Dental Digital Photography

Morning Lecture—unlimited attendance

This presentation will dramatically improve your diagnostic clarity, treatment planning, patient education, and most importantly, treatment acceptance. With the skillful use of digital photography as a diagnostic and presentation tool, you will enhance your reputation as a high-tech, cosmetic and restorative dentist.

The morning lecture highlights digital photography and its successful integration into the dental practice. We begin with a general overview of digital photography, followed by specific integration of digital photography into your dental practice. You will learn how to select the digital camera that is right for your practice. We will explore the use of dental and simple non-dental software applications to store, organize, print, e-mail and present your images.

Because “a picture is worth a thousand words,” digital photography sharpens communications with patients, dental specialists, lab technicians and third party payers. We will show examples of these types of communications.

• use of two easy camera settings: one for portrait and the other for all close-up, intra-and extra-oral views

• the five essential dental photographic poses to master

• proper positioning of patient, assistant, retractors, and mirrors for each pose

• effective use of background, proper framing, aiming and focusing

• special views for lab communication, facebow record verification and aesthetic diagnosis

• problem solving for improperly exposed or composed images

If you can learn to take a complete series of x-rays, learning a complete series of digital photographs will be a snap! 

Afternoon Hands-On Workshop—limited attendance

The afternoon workshop will be a hands-on session limited to 15 individuals per presenter (two presenters—30 participants). Participants will have the opportunity to practice taking the digital dental photographic series on each other. We will practice all clinical intra- and extra-oral views with emphasis on patient, dentist, assistant, mirror and retractor placement. Playing each of the roles, photographer, patient, and assistant, is essential in learning these techniques. It will be fun!

During the afternoon session, the workflow of importing, storing, backing-up, viewing, editing and presenting a typical full mouth series will be presented using consumer ACDSee software.

Participants are asked to bring sterile dental photographic mirrors and retractors, along with their dental digital camera, if available. We will have an additional limited number of digital cameras, mirrors and retractors to use.

The target audience for both sessions is novice and intermediate dental digital photographers. Dentists and team members alike will find both sessions beneficial.

Attendance for the morning lecture is unlimited. Participation in the afternoon hands-on workshop is limited to 15 participants per presenter. Afternoon participants must have attended the morning lecture. The afternoon hands-on workshop attendees will receive a suggested list of supplies to bring.

In-Office, Hands-On Workshop

The Digital Dental Photographic Series

• Participate in personal hands-on training with your team in either your office or mine

• Learn how to take a full mouth photographic series with consistent results

• Use two easy camera settings: one for portrait and the other for all close-up, intra-and extra-oral views

• Learn positioning of patient, assistant, retractors, mirrors and background

• Learn proper framing and focusing for each view

• Learn special views for lab communication, shade, facebow record verification and aesthetic diagnosis

• Examples of each image in the photographic series with how-to technique handouts and equipment list 

Software

• Learn how to use a time-saving and simple consumer software package for all image downloading, storing, viewing, altering, printing, CD creation and e-mailing—fast, easy, organized and inexpensive

• Learn how to set-up fast, easy and impressive slide-show presentations for your patients

In Addition

• You can use your own digital camera. If you don’t have one, you can use mine. I will give camera recommendations if you need advice.
• Guaranteed to give you all of the tools and know-how to become an accomplished digital dental photographer
• 3-8 people per session
• Novice and intermediate skilled dental photographers will benefit from this workshop
• Available times:
  • Evenings: Monday through Thursday
  • Friday mornings or afternoons
  • Sessions last from 3 to 4 hours
• Preferred equipment (I have no financial interest in this equipment, I simply know it works!):
  • Digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera and manual, eg. Canon 40D or Digital Rebel XTi
  • Macro Lens, eg. Canon EF, 100 mm, f2.8 Macro
  • Ring flash with through-the-lens (TTL) metering, eg. Canon MR-14EX
• If you try to use a point-and-shoot consumer camera, you may have “equipment limitations” and may not obtain high quality images. With a digital SLR, only technique and know-how will be your limitations.
• This day will pay for itself repeatedly each month you practice