Parkell, Inc. recently announced implementation of an experimental program that allows dentists considering one of their products to talk to a local colleague who has already used it.
"This is not a reference program," says Nelson Gendusa, DDS (Parkell Vice President of Research). "'References' are people who agree to say nice things about a product. We know only two things about the dentists whose names we provide: We know they practice near the inquiring dentist, and we know they've purchased the product in question. We don't know if they like the product ... or dislike it. Furthermore, since we send a list of names, we never know which ones are contacted, or what they say. In other words, they have no reason not to be brutally honest."
According to Parkell, the procedure is very simple. Any dentist who wants to discuss a product with a colleague calls Parkell's toll-free number (800-243-7446). The representative enters the dentist's zip code and product identification into the computer, which prints a list of local dentists who have purchased the product. This list is then mailed to the inquirer along with a letter suggesting the best ways to call without being intrusive.
Says Gendusa, "Clearly this program will work better for dentists located in dense population areas where there are a lot of dentists and for established products rather than brand new ones. But we hope it will serve as a helpful source of significant unbiased information."
