Dr. John Flucke's takeaways from the ADA Annual Session

October 24, 2014

This year's annual session in San Antonio featured the debut of many innovative new (and improved) products. In this months' edition of Technology Evangelist, we take a look at some of the products that really stood out.

This year's annual session in San Antonio featured the debut of many innovative new (and improved) products. In this months' edition of Technology Evangelist, we take a look at some of the products that really stood out.

Dr. John Flucke explains how and why DEXIS CariVu changed his practice for the better

I still remember the goofy movie “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” (hey when you’re a goofy guy, you go for goofy movies). For those of you who either have never seen it or haven’t seen it in a while, let me set the scene. Pee Wee visits the Alamo for a tour and then in the next scene is thrown while riding a bull in a rodeo.

A crowd gathers around him as he lies motionless on the ground. “What’s your name, son?” someone asks. “I can’t remember,” Pee Wee says.

“Where are you from?”

“I can’t remember.”

“Well do you remember anything?”

There is a pause and then Pee Wee says, “I… remember the Alamo.”

“Yeeeeeeee-Haaaaaaaaa” the crowd erupts in glee.

It seems that every time I visit San Antonio that clip runs through my mind. However, this year, there was a lot more to remember from the city than just the Alamo (and Pee Wee's Big Adventure, for that matter). The American Dental Association Annual Session is always a great meeting. Here are a couple of the things I saw and experienced as I visited the exhibit floor.

Dentrix Mastery Tracks

The folks at Henry Schein Practice Solutions announced the launch of Dentrix Mastery Tracks. It consists of eight online exams that allow users to learn about and demonstrate their proficiency in scheduling, continuing care, billing & accounts receivable, insurance, charting, treatment planning, reporting & security and patient information.

Once completed, the participant receives a skill certificate that certifies their competency in each area. This should help both current and future employers have confidence in an individual’s understanding and use of Dentrix software.

Free E-Book: Leading the way in caries detection with near-infrared transillumination technology

Tellcast TV

For years, offices have been looking for some type of television/monitor based entertainment system that isn’t just a never-ending static loop of “Tooth Television.” The "video loop" is OK, but it's the same all day, every day and eventually wears thin both on your patients and your administrative staff that are trapped watching and listening to it. Wouldn't it be incredible if there was something that was dynamic, ever changing, and all about your office? Well, it's available now and it is called Tellcast TV.

Tellcast TV is a cloud service that is streamed into your office and tailored to your office. It's not just a DVD or a loop from a computer in your office. It offers thousands of constantly updated entertainment pieces from the web including videos, trivia, news, weather and traffic reports. It can be streamed anywhere in your office, and by that I mean it can utilized in the reception area on a TV or monitor as well as in the treatment area on the operatory computer and even in a consult room if a TV or monitor is present.

How can it be in all these places at once? This is part of the genius of the system. The different areas and "pieces" of your office video system are connected by an easy installation through the use of a Google TV, SMART TV or computer and a WiFi connection. Basically Tellcast TV is designed to connect to any monitor or TV because it utilizes multiple ways to connect. This ensures you can have it everywhere you want it. Brilliant! And… it isn’t running identically in every area of your office. Because it’s dynamic, each monitor is showing something different, but all are part of the Tellcast TV package. We’re talking over 25,000 fresh videos updated every second. This product is truly harnessing the power of the Internet and putting it to use for you!

These are just two of the many new and improved products that were on display in San Antonio. If you missed this year’s meeting, start now to make plans to attend next year’s ADA meeting in Washington D.C. The American Dental Association Annual Session is not a meeting you want to miss!