Introduction
In recent years, a wave of new technology has opened a
new frontier in dentistry that profoundly affects the ways in which dental
professionals can interact with patients, undertake chairside routines, perform
clinical procedures, and manage the business aspects of a dental practice.
Such technological ventures have produced marked changes in the ways dental
professionals can connect with patients and colleagues, as well as their
families and friends. With the rapidly expanding use of the Internet and
the World Wide Web, the perception of what constitutes timely and effective
communication has the potential for changing dramatically. However,
technological advances continue to meet resistance from those who
may benefit
most from new technologies. In fact, this resistance centers on the fact
that technology may change every day, often disrupting established work
routines. Technological advances such as the Internet could be perceived
as a factor in the loss of personal interaction in and beyond the workplace
when, in actuality, more personal contact can be achieved when one takes full
advantage of the technological tools available. Communications with
referral partners, third-party carriers, and dental patients become expedited
and streamlined when these tools are fully utilized.
Dental professionals can now watch clinical procedures for the first time via live satellite transmission, perhaps thousands of miles from the clinician who is actually performing the procedure. This newfound efficiency requires staff to be computer-savvy, thus expanding traditional roles as dental assistants, practice administrators, office managers, and front-desk personnel.
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| Citation Number: Vol. 2, No. 3, Page 051 |
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