Welcome to The Digital Dentist. This is the online blog for Dr. Lorne Lavine, the founder and president of Dental Technology Consultants. If you're thinking of adding to or upgrading your technology systems, then you're in the right place.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Dentrix G2!
It's finally here! I just got word today that they are starting to ship it out to the Beta testers first, and then they will start to send it out to random offices starting on November 8th. They will probably only do a few hundred offices at a time at first, which makes perfect sense.
There have been a lot of questions about the requirements...well, they are pretty steep, but rightfully so. Those of you still on Windows 98 will need to upgrade. I've posted an Adobe file of the requirements that you can download here.
AVG, my favorite anti-virus, has released their newest free version, 7.5. It has many new features and is worth the update. You can download the latest version right here.
We've been hearing for the past year or so that the ideal requirements for Vista, the new operating system from Microsoft, would be 1 GB. Well, we may have heard wrong. According to a report I saw online, both Dell and Samsung are recommending a minimum of 2 GB of RAM to run Vista. Ouch! Our top-end servers have 2 GB in them. Upgrading to Vista may be a lot more expensive than originally thought, and most people in the IT fields that I speak with are not planning to upgrade when Vista is released.
I know that many of you have wireless networks at home (and quite a few of you do at the office as well). The problem with most wireless gear that you purchase over-the-counter is that all of the security is turned off by default. Here's a quick review of 10 Steps to More Secure Wireless, which you can find on this site:
1. Change the ESSID (Network ID)
Changing the ESSID from the factory default limits the intruder from guessing what model of cable/dsl router or access point you are using. If your wireless says Linksys, you're an easy target.
2. Change the Default User and Password for the Settings
Please follow this. If your Linksys network is still using the password out of the box you're not safe. It's not a random password. They all use the same setup no matter when you bought the device. Someone potentiallyonally hijack your connection. Thus, separating you from your own paid internet. I have actually heard of a story first hand of this happening in my small town.
3. Use a STRONG Passphrase, Not a password
Passwords are most commonly names of pets, children, spouses, or even important dates. Most of these passwords can easily be guessed or researched. Also most names and words are used in "war dialer" style programs. These programs randomly pick a name or word to try to guess your password. Use a passphrase instead. Make sure you include capitals, numbers, and even a character such as "!". One example is Is0metim3sliket0digg! You can tell this passphrase is complex but broken apart can be understood.
4. Use Encryption
Use some form of encryption. Windows XP supports encryption, however non-standard it may be. (Not the common 64 or 128 bit) Encryption scrambles your information using a key. This key is only know by your pc and your wireless connectivity device. This makes it harder for someone to randomly sniff your information out of the air like credit card numbers when shopping.
5. Use WEP or Some Stronger Authentication
Using WEP uses a Passphrase to allow your computer to use the connection. Those who do not have the passphrase can not. We recommend using something other than WEP as this is easily hacked. If you know how to set up a complex EAP or CHAP configuration feel free. However WEP is more secure with encryption than nothing at all.
6. Turn off Network ID (ESSID) Broadcasting
If your wireless device is capable this helps tremendously. Wireless is harder to detect when this broadcasting is turned off. With this off your wireless will not be listed by many stumbler programs. Many people would assume there is no wireless within the area and move on. This also makes it more difficult to setup and connect even your own computers to the network.
7. Do a Site Survey
It might sound funny. Load a laptop up and run around the house, even outside to measure the signal. Why? Once you have thins done you know the strongest and weakest signal points. Move the wireless device closer to the middle of the home. This keeps all computers with a good strong signal while keeping the signal outside at the street to a minimum. If the signal is too low the most anyone could do is see your network in existence.
8. Use MAC filtering
No, not the Mac built by Apple. MAC is Media Access Control. Each network card and device has a MAC address. This is like an id badge for your computer. If your computer is on the list, your in. If not, the wireless bouncer gets to keep you out in the cold.
What the heck is DHCP? Sounds like a county police force. Really this is what sets the IP (Internet Protocol) Address to your computer. Like the MAC address, this identifies your computer. As the name implies, this is your id that your network and internet itself uses. Think of it having a first name and last name for the computer. For some the last name changes quite often depending on which network it is married to. Anyway, if this is turned off your computer can not get itÂs new ip address or last name in this case. You will have to manually assign the last name to all the computers. The only problem, you MUST have unique ip addresses for each computer within the right range. Not easily done by all.
10. Use common sense
Do you think your going to be secure giving your wireless passphrase and settings to your neighbors? Just to show them how fast your new cable internet is going? No! It defies the whole point to security. You might as well leave the settings as open for all. Please don't do this. Use common sense. If you still feel like someone is going to get into your computer? Go wired. Spend the money on cable instead of the wireless. It might be cheaper in the end. Especially if your using wireless for a distance of less than 3 feet to the cable/dsl modem
With both Microsoft and Mozilla releasing major new releases of their browsers the past 10 days, here's a good review of the prominent players in the browser field. With applications turning to the web for the future, the choice of browser will become a critical battleground.
One very cool device that was at ADA that I forgot to mention was the Velscope. No idea on pricing, but considering what it can do, does the price really matter?
VELscope is a revolutionary hand-held device that offers Dentists, Hygienists, and other oral health-care providers an easy-to-use adjunctive screening instrument for early detection. Its technology platform is based on the direct visualization of tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that result when abnormal tissue is present.
The VELscope Handpiece emits a safe blue light into the oral cavity, which excites the tissue beneath and at the surface and causes it to fluoresce. By utilizing special optical filters in the Handpiece, the clinician is able to immediately view the different fluorescence responses of healthy vs. abnormal oral tissue. The healthy oral mucosal tissue will appear bright green while suspicious regions are identified by a loss of fluorescence, and will thus appear dark.
I'll be reviewing the latest and greatest that I saw at ADA last week in my weekly newsletter. If you want to subscribe (don't worry, it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time), just fill out the info in the blue bar to the right of this post, where it says to sign up for the e-newsletter (it's a few inches down from the top).
CNN has posted a very interesting article on the future of web-based applications. Once known as ASPs (Application Service Providers), the new web browsers that are coming out will allow most, if not all, programs to be run online. I've seen many of the web-based replacements for Microsoft Office, and I have to tell you, some of them are pretty darn good. Considering that they are all free, I think Microsoft has every reason to be worried.
November and December are the busiest months of the year for my company, and it's because of Schedule 179. If you aren't familiar with Schedule 179, it's part of the tax code that allows you to write-off purchases of equipment in a single tax year, rather than expense it over the life of the equipment. It used to hover around $25,000, but after 9/11, was raised to $100,000 and has gone up each year. It's at $108,000 for 2006, and $108,000 plus Cost of Living Adjustment for 2007-2009. It will drop back to $25,000 for 2010.
The main criteria for Schedule 179 is that the equipment must be "in service" before December 31. What does that mean? Well, it depends on who you talk to. If you order the equipment, pay for it, and it's delivered before December 31, it's probably safe to write it off, although I suppose that you might need to open the boxes and plug the equipment in to meet the true definition of the law.
If you are planning to take advantage of the deduction, now is the time to get started. Almost all technology companies (think Dell computers, for example) run into serious supply issues in December as demand outstrips what they can deliver. We cannot guarantee end-of-year delivery for any equipment that is not ordered by Thanksgiving.
Please note: I'm not an accountant, nor do I claim to offer financial planning. Any decision regarding purchasing and deductions should be discussed in advance with your financial professionals.
I've been playing around with ClamWin, a free, open-source anti-virus program, for the past few weeks and so far, I'm very impressed. It does an excellent job with finding viruses, but just as importantly, doesn't seem to cause any significant slowdown to my system when it's running. You can download it here.
As I posted two days ago, the new browser from Microsoft, IE7, is out. Here's a great review of the software. I've been playing with both IE7 and the RC3 of Firefox, and find them to be very comparable in terms of features and speed.
Found this on CNET, and it seems to be a great idea for those of you who use Windows to save and organize your digital photos:
Unless you really have a lot of time on your hands, I doubt you want to go through the massive folder that contains your European vacation photos and rename them Europe_1.jpg, Europe_2.jpg, and so on down the line. If you're running Windows XP on your computer, you don't have to do this. Simply apply this hack to quickly apply a meaningful label to every picture in the folder.
First, open the folder and select View > Thumbnails.
Click the last picture in the folder you want to rename, hold down the Shift key, and click the first picture; this will select them all.
Right-click the first photo, and select Rename from the drop-down menu.
Windows XP will highlight the filename for the first photo, enabling you to give it a descriptive name. After you type in the name, click the white space outside of the photo and watch as Windows applies the name with a sequential number to each picture in the folder.
The newest version of Internet Explore, IE7, was just released today. If you have Automatic Updates selected, it will download on it's own around November 1 unless you install a blocker or don't install the update when you get the notification. But, if you want to download it now, go ahead and do so. You can read about the changes and download the update from Microsoft's site here.
PC magazine posted a review today of the top eight security suites. I wasn't surprised to see Microsoft's One Care at the bottom of the list, but seeing Norton at the top was a surprise. Many of you will recall an earlier post where I showed that the 2006 version of Norton slowed down systems by an average of 58%. You can read the reviews of the different suites right here.
I've often wondered why RSS isn't more popular. For those of you who don't use RSS (which is about 99% of us), it's a way to keep up with news feeds from your favorite sites and blogs. Rather than going to the blog, the blog comes to you. My blog, and most others, can be subscribed to with RSS readers.
This site has five good reasons why they think that RSS has yet to catch on...an interesting read as some were predicting it would be the wave of the future and all the new browsers like Internet Explorer 7 will have built-in RSS readers.
I'm lecturing tomorrow in Las Vegas at the annual Academy of Dental Management Consultants and then will be hitting the booths all day Tuesday at the ADA. I should have a full report of all the exciting new products and announcements no later than Wednesday. Stay tuned...
Video Dental Concepts is releasing the DiscoveryCenter at the ADA next week. From what I can tell, it seems to be an updated Copernicus system, a high end 17" VGA and Video Monitor with built in camera and X-ray viewer. It also works with all RF cameras like Einstein and of course the new DiscoveryCam. An SD card slot captures images and X-rays of your patient.
I found a great site online, ClipMarks, which has 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Windows XP. Some are very useful that I wasn’t aware of.
Here they are:
1. It boasts how long it can stay up. Go to the Command Prompt in the Accessories menu from the All Programs start button option, and then type 'systeminfo'. The computer will produce a lot of useful info, including the uptime. If you want to keep these, type 'systeminfo > info.txt'. This creates a file called info.txt you can look at later with Notepad. (Professional Edition only).
2. You can delete files immediately, without having them move to the Recycle Bin first. Go to the Start menu, select Run... and type 'gpedit.msc'; then select User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Explorer and find the Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin setting. Set it. Poking around in gpedit will reveal a great many interface and system options, but take care -- some may stop your computer behaving as you wish. (Professional Edition only).
3. You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation' in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.
4. XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can make it show everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be the software and you can now uninstall it.
5. For those skilled in the art of DOS batch files, XP has a number of interesting new commands. These include 'eventcreate' and 'eventtriggers' for creating and watching system events, 'typeperf' for monitoring performance of various subsystems, and 'schtasks' for handling scheduled tasks. As usual, typing the command name followed by /? will give a list of options.
6. XP has IP version 6 support -- the next generation of IP. Unfortunately this is more than your ISP has, so you can only experiment with this on your LAN. Type 'ipv6 install' into Run... (it's OK, it won't ruin your existing network setup) and then 'ipv6 /?' at the command line to find out more. If you don't know what IPv6 is, don't worry.
7. You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'tasklist', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.
8. XP will treat Zip files like folders, which is nice if you've got a fast machine. On slower machines, you can make XP leave zip files alone by typing 'regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll' at the command line. If you change your mind later, you can change things back by typing 'regsvr32 zipfldr.dll'.
9. XP has ClearType -- Microsoft's anti-aliasing font display technology -- but doesn't have it enabled by default. It's well worth trying, especially if you were there for DOS and all those years of staring at a screen have given you the eyes of an astigmatic bat. To enable ClearType, right click on the desktop, select Properties, Appearance, Effects, select ClearType from the second drop-down menu and enable the selection. Expect best results on laptop displays. If you want to use ClearType on the Welcome login screen as well, set the registry entry HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/Control Panel/Desktop/FontSmoothingType to 2.
10. You can use Remote Assistance to help a friend who's using network address translation (NAT) on a home network, but not automatically. Get your pal to email you a Remote Assistance invitation and edit the file. Under the RCTICKET attribute will be a NAT IP address, like 192.168.1.10. Replace this with your friend's real IP address -- they can find this out by going to www.whatismyip.com -- and get them to make sure that they've got port 3389 open on their firewall and forwarded to the errant computer.
11. You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... and enter the user name and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by running programs multiple times on the same system as different users, but this can have unforeseen effects.
12. Windows XP can be very insistent about you checking for auto updates, registering a Passport, using Windows Messenger and so on. After a while, the nagging goes away, but if you feel you might go insane before that point, run Regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/Advanced and create a DWORD value called EnableBalloonTips with a value of 0.
13. You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer, and click on OK. An Automatically Log On dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.
14. Internet Explorer 6 will automatically delete temporary files, but only if you tell it to. Start the browser, select Tools / Internet Options... and Advanced, go down to the Security area and check the box to Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.
15. XP comes with a free Network Activity Light, just in case you can't see the LEDs twinkle on your network card. Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, then select Properties. Right click on the description for your LAN or dial-up connection, select Properties, then check the Show icon in notification area when connected box. You'll now see a tiny network icon on the right of your task bar that glimmers nicely during network traffic.
16. The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.
17. You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetised groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In Groups.
18. Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.
19. Windows key + Break brings up the System Properties dialogue box; Windows key + D brings up the desktop; Windows key + Tab moves through the taskbar buttons.
20. Windows XP secretly KNOWS that the average user has no idea what they are doing. Therefore, it doesn't let you do really stupid things like deleting the windows directory (at least not without spending several hours convincing it that you REALLY want to do this). Oh yeah, and internet explorer kinda sucks, get Firefox.
Here's a bargain that is hard to resist: how about a new 20" Dell monitor for under $300? Yup, under $300...$289 to be exact. The Dell E207WFP was just announced yesterday so it proibably won't be on Dell's site for a few days, but this is a great deal if you were looking for a larger monitor that didn't break the bank. You can read the details here.
As many of you who work with my company well know, we are starting to run into a dilemma with scanners. We used to recommend the Epson 1680 Professional as a rule. It was solid, fast, and could scan 8” X 11.5” film. What wasn’t so great was the $1200 price tag. So, for the past six months, we’ve tried the Microtek i800. While it’s a capable scanner, it’s just a lot slower than the Epson and we’ve had some quality-control issues in some offices. So, a few weeks ago, we decide to go back to the Epson. Well, it’s pretty much discontinued. The only other comparable model is the Epson 4990, but it can only scan 10” ( a tad too short for some pans and FMX mounts)…and it too is now in short supply. Stay tuned for more news…we hope someone will come out with a good solution shortly.
As we all know by now, there are many different threats to our computers. While many people are afraid of a virus, there are actually other types, such as worms and Trojans, that can cause as much damage. Did you know the difference between them and how they work? Well, here’s a site that explains it in plain English.
I’m sure that like me, many of you have multiple email addresses that you use. Here’s a neat little application: Jump2Mail. It allows you to view all of your emails from one location. Completely free and seems to work fine.
I know that many of you are considering an upgrade to Windows Vista as it is released over the next few months. What’s less clear is whether your existing computer can run it, and just as important, which of the multitude of version is best for your computer?
Well, Microsoft has released a tool that can answer both questions for you. Just go to the website and download the tool and run it.
On Tuesday, October 10, Microsoft will be releasing 11 new security patches for Windows and Office. We always recommend that you set your computer to download and install these automatically. You can read about the new patches right here.
Here's a great website called Media-Convert. What does it do? Well, pretty much exactly what it says. It can take any media file, be it photos, movies, sound, etc. and convert it into a format that you want. What's really nice is that it's a web based application so it doesn't require you to load any software on your system. Of course, it's completely free.
Just got an email from my account rep that Dell has reduced the price of their 19” LCD to $203. This isn’t the higher-end Ultrasharp model that we normally use and recommend, but would most likely be fine for a location that isn’t viewing digital x-rays or similar images. Don’t know how long this special will last, but it’s a good deal if you were planning to get a 19” monitor. You can see the special right here.
The “Patient Welcome Kit” is the newest feature of UAppoint’s Smart Patient Connections service. New patients are welcomed to the practice by email. Attached to the email is a medical/dental history and registration form that the patient fills out at her convenience. If an existing patient referred the new patient, a thank-you email is automatically sent to the referring patient. The service significantly enhances the relationship with patients and saves the dental practice time and money
New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) October 3, 2006 -- UAppoint is pleased to announce the release of the “Patient Welcome Kit” (PWK) as an integral part of the patent-pending Smart Patient Connections service. As soon as a new patient’s name, email address and reservation time are entered into the practice management software, an email is automatically sent to the patient. The welcome message is the first step in building a relationship with the patient, demonstrating that the practice values the patient as an individual. Attaching the patient registration form also enhances this relationship, as the patient understands that completing the form in advance of the appointment will reduce waiting time. "We've found that when patients complete their medical/dental heath history in the comfort of their own home, they tend to be more thorough because they have easy access to needed details such as medications, insurance info and previous treatments," says Dr. Dov Glazer, practicing dentist and co-founder of UAppoint.
Sending a thank-you email to a referring patient continues to build the relationship with that patient and, more importantly, encourages the patient to send more referrals. UAppoint's VP of Marketing, Azim Nagree, reports that, “Market research shows that existing patient referrals is the most effective practice builder. A thank-you referral email is an inexpensive but extremely effective way of thanking them for the referral, and subtly encourages patients to keep up the good work.” For the practice, having patient registration forms completed prior to the visit streamlines the check-in process and frees up administrative staff to focus on more important activities.
UAppoint’s PWK is an easy and economical way to welcome new patients to the practice and thank referring patients, all while saving time and money for the practice. This module is offered at no additional cost to UAppoint subscribers. Other features of Smart Patient Connections include, automatic appointment reminders and confirmations, recall for continuing care, online hygiene scheduling, remote schedule backup, and access to the practice schedule from anywhere anytime.
About UAppoint, Inc.
UAppoint, the only company specializing in smart patient scheduling solutions for dentistry, was founded in 2004 with the mission of enhancing doctor-patient relationships. The company is dedicated to providing exceptional service to doctors, their staff, and the patients they serve.
I know this may be very basic for many of you, but here’s a nice guide on Sharing a Printer on a Network. It was written with a home network in mind, but it applies exactly the same for a dental office.
I just heard from a file sharing site I’ve used, Uploading IT.com, that they have increased their free accounts from 2 GB to 5 GB and increased monthly limits to 40 GB. While still a bit small if you have images, this might be an ideal solution for an office that wants a secondary backup for their Practice Management Data. Worth a look.
I know that many of you who use digital cameras, especially Canon and Nikon models, like to store your images as RAW files. People shooting RAW images have not been able to take advantage of the built-in features provided in Windows XP for viewing, organizing, and printing RAW photos--until now.
CNN has posted a review of two 10 (yes, 10!) megapixel cameras, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi and the Nikon D80. Both are excellent cameras. You can read the entire review here.
