New equipment is just cool. It's shiny, comes with lots of bells and whistles, and keeps your job interesting. And if the practice makes a sound investment, it allows you to do your job better. But how do you know which items are more than just high-tech toys? Go straight to the source: In this case, veterinary hospital staffers who use practice management software, in-house diagnostics, digital dental radiology, and therapy laser on a daily basis. These technologies benefit both the team members' practices and patients—and they can help yours too.

Dental digital radiography

Estimated cost: $3,000 to $12,000

How it helps the practice: "It's another service we can charge for," says Bollinger, whose practice bills $18 per radiograph. "We feel good about this because we only take one if we need it. People get really nervous when you talk about extractions because they don't want their pet to lose any teeth. They're not worried about an $18 charge if we can save the tooth." Also, having such advanced technology inspires confidence in clients. "I think people are impressed," Bollinger says. "It's made our dental program much more comprehensive and has added a whole other dimension to dentistry."

How it helps the team: As a rule, dentistry provides an excellent area for technicians to focus on and advance their careers. For example, at Camelot Court, not everyone can take digital radiographs. "It takes some skill and a lot of practice to get it right," says Bollinger, who took classes to learn how to get precise pictures of each tooth. "We take x-rays of the premolar number 4 tooth most often, a three-rooted tooth which can be challenging. But it's an important tooth for a dog, so you want to save it if possible." And most often they can, because the image allows Bollinger to see potential problems that a change in color or enamel might not always point to. "We know we've done the best we can and we don't have to guess anymore," she says. "I feel really good about that."