Power to the PC...and the toothbrush

Dear DrBicuspid.com member:

Once humans began walking upright, they began looking for something to lean on. First came the faithful dog. Then eons later, the Model T. And finally, the PC, our Sancho Panza and Torquemada rolled into one.

The PC is woven deeply into the fabric of our daily lives. It's part typewriter, part entertainment center, part communications hub, and all in all, a pain in the neck. Dentists--no slouches when it comes to technology--have embraced the PC...but only to a point. Although 90% of practices have a computer somewhere on the premises, have they truly tapped the "transformative power" of those PCs?

Probably not, says Dr. Larry Emmott, D.D.S., a well-known public speaker and self-described technology geek. Emmott is high on computer technology because, when bought and used properly, it can make your practice more personal, not less.

"Instead of being phone answerers and money collectors, [your staffers] become concierges, meeting and greeting, and leading people through an elegant dental experience," says Emmott. "The technology frees you...to spend more time on the relationship part of the job -- the distinguishing factor between average and great practices."

Intrigued? Check out "High tech, high touch" for Emmott's real world tips and tricks on using your PCs, network, and software to the max.

Power, manual, or finger?

I went shopping online the other day for a new electric toothbrush and ran smack dab into the "tyranny of choice". Oral-B alone sells nearly a dozen different models, from the "Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide" (do we really need a toothbrush with a wireless remote?) to the Oral-B Vitality (with "two moving brush heads for twice the cleaning action").

Maybe I should save my money. As Senior Editor Laird Harrison's piece "Are the new power brushes better?" shows, there's still a lot of debate about the efficacy of power brushes, not to mention a welter of suits and countersuits among the big players over whose power brush is better. Despite the clinical and legal dueling, there are key reasons why you should get some of your patients plugged in to the modern way of brushing.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way...

...to our forums. That's right, DrB has forums up and running. Sign in (yes, you'll have to endure a few screens of "who are you?" queries) and start sharing your opinions, your expertise, and your questions. Your fellow dentists (and DrB editors) will welcome your arrival...and perhaps have some expertise to share, too.

Correction

In my last Letter, I noted how my dedicated dentist (battling my current perio problems) put me "through the ringer". Although my psychic bells chime whenever I think about getting another scaling and planing job, I meant, of course, to say "wringer." (Thanks to reader DB for alerting me.) It's my fault, of course, but let's blame Microsoft Word for this gaffe, ok?