Posted 05-13-10

Beware of Un-Qualified Repair Services
by Ron Appel, Vice President & GM, ProRepair

Why is It Important to Make Sure the Supplier of Your Repair Services is Qualified?

Only fully qualified service providers:

• Are authorized by the manufacturer to service their products.
• Have a quality system in place that is appropriate to service medical devices.
• Have adequate liability insurance to cover any potential liability.
• Have the necessary diagnostic and test equipment.
• Have access to genuine manufacturer parts.
• Are trained on an ongoing basis by the manufacturer.
• Are audited on a yearly basis to ensure their quality systems are functioning appropriately.
• Have basic regulatory policies in place.
• Are ISO Certified.

For your protection, any service organization that cannot meet these standards should not be permitted to repair on any of the medical devices located in your office.

Is Your Repair Service Provider Qualified?

Most dental equipment is in fact considered a medical device. Unfortunately, many Dental Practices treat these devices as though they are consumer products, allowing just about any service entity to work on them. It is critical to make sure that the repair service company you utilize for your Handpieces, Sterilizers, X-rays and other critical components, is a qualified organization carrying the proper authority to service them.

Some questions to ask when selecting a service provider:

• Is your repair entity compliant with the original manufacturer’s procedures and policies in regards to repairing equipment?
• Are they trained by the manufacturer of the product and do they utilize the manufacturer’s genuine parts and tooling?
• Do they have the appropriate liability insurance to protect you in the event of a claim?
• Does the company have ISO certification (an overall quality process certified by a third party) that is strictly adhered to during the repair process?

These and other items are critical to ensure that the repair service provider you use is qualified and capable of repairing your equipment.

When Searching for a Repair Service you Should Verify That They:

• Have the appropriate liability insurance.
• Have proof of training and authorization by the manufacturer of the equipment.
• Utilize the original manufacturer’s parts.
• Have the basic regulatory policies in place.
• Use proper diagnostic and testing equipment.
• Have appropriate quality standards in place.

Only an educated consumer can ensure Office Safety!