20 YOUR CHANCE TO GET SOMETHING OFF OF YOUR CHEST
RANT! L
et me be begin by saying that I am the biggest fan and supporter of our suppliers. These charming men and women make our jobs easier by supplying us with all those clever little tools and gadgets. The ones that get patients knocking off that biofilm daily, the remineralisation agents that repair the damage that said biofilm causes when they aren’t using the aids that you’ve custom chosen for them, plus all of the general tools of the trade that make day-to-day life in the dental practice even more enjoyable. Hats off to these hard-working reps who pop-in regularly to keep us up-to-date on the latest, and greatest, advances on all things preventative; dropping off those sacred samples that we all cherish – these visits excite me even more than the postEaster chocolate discounts at my local supermarket! I could literally gush for days about how fabulous our suppliers are, so why am I directing this Rant at them? Well, the truth is that while I love you all to bits, I kinda have a very specific bone to pick with you my dear, lovely supplier friends. I feel like our relationship could be even better. Just as with any long term relationship, no matter how much you love each other, some things will always need improvements and change. Now there is one ‘thing’ in particular that I feel like we can work on. Namely the discrepancy between the colour codes for the sizes of interdental brushes. ‘Yeeesssss!’ I hear the readers say enthusiastically as they read this. I know I am not the only person driven nuts by this. The fact that when a patient comes in and tells me the colour of the interproximal brush they are using, that I then have the pleasure of playing the ‘which brand’
Interdental brush colour conundrum an open letter to suppliers guessing game; and all because you guys have chosen different colour codes for your product sizing. Sorry, let me correct that, your colour codes miss-match on at least 50% of the brushes, which is still way more than one should have to tolerate, and more than I would prefer. I know I’m sounding like a nagging wife – which I do oh-so-well, just ask my husband – but you have got no idea! It’s like Groundhog Day, with each patient using interpretive dance to get across which darned dental supplier they use for cleaning between their teeth,
“ If only all of you manufacturers could agree to use the same colour for the same brush size, then I wouldn’t have to go through this pantomime every time.” I know it may seem crazy, but if only all you manufacturers could agree to use the same colour for the same brush size, then I wouldn’t have to go through this pantomime every time. I wouldn’t have to run through complex colour conversions with my patients that have them looking at me like I’m talking some niche branch of quantum physics! To be perfectly honest this one simple change would increase the chances of our patients buying your products, and using them - I swear it’s true! All too often I lose a patient’s attention when I start rattling off the various colour options. I can see it in
their eyes that it’s all got too hard. Most patients want their health management to be easy, and preferably have little-to-no requirement to think too hard. This is why interproximal brushes are a dream, they work so well, so easily, we’ve just gotta get that sizing colour code right. Why am I so worked-up over this? My goal is to improve my patient’s health. I want to spend my time saying how fabulous your products are and how they will make their oral health so much better. Nobody, literally nobody, wants to need to do complex colour deciphering. So I ask you, from the bottom of my heart, the true deep loving heart of a devoted hygienist, can somebody out there in supplier-land consider taking the lead in standardising the brush-colouring system? I know it’s a big ask, but whoever takes up the challenge will be a true hero among hygienists. As the kids say these days, you will be a ‘legit’ hero, and dental health professionals from all-over Australia – and maybe even the world – will be patting you on the back for your efforts. In return, like in any good negotiation, if you can do this for me then I will do something for you. I will promise to continue supporting your cause by recommending your products and selling them at any practice that I might frequent – and I’m sure many of my colleagues will do the same. I will also make a point of visiting your booth at every event that I attend and speak to your reps about what you have going on, while graciously accepting any samples you might bestow upon me. Plus, I will schedule a time in my day book for your rep to have regular one-on-one chats. Why? Well, because just as you’ve looked after me, I’ll will look after you. I’ve got your back mate! n
