Electronic Dental Record (EDR) Systems: Open Source & COTS Solutions

Approximately 90 percent of all dentists in the U.S. now use computers in their practice. Dental informatics, a subfield of health informatics, is focused on the application of computers, telecommunications, and information science to improve all aspects of dental practice, including management, clinical care, education, and research. Use of electronic dental record (EDR) systems can boost a practice's bottom line, while directly benefiting patients. They can help reduce operating costs, streamline workflow, improve quality of care, and enhance patient safety. This article is designed to offer a high level overview on the development of computerized dental systems to date, highlighting examples of selected 'open source' and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions. The article also offers a set of conclusions on the current state of dental information systems and a number of management recommendations.  

To read the full article by Peter Groen and Valerie Powell, PhD, go to Virtual Medical Worlds at

http://www.hoise.com/vmw/10/articles/vmw/LV-VM-08-10-5.html