This is interesting…..I have been thinking alot the past few weeks about the “tone” of Laser dentistry these days….Interestingly enough everything seems to have quieted down a bit…Message boards, LDF, articles in Journals, etc…I dont really know why..I have a  theory that may or may not be true…Biolase has blazed the trail the last number of years puting laser dentistry in the forefront of dentist’s minds, with Ads, tradeshow hype etc….Their hype ( good or bad) has died down and it seems the laser industry buzz and quieted down as well….While companies may be still selling lasers it seems the excitemnt for many  has dwindled….I think the negativity that always seems to rise in dental town dosent help either…I’m sure the action will start again ..I think it takes lifers like many of use here on LDF  to keep the dental laser world on the edge of their seats….Just a thought ………

(Edited by whitertth at 12:09 pm on July 24, 2005)

I am not so sure about sales…I think many companies would say sales are down…I do think that the planned LDF meeting in the spring will shake the laser world up a bit and be alot of fun…Hope to see all of you there…

I’ve seen the cycle eb and flow 3 times now. Back when ADL ruled the scene, then Premier, then Biolase.

If the technology is good, its awareness will return again.

Bob

I’ll add my input and I think four factors are involved especially in regards to forum activity.

1. those early adapters who took the time to really learn how to use their lasers have just become too busy in their practices to be taking pictures all the time

2. unless someone really uses their imagination and finds a new use for their laser, we have about covered the gamut here. How many times have we all answered the same repeat questions on DT?

3.while lasers are fun and exciting, the excitement over time, wanes a little and we remember life outside of dentistry is more important than having all your time consumed by it.

4. if it won’t replace a handpiece, the majority of dentists will not invest that kind of money in a laser. I think the psychology here is especially important when in 2002 you could buy an erbium in the low 40’s and now your talking 60’s-70’s

JMHO

David,
I agree with most of what you said.
I still believe that more lasers (in total)are being sold now than ever. Perhaps the rate of growth of sales has significantly decreased. But as there will continue to be this din of sales growth, it is a matter of time before it is mainstream.
One has only to look at digital xrays as an example.That is by far the most important piece of technology I have in my office. Heck I have it 8 years and the debate still goes on as to its importance. If the profession can’t accept this outright how are they going to accept lasers.
No it’s going to take time, but eventually most(new graduates) will realize the benefits of new technology ,and reach into their pockets.

Robert

Robert and David, I agree with alot of what you say but there are some worries in my view.

I have seen lectures from Hoya starting to draw less, the peak was last fall.

THere are less emails to me regarding training and courses.

There is less banter here and on DT.

NOw as for new grads, there is an alarming shortage of new grads coming out of the schools everywhere. More dentists will retire in the next 10 years then will dentists graduate to replace them.

1/2 of all new grads are women who typically practice fewer days and more of them do not buy into a practice. More grads are foreign students (in the USA at least) and they must return to their home country.

What does this all mean……….

WEll first of all to buy a house and pay of loans are the students first two wishes in many cases. There is just no money to buy a practice with expensive technology. Nor do they need it to start the practice because they are going to be busy as the coming shortage occurs.

This is going to be a severe problem by around 2010-2015 and already here in Vancouver the prices for dental practices is falling (for the last 4 years) and it is becoming increasingly difficult to sell a practice (2 X as many sellers as buyers).

Technology better be very careful because although new grads are tech savvy and not afraid of it, there will be very limited funds to purchase any new tech given the state of costs of schooling and housing in many major markets where technology is needed to differentiate oneself.

In rural areas my belief is that technology may not be that important to the growth and success of any practice.

For the first time in 7-8 years I really worry about the growth of technology and particularly lasers as I really feel they may have hit a plateau and we are going to see ALOT of adjustment in the next 5 years. I have been wrong many times but its getting just too expensive for many to purchase all the goodies that are available.

Glenn

Really? Like what?

At one point when I was particularly discouraged, someone commented to me “You can check out anytime you like but you can never really leave”.

That prediction wound up coming true and I’ve had to eat some words;)

From Kimmel’s 07/25 post:  

Biolase had a great deal to do with the new wave in laser users, encluding myself.  I think they really had the oppurtunity to make it to the tipping point. The market was right. It was a very much improved technology , the economy was down for many dentist and they where looking for the magic pill , it was a perfect marketing niche in a profession that was finally starting to market and the patients where ready for something new in dentistry!!!   Some many things look right for lasers to finally become mainstream.
What happened?  Well the ALD dropped the ball and stayed a good old boys club,  Biolase screwed up—-Yep Biolase screwed up—- You just can not have a business model thats treats customers like crap and keep growing. It catches up with you. Biolase has a creditablity gap and they need to start working on it… Yesterday.

Biolase made some early errors with marketing claims, crappy training, poor engineering of original Waterlase fiber and customer service. But Biolase is the reason many of us new f@rts got involved with laser dentistry. I think the company is making an effort to correct the early problems and have a nice product with the WaterlaseMD.

Hoya…….. they also blew it. Hanging on the coattails of Biolase’s marketing and now partnering with Schein… Now thats a joke.. Get a cotton role salesperson to sell a laser!!!!

HOYA manufactures excellent products and during my quest had the best training for erbiums/diodes. They did drop the ball on marketing. Florida is a hot market for laser dentistry, yet at our state meeting in July, HOYA did not even have a booth. They outsourced to Schein and Benco which have huge displays. One would have literally had to stumble over the new VersaWave. The “cotton roll” comment is not a joke. I had a semi-sales pitch presented to me where I nodded, smiled and thanked the person for her time.

Fontana— tooooo late to join the party…

Lares is marketing the PowerLase AT(Fidelis) in the U.S. which looks like an interesting “new” product. Thirty six hours into our state meeting, the Lares representative told me I was the only doctor that had come by talk to him about the laser.

Millennium— about the only hope left to bring the laser market back into the forefront. It will be interesting to see how the control their growth and continue to market.

After initially being quite skeptical, I think MDT is on to something significant. If I had to do this laser dentistry thing all over again I might have started here. I think it’s great that they are moving towards a prospective, university-based trial.

Now that I’ve done it again!! Anyone want to lend me a name tag for the meetings next year?

No longer necessary. I think people respect you because even though you didn’t know Steven Parker or Joel White you were never afraid to speak your mind and challenge the claims made by “gurus”. This is beneficial for us neophytes and also requires those with long-term experience to justify their presentations.

Oh, and just so you know, I still believe laser dentistry will become more mainstream. It is just going to take a new player to come along or some event to push us back to the Tipping point!!

My prediction is this will happen. I have a ton of ideas but too dumb from physics standpoint to ever bring them to fruition.