Dentrix Design

The new website that Dentrix has online is pretty neat. They have interactive flash demos of all of their different subsystems and components. Probably one of the coolest web sites, dental or not, that I've ever seen.

Use It or Lose It

As we approach the last part of the year, we remind offices of the annual 179 deduction. For those not familiar with it, the IRS allows equipment purchases (and this includes computers and digital systems) to be deducted instead of depreciated over the life of the equipment. Before 9/11, this amount hovered around $20,000-24,000. However, in 2003, it was raised to $100,000 and it will be $105,000 for 2005. This is a huge bonus for offices who are planning technology upgrades, as you can write off the entire purchase.

The downside? According to the IRS, the equipment must be "in service" by 12/31. This is a grey term, but basically, it needs to be installed to qualify. Of course, the IRS has no way of checking this. So, if the equipment is delivered before 12/31, most offices will still deduct the expense.

If you are planning a technology upgrade, now is the time to get started. Computer and technology companies get very busy around Thanksgiving and equipment that was on 3-4 day lead time suddenly can take 2-3 weeks or longer, potentially missing the 12/31 cutoff. The Schedule 179 is planned to be in effect for 2006 and 2007 as well.

*note* I am not an accountant nor an attorney. This advice is based on what I've been told by the dozens of tax professionals we have dealt with over the years, but you should discuss any large purchases with your tax advisors first.

Optimal Optime

We just installed another Optime system today. If you're a do-it-yourselfer and plan to install it yourself, my best advice is....don't. Very challenging installation. We always install Apteryx (Optime comes with a rebranded version of Apteryx called Cliniview) on the server first, and then the workstations. As we found out, that doesn't work. You must install Apteryx first to the computer that will be using the Optime, as failing to do this will prevent the necessary drivers from being installed. You then have to move the database back to the server and then point all the workstations to it. A pain in the rear...but once you've done it correctly the first time, it's easy.

The Spy Who Loved Me

For the majority of our installations, we've been installing antivirus and supplementing that with the free Microsoft AntiSpyware beta software. I had tested this software and found it to be very comprehensive and easy to use. Well, we are constantly looking for new and better programs and we've found one in Ewido. On the first run on my supposedly protected system, it found a whopping 134 threats! Granted, 99% of those were cookies, but it still found programs that Microsoft had missed. The program has a free version but even the plus version is under $30 and gives you real-time protection. When you download it, you get the plus version for 14 days which then reverts to the free version if you don't register it. Give it a try.

Get a Grip!

I'm happy to see that a sensor holder that was shown to me as a prototype has finally hit the market. Dentsply is selling the Eezee-Grip sensor holder. It's an all-in-one solution for any sensor on the market and is very comfortable. Another newcomer to the party is the AnyRay holder that Mediadent is selling.

The Incredible Shrinking Computer

For people who travel a lot (including yours truly), we are constantly looking for ways to lighten our load. The heaviest item in my carry-on is my Sony Vaio, which is hardly bulky at 3.1 lbs (I have an older TR3AP3 model with a 10.4" screen). If you really want to travel lightly, or just love a good gadget, here are some other choices, in descending order of weight:

1. Toshiba Libretto U100 (2.1 lbs.) Probably the most laptop-like of the three devices I'm listing. 7" screen, keyboard is a bit cramped, but very nice. The $2000 price is a bit steep.

2. Sony Vaio U71 (1.2 lbs.). This is a Japanese import that you can get from dynamism.com. 5" screen, no keyboard (use an external keyboard). Costs $2400.

3. OQO Model 01 (0.8 lbs.). The truest "pocket" computer of them all, it has a 5" screen and tiny keyboard. Looks and feels like a PDA, except it runs a full version of Windows. $1900.

Plug and Play

With too many gadgets to count (cell phone, PDA, laptop, etc), I find it challenging to deal with the AC adapters for all of them. Most are large and bulky and take up at least two spots on my powerstrip, so I run out of outlets quickly. Enter the Powersquid, a neat little device that gives you five free outlets with plenty of space. Very slick and about $15 online.

Back in Town

Hey All,

Just got back from vacation today, so I'll be back to my regular posting regimen by tomorrow. Thanks for your patience and all the nice wishes I received. I had a great time up North...if any of you are looking for a great spot for a vacation, you could do a lot worse than the Muskoka region, about 2 hours north of Toronto. Beautiful lakes, great weather, very relaxing...not to mention that the US dollar is worth 20% more than our Loonie. Highly recommended.

Dell Double Duty

Well, I'm pleased to say that Dell finally got their heads out of their you-know-where and on August 23, they officially have added multiple dual-display options for the new GX 620 line. That's the good news. The bad news is that they are using an ATI 256 MB card for this, which means a $140 price difference between the single display and the dual. With the GX 280, the price difference was closer to $50. For clients who were quoted a price for the 280, don't be surprised to see a new quote that is $80-$100 more.

Error Exchange

If you're like me, you are constantly installing and uninstalling programs, which can create a fair share of program crashes. Are you familiar with that pop-up window after a program crashes that suggests that you send the error report to Microsoft? Are you of the belief that nobody at Microsoft actually reads those? (And I certainly count myself in that group)? If you'd like to make those annoying error windows go away, do the following:

Open System in the Control Panel (or right-click on the My Computer icon and select Properties. Choose the Advanced tab, and click Error Reporting. You can disable error reporting entirely here, or enable it selectively for certain programs. Click Ok when you're done.

Automatic Updates

By now, most of you have heard of the Internet worm that struck many businesses last week, including CNN. Most likely a variant of the Zotob worm, this work affected computers in a manner similar to the Sasser worm from last year. So, how do you protect yourself against worms?

Unlike viruses, which typically require you to open an email attachment or visit certain web sites, worms often travel by finding holes in the Windows operating system. The sad part in all of this is that in most cases, Microsoft discovers the hole and releases a patch before the worm strikes. The problem is that many computers are not set to update Windows properly. We used to not recommend automatic updates since the updates were often buggy, but with the rapid time frame between discovery of the "hole" and the release of worms, we now recommend that you update all the time.

If you see a little icon in the lower right system tray that looks like a globe, you do not have the update set properly; this icon means that the update was downloaded but requires you to click that icon to install it. To get true automatic updating, right click the My Computer icon, then left click Properties, then click the Automatic Updates tab, then choose the top selection, where updates are downloaded and installed at a certain time every day. Make sure you choose a time when you know the computer will be turned on.

Valiant Vaio

I had ordered a Dell laptop for my niece to be delivered when I am up here in Toronto this week. Unfortunately, Dell mucked up the order and I ended up going to the local mall to find a suitable replacement. Well, I was simply blown away by the Sony Vaio 540. We've typically recommended Dell laptops since we can get the Gold support from Dell. However, this Vaio is really sweet: 15.4" beautiful wide screen, 512 MB RAM, DVDRW, very light weight. I've used Vaios for my own personal laptops for years (I use the older TR3AP3 when I travel), but if this laptop is any indication, we'll be including the Sony line for future proposals.

The Digital Dentist Takes a Break

I'll be taking a vacation to Canada from Thursday August 18th until Friday the 26th. I will try to post as much as I can, but four of the days will be spent at my father's cottage about 2 hours north of Toronto, so Internet access will be limited at best. Thanks to everyone who follows my blog and I'll be back to a daily schedule at the end of next week.

Dell Dilemma Continued

Well, it looks like I was correct: Dell has finally admitted to me that indeed, the dual display option they are offering for the GX 620 doesn't work. That's the bad news. The good news is that there is a dual display card for the GX 620 and it will be released on August 22. It will take about 7-10 days for them to ramp up production, so if you're planning to order dual display small form factor systems, I would suggest waiting until after Labor Day to place the order.

Remote Access

I just wrote my November column for Dental Economics on Remote Access, so I though it would be good to review the basic options here.

A patient calls you at home on Sunday, they are in pain. You don't recognize their name so you're not sure if they are a patient of record, and if they are, what's the medical history? How do you access information that is a 30-minute drive away?

1. PDA. Many PMS programs integrate with a Palm or Pocket PC. Info that transfers over, though, is minimal and often limited to a few days of the schedule and that day's callbacks.

2. pcAnywhere. Clunky, expensive, but it works and allows you to transfer files.

3. Remote Desktop. Built into XP Professional, and the client comes with XP Home or you can download it for any version of Windows. Free, but it blanks out the "host" screen.

4. VNC. We love this program. Free versions are ok, paid versions are more secure.

Options 2-4 above require an open port on the router and a fixed IP address (or use of a DNS service to associate a name to the changing IP address). If this is too technical for you, then GoToMyPC skirts around all the setup issues, although it will set you back $20/month.

First Podcast

I'm pleased to say that I was recently interviewed by Dr. David Dodell and my interview with him is now up on the Dentalcast site. I posted about podcasting in an earlier post, but for those unfamiliar, it's basically like an MP3 that you download, except it's also like a radio show. If you have iTunes, you can also subscribe to the podcast there, or just download it from the Podcast website, which uses Windows Media Player. Hope you like it!

Printer Price Drop

For homes and small offices, the sales of inkjets have surpassed lasers for a few years due to the lower cost of inkjet printers (but certainly not the ink!). If you don't need color, lasers are a great option as they are faster and can print text better. Well, thanks to a number of companies, folks are starting to run out of excuses to not get a laser printer. Dell has just introduced their new model 1100, which is the first laser that I've ever seen that is priced below $100. The Samsung 1740 can be found on Buy.com for an incredible $49.99 after rebate (rebate good until 8/31). I use that printer in my own office and while not a speed demon, it's perfect for a small office.

Dell Dilemma

I've been a huge fan of Dell computers for a long time. Recently, Dell announced they would be dropping the Optiplex GX 280 in favor of the Optiplex GX 620 line. The problem has been the dual display feature. We purchased two systems for our office, as we often do, to test before selling them to clients. Dell offers dual display through use of an add-in DVI card and an adapter cable. Except, the adapter cable doesn't fit into the end of the card; we were sent two with the same result. No problem, you say, just plug one monitor into the onboard adapter and the other into the DVI connector? Nope...once the DVI card is plugged in, the onboard becomes disabled. This has caused a lot of stress for us as the Optiplex line accounts for 99% of the non-server Dells we use. I've been assured that there is a splitter cable that was made for this card that is being shipped to me, but we'll see if this works. For now, if you need dual display, order the GX 280, which will still be available for a few weeks.

Dentrix Gets it Right?

One of the biggest concerns I've had with Dentrix has been the relatively poor image quality with Image 4.0 and Scan-X. Well, in a recent thread on Dentaltown, reports are starting to filter in that a new update to Image has dramatically improved these images. We'll be testing the update with an office in a few weeks and will report back then.

Note to Dentrix: Send this update out to all of the registered Image users. Most companies do a great disservice to their customers by waiting for them to request updates; don't fall into that trap.

Cutting the Cords

As more and more homes are setting up wireless networks, we are finding many offices are electing to add a wireless laptop or Tablet PC to the mix. The unfortunate reality of wireless routers and access points is that in most cases, the security is turned off by default. To secure your network, there are a number of steps you can follow:

1. Change the default identifier, user name, and password. Anyone in IT knows that Linksys uses Linksys, Administrator, and admin as the default log in, so these should be changed.

2. Enable encryption. Most routers come with WPA encryption, a relatively powerful way to ensure that only computers that know the password can connect.

3. Enable MAC address filtering. The MAC address is a unique identifier given to every networking component in the world. By enabling this, you can allow only the computers in your network to connect.

4. Turn off broadcasting. The broadcast is what will tell a wireless client, like a laptop, that a wireless network is close by. We don't typically recommend this step as Windows often has troubles connecting computers in this scenario, even computers that were previously connected.

Caesy 5.5

Patterson announced the release of Caesy 5.5 today. I'm enclosing the press release and a sample screen shot. Looks pretty slick.


Caesy 5.5 

CAESY Enterprise 5.5 Released

Vancouver, Wash. – (Aug. 10, 2005) – Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. announces the release of CAESY Enterprise 5.5, the newest update of its server-based software program that is dentistry’s number one choice for patient education.
The release features new and updated multimedia presentations and an elegant new look and feel for ShowCase, the case presentation software included with CAESY Enterprise.
ShowCase enables dentists and their staff to create case presentations, present them chairside or send them home with the patient to reinforce case acceptance. Enhancements to ShowCase include: the addition of viewer themes, which provide sleek new designs that allow the appearance of the viewer to change; and, the Patient Message feature, which lets the dentist write a short note to the patient and have it displayed on the screen.
In addition, the new release features updated videos in the New Technologies, Hygiene, Orthodontics, Restorations, and TMD sections of CAESY.
CAESY Education Systems has been dentistry's premier developer of leading-edge patient education technology and content since 1993. The award-winning multimedia information on preventive, restorative and esthetic treatment options helps dental practices nationwide educate their patients and grow their practices. The CAESY content is distributed via video and computer networks or DVD players throughout the clinical and reception areas of the dental practice. The family of products includes CAESY DVD, Smile Channel DVD, CAESY Printables, CAESY Pediatrics, CAESY Online, and CAESY Enterprise, which includes CAESY, Smile Channel, ShowCase, and Image Master. For more information, visit www.caesy.com or call 1-800-444-6035.

Doing Good

As many of you know, I've been involved with a great group the past 9 years called Climb for a Cause, which climbs mountains to raise money for charity. It's a fun time and this year's trip to the Grand Canyon should be a blast. If you like to hike and want to promote your practice by the good deeds you do, this is a win-win opportunity.

Here's the press release:

DENTISTS CLIMB FOR A CAUSE (DCFAC)SM
For the Eighth consecutive year
Dentists to Keep on
“Hiking Miles for Smiles”

On October 29th, 2005, dentists and lay people from across the nation will assemble at The Grand Canyon to attempt a one-day Descent and Ascent. Located in Northern Arizona, and only eighty miles north of Flagstaff, a one-day “up and down” of The Grand Canyon is a challenging and formidable feat.

All funds raised from this effort will be used to establish the Dentist's Climb for a CauseSM Dental Educational Exchange Project and Clinic in Sichuan Province of The Peoples’ Republic of China.

The Red Cross Society of China is helping to provide preventive and restorative care and education to citizens and dental professionals in China. To meet this challenge, DCFAC must raise in excess of $50,000.

DCFAC is looking for people to share in our success!

Members of this year’s Team receive:

• A customized training schedule
• Public relations and fund raising support, compliments of The American Dental Company
• A complimentary Technology Needs Assessment, a $500 value, courtesy of Dental Technology Consultants
• A sense of gratification that only comes from selflessly supporting a higher purpose
and
• A guaranteed once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

This is a singular opportunity for dentist and staff to get into the best shape of their lives, while helping deliver critically needed care and education to underserved citizens of China.

To request an application to participate in this year’s Event, please call the American Dental Company at (800) 723-6523 or visit the Climb For A Cause web site at http://www. http://www.climbforacause.org/GrandCanyon05/CFAC2005.html.

The Eagle Has Landed

Patterson formally announced the release of Eaglesoft 12 today. Here's the press release:

EFFINGHAM, Ill. – (Aug. 8, 2005) – Patterson EagleSoft Version 12.00 is now available from Patterson Dental Supply, Inc., extending the functionality and capabilities of the leading dental practice management and clinical software.
Patterson EagleSoft users will find a variety of new and advanced features, including the informed consent module, designed to track patient acknowledgement and acceptance of treatment recommendations. Version 12.00 also features the EagleSoft Today desktop day planner, which allows users to view and create appointments, tasks and post-op calls in one centralized location. The latest version also allows for advanced patient tracking – users can manage treatment recommendations, record CAESY presentation viewings and generate recall cards for recurring treatments such as periodontal treatment, tooth whitening and more.
In addition, Patterson EagleSoft now features 20 digital integrations, including a new direct integration with Soredex® OpTime. Also, Version 12.00 allows for family group services to be printed on one statement, and patient appointment cards can be printed directly from Patterson EagleSoft.
“The continued feedback from Patterson EagleSoft users offered us a great amount of insight as to what advances and modifications would be most beneficial,” Patterson EagleSoft Marketing Specialist Anne Mansfield said. “The variety of customizable options are designed to allow individual practices to integrate software for their office-specific needs. This simply makes managing the dental office’s day-to-day activities faster and easier.”
According to Mansfield, Patterson EagleSoft Version 12.00 continues to advance the efficiency of a paperless dental practice. “Version 12.00 addresses the challenges of the changing dental office and continues Patterson EagleSoft’s commitment to being the leader in integrated technologies.”

- more -

Patterson EagleSoft 12.00 Enhanced Features
• Informed Consent Module – This document manager allows you to create patient informed consent records to track patient acknowledgement and acceptance of treatment recommendations. Users also can include narratives, images, and CAESY presentations for detailed patient records.
• EagleSoft Today – The concise day planner layout merges the Appointments, Tasks and
Post-Op Calls functions in one central location. This view has the same color coding and alerts to which Patterson EagleSoft users are accustomed while providing an easier solution to appointment management.
• Multiple Recalls – To manage recall patients, Patterson EagleSoft now allows users to create recall categories for a variety of patient needs, such as tooth whitening or periodontal treatment. The Multiple Recalls tool can generate a phone list or recall cards to assist in updating patients about recall services and products.
• Appointment Cards – Printable patient appointment cards are accessible directly from the patient’s record or from OnSchedule. Users may choose from three different card designs that can be printed singly or on whole sheets.
• Month at a Glance – This monthly scheduling guide allows you to quickly view a summary of appointments, scheduled production, your production vs. goal and goal percentage. Patterson EagleSoft users also can select a date range to view totals for a specified time period.

For more information about Patterson EagleSoft Version 12.00, contact a local Patterson Technology Representative or visit the Web site at www.eaglesoft.net.

Dentrix Done Good

Well, my sources are occasionally wrong, but these ones look to be true: It would appear that Dentrix has two major changes for the next versions of their software. First, it looks like version 12 will indeed be SQL based. Finally! Other than the challenge in installation, SQL is a far more robust database, universally accepted, and is a welcome change. The second tidbit I received is that they are planning to do away with one of the worst inventions in the history of dentistry: the security dongle they use for Image.

Of course, the proof will be in the pudding. Version 12 will probably be a year away and I have no idea when the dongle-less Image is due. Stay tuned.

Curious Context

I continue to be concerned with the way that companies use the results of certain "studies" to show how their products are better than the others. The biggest example last year was the study out of Louisville on digital sensors. This "study" had Kodak's fingerprints all over it and is so blatantly biased that it's comical. Of course, that hasn't stopped Kodak from touting this supposedly independent study on its web site and from their sales reps.

The newest study is one done by a dental student that concludes that phosphor plate sensors lose their diagnostic abilities after 50 uses. What they should have concluded is that the student needs a lot more training in how to handle the plates since the only thing they actually looked at was scratches. The manufacturer's claims of 1000 uses per plate are exaggerated, no doubt, as we find 300-400 to be more typical in practice. But the sensor companies should do some due diligence and realize that this study in no way demonstrates that sensors are better than phosphor plates. It simply illustrates what I've been saying for years: each system has pros and cons and dentists need to look at the systems objectively, figure out what is the most important criteria, and then choose based on that criteria.

Size Does Matter

One of the things I find most annoying about Windows is that fact that whenever I open a new windows, it's not at full size and I have to maximize it. With some of the browsers out there with tabbed browsers, this isn't an issue, and once Internet Explorer 7 comes out, they will also have tabbed browsing. In the mean time, I've had good luck with a program called New Window Maximizer. You can also assign a hotkey to it so that you can close or hide all windows with a single keyboard click. Very handy.

Icon Do It?

We've seen two cases of this problem in the past two days, so while it may not be an epidemic, it's something to be aware of: You install a program to your computer. Or perhaps you just reboot it. The startup looks normal, your desktop screen shows up, and then...nothing. No icons, no Start button, no system tray, nada. While this may be a virus known as svhost.exe, it is more likely to be a corrupted shdocvw.dll, a regular file that resides in your windows/system32 folder.

The first thing to try is to go to the desktop, hit CTRL-ALT-DEL to bring up the Task Manager, click File and Run, then CMD to get to a DOS box. Navigate to the windows/system32 folder and there will hopefully be a file called shdocvw.bak, which is a backup file of the one we want. You can just rename that to shdocvw.dll and reboot and that may solve it. If that file isn't there, you'll first have to download a good copy, which you can find here. Copy it to that directory and you should be set.

I found all this out by reading a nice little thread online, which you can read about here.

Disaster Deletions

If you're like me (and for most of your sakes, I hope not!), you delete files from time to time that you really didn't want to delete. In Windows XP, unless you've changed the default settings, file deletions will go to the Recycle Bin, so that's the first place to look. But what if you've emptied the recycle bin?

There are a number of utilities that recover lost files. I typically look for free software, such as PC Inspector File Recovery. I use PC World's site for lots of free programs that run the gamut from antivirus to Windows tweaks. Definitely worth checking out.

Window Washing

Got this one from my tech, John:

Microsoft has just began a new program that will now require users of the Windows operating system to submit to an authenticity check of their copy. If you elect not to, Microsoft will not allow the user to download add-ons or patches from Windows Update. This new process is called the Windows Genuine Advantage which employs an ActiveX executable that users must download and run on their machine.

I've worked with this activation on a few systems and to be honest, it's a pain in the rear. Sometimes it works, sometimes not...and always on valid installations from Dell. Now, not that I'm an advocate of defeating validations schemes, but until it works reliabliy, there's nothing wrong with bypassing it for now.

In Internet Explorer select Tools, Internet Options, Programs, Manage Add-ons, select the Windows Genuine Advantage "LegitCheckControl.dll" and click on disable.

This will disable the Genuine Microsoft Software from creating the connection to Microsoft and bypass the authentication process.