Identifying counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices

There are a number of possible questions the dentist can consider to help identify equipment which is suspected as fake or substandard:

• Did you pay a price that was drastically out of line with the normal price for the product?;
• Did you buy it through an internet dealer or supplier that you didn’t know?;
• Compare it with a similar product you know to be genuine;
• Check the weight – copies made with cheap alloy are often much lighter;
• Finish – there may be rough edges or poor-quality laser etching;
• Check the company and product name and logo – are they exactly as they should be?  Copies may have small but important differences, or even mistakes;
• Is the colour and design of the packaging exactly like the genuine product?;
• In use – some substandard hand instruments have bent or even broken when put under some pressure;
• The charging/power plug – it must be supplied with a NZ plug, not a Chinese or European plus with adapter – otherwise it is non-compliant;
• Look at the CE mark – there usually is one, but can you be sure it is genuine, or even the correct one?;
• The paperwork – if it is in a huge number of languages, including Chinese, this can be a clue that it is a copy.  Devices will also generally need instructions in English;
• If in doubt, contact the manufacturer.  Genuine products can be tracked back through the chair of supply to confirm their authenticity.
  

Please report any counterfeit or sub-standard product to Medsafe www.medsafe.govt.nz

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