Based on the increasing digital workflow among dental professionals and the need for support, we have employed Johanne Olofsson to cover our dental customer support service. With more than fifteen years of experience working as a dental technician herself, she knows exactly what dentists and technicians struggle with on a daily basis and what support and help they need to maintain a seamless workflow.
Hi, Johanne! Tell me about your background as a dental technician?
Yes, I have fifteen years of experience working as a dental technician in different labs in Scandinavia. I attended the three-year Dental Laboratory Technology Program at the Institute of Odontology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. After graduating in 2001, I started working at a dental lab in Oslo, Norway. Then I went to a larger dental lab in Alingsås, Sweden, and after that, I started working at SML dental lab in Gothenburg.
What has happened in the dental industry since you first started out?
A lot has happened in the dental industry over the past couple of decades. When I first started working as a dental technician, most dental professionals had a conventional workflow using conventional techniques. Today, the majority has digitalized their workflow and use digital techniques such as lab scanners and CAD (computer-aided design) to design prosthetic restorations directly in computer software, and CAM (computer-aided-manufacturing) to manufacture the prosthetic restoration. Also, 3D-printing has become huge in the dental industry over the years.
And now you work with Elos Medtech’s dental customer support?
Yes, that is right. I work with Elos Medtech’s dental customer support and my role is to always put the customers first by answering their questions, taking orders, helping them via phone, email or TeamViewer, and providing my expertise, knowledge and advice. I also support and help our distributors when needed. Another part of my job is to visit our customers’ dental labs to help them with installations and make sure everything runs like clockwork. I also visit educational programmes to share knowledge about Elos Medtech and our dental components and keep a close dialogue with the teachers. A while ago, two of my colleagues and I visited the Institute of Odontology at the University of Gothenburg to install our Elos Accurate® Dental Libraries in their computer software.
What is your largest asset when working with dental customer support?
I think my vast experience and knowledge is something that our customers very much appreciate. They can feel confident with the fact that I have once been in their shoes. I truly understand their needs and know exactly what they struggle with on a daily basis. It is like the customers and I speak the same language! This is extremely helpful in providing them with the right service and support at all times.
What questions do the dental professionals have when contacting you?
I get a lot of questions about our comprehensive digital dentistry solution Elos Accurate® . Many of our present, as well as new customers, are curious about our dental components and instruments as they are fairly new on the market. I also get a lot of questions about our Elos Accurate® Dental Libraries which can be uploaded to the CAD software 3Shape, Dental Wings and Exocad. The other week, I had a customer from England who needed help to install our dental libraries in his computer software. And so I used TeamViewer to connect to his computer and help him with the installation, which was very appreciated.
I also get more specific questions, for example about our Elos Accurate Scanbody®. A while ago, I had a dental technician who had received a digital impression of a patient’s implant from the dentist. He couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t continue designing the prosthetic solution in the CAD software. It turned out the scanbody actually came from another medtech company; it wasn’t ours. As to our own scanbodies, they are based on our Open Dental Solution, meaning that they are available for all the major dental implant systems. But in this case, he obviously needed another library compatible to the scanbody.
Also, there are some questions about our Elos Cresco® products. I had a dentist with a new patient who had an old bridge and needed to replace the screws, but he wasn’t sure which type of screws were needed. He sent me an x-ray of the patient’s implant, and I managed to identify the screws together with my colleagues and provide him with the right answers.
What is the most important thing when communicating with customers?
The most important thing when communicating with customers is to always get back to them within a given time frame. Dental technicians have a time-critical job, they work at a fast pace and things need to be done rapidly. It is very important for them to get their products in time and to not have to wait for reply. Therefore, I always try to help our customers immediately or get back to them as soon as I can.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I very much enjoy talking to customers, or, even better, meeting them face-to-face. I also find the new digital techniques very interesting. I am intrigued by the changes that are happening right now and the digitalisation making its entrance into the dental labs and clinics around the globe. It is exciting to move away from the dusty, dirty and noisy environments that we have traditionally had in the labs, and instead turn towards clean, digital, and high-technology labs.
Do you recognise any specific trends when talking to customers?
One large trend is that more dental labs and clinics are keeping their production in-house. For example, traditionally, dental technicians have been sending their dental prosthetic restorations to off-site milling centres to produce the finished product. But now, more labs and clinics do their milling in-house. This simplifies the workflow and contributes to a more cost-efficient production flow. Another large trend is 3D-printing, which is slowly but surely on the rise in the dental industry. Elos Medtech visits a few dental exhibitions, and each year there seem to be more 3D-printers available on the market. Also, the use of intra-oral scanning continues to increase among dentists. The trend of going from taking conventional impressions to taking digital impressions is still going strong.
Enough talking about work! What do you do outside of the office?
When I am not at the office, I spend as much time as possible with my family. I also enjoy going for dinner and drinks with my friends. To boost my energy levels, I like to wander the woods and experience the glory of nature.
Last but not least: Do you have a motto in life?
I am not sure if I have a motto in life, but I always try to meet the people I come across with kindness and respect – whether they are customers, friends, family or complete strangers. To me, it is important not to judge a book by its cover, so to speak, but have an open mind and be curious about other people.
Thank you so much for a nice chat, Johanne! And keep up the good work with supporting and helping Elos Medtech’s customers!
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