Certain pathology should be left alone. Others require direct biopsies, while others require specific types of advanced additional imaging before biopsy. Sometimes things that look like pathology are simply variations of normal. Sometimes things that look like variations of normal are actually pathology. As oral & maxillofacial radiologists, we receive years of dedicated training to recognize these findings. An oral radiology consult will save you and your patients time, uncertainty, and money.

In your busy practice, you are bombarded with information all the time. The amount of data in medicine is estimated to double every couple months. (1 2) It can feel overwhelming trying to keep up with the constantly increasing complexity in medicine and information technology. You deserve wisdom – clear next steps to move your patients forward. Particularly with your imaging concerns, every day you are dealing with uncertainty. We know that this can be frustrating for both you and your patients. You deserve to be confident in your imaging and receive prompt answers to your imaging concerns.

Here’s your simple radiology plan:

1. You submit your CBCT volume. (This takes about 1-2 minutes per patient, depending on your internet speed.)
2. We read the report, look at your primary concern, and always read over the entire scan.
3. You get your next steps in about a clinic day, with a direct secure messaging feature in the report if you have any questions.

We treat every scan as an investment in your patients and your practice. We are the only oral & maxillofacial radiology reading service that requires our radiologists to take the official Image Wisely Pledge – a commitment to improving and promoting safe patient imaging. (We encourage everyone to learn more at imagewisely.org) When we can, we provide imaging suggestions to improve your scans, to prevent retakes, improve the diagnostic benefit of your images, and to limit unnecessary radiation to your patients. As the cost of healthcare continues to increase, (2008) more and more patients simply cannot afford adequate care. Image retakes, incorrect images, and treatment delays all add to these increasing patient and practice costs. Choosing the best scan the first time improves patient and assistant satisfaction and can save you thousands of dollars a month with increased productivity. You’re only as good as your information, and good imaging is good information.

We deliberately focus our reports on things that are clinically relevant to you and your patients. Unless you ask us to, we won’t focus on variations of normal or things not requiring treatment. (If you have questions about something that looks weird, please ask us! We’re happy to help explain something in your image to improve you and your patients’ understanding and peace of mind.)

Busywork costs money. Time is valuable- so we don’t waste yours. We are the only radiology reading service that uses a color-coded, standardized report design to improve communication and outcomes.(1 2 3 4) This concise, repeatedly tested method is used in national security, finance, large corporations, and many other areas – any time when complex things need to be explained clearly and concisely. Findings are listed with clear next steps with adjacent images to illustrate key features. The best maxillofacial radiology isn’t about regurgitating the facts – it’s about finding the point. You deserve reports with pearls of wisdom, not just a bag of shells.

Receiving answers to imaging questions promptly reduces you and your patients’ waiting anxiety. Submitting a case to us helps you to do more with your time. Let us do what we do best to help you and your patients do your best. By choosing an oral radiology consult, practices save their patients thousands of dollars avoiding unnecessary biopsies and treatment, catch more needed treatment procedures, and improve patient satisfaction. Our referring doctors find that their investment in a radiology consult is returned many times over in multiple ways. Our goal is always to help you improve your imaging and patient outcomes.

There is so much that can be done to move patients forward and to get more from less with your dental radiology! Stop leaving necessary treatment in your scans, and start finding patient needs earlier. Avoid costly and invasive unneeded biopsies, and speed your patient’s health with treatment best practices. Spend your time treating patients- not reading images. Every helpful diagnostic and treatment finding means more health for your patients.
Get more health from your image.