Prices of Loupes

[DodgeCaravan]

I know there have been threads in the past on loupes (see
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=264591 and http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=229337
From this, it seems Designs for Vision, Orascopic and Surgitel are the more popular. My question: is there a difference in price between these brands?

From previous posts it seems as though surgitel (based on this brochure they gave me in Sept) has increased their price from $800 in 2005 to $1500 (and up) in 2007. What on earth is going on? Are the other companies similarly increasing their price? Any ideas on how one might by one of these for cheap. Price information from other schools would be greatly appreciated.

Van man

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[rdsmithdds]

I recently bought 3.5x designs for vision on nike frames, very nice and paid less than $1,000 as a student at University of Kentucky

 

[armorshell]

I recently bought 3.5x designs for vision on nike frames, very nice and paid less than $1,000 as a student at University of Kentucky

Less than 1000?! Did you get the expanded field prisms? Do I need to do some freaking out on my sales reps face?

 

[Streetwolf]

I just bought 2.5x from DFV and paid the student price of $850. They're located about 15 mins south of SB so I just went in there and got fitted for them.

No Rx for my eyes, dunno if that would have cost me anything extra.

 

[Ebull]

I just ordered 2.5x on Nike DFV and paid the student price of $850 with prescriptions. So I don't think it matters.

 

[Ebull]

Less than 1000?! Did you get the expanded field prisms? Do I need to do some freaking out on my sales reps face?

Armor, I have the student pricing guide in fron of me. The standard 3.5s are 950 but the Expanded fields are 1450$. So don't go ripping your reps face off.

 

[toothfairy85]

I ordered DFV 2.5x on titanium frames for student price of $850 as well. Most of the vendors that came to our school were in the ballpark of $850, some a little more, some a little less... unless you went with the expanded field which I believe was over $1000. The vendors that came to our school were Designs for Vision, Surgitel, Orascoptic, and Heine.

 

[TheWiredNerv]

you know, after all the years of shadowing I haven't seen a single dentist use loupes.

 

[steven87]

you will only find many people getting them in spring d1 and fall d2 and the funny thing is those guys are not the best dentists or student doctors. I guess they are great if your going to get them get them early cause if u get them at d3 your screwed, you will be doing everything wrong. they are great when a patient has bad breath

 

[armorshell]

you know, after all the years of shadowing I haven't seen a single dentist use loupes.

Doesn't mean they're not a good idea. I can't understand why anyone would turn down better posture and increased visibility?

 

[armorshell]

Armor, I have the student pricing guide in fron of me. The standard 3.5s are 950 but the Expanded fields are 1450$. So don't go ripping your reps face off.

Sounds like you just saved a life Ebull

 

[Ebull]

you know, after all the years of shadowing I haven't seen a single dentist use loupes.

How many dentists have you shadowed? From your post it sounds like you have been doing it for like ten years.

 

[Ebull]

you will only find many people getting them in spring d1 and fall d2 and the funny thing is those guys are not the best dentists or student doctors. I guess they are great if your going to get them get them early cause if u get them at d3 your screwed, you will be doing everything wrong. they are great when a patient has bad breath

What do you mean by this? I would think those who invest in loupes are the students who want to produce the best work and therefore seek better visibility. My personal dentist just got loupes a few months ago and he said he was sorry he had not purchased them many years sooner.

 

[TheWiredNerv]

I've shadowed two for most of the time but met a lot of their colleagues and I haven't seen any loupes. When I toured the D school clinics every professor had loupes.

 

[jcheungdds]

most clinic attendings will have loupes. when you take boards (WREB, etc.) the graders will use loupes to grade your preps. many people like having them to see their preps upclose without having to climb into their patients mouth. serves for better posture and creates better habits. once you've done 100's - 1000's of preps, you'll have a pretty darn good feel as to how YOU do your work, so loupes are no longer a necessity...therefore a lot of older GPs won't use them anymore.

 

[DodgeCaravan]

Thanks for the info folks. Sounds like the price diff may be due to this expanded vision feature. I'll see if I can try them both out to see if they're worth the extra $700.
van man

 

[ChilliCheeseDog]

I got some surgitel oakleys for under a grand...don't know if thats good or bad.

 

[apaul]

i got some medlites for 250, they work just fine for me

 

[Wayne Coronado]

I'm curious, how long have these dentists been practicing? I've seen changes in the past 12 years. A decade ago, loupes were used, but not by many people. In dental school, not a single classmate had loupes. Only a couple profs did. Now, loupes are pretty much mandatory in a lot of schools. You will see a much greater percentage of our generation of dentists practicing with them after graduating from dental school than the generation of dentists who have been practicing even since 2000.


You can get away without using them, but if the profs are going to grade you with them, why wouldn't you want the same benefit.

Couldn't agree more. I did not use them until 4th year, so I had a rocky transition period when I started using them. All of our RSD profs used them to grade us in pre-clinic, but I did well enough that I did not see an urgency to go out and drop $800-1000 on a pair. In hindsight, I would have started using them earlier and now see it as doing the proper service to the patient. Your spine appreciates it as well .

 

[TheWiredNerv]

I'm curious, how long have these dentists been practicing? I've seen changes in the past 12 years. A decade ago, loupes were used, but not by many people. In dental school, not a single classmate had loupes. Only a couple profs did. Now, loupes are pretty much mandatory in a lot of schools. You will see a much greater percentage of our generation of dentists practicing with them after graduating from dental school than the generation of dentists who have been practicing even since 2000.


You can get away without using them, but if the profs are going to grade you with them, why wouldn't you want the same benefit.

They have been practicing for a while now, around 20 years. Perhaps they don't like using them. Either way, they do an incredible job and every single one of their patients love them.

I do plan on using them though! lol