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| High Speed Handpiece Connectivity by Kinetic Instruments www.kineticinc.com 1. Early Configurations Air driven high speed handpieces were originally designed with only two service passages, pressurized drive air and coolant water. As the devices evolved, additional passages were added for water-mist air, doubling as "chip air" and an exhaust passage. Finally, a fifth service, fiber-optic bundles, was incorporated to produce the familiar 5-Hole design. Basically, in the U.S., Midwest Dental and Star Dental were the major players in the high speed market. When the industry began to organize itself a little better, it was decided to generate an ISO specification for the handpiece hole patterns. However, a slight dilemma was encountered. The competing manufacturers, in an effort to gain exclusivity, designed hole patterns that were not compatible. Therefore, the resultant ISO-9168 sections A, B, and D had to be adopted to reflect the differing 2, 3, 4, and 5 Hole designs. Of course, you may wonder what exactly is an "International Standard" if it contains various ways of doing the same thing. Good question! During this "evolution", the European manufacturers had designed a connection that eliminated the fiber optic interface in favor of an electrical one that connected to a lamp within the handpiece. This configuration slipped into the documentation stream as ISO-9168 section C, hence "ISO-C". We still must, however, qualify ISO-9168 section B as either 4-Hole or 5-Hole since the "standard" applies to both ~ done to save sections I imagine. OK, enough with the history already. The bottom line anomaly that I would like to bring to light is that although we have an ISO specification for handpiece connection configuration, that very specification would permit, to this day, the manufacture of two different 5- Hole designs that would not be compatible. Therefore, it is certainly not surprising to encounter the same sort of "standard" deviation with the ISO-C design as well. The adaptation of various lamp voltage specifications for the ISO-C connection is currently creating much confusion even though the ISO specification in this area is VERY specific and well defined ~ go figure. I surmise the International Organization for Standardization has a "do-what-you-want" division as well. 2. Current U.S. Market Conditions Even with the differing operation parameters of some manufacturers, the situation is not all that complicated and simply must be handled instead of resisted. Basically, the American dentist is heavily rooted in the ISO-B 5-Hole design with an emerging increase in popularity toward the ISO-C connection. This popularity was seriously enhanced in 1999 with Midwest and Star joining Kavo in producing ISO-C handpieces as well as their benchmark 5-Hole devices. Currently, all the major manufacturers of handpieces have an ISO-C version or a coupling that can be purchased in an ISO-C connection. Therefore, the proverbial handwriting is on the wall ~ within the next several years, ISO-C should become the more popular connection for fiber optic handpieces. However, the average American dentist is nowhere near the hi-tech environment enjoyed by their Western European counterpart. The income is just not available in the U.S. to permit dentists to purchase state-of-the-art equipment. As a result, the trickle-down effect on handpieces is that many dentists choose not to adopt fiber optic handpieces and are therefore relegated to the 4-hole domain. Even when fiber optic handpieces are purchased, the 5-hole design is often chosen due to its inherent lower cost. The resultant cost-based popularity of the 5-hole style is likely to linger for quite some time. Therefore, the marketplace will, for the foreseeable future, be divided between 4-hole non-optic, 5-hole, and ISO-C. Dental units must have an efficient means of flexibility to accommodate these three handpiece styles. 3. Common Dental Unit Purchasing Scenario Ten or fifteen years ago, dentists wishing to purchase new units would simply call up their favorite dealer and let his salesman pretty much decide what was ordered. Today, especially with catalog houses offering large equipment at discount prices, the procedure is generally more tedious and more careful. Usually, once a decision has been reached, by whatever means, the order is instituted without much regard to exactly what handpieces will be used. The doctor doesn't want to deal with another issue, the dealer, or whomever on the sales end, doesn't want to bother the doctor and therefore the connectivity usually falls thru the cracks. Many dealers simply choose to attend to the problem after the unit is delivered, figuring that whatever is necessary they will do at that time. Often that results in everyone running around at the last moment. Since this procrastination tendency is generally prevalent, an efficient means of not only dealing with this scenario, but also encouraging it, would be greatly beneficial to the entire supply chain. Presently, unless otherwise specified, dental units are shipped with the standard 4-hole tubing. Even this has to be specified as to how many tubings the doctor wishes to utilize. In over 60% of the installations, at least one or more of these 4- hole tubings will be removed from a brand new unit and replaced with some sort of light source system. Ask any dentist you know, they always have at least 3 or 4 extra tubings laying around from this sort of situation. 4. "BULKHEAD" Tubing Connection The Kinetic "KINC" bulkhead connector, employed on every dental unit, would render the connectivity issue moot until the time of usage. The main idea here is to supply all units with a common, universal connector up at the unit head that can accommodate any style of tubing, 4- hole, 5-hole, ISO-C, quick-connect, quick-connect swivel AND any conversion to these styles at a later time. The mechanical design configuration is rather simple. Instead of handpiece tubings being installed on the unit head, a small threaded connector, protruding only about ~ inch takes the place of the tubing. This inexpensive part, dubbed "KINC" for KINetic-Connector, is pre-connected to all necessary handpiece services and is also pre-wired to permit connection to the light source power supply, if warranted. Every unit would be shipped sans-tubing so that the dealer, or even the doctor, can simply and easily connect the appropriate tubing based upon anticipated usage. 5. Streamlined Ordering System Presently, many dental unit orders encounter speed bumps when it comes to the handpiece tubings. Since this configuration is routinely left to the last minute, an otherwise smooth production schedule is interrupted and may even cause delay of shipment. And no one wants that to happen too often, preferably never. Bulkhead connection would pretty much eliminate tubing as a shipping delay issue. The dealer, on the other hand, would also benefit from this type of system. They don't want to make ordering more complicated, they would rather move along to other sales and wait for the units to be delivered before attending to any other situations. Having a small stock of common tubings, together with next-day availability would effectively afford the dealer complete freedom to configure the unit to his customer's requirements right in the dental office. Sales personnel could conceivably carry around "demo" kits that would give a doctor an opportunity to experience different brand handpieces and their related connections without having to commit to one style up front. 6. Single "UNIVERSAL" Tubing Capability The benefits of a bulkhead connector are certainly advantageous for ordering, shipping and configuring a dental operatory. However, another possibility exists which goes one additional step forward in the total convenience arena. The three basic styles of handpiece connection, 4-hole, 5-hole and ISO-C all have one thing in common, that is, they possess the exact same hole pattern specifications. Although a 5-hole handpiece will not fit on a 4-hole tubing, a 4-hole handpiece will fit on a 5- hole tubing. So what? Well, the only difference between being able to connect to a 5-hole handpiece vs. ISO-C or 4-hole is that a lamp module must be inserted between the handpiece and the tubing in the case of 5-hole. The KINC connector has the unique ability to permit the hose nut to be removed and replaced with another of a different length. Bottom line, ONE single ISO-C tubing together with a longer hose nut and the addition of a lamp module is all that is needed to connect to any of the three handpiece styles. Therefore, if this tubing were carried by the dealer, they could essentially configure ANY connection without the necessity of stocking more than one style tubing, several inexpensive hose nuts and lamp modules that they would need in any event. 7. Tubing Repair and Replacement Having been in this business for almost 23 years, we can assure you that U.S. dentists will keep something as long as it is functional ~ and sometimes even when it is not. The single biggest complaint we experience when a light source tubing goes out of service is the inconvenience and expense of hiring a service technician. The tech must take the tubing out, the doctor then sends it to us for repair and then the tech has to re-install the repaired tubing. Not too bad if you live in L.A. but try to get someone in Idaho or Kansas. Presently, we can't do much for the customer other than expeditiously process the repair. However, if the problem could be solved by sending out a replacement which could be changed by the doctor, MANY more tubing replacements could be sold. It is far more cost effective for the practitioner to buy new tubing, and even carry spares, than to employ a service tech to do this particular job. A dealer may initially see this as lost service revenue, however, in the long run, the service tech could be utilized more effectively and profitably on more complicated jobs. In addition, the larger volume of tubings that would ordinarily go without replacement will more than make up for any loss in servicing. And, of course, there's the aesthetics issue. Many doctors do not replace absolutely horrible looking tubings for the same inconvenience and cost concerns. With an easy connection, tubings could be conveniently changed once a year, by the doctor, at his leisure. 8. Ongoing Dealer Sales Opportunities One overwhelmingly common request we and others hear constantly from prospective handpiece buyers is "OK ~ but can I try it?" Dealer sales people are always leaving demos or loaners here and there and very often do not have the proper connection or capability to adequately demonstrate the product. Dental units that have common KINC connections, on the other hand, would be capable of reversible conversion from any existing style to any other style. Suppose an operatory is set up with 5-hole handpieces and the doctor has an interest in a new handpiece that is ISO- C. Normally this would be a major pain for the sales person. Using possibly only a hose nut, the doctor could be switched to ISO-C for however long he wishes. And that makes sales people very happy. Dealers are equipment oriented and any capability that would allow them to more easily sell the single most popular and profitable equipment item in dentistry, is going to get their attention. In addition, it is not just a demo ~ the installation is, for all practical purposes, permanent and can simply be left there and billed without any subsequent attention. More happiness. 9. Psychology ~ The Name Of The Game When was the last time you bought a new car? For the average middle class American, that pleasurable event happens every 2.7 years. It is always fun and, in reality, probably the repetitively worst net financial investments we will make over the course of our lifetime. Even knowing this, the buyer revels in the idiosyncrasies of the various vehicles while paying little attention to the practicality or applicability of the features and benefits. That is primarily because we are caught up in the "event" of buying a car, not the "reason". Good sales people understand this excitement and can generously produce all sorts of otherwise inconsequential features and proposals to fuel the fire. Most large purchases are emotional, not intellectual. Dentists buying "tools of their trade" are no exception. The more something can do or appear to do, the more the sales person will have to talk about. If a product can keep a sales person talking for about 15 minutes, it is very likely that a sale will be made. After all, it probably took you about that long to read this and I am only talking about handpiece connections. Dental units have, over the course of the last several years, re- emerged with new, "Euro" styling, color changes and built- in features that have lent a more hi-tech aura and fostered enhanced buyer excitement. That's the name of the game ~ creation of excitement. ANYTHING NEW! The KINC connector won't revolutionize dental unit sales, but it is inexpensive, makes a whole lot of sense, and to any salesman, a comprehensible repertoire of ideas and innovation that he can energetically sell to his customers. Bottom line ~ MORE SALES. This article courtesy of http://www.dental-sites.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact. |
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