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I just discovered Google maps and even more amazing Google Earth. It is awesome. To get the free download go to Google, click the more option and look for Earth.

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From PC Magazine here 10 Things to Do With Old PCs [1]

If you’ve been using PCs for a while, you’re bound to have an old one you don’t use much, if at all. With 2-GHz computers available for well under $1,000, what good is an old 300-MHz Pentium II system? The answer depends on your willingness to experiment, have fun, learn, and prevent pollution. Here are ten things you can do with that old PC, starting with tasks for relatively “better” old PCs, and working our way down to the real junkers.
Caution:  If you can’t find a use for an old computer using the above article you may be forced to just get rid of it. I have given away or trashed over 100 old PCs. Whenever an old computer leaves your office be sure the hard drive is empty. We have both a legal and an ethical responsibility to protect our patient’s personal and medical information.

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1386999,00.asp

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1. If you have reached the point where you really understand your computer, it’s probably obsolete.
2. When you are computing, if someone is watching, whatever happens, behave as though you meant it to happen.
3. When the going gets tough, upgrade your computer.
4. The first place to look for information is in the section of the manual where you’d least expect to find it.
5. For every action, there is an equal and opposite malfunction.
6. To err is human…to blame your computer for your mistakes is even more human, its downright natural.
7. He who laughs last, probably has a back-up.
8. The number one cause of computer problems is computer solutions.
9. A complex system that doesn’t work is invariably found to have evolved from a simpler system that worked just fine.
10. A computer program will always do what you tell it to do, but rarely what you want it to do.
 

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I will be coming to Montgomery Alabama May 5 and 6 for a unique two day program. This will be a great opportunity for the entire dental team to learn about using technology well. The details are here [1]
Just like the high-speed air turbine hand piece changed dentistry forever; new dental computer systems will change how we practice forever. Some dentists will hold back, fear change and even resent it. These dentists will be left behind.
Other dentists will embrace new technology and grow with it.

[1] http://www.netsolinc.com/seminar.php

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On Wednesday of next week, April 5, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.
That won’t ever happen again.
 

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A very simplified version of laser mechanics; the laser produces a beam of light energy that is coherent, monochromatic and collimated. That means the light is all the same wavelength, the waves are in phase and it is focused into a fine beam.
The various lasers used in dentistry are usually identified by the active medium material such as Yag, Diode, Erbium,Chromium:Yttrium, CO2 or Alexandrite. This material is what determines the wavelength of the laser.
Different wavelengths of light energy are absorbed by different substances. For example some wavelengths are absorbed by water and some wavelengths pass right through water. If a substance absorbs the laser energy it will immediately take on the energy of the laser, usually as heat. The rapid heating of the tissue is what causes the changes we see with a laser.
Each wavelength will affect the tissues in quite different ways. For example a diode laser is absorbed by dark colors such as hemoglobin. That makes it ideal for cutting soft tissue but it will have no effect on tooth structure. On the other hand the energy produced by the YSGG (Biolase) is partially absorbed by water and can be used to remove tooth structure.
According to Dr. Clara Munera the High Tech Marketing Manager for Ivoclar the reason the diode is so gentle is that the energy is directed to the tissue practically on the cell level. There is very little inflammation, edema or cell damage. By comparison electrosurge energy is dispersed into adjacent tissues and results in much more trauma and post operative inflammation.
Lasers have many advantages over conventional modalities. Lasers will seal blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerve fibers. As a result there is less swelling, less scarring, little need for sutures, and post operative pain is decreased by 90%.
For more information go to www.getodysseylaser.com [1] or www.learnlasers.com [2]

[1] http://www.getodysseylaser.com/
[2] http://www.learnlasers.com/

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Mirrored server hard drives are a great idea in the dental office. A mirrored hard drive also called a RAID array (Random Array of Inexpensive Disks) copies all the essential data instantly to a second hard drive. This gives you great protection against hardware failures.
RAID systems can be set up in five different arrays ranging from RAID 0 to RAID 5. In dentistry we do not need fancy (and expensive) SCSI RAID 5 systems. A simple (and inexpensive) IDE mirror works great.
Two vendors make IDE RAID controllers Arco form Florida www.arcoide.com [1] and Accusys from Taiwan. www.accusysusa.com [2]. An IDE system including two hard drives and installation should cost less than $500.
 

[1] http://www.arcoide.com/
[2] http://www.accusysusa.com/

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How many corded digital radiography sensors do you need? To understand the answer to this question ask yourself how many dark rooms or automatic processors did I need? The answer of course is one.
A corded sensor is not just a film substitute it is a processor substitute as well. Think of it as a reusable film that processes an x-ray in four seconds and then can be used again. If you could run your office with one automatic film processor you can run it with one corded sensor.
This is an important idea to understand because the sensor is the most expensive part of the system. A typical sensor will retail for about $8,000. I have found many dentists holding back on going with digital radiography because of cost. They have the mistaken idea that they will need two, three or even more sensors. That makes the cost of going digital $30,000 or more. In fact with one sensor the total cost should be no more than $12,000.
Most of the radiographs we take each day are taken in hygiene. The time to take re-call x-rays with a corded sensor (no developing, mounting etc.) is less than four minutes. Not every re-call patient needs x-rays. If you had three hygienists and all three hygiene patients need re-call x-rays there is plenty of time to move the corded sensor to each room during the 45 to 60 min appointment. One sensor can easily serve three or four hygienists just like one film processor or scanner can serve three or four hygienists.
Dentists take radiographs on endo and emergencies. There will be many days when the dentists never takes an x-ray. When the dentist needs the sensor just go and get it. It may be in use but the wait will only be a few minutes. It is less likely to be in use than the old auto processor and the wait will be shorter.
The idea that you need multiple sensors is just not true. However as a last resort, if you try using one sensor and it just doesn’t work, they will sell you another one!

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