Best of Tech: Intra-Oral Sensors Don’t Need to be a Pain for DSOs

Jazz Imaging’s SOLO sensor erases the complexity of sensors across multiple sites and mixed imaging software.

By Jazz Imaging

It seemed simple 25 years ago; replace film with intra-oral digital sensors and see immediate diagnostic and workflow benefits with instant images and no more chemicals. For most single practices, this meant picking a sensor with imaging software (usually from the same vendor) and, viola, let the imaging begin! 

But as DSOs emerged and acquired practices with different technology, this has become much more complicated. Cost, quality, and warranty concerns have now been joined by software integration, device interoperability, and staff acceptance across multiple sites.  

Practices are being bought with all manner of imaging software/sensor combinations in various states of warranty and usefulness. As those sensors die off and need replacement, this forces a decision – stay with what that particular practice has, or switch to a unified option while not forcing the location to change its imaging software. Once staff has gotten used to the workflow, the user interface, etc., changing software requires retraining and impacts production until everyone is up to speed and comfortable. 

Unfortunately, most major imaging software only integrates natively with their own sensor and relies on a limited interface called TWAIN to use other sensor brands. The downsides of non-native sensors using TWAIN can be frustrating, including reduced image quality, inability to capture into existing templates, no access to proprietary image enhancement, and having to select a TWAIN device every time you want to capture images. 

With SOLO from Jazz Imaging, no tradeoff is necessary. It will behave like a native sensor in all major imaging software environments without TWAIN limitations.  

DSOs struggle to manage warranty coverage and support because each sensor, when purchased, has a clock on its initial warranty and support. When a sensor dies or is damaged, someone must contact the vendor with the serial number to ascertain the level of coverage (if any) this particular sensor has before deciding how to proceed. The delays to evaluate and receive a replacement can slow production. Jazz Imaging has put an end to that with lifetime warranty and support never before seen for sensors. DSOs no longer need to manage warranty and support coverage with Jazz Imaging.

Until now, DSOs had to choose between staying with the expensive, large sensor companies to maintain quality and software integration or selecting a marketing company that bought their sensors from Asia and put their name on them. With Jazz Imaging, no tradeoff is required. Jazz Imaging founders developed DEXIS and Gendex, manufacture SOLO in San Jose, California, and only sell directly to customers with no middlemen markups. Jazz Imaging recently received 510k approval for a new sensor and guarantees premium quality that generic sensor resellers can’t match. Premium image quality and seamless integration with all major imaging software (NO TWAIN) can be found with SOLO from Jazz Imaging.