When my office was closed for 12 weeks, we were looking into every solution we could think of to minimize contact surfaces. We decided to implement VoiceWorks from Florida Probe, and it has become so much more than just another thing we’re doing to minimize contact with a keyboard or a mouse.
VoiceWorks is voice-activated software that allows the dental hygienist or dentist to verbally populate the periodontal chart. Historically, my hygienist would either record a tooth or two of measurements and then enter probing depths and other periodontal findings manually or invite another person into the operatory to enter her findings. VoiceWorks eliminates all of that. Now, my hygienist can speak into her headset and record probing depths, dental and periodontal findings and conditions, and they automatically populate the periodontal chart. The software has the option to repeat everything that’s been entered to ensure accuracy and can alert the clinician (and ultimately the patient) if there are areas of concern.
The impact of this technology on our patients has been tremendous; patients appreciate the infection control effort and they now get to listen to their probing depths being called out. This has sparked an interest in the meaning of all the numbers they are hearing and a significant improvement in case acceptance for periodontal procedures.
What initially was an infection control initiative has turned into a solution to help educate our patients about their periodontal condition. Our patients have been more engaged during dental hygiene visits and are healthier as a result. This is one solution that we will be keeping around indefinitely!
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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles at this link and subscribe here.
Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].
