The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in dentistry.

As the use of information and communication technology (ICT) becomes more widespread in dentistry the risk of breaching electronic commerce laws and patient confidentiality increases. It is necessary to be aware of the responsibilities internet usage entails, especially within a dental practice where the protection of patient information is of the utmost importance. More should be done to outline the various precautions that should be taken to ensure ICT security within the professional domain, as it would appear dentistry has been neglected with regard to receiving the proper ICT education, training and support systems.

Consortium for oral health-related informatics: improving dental research, education, and treatment.

Advances in informatics, particularly the implementation of electronic health records (EHR), in dentistry have facilitated the exchange of information. The majority of dental schools in North America use the same EHR system, providing an unprecedented opportunity to integrate these data into a repository that can be used for oral health education and research. In 2007, fourteen dental schools formed the Consortium for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI). Since its inception, COHRI has established structural and operational processes, governance and bylaws, and a number of work groups organized in two divisions: one focused on research (data standardization, integration, and analysis), and one focused on education (performance evaluations, virtual standardized patients, and objective structured clinical examinations). To date, COHRI (which now includes twenty dental schools) has been successful in developing a data repository, pilot-testing data integration, and sharing EHR enhancements among the group. This consortium has collaborated on standardizing medical and dental histories, developing diagnostic terminology, and promoting the utilization of informatics in dental education. The consortium is in the process of assembling the largest oral health database ever created. This will be an invaluable resource for research and provide a foundation for evidence-based dentistry for years to come.

Informática odontológica: uma disciplina emergente: [revisão] / Dental informatics: an emerging discipline: [review]

Este trabalho de revisão de literatura pretende demonstrar não só a importância da introdução da disciplina de Informática Odontológica no currículo das Faculdades de Odontologia mas também no cotidiano do médico-dentista ou cirurgião-dentista. Nos últimos anos houve um rápido desenvolvimento da Informática aplicada à Odontologia, sobretudo em áreas dedicadas ao exame do paciente, ao diagnóstico e ao plano de tratamento. Os sistemas CAD-CAM, as sondas periodontais computadorizadas, os aparelhos de radiologia digital, as câmaras intra-orais são exemplos da aplicação da Informática em Odontologia. É neste sentido que surge a disciplina de Informática Odontológica, uma área em constante desenvolvimento, que tem por base a aplicação de computadores e ciências de informação para melhorar a prática clínica, a pesquisa, a educação e a gestão. É importante que simultaneamente com a formação em Odontologia haja também adequada formação em Informática Odontológica. Atualmente os avanços tecnológicos e as pesquisas científicas requerem interdisciplinaridade e integração de uma grande quantidade de informação, muitas vezes proveniente de fontes díspares, havendo necessidade de compilar a informação em bases de dados. Os meios informáticos podem aumentar significativamente a velocidade de integração e correlação dessa informação, tornando o diagnóstico médico-odontológico mais rápido e a implementação da terapêutica mais eficaz.

This literature review aimed to present the importance of the discipline of Dental Informatics for the curriculum of dental schools and daily dental practice. In the last years there was a fast development of Informatics applied to Dentistry, especially in areas related to patient exam, diagnosis, and treatment plan. CAD-CAM systems, computerized periodontal probes, digital radiography, and intraoral cameras are examples of the application of Informatics in Dentistry. Dental Informatics is a discipline showing constant development and is based on the application of computers and information science to improve clinical practice, research, education, and management. Therefore, it is important that Dental Informatics is included in the dental curriculum. At present the technological advances and scientific research require interdisciplinary approach and integration of large amount of information. This information usually comes from several sources, which requires its compilation in databases. Informatics media can significantly increase the velocity of integration and correlation of necessary information to speed up the medical-dental diagnosis and improve treatment efficacy.

Supporting emerging disciplines with e-communities: needs and benefits.

BACKGROUND: Science has developed from a solitary pursuit into a team-based collaborative activity and, more recently, into a multidisciplinary research enterprise. The increasingly collaborative character of science, mandated by complex research questions and problems that require many competencies, requires that researchers lower the barriers to the creation of collaborative networks of experts, such as communities of practice (CoPs). OBJECTIVES: The aim was to assess the information needs of prospective members of a CoP in an emerging field, dental informatics, and to evaluate their expectations of an e-community in order to design a suitable electronic infrastructure. METHODS: A Web-based survey instrument was designed and administered to 2768 members of the target audience. Benefit expectations were analyzed for their relationship to (1) the respondents' willingness to participate in the CoP and (2) their involvement in funded research. Two raters coded the respondents' answers regarding expected benefits using a 14-category coding scheme (Kappa = 0.834). RESULTS: The 256 respondents (11.1% response rate) preferred electronic resources over traditional print material to satisfy their information needs. The most frequently expected benefits from participation in the CoP were general information (85% of respondents), peer networking (31.1%), and identification of potential collaborators and/or research opportunities (23.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The competitive social-information environment in which CoPs are embedded presents both threats to sustainability and opportunities for greater integration and impact. CoP planners seeking to support the development of emerging biomedical science disciplines should blend information resources, social search and filtering, and visibility mechanisms to provide a portfolio of social and information benefits. Assessing benefit expectations and alternatives provides useful information for CoP planners seeking to prioritize community infrastructure development and encourage participation.