The use of digital technologies in dental practices in Switzerland: a cross-sectional survey

The use of digital technologies in dental practices in Switzerland: a cross-sectional survey Swiss Dent J. 2019 Jun 06;129(9) Authors: Mühlemann S, Sandrini G, Ioannidis A, Jung RE, Hämmerle CHF Abstract The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to identify the extent of digital technology infiltrating dental practices for the management and the treatment of patients. A survey (68 questions) was mailed to all members of the Swiss Dental Association (SSO). An online as well as postal answer was offered in order to maximise the response rate. The survey was mailed in June 2016 and answers were collected till the end of 2016. The total number of completed surveys was 1,238, which resulted in a response rate of 40%. Most dentists (97%) owned a private computer device and 74% used it for both, private and professional life. 69% of the dental offices had a homepage (69%), whereas a limited number (10%) used social media. The location of the practice influenced the extent of online presence. For patient administration a software application was used in 95% of the practices. The management of appointments was mainly organized by a digital agenda (73%). Patient’s dental history was recorded digitally in half of the practices (53%), whereas in one third (38%) also dental/ endodontic/periodontal charts were recorded digitally. One quarter of the dentists (24%) used an additional dental software for patient treatment/ planning other than th...
Source: Schweizer Monatsschrift fur Zahnmedizin - Category: Dentistry Tags: Swiss Dent J Source Type: research