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Entries from July 2007

Specialists Have Special Needs for Internet Marketing

July 31st, 2007 · No Comments

Dental specialists have two audiences: patients and referring dentists. Each of these markets needs unique information about the specialist’s practice. Let’s say Dr. X is an endodontist who wants to provide online information for referring doctors and potential patients. Does he need two Websites? Not necessarily. One Website with two entrances can do the job. […]

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Tags: Uncategorized

D-Link DUB-2240 4-Port UWB Wireless USB Hub

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

This is a great product for the dental office. This wireless hub can sit in a convieneient place on the counter. you can plug in your device and have it operate without wires getting in the way.

The new D-Link® Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Wireless USB Hub (DUB-2240) enables you to connect USB devices wirelessly to your PC. It provides the convenience of Plug-and-Play USB connectivity with the benefits of going wireless. When used in combination with the Wireless USB Adapter (DUB-1210) you will be able to wirelessly connect USB printers, scanners, cameras, game controllers, flash drives, external hard drives, and other USB devices to your PC without the need for unsightly cables that can clutter your workspace.
D-Link DUB-2240 4-Port UWB Wireless USB Hub [1].

[1] http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=628

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Tags: Hardware

Looking to create or upgrade your Practice Website?

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

I have been a customer and supporter of TNT for Years. Check out thier updated web sute below for many samples of their work. One thing I like about TNT is that each site is unique to the dentist. They do not have a cookie cuter “web in a Box” approach.

TNT Dental, Your Internet Partner
The Internet holds the future for dental marketing, so align your practice for success by partnering with the leader in dental Website design, TNT Dental. .
Dental Marketing, Dental Website Design, Internet Dental Marketing, Dental Practice Marketing [1].

[1] http://www.tntdental.com/

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Tags: Websites & Internet

Does Your Practice Need an Extreme Makeover?

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

A spectacular smile makes a great first impression. Likewise, your office’s design, décor, and overall appearance make a huge impact on new patients. We often say that dentistry is “an art and a science,” so the appearance of your practice should follow suit. An interior decorating firm that specializes in medical/dental practices can transform your […]

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Tags: Office Design

A Scanner for X-Rays

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

In order to scan an x-ray the scanner must have a transperency adaptor. Many scanners have a small transperancy adaptor designed to scan a single 35mm slide. This is OK for a single x-ray but useless for a panoramic or a full mouth series. The Epsom 4990 listed below has an 8” x 10” adaptor and is priced at about $300. Be warned; some vendors will try and sell you a special x-ray scanner for well over $1,000.

This powerful performer scans multiple slides simultaneously, as well as negatives and photos. And, with its built-in transparency unit, it accommodates film up to 8″ x 10″.
Epson Perfection 4990 PHOTO, Overview – Product Information – Epson America, Inc. [1].

[1] http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=49164280

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Tags: Hardware · Radiography

Windows Vista Review – CNET.com

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

Another not so hot review of Vista. This is from C-Net

The good: Windows Vista Ultimate does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Ultimate does not put Search on the desktop (it’s buried within applications, within the Start Menu); optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); there’s simply too much and not all of it is implemented properly; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.
The bottom line: Windows Vista is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you’re currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
Microsoft Windows Vista: Windows Vista Download, Windows Vista Upgrade and Windows Vista Review – CNET.com [1].

[1] http://www.cnet.com/windows-vista.html

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Tags: Just for Fun

Clon 3D – For Dentists

July 30th, 2007 · No Comments

I just received a flyer on the following new product. I have been a fan of ShadeVision [1] from X-Rite for years. This appears to be similar.

The patented SpectroShade™ system lets you confidently match the shades of natural teeth with a variety of restorative materials including the most popular composites, porcelains, and denture teeth.
Clon 3D – For Dentists [2].

[1] http://www.xrite.com/top_product.aspx?Type=SL&Industry=14&Segment=16
[2] http://www.clon3d.com/spectro-for-dentists/

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Tags: Diagnostics

Radiography Myth

July 28th, 2007 · No Comments

The common perception is that since digital radiography sensors are thicker than film and rigid they must be uncomfortable for the patient. Actual user experience does not support this.
An online Dentaltown survey found that actual users of both film and digital sensors found no difference in patient comfort.
What about the cord? Here is the secret, The cord has to come out of the patient’s mouth, it can’t go down their throat! If you can master a saliva ejector you can master a corded sensor. The cord is a non-issue.
Vendors who tell you otherwise, that is the digital sensors are uncomfortable and the cord is a problem are lying misinformed.

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Tags: Radiography

Small Business Videos – SurePayroll Videos

July 28th, 2007 · No Comments

An article in the ADA news directed me to the SurePayroll site below. The company is providing a series of free business videos availabe online.

Through these videos, SurePayroll offers you a wealth of information on small business administration, including common human resource topics like new hire reporting and non-discrimination policies.
Small Business Videos – SurePayroll Videos [1].

[1] http://www.surepayroll.com/video/

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Tags: Administrative · Websites & Internet

Data Transfer

July 27th, 2007 · No Comments

Data transfer: There are two basic issues with data transfer, how much data do you need and how will you input it to the new system? You can transfer most critical data from one system to another electronically.  However it is unlikely you will be able to transfer all the information such as old notes, schedules or recall information. But that’s OK.
The minimum you should transfer is patient census information. That is, names, family relationships, addresses, phone numbers, social security, insurance etc. If you can get that the next items to transfer electronically are patient balances, aged if possible. If you can get those items you will be doing well. Other data that you may want to transfer is insurance plans, information, addresses and plan features. Electronic data transfer is fast and will save a lot of time and money in data entry. However there are some potential problems as well.
If you do an electronic data transfer watch out for dirty data. After a while virtually every office develops dirty data, that is information that is out of date, redundant or lust plain wrong. For example, a patient who has moved to Australia, wrong spellings or insurance companies entered multiple times. You can handle dirty data in several ways. One is just to ignore it and transfer it anyway. Better yet run print outs of all the data you wish to transfer then go over it all and note incorrect or redundant information. Then go back in and delete all the dirty data from the old system before making the transfer. This will give you cleaner data but it takes a lot of time, hands on keyboards and therefore money. The third option is not to do an electronic transfer but start with a whole new set of data.
The next idea is really simple but people often miss it. There is no need to trash the old system once the new one is in place. Keep it up and running. That does not mean you do dual entry and try and use both systems simultaneously, that’s a sure recipe for disaster. Set a day to “go live” with the new system and just do it. Keep the old system available for looking up old information, like last year’s treatment or what the insurance paid six months ago. That’s why you don’t need to transfer every piece of old data, you can always access it from the old system. You will find the need to look up information in the old system will quickly pass and you will rarely access it after a few months. None the less it is there as an archive.

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Tags: Just for Fun