20 february 2014
teamwork
■ Team work and technology Video tools can enhance communication between dentist and dental technician, and deliver time and cost benefits to all parties.
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here possible, the dentist can undertake a consultation with a patient in the presence of the dental technician. Thereby, the dentist has immediate access to their expertise and is able to find the best dental and aesthetic solution for the patient. The reality in most cases is that the dentist makes a decision and there is a postal communication with the preferred dental technician. If there are technical issues, they are only discovered later, after a long delay. How do we use today’s technology to put the dental technician back at the dentist’s shoulder right from the start? We use Skype.
Why Skype? Skype is a video conferencing tool. When looking for a system that enabled video calls, it was important to find one that was proven, cost-effective and easy for anyone to set up and use. There are other providers, but for us, Skype is more than good enough. The technology is mature and many people are already familiar with Skype, using it to communicate with friends and family abroad.
the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema webcam to be perfect for our needs. Here are three examples where we were able to be the dental technician at the dentist’s shoulder. We are located in Germany and some of our dentists are in other parts of Europe, the UK and Ireland.
LifeCam in their hand and provide closeup views. This can either be of the work on the bench in their practice or directly in the patient’s mouth. Examples would be to confirm the best combination of three teeth to use as supports for a removable denture, attached using the double crown procedure.
The smiling granny
Too long in the tooth
A Skype call with a dental practice in the East of England brought us into the midst of a dentist-patient consultation. Our prosthesis, a precision milled removable bridge, was currently the subject of a tryin with a female senior citizen. It soon transpired that only minor changes were required and these were agreed on the spot. Before we finished the call, we were left with the image of the patient, unfazed by the technology, smiling and waving a goodbye across the Channel.
Another dentist had sent back an initial prosthesis with a request that some of the upper teeth be shortened before final attachment to the cast. We made the changes as requested. To be absolutely sure that we had adjusted to the required length, we used the LifeCam to take a still photo of the upper denture against the original mould.
Actually seeing the patient is of great value to the dental technician, particularly when it comes to the aesthetics. Dental prosthetics have a profound effect on the appearance of a patient and a good dental technician will take this into account if possible. Live images and interaction with the patient are of even greater benefit than still photos. In more complicated instances, it is possible for the dentist to hold the
Figure 1 shows the visible difference between the original mould in blue (labelled ‘alte sit’ or old situation in German). Note how the gap gradually increases from one lateral to the anterior and then recedes again to the other side. The still picture was then sent as a file transfer via Skype. The satisfied dentist OK’d the change with a text reply, also via Skype. Problem solved!
When molehills become mountains How often does an apparently simple repair to a denture turn out to be more
To turn Skype into a very useful tool in dentistry, we just needed one key additional feature: a high resolution, detachable USB video camera. We found
Fig. 1: Shortened teeth in the corrected prosthesis.
the
technologist
By Ulrich Heker
february 2014 21
teamwork
Fig. 2: A closer look at the fractured denture.
complicated than originally thought? A dentist in Essen, Germany sent in a prosthesis. He requested that a fracture in the plastic be repaired – a fairly straightforward procedure. On closer inspection, however, it turned out that the metal plate itself had broken and needed repair. Figure 2 shows the progress from original denture, to the underlying fault requiring soldering, to the repair. The still photos, again taken with the hand-held LifeCam were greatly appreciated by the dentist. It helped him explain to the patient why the bill was more than expected.
Setting up and using Skype In order to use Skype you will need the following: ■ an internet connected device (PC, laptop or notebook with a separate webcam or a tablet or smartphone with an integral webcam) ■ a broadband internet connection ■ to set up an account at Skype.com. Note that this means that you can access Skype through any of the internet-enabled devices on which it is installed ■ to download and install Skype on your internet connected device ■ an HD quality webcam such as Microsoft’s LifeCam Cinema, which can be detached and used handheld. The webcam should also be able to take quality still images Installing Skype on your local devices (PC, laptop, notebook, tablet or smartphone) is straightforward with easy instructions. The LifeCam Cinema comes with its own software, which again is easy to install. Once Skype and camera are installed,
open Skype. Make sure your device is connected to the internet. You will need to have your username and password available to log in. On desktop computers, laptops and notebooks, you can go to tools and then options to test your audio and video settings.
mobile webcam such as the LifeCam, is an invaluable tool in our dental technician laboratory. Our dentists appreciate the immediacy of Skyping with us. Better communication also brings time and cost benefits to all.
To connect to other Skype users either: ■ ask an existing Skype user to invite you to connect or ■ search ‘Contacts’ to find people on Skype and invite them to connect You can choose whether to accept or refuse invitations to connect.
Summary of the advantages of Skype with LifeCam 1. Dentist and dental technician can plan and discuss work in real time, saving both time and money. 2. Dental technicians can see the patient and the work required in context – increasing the likelihood of the best aesthetic solution. 3. LifeCam can also be used to take quality still images, in close-up if required. These can be transferred directly using Skype. Such images facilitate the dialogue between dentist and dental technician during the workflow. 4. The Skype messaging function provides another fast and direct communication route when video is not appropriate. 5. Both Skype and LifeCam Cinema webcam are cost-effective and userfriendly.
Ulrich Heker is the owner-manager of Ulrich Heker Dental Laboratory founded in 1996 with the strap line TEETH ‘R’ US. As a qualified master craftsman (German Master Dental Technician) since 1991, he has over 26 years’ experience both at the bench and in running a successful business. Ulrich lives in Mülheim on the river Ruhr and is an accomplished ‘western-style’ rider in his spare time. Ulrich is fluent in English and can easily be contacted at: ■ Dentallabor Ulrich Heker D-45130 Essen Corneliastr. 17. ■ T: +49 201 797 955, ■ M: +44 7922 458 299 ■ Video Skype : teeth.are.us ■ Web: http://www.german-smile.info, http://www.dentallabor-heker.de ■ E: ulrich@teethrus.de
Conclusion We have found that Skype, with a suitable the
technologist