D4 dental clinic elevates dental care in Shanghai with Planmeca solutions

Nestled within the L'Avenue shopping mall in Shanghai, China, the D4 dental practice is a local go-to favourite not only due to its convenient location and inviting interior design but also thanks to the modern and customer-centric approach to dental treatments. The clinic is also the first certified Digital Smile Design clinic in Asia. According to the clinic's owner Dr Herman Hsu, the four D’s, which the name D4 stands for – delicate digital dental design – are also the main objectives for every dental treatment performed at the clinic.

In achieving his goals, Dr Hsu relies on Planmeca technology. As Dr Hsu was relocating D4 to its new home a few years back, he made a deliberate choice to equip the clinic with Planmeca's state-of-the-art dental solutions: a Planmeca ProMax® 3D Classic CBCT imaging unit, a Planmeca ProX™ intraoral X-ray device and five Planmeca Compact™ i dental units offering premium comfort for all patients visiting the clinic.

The decision to go with Planmeca was cemented during a collaborative project in 2016, in which the jaw motion tracking feature of the Planmeca ProMax® 3D Mid imaging unit caught Dr Hsu’s attention. After a trial run, he was convinced by the impeccable design, practical features and the user-friendly workflow optimisation of Planmeca products, and knew they were the right fit for D4.

Comfort redefined with Planmeca dental units

Initially, however, Dr Hsu’s journey with Planmeca began already in his childhood. His father was a dentist, too, and his clinic was equipped with Planmeca dental units. This early exposure left a lasting impression on Dr Hsu, and as his professional journey unfolded, Planmeca continued to be his constant companion.

Dr Hsu still recalls his first experience with a Planmeca dental unit – and his surprise of how comfortable its chair actually was. Over the years, his patients have noticed the same thing, too. They do not only feel at ease but some have even found the chairs so relaxing that they have fallen asleep during their treatments.

The design of Planmeca dental units was yet another reason to choose Planmeca as were their many intelligent features. According to Dr Hsu, the compact design of the units has helped him optimise the space in the treatment rooms. In addition, he appreciates the integrated infection control of the units, which have ensured efficient and safe daily workflows.

These protocols can also be easily managed through the Planmeca Romexis® Clinic Management software, which allows a seamless management of all Planmeca products and patient data in one platform, simplifying the clinic's business and clinical analysis.

Digital tools streamline top-notch patient care

Circling back to imaging, one standout feature for Dr Hsu is the Planmeca Ultra Low Dose™ feature (ULD) of his Planmeca CBCT unit, which allows him to capture 3D images while committing to responsible low-dose principles. He genuinely appreciates the detailed 3D images that can be captured with a small field of view and, thanks to the ULD feature, the effective patient doses are even lower than those usually needed for panoramic imaging.

With ULD, it has been a no-brainer to make the decision to capture a 3D image, especially in more complicated cases, for which 2D images might not be adequate. Although patients themselves are often unaware of the meaning of patient doses, Dr Hsu has chosen to prioritise their safety by using ULD.

Dr Hsu also applauds the intuitive and user-friendly interface of the Planmeca Romexis® software, which has allowed dental assistants and dentists working at D4 to quickly adapt to using the software. The advanced tools of the software have also contributed to digitalising different steps of the clinical workflows at the clinic.

With Planmeca as its trusted partner, D4 continues to set new standards for dental care in Shanghai, providing a space where patients not only receive top-notch care but can also experience the full potential of their smiles – with the help of digital technologies and software.

Text: Bo Wang & Mari Suominen
Images: Courtesy of D4 dental clinic