Software For Dentists

By Damian Sofsian

Most dental offices are now computerized with sophisticated software to simplify the complicated process of clinical practice and patient management. Software serves in a wide variety of applications, ranging from the substitution of routine office paperwork to more sophisticated imaging techniques.

The practice management software (PMS) eases the handling of administrative tasks such as patient recordkeeping, inventory control for dental supplies, appointment scheduling, insurance processing and real-time reporting (billing) when the transaction actually takes place. Many versatile Windows-based software programs exist that allow the dentist to do chair-side data entry and scheduling. At present, many web-based dental PMS programs are also available that provide advanced solutions to improved clinical practices.

Dental Implants - The Planning of Implants Using 3D Conebeam Computed Tomography

By W. B. Bohannan DDS, M.D.

When you are missing a tooth or teeth or have to have a tooth or teeth removed likely you will need to have the tooth or teeth replaced. The modern replacement method is with a dental implant. Dental implant planning has come a long way since the days of a small rectangular film (periapical radiograph) and holding up to a light to "see" if there was enough room for an implant. These 2 dimensional films only allow the surgeon to evaluate the height of the bone and the distance between the roots of the adjacent teeth. Since x-ray technique can alter appearance, the distances can be misleading and can create intraoperative difficulties during implant placement. Additionally there can be magnification of the x-ray giving the surgeon a false sense of security to important adjacent anatomy like the sinus and the inferior alveolar nerve canal. The inferior nerve canal is where the nerve that supplies feeling to your lower teeth and lip and chin resides. It is the nerve that the dentist "numbs" and your lip and chin feels fat and funny. As such, implants placed too deeply based on magnified films can lead to paresthesias and/or dysesthesias of the inferior alveolar nerve (paresthesia is an altered sensation and dysesthesias are painful alterations in feeling).

Getting the Best Dental Billing Software

Using Dental Software to Streamline Your Practice's Operation

Every dentist wants more time to spend with patients. But unfortunately, many practices are burdened with paperwork: insurance filings, staff training, chart maintenance, and record keeping all take time away from patient care. The right dental software can change that balance by making your office more efficient.

However, there are many varieties of dental practice software, and sifting through the different features to find what your office needs can be difficult. You will need to consider many aspects of your practice, everything from your staff's comfort with a new system to the level of computer assistance you want. Modern technology can be fully integrated, providing everything from behind-the-counter assistance with patient check-in to reference elements in the individual treatment rooms.