Digital technology has transformed the world we live in. Practitioners now are able to send and access medical images and electronic patient records information through computers and handheld devices. Several manufacturers these days offer digital sensors that let the practitioner generate digital radiographs for their patients. The sensor is controlled by specific software which let the practitioner acquire and store digital radiographs. It also allows image manipulation.
In all fairness, we didn’t see this coming. Previously we had reported about the unavailability of Kodak Dental Imaging Software 3D (a.k.a. KDIS 3D) if you are not an owner of a Kodak CBCT system. But Kodak called us to let us know that they want Marcilan users to be able to download and use their 3D software. This is a great news for everyone!
If you have a Cone Beam CT in your office and you are looking for a radiologist to read your scan and help you with the diagnosis then you might want to continue reading.
We will be offering a new radiology reading service as part of the platofrm. All you need is to fill out our radiology referral form (Right click > Save As) when you want to send a case and contact us so we go with you through the setup on how to send the cases. We use a secure online method to send the cases. We comply with HIPPA and make sending cases easier and faster than everyone else.
For any questions please call +1.216.368.0853
You can also send your questions to wisam.al-rawi@case.edu
Mobile apps are getting ground with the iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms. Clinicians and dental students are using these devices on daily basis yet there is very few mobile apps for dental electronic patient record. People are impressed when they see your app on their hand-held devices. In my field of work, I see many practitioners asking for such apps when I talk to them.
If your company is interested in developing mobile versions for their desktop clients to run on the iPhone or the iPad and need expertise in developing and evaluating the app, Marcilan and Biomedica will be willing to help you accomplish that. Please use the contact-us form found here. Same goes for dental education apps.
Ever wondered or wanted to know how MARCILAN was created and came into existent? The book goes over how the project started and the different development stages involved. All the work that was put together to bring you this friendly, interactive, and engaging website. The book also discusses Cone Beam CT and where we are heading with education and technology.
It is basically two years of hard yet exciting work as a master thesis project at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. The book is written in an easy to understand language and explains all the technical information if you’re interested in web based learning.
The book is available for order in major book stores including Amazon. You can either order it from the publisher directly or from your favorite book store. It can be also a nice Christmas gift for a friend. Enjoy and thanks for your help!
The guys at Google have been working on a project to make the human body available in 3D on the web. Google body browser is still in Google beta labs and has some cool features.
You need a browser that supports WebGL. So you should be fine if you are running latest version of Firefox 4, Chrome 9 beta, or Safari. The search feature works like a charm and you probably can tell why. Check the video for yourself for a brief glimpse of features. Continue reading
It is this time of the year again. The 61th AAOMR annual meeting will be held in Kona Kai resort in San Diego, California and guess what!? We’ll be there!
Time: 9:10 AM Thursday Nov. 18th 2010
Location: Loma Linda room
This November I’ll be presenting the latest development of the iPhone apps for oral radiology. The title of the presentation is: “Developing next generation oral radiology iPhone and iPad apps for current generation students”.
The phone has evolved to become a handheld computer. This small device now allows you to access the internet, record videos and pictures, and run small programs called apps. It support multi-touch and interactive features.
I have 70 students in the class I teach. When I asked the students: how many of you have an iPhone or iPod Touch; about half of the class raised their hands. I showed them the CBCT anatomy app and the students were very excited to get it on their devices. To me this sounds like: I want to get it and use it… rather than me keep telling them to read their assignments from the textbook which I think not many of them do.
Let’s face it. Time has changed and current generation students these days prefer to be surfing the internet, or check Facebook, or spend more time with their computers/phones than ever. It is faster to search in Google or Wikipedia than looking something up on a book. We need new forms of education that take into consideration our students needs.
Forcing older methods of teaching in my opinion does not work like it used before if at all. Students don’t have the time to spend reading large pieces of text and they prefer to read the powerpoint presentation instead. So how do we tackle this problem? Continue reading
I know… it’s been a long time since our last update. As we’re approaching the end of the semester, finally I have more time to dedicate to do some exciting new things in Cone Beam CT education. Well, we’re considering doing our second iPhone app which will be a simple yet pictures rich booklet that covers CBCT basics. The booklet will cover basics principles of action of Cone Beam CT, image quality factors, uses of CBCT, and the app will include different Cone Beam CT machines that are available on the market.
We’re asking the vendors for their help with that. But we would like to ask you too as you are the most important element in all of this, what would you like to see in an iPhone app that covers CBCT education? and if you happen not to know what to say, a simple thanks would suffice 
If you happen to be attending the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) in Washington DC meeting this year, make sure you stop by and check the informatics short talks sessions. I will be presenting the Cone Beam CT anatomy education app: iCBCT Anatomy on the iPhone. I’ll be talking about CBCT education, what has been done, how we did it, and what will be done next. It will be fun to see. I will be there if you have any questions or requests plus we have a surprise waiting for you regarding the newer version of the app!
Place and Time:
Presentation #13, Informatics Short Talks {Tuesday, March 2, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m., Potomac 3}
Update: Room has been changed to National Harbor 10
Google Knol CBCT Directory
A major illustrated directory of dental cone beam X-ray services has been published as a service for patients, dentists and radiologists. Titled CBCT Dental X-ray Services Directory, the guide includes hundreds of free listings for three classes of providers:
Implantologists / dentists who support CBCT. If they have an in-office CBCT scanner, it is indicated
Universities / Dental Schools offering CBCT laboratory services
The guide begins with an introduction based on a YouTube video about one of the first CBCT installations in the 
United States. The dentist being interviewed, Dr. Robert Langlais in this 2001 news piece gets it right:
“Without this imaging, there’s more guesswork involved.”
A quotation from Dr. Steven Guttenberg (pictured) of the Washington Institute for Mouth, Face and Jaw Surgery, drives home the point:
My original impetus for purchasing a CBCT was to assist in the complete evaluation of a site to accept a dental implant. It allowed me not only to appreciate the true location of the inferior alveolar nerve canal and the mental foramen, but also the maxillary sinus and the true proximity to the incisive canal, adjacent teeth, and nasal floor. Plain films allow only the ability to judge the height of the alveolus, but with CBCT I was able to get complete information to a hundredth of a millimeter of not only the alveolar ridge height but also of its width. The CBCT also allows us to appreciate the morphology of that ridge. These are all extremely important factors to have in one’s command prior to implant placement. Continue reading
