The Process of Buying Dental Loupes

How do I buy dental loupes?

​There are several ways in which dental loupes can be purchased:

• Online from a company that provides loupes directly via their website (eg Student Loupes Company)
• Face-to-face, at a dental trade show, or loupes fair
• Face-to-face, from a sales rep during a practice visit, a method used by traditional loupes companies

No matter which way the loupes are purchased, the process is always the same:

1. A magnification is selected after discussing with the rep / online with the company
2. A frame style and colour are selected based on your preferences
3. Measurements are taken, including working and interpupillary distances
4. Any details of an optical prescription are recorded
5. A headlight can be added depending on the user's preferences

Depending on the type of loupes ordered and the manufacturer, they can take up to several months to be made according to the specifications provided.

How do I measure for dental loupes?

​The two most essential measurements that are required to make a set of loupes are the working distance and interpupillary distance.

The working distance is the distance between the user's eyes and the area they are working on. A simple tape measure is used to measure this distance.

The interpupillary distance is the distance between the two pupils of the user's eyes. This can be recorded face-to-face using a device called a Pupilometer​ (pictured) at a loupes fitting appointment. Alternatively, it can be calculated using modern digital photographic methods (this is the method we prefer to use, you can click here to learn more).

Where can I buy dental loupes?

​As discussed above, there are two main ways that loupes can be purchased:​​

1. Online from a company that provides loupes directly via their website (eg Student Loupes Company)
2. Face-to-face, from a sales rep at a dental trade show, or during a practice visit (a method used by traditional loupes companies)​