Here, we asked three dentists to discuss specific reasons they choose to work with Glidewell Implant Solutions. From knowledgeable technical support, to impactful hands-on courses, to everyday cost savings, their collective experience shows the advantages of utilizing Glidewell for all aspects of dental implant treatment.

with Paresh B. Patel, DDS

CHAIRSIDE^® MAGAZINE: As an advanced implant practitioner who counts on Glidewell for a wide range of surgical and restorative solutions, can you talk about one particular aspect that has helped your practice provide implant treatment?

DR. PARESH PATEL: I really appreciate the fact that I get a predictable, flat-rate fee from Glidewell. Whether you’re placing a lot of implants like me or stick to the restorative side of things, the flat-rate lab fees make it a lot easier to present treatment to the patient because you know exactly what your costs are going to be. When you deal with a lab that doesn’t have an all-inclusive fee for the restoration, you get charged for all sorts of things, like a soft-tissue model, model duplication fees, titanium screws, lab analogs, and so on. I’ve even been charged for something called a “complex articulator fee.” This gets frustrating because you don’t really know what your lab bill is going to be from the beginning, and that affects revenue at my practice because I’m not going to upcharge the patient to cover the difference.

At Glidewell, you get a predictable fee, and it’s quite a low price compared to other labs even before they tack on the additional charges, so this really helps with keeping your expenses down. I know I’m going to get the model work I want, the fit and esthetics I need, and that I’m going to get an unopened clinical screw for final delivery. With other labs you sometimes have to worry about using the lab screw because either they haven’t provided one or I haven’t gone out of my way to purchase one myself. That’s one less item my assistant has to make a phone call to arrange, and it’s always included. When you’re restoring an implant, you want to keep things simple, and when you know the exact fee you’ll be paying and that everything you need is covered by that fee, you can keep the focus on making sure the patient has a great experience.

CM: Prismatik Dentalcraft, the manufacturing arm of Glidewell, produces FDA-cleared prosthetic components for most major implant systems, which Glidewell uses in the fabrication of implant restorations. This is a key reason Glidewell is able to offer flat-rate lab fees. How does that differ from your experience with other labs?

PP: Every other lab I’ve dealt with has to buy original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts when they need screws or prosthetic components for the various implant systems doctors use, and those costs can vary a lot from one implant system to another. One day, you might be restoring an implant that has affordable prosthetic components, and the next day you’re dealing with another implant system and having to pay more for the screw, the analog, and any other parts. So at the end of the day, you feel frustrated because you’re getting an additional lab charge just because you restored a different implant system. I don’t think most doctors are going to change the fee we charge patients because one implant system costs more to restore than another, so we’re eating the cost for that. The only winner in that situation is the implant companies who charge an exorbitant amount for OEM components.

CM: So it’s safe to say that the flat-rate fees are a big reason you choose to restore your cases with Glidewell.

PP: Definitely, though because I also get my Hahn implants from Glidewell, not only is the fee fair to begin with for, say, a screw-retained crown at $299, but I also get the 20% discount for all of my restorations over Hahn implants. And at $160 each, the price I pay for Hahn implants is much lower than the other premium implant systems on the market. Those savings add up over time to the point where it has really bolstered the bottom line at my practice. The ability to get such a high-quality restoration at such a reasonable price is a huge advantage. At other labs, a screw-retained crown is going to cost you around $399 or $450 after they tack on all the fees, and I’m not getting the consistently high quality I’ve come to expect from Glidewell.

with Rafael Cardenas, DMD

CM: Can you talk about your general experience working with Glidewell’s restorative protocol for the BruxZir Implant Prosthesis and what it is that you like about it?

DR. RAFAEL CARDENAS: I actually did my first fixed full-arch implant prosthesis with Glidewell. I had restored single-implant cases and implant-supported bridges, but nothing like a full-arch restoration. So it was a really big procedure for me to take on and certainly had the potential to take me out of my comfort zone. When I finally got the patient back from the periodontist and the implants had healed, I reached out to your technical advisor team just to get a general view of the restorative protocol for the BruxZir Implant Prosthesis. I can’t say enough good things about them. They were extremely helpful not only in talking me through the steps, but also in telling me what I needed to look for while I was doing the procedures and what we were trying to accomplish with each appointment. The technical advisors, along with the step-by-step appointment guides, made what could have been a complicated process really easy. I’ve been in dentistry for a long time, so I like to think that I have a good understanding of how to do procedures, but having everything put together for me like that made a huge difference in my first BruxZir Implant Prosthesis case.

CM: How helpful did you find the step-by-step appointment guides and checklists you received for each appointment?

RC: They were incredibly helpful. Because this was such a big case, I really wanted the patient to be comfortable with me as a practitioner. Before each appointment, my team and I would review the appointment guide and checklist so that when the patient got in the chair, we’d know exactly what we were doing. I always like to talk to the patient before I do anything and give an overview of the procedure and what the purpose of the appointment is. And because I had a good idea of what I was trying to accomplish, I was able to convey that to the patient. That gives the patient some confidence, and they’re a little bit more relaxed because they know they’re in good hands. Then it was just a question of accomplishing what I needed to do.

Individually, each step isn’t difficult. What can make a procedure challenging is that there’s a lot of steps in the procedure, and each step builds on the previous step. So understanding where you’re going and what you need to do with each step is essential. Thanks to the technical advisor team, the technique guides and the checklists, the whole process went very, very smoothly. We completed each appointment in a totally stress-free manner, which is really something when you consider that this was my first big case like this.

CM: Did you make use of the QR codes in the technique guides that link to how-to videos?

RC: I’ve checked out a few of them. They were very well produced, and I found them quite useful, but honestly, I probably didn’t watch as many as I should have because after talking with the technical support team and reviewing the steps as laid out in the instructional guides, we had confidence in the process and everything went so smoothly. It’s certainly good to know that videos are available for the key steps of the process, in case we ever encounter challenges in the future.

CM: Are you currently placing implants? What’s next for you when it comes to implant treatment?

RC: I’ve taken courses but haven’t yet decided to begin placing implants. For now, I’m happy sticking to the restorative side of things. I have a fully edentulous patient right now, and we just finished with his full-mouth extractions. In a couple of months he’s going to have 14 implants placed. I’m in the process of treatment planning upper and lower full-arch restorations, and guaranteed, I know which lab I’m going to be sending that case to.

with John Fish, DDS

CM: How many years have you been working with Glidewell, and how did that relationship start?

DR. JOHN FISH: It was in early 2016 after I took a course by Drs. Carl Misch and Randolph Resnik in Las Vegas about complications in implant dentistry. Carl was a big proponent of your products, both on the dental lab side of things and the Hahn Tapered Implant System — and that was good enough for me. After hearing what Carl had to say about the implant system, I switched over right away. He liked the design of the implant and he also spoke to its value, considering that it’s a premium implant that is far less expensive than the comparable options out there.

Up until then, we were in the habit of sending out our cases to any number of labs. We started sending some work to Glidewell, and the quality and consistency of the restorations were quite good, with a great turnaround time. And it was immediately evident that the value is exceptional when you consider the quality of the product you receive for the price you pay. The overall experience has been very good — excellent customer service, predictability, good support and great implant products. It’s the whole package.

CM: Have you ever taken a live course with Glidewell?

JF: Yes. Another thing Dr. Misch talked about was Glidewell’s focus on continuing education and the advantages it offers for dentists. I went on to attend a Glidewell Clinical Education course on full-arch implant treatment taught by Dr. Paresh Patel, and that really simplified the process of how I provide restorations for my edentulous patients. I learned a lot of skills that I regularly put to use. In fact, twice already this week I’ve used tips and techniques that I learned from that course.

CM: How has your experience been getting your implants and restorations from the same place?

JF: It has definitely been a new experience, and it’s benefitted my practice quite a bit. It’s very convenient just dealing with one source for my surgical and restorative needs. It streamlines our operation a little bit more, and that all comes together with the 20% discount I receive on my restorations over Hahn implants.

Getting the implants at such a good price and then receiving the discount on the lab fees has contributed a lot to my profitability. It has allowed me to offer these full-arch cases at a pretty competitive price. And I’ve got seven or eight of these full-arch cases going right now. As a matter of fact, we’ve set an all-time record for revenue this month at our practice, and these BruxZir Implant Prosthesis cases I’m doing are a big part of that.

CM: And how has your experience been working with Glidewell’s customer service team?

JF: Whenever I’ve needed technical support, I’ve had an excellent experience. There are several technical advisors that I’ve gotten to know, and I really like talking to them because they are really sharp and knowledgeable, and they can communicate quite well. And the no-fault guarantee on the implant restorations is a big deal for me. The warranties are completely no-fault. There have been times where I might make a mistake or prescribe the wrong shade, but Glidewell is always gracious enough to remake it at no charge. There’s never been a question about that. Those types of situations are a little bit painful, but the lab always goes out of their way to make things right and ensure my implant patients get a great outcome.

It’s nice knowing that the entire restoration, from implant to crown, is guaranteed for life, but I know one thing about BruxZir Zirconia: I can prescribe it with absolute, total confidence that it’s not going to chip. I tell people, “You could drive your car over this crown,” and that’s probably literally true. That material is bulletproof and has completely changed the face of dentistry, when you can put in a second molar crown or a full-arch restoration with total confidence that the patient’s never going to break it.

As an advocate of implant dentistry in the general practice, Glidewell is committed to helping dentists provide treatment for more patients though accessible, cost-effective surgical and restorative solutions, as well as education that covers everything from implant placement to business management and patient communications. While every dentist has different goals for implant treatment in their practices, Glidewell is committed to helping clinicians reach whatever level they choose to pursue. To learn more about Glidewell’s fully integrated implant solutions, visit glidewell.com/implant-solutions.