POINT FOCUS FLASH!

Do’s and Don’ts for Dental Digital

Photography
Intro To Dental Photography
Clinical dental photography is
an important tool for
communication in a dental
office
Visual documentation makes it
significantly easier to
demonstrate problems and
motivate patients to accept
needed treatment
Easy way to educate the
patient
Lab communication
Marketing
 Camera Settings
• F Stop: An opening made by an
adjustable diaphragm which
permits light to enter the camera
lens and reach the image sensor.

• A change of one full F Stop on

either side means doubling or
halving the amount of light
passing through the lens.

• For example, F8 allows twice as

much light through as F11 and
half as much light through as F5.6
 Types of Photos
Portrait

Full Smile

Retracted Closed and Opened

Laterals

Occlusals

Black Background
Armamentarium
 Portrait

Recommend using a blue,

beige, or grey background

Shoulder and up

The nose should be the center

of the portrait

• Camera setting at F8
Full Smile
• Check teeth for food, saliva,
lipstick, or other debris

• Upright position sitting knee to

knee

• Focus on centrals (8,9)

• Should include corners of

mouth, full natural smile

• Do not include nose and chin in

frame

• Camera setting at F22

 Retracted Closed
• Clear plastic retractors
should be used

• Camera lens should be

parallel to point of
occlusion

• Maxillary centrals are

focal point of image

• Camera setting at F22

Retracted Open

• Clear plastic
retractors should be
used

• Teeth should be
slightly parted to see
incisal edges

• Camera setting at F22

 Laterals
• Lateral incisors are focal
point

• Lips should not be in the

frame

• Never move patient

• Camera should be same

level as patient

• Camera setting at F22

Maxillary Occlusal
• Metal retractors should be
used

• Purpose is to show full arch of

upper teeth

• Patient laying back with chin

tilted up

• Stand behind patient

• Taken with full arch mirror

• Camera setting at F22

 Mandibular Occlusal
• Metal retractors
should be used

• Purpose is to show
full arch of lower teeth

• Stand in front of
patient

• Camera setting at F22

Black Background
• Points out details more
easily by blinding
unnecessary info

• Good for communication

to lab and patient

• Shade variation,
translucency, value

• Easily see incisal edges

• Camera setting at F32