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What You Need to Know About the Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitor

Timothy Aungst, PharmDJewels Doskicz, RN, BA
Updated on February 21, 2024

Key takeaways:

  • Dexcom G7 is a continuous glucose monitor that’s FDA-cleared for use in adults and children ages 2 years and older with diabetes.

  • The Dexcom G7 is smaller, easier to apply, and more accurate than the G6 model. It also has a shorter warm-up period and a newly redesigned mobile app to help you track your glucose (sugar) trends.

  • There are ways to save on the Dexcom G7 system. GoodRx can help you access Dexcom G7 sensors with an exclusive discount of $220 off the retail price of 3 sensors. This discount also provides $240 off each Dexcom G7 receiver. Patient assistance programs are also available.

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The Dexcom G7 is shown on a green background.
Courtesy of Dexcom

In December 2022, the FDA cleared the Dexcom G7 as a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) device. The G7 can be prescribed for adults and children ages 2 years and older. CGMs have recently grown in popularity for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Dexcom is a leader in real-time continuous glucose monitoring, making life easier for people living with diabetes. Their Dexcom G6 CGM has been on the market since 2018. The Dexcom G7 offers more accuracy and other improved features than previous models.

How does the Dexcom G7 work?

Dexcom G7 is an all-in-one disposable device. It contains a small microneedle that allows it to measure the glucose (sugar) in the fluid beneath your skin. The sensor and transmitter come pre-assembled and ready to insert. Using the attached applicator, you can quickly insert the Dexcom G7 on the back of your upper arm. For children ages 2 to 6, you can also insert it on the upper buttocks area.

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Man checking blood sugar level.
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Once inserted, the Dexcom G7 sensor measures the glucose (sugar) in the fluid beneath your skin. It takes readings every 5 minutes and sends them to a receiver (smartphone, compatible insulin pump, or G7 receiver).

Having the Dexcom G7 doesn’t mean you can get rid of your glucometer. But it can help greatly reduce how often you need to use it. Again, the G7 measures changes in glucose underneath the skin, not blood glucose. So there may be lags of 5 minutes or more with your CGM results. This means your blood glucose and CGM readings may not be the same.

If you feel symptoms of high or low blood sugar, check your blood glucose with a glucometer — even if your CGM reading is within range. If your blood glucose reading is too high or low, use that reading to make treatment decisions or medication adjustments. Then, consider calibrating the system.

Can the Dexcom G7 be worn on the abdomen?

Dexcom G7 is only FDA cleared to wear on the back of the upper arm (or upper buttocks for young children). This means that the FDA only evaluated its safety and effectiveness for these locations.

Your healthcare team may still say that it’s OK for you to wear your Dexcom G7 on your abdomen. But you shouldn’t start wearing it this way without talking to them first.

How accurate is the Dexcom G7?

Dexcom G7 is the company’s most accurate CGM. It has a mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of 8.2% for adults when inserted on the arm. The G6 model isn’t FDA cleared for use on the arm and has a MARD of 9.9% for adults when inserted on the stomach.

The MARD is a standard way of measuring CGM accuracy. It represents the difference between CGM glucose readings and blood glucose readings. The lower the MARD, the more accurate the device is. Because CGMs don’t measure blood glucose, there are differences between the two readings.

How does Dexcom G7 compare to the G6?

In addition to better accuracy, the Dexcom G7 has several other improvements compared to the G6. Here are five of those differences.

1. Smaller size and new shape

The Dexcom G7 is 60% smaller than the G6 model. Its shape is also now circular and looks like a few U.S. quarters stacked on top of each other. This means the G7 may be less noticeable while worn compared to the G6. It’s also more compact and comfortable and less likely to become caught on clothing and get pulled off.

2. Different body locations cleared for wear

The G7 is FDA cleared to use on the back of the upper arm for people ages 2 years and older. There’s also an option to apply the sensor to the upper buttocks for children between ages 2 and 6 years old.

The G6 is only cleared for insertion on the stomach for adults and the upper buttocks for children under 18 years old. While some healthcare professionals instruct people to insert the G6 on the back of the arm, this is considered an off-label use of the device.

3. Easier sensor application process

As mentioned above, the Dexcom G7 is an all-in-one device. It can be inserted with one step. This improvement makes the application process faster and more convenient, with less waste and packaging.

With the G6 and other previous models, the transmitter was reused and lasted 3 months. This not only required multiple steps to apply it, but replacing a lost transmitter could also prove tricky.

4. Shortened sensor warm-up period

The Dexcom G7 takes 30 minutes to warm up and start measuring glucose. In comparison, the Dexcom G6 takes 2 hours to warm up. During this time, the CGM is adjusting to your body and can’t provide glucose readings.

After the warm-up period, both the G7 and G6 will provide you with CGM readings every 5 minutes. No calibration is needed with finger glucose sticks for either device.

The sensor life of the G7 is unchanged from the G6 model. You'll need three Dexcom G7 sensors per month and change them every 10 days. But the Dexcom G7 offers a 12-hour grace period at the end. So if you’re a few hours late changing your sensor, it’ll still capture glucose readings. No other Dexcom models have this ability.

5. Redesigned smartphone app

Finally, the Dexcom G7 sensor can be paired with a reader or an app on your Android or Apple smartphone. The new app is easier to navigate than the G6 app. The G7 app was designed to provide better visuals to help people understand their glucose readings and trends.

You can also customize your alerts for out-of-range glucose readings with the G7 app. This feature isn’t available with the G6 app.

What’s more, the Dexcom G7 app allows you to share glucose readings and trends with your healthcare team and friends, family, or caregivers. This data-sharing can be completed within a single app. The G6 requires two separate apps to connect with healthcare professionals and loved ones.

The new app can also connect with some smartwatches.. Be sure to check Dexcom’s compatibility page to see if your device is compatible with the G7 app.

Does the Dexcom G7 connect with insulin pumps?

Yes, Dexcom G7 is compatible with the Tandem t:slim X2 and iLet Bionic Pancreas insulin pumps (automated insulin delivery, or AID, systems). It’s not yet compatible with the Omnipod 5 system.

The G7 was cleared by the FDA to offer AID connectivity. So it’s likely that the list of AID systems that are compatible with the Dexcom G7 will grow with time.

How to save on the Dexcom G7

There are ways to save on the Dexcom G7 system. GoodRx can help you navigate between GoodRx coupons and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription.

  • Save with GoodRx. Anyone with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status, can use GoodRx to purchase a 30-day supply of Dexcom G7 sensors with an exclusive discount of $220 off the retail price. This discount also provides $240 off each Dexcom G7 receiver.

  • Save with a patient assistance program. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Dexcom’s patient assistance program, which may offer the device for free or at a reduced cost.

The bottom line

The Dexcom G7 is one of several continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) on the U.S. market. It’s smaller, more accurate, and easier to insert than the previous G6 model. And it’s an all-in-one disposable device that has a shorter warm-up period than previous models. The new G7 app should also make it easier to see and understand your glucose readings. Dexcom G7 is compatible with certain insulin pumps, with more connectivity options expected in the future.

There are multiple savings options to help you get started with the Dexcom G7.

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Timothy Aungst, PharmD
Timothy Aungst, PharmD, has worked in pharmacy practice for the past decade with different roles and responsibilities. He has served as an associate professor of pharmacy practice for almost a decade, a clinical pharmacist in outpatient cardiology management, and now in home healthcare.
Christina Aungst, PharmD
Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.
Jewels Doskicz, RN, BA
Jewels Doskicz, RN, BA, is an Arizona-based registered nurse with 22 years of hospital-wide clinical nursing experience and 11 years of medical writing and editing experience. She was a former healthcare content creator for a digital health tool at HealthLoop and director of clinical content operations at GetWellNetwork.

For more information about Dexcom G7, visit their website.

Check whether your smart device is compatible with Dexcom products here.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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