The dental clinical workstation and the computer-based patient record.

Computer-based clinical workstations and software systems for patients records offer emerging technologies important to the practice of dentistry. Many considerations enter into the design of the workstation: a screen graphics software design that will permit fast, accurate and comprehensive data input while being easy to learn and use; space-saving computer hardware, including the monitor, and an integrated physical design for the complete clinical workstation that takes into account infection control and ergonomics. Other computer-based technologies, such as intra-oral imaging systems and digitized radiographs, along with accounting, billing, insurance claims and scheduling software systems should be integrated with the workstation software for clinical data acquisition. This will require adoption of uniform standards for the data dictionaries and for communication with outside databases, hospitals, laboratories and service bureaus, which suggests that the clinical workstation may become the integrating centerpiece for a variety of clinical computer-based technologies that are emerging in the health professions.