We hope you've had many reasons to smile today, and that this brings you just one more: Tomorrow is the first day of National Pet Dental Health Month! An entire month where the topic of teeth — and hopefully some teeth themselves — get to really shine. ✨ Of course, it's important to advocate for proper pet hygiene all year round, but it's a bit of an easier lift to #TalkTeeth with your clients (and have them be receptive) this particular month, as the observance continues to gain traction and momentum in the U.S.
In order to set your teams up for success and best avoid any fatigue or frustrations that may arrise due to an increase in dental procedures in the weeks to come, we've pulled together a list of 4 toothy to-do's. We hope this quick list helps you get your dental ducks in a row so you can truly make the most of the month!
1. Keep equipment running at peak performance
It's tough to imagine anything more frustrating than booking up your schedule, getting ready to perform a full day's worth of dental procedures, and discovering an issue with your equipment. Whether it's a leak in your anesthesia machine, a high speed handpiece that isn't properly lubricated, or a busted ultra-sonic scaler, delays caused by malfunctions like these are costly - and annoying. We can help:
- For starters, download our free, printable anestheisa machine maintenance checklist. It's organized by things to check daily, items to consider weekly, and tasks to complete on a yearly or every-other-year basis and beyond. We've also included the phone number to our free anesthesia and monitoring hotline should you run into any snags or have any questions. Grab your checklist here.
- In what remains one of our most frequently visited blog posts, we asked our anesthesia experts (all Certified Veterinary Technicians) to walk through the steps of how to perform three common procedures for checking and troubleshooting your anesthesia equipment. Detailed images and videos are included: You may even want to bookmark this blog post to reference when you need it.
- Our Patterson Veterinary University team collaborated with Equipment Service Technician John Fain, a professional with 15+ years industry experience, to offer this valuable guide for keeping your practice's dental-specific equipment in peak condition, so you continue to provide the care your patients need.
- Schedule an on-site preventative maintenance visit from one of our highly trained TechEdge specialists any time, by calling 855.778.8387.
2. Sharpen hand instruments for maximum efficiency
In a situation like Pet Dental Health Month where you may experience inceased patient volume, there's no time for hiccups caused by inefficiencies. You've got to stay sharp, and the same goes for your hand instruments! Make sure to take the time to test and sharpen them.
If your preference is to call in the pros, we can help there, too. Plus, for a limited time, dental maintenance visits from our TechEdge service team cost just $275 plus the price of a repair kit (varies by model). This offer covers Midmark, iM3, DNTLworks and DBI equipment. Other brands will be eligible for an additional fee, and the service must take place between February 1 and March 31, 2023. Grab all the details at Pattersonvet.com/Services/Repair-Support
3. Take advantage of dental health educational resources
Patterson Veterinary University's vast array of online educational resources includes a brand new five-part Advanced Dental Series, launched today, just in time for Pet Dental Health Month. From performing a Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) to intraoral radiology, administering nerve blocks and reviewing advanced dental procedures, this series is guaranteed to advance your knowledge of patient care. Additional highlights? This series can be accessed any time, from anywhere, and is lead by Mary Berg, an animal health professional with 30 years experience in research and 16 years teaching dentistry to veterinary teams. Lastly, learners who complete this dental series will earn 5 Medical RACE CE hours.
Learn more and register here, in the PVU Course Catalog.
4. Stock up on dental care essentials
From the items you need to perform the procedures, like prophy paste and dental burs, to take-home treats like dental chews, there are plenty of things you'll want to stock up on and have on-hand throughout the month. How is your supply looking in the following departments?
- Prophy Paste
- Angles and Cups
- Dental Burs
- Dental Chews
- Water Additives
- Dental Wipes
If you could use a restock, we have plenty of dental deals running throughout February. Visit Pattersonvet.com/Supplies/Deals for our full list of current offerings.
We wish you a minty-fresh, smooth, successful #NationalPetDentalHealthMonth, and we hope these tips and resources are of use to you and your teams. What else is top-of-mind for you as you head teeth-first into February? Are you trying anything new this year to generate additional interest in this monthly observance? Tag us on social media and let us know!