Greta Lieske

Do you routinely receive digital image files as .DEX attachments you and the office struggle to open? You’re not alone. But, don’t fret. There are troubleshoots to handle those tricky file extensions.

Digital images are becoming more and more available as many dental offices are now using digital radiography, but not everyone is trained how to share these images via email. The reason those image files are received as .DEX files is because the office that sent the information is using the 

A .DEX file contains digitally captured dental radiographs.

If you don’t have DEXIS, the easy fix is to ask the sending office to convert the images to JPEG and resend.

For the DEXIS-using office, they must follow these instructions to convert the file to a .JPG you can use.

1. Click on the Export icon > click on email > click on DEXIS (.DEX) format to send to doctors who have DEXIS; click on JPEG (.JPG) to send to non-DEXIS doctors.

2. Select images by checking their boxes > click on Export Images.

3. A message in your email client should be automatically generated with the images attached.

But it’s also possible to open the .DEX file without having to burden the sending office. Through 

, offices can download free DEXview software to open .DEX files. DEXview enables you to view, enhance, and save images in the highest quality .DEX format that you receive from colleagues who do own 

 to learn how to download the free DEXview software. 

Articles






Do you routinely receive digital image files as .DEX attachments you and the office struggle to open? You’re not alone. But, don’t fret. There are troubleshoots to handle those tricky file extensions.



Having trouble opening .DEX files? Here’s some help.

Dr. Lou Graham, DDS, is all about new dental technology and how the industry changes with new advancements.

Earlier this year, Dr. Graham got his chance to use the new caries detection device, 

 to see how the device works using near-infrared transillumination.

“The fact that you can literally see through a tooth is so innovative,” Graham says. “Radiation-free [non-ionizing] digital imaging with transillumination - to say that we were intrigued is an understatement.”

DEXIS CariVu™ is a compact, portable caries detection device that uses patented 

transillumination technology to support the identification of occlusal, interproximal and recurrent carious lesions and cracks. With the help of near-infrared transillumination, dental professionals can detect a range of carious lesions and cracks - all without the need of ionizing radiation associated with X-rays.

every day in his practice, throughout the day, answering the age-old question: Will I actually use this new technology?

“I see big things for this in my practice,” he adds saying that the device makes him a better diagnostician. 

Dr. Lou Graham: Why he loves CariVu™ and radiation-free digital imaging with transillumination

When it comes to improving marketing for your dental practice, the office phone may be the last place you think to start. But if you want to grow your practice, it may be the hidden key to success.

According to Keaton Marks, director of business development for 

, the office phone is often an overlooked part of any dental practice, which can lead to many missed opportunities.

Marks recently sat down with Kevin Henry, content director for UBM Advanstar Dental Media Group, to discuss the importance of the phone and phone skills.  

“Not only should you be tracking what marketing is driving phone calls, but if our agents and our receptionists aren’t doing well on those phone skills, we’re going to miss so many opportunities,” Marks explains. He says that he and the rest of the Patient Pursuit team noticed the quicker they shared this message it became obvious to the rest of the community that the phone is an important marketing tool.

For example, Marks says when they listened in on various dental practice front desk phone calls, receptionists weren’t eager to book appointments, they were more passive with prospective patients. And this is just one of the problems they found that could hurt the growth of any practice.

To watch the full interview with Marks and Henry, see the video below.

How the phone can make or break your marketing efforts [VIDEO]

How the phone can make or break your marketing efforts

“It’s hard to decide what the next big marketing piece is going to be,” Marks says, “but the more you can stay cutting edge and know what’s out there, the better we can be.”

Videos

In this Guide to All-Tissue Dental Lasers webinar, Dr. Howard Golan, DDS, JD, MWCLI, FIADFE, will explore integrative dentistry with all-tissue lasers and how they can enhance the traditional dental model.

“Whether its drills or scalpels or electrosurge or cord, the ability to take new and modern pieces of equipment and protocols and bring it into the dental space can enhance on tried and true methods of practice dentistry,” Golan says of integrative dentistry. And one of those piece of modern equipment is the all-tissue laser.

In this free webinar sponsored by Biolase, Dr. Golan will cover the positive effects of laser integration in the dental practice including the following:

		The ability to practice minimally invasive dentistry,

		Market differentiation with the ability to offer more procedures,

Webinar: How all-tissue lasers enhance the traditional dental model

 do for your practice? Get first-hand advice from Dr. Justin D. Moody.

In this free, on-demand webinar, Dr. Moody gives you specific examples explaining how CariVu has changed his practice from patient acceptance, hygiene efficiency and more. Plus, he explains how this game-changing device works using near-infrared transillumination.

As Moody explains, near-infrared transillumination allows you to see things that may not be visible with the naked eye or with traditional methods of caries detection. This is why Dr. Moody calls CariVu a “game-changer” for the dental industry and his practice.

“There’s no other technology like it,” he says. “And with this [webinar] you’re going to understand why that is.”

In this webinar sponsored by DEXIS, you will learn the following:

		How near-infrared transillumination technology works;

		How to detect dental caries using CariVu;

		How patients and staff react to the technology and how it increases efficiency;

		How it compares to other caries detection technologies;

		Plus, see various case photos from Dr. Moody's practice.

What can DEXIS CariVu do for your practice? Get first-hand advice from Dr. Justin D. Moody.

Webinar: How near-infrared transillumination can change caries detection and efficiency in your practice

It’s easy to get good electronic health record (EHR) software, but according to Mike Uretz of 

, unless it’s implemented correctly you’re still going to have problems.

Uretz says implementing new EHR software is really about implementing change – and it can be a tricky process if you don’t have the right knowledge or guidance.

In this free, on-demand webinar, Uretz will act as that guide. As an expert in dental software, Uretz guides you through the key steps to make sure your implementation process ends successfully.

“I think we’ve all heard horror stories about change … we’re all heard them, we all fear them,” Uretz explains. “But, there is another way to look at [change]. We can be concerned about change or we can do it the easy way.”

And the easy way is through tested and tried processes and steps, Uretz says. For guidance with steps and processes on implementing new EHR software, you can register for the free, on-demand webinar here.

For more webinars on electronic health records with Uretz, there are two previous webinars available:

It’s easy to get good electronic health record (EHR) software, but according to Mike Uretz of DentalSoftwareAdvisor.com, unless it’s implemented correctly you’re still going to have problems.

Webinar: Learn how to successfully implement new electronic health record software

If you’re dealing with daily aches and pain during the work day, Timothy Caruso has some tips for you.

In preparation for an upcoming webinar, Kevin Henry, group editorial director for Advanstar Dental Media, talked about ergonomics and pain the dental office with Caruso. The webinar led by Caruso is now available on-demand and focuses on easy ways to alleviate work-related pain.

Caruso tells Henry that two of the biggest mistakes he sees dentists make when it comes to improving ergonomics are not dealing with daily pain head on and thinking it’s too much work.

When these issues aren’t addressed, those daily pains can easily turn into chronic pain.

It’s also a misconception that keeping your focus on ergonomics means you have to re-fit an entire operatory, he says. In reality, there are simple changes every dentist, assistant and hygienist can make to improve conditions at work that may be causing pain.

One of Caruso’s tips to improve your working posture is to get help from a co-worker and photographs. He recommends a co-worker take a photo of you during the work day in the correct posture position and calls you out when in the incorrect posture position.

It’s easier to notice these mistakes when you’re “in the trenches” of daily work, so to speak.

Related to the webinar is also a free e-book, “7 Ways to Avoid Work-Related Pain and Extend Your Career” available here. In the e-book, we show you some common causes of musculoskeletal pain and offer tips on how to overcome them.

Timothy Caruso is a practicing Physical Therapist who has focused his professional expertise in the areas of manual therapy, orthopedics and neuromusculoskeletal disorders. He is a member of the ADA’s Ergonomic and Disability Support Advisory Committee and has worked extensively with the dental community since 1988.

How to handle daily pain in the dental office before it becomes chronic [VIDEO]

Tim McNeely, CFP, CIMA, says financial planning and dentistry are more similar than most people probably think. It wasn’t until McNeely married a dentist that he discovered the similarities.

“When you show up at the dentist, the first thing they do is take an x-ray, look at your mouth, figure out what your problems and build a treatment plan,” he says.

The method is pretty much the same for financial planning.

The process starts by sitting down, figuring out the dentist's and dental practice’s financial problems and developing a plan of attack to fix them.

Talking with Advanstar Dental Media Content Director Kevin Henry, McNeely says dentists are routinely making mistakes when planning for their retirement and their overall business plan. Two of the major items sabotaging retirement are dentists not working with Certified Financial Planners and getting ripped off by Wall Street.

Watch the interview now to learn more from McNeely:

Tim McNeely, CFP, CIMA, says financial planning and dentistry are more similar than most people probably think.

Top financial mistakes most dentists are making [VIDEO]

Timothy J. McNeely	CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
	Certified Investment Management Analysts?
	McNeely Financial Strategies LLC
	Digital Financial Planning™ for Dentists
	18919 Nordhoff St., Suite 6C | Northridge, CA 91324
	Call Tim at 818-534-4949 | Toll Free & Fax 855-FIN-XRAY

Securities are offered through
	Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.  Member 

As part of a webinar series sponsored by 

-designed to help educate labs in the latest industry movements and trends-Dental Lab Products Editor Ryan Hamm sat down with Michael Brost, vice president of sales for Core3dcentres, to discuss the 

 and why it’s important for the labs out there to get involved.

first webinar “Digital Dentistry 101 – Why Going Digital is Critical To Your Future” 

 - said the main focus of the first installment is to educate labs about what “going digital” truly means.

The merits of digital dentistry need to be explained instead of just using “digital” as a buzzword, he explained.

“It means different things to different people,” says Brost. “There are various points of entry; a lot of laboratories look at it and say, ‘Well, I need to get a scanner. Which scanner do I get?’ And others are in a position where they are not sure if they even need a scanner.

“We can certainly help educate them on how they can participate in the digital world … .”

Brost and Hamm are joined on the webinar by Randy Souvannavong, who has spent his entire career in the dental industry, joining Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories immediately after leaving school in 2004.

He has worked in almost all operational aspects of the dental laboratory, starting off in the shipping department and working his way up the ladder to become Assistant Manager in the laboratory’s High Tech CAD/CAM department. In 2009, he moved to the newly-formed Core3dcentres Canada. In his current capacity as Training Service Manager, Souvannavong has extensive hands-on experience, and knowledge of, all of the leading CAD Software systems on the market today.

“Randy is an expert,” Brost tells Hamm. “He’s a great education. He’s a tremendous resource. He’s been my go-to person for a number of years. … He’s the right guy to educate laboratory owners.”

The webinar explores how failing to get involved in digital dentistry may be more damaging to a laboratory’s future as their dentist customer base more fully embrace the latest technologies – and even more important, the exciting new range of opportunities that opens up for the laboratory offering scanner capabilities and leading edge dentistry.

Check out the video below as Hamm and Brost talk about the importance of digital dentistry in the lab, and why it would be a boon to you and your lab to 

As part of a webinar series sponsored by Core3dcentres-designed to help educate labs in the latest industry movements and trends-Dental Lab Products Editor Ryan Hamm sat down with Michael Brost, vice president of sales for Core3dcentres, to discuss the first webinar and why it’s important for the labs out there to get involved.

Webinar: Find out why going digital is critical to the future of your lab

What started as a purchase for Dr. Mike DiTolla’s co-worker has turned into a new love for the KaVo MASTERtorque™ M8900 L High-Speed Air Handpiece.

Dr. DiTolla recently purchased several of the new handpieces for his office and co-worker and while she was on vacation he decided to check them out. He says working with the dental air turbine of the KaVo MASTERtorque made him remember why he loved working with air-driven handpieces.

He says every office should have both electric and air-driven handpieces, but the KaVo MASTERtorque™ M8900 L High-Speed Air Handpiece is the top of the top.

Also new about the MASTERtorque™ M8900 L High-Speed Air Handpiece is the limited noise, DiTolla adds.

“That whine of dental air rotors is a noise that elicits fear in everyone on the planet,” he says. “When I went and borrowed my associates MASTERtorque™, I was a little worried because I’d always associated that high-pitch, terrifying whine with air rotors and I was surprised to that it was not that same experience that my old air rotor was. In fact, it might be quieter than my electric handpieces.”

Main features of the MASTERtorque™ M8900 include the following:

New: Most powerful (23 watts) KaVo high-speed with ceramic bearing

DST stops the bur in one second, increasing efficiency and improving safety during treatment

 DST reduces drawback of particles into the ball bearings for improved durability and hygiene

Quietest KaVo air high-speed at 57 decibels

Improved 4-port spray for better visibility

Push button auto chuck 3rd generation cellular optics with 5-year warranty

Automatic drive air adjustment - Use at minimum drive air pressure 38 psi (2.6 bar)