The best dental devices are created in collaboration
At the Pihlajalinna Stockmann dental clinic in Helsinki, patients are viewed and treated as individuals. The clinic’s mission is to provide dental care that covers the patient’s entire life cycle and to offer customised services that take into consideration the unique characteristics of each stage of life. Planmeca’s digital solutions – from dental care to imaging units – have been chosen as the clinic’s working tools.
”We view our patients as individuals and oral health as just one component of overall health,” explains Karri Åberg, Chief Dentist of the Pihlajalinna dental clinic chain in the Southern Finland region.
Åberg has over twenty years of experience in private dentistry. ”My mother would have wanted me to become a doctor. I ended up choosing dentistry, because I have always enjoyed working with my hands. The dental profession is a fine combination of science and craftsmanship.”
Åberg has been using Planmeca devices for over fifteen years. Pihlajalinna’s equipment selection includes Planmeca’s intraoral, panoramic and CBCT imaging devices as well as several Planmeca Sovereign® Classic dental units.
”The dentist’s profession is physically challenging, and good ergonomics is key. Planmeca’s dental units are straightforward to use and functional by design. Their movements have been well thought out and their easy adjustability also supports great working ergonomics. The instruments are placed in ideal locations and are light to use.”
The dental unit’s swivel function provides freedom for the clinic’s interior design and the placement of furniture and cabinets. ”If an anesthesiologist is needed for the procedure, the swivel function also comes in handy,” Åberg says.
The patients appreciate the comfort of the dental chair. ”Patients definitely notice when a chair is comfortable. Surprisingly many bring it up during treatment.”
Planmeca is a familiar company to most Finnish patients. ”Many of our patients know the Planmeca brand and when they notice the company’s name on the operating light, for example, they might start a conversation about the origin and international success of the devices.’”
According to Åberg, the cooperation with Planmeca has been productive ever since the clinic was founded. ”There has always been a feeling of working towards a mutual goal. Planmeca is genuinely interested in what us dentists expect from our devices and they are also willing to develop them accordingly.”
In Finland, where a significant number of private dental practices belong to clinic chains, dental devices are often sold to business decision makers instead of dentists directly. “Even so, Planmeca wants to make devices that are good to work with. At the same time, the business aspect of today’s dentistry has been taken into consideration in the design.”
Åberg believes that in order to create successful health technology products, it is crucial that neither the clinicians nor the engineers retreat into their own bubble. ”Genuine and open interaction and collaboration – those are the ingredients needed to create the most functional and user-friendly devices.”
Copy: Hanna Korlin
Image: Dino Azinur
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