They Are Pals of Mine

Here's a press release for my favorite charting system, PerioPal:

PerioPal® Periodontal Software Promotes Evidence-Based
Diagnosis for Locally Administered Antibiotics (LAA).

PerioPal responds to the increasing demand for consistent diagnostic guidelines.

Beaumont, Texas – September 20, 2007 - PerioPal, LLC today previewed the next major release of its powerful periodontal software offering users a diagnostic tool to guide the decision-making process for locally administered antibiotic (LAA) therapy. PerioPal is a patent pending verbal software tool, allowing hands-free periodontal charting. Using an innovative technique and voice command technology, users
have an improved method of independent recording that shortens the enrollment time of data, increases the accuracy of the exam, and decreases the tedious task of periodontal charting.

With PerioPal 8.0, the PROPOSED LAA feature enables the user to select probing depth criteria from a computerized list that matches the practice’s periodontal protocol for LAA therapy. If the selected value is recorded during the course of the exam, PerioPal automatically generates precise on-screen displays and report images highlighting the pre-determined guideline for LAA therapy.

The verbal recording of periodontal data combined with real time viewing of charting data provide patients visual and tangible evidence of their periodontal health, disease, and needs. Following periodontal therapies, users can then activate the ReProbe and Comparative modules to monitor patient care and access treatment outcomes.

"We are excited about providing a unique charting module to facilitate optimal clinical assessments and decision-making for treatment and therapies," said Kimberly Goodson, RDH, PerioPal’s President. "PerioPal 8.0 is our response to the increasing demand by dental professionals seeking consistent diagnostic guidelines in order to provide the highest standard of quality care to their patients."

PerioPal software was created using Microsoft's Speech Application Programming Interface (SAPI), which is designed to connect speech recognition engines, and application programs, making it easier and more affordable for programs to be speech enabled.

PerioPal's Voice Command vocabulary consists of customized abbreviations and shortcuts that enable accurate recording of periodontal data in a shorter amount of time by significantly reducing the number of spoken words. These commands are used to verbally record probing depths, gingival margins, bleeding, suppuration, and other clinical findings such as mobility, furcations, plaque, and inaccurate
gingival attachments. Clinical attachment levels and a recommended ADA diagnosis are automatically calculated.

PerioPal comes Bridge and Network Ready. PerioPal is designed to be easily interfaced to most popular dental systems using a customized integration tool called DataGrabber from Apteryx, Inc. DataGrabber allows the automated transfer of patient name, birth date, and record ID number to PerioPal. This interface tool eliminates the need to modify the user’s dental office system software and still have a fully
integrated solution. A network version of PerioPal can now be installed on a shared network drive for multi-user applications.

Version 8.0 is available for purchase and more information on the software can be found at www.periopal.com.