Dental News - NOMAD from Aribex increases access to care

Fred Michmershuizen, DTA

Mon. 12 March 2012

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CHICAGO, IL, USA: “Access to care is really what the message is,” said Ken Kaufman, president and chief financial officer of Aribex, supplier of handheld X-ray technologies and manufacturer of the NOMAD Pro handheld X-ray system. As Kaufman explained during an interview at the Midwinter Meeting, the NOMAD — which is lightweight, rechargeable, and can go anywhere — allows dentists to effectively diagnose patients who might not otherwise be able to receive much-needed care.

The most obvious application of the technology, of course, is for use on humanitarian outreach programs, or in environments like nursing homes, but Kaufman said the device is also increasingly popular in dental offices, especially those that treat a lot of children. As Kaufman explained, not having to leave the room while a child is given an X-ray decreases a young patient’s fear and also makes it less likely he or she will move and necessitate a re-take.

The device was invented by D. Clark Turner, PhD, founder, chairman and CEO of Aribex, which recently shipped its 8,500th NOMAD device.

Aribex looks forward to celebrating its 10,000th unit in service in 2012 along with the launch of several new initiatives. Chief among the new initiatives is a new Rectangular Collimator Adapter, which snaps on the front of the cone to reduce X-ray exposure.

Speaking of exposure, many have questioned the safety of the device.

“As they should be, radiological devices are subject to significant regulation,” Kaufman said. “Safety is our No. 1 priority, and we’re proud that more than 30 independent studies and evaluations have validated our position by attesting to the safety and efficacy of our products. While these evaluations have made it possible for us to gain additional regulatory approvals worldwide, we call on reluctant regulators to consider the overwhelming evidence that our handheld X-ray is safe.”

Kaufman said that the company continues to work with government health officials on a state-by-state basis to clear regulatory hurdles. He says dentists from Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota who are interested in using handheld X-ray technology in the future are especially welcome to contact Aribex to discuss outreach initiatives that would make the handheld X-ray technology even more widely available.

As one dentist recently asked: Why should a child in Cambodia receive better care than one in Michigan?

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