Protocols for mobile dental photography with auxiliary lighting

Abstract

Dental photography is one tricky thing to nail down properly. On the surface, it seems as easy as pointing a camera and taking the shot, but on the day when you’re finally preparing to document that one big case, you suddenly realize there’s far more involved in the process. This is a common trapping that many dentists and their staff fall into. Usually, this is met with an overcorrection, and before they know it, the office is inundated with expensive DSLR cameras, studio equipment, and complicated training for an uninterested staff and a dentist with very little time on his/her hands. This is where Protocols for Mobile Dental Photography with Auxiliary Lighting swoops in to help dental professionals understand that middle ground. This little book packs one punch of a crash course in not only dental photography, but photography in general. At 75.00 USD and around 120 pages, this book runs the gamut on why modern smart phones can be just as competitive, if not more efficient and convenient, than today’s professional equipment. From documenting a case for legal/ insurance reasons to artistic photography, this book provides a reference for getting that right shot. Each page is printed on high-quality glossy stock that is extensively illustrated with high-resolution images to help demonstrate its texts. I’m a Dental Assistant, but I have a previous degree as a Technologist, so I have become the go-to person to help document cases in my office. I’m often responsible for taking the needed images and getting them where they need to go. Mobile Dental Photography has convinced me to keep a dedicated, in-office-only smart phone for our case documenting, treatment planning, and even video-making. Knowing how to set up the shot, set the lighting and contrast, and use the proper technique to get the specific shots you want are just as important as having the camera itself. It doesn’t need to be a long and complicated process, and that is where this book comes in handy. It’s an easy read and a quick reference guide for a busy dental office. Mobile Dental Photography describes everything necessary to get professional intraoral and extraoral pictures. Considering that smartphones are the current day’s equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, the needed accessories are practically factored in as-is. This book has made me aware of the Smile Lite MDP device, which is probably the only other accessory needed for smart phone photography. It’s a small, handheld device that attaches to the camera itself and acts as a “mini studio,” complete with adjustable LED lighting and diffusers. I highly recommend Mobile Dental Photography as a nice reference and a quick little trainer to keep close-by in a dental office. As someone who has worked extensively in both fields of technology and dentistry, this book surprised me. It goes as in-depth as describing how light polarization works and how beneficial diffusers and proper contrast can be to each specific shot without overwhelming the reader with a nasty brick of text. The concepts are illustrated perfectly, and the information is easily digestible to those of us who have played around in the field of dental picture taking, whether that be with radiographs or intraoral cameras. I’m someone who likes to keep it simple and efficient, and if professional dental photographs can be taken by a smartphone with the right equipment and know-how, along with the many other advantages these incredible little multitaskers can bring, then I’m all for it. In the perdurable words of Alton Brown, “The only unitasker I use in my kitchen is my fire extinguisher.”