4) The digital surgical microscope serves as a great tool to communicate with patients.

The third area of communication would be for treatment planning and documentation. With the DSS you have the ability to show patients their oral structures magnified to illustrate a fractured tooth or restoration, a periodontal problem, or an oral lesion. These can be illustrated to the patient in real-time or recorded and shown at a subsequent visit. In the same way, these images can be used to show the patient his/her condition prior to and after the completion of your procedure. Lastly, the images can be stored and filed with the patient’s name and date of the procedure for future reference and documentation. Depending on the computer software in your office, you may be able to store these images in your patient’s electronic chart.

Additionally, you can use the digitally captured images for a consultation. In today’s world of cyberspace, I have had dentists send me e-mailed questions and photos literally from around the world. What a great tool we now have to quickly capture magnified images and instantly send them to dentists throughout the world!

4. Patient/Student Ed
CamSight allows me to illustrate various procedures either as individual digital photos or videos. Just by depressing a foot pedal I can take and record these images for diagnostic and educational purposes. Many of my special needs patients, of all ages, love watching their dentistry performed on the computer monitor (non-threatening procedures are shown to the patients).

I use CamSight for my autistic patients as part of their conditioning program to allow them to watch the dental procedures in real-time.

Additionally, it is helpful with educating dental students. Digital Optical Microscopy allows the dental educator to use the digital images and videos as an educational tool. I have used video clips in lectures for many years to enhance the presentations. These videos also can also be sent live via broadcast teleconferences anywhere in the world or archived for future use. These videos can be transferred to DVD, edited, and utilized for patients’ and/or dentists’ education. The author also uses the CamSight for his over-the-shoulder presentations at his office. So whether you’re talking about better health for the practitioner, better care for the patient, or any number of ways to improve communication and education, the DSS can greatly assist GPs in their day-to-day dentistry.