Digital Dentistry may be a relatively new term but the actual dentistry being performed has been going on in one form or another for centuries.

In the early days barbaric tactics were used to extract undesirable teeth, drill out cavities, and most any other routine procedure. Thankfully we have advanced technologically to the point where many of the once dreaded procedures can be accomplished practically pain free. There exists however, an undesirable side effect of our technological progress.

With the advent of this new technological innovation computers have become common place in the Dental Industry, and with them a myriad of laser printers churning out thousands of peices of printed paper each month. Digital dentistry is as much of a mindset as it is a term. The principle behind Digital Dentistry is to do away with all of this paper, and recycle as many of the items used every day as possible. It truly is in essence a paperless, environmentally aware, forward thinking course of action to dentistry.

Although it is not widespread a number of the more progressive cities have multiple offices adopting this bold new concept. Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and even a few on the east coast. One such dentist, Adriana Masi, located in Los Angeles, began her quest for environmental soundness nearly a decade ago. In the midst of performing root canals, routine cleanings, extractions, teeth whitening and invisalign placements she envisioned a truly paperless office with a modest carbon footprint.

It didn't take Adriana long to make her vision a reality. Now, many years after her initial vision, she has a booming practice with many environmentally conscious clients who truly appreciate her dedication to doing her part to keep the planet as healthy as possible. It can in fact be said that we could all take a lesson from the ideas behind today's modern Digital Dentistry.

Dentists aren't the only ones migrating away from paper either. Industries all over the world are finding new ways to cut as much paper out of the typical work day as possible. This approach is not only protecting trees but cutting down the cost of day-to-day operations by as much as 20% in some fields. This margin of savings could never be more appreciated than now, in this time of financial turmoil and uncertainty.

One of the most significant reasons companies are slow to approach this new digital paperless era is actually a lack of understanding. They believe that there will be a steep learning curve adopting new technology and that it will create downtime for them that they simply cannot afford. What these businesses aren't taking into account is the new paperless place of work uses the same technology as their home computer. Going paperless can be as simple as sending an email instead of printing out a document and walking to the other part of the office with it.

Mankind is often afraid of what it doesn't comprehend, and regrettably, technology can certainly be shrouded in mystery. We should all be doing our part, not leaving it to other individuals to take up the slack. This new breed of Digital Dentists should be heralded and I for one intend to stick strictly to not only Dental Professionals with this mindset, but professionals in as many fields as I can find.
Digital Dentistry