Three Doctors, Three Viewpoints, One Laser

When dentists begin using Solea it often becomes the centerpiece of the entire practice, streamlining more difficult procedures and offering patients reliably anesthesia-free treatments. To learn more about Solea’s impact on the dental practice, we spoke with three dentists to learn about their expectations of Solea before using it and what they think of Solea after bringing it into their practice.

Dr. Louis Napolitano of Jackson, NJ
Practice Website: Louis Napolitano DMD

Convergent Dental: How did you first hear about Solea?

Dr. Napolitano: I first heard about Solea from my distributor. I had been looking around at lasers for a couple of years. I evaluated Biolase and a few others and I wasn’t impressed with any of them. I was told I really needed to check out Solea. I did and I was sold instantly.

Convergent Dental: What did you expect from Solea prior to using it in your practice?

Dr. Napolitano: I was expecting to be able to replace the handpiece on some restorations, and hopefully find a way around using a local anesthetic on my apprehensive patients. That’s pretty much what I was looking for. Prior, I was using a diode laser for soft-tissue procedures, and it was working okay—and if you don’t know any better, you think it’s working well.

Convergent Dental: Now that you own and use Solea, what do you think of its capabilities? How has it changed or optimized your workflow?

Dr. Napolitano: Without a doubt, Solea has excited me about dentistry again. It has taken the stress away for both me and my patients. I use it for at least 10-15 procedures a day, in fact, because it has improved our efficiency so greatly, I went and bought a second one. Sharing my Solea wouldn’t work out, because I use it all the time! It has also expanded the number of procedures that we do. I used to perform frenectomies and I really only did the ones that were simple; but now with Solea, I can tackle linguals and just about everything else. It’s great. You have to see it to believe it.

Dr. Heather Petroff of Broadview Heights, OH
Practice Website: HJPetroff DDS

Convergent Dental: How did you first hear about Solea?

Dr. Petroff: I heard about Solea through my dental representative, who knows that I like to incorporate new technology into my office, especially if it’s new technology that would help my patients without anesthetic. After that, he brought the Solea unit in, and after I had it in my hands, I knew I had to have it.

Convergent Dental: What did you expect from Solea prior to using it in your practice?

Dr. Petroff: I expected that it would reduce my patients’ fear, and reduce follow-up appointments with the same patients. I was also expecting an increase in both production and same-day treatment. I thought that I would be able to do procedures right away without having to administer anesthetic and then wait or, if a patient needed a filling, I could do it right there, that day. And I was right!

Convergent Dental: Now that you own and use Solea, what do you think of its capabilities? How has it changed or optimized your workflow?

Dr. Petroff: I think Solea will be limitless. I think it will be able to completely change dentistry. Solea is amazing; it has enabled us to work without anesthetic in so many cases and has reduced fear for my patients. I don’t use it for soft-tissue procedures like some of the other Solea dentists out there; I predominantly use it for hard-tissue procedures, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Dr. James Forester of San Luis Obispo, CA
Practice Website: Coastal Pediatric Dentistry

Convergent Dental: How did you first hear about Solea?

Dr. Forester: That’s a great question. I was interested in the idea of laser dentistry, particularly for the ability to not have to deliver anesthesia to my pediatric patients. I don’t have a problem administering it, I really don’t—that’s not an issue for me; but, I have noticed what happens afterward, and that’s the hardest part. When we’re done and the nitrous gets turned off, the kids sit up, start to walk out and say, “What happened to my face?” or “My tooth hurts!” So, I like the idea of that not happening.

After hearing about how some practices were seeing a decrease in the amount of anesthetic needed, I wondered how that would play out for my own practice. So, I started talking to the guys from Convergent Dental. I had been reading up on Solea, but once I went to CDA and experienced it, I said to myself, “OK, yeah, this is something that I think I’m going need to do.”

Convergent Dental: What did you expect from Solea prior to using it in your practice?

Dr. Forester: I expected that we would see a change in the amount of anesthetic that was needed and that we would be able to do more procedures without it. I think that’s what I expected. What I didn’t expect, though, was that I was going to be able to do all of the procedures that I’m doing now. Additionally, I really didn’t expect to do quite as much of the soft tissue treatment. Honestly, at this point in time, I would market the fact that I’m using a laser; I would actually tell people about it because it’s that good.

Convergent Dental: Now that you own and use Solea, what do you think of its capabilities? How has it changed or optimized your workflow?

Dr. Forester: I will say that it’s changed my workflow in that I have to plan a little differently when it comes to scheduling. I can do more quadrants at one time if my patient is comfortable and okay and, you know, that’s always variable in pediatric dentistry but it’s nice to know that I can do more if I want to. Also, if I want to change my productivity, I can do that as well. It’s really great.

Another thing that has changed is the way I do fillings. For instance, I haven’t given anesthetic for a filling in front or back teeth since December of 2015 (that’s when I got Solea). It’s crazy. I see numerous restoration appointments a day. Now, I’m really only using anesthetic for nerve treatment, pulpectomies, crown treatment, and extractions.

In the past, at the end of the day, I used to call every patient that I administered anesthetic to; and now, instead of making around 10-15 calls, I’m making two or less. That’s definitely an indicator of how Solea is helping me.

Are you interested in seeing what Solea can do for your practice? Contact us today.