who is picturing what their practice would look like,” said Zach Harrison, regional manager of Manhattan and Westchester. “This gives them an opportunity to see cabinetry, integrated technology, CAD/CAM platforms, and 3-D platforms. It gives them a great overview of what they’re trying to envision.”
Inside the Practice
The showroom features a complete operatory based on A-dec’s Inspire line of furniture. Dentists can put the 500 model dental chair through its paces as they wheel around on their choice of stools, adjust the LED lighting, sort through gear in cabinets designed for easy and organized access, monitor their work on digital monitors, and connect instantly to imaging and other software.
The showroom also focuses on antimicrobial protection, with a full sterilization center on display. The station includes an area coded in red where assistants can put used trays, tubs, and other contaminated items, all foot-activated so they don’t have to worry about further dirtying their hands. Areas also are on hand for cleaning, with space for the ultrasonic and for rinsing instruments. A built-in dryer additionally is part of the package.
Intraoral scanners are playing a larger role as dentists and patients both begin to prefer digital impressions over the putties and trays of older analog systems. Practitioners who are interested in the technology can give the 3Shape TRIOS Intraoral Scanner, 3M True Definition Scanner or Planmeca PlanScan Scanner a try at the new facility. These handheld devices can craft virtual impressions and store those images with the practice’s software management system.
Plus, the scanners are compatible with Henry Schein’s Dentrix Ascend practice management software. Images are immediately stored with each patient’s file for comprehensive and easy to access treatment planning and record keeping. It also manages patient scheduling and finances. As a cloud-based system, it securely stores data on Henry Schein’s servers. Users access it via a browser-based portal that’s designed to be intuitive and easy to use.
Technological Training
Dentists who visit the facility and ultimately purchase any of the equipment are eligible for in-service training provided by Henry Schein, on site in their own practices and according to their own schedules. Depending on the gear they get, dentists also might travel to other facilities for more intense and hands-on workshops. The location in Moonachie includes a multifunctional conference room that could host continuing education classes on the products as well.
“Technology is always changing,” said Schayowitz. “The big conferences aren’t as intimate as this, where you can ask questions and not have any distractions. The team also is accessible here. The equipment and tech reps and field sales consultants all come here.”
“This gives dentists an opportunity to see cabinetry, integrated technology, CAD/CAM platforms, 3-D platforms,” said Harrison. “It gives them a great overview of what they’re trying to envision. And then whatever questions they have, our specialists are here to address them.”
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