Nobel Biocare brings new dimension to the waiting room
In December 2007 Nobel Biocare North America launched an interactive practice network called NobelVision. It is specifically designed to educate the patients of Nobel Biocare’s customers on their dental options by delivering quality educational, informational and entertainment segments via an IP-based, networked narrowcast system. Presented on large flat-panel screens installed in dental offices, it provides a unique opportunity for advertisers and content partners to market their products and services. Dental Learning Hub asked Kevin Mosher, Vice President and General Manager of Nobel Biocare North America, about the network and its aims.
Dental Learning Hub: What were the reasons for launching the NobelVision network?
Kevin Mosher: Firstly, we have a geographically disperse customer base in our business in North America. The second issue is that dentists are very wary to be perceived as ‘selling a procedure’ to their patients. Since our procedures are more on the progressive side, patient awareness is quite low. Our dilemma was how to get customers to make sure their patients get exposure to our products. We have always had educational material for distribution in their offices, but we thought that with modern technology, maybe we could do it in a rich media format in which we have 3D animation and patient testimonials.
We felt this was a way to expose patients to the treatment options that are available through our products in a way that was very comfortable for the dentist. This has proved to work because dentists prefer it when patients ask them about it. This not only exposes patients to it while they’re in the waiting room, but also whoever accompanies the patient, such as a spouse or relative.
Our products require a lot of training – last year we trained 100 000 clinicians in North America. It is expensive and requires clinicians to travel and spend time away from their practices. The NobelVision network allows them to simultaneously use the system out of practice hours as an education system, providing on-demand staff and clinician education for CE. Essentially it serves two roles; it entertains and educates patients and educates the doctors and staff.
Dental Learning Hub: What are some of the unique features of NobelVision?
Kevin Mosher: NobelVision allows individual practices to have unique content such as a practice profile shown between the programming, lending credibility to the practice. It has a good mix of content: general health, dental information, Hollywood updates, movie trailers, and a ticker with real time entertainment and sports news. What we have been told by the offices is that it keeps the patients engaged and then they don’t mind when the content switches to a patient testimonial, for instance.
Another benefit is that the content is regularly updated and streams for almost 2 hours before looping, so staff won’t notice it. It is also unique because it can be used as an education tool for patients, staff and clinicians. Finally, because all the other dental suppliers have the same problem we do, many are interested to pay us to upload their own content, because patients in a waiting room are a captive audience.
Dental Learning Hub: Nobel Biocare has always been a leader in patient education. How does NobelVision address the needs of the patient community?
Kevin Mosher: Here in North America, the baby boomers turned 60 in 2006. This means 77 million Americans and 10 million Canadians are moving into the sweet spot of dentistry for our products. This particular demographic group takes an active role in their health compared with previous generations. They go online to educate themselves on healthcare issues. What we are doing is feeding information to an audience that is looking and that’s why we felt the timing was right to launch now.
Dental Learning Hub: Describe NobelVision’s offerings for the dental team.
Kevin Mosher: It offers dentists a dynamic way of educating patients and a convenient and cost-effective way to educate themselves, allowing them to fulfil CE requirements without leaving the practice. It also gives a modern and professionals look and feel to a business with a flat screen monitor, good content and their own practice profile built into it.
Dr Robert Wardius from Reading, Pennsylvania, has used the NobelVision system for the past 5 months. To find out what he thinks of it,
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In December 2007 Nobel Biocare North America launched an interactive practice network called NobelVision. It is specifically designed to educate the patients of Nobel Biocare’s customers on their dental options by delivering quality educational, informational and entertainment segments via an IP-based, networked narrowcast system. Presented on large flat-panel screens installed in dental offices, it provides a unique opportunity for advertisers and content partners to market their products and services. Dental Learning Hub asked Kevin Mosher, Vice President and General Manager of Nobel Biocare North America, about the network and its aims.
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Dr Robert Wardius, heads the Wardius Center for Dental Cosmetics in Reading, Pennsylvania. He has practised dentistry for 28 years and specialised in implants, prosthetics and cosmetics. He joined the NobelVision network 5 months ago and he told Dental Learning Hub what impact it has made on his practice.
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