The sensor cord has always been the weak link in intraoral imaging. It gets pulled, pinched, bitten, and rolled over by chairs. It dictates how the sensor can be positioned, crowds an already uncomfortable patient, and eventually fails, usually in the middle of a full schedule. For years, most practices simply accepted that as the cost of digital radiography.
We didn’t. When FTG Imaging launched DC-Air® in July 2021, we removed the cord entirely and brought True Wireless® intraoral imaging to dental practices: no sensor cord, no interference, and a more comfortable, convenient way to capture dental X-rays. Clinicians could position the sensor where the anatomy called for it, patients no longer had a cable trailing out of their mouth, and the single most common point of failure on a traditional sensor was simply gone.
More than five years later, we’re still advancing the technology and still supporting the customers who helped us get here. DC-Air® is now in its fourth generation, and it’s the best yet. Whether your practice has used DC-Air® since launch or you’re still working around the limits of a wired sensor, this is how far cord-free imaging has come, and why now is the time to upgrade.
From Generation 1 to Gen 4 Matte Black
Every generation of DC-Air® has kept the same promise: True Wireless® imaging, with nothing tethering the sensor to the workstation. What has changed is everything around that promise. Each generation has been shaped by how clinicians actually use the sensor day to day, and the previous generation of DC-Air® set the foundation Gen 4 builds on.
The DC-Air® Gen 4 matte black sensor delivers the same cord-free freedom with improvements built for everyday practice. None of them change what makes DC-Air® different. All of them are aimed at making that difference easier to live with across every patient, every operatory, and every day of the week.
Built for daily clinical demands
An intraoral sensor lives a hard life. It is handled, positioned, disinfected, docked, and handled again, dozens of times a day, by different team members in different rooms. Gen 4 features improved housing designed specifically for those daily clinical demands, so the sensor is better equipped to hold up to the routine wear that comes with a busy practice.
The docking station has been upgraded too. Gen 4 introduces a stronger docking station cover with a secure magnetic closure. It is a small detail that matters at the end of every appointment: the sensor goes back into a dock that closes firmly and stays closed, so it is protected between patients and always in a predictable place when the next one sits down. Explore the DC-Air® docking station.
Faster, steadier, more reliable capture
Three Gen 4 improvements work together on the part of imaging your team feels most: the moments between positioning the sensor and seeing the image on screen.
Faster image transmission moves each capture from sensor to workstation more quickly, which makes for a smoother workflow chairside, especially across a full series where every exposure adds up. More consistent Bluetooth® connectivity keeps the wireless link between sensor and workstation steady from one image to the next. And more reliable X-ray triggering improves how the sensor detects the exposure and captures the image, so the team can trust that when the X-ray fires, the sensor responds.
The result is an imaging appointment that flows the way it should: position, expose, review, move on. Less waiting, fewer interruptions, and a more confident experience for the clinician and the patient.
Your Images. Your Preferences.
Every clinician has a preferred look for their radiographs. Some prefer a brighter image, some more contrast, some a particular balance for reading fine detail. The improved TWAIN imaging interface gives you more control over image appearance, so the images on your screen match how you like to read them.
You can try it before it is ever installed in your office. Visit the Radiographs page on our website and use the filter sliders to adjust sample images interactively. Find the look that suits your practice, and we can duplicate those settings in your office, giving your whole team a consistent imaging experience from operatory to operatory. For a walkthrough of each adjustment, see How to Use the DC-Air® Image Adjustment Tools.
Adjusting how an image is displayed is a matter of preference. What the sensor captures in the first place is a matter of Image Accuracy (IA), and that is where DC-Air® starts.
No Cord. No Worries. Protection for $99 a Month.
A sensor is one of the most used, and most handled, pieces of equipment in the practice. When one goes down, the schedule feels it. The DC-Air® No Cord. No Worries. All-Inclusive Sensor Plan is built so that never turns into an unplanned expense or an extended disruption.
For $99 per sensor per month, including WatchDog™, the plan provides comprehensive protection and support: technical support, maintenance and recalibration, loaner availability, and coverage for accidental damage and loss. Support, upkeep, a backup when you need one, and coverage when something goes wrong, all under one predictable monthly cost.
It is our most comprehensive sensor protection package at a highly competitive monthly price, and it is available whether you’re adding your first DC-Air® sensor or upgrading to Gen 4.
Requires a 24-month commitment. Deductibles, claim limits, and plan terms apply.
Two Ways to Get to Gen 4
New to DC-Air®? Start with the current generation.
If your practice is still running wired sensors, you already know the routine: cables to manage, cables to protect, and cables to replace. Moving to DC-Air® today doesn’t mean adopting a first-generation product. It means starting with the fourth generation of a True Wireless® platform that has been in clinical use since 2021 and refined over five years for durability, transmission speed, connectivity, and triggering.
Pair Gen 4 with the No Cord. No Worries. All-Inclusive Sensor Plan and you start with the latest hardware and the most comprehensive protection we offer from day one. Run the numbers for your practice with the 5-year ROI calculator, then book a demonstration to see Gen 4 in action.
Already a DC-Air® practice? Your current sensor still works. Upgrade anyway.
You don’t have to wait for a replacement to benefit from the latest generation. Existing DC-Air® customers qualify for special loyalty upgrade pricing, whether you joined us at launch in 2021 or more recently.
And upgrading doesn’t mean retiring what you have. You can keep your existing sensor as a backup or as an additional sensor alongside your new Gen 4. That means a second sensor ready when a room needs it, more flexibility across operatories, and new technology without giving up the value of the sensor you already own.
You helped us get here. Let us help you move forward.
Your confidence in DC-Air® has fueled our growth. The practices that chose True Wireless® imaging early helped prove what cord-free radiography could be, and their feedback has shaped every generation since. Our loyalty upgrade offers are our way of saying thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is new in the DC-Air® Gen 4 wireless dental sensor?
The DC-Air® Gen 4 matte black sensor keeps the same True Wireless® design with no sensor cord and adds improvements built for everyday practice: improved housing durability, faster image transmission, more consistent Bluetooth® connectivity, more reliable X-ray triggering, and a docking station cover with a secure magnetic closure. FTG also offers an improved TWAIN imaging interface for more control over image appearance.
How long has DC-Air® been available?
FTG Imaging launched DC-Air® in July 2021. Gen 4 is the fourth generation of the sensor, released after more than five years of continued development and support for dental practices.
How much does the DC-Air® sensor protection plan cost?
The DC-Air® No Cord. No Worries. All-Inclusive Sensor Plan is $99 per sensor per month, including WatchDog™. It includes technical support, maintenance and recalibration, loaner availability, and coverage for accidental damage and loss. The plan requires a 24-month commitment, and deductibles, claim limits, and plan terms apply.
Can I keep my current DC-Air® sensor if I upgrade to Gen 4?
Yes. Existing customers can keep their current sensor as a backup or as an additional sensor alongside the new Gen 4, so upgrading adds capacity instead of replacing what the practice already owns.
Is there upgrade pricing for existing DC-Air® customers?
Yes. Existing DC-Air® customers qualify for special loyalty upgrade pricing, whether they joined at launch or more recently. Contact FTG Imaging for a personalized upgrade offer.
Can I customize how my DC-Air® X-ray images look?
Yes. The improved TWAIN imaging interface gives you more control over image appearance. You can preview different looks with the filter sliders on the FTG Imaging Radiographs page, and FTG can duplicate your preferred settings in your office for a consistent experience across your team.
Five-Plus Years of Progress. Four Generations of Innovation.
New practice or longtime customer, contact FTG Imaging to get your personalized offer and learn more about the Gen 4 matte black sensor, the magnetic docking station, and the No Cord. No Worries. All-Inclusive Sensor Plan.
Five-plus years of progress. Four generations of innovation. No cord. No worries.