Paul Feuerstein, DMD
Computers in treatment rooms are more prevalent than ever. One overlooked area is data input. The care provider or assistant has the task of entering information into the digital chart, making appointments, and, in some situations, taking payments. The most common data input devices are the keyboard and mouse. However, disinfection and cross contamination are legitimate concerns. How many times will you have to take off or change gloves during an appointment? How do you disinfect a mouse or keyboard? Covers are available as well as stick-on barriers, but they are difficult to manipulate and can get in the way. Wireless keyboards can be wrapped in a thin plastic bag made of the sort of material that a dry cleaner uses.
One helpful product has the distinctive name The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard (grandtec.com), which is a flexible, sealed unit. It can be washed, rinsed, sprayed, and can even be rolled up like a jelly roll when not in use. They are USB connected, come in designer colors, and cost less than $30.
Touch screens have been around for a while and are becoming more common. The glass screens can be wiped down easily; newer models can be used even with gloved hands. The better monitors come sealed and are "medical grade;" they are commonly used in installations by companies such as CIEOS.com. Many practice-management systems have touch screen input as an option, as do patient education systems such as CAESY and SmilePad (patientcaresuite.com).
A newer concept is the tablet computer, which can function either as a touch screens or accept notes written with a stylus. Some of the "smart" software can recognize handwriting and convert it to printed text. Claude Berthoin, founder of Digital Dental Solutions (formerly Video Dental) believes this is the future. He has developed an entire hardware-software system based on tablet-type computers called DOT (Digital Operatory Tablets), which are all integrated wirelessly. Berthoin has been a fixture in the dental high-tech arena for years. His company had one of the first intraoral cameras available and now offers new models as well as repair services for obsolete models, along with some innovative new products. Berthoin has been one of my technical resources over the years, and you may pick his brain at most major dental meetings as well as online. His Web site is www.videodental.com.
Digital radiography systems by Lightyear and Dexis also use tablet computers as an "all-in-one" solution. These systems also use a touch screen or a stylus. The added feature allows the office to go digital immediately without putting computers in the treatment areas as the entire system moves from room to room. All of these portable units accept input from keyboards, mice, and other input devices if desired.
