Dental Digital Radiographic Imaging

[Mel Mupparapu]

At 11:31 AM 6/4/98 -0500, you wrote:
>The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is discussing the use of Dental
>Digital Radiographic imaging in its clinics. I should like to take an
>informal survey of which schools are using Dental Digital Imaging
>(Radiographic), which units, how many, and how this has been integrated
>with your existing patient management system.
>
>1. Does your school have any Dental Digital Radiographic systems?
>
>
>        Yes [x ]      No [ ]     Planning to [ ]
>
>
>If no, do not answer the remaining questions. Thank you.   If yes, or
>planning to, please continue.
>
>
>
>2. How many Dental Digital Radiographic systems?
>
>
>       One [ ]      2-5 [ x]     6-10 [ ]    More than 10 [ ]
>
>
>3. Are these Dental Digital Radiographic systems there on a trial basis (as
>opposed to having been integrated into "common use")?
>
>
>        Yes [x ]      No [ ]
>
>
>4. Are the Dental Digital Radiographic systems integrated into a
>computer-based patient record management system?
>
>
>        Yes [ ]      No [ x]
>
>   If so, what is what system.
>
>
>5. Are the Dental Digital Radiographic systems a replacement for film-based
>systems?
>
>
>        Yes [ ]      No [x ]
>
>   If yes, is all film-based radiography replaced?
>
>
>        Yes [ ]      No [ ]
>
>   Please elaborate if necessary.
>
>   If no, how do you manage with a hybrid of film and digitally-based
systems?
>       At the present time, all the emergency, and routine Radiology clinics are
equipped with
conventional units and automatic processors. The digital radiography
systems are in place for
special needs and cases by request. But the School is planning to go
completely digital by 2000
although I personally am not sure if it will work out completely
eliminating conventional radiography.
Right now, digital radiology is being used by grad students and by me for
research work.>
>6. Which Dental Digital Radiographic systems do you have?
>
>        Name                    Number of Units
>
>                  a. Schick CDR system  - one
>                b.Digident storage phosphor system  - one
>                c>Tomax ultrascan with CCD Camera( Extraoral imaging - TMJ
and implants )
                    d.
>                e.
>                f.
>                g.
>                h.
>                i.
>                j.
>
>
>
>7. Which Dental Digital Radiographic systems do you like best, and why?
>
>At the moment, my experience is limited to Schick and Digident. I like
them both in their own ways.
Personally  I prefer  CCD based system as it is more user friendly.
>
>
>8. Which Dental Digital Radiographic systems do you like least, and why?
>
>
>
>
>9. Are the units stand alone, or linked via a network?
>
>
>        Stand alone [X ]      Linked [ ]
>
>
>    If linked, how (what system)?
>
>
>10.  What has been the general opinion of non-radiologists about the unit(s)?
>
>
>        Strongly like   [ ]
>        Like                    [x ]
>        No opinion              [ ]
>        Dislike         [ ]
>        Strongly dislike        [ ]
>
>
>11.  Any comments regarding the use of Dental Digital Radiographic imaging
>in the dental school.
>I think, it should be integral part of teaching and training in Dental
Schools.
Whether each School develops programs to integrate them into routine
clinical practice
depends on various factors like acceptance by the insurance carriers,
duplicating(printing)
images on a quality printer for referral pruposes etc. A system where in
conventional radiology
is not totally eliminated but the digital radiology is integrated would be
the appropriate setting.
>But the students should have the right to learn as much as they can and
benefit before they
graduate
>
>
>12.  What do YOU think is the future of Dental Digital Radiographic imaging
>in the dental profession?
>
>Very promising, particularly the fact that remote consulting has become
order of the day in
Radiology circles. I have often used teleradiology for external consults
with medical colleagues
and it worked great. But the only drawback being not able to go with as
much speed as we wish we could.
>
>
>Thank you.
>
>  *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
>  "                                                                    "
>  * Axel Ruprecht D.D.S., M.Sc.D., F.R.C.D.(C)  *
>  " Professor and Director                                "
>  * Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology                 *
>  " College of Dentistry                                    "
>  * Professor of Radiology                               *
>  " College of Medicine                                     "
>  * (O) 319-335-7341                                    *
>  " (FAX) 319-335-7351                                 "
>  * e-mail:axel-ruprecht at uiowa.edu                *
>   " mail: University of Iowa - DSB                   "
>  * Iowa City  IA 52242-1001                         *
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>  *                                                                  *
>  "The only man who ever got all his work        "
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>



********************************************************
Muralidhar Mupparapu, DMD, MDS
Assistant Professor of Radiology
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
The Thomas W.Evans Museum and Dental Institute
4001 Spruce Street
Philadelphia
PA 19104-6003
USA
Tel: (215) 898-8972/8971, (215) 573-8234
Fax: (215) 898-5243
Homepage: pobox.upenn.edu/~murali96/
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