Can technology help dentists deliver better patient care?

BACKGROUND: Dental practitioners are faced with a myriad of high-technology tools. Many purchase these tools without fully understanding how to use them. It is necessary to look at the simple operations of a dental office and see where these products can be of value. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Patient care and communication can be enhanced substantially by using several new technologies. The practitioner can use these tools to improve--not necessarily change--his or her methods. The result should be a more efficient and productive dental practice.

Integrated office technology: how technology can help improve office efficiency.

BACKGROUND: While innovation in the technology industry has produced ever more advanced equipment specifically for dentistry, it is important to understand how these advances actually improve internal operations in a dental practice. OVERVIEW: The overall trend in general industry in the United States is to use technology as an instrument in enhancing productivity, and dentistry is no exception. This increased use of technology does not necessarily threaten the dentist/patient relationship. While the benefits of technology in dentistry are real, costs are not limited to just the price of the equipment itself. Each technology purchase should be evaluated on the basis of a thorough cost-benefit analysis. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Though dentistry is essentially a personal service, selective use of technology can benefit patient care as well as contain costs. Dentists should consider technology as a partner in their practices.

Designing your office for technology.

BACKGROUND: To practice efficiently, dentists need to consider the successful integration of technologies, which can benefit their practice of dentistry. The physical environment of the office must be developed to accommodate not only the appropriate placement of computer hardware and high-tech dental devices, but their interconnectivity, as well. CONCLUSION: Dentists need to make appropriate decisions regarding the types of technology they choose to integrate into their offices, and they need to understand how the technology will be installed and integrated. An office designed to optimize the use of technology will produce ongoing benefits for dentists, their staff members and their patients throughout the lives of their practices. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: A dentist's practice must be planned to accommodate networks of systems hidden below floors, above ceilings and within walls, as well as to support and connect diverse technology items throughout the office.

Putting technology in place successfully.

BACKGROUND: This article discusses how to integrate clinical and administrative workstations into your dental practice from the planning phase to the implementation phase. The author discusses the costs that are associated with integrating technology, as well as the hardware components and configuration. He then discusses in greater detail the core clinical technologies and how they tie in together to facilitate building a cohesive digital patient record. CONCLUSIONS: There are no shortcuts to successfully integrating technology into a dental practice. A significant commitment of time, energy and money is a prerequisite to building a secure and reliable computer network that incorporates all clinical and administrative applications. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Technology is reinventing the world, and dentists need to keep pace with the people they serve. These new and not-so-new technologies will enhance dental services and productivity, which ultimately will raise the bar for the standard of care in dentistry.

Overcoming technology mistakes.

You do not always need to purchase the very best technology for every situation. Dentists spend a great deal of time trying to find out from gurus and experts which technology is the best. I personally believe that it is far more important to acquire technologies that will integrate into your office properly, provide you with a solid return on investment, and make you productive and profitable rather than simply acquiring the best technologies available. The best method for achieving this objective is the development and implementation of a well-thought out and properly researched technology plan.

Technology in dentistry.

When properly used, technology can be highly effective. It can help you increase your service offerings, your speed, or your case acceptance. The question is not whether you should acquire new technologies, but which ones would be most beneficial to your practice.