Susan Whitt is the product line manager for orthodontics at Kodak Dental Systems Group, where she has been working for 13 years.
OP: Kodak has acquired a number of dental businesses. How is this helping you to serve your customers better?
Whitt: The shared resources and technology within Kodak has helped us improve products and support for all our customers. It has also allowed hardware (camera, x-ray, etc) manufacturers to work directly with the software developers to provide the ability to imbed the hardware products into the applications, not just bridging between software products.
OP: What are you doing to encourage orthodontists to make the transition from traditional to digital x-rays?
Whitt: The low price of our digital system makes entry into the digital market easier. The easy-to-use features of the Kodak 8000C digital panoramic and cephalometric system, including face-to-face positioning, quick image acquisition, and dual sensors, make using the system easier for the staff and patients.
OP: What’s the next Kodak product that orthodontists should look out for?
Whitt: The Kodak Professional 1400 Digital Photo Printer. It is an economical, professional-quality, digital photographic and digital x-ray imaging printer. It will allow the orthodontist to print professional-quality prints in the office. It is easy to use and provides durable, waterproof prints with dry imaging technology.
OP: Where do you see the imaging business going in the next 5 years?
Whitt: I think that 3-D imaging will be a large part of the imaging business in the future. This includes collaboration of images from various systems for communication between orthodontists and their patients.
