Empowering dentists in Colombia with the best possible information
A leading Colombian radiology centre utilises Planmeca’s imaging solutions to equip its dentist customers with all the information they need to make optimal treatment decisions.
Cero 70 is a radiology centre chain in Medellín, Colombia. Among the company’s 90 employees are Alejandro and Valentina Pineda. For them, Cero 70 is even more than an employer: It is the family business.
Cero 70 was founded in 1996 by Alejandro and Valentina Pineda’s mother, Ana María Jaramillo. What started as a single radiology centre has blossomed into an entire chain over the years – with no signs of slowing down.
Alejandro Pineda has been the CEO of the company since completing his MBA degree in France in 2012. During this time, Cero 70 has gone from three radiology centres to ten. Plans are in place for even further expansion.
“Right now, we are number one in Medellín. Our plan is to continue to grow within the city, and then to expand to [Colombia’s capital city] Bogota in the coming years,” Alejandro outlines.
Imaging is a key component of the dental landscape of Columbia, as the country is a hotspot for aesthetic dentistry. Colombians themselves value beautiful smiles, and the country also welcomes a growing number of dental tourists. Cero70 is there to make sure that those providing the treatments always get what they need, when they need it.
“Dentists are our main customers. Our philosophy is to make their lives easy. We want to empower them with the best possible information so that they can make the best treatment decisions,” Alejandro illuminates.
In love with Planmeca
Valentina Pineda completed her radiology studies in Peru and joined Cero 70 seven years ago. As the company’s radiology director and an expert in the field, she is familiar with several imaging systems. In her experience Planmeca – powered by the Romexis® software – is on a level of its own.
“I have used different X-ray units in the radiology world. I started with another brand – and now I’m in love with Planmeca. It’s really good and the technology is advanced,” Valentina states.
“I think what makes Planmeca unique is that it gives dentists great power. It allows them to maximise information and to make the best decisions. The information Romexis provides is very rich and dynamic,” Alejandro adds.
Cero 70 utilises Planmeca ProMax® 3D Mid units to provide high-quality images to dentists and dental clinics. Due to the constant development of the Romexis software, the equipment is regularly upgraded with new features and functionalities.
“We got our first CBCT unit [from another manufacturer] 18 years ago. It has remained the same all this time. Nothing has been changed or updated. But Romexis is always evolving. It is very powerful,” Alejandro says.
Over the years, Planmeca has made several new innovations available for existing equipment through software updates. Examples include the Planmeca Ultra Low Dose™ imaging protocol and the Planmeca CALM® movement correction algorithm. Both have also been beneficial for Cero 70.
“We use them with children and other suitable patients. I have found both to be really useful. The patient doses go down, but the image quality remains very good. This is not always the case with other equipment,” Valentina comments.
While Planmeca’s software-driven approach supports the continuous improvement of its equipment, larger technological leaps also happen. In recent years, the Planmeca Viso product family has been a significant advancement in CBCT imaging. Cero 70 is looking to add a new Planmeca Viso G5 unit to its lineup next.
“I think it is important to have the latest technology, and that’s what Planmeca Viso represents. The image quality is even better, and we always want to offer cutting-edge technology,” Alejandro Pineda explains.
There is always an answer
So far, the Pinedas have had an excellent experience with Planmeca, which extends to the company’s distributor Tecnimed Colombia. According to Alejandro, collaboration with Tecnimed has been seamless, with CEO German Garcia receiving special praise.
“German is very nice. He has really made a personal connection with us. He is always there for support. After sales service has also been very good and fast,” Alejandro says.
Speed is indeed a key factor in receiving support. In a professional setting, time is always money, so no one wants to waste it. Tecnimed has proven its prowess in speedy problem solving.
“There is always an answer – which is very important. When you have a problem with your equipment, work stops, and dentists of course want answers. Those answers need to be very fast. We have always been able to get back to action quickly,” Alejandro says.
“The training we have received from our distributor has also been really good,” Valentina adds.
The strong relationship with Planmeca and its distributor is crucial and should not be taken for granted. While Cero 70 also has imaging devices from other manufacturers, the companies behind them have remained rather distant.
“We also have equipment also from other brands, but I don’t know much about the companies behind them. I don’t know anyone from the company, I don’t know where the company is located. I don’t really know anything about them,” Alejandro reveals.
Working with Planmeca has been a very different experience. The Pinedas have had regular contact with its people and even made the long trip from Medellín to visit the Planmeca headquarters in Helsinki, Finland.
“We have been glad to get to know the Planmeca family. For us it is like family. You can feel the energy of the culture. It is amazing that Heikki Kyöstilä started Planmeca from zero and built it into the company it is today,” Alejandro concludes.
Copy: Daniel Purssila
Images: Courtesy of Cero 70
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