10 questions before you buy a dental milling machine

Computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) is all the rage these days and with it people can create everything from the simple to the complex: jewelry, tools, machine parts and toys. Considering the widespread utilization of this type of technology, it’s no surprise that CAD/CAM machines are in widespread use throughout the dental industry.

As you know, the dental milling machine are not chaeap,so there are 10 questions that you should ask yourself or your boss before you buy a new machine:

1. How long will it take for the equipment to pay for itself?

2. Is the equipment easy to learn?
3.Can it be implemented into my practice immediately or are 
additional investments in training and resources required?
4.Will my staff be willing and able to operate the equipment or will I need to use my time to          operate it?
5.If my staff can operate it, will I need to hire another full-
 time person to manage its operation?
6. If I have to operate it, how much of my time will be spent
 each day actually using the            equipment and how much is 
 that ultimately going to cost in chair-side production?
7. Will I get a chance to use the equipment before I buy it?
 (Will my staff get a chance to use it as well?)
8.Is my staff enthusiastic for the new equipment to be added 
to the office?
9. Will the equipment enhance the type of dentistry I want 
to do or does it dictate the type of        dentistry I have to do?
10. Hypothetically, if I bought this tool and then had to give
 it up, would my dental practice’s        productivity be negatively 
 impacted, positively impacted, or would there be no measurable

impact?