Dr. Scott Geise's take on the Disposable Dental Hand-piece

When it comes to infection control, nothing beats being able to effectively treat a patient, and then dispose of all the materials used. In the past, it used to be a war on paper products and supplies, but now with the introduction of disposable Dental Hand-pieces, even the workhorse "Drill" can be disposed of at an affordable cost.

With the development of single use Dental Instruments, including hand pieces, the Dentist as a Health Care provider is now able to effectively control the spread of infection. In the past, we have purchased high quality sterilizable hand pieces that we hoped would survive year after year. However, the reality of the situation is that we put those hand pieces through hell each and every day, cutting off crowns and prepping teeth, in an environment that breeds infection. Even our best attempts to kill off every little microorganism that penetrates the shell of those durable hand pieces, doesn't eliminate all of the cross infection risk. So ideally, if we could just find a product that fulfills our power needs while being totally disposable at the same time, we could all rest a little easier at the end of the day.

Introducing the Azenic DHP (Disposable Hand Piece)!

The Azenic DHP is an American made product that is FDA approved. The DHP offers enough performance that you will be hard pressed to argue that it is not equal to, or greater than other industry leading metallic hand pieces.

We are all forced to remove old Crown and Bridge restorations from time to time, and these difficult cases create intensive wear and tear on those conventional metallic hand pieces, and that leads to expensive maintenance and refurbishment costs in the long run. Even if the DHP were utilized by your practice for just these procedures, a significant cost savings from the repair guy can be realized each year.

The DHP also comes in handy when you know that bleeding is inevitable. In the case of the third molar extraction, when the roots are angled just enough to get your temper going, using a disposable hand piece to section those stubborn roots is invaluable. And when we introduce the possibility of a patient having an unknown or compromised health condition, why not protect yourself and your staff, and your patients from cross contamination.

So where is this landfill that all these DHP's are headed to?

The DHP is 100% Recyclable! No landfills are required because Azenic has coordinated with the Sharps Recovery System - an innovative system designed for simplified environmentally responsible treatment and repurposing of medical waste and used healthcare materials. This system creates a resource used in the manufacturing of raw materials for other industrial applications.

The cost of using Sharps Recovery System is minimal. By ordering 2-3 gallon Sharps Recovery System buckets, a total of 280 DHP's can be recycled at a cost of $133.97, which is equivalent to just 48 cents per hand piece.

The cost of the DHP itself has an introductory price of $15 per unit and is sold in a case of 12, so for less than $16 you get superior performance, and finally have the opportunity to sleep well at night. Most patients will readily agree that the extra cost of protection from cross infection, is money well spent!

Actually, when we factor in the cost of metallic hand pieces, and the staff time and money spent on sterilization equipment and supplies, and then repairs, the disposable hand piece is beginning to sound a whole lot more practical for the overall costs of operation.

Although these hand pieces are adaptable to almost any set up you may have, the DHP connects to a standard Midwest Style 5-hole supply line, as well as most 4-hole supply lines. If you are already using a quick-disconnect coupler, first remove the coupler by unthreading it to expose the standard 5-hole connection site. As long as you have the hand piece fully seated, and you have tightened until the supply line threads are no longer visible, you are good to go. In addition, the DHP utilizes an internal light rod that works off your light supply box, so you can still enjoy light directly where you are working.

To be perfectly honest, the DHP has some noise and vibration issues that many will find to be exhausting. However, the Catapult Group (Clinical Evaluation 2011) reported that 81% of clinicians thought that there was a direct application in their practice and would recommend the DHP to their colleagues. Most clinicians have suggested, and I agree, that the Azenic Disposable Hand-piece is not intended to replace your everyday metallic workhorse. Rather, the intent is to increase the longevity of our much more expensive equipment by using the disposable as an alternative for more demanding situations. And in the event that your sterilization unit decides to take a break, these hand pieces are a ‘no brainer’ to have as a backup in every dental office today.

Be aware, there are other disposable hand piece companies out there, specifically those from China which include Hunan Jinme Dental Hand-pieces, All Pro Disposable Dental Hand-piece, Henan Hongtaiyang Instrument, and Huaer Technology. These products sell for much less than the DHP, typically quoted on the internet for $1.50 to $3.50 each, but according to some sources, these products have not received FDA clearance as of yet, so Shop Carefully!

Dr. Scott Geise is a 1988 graduate of the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. He spent over 3 years in the United States Army Dental Corps at the rank of Captain, and was deployed in Germany during the Persian Gulf War. Dr. Scott Geise has a wealth of knowledge to share in the profession of Dentistry, and seeks to improve other practices through systems of efficiency, and innovative technologies.