Professional Courtesy: Vote and Verify by Dr. Thomas Giacobbi

Professional Courtesy: Vote and Verify


by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director


This month marks the kickoff of our annual Townie Choice Awards survey, where our dentist members select their favorite products and services in several key categories.

The winners, published in our December issue, represent products that dentists are happy to use and recommend to their colleagues. This is still one of the most powerful points of consideration when I choose products in my practice, so I encourage you to take the time to cast your vote and help your colleagues find the best products for their practices.


Is there something in the water?
At this year’s California Dental Association meeting, I came across an interesting new product that might initially be described as a “discreet self-test.”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, home tests were made available for free, which provided two important benefits: First, people who were sick could test from home and not risk getting others sick by leaving the house; second, people would be more likely to test if they could see the results in the privacy of their homes.

The product I saw at CDA provides the opportunity to test water lines in the privacy of your office. There are many different tablets, filters and other devices designed to keep the tiny water lines in your units clean. (The EPA standard for drinking water and dental treatment output water is 500 CFU/mL of heterotrophic water bacteria.) Dental offices should be testing their water lines regularly, regardless of their water source, to determine if their maintenance protocols are effective, but data from companies that provide water testing support the fact that only a small number of dental practices are doing this on a regular basis.

Solmetex recently launched a test called Fast- Check15, which provides results in 15 minutes using a simple test strip format. (One line is a pass; two lines are a failure.) A failed test means your microbial counts exceed the limit and your current maintenance program is ineffective or nonexistent. Armed with this information, you can immediately get your office back on track by starting an appropriate shock, clean and maintenance program for your water lines. I encourage you to take this 15-minute challenge to ensure your water lines are being maintained properly.


Lights … calibration … action!
While we’re on the topic of feedback and validation, another area that deserves your attention is curing-light testing. Many dentists have been surprised to learn their lights aren’t producing the appropriate output to properly cure their composites. This can lead to many common problems, including restoration failure and persistent postop sensitivity. The fact that the curing light turns on isn’t enough to validate its effectiveness; you must test routinely and with respect to the frequency at which the light is used. It’s certainly worth a moment of your time.

I recommend you check out BlueLight Analytics for a radiometer and software that knows the outputs of most lights and can track your results and provide optimal curing times for specific brands of composite. If you’re looking for a less expensive solution, look for an LED radiometer from a reputable company; you’ll need to find the proper output for your light in the owner’s manual or by consulting the manufacturer. And if you’re still using halogen lights for any reason, please check out previous Townie Choice Awards winners and treat yourself to something new!

Do you have a product tip to share? Have you purchased a Townie Choice Award-winning product? Please share your thoughts and comments online at dentaltown.com. If you need to reach me directly, try email: tom@dentaltown.com.


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