It is unquestionable that photography is an extremely beneficial tool within dentistry. From helping with specialist referrals, to assisting with laboratory communication; the idiom ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ seems to have more power to it than ever before, especially in the dental industry. Perhaps unsurprisingly, to an amateur photographer, taking professional photographs can seem a somewhat daunting task. Smartphones have made it easier than ever to take high quality images; however, in dentistry the requirements for perfect lighting and exact colour representation can often be hard to obtain with just a smartphone.
Smile Lite MDP (Mobile Dental Photography) takes advantage of your smartphone by revolutionising the quality of images that can be produced through effective lighting. Inventor Professor Louis Harden is part of Style Italiano Group; a community of key influencers who are committed to supporting and improving professionals. Professor Harden invented the Smile Lite MDP after five years of research into the use of smartphones in dental photography and says:
“Smile Lite MDP is a total revolution for dental photography because of its extreme simplicity of use, the professional results it is possible to reach and also because of its economical aspect”
What could Smile Lite MDP bring to your practice?
The Smile Lite MDP allows you to significantly improve the results of any dental photograph taken on your Smartphone with ease. Equipped with three groups of LEDs (light emitting diodes), the device can be considered as a ‘mini photo studio’. Most obviously, this can be invaluable when taking photographs for patient diagnosis and treatment planning. With four different steps of power of illumination, the device allows the user to work with unlimited creativity depending on the clinical results required.
The importance of a highly professional, colour corrected photograph is essential for patient documentation; however, this is equally critical with regards to laboratory communication. As Prof. Harden mentioned MDP unit is innovative in its simplicity of use; rather than using a SD card and having to upload the images to a computer, working with a Smartphone allows you to share images instantly. Without the need for adapters and virtually no restriction in the brands or types of Smartphone that can be used (it is adjustable for any Smartphone with a width between 55-85mm) the MDP is much easier to use than alternatives.
Using the Smile Lite MDP, you can easily compare before and after shots of a patient's transformation without the need for an extravagant and often costly camera set-up.
An example of the Diffusor filter:
An example of the full light the LED range can show:
How could the Smile Lite MDP improve the patient experience?
It has long been acknowledged that we absorb information through a variety of different learning styles. Photographs can act as a fantastic visual aid to improve patient communication by providing instant feedback; assisting patients regarding their current diagnosis. Particularly helpful where a patient is hesitant regarding treatment for example, demonstrating the procedure with clear photography is a great way to improve patient confidence.
A portfolio of professional case study photographs can act as an invaluable resource both to demonstrate your procedures to patients and to peers alike. Professional photography is often costly and can also be intimidating to a patient whereas the Smile Line MDP is a great tool to keep costs to a minimum and take professional looking photographs. Revolutionise your practice today!
To find out more about Smile Lite MDP or to request a demo call us on +44 (0) 1943 60 50 50 or email sales@optident.co.uk