What type of working edge is found on common dental hygiene instruments?
Dental hygiene instruments have a sturdy edge suitable for scraping, unlike a knife edge, which is used for slicing. To be effective, an appropriate bevel (relief) must be maintained so that the sharpened edge contacts the tooth surface while the instrument handle stays within the allowable arc.
What method is recommended for in-office sharpening?
We have not yet seen a suitable device/method for maintaining dental instrument sharpness and blade contours in an office setting. We have seen thousands of instruments sharpened by hygienists in hundreds of offices around the country, and so far, not one tech appears to have found a retail system that has allowed them to master the art of edge maintenance.
Some of our instruments have been returned to us tagged; 'dental debris found on instrument'. What additional steps can we take to ensure that our instruments are truly clean?
We are not specialists in instrument cleaning, but we have suggested that extra care can be taken by thoroughly wiping instrument surfaces with a solvent pad [such as Uni-Solve] or lightly scrubbing using an electric toothbrush immediately after procedures and prior to the ultrasonic bath.
What turnaround time for sharpening should we expect?
Our goal is for orders to spend no more than 2 nights in our facility. Afterward, USPS Priority Mail typically takes 2-3 days in transit anywhere nationwide. If you prefer another shipping company, please provide us with that account number and your delivery time preference or send a completed return label along with your order. Your carrier can provide you with preprinted labels.
Where did you gain your expertise?
We began our involvement with the world of dental instruments in 1974 with employment at American Dental Mfg in Missoula, MT, a premier provider to the field (eventually, it resurfaced as American Eagle Dental Mfg). Following that was our expansion into the medical devices sharpening/repair business. Along the way, we have provided contract dental instrument sharpening services to Dentsply in York, PA, and private consulting at their mfg facility, Ash Dental, in Plymouth, England, and contract sharpening for American Eagle in Missoula, MT. In the 2000s, the second generation of family sharpeners worked in the sharpening dept of Paradise Dental Technologies in Missoula, MT, and continued contract sharpening for PDT while obtaining a college degree in a health field. All of this knowledge and experience is made available to you now.
Any tips for packaging and shipping?
Always ensure instruments are cleaned and sterilized before wrapping them entirely in padding tightly enough to prevent ANY movement within the box. Please never use soft-sided packaging alone. Loose instruments in boxes, or instruments placed in soft-sided packaging, do result in tips poking through the sides, which pose an injury threat to all the package handlers along the way and puts the tips in danger of being broken off as well.
Our packaging is reusable, so keep it handy for your next order. You'll be ready with a Flat Rate Padded Priority Mail envelope, which ships for about $10 nationwide, and a box that easily handles 90+ instruments. You can simply print a mailing label in your office and then avoid a trip to the Post Office by putting it out with your regular office mail or by scheduling a pickup online. Be sure your carrier scans the label at the time of pickup.
Be sure to save a photo or a copy of your packing list and tracking information for your files.
Please do not send instruments in cassettes. Well, one cassette would be OK :) but more than that is a real headache for us to deal with.
We do not accept credit card payments at this time. Our service invoice is included with your shipment and is due upon receipt. Please make your payment by check. Some clients use Bill.com for their accounts payable, which delivers payment to us via direct deposit.
Can I pay my invoice by credit card?