DDS GP – Be a Treatment Presentation Ninja!

OK… Here’s my first Dental Warrior product review!  I hope you like it!

Over my 22 years in dentistry, I’ve come across all sorts of patient education tools.  Our biggest challenge as dentists is getting patients to WANT what they NEED in order to have a healthy, functioning, and beautiful smile.  Most of what we do is out of sight and out of mind (for the patient). Unless it hurts or they can see it in the mirror, it drops to the bottom of the priority list for most patients. We’ve used plastic models, pencil sketches, posters, brochures, flip-charts, photographs, VHS videos, and more recently DVD or computer based videos and demonstrations.

The DVD or computer based videos were “state-of-the-art” at one time, but I always found them lacking something.  And, that was MY personal touch.  It was uncomfortable for me to delegate the explanation of treatment options to someone else… Someone I don’t know and doesn’t know me.  It was an impersonal act to say, “Just watch this video about dental implants, Mrs. Smith,” and then leave the room.  Even if I stayed in the room, we were both listening to someone ELSE explaining what I was suggesting.  I spent a few thousand dollars on the DVD-based system several years ago.  And, in the end, it didn’t get used much.  It just didn’t quite fit the bill. Too impersonal, and most of the videos were way too long.

Recently, I discovered a new product that is the perfect combination of high-tech and personal touch.  It is an application for Apple’s iPad.  I bought an iPad JUST for this application.  It’s that powerful. It’s called DDS GP.  Catchy name, eh?  😉  Actually, it stands for Dental Demo Suite GP.  Well, rest assured this application is high-caliber.  Please read on before you click the link below.

DDS GP is a program loaded with graphic animations of just about every dental procedure you can imagine.  And, they are constantly adding more.  Oh, get this… updates are FREE… FOREVER.  So, no maintenance costs.  No update fees.  And, you’ve gotta love the name of the parent company, “Kick your Apps, Inc!”

(Teaser:  Video demo at the end of this post, but keep reading!)

The various demonstrations are conveniently categorized and accessible by touching the intuitive menu.  But, you can also save your “favorites” in a separate folder, so bringing them up them is easy.

A perfect example of how the DDS GP app works so well is presenting a treatment plan of extracting a tooth, placing an immediate implant and then a crown.  (See video)  Normally, it would take me 10 minutes or more to sketch and explain.   Now it takes about 30 seconds.  And, the patient GETS it.  One of the nice features of the DDS GP animations is that they can be controlled by the slider button.  You can just hit “Play,” too.  But, I like using the slider function so I can pause and even go backward and forward as necessary.

The perio, endo, and restorative modules are all excellent, too.

Someone asked me if it has audio.  It doesn’t.  YOU (or your RDH, assistant, or treatment coordinator) are the audio track.  That’s the personalized side of this technology.  You sit side by side with the patient and interact with the animated graphic presentation.

I can also draw directly on the animations to emphasize a point.  Also available with each module are photographs.   The app comes with some stock photos that are quite good.  But, the bonus is that you can add your own!

Now get this…  You can mark each treatment you’ve presented to the patient and email it to the patient!  Very cool.

OK… here’s the bottom line. I bought the minimal, cheapest iPad in their line-up.  It’s the 16 gig Wi-fi model that sells for $499.  It’s all you need for this application.  The DDS GP app costs $399.  So for a total of about $900, you’ve got the complete system.  No update costs – ever.  It’s a one-time cost.  You can install the app on as many iPads as you have registered on your iTunes account.  So, if you want to have one in each operatory, all you need is the extra iPads.  My practice is low-volume, so I’ve just got the one for now.  We keep it in the central sterilization area where anyone can grab it.

Back to my recurring theme of no bank loan needed and immediate ROI.  The DDS GP iPad app will pay for itself on the FIRST DAY of use!  Think about it.  Total cost is about $900.  If a patient proceeds with a single crown, four quads of scaling and root planing, a root canal, or an implant… Any ONE of those things…  It’s paid for itself and then some.

So, if you don’t have an iPad, get one by clicking here.  Again, all you need is the cheapest model.  Then click on DDS GP – Kick Your Apps, Inc. or the App Store button below to purchase the DDS GP application:

A good Dental Warrior will “hit the ground running” with the DDS GP app in his holster.  If you have any questions, post them here in the comments section (so others who probably have the same questions can learn, too).

Here’s the video demo and review! It’s about 10 minutes, but you’ll get a good idea of how awesome DDS GP is!

Click here for another really cool use for the iPad in your office (intraoral photos wirelessly from your camera)!

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