Prophy Angles
The simplest sales hold their own
Editor’s Note: First Impressions Magazine would like to acknowledge KERR TotalCare’s contribution.
They’re not the sexiest sale you’ll make this year. But your customers cannot live without them, so there’s no disputing that prophy angles are one of the more important items you can offer.
Slang for "prophylaxis, "prophy angles are used for prophylaxis procedures, or teeth cleanings. For the most part, dental hygienists rely on the handheld rotating devices for polishing teeth, but sometimes they are used by dentists and, infrequently, by dental assistants.
What are they?
Generally, dental hygienists begin their patient routine by scaling the teeth, or scraping off calculus (hardened plaque). Next, they polish the patient’s teeth using a prophy angle and prophy paste. Sometimes, the process may be reversed, particularly when the patient’s teeth are yellowed and stained, forcing the hygienist to polish them in order to see where hardened plaque exists.
The prophy angle typically bends at a 90-degree, L-shaped angle and is snapped onto the end of a low-speed (3,000 to 4,000 rpm) hand piece. Depending on its design, the device includes a cup or brush for applying the paste. Cups are available in two sizes, adult and pediatric.
Fifty ago, these devices were only constructed of metal. Although European countries still use metal prophy angles today, most U.S. dentists have switched to disposable plastic ones in the last 10 to 20 years, primarily for hygienic reasons. The device has moving parts, making it tricky to remove all of the debris from metal prophy angles prior to sterilization. Concerns that the devices were not thoroughly sterilized motivated most dental practices to make the switch.
Although the old metal units were smoother running, with less vibration and chatter than plastic ones, manufacturers have perfected the technology to limit these factors and make the experience as comfortable for the user as possible. And, with today’s emphasis on infection control, many practitioners feel that disposables offer the most responsible alternative.
What customers want
Dental hygienists rely on their prophy angles for as much as eight hours a day, so it’s important to them that the device is as vibration- and chatter-free as possible. A smooth-running device is easier to control and more comfortable to handle.
Some hygienists prefer contra prophy angles over traditional 90-degree prophy angles. They find the wider contra angle (110 to 115 degrees) may facilitate easier wrist and shoulder positioning – a big consideration in a field where carpal tunnel syndrome and other wrist and shoulder injuries occur so frequently. Also, hygienists are interested in an angle that provides them with easy access to lingual surfaces on the front of the teeth, as well as access to back molars, or posteriors.
Other features your customers may look for in prophy angles include:
- Bevel gears, which reportedly are smoother running than traditional gears.
- Angles with rubber heads for easier gripping.
- Cup style. Some cups have spirals and ridges, which help move the paste over the patients’ teeth. At least one manufacturer’s cup style includes a thin lip, which flares out to conform to the patient’s tooth when pressed against it. This may be helpful with inter-proximal cleaning (where two teeth come together) and sub-gingival cleaning (where the gum line meets the tooth).
Prophy angles are sold in boxes of 100, 125, 144 or 200. The cost ranges from 35 to 75 cents per prophy angle, depending on the features included.
How to sell
When discussing prophy angles with the dental hygienist or office manager, sales reps should keep in mind the best interests of both the patient and the user of the device. Several probing questions, such as the following, address the patient’s needs:
- "Are you concerned with splatter of prophy paste?" "Do you think a different angle can help prevent this splatter?"
- "Are you satisfied that the flare of the cup facilitates sub-gingival and inter-proximal cleaning?"
- "Do you feel the angle provides access to lingual surfaces on the front teeth and the back molars?"
Questions that address the comfort of the end-user include the following:
"Does your prophy angle offer low levels of vibration and smooth performance?"
"Do you find the cup sometimes drops off?" (Cups snap on and, infrequently, may fall off. This is referred to as cup-drop and is wasteful, not to mention embarrassing if the cup falls into the patient’s mouth.)
"At the end of the day, do your shoulder and/or wrist ache?"
"Do you generally have a good grip on your prophy angle, or does it tend to slip?"
When hygienists or office managers object to the price of disposable prophy angles, reps should remind them of the importance of paying for features that can enhance the comfort of the user and make his or her job easier and more efficient. And speed, comfort and efficiency are equally important to patients. After all, teeth cleanings bring in revenue to the dental practice. Patients who have the best experience in the chair are more likely to return.
All in all, prophy angles constitute a small percentage of a rep’s annual sales - about $500. But a discussion about prophy angles can lead to a conversation about gloves, masks, disinfectant products and much more. And, as wise reps know, the small sales can add up in a very big way.
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