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

In the earlier days barbaric approaches 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 conducted pretty much pain free. There exists however, an undesirable side effect of our technological advancement.

With the advent of this new technology computer systems have become common place in the Dental Industry, and with them a myriad of laser printers spitting out 1000's of peices of printed paper each and every 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 is in essence a paperless, environmentally conscious, forward thinking method to dentistry.

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

It didn't take Adriana very long to make her vision a reality. Now, years after her initial vision, she has a flourishing practice with many environmentally conscious clients who truly appreciate her dedication to doing her part to keep the world as healthy as possible. It can genuinely be said that we could all learn 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 planet are finding new methods 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 in no way be more appreciated than now, in this time of economic turmoil and uncertainty.

One of the main reasons organizations are slow to approach this new digital paperless era is a lack of comprehension. They believe that there could well be a steep learning curve adopting new technology and that it will create downtime for them that they simply cannot afford. What these agencies aren't taking into account is the new paperless office employs the exact 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 sadly, technology can indeed be shrouded in mystery. We should all be doing our part, not leaving it to other people to take up the slack. This new breed of Digital Dentists ought to be heralded and I for one intend to stick strictly to not just Dental Professionals with this mindset, but professionals in as many fields as I can find.
Digital Dentistry