The Digital Dentist

Crazy for You

2009-07-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Technology is supposed to make your life easier...and, in most cases, it does. But sometimes, it can drive me crazy. Here's a great article from the editor of PC Magazine about 12 Technologies He Hates...most I agree with, how about you?

Back to Basics

2009-07-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

While many of us spend a lot of time with complex software designed to make our computing experience better, in many cases, we've forgotten some of the basics that will save a lot of time. Here are Three Beginner Computer Tips That Are Often Neglected.

Jake is Cool

2009-07-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, my son Jake is very, very cool...but, this post isn't about him! It's about a free file sharing service named Jake. It works for PCs and mac and basically allows multiple people to share the same folder (and that can include your home and office computers). It doesn't store files on a server like Dropbox, but hey, what do you expect for free?

Power to the People

2009-07-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a great way to deal with laptop power if you travel a lot. One of the annoynaces I have is that under certain circumstances, I want as much battery life as possible. But, other times, I want as much power as possible. Going into the Control Panel to change this is a pain in the rear. Here's how to Create a Shortcut or Hotkey to Switch Power Plans.

Graphic Upgrade

2009-07-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

For people who have older computers, there's little doubt that replacing your graphics cards will prolong your computer for quote a bit longer than it would last otherwise. This is not a task to take lightly, but if you're up to the challenge, here are 20 Must-Know Tips.

Free as a Bird

2009-07-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there are still ways to get totally free, unlimited, anywhere Internet access. They may not be zippy, but hey, free is free. Here's how to Find Totally Free Unlimited Internet Access Almost Anywhere.

Office 10

2009-07-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

Microsoft today has released a technical preview of Office 10. I'm a big Office fan and there are some really cool improvements here.

Back From the Dead

2009-07-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

I know I'm guilty of this...when my computers start to age, I toss them out...it's rare that a computer in my home or office will last 18 months. But, even computers that are 3-4 years old have plenty of life in them, if not necessarily for the latest dental applications. Here's a great article on how you can resurrect an old clunker for a around $250 (and another $125 to make it really good).

Smilin' Faces

2009-07-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite products, Dental Senders, has now moved into the big leagues. Here's the press release:

CHICAGO (July 8, 2009) – These days, many general dentists and their staff spend time marketing their practice, confirming appointments, looking for patient education materials or finding ways to keep their patients coming back. Add to that the duties of completing charts, managing the office and performing dental procedures, and the result is a staff that may be stretched thin. To help its members increase their office efficiency and to add more value to their membership, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) today launches a new member benefit, AGD Smile Savers, an automated tool that creates e-newsletters, appointment reminders, surveys and more, allowing dentists more effective communication with patients. Members and other attendees of AGD2009baltimore, the AGD’s Annual Meeting, will get a first glimpse of how the system works during exhibit hall demonstrations.

“We realize that, in the present economy, dentists everywhere are looking for ways to save money and increase patient retention,” says AGD President Paula S. Jones, DDS, FAGD. “We are delighted to give our AGD members more tools that will improve the quality of their practice and the services they provide.”

Dentists, in their role as small business owners, will maximize staff time and increase the level of attention given to their patients – for no cost. AGD members who integrate Smile Savers with their current office software will have the capabilities to communicate frequently and automatically. In addition to the cost savings, there are also time savings associated with this tool. The staff who manually confirms the appointments will save about two hours each day.

“This new benefit provides one turnkey solution to service practices of all sizes,” says AGD Secretary Linda Edgar, DDS, MEd, MAGD, who uses the tool in her practice. “It is now very convenient for patients to receive text messages and e-mail appointment reminders, allowing my staff to focus on other tasks around the office. They also send Happy Birthday messages, which our patients love, and the system allows patients to send comments about their appointments for feedback to the office.”

“We are very excited to launch this service to our members, because patient feedback from the dentists who are using it has been extremely positive,” says Carol Wooden, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the AGD. “They love it! We are thrilled to offer AGD members a technology that gets patients excited about coming to our office.”

Gadgets Galore

2009-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, I admit it...I LOVE gadgets (and, most dentists I know feel exactly the same way).
Here are the Top 10 Coolest Gadgets of 2009.

DIY

2009-07-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

In a perfect world, all dental offices would have over their tech support to a reputable company...like mine, for example :-). However, the real world, many people like to do things themselves, and that's fine. For those folks, they really should have the tools to diagnose and prevent PC problems. Here are 6 free Windows programs to fix and prevent PC problems on your own.

Care and Care Alike

2009-07-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

Care Credit continues to make it easier for patients to pay. Here's the latest press release:

COSTA MESA, CALIF., JULY 6, 2009 — In response to practice demand for expanded payment options that give patients longer terms to pay, CareCredit, the nation’s leading patient care financing program, recently added a 24 Month No Interest Payment Plan (if paid within promotion period).

Oral health is important – in any economy. Now more than ever, dental teams are finding it necessary to provide patients with both a treatment plan that helps them achieve their dental goals, as well as help patients fit care comfortably into their financial situation. To help practices help more patients, CareCredit is now offering a 24 Month, No Interest Payment Plan for treatment of $2,500 or more. “This new plan gives patients the best of both worlds,” explained Cindy Hearn, Senior Vice President, CareCredit. “They can take advantage of No Interest financing, which is extremely attractive to patients who, today, may be considering their spending more carefully. In addition, they can now take up to 24 months to pay off their balance.” All CareCredit providers offer at least 3 Months No Interest for every transaction and the new plan is offered to patients at the discretion of the practice.

For over 20 years, CareCredit has been helping patients get the dentistry they need. Today, CareCredit is at work in more than 120,000 practices and is used by over 7 million patients. CareCredit is exclusively selected for their members by most state and national dental associations, including ADA Business ResourcesSM, AGD, AAOMS, and AAP, and is also recommended by leading practice management consultants. For more information on CareCredit, call 1-800-300-3046 ext. 4519 or visit http://www.carecredit.com.

Hole-y Moley

2009-07-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

Microsoft today announced a serious hole in their security in IE that can affect many users. You can go to Microsoft's website to learn how to temporarily fix this.

State of Mind

2009-07-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

If you've been in the market for a laptop recently, then you've most likely heard of the new types of hard drives that have become popular, SSD (solid-state disk). The problem has been one of cost, as they are typically 5-10 X more costly than regular hard drives. Here's a good review of the differences between the drives and which ones might make the most sense right now.

Virtually There

2009-07-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of using virtualization for many things, especially when it comes to testing new operating systems. There's a new one called VirtualBox that looks pretty cool, and is currently in beta. Virtualization means that you're running a program in a virtual space...it's not affecting your main computer or operating system or registry in any way.

Sizing Up the Competition

2009-07-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

One of the features of Windows 7 that I'm looking forward to is the ability to resize and dock multiple windows on the screen at one time. Can't wait for Windows 7? No worries...there are already tools to do this. Check out PowerResizer, a tool that will change how you work with multiple Windows!

Casting a Wide Net

2009-07-03T21:28:00.000-07:00

There are all kinds of applications out there that can analyze your network for speed and security, but most need to be installed and can be difficult to understand. Netalyzr is a free, web-based tool that scans your network and then gives you an easy to understand printout of what's good (green), not so good(orange), or worrisome (red). Very cool app.

Power Users Unite!

2009-07-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and like to monkey around with your computers, then you know that the BIOS, the commands built into the motherboard, are a powerful way to tweak your system. Even those of us who do it a lot are still mystified about many of the commands. If you're feeling adventurous, check out the Ultimate BIOS Guide: Every Setting Decrypted and Explained.

Hold Tight

2009-07-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Just saw some new RINN holders from Dentsply that look pretty slick. Not sure if they work with every sensor on the market but will keep you informed.

Three Times the Charm

2009-06-30T01:16:00.000-07:00

I've been testing the latest beta of Firefox, 3.5, over the past few months and it seems really stable with some nice new features. Want to get the latest version but worried about beta software? Well, your wait is over...looks like the latest version should be available sometime today.

Smiling Faces

2009-06-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

One again, Care Credit continue to support one of the best organizations out there, the Give Kids a Smile program.

Here's the press release:

COSTA MESA, CALIF., JUNE 2009 — Five grant recipients of the GIVE KIDS A SMILE Program Growth Fund were honored at the American Dental Association Foundation Annual Awards Gala held recently in Washington D.C. at the Library of Congress. For the second year in a row, CareCredit’s annual $100,000 donation to the Fund has enabled five key programs to expand services and access to care for children in underserved communities.

The 2009 grant recipients each received $20,000 and were chosen based on their superior vision and leadership in dentistry, demonstrated through the success of their existing outreach programs. By supporting existing programs that have both untapped potential and organizational strength, the goal of providing care for more kids will be more quickly realized.

GIVE KIDS A SMILE grant recipients include:
 Program Champion grantees – the America’s Dentists Care Foundation (Missions of Mercy) and TeamSmileTM.
 Program Growth grantees – the Hispanic Dental Association, the National Dental Association (NDA), and Oral Health America.
The grants will be used by these organizations to fund school and community oral health projects, school-based mobile dental vans and increase access to restorative dental care.

“Access to care is a top priority for CareCredit. We are able to fulfill this objective in a meaningful way as the Founding Donor of the GIVE KIDS A SMILE Fund and by working in partnership with the American Dental Association to expand access to care for underserved children,” said Cindy Hearn, GIVE KIDS A SMILE Advisory Board Member and Senior Vice President of Marketing at CareCredit. “We’ve had the privilege of providing greater access to dental care for over 20 years and helped over seven million patients get treatment by providing comfortable payment options.”

Today, CareCredit is at work in more than 120,000 healthcare practices. CareCredit is exclusively selected for their members by most state and national dental associations, including ADA Business ResourcesSM, AGD, AAOMS, and AAP, and is also recommended by leading practice management consultants. For more information on CareCredit, call 1-800-300-3046 ext. 4519 or visit www.carecredit.com. Information on the GIVE KIDS A SMILE® program can be found at www.givekidsasmile.ada.org.

Cleaning Out the Cobwebs

2009-06-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

If you use a PC, then over time, you'll find that "junk" build up in it. I'm talking about software junk, such as Temporary Internet files, stray Registry settings, log files and leftover files, etc. Here are Six Great Free Cleanup Utilities for Windows.

Back Again

2009-06-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, even your best efforts will not be able to get your computer working properly from a virus infection or other problem (having an active 2-year-old at home, I know all about this!). In those cases, a complete system restore is needed. The System Restore built into Windows is ok, but not great. Here are the Best Free System Restore Tools. I've used Macrium Reflect, but there are some others here I plan to check out.

Deal or No Deal

2009-06-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

Microsoft announced today that they are now accepting preorders for Windows 7 upgrades for around 1/2 off their expected retail price when it ships in October. If you plan to upgrade (and, from my months of testing, I would definitely recommend this), now's a great time to get a good deal.

Cheapskate

2009-06-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

I was pleased to see that some Best Buy employees "accidentally " leaked details of the pricing for Windows 7. Even better news is that it's going to be pretty cheap to upgrade. Most of us will be looking at a range of $50-100 at most, and in many cases, it will be free. Sweet!