“The state-of-the-art technology reflects our professional expertise”
Dr Marco Del Corso has over 15 years of experience in chairside dentistry, but it wasn’t until the arrival of Planmeca technology at his clinic a few years ago that made him fully transition to the digital workflow. And now there’s no turning back.
Dr Marco Del Corso, DDS, studied Dentistry and Prosthodontics at the University of Turin, Italy, and attended the postgraduate course in Implantology at the Claude Bernard University of Lyon, France, where he specialised in Anatomy and Prosthetics Applied to Implantology. In addition, he completed a postgraduate course in Implantology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston, USA.
Today, Dr Del Corso runs his own clinic in the city of Turin, in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Over the years, the team has grown and the organisation become more complex. He currently works with four other dentists, an orthodontist and two dental hygienists. “For me, it has been essential to develop my entrepreneurial and management skills alongside clinical ones,” he says.
Dr Del Corso is also an active member in the Italian and international scientific community. He has worked with platelet concentrates as well as explored and developed their clinical use in tissue regenerative techniques for nearly 20 years. In addition, he has a lengthy career as a lecturer and trainer, which he holds in high regard. “It has given me a great opportunity for peer evaluation and transferring my passion for this profession to younger generations.”
Planmeca Romexis® software at the heart of the clinic
In 2019, when Dr Del Corso decided to transform his clinic into a multi-speciality practice, he chose to rely on Planmeca solutions. According to him, the decisive factor was Planmeca’s wide selection of integrated and ergonomic systems. The clinic now has four Planmeca Compact™ i5 dental units and Planmeca ProX™ intraoral X-ray units, and a Planmeca ProMax® 3D Mid unit for 2D and 3D imaging.
At the heart of the clinic is the Planmeca Romexis® software, which brings together all the equipment and integrates all diagnostic data. All treatment rooms have a workstation with the Romexis software, offering all team members a fast access to patient and clinic data.
Dr Del Corso says that the clinical and administrative staff became familiar with the Romexis software in no time, which he describes as a pleasant surprise. “Once you understand the logic behind a single Romexis module, you are immediately able to use other modules as well,” he says. “This is especially useful when you are planning to expand your activity and introduce new users to the system.”
Ergonomic and patient-friendly dental units
According to Dr Del Corso, the clinic chose the Planmeca Compact i5 dental units mainly for the reduced support volume of the base, which makes it possible to work ergonomically and more in contact with the patient. The floating chair provides plenty of working space for the dental team and allows bringing, for example, surgical trolleys and devices close to the patient.
“Our patients adore the comfortable Ultra Relax™ upholstery we chose for our dental units. They often report a feeling of protection and comfort even during long surgery sessions – and sometimes they really don’t want to get off the chair!”
Thanks to the Planmeca Romexis® Clinic Management software, the clinic now also benefits from real-time monitoring of the usage of the units and receives feedback on infection control procedures and maintenance programmes. This information smoothly integrates with the management data produced in the back office.
Efficient workflows with Planmeca chairside solutions
To further improve the chairside treatments and to be able to serve patients coming from overseas or out of town more efficiently, the clinic also acquired a Planmeca PlanMill® 40 milling unit and a Planmeca Creo® C5 3D printer. Together with the Planmeca Emerald® S intraoral scanner, Dr Del Corso’s team is now able to produce models in-house for diagnostic needs and for communication with patients as well as consultation with specialists, such as orthodontists and maxillofacial surgeons.
The clinic has an area dedicated to radiological diagnostics with a Planmeca ProMax 3D Mid unit for 2D and 3D imaging as well as for cephalometric exams. “We often format the 3D images directly in front of the patient, which tends to impress them,” Dr Del Corso says. The Romexis software then sends the radiographic data to the various units at the clinic.
According to Dr Del Corso, one of the greatest benefits of Romexis is that all treatment steps can be performed in one software. “I can produce reports for implantology and cephalometric analysis, which facilitates communication with patients and colleagues. I can design and create surgical templates in just a few minutes, which simplifies the management of guided surgery,” he says. “In addition, this is an important economic factor,” he concludes.
The clinic uses the Planmeca Creo C5 3D printer for creating 3D models and surgical templates. “Once the printer is installed, it requires no further calibrations. Producing accurate models and surgical templates is incredibly easy and fast.”
A multidisciplinary approach is the key to success
The arrival of new technology has been a real turning point for Dr Marco Del Corso. “I have to say that although I have over 15 years of experience in chairside dentistry, we have come to the full digital workflow only in the last couple of years. The introduction of digital impressions and 3D printing was surprisingly easy thanks to Planmeca devices.”
He says that the entire staff at the clinic appreciate the quality and integration of Planmeca technology every day. It has not gone unnoticed by patients or visitors, either. “We regularly host student groups and organise trainings for medical and nursing teams,” he explains. “The state-of-the-art technology reflects our professional expertise and helps us convey a message of clinical efficiency and diagnostic competence, which was one of our main goals in the transformation process.”
With the dental world rapidly evolving, Dr Del Corso believes that the market will reward clinics that are increasingly organised, technologically equipped and capable of offering multiple services in their portfolio. “Our impression is that, today, patients are more comfortable with new technologies than ever before and that they greatly appreciate those who work in a multidisciplinary way.”
According to Dr Del Corso, Planmeca solutions have been the key to adopting a new way of working at his clinic – a new way that is faster, more comfortable and more productive than before. “Ultimately, this translates into better care for the patient.”
Copy: Hanna Lipiäinen
Images: Servizio eseguito da Tastyvision, realizzato da Gammadesign
Planmeca Oy and Planmeca Group
Planmeca Oy is one of the world's leading dental equipment manufacturers, with a product range covering digital dental units, CAD/CAM solutions, world-class 2D and 3D imaging devices and comprehensive software solutions. Privately owned and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, the company offers a portfolio of products distributed in over 120 countries worldwide. Planmeca Oy is part of the Finnish Planmeca Group, which consists of several healthcare technology brands, each committed to innovation and design. With 4,500 employees worldwide, Planmeca Group companies achieved a combined pro forma turnover of EUR 1.2 billion in 2021.
www.planmeca.com
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