FUTURE OFDENTISTRY
regarding the clinical capabilities and limitations of
new technologies will continue to expand.
New technologies will be designed and marketed
so that individual practitioners access their capabil-
ities only when needed and, when possible, remote-
ly. While computers will become smaller, less expen-
sive, and possess more applications, dentists will
invest significant dollars into information technology
when it adds clear value to the practice.
Clinical Practice Management
Data collection and documentation will move to
a digital form and will extend or augment what new
applications in areas such as clinical decision sup-
port. New technologies will significantly improve
productivity and information management.
Use of digital radiography, computerized chart-
ing, intraoral cameras, and probes for periodontal
charting in the dental workspace will provide paper-
less charts and provide patient information any-
where in the office. Patient information such as dig-
ital x-rays, digital photos, and other documentation
will be transmitted electronically to third parties for
pre-authorization and treatment verification. On-
line adjudication, likewise, will be transmitted elec-
tronically to dental offices, greatly reducing treat-
ment delays. Software for rapid electronic filing of
claims is already available, often integrated with
practice management software, and may also be
provided to dental offices by claims administrators.
Patients, in the future, will be able to access their
own dental records electronically. Voice-activated tech-
nology will facilitate the collection of patient data, free
dental assistants for other tasks, and increase the pro-
ductivity of dentists and dental hygienists.
Dental practices in the future are likely to inte-
grate electronic clinical data with practice manage-
ment data. This integration of front and back office
data will improve office efficiency.
A barrier to the universal adoption of such tech-
nologies is that digital information is subject to
alteration and falsification. However, recent legisla-
tion, such as the Health Care Insurance Accounting
and Portability Act, stipulates the use of encryption
technology to safeguard the integrity and confiden-
tiality of health care information.
Patient Diagnosis Technologies
Trends in the development of new diagnostic toolsand therapeutics combined with an aging popula-
tion may require dental professionals to incorporate
more medical treatment into dental practice, in
addition to the traditional dental-surgical approach.
Computers will be used to facilitate the collection
of clinical data and physiological parameters. Also,
computers will provide analyses of collected samples
(for example, saliva and tissue samples) as well as
interpretation of these data. In effect, computers
will provide practitioners with the data they need to
make sound clinical decisions. Examples include (1)
an emerging new screening tool, which images and
analyzes cell samples obtained by brush biopsy and
(2) the periodontal probe software that facilitates
monitoring of changes.
Advanced optical technology used in diagnostics
will be developed. As digital radiography software
becomes increasingly refined, it will become more wide-
ly used to assess changes in bone density and changes in
mineralization and demineralization of teeth and jaws.
Other technological advances that are not com-
puter based are anticipated as well. Greater use of
intraoral cameras will further enhance patient
understanding of oral conditions and their treat-
ment. New biochemical assays and interpretive
methodologies are expected to improve diagnostic
and prognostic capabilities.Treatment TechnologiesComputers will serve as decision-support tools in
planning treatments that require the integration of
multiple disciplines and types of clinical information.
Software programs will help the dentist filter, evaluate,
and prioritize information essential for establishing suit-
able treatment plans. Computers are also expected to
play an increasing role in delivering care. The universal
incorporation of CAD/CAM technology into individual
dental practices is cost-prohibitive; however, as this
technology expands, it will become affordable.
Current methods of taking physical impressions
may be replaced by electronic transmission of both
digital impressions and shades to dental laboratories
for fabrication of customized restorations.
CAD/CAM technology is already being used in
orthodontic practice for minor tooth movement.
This technology could make orthodontic treatment
more widely available. Advances in tissue engineer-
ing and nanotechnology will eventually result in
treatment at the cellular, molecular, and atomic lev-
els. Nanorobots and nanocomputers will enable theClinical Dental Practice and Management