By Dr. Jason Olitsky
Excellent intra-oral photography is a skill. It takes practice and training, however there is a key to ensuring “getting the shot.” Stabilization of the camera and appropriate angle of the shot are two essentials for clear, properly framed shots. By tucking your elbows into your side, you can use your arms as a fulcrum for the weight of the camera. Also, you can ask your patient to move and control the angle of their teeth by gently guiding their chin with one hand to set them up.
Many times, I see doctors and their assistants moving all over the operatory to achieve the shot. The best way to remedy this common mistake is to simply ask your patient to move slightly. Point to where you want them to look and either turn their head, lift their chin, or drop their chin depending on the desired photograph. You can essentially take all of your intra-oral photographs from one side of the chair with very little movement from the dental photographer.
As dentists we do so much in our work that causes us physical fatigue, so make sure that your dental photography is not contributing to that fatigue. Simply move your patient! Check out more common dental photography errors below.
