Capture that smile with quality clinical photography

Updated 12 September 2026.

<strong>“Clear aligner treatments go much more smoothly when keeping adequate or better records.”<strong>


Good quality photos are essential. Get consent to use photos/ videos for education and marketing purposes so you can show your other patients how clear aligners could benefit them.

This is one of your best marketing and sales tools.<strong> <strong>

Consider the following:

  • Any iphone (series 8 or above) will capture adequate quality photographs. Alternatively a DSLR can be used 

  • A ringflash or similar extra lighting is useful 

  • Consider putting a retractable, grey blind up on your clinic wall as a ‘ready to roll down’ background

  • Always respect the integrity of your patients’ records

  • Consider and plan your image storage and safeguard against susceptibility to data leaks

Steps to taking good quality control photos:

  1. Get organised beforehand

  2. Choose a solid, light background

  3. Stand in front of the person

  4. Centre the face/teeth in the photos

  5. To avoid shadows forming, the patient must not stand against the background 

  6. Make sure long hair is tied back and out of the way of the patient’s face 

  7. Make sure nothing is obscuring the patient’s teeth

  8. Take clear images that are not blurred

  9. Check the quality of the photo (focus & exposure)

  10. Ensure all teeth are present in the required photo

  1. <strong><strong>

    <strong>Extraoral photos:<strong>

  • Profile repose

  • Frontal repose

  • Frontal smiling

  1. <strong><strong> <strong>Intra-oral photos (with cheek retractors):<strong>

  • Lower arch – open mouth

  • Upper arch – open mouth

  • Right buccal – teeth together

  • Anterior – teeth together

  • Left buccal – teeth together.

<h2>Happy Photographising !<h2>

Got a patient in mind? Age and one line is all I need to tell you if it is a good first case. First plan on us.

Ask Dan about a case

Top Tips-Troubleshooting Clear Aligners

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Where clear aligner treatment goes wrong and what to do about it: dental health, case selection, expectations, refinement, attachments, IPR, monitoring and retention. With the two minute case selection video.

Case Selection for Active Aligners

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Case selection Choosing the right case is the single decision that predicts how a first aligner case goes, and how the second one goes. Everything we have written on it is here in one place. Updated 12 September 2026. Dr Dan Shaffer, Clinical Director. Two minutes on which cases to take on and which to…

Case Selection (1 of 3)

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. It is essential to select the cases that are likely to work and bring satisfaction to our patients. We can only achieve this through identification and management of realistic patient expectations and abiding by accepted orthodontic principles. Is your patient’s aligner fatigue going to dictate the end point of your next…

Case Selection (2 of 3)

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. It is essential to select the cases that are likely to work and bring satisfaction to our patients. We can only achieve this through identification and management of realistic patient expectations and abiding by accepted orthodontic principles. Is your patient’s aligner fatigue going to dictate the end point of your next…

Case Selection (3 of 3)

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. If a case is too challenging for clear aligners, do you really want to manage the situation where your patient’s mounting dissatisfaction and continued frustration weighs heavily on your clinical conscience? Is your patient’s aligner fatigue going to dictate the end point of your next case? How do we begin to…

IPR (Interproximal reduction) – TIPS FOR SUCCESS

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. Clear aligners work on basic orthodontic principles. They are used for the correction of crowded teeth, gaps or rotation, while achieving the desired results in an organised and planned fashion. These customised trays are “nearly invisible” and move the teeth in the desired direction.  This is achieved through wearing a series…

IPR made easy

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. IPR Made Simple for the GDP: Risks, Benefits & Top Tips What is IPR and Why Does it Matter? Interproximal Reduction (IPR) is a common and often necessary technique in modern orthodontics, especially with clear aligners. For the general dental practitioner (GDP), understanding when, how, and why to use IPR –…

Composite Attachments made easy

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. Composite Attachments Made Easy for the GDP composite attachments from Zigzogaloo Productions Why Composite Attachments Matter in Clear Aligner Success In clear aligner therapy, precision matters. While digital planning sets the stage, it’s the hands-on techniques like composite attachment placement that determine how well aligners perform in the mouth. For general…

How a Consistently Low Refinement Rate Enhances Outcomes with Active Aligners

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

How a Consistently Low Refinement Rate Enhances Outcomes with Active Aligners When evaluating clear aligner systems, refinement rates serve as a crucial metric that impacts both clinical efficiency and patient satisfaction. With Active Aligners achieving a consistently low refinement rate of approximately 23%-measured as a 12-month rolling average-dentists and patients experience significant benefits, both economically…

Interested in Active Aligners? Everything you need to know to get started.

By Dr Dan Shaffer BDS RDT PGCertDentLaw

Updated 12 September 2026. Interested in Active Aligners? Here’s a short article for potential providers of Active Aligners. Posted on 5th October 2021- 4 minute read With an intelligent workflow and simple portal, Active Aligners are designed to give you the skills and confidence to treat patients effectively. Clear aligner therapy is a modern alternative…