Tips for Dental Photography

5 Tips for Dental Photography

You don’t need to take photography classes or hire a professional to take quality dental photographs. These photographs are great to use in your smile gallery to show before and after cases, as well as great images to show other patients who are interested in undergoing similar procedures, or have similar problems. Investing in a DSLR camera is a great start. A decent camera will cost you about $400 but will provide you with an abundance of high quality pictures. Here are some tips we have compiled to help you either start doing dental photography in your practice, or to improve the photography you’re already taking.

Obtain Consent

Before you start snapping pictures away like crazy, first have your patient sign a consent form or another form of written consent for you to take photos or videos of them. Without consent, you cannot legally take their photo or use it in any way. For the patient’s privacy, ask if they would like their face cropped out, with only their smile visible.

Take a Video Instead of Photograph, or Both!

Most DSLR cameras have high definition video capability, this allows you to not only take great photos, but take high definition videos. Videos are great for capturing a full view of the smile makeover, as well as capture the satisfaction of your patient. Post the video on your Facebook, YouTube, website and even Instagram for your audience to see. There are tons of apps out there that you can use to edit your videos to create a more custom video.

DSLR Camera Settings

If you are new to working a DSLR, you will be dumbfounded by the large amount of setting options. You can always use auto mode if you are unsure, but there are specific settings you can use to capture the perfect photo. For smile and intraoral photos, set your camera to: F22, 1/200, ISO 100. For full face photos, set your camera to: F11, 1/200, ISO 100. If you are unsure where to change these settings at, please see the specific instructions for your camera.

Practice Taking Photos

Some people are born with a skill set, while others require practice to create great results. If this is your first experience with a camera, or a DSLR camera for that matter, you will need to practice to capture great photos. Ask your family members and friends if you can practice by taking pictures of their mouths before asking a patient. Once you are used to the camera, begin taking before and after photos of all your patients!

Dry and Clean Teeth

Before taking any photos of teeth, it’s imperative that the teeth are clean. You don’t want noticeable plaque, or food particles in the teeth for people to see. It’s also important that the teeth are as dry as possible. Too much saliva can lead to low quality photos.

What Next?

Once you have compiled a large enough collection of before and after photos, consider showcasing them in a smile gallery on your website if you are not already. At Dental Affiliate, we create custom smile galleries for our clients with sliders to show the before and after. You should also be showcasing your smile transformations on your social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. For help with your online presence, contact us at Dental Affiliate today.