From THE DENTAL ADVISOR: Equipment for case presentation and patient education

Effective and consistent patient communication is essential to the success of any dental procedure. No one likes surprises or sticker shock, especially in the dental office. By communicating well and providing information regarding risks, benefits, alternatives, and informed consent, doctors and dental teams can prevent the dreaded unhappy patient phone call.The number of companies offering options for technology integration is vast, and the products available range from simple to complex. They include patient specific, such as treatment planning software or paperless charting systems, to comprehensive systems, which can provide the latest in total office technology integration.Chairside interactive patient education softwareGood communication is the foundation that fosters the relationships we as dentists maintain with our patients, as they entrust us with the dental health and well-being of their families.Patient education systems have become increasingly easy to integrate into a doctor’s routine. These systems enhance doctor-patient communication by explaining dental procedures using simple terminology, movies, and animated pictures. The average dental patient has the access and motivation to independently research proposed dental procedures in a clear, precise, simplistic manner. Most of these patients are armed with this information when they present in your dental office, and will not be impressed with any obscure drawing or over-complicated dental explanation.When used effectively, these patient communication systems will not only inform your patients, but actually educate them to select the best dental treatment. You may even have patients asking about elective procedures they viewed on your reception room TV. Most dentists do not take the time, or simply feel awkward initiating conversations with their patients about elective procedures, such as teeth whitening or porcelain veneers. Alternatively, patients may become aware of, for example, their bruxism habit and ask you about it before you even look in their mouth.Another benefit of these systems is they routinely provide a consistent message, complete with appropriate risks and benefits of the treatment. There is no talking in circles or chances for mis-speaking. When completely integrated into your dental software, most of these systems will automatically record a note in the patient’s chart indicating that they viewed a presentation. Electronic signature pads can be installed in the treatment and consultation rooms for patients to sign that they viewed the appropriate material.Q: What if I do not have computers in each of my operatories?A: Some systems can run off one centrally located computer. In this case you only need a monitor to view the presentations, be it in your reception room, consultation room, operatory, or all of the above. Check with your dental technology consultant prior to purchase so you are aware of any hardware upgrades your office may need to accommodate this new technology.Clinical Tip #1Do not belittle the importance of quality customer support. Most companies offer a 24-hour support line (via phone or virtually), and have technical staff standing by to answer your questions. As you get comfortable with a particular system, questions are sure to arise, and this support can very helpful.Clinical Tip #2It’s important to fully educate your entire dental team about the role this new technology will play in the early detection of oral cancer. With proper communication and education, your team will feel confident using this new technology and will be ready to answer any questions your patients may have.Factors to consider when evaluating which oral cancer screening system is the best fit for your treatment style:

• Ease of integration with your current computer hardware and software
• Training and customer support
• Initial cost and cost of future upgrades
• Ease of use
• Internet compatibility

With online information, patient forums, parent chat rooms, and increased advertising, the dental IQs of our patients is at an all-time high. Along with this comes an increased expectation for comprehensive treatment. Whether you know it or not, dentists and hygienists do a visual inspection for oral cancer each time they look in a patient’s mouth. In addition, whether your patients know it or not, they are depending on you for early detection of oral cancer. Once oral cancer is “easy” to see upon visual examination, it may be too late. Early detection is the key to early treatment, and consequently an early cure.Let’s not kid ourselves. The hope with oral cancer and soft tissue examination is that everything is normal, right? Simply being able to confidently reassure your patients of this very fact at each examination makes this technology worthwhile. Stand alone in the opportunity to save lives as a result of early detection. Identifying abnormal oral tissues will not always lead to a diagnosis of oral cancer, but in the process perhaps other oral manifestations, such as HIV, HPV, and candida, may be identified. Several products are available to assist dentists and hygienists in early detection of oral cancer. If you have not routinely been doing head and neck soft-tissue examinations, then you should start. Introducing a new technology is the perfect opportunity to energize your staff and educate your patients.When you or your hygienist introduce a new oral cancer screening technology, it immediately differentiates your office as one that cares about your patients' overall health and well-being. Currently, the most commonly used devices are VELscope Vantage (LED Dental) and ViziLite Plus (Zila Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) with TBlue. These systems, in addition to Identafi 3000 (Trimira), are designed to help clinicians see suspicious lesions not readily visible with the naked eye. The VELscope Vantage emits a blue light into the mouth. Normal oral tissues will emit a green fluorescence pattern, while abnormal oral tissues will appear irregularly dark. The ViziLite Plus uses a chemiluminescent light source in conjunction with a blue phenothiazine dye (TBlue), which marks irregular oral lesions. This blue dye is said to reduce false positives and enable lesions to be seen in normal lighting.Q: How do I bill for an oral cancer screening?A: According to CDT 2009-10, both codes D0120 (periodic examination) and D0150 (comprehensive examination) include in their description, “This includes an oral cancer evaluation …” Therefore, some dentists do not charge an additional fee for this service. Others, however, choose to charge an additional fee since they are providing a type of evaluation that is different.To read more, including information on operatory monitor mounting systems, more clinical tips, and additional patient education tools, visit www.dentaladvisor.com.