The Digital Dentist

Safety Tip

2012-02-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

With all of the online accounts we all have, it’s easy to get lazy and start using the same password for multiple websites, services, and accounts, for fear of forgetting an important password. However, this can compromise your private information. Here is a collection of useful tips about passwords to help you keep your information and accounts secure.

Break the Codec

2012-02-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

With many dental offices showing videos to patients, you may run into issues getting those videos to run, due to missong "codecs". Many of you have video players like VLC and Windows Media Player, and then often prompt you to download "new codecs", butthere are also codec packs like K-Lite, Shark007, and CCCP. What exactly are these codec packs and what do they do?

Don't drop the SOPA

2012-02-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard of SOPA before, you really need to more about this terrible legislation working its way through Congress. Here's a good explanation.

2012-02-10T13:10:00.001-08:00

Need a new website? To get the results you’re looking for you need a dynamic website service, not a static website product. The old model is pay thousands for a website, and then it just sits there, rarely gets updated, and has no SEO focus. WEOMedia are the opposite…low setup cost and ongoing monthly support for edits, SEO, content improvements, etc.

Declutter

2012-02-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

For many dental offices, one of the biggest issues is how to deal with the bird's nest of cables and wires that surround our computer systems. Read on to see what other people do to deal with this.

Spamalicious

2012-02-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

One of the most common spam complaints we see with dental offices is someone receiving an email from you that contains a link to some unsavory site...even though you know you never sent that email out. Want to find out how that happened or, better yet, how to prevent it? Here's how.

Pass the Buck

2012-02-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

With HIPAA and HITECH staring to affect our everyday dental lives, it's important to stay up on the latest regulations. One area where many practices fall short is appropriate complexity of passwords. It's all too easy to create a password that you can easily remember...putting yourself at risk. Here's a list of the 25 Worst Passwords...if you see your password on this list, change it now!

Live Long and Prosper

2012-02-06T09:55:00.000-08:00

The devices that most dentists use on a daily basis, like laptops and smartphones, have one thing in common: batteries. Some may ask, though, what is the deal with lithium-ion batteries? You'll hear lots of different things about how to take care of them, like that they need to be kept charged between 40% and 80%, or that they should be drained completely and charged to 100%. What is the ideal approach to maintaining a good battery-life-to-battery-health ratio?

2012-02-06T08:13:00.001-08:00

Lecturing to the Toronto chapter of AO today...always great to come home!

http://ping.fm/7xBUa

Moving On Up

2012-02-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

With so many of us using smartphones, we'd like to be able to have the same info on our phones as we have on our computers, especially when it comes to bookmarks. While the iPhone syncs with Safari and Internet Explorer, it can't grab bookmarks from Chrome or Firefox out of the box—and most versions of Android can't sync bookmarks with any browser. Here are a few ways to get your desktop bookmarks on your smartphone without any hassle.

Plugged In

2012-02-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

Plugging in your phone to sync a mass of photos is a pain, and manually uploading each of them to Dropbox is far from ideal. Here's how to automatically upload each photo you take to Dropbox, immediately after you take it.

Don't Leave Home Without It

2012-02-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

As we head into 2012, it’s time to think about how you can keep your PC fit, fast and up to date for the next 12 months.

That means knowing which software you can rely on to perform quickly, safely and intelligently. This isn’t easy, because the web is teeming with thousand of poor programs that promise a lot but deliver little. Downloading these useless programs will only clog up your system and slow your PC down. So in this post we we’ve identified the top 10 free programs that you should download to make sure you have a brilliant year online. Many of these were new to me but are definitely worth a look.

Dentrix G5 Ships!

2012-02-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

Henry Schein begins shipping Dentrix G5 today as part of multi-month launch.
Official launch announcement set for Hinman in March.

Henry Schein today began shipping Dentrix G5, the latest version of the Dentrix practice management system, as part of a phased release that will take several months.

Although the official launch announcement will not be made until the Hinman Dental Meeting in March, Henry Schein is delivering Dentrix G5 to new Dentrix buyers, as well as a restricted number of Dentrix customers as part of a controlled launch. “By extending the release over multiple months, we can ensure all users receive quality technical support if needed during software installation,” said Howard Bangerter, Dentrix Product Manager.

“However, if a Dentrix user on a current customer plan wants immediate delivery of Dentrix G5, they can call Dentrix Technical Support and we’ll send it,” Bangerter added.

New to Dentrix G5 is an improved, SQL database with encryption capabilities that improves performance and security of patient data.

With this release, Dentrix also becomes a “platform” for connecting with other dental applications, providing tighter integration with Dentrix eServices and third-party applications that access or share Dentrix data. “Providing other software developers the Dentrix G5 programming interface enables them to more easily create applications that work with Dentrix, supporting an entire ecosystem of digital solutions for dental practices,” Bangerter said.

Software developers are already releasing Dentrix G5-integrated versions of their dental applications. To see a list of vendors developing or releasing compatible products, visit: http://www.dentrix.com/products/dentrix/g5/

Dentrix G5 includes a number of new and improved features, including:

• Electronic Explanation of Benefits (eEOB) lets practices receive, review and automatically record remittance advice in the Dentrix Ledger.
• eClaims Attachment Notifications warn users to include attachments on insurance claims for carriers that require them, reducing rejected or delayed claims.
• The new Screen Capture utility lets users drag over any part of the visible screen to create a new document and save it to the Document Center. This is especially useful for creating claims attachments.
• Sequentially Numbered Daysheets record each time the Daysheet is printed or previewed. When combined with logon passwords it creates a gapless record that shows who has accessed the Daysheet and when.
• Dentrix Dentalink is a new add-on feature that provides secure instant messaging, letting users easily communicate throughout the office with minimal disruption to patient care and workflow.
• The new Dentrix Mobile upgrade is an add-on product that presents an improved interface designed specifically for Apple iPad and Motorola Xoom tablet users.

For more information on all of Dentrix G5’s new features, visit: http://www.dentrix.com/products/dentrix/g5

So Happy Together

2012-02-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Professional and Ultimate editions of Windows come with a built in Remote Desktop (RDP) feature that allows you to access your machine remotely while away from home or the office. Unfortunately, it is limited by default to one concurrent user per session, meaning that if someone remotely connects to the computer, whoever was logged in at the moment will be automatically logged off, even if the user is physically at the computer. Here's how to get around that.

Focusing In

2012-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest challenges for dentists when it comes to dental photography is dealing with the focus of the camera. Well, what if you never had to focus again? What if you could worry about the focus after the photo was taken? This is a really cool concept in cameras and I'll definitely be following this over the next few months.

The Eyes Have It

2012-01-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

The Future of computing: eye movement recognition. Check it out!

Feeling Blu

2012-01-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

Playing Blu-ray movies on the go on a laptop or in the living room on an HTPC with a Blu-ray drive doesn't have to be difficult, but if you want true HD video quality and the experience of navigating disc extras and menus, you'll need a Blu-ray media player that's up to the task. Here are five of the best Blu-ray compatible media players.

Dinner Guest

2012-01-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

A "guest mode" on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch would be a very useful feature. Fortunately for those of you who jailbreak, you can have that feature right now.
iUsers is a jailbreak tweak the will give you the ability to run multiple user accounts on your iDevice. It was designed for iPad, so it works properly there, but if you don't mind a few quirks you can still use it on an iPhone or iPod touch as well. To get it set up, follow these steps.

Drip Droopy

2012-01-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking for a dead simple way for people to share files with you, Droopy is a mini web server with a singular function: helping people upload files to your computer.

Not everyone is technically inclined and sometimes you need people with little technical know-how to share files with you. Droopy makes it as simple as giving them a URL pointing to your home computer/server. You run the python-based web server on your computer, make sure there is an open port on your firewall, and anyone you share the URL with can share the files as easily as sending an email attachment.

Printer Madness

2012-01-26T16:10:00.000-08:00

Even though computer printers are relatively ubiquitous, you can’t just go pull one off the shelf and be guaranteed a good fit for your needs. Read on as we detail the ins and outs of buying a home printer.

Music to My Ears

2012-01-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

Many dental practices like to play music in the office, usually for the benefit of the patients but often for the staff as well. While Windows has its own music player, it's not especially good. Here are 14 Free music players that work with Windows.

Face the Music

2012-01-24T12:19:00.001-08:00

I've been a huge fan of DemandForce for years. Did you know they now integrate with Facebook? Make appts from FB?? http://bit.ly/hIHJWL

Clickity Clack

2012-01-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

ClikTech, Inc. a manufacturer of dental sensor and x-ray film holders announces the release of two new evolutionary products, ShaRing™ Universal Ring and Litening™ Rods.

ShaRing™ is a single ring designed to replace the need for three separate rings used in a full mouth series. Anterior, posterior and bitewing radiographs may now be taken with just one single ring, saving time, money and space. The ring is completely autoclavable and is compatible with existing metal anterior, posterior and bitewing rods from most manufacturers. It incorporates wire clips for any digital sensor.

Working closely with XDR Radiology and Adam Chen, DDS, Litening Rods ™ is the latest development of an existing radiology standard. Metal rods have been used for decades in dental offices. Although effective, they are costly and prone to pin breakage. Litening Rods™ eliminates these issues. Constructed of solid high heat plastic resin, these rods are completely autoclavable, reusable and both low cost and light weight. They have the added benefit of incorporating a wire clip to accommodate the latest in digital sensors and work with any standard anterior, posterior or bitewing ring in addition to ShaRing™.

“We have reached a time where we can combine both new and old technologies to produce the best available products at the most reasonable cost to the dental profession,” relates Thomas Gillen, President of Design and Manufacturing at ClikTech, Inc. “ShaRing™ and Litening Rods™ serve as the bridge to make the transition from older to the newest technologies significantly easier for the dental office.”

About ClikTech

ClikTech, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company and leading provider of digital sensor holders serving the design, engineering and production needs of companies and partners nationwide. ClikTech, Inc. supports its operations with a highly reliable infrastructure of design and development of product lines and provides engineering solutions to customers and partners in the United States. More information can be found at www.clikray.com

RAM-bo

2012-01-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

RAM is one of those upgrades everyone seems to skimp on when buying a PC, only to later wish for more. Regretting your underpowered memory purchase? Here’s how to speed up your machine by installing some additional memory.

Memory is often one the critical bottlenecks on a PC, so faster, larger stores of RAM can go a long way to making your PC perform better and with more stability. It’s not hard, even for beginner geeks. Crack open that PC in today’s hardware upgrade!

Roto Router

2012-01-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

A wireless router can be one of the hardest pieces of technology to purchase. Sifting through all of the vendor noise and choosing which router is best suited for your purposes is a daunting task. Do you need a lesser expensive single-band router or a more expensive dual-band? Do you need to upgrade or purchase an 802.11n router? What benefits do 802.11n give? Does a higher-end router mean better Internet connectivity? These questions as well as factors like security, parental controls and extra features such as the ability to connect USB printers and external storage drives to a router for sharing in your personal network, are all considerations to weigh when deciding to purchase or upgrade a router. Here's a list of the best ones out there.

How Do

2012-01-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

We handle a lot of different topics throughout the year, and our how-to guides come in a wide range of sizes and subjects, but the goal is always the same: to make it easy for you to accomplish something awesome. Here's a look back at our most popular how-to features of 2011.

Time Warp

2012-01-20T22:02:00.000-08:00

Ever wanted to restore a file from the past, but don’t have a good way to do it? With System Restore Explore you can mount a System Restore snapshot, and browse a past copy of your entire drive. Head over to the developer’s website and grab yourself a free copy of System Restore Explorer.

Webinar Tonight

2012-01-19T04:29:00.000-08:00

We’ve previously introduced benefits of cloud computing and file sharing for dentists. Now, it’s time to look at how this is truly benefiting the practices who have taken advantage of it by referring patient records online.

Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/751544978

Private Eyes

2012-01-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

At computer tips and tricks blog Addictive Tips they’ve put together a comparison of 7 popular and free VPN services. Whether you’re trying to lock down your connection at an open Wi-Fi hotspot, tunnel your traffic , or just want an extra layer of security for your home connection, you’re sure to find a free VPN solution in here.

I Can See Clearly

2012-01-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

Houston, Texas—January 11, 2012—ClearCorrect™, the manufacturer of orthodontic clear aligners(named America’s fastest-growing health company for 2011 by Inc. magazine), recently launched Phase Out™, a new project focused on making a difference.
In a post on the company’s blog, ClearCorrect CEO, Jarrett Pumphrey, said, “Five years ago, we started ClearCorrect out of a passion to help. Doctors had no choice in clear aligners, and we wanted to change that.Since then, we've remained focused on changing the clear aligner industry. Well, now our ambitions have grown. I’m very happy to announce Phase Out, a new ClearCorrect project we’re kicking off this year.The purpose of the project: To change the world.”

ClearCorrect’s unique phase-based approach to clear aligners is at the heart of the project: Every ClearCorrect case includes a certain number of phases (a phase is a box with 4 sets of clear aligners). More often than not, a few phases are left over at the end of treatment. Starting January 1, 2012, for each leftover phase, $20 will go toward phasing out life-impacting issues for people in need.
ClearCorrect is partnering with charity: water to launch the first of several Phase Out initiativesenvisioned for the project: phase out unsafe drinking water.
“It’s unbelievable that nearly a billion people on the planet still don’t have access to something so basic as clean drinking water,” says Pumphrey. “charity: water is an incredible organization working to change that. They have a big job to do, and we want to help them.”

Through Phase Out, every time a phase is left over at the end of ClearCorrect treatment, $20 will gotoward building wells and other water projects in developing nations with charity: water. One phase = one person with access to clean, safe drinking water.
To learn more about this project or get involved, visit:http://clearcorrect.com/phaseout.

About ClearCorrect

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ClearCorrect was founded by dentists to serve the dental and orthodontic industry by providing a more affordable and doctor-friendly clear aligner system. The system provides dentists and orthodontists an alternative to traditional metal braces when straightening teeth. With this system, teeth are straightened using a series of clear, custom, removable aligners. The company's modern, needs-based approach for serving doctors and patients has earned it a leadership position within the dental industry.
Now in its fifth year, ClearCorrect continues to gain popularity with over 11,000 dentists who are providers. For information about ClearCorrect, the company and its products, visit www.clearcorrect.com or call toll-free: (888) 331-3323.

About charity: water

charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100%of public donations go directly to fund sustainable water solutions in areas of greatest need. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80 percent of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses. Just $20 can give one person access to a clean water project. Learn more at: www.charitywater.org.

Cloudy Days

2012-01-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

We all discover new web apps each year but not every one of them gets the recognition it deserves. With 2011 just ended, here are the ones that deserved a bit more hype.

Stuck in the Mud

2012-01-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

If you tried to print, but the job just got stuck in the queue without being able to cancel it, you’re experiencing a stuck print job. There’s a simple way to clear out the print queue, but it’s not always the most obvious thing. Here’s how to do it.

What You Don't Know

2012-01-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

You're a veteran tech geek. You build all your own systems. Your friends and family always look to you for advice when buying PC gear or gadgets. Yet there's still stuff you don't own, and don't realize you need.

Video Killed the Radio Star

2012-01-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

Whether you're editing home movies to send to family and friends, or you're planning your web video takeover of YouTube, it's important to have the right tools to edit your videos before you put them where the world can see. Here are five of the best video editing tools.

Don't Leave Home Without It

2012-01-12T20:31:00.000-08:00

Every time you leave the house with your laptop or other mobile devices, there is the possibility that they could be stolen along with all of the personal data you have on them. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a new guide that will help you protect that data.

Fire Away

2012-01-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

The Amazon Kindle Fire is a great tablet, but it’s a little sparse when you first take the device out of the box and power it on. There are no books to read, no music and not very many apps. Prepare yourself before leaving the house with your new toy. Here are some things you’ll want to do the first time you fire up your Kindle Fire.

Explain Away

2012-01-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

This year, we broke down some tough subjects, from technical how-tos to internet-related law to psychological theory. Here are some of our favorite explainers from 2011.

Nestle $100,000 Bar

2012-01-09T09:49:00.001-08:00

ST. PAUL, Minn. — January 9, 2012 — 3M ESPE announces that its groundbreaking digital impression system, the Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S., has exceeded 100,000 clinical cases worldwide. This milestone number of digital dental impressions marks a historical moment for dental CAD/CAM systems, digital dentistry and customer satisfaction with 3M ESPE.

Dr. Richard Cordano, of Cordano and Spears Dental in Yuba City, Calif., scanned the 100,000th digital impression. He purchased the Lava C.O.S. in October 2011 and has already completed more than 97 cases using the system in combination with Trevi Dental Studio, which uses CAD/CAM dentistry.

“The fit of restorations made with digital impressions captured by the Lava C.O.S. is phenomenal. We have a great lab but the Lava C.O.S. takes it to the next level,” said Dr. Cordano. “Digital impressions speed up the initial appointment because you know right away if you need to rescan. At final seating the contacts are right. Everything is right. We’ve been very happy with the results.”
Dentists using the system have noted improved productivity through faster seating times and more predictability when scheduling because of accurate digital impressions. In addition, the Lava C.O.S. connects to several leading dental lab scanners and CAD/CAM systems, which allows an open connection to a variety of restorations and materials.

Launched in 2008, the Lava C.O.S. features 3D-in-Motion technology, a unique tool in digital dentistry. Unlike current point-and-click technology, 3D-in-Motion allows the Lava C.O.S. to capture continuous real-time 3D video images that create a digital impression, sent directly to any laboratory, which is then used to produce precise-fitting restorations.

iEnvy

2012-01-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

We know that when it comes to fulfilling the missions like business administration, pocket entertainment or simple communication needs, the iPhone is the best friend of ours, but what happens if you want even more from your miracle device?
Well, thanks to the geniuses who have worked hard to help improve the iPhone technology now help you to complete tasks which may seem impossible. Have you ever imagined that you can turn your iDevice into a portable big screen TV or create projections while you charge your iPhone wirelessly? Everything is possible thanks to these amazing gadgets.

Time Saver

2012-01-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of constantly switching between the Most Visited Webpages and Web Apps sections in Google Chrome’s new tab page? Then you will definitely love this quick hack that lets you add your favorite websites to the Web Apps section for one stop browsing goodness.

See me Now

2012-01-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

After watching Captain Picard solving all those Victorian murder mysteries on the Enterprise’s holodeck, we have to say that staring at a basic, flat-panel monitor is sooooo 20th century. Wasn’t the future of television watching supposed to be way cooler than this by now? Yeah, it was, but don’t worry; those spiffy high-tech displays have only been delayed, not scrapped entirely. A veritable army of hard-working engineers have been laboring day and night to bring flexible phones, holograms you can feel, physical 3D interfaces, and touchscreen, well, everything to your living room, car and workplace sometime soon. And hey, we’ve got actual pictures to prove it!

Flip Flop

2012-01-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

In 2011, technology gifted the masses with the magic of the cloud and 4G as far as the eye can see, but the year wasn't without its disappointments. In fact, this year's tech climate bore witness to some failures of truly epic proportion: From launch letdowns to billion dollar bungles, here are the biggest technology fails of 2011.

25 Cents

2012-01-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

COSTA MESA, CA., January 2012 – In 2012, CareCredit will celebrate its 25th Anniversary of helping patients access the care they want, when they want it. Established in 1987, CareCredit was initially offered by practices as another way for patients to pay for new dental implants. Since then, CareCredit has continued to focus solely on healthcare and has helped more than 20 million patients get care. The CareCredit healthcare credit card is now accepted at 150,000 enrolled practices nationwide including veterinary, ophthalmology, cosmetic, audiology, podiatry, chiropractic, optometry and other specialties.

“It’s been a privilege to serve the doctors and teams who make CareCredit available to patients,” said Dave Fasoli, President, CareCredit. “Reaching our silver 25th Anniversary is important, but in many ways we view it as only the beginning. Helping patients access care is a long-term commitment that we have embraced as a company. We will continue to work hard to meet patients’ changing needs, so more can hear better, see better, feel more confident and smile bigger.”

Doctors agree offering CareCredit as another payment option is the right thing to do for patients. “Twenty-five years ago, I added CareCredit because I believe every patient should have access to my best care recommendations,” explains Dr. Gary Weiner, the first doctor to add CareCredit. “Patients want to be healthy and many prefer a payment option that’s convenient for them. In any economy, CareCredit is relevant and helpful to patients.” Dr. Ross Drangsholt, the 150,000th doctor to make the program available added, “Patients need another way to pay for their Orthodontic care. We had tried another program, but were not getting the approval rates or service we needed. Adding CareCredit just made sense, especially today.”

CareCredit, a healthcare credit card, is available at over 150,000 enrolled practices across the country. CareCredit is exclusively selected for their members by most state and national dental associations, including ADA Business ResourcesSM, AGD, AAOMS, and AAP and is also recommended by leading practice management consultants.

Tracks of My Tears

2012-01-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Has someone you know used a public peer-to-peer network to download ‘files of interest’ and were curious if there was a record of it? Then a quick visit to youhavedownloaded.com may provide for an eye opening experience. The website presents a publicly searchable database and will verify whether an IP address is on record there or not.

You can read more about how the website works, the stats for the site, its limitations, reactions from those who have found themselves on record there, and more using the link to the full blog post here.

All Together Now

2012-01-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

So, you've jumped into social media head first, and now you have a FaceBook, Twitter, and Google+ account. Too lazy to post to all three separately? That's ok, here's how to post to all of them at the same time.

MacLovin'

2012-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

2011 brought a new version of Mac OS X and plenty of great Mac-oriented content. Here's a look at the most popular Mac downloads and posts this past year.

Crash and Burn

2011-12-31T19:05:00.001-08:00

Amazon's affordable new tablet is being battered by complaining customers — and critics argue that the device is headed for an early burnout.

Best of the Rest

2011-12-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

I'm used to seeing "best of" lists around this time of year, but have never seen one this comprehensive.

How "To" You Do

2011-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

How-To Geek teaches you all kinds of useful and interesting things. Sometimes we publish special How-To Guides, which are detailed articles about how to do something. Here are the best ones that they published in 2011.

Droid

2011-12-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Android apps come in all shapes and sizes – literally.

Unlike iOS applications, which are basically created for two form factors, Android apps need to be developed with dozens (if not hundreds) of device-types in mind. This is on top of the inconsistent operating system releases still mucking things up. While all of this fragmentation is a headache for developers, ignoring a platform with 50 percent market share would ultimately lead to their peril.

The best Android apps are thus the ones that can both push the technological envelope while also remaining accessible to the vast majority of users. This is no easy feat.

Here's a list of the best 30 Android apps in four distinct categories.

Fire in the Hole

2011-12-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

With Amazon's recent release of the Kindle Fire (I've had mine since Day 1), it's inevitable that people will compare it to the iPad, even though they are different devices that do different things. Here's a great review of what the Fire can do and how it stacks up to the iPad. I have both, and both are almost always with me when I travel.

Blue Bayou

2011-12-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

Now that the high-def DVD was has been decided (Blu-Ray won, in case you didn't know!), it's time to choose a good Blu Ray player. Here are the 10 best. Keep in mind that in order to see full Blu-ray, you must have a 1080p monitor; many dental monitors top out at 720p.

Best of Windows 7

2011-12-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

How-To Geek has provided all kinds of tips and tricks to help you get the most from your Windows 7 system. The following are 20 of the best articles they’ve published about Windows 7 in 2011.

Safe and Sound

2011-12-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

Lots of people go out of town for the holidays to visit relatives or to get as far away from relatives as possible. Both are understandable, but in this era of modern social networking, it's important to be careful about how you interact with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and others.
One well-known tactic of thieves is watching the obituaries. It makes sense. When someone dies, particularly someone very old, the likelihood of their homes being left unattended and full of goodies for Stealin' Santa to put in his getaway sleigh is high. With social media, you don't have to be dead, just careless, and you could come home to a giant lump of coal in your stocking in the form of missing jewelry and electronics.

Here are five ways to keep from losing more than you gain this Christmas.

Burn Baby Burn

2011-12-23T12:21:00.000-08:00

Windows has more disc burning apps than we can count, but a few notable programs stand out from the pack. A favorite is CDBurnerXP for its long list of features and easy-to-use interface.

Networks 101

2011-12-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

Today we’re taking a look at the home networking hardware: what the individual pieces do, when you need them, and how best to deploy them. Read on to get a clearer picture of what you need to optimize your home network.

Care Credit "On the Move"

2011-12-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

COSTA MESA, CA., December 2011 – CareCredit has launched an optimized version of its website www.carecredit.com and a web-based app, giving patients another way to learn about and apply for financing at the practice or practically anywhere via their smartphone, iPad or other tablet device.

Submitting an application using a smartphone or tablet only takes a couple of minutes and gives patients the flexibility of applying for CareCredit anywhere, anytime. Similar to fax, phone and online application methods, with the smartphone-optimized website or web-based app, patients receive credit decisions almost instantly and are given their account number and available credit so they can immediately schedule care. Patients can also easily find a practice that offers CareCredit on their smartphone or tablet device using CareCredit’s Doctor Locator interface to search the more than 150,000 enrolled practices by name, location or phone number.

“Our goal was to create an excellent experience for mobile device users,” said David Fasoli, CEO and President, CareCredit. “The mobile website and online app provide practices with additional options they can use to easily educate patients about CareCredit, have them apply for the program privately from their phone or tablet, and quickly move forward with the care they need.”

For 25 years, CareCredit, a healthcare credit card, has made it easy for patients to get the dentistry they want, when they want it. Part of GE Capital’s Retail Finance business, CareCredit is available in more than 150,000 enrolled practices and has been used by over 20 million patients. CareCredit is exclusively selected for their members by most state and national dental associations including AADOM, ADA Business ResourcesSM*, AGD, AAOMS, and AAP and is also recommended by leading practice management consultants. For more information on CareCredit, call 800-300-3046 ext. 4519 or visit www.carecredit.com.

Bits and Pieces

2011-12-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

Ask any PC tech person how to make your computer faster, and almost every one of them will tell you to defrag your PC. But do you really need to manually trigger a defrag these days?

Naughty or Nice

2011-12-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, there’s one question that gets asked rather frequently: Have you been naughty or nice? Of course, we all know that a lot http://beta.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhinges on this one question. If you’ve been nice, then perhaps Santa will bring you an awesome gift; that one piece of hardware you've been jonesing for.

The top category this year is tablets -- a product category that has taken off in a huge way. The iPad started the modern-day tablet surge in 2010, but 2011 has seen dozens of rivals pop up with Windows 7 and Android Honeycomb at the forefront.

Practical Jokes

2011-12-18T23:24:00.000-08:00

Have you ever surprised and impressed a non-geek friend when you were doing something on your computer that you thought was simple? If so, you performed a Stupid Geek Trick. These are simple, sometimes not very useful, computer tasks.

Home Away from Home

2011-12-17T20:03:00.000-08:00

If you are heading out of town, you might want to put a note on your email to let people know where to contact you. Or just to let them know to contact somebody else while you’re away. Here’s how to setup a vacation responder for (almost) any email account.

Temporary Insanity

2011-12-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

Do you find that you are constantly writing emails to referring offices about patients? Wouldn't it be easier if you could create a template for chores like this in Outlook? Here's how.

Building Block

2011-12-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest complaints I hear from dentists is that their staff often visit web sites that they'd prefer they not visit. While a good written Internet Use policy is always my first choice, sometimes you need to be stricter as well.

For many people a massive commercial internet filter is overkill. What if you just want to block Facebook? You don’t need a huge system for that, all you need is the access restrictions module in your router. Today we’re looking at how you can quickly and easily block traffic on your network using router-based access restrictions.

Slow and Steady

2011-12-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

Has your internet connection become slower than it should be? There may be a chance that you have some malware, spyware, or adware that is using your internet connection in the background without your knowledge. Here’s how to see what's going on under the hood.http://beta.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Free and Clear

2011-12-13T12:22:00.000-08:00

A few months after the first iPad was released last year, a list of apps was posted that new owners should consider installing first. It has become one of the mostpopular posts on TechBlog, but it was written almost 14 months ago. That’s eons in Internet time, and it’s already out of date. With that in mind, here’s an updated version of the list.

Webinar Tuesday Evening

2011-12-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, everybody's talking about the cloud. And they should be. Using cloud-based software to manage your practice makes much more sense. But what about HIPAA compliance and security.

That's just one more reason why you should consider managing your practice using the cloud. This highly informative webinar will go deep, point by point, to show you how cloud-based dental software can actually make it easier for you to comply with HIPAA.

In this webinar we'll discuss:

• The curious origins of HIPAA
• The huge, personal risks for not paying attention to HIPAA compliance
• How you can protect yourself with an audit
• How the cloud helps you become and remain compliant with little to no effort on your part
• A fascinating, point-by-point review of every security requirement and how the cloud stands up against traditional software

Driving Me Crazy

2011-12-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

Talk to any tech person, read any forum, and at some point you’re sure to be told to update your drivers… but what does that really mean? And is it necessary to compulsively update your drivers? Here’s one take.

High Five

2011-12-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

Working with the same files in multiple places used to be a hassle. You'd have to make sure to bring the file with you, email it to yourself, or save it in a place you could get to it later. Now, there are a number of online file storage and syncing services that will make your data available on as many computers as you like. Here's a look at five of the best of those services.

Passing Fancy

2011-12-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

With HIPAA and HITECH regulations controlling many dental offices, it always amazes me that one critical area is often overlooked: passwords. We know it's difficult to do what they tell you; use a mixture of lower and upper case letters, numbers, symbols, letters of the greek alphabet, hieroglyphics...but seriously, are people still using password as their password?

According to SplashData, a password management app maker, it seems they still are. Using data from stolen passwords that were then released online, they have compiled a list of the 25 worst passwords of 2011.

Top of the Heap

2011-12-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

As we get towards the end of the year, this is when those numerous Top 10 lists start to surface. First up? The Top 10 Tablets of 2011. Sad to saw that I actually own 3 of these :-)

Root of the Matter

2011-12-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

The Kindle Fire, fresh into the hands of consumers across the country, has already been rooted and accessed with ADB. I got mine a day after release and love it!

Right now the hack is awesome but of limited utility–it highlights how easily the Kindle Fire can be rooted and prepared for a custom ROM but for the moment you’ll find there aren’t many custom ROMs floating around.

The Haves and Have Nots

2011-12-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

Recently, Amazon untied the bow on its long-anticipated iPad competitor, the Kindle Fire. While no company to date has been able to make so much as a dent in Apple's iron grip on the tablet market, Amazon isn't your everyday manufacturer, and the Kindle Fire isn't your average tablet. Unlike Motorola, Samsung, HTC and every other major company to rush an iPad clone onto store shelves, Amazon took its time — and perhaps most importantly, it opted to rethink what consumers might really need in a tablet, playing to the iPad's few weaknesses. Instead of rehashing the winning appeal of Apple's wonder slate, Amazon took its winning e-reader formula and applied it to a more tablet-like device. So what does the Amazon Kindle Fire have to offer that the ubiquitous iPad doesn't? Read on — you might be surprised.

Learn Orthodontics!

2011-12-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

Most general dentists learn ortho in dental school but rarely perform this in their practices. However, with proper training, you can learn to do ortho, and many cases can be completed in 6 months! Want to learn more? Then come to my webinar tomorrow night.

Safety First

2011-12-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

If you are one of those people who don’t safely remove their USB Devices just because you’re lazy, here’s a neat trick to do it from the context menu on your desktop. Even if you are not lazy and just forget, the icon will serve as a mental reminder. So let’s take a look.

Windows on the World

2011-12-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

When you look in your mouth you may see teeth that need whitening, but a dentist may see signs of heart disease. A study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that many dental problems can be signs of serious health complications.

On the Go

2011-12-02T19:40:00.001-08:00

We share a lot of cool gadgets around here, but there are a few tech essentials we think should be in every geek's laptop bag. Here are the 10 coolest (and most useful) gadgets you should always have with you.

Short and Sweet

2011-12-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you who like to use the quickest methods of getting things done on your computer, we have shown you many Windows shortcuts and hotkeys for performing useful tasks in the past.

This article compiles 20 of the best Windows shortcuts and hotkeys we have documented.

Fast and Furious

2011-11-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

Does it ever seem like everyone's out to get you? On the Internet, that is. Your every keystroke being followed, prying eyes over your shoulder when you enter in a password, fake Nigerian princes luring you with the promise of riches? You're not paranoid, you're pragmatic.

Internet threat detector Kindsight has just released a chart that tracks the movements of the top 20 perpetrators out there. Some of them are repeat offenders. Here are five of the fastest-spreading viruses that you'll want to avoid catching.

Go Fetch

2011-11-29T10:57:00.000-08:00

In the past, I've talked about a fantastic tool called Dropbox that allows you to syn files across multiple computers. If all you need is access to your work files, though, a VPN may be a better choice. Whether you’re at work and forgot some file on your home computer, want to play some music on a train, or just want to move some files between your computers, accessing your files from anywhere is a life saver.

The best way to do this is with a program called Hamachi. Think it’s hard? Here’s a detailed how-to.

Hide and Seek

2011-11-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a nifty little trick: you have files on your computer that you rarely need but want to hide them from prying eyes. Sure, you could try to encrypt them but that's difficult for many of you. How about if you had a partition on your hard drive that nobody knew even existed? When you add a drive to your PC, by default it gets a drive letter, whether it is a removable drive or even a fixed hard drive inside of your PC. Lets take a look at how we can hide these drives. Note: This will completely hide the drive, even from you. You’ll have to open up disk management to un-hide it.

Moving Day

2011-11-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Many dental offices we work with are starting to replace their computer hard drives with the newer and faster solid state drives (SSD). If the thought of reinstalling Windows and all your favorite apps has kept you from upgrading to a Solid State Drive read on to learn how to migrate Windows 7 to a speedy new SSD without reinstalling everything.

The Time Has Come

2011-11-26T23:27:00.000-08:00

For most of us, the Web browser is the first application we use when we turn on a computer. It's how we check email, read the news, chat with friends and do just about everything.

What many users don't realize, however, is that the Web browser is the most important security defense our computers have — and yet 60 percent of the browsers accessing the Internet today are outdated. An outdated browser ends up impacting everyone's security, privacy and performance.

To help users understand the importance of the browser you use, the Online Trust Alliance (OTA), a Web-industry trade group based in Bellevue, Wash., that promotes security and trust in online marketing and commerce, recently unveiled the "Why Your Browser Matters" initiative.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

As many of us yesterday celebrated our Thanksgiving meals (and impending food comas), let's not forget to pay our yearly tribute to the wonderful developers who bring us our favorite free apps. Here are 50 free apps for your downloading feast.

The Fix is In

2011-11-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

Many people are experiencing horrible iPhone 4S battery life. Apple Support Forum is full of complaints that their iPhone 4S battery is draining drastically. No one is certain about the main cause of the problem and even Apple hasn’t yet said officially about this puzzle, although, there’re reports that Apple support staff is contacting some of the people who post in Support forum individually to solve the problem. According to Apple, iPhone 4S has standby time of up to 200 hours but many buyers of the device aren’t even getting 24-hours standby time.

No one is sure about the main cause yet but trying different changes and turning off a few things on your iPhone 4s can really improve your device batter life. Here are some of the tips which can help you.

Cloudy Day

2011-11-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

ST. PAUL, Minn. – (November 22, 2011) – Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. announces new updates to CAESY Cloud, its online portal that gives users instant access to CAESY Patient Education multimedia presentations via the Cloud. Six new Orthodontics presentations are now available to help practices keep patients informed:
Braces Care for Adults, Early Intervention, Retainers, Molar Uprighting, Invisalign Teen, and Identifying Oral Habits for Kids. Additionally, a number of existing presentations have already been updated, including Orthodontic Alternatives, Invisible Braces Alternatives, Adult Braces Procedure, Child Braces Procedure and
Invisalign for Adults.

Launched in July 2011, CAESY Cloud currently offers more than 280 multimedia presentations, which dental offices can access on PC and Mac desktop computers, Smartphones, and the iPad, iPhone and iPod. In addition to the new Orthodontics content, the latest updates to the online system include a new banner at the
login page that immediately notifies users of updates or new features. With all content accessible through the Cloud, subscribers just need to log in to access the latest videos and updates.

CAESY Cloud requires no installation. All that is needed to access CAESY Cloud is an Internet connection—networked connections between participating computers are not required. Dental professionals can simply sign up for the service by visiting www.CAESYCloud.com and gain access to the presentations for immediate use
from anywhere. After subscribing, users simply visit the website to access the full library of CAESY’s robust patient education presentations. A low monthly subscription fee makes CAESY Cloud available to dental practices with little initial investment.

CAESY Education Systems has been dentistry’s premier developer of leading-edge patient education technology and content since 1993. Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. acquired CAESY in May 2004. The award-winning multimedia information on preventive, restorative and esthetic treatment options helps dental practices worldwide educate their patients and grow their practices. The CAESY content is distributed via video and computer networks, DVD players and CAESY Cloud throughout the clinical and reception areas of the dental practice. The family of products includes CAESY Cloud, CAESY DVD, Smile Channel DVD, and CAESY Enterprise, which includes CAESY, Smile Channel and ShowCase. For more information, visit www.caesy.com.

Learn from the Best

2011-11-22T10:21:00.000-08:00

Help shape the field of informatics in healthcare by training in dental informatics at the University of Pittsburgh! At the Center for Dental Informatics, you can get training in a cutting-edge discipline and conduct innovative research on:

• electronic dental records
• decision support
• human-computer interaction
• reuse of clinical data for research
• evidence-based dentistry
• teledentistry

Getting training in a variety of aspects on informatics opens up unique career opportunities, such as in software development, information technology management, academic teaching and research, and consulting.

We are currently recruiting applicants at the certificate, MS, PhD and postdoctoral levels. The program is highly multidisciplinary and is open to individuals with a variety of backgrounds, such as information science/computer science, dentistry, medicine, information technology or related fields.

Financial support, in the form of a full scholarship, a stipend, health insurance and more from the National Institutes of Health is available to eligible http://beta.blogger.com/img/blank.gifindividuals. Applications are accepted immediately. Program start is August 2012.

Please note: The NIH also offers a loan repayment program for educational loans for up to $35,000/year for 3 years.

For more information, please visit our Website at

End of the Line

2011-11-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

Most geeks will tell you it’s well past time to get rid of XP and upgrade to newer, safer operating systems. It can be tough to explain, so keep reading this list of real world reasons to let XP go.

Forgive and Forget

2011-11-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

Forgetting your password is never any fun, but luckily there’s a really easy way to reset the password. All you need is a copy of the Windows installation disk and one simple command line trick.

Pass the Buck

2011-11-19T20:56:00.000-08:00

If you're trying to break into a Windows computer—whether you've forgotten your password or are hatching an evil plan—you have quite a few options. Here's how to do it, and how to keep your own computer protected.

Static Electricity

2011-11-18T20:44:00.000-08:00

Do you have an external USB hard drive or flash drive that you use frequently for backups or for use with applications? Every time you plug it in you may get a different drive letter for that drive.

There is a way to assign a static drive letter to an external USB drive so you always get the same drive letter for that drive.

Mr. Fixit

2011-11-17T22:35:00.000-08:00

Technology is great until it breaks and you have to spend hours trying to figure out what's wrong before you can even fix the problem. Often times the entire ordeal will take even longer because you've failed to consider the obvious, or a particular strategy that worked in the past. Here are the top 10 tactics for diagnosing and solving the many problems that occur with your computers, smartphones, web sites, and mor

Self Abuse

2011-11-16T08:56:00.000-08:00

Whether you dread going to the dentist or eagerly open wide every six months, here's some news that may shock you: You currently have a few habits that are ruining your smile.

Drop in the Bucket

2011-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

Dropbox is a great way to store files in the cloud and access them easily from devices big and small. Today we’re taking a look at how you can supercharge your Dropbox experience with free space upgrades, app integration, and more.

Return to Sender

2011-11-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

We have a plethora of ways to share large files, but nothing may be simpler than email—if only there wasn't that pesky typical 25MB limit. WinZip's ZipSend service overcomes that barrier, with up to 2GB per email possible.

ZipSend isn't really sending 2GB in the email message; what it does is connect to the new ZipSend file sending service (powered by YouSendIt) from your email client, automatically zips the large files, and inserts a link to the files at the top of the message. The plugin integrates with Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Hotmail. Perhaps it doesn't sound too revolutionary, since it's just a connector to another file transfer service, but the one-click integration in your email client and the large 2GB limit are certainly attractive.

Six of One, Half Dozen of Another

2011-11-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

The reason that many general dentists don't do ortho is simple: we're not comfortable with it. But, what if you could learn the skills to provide ortho to your patients and to boot, have the treatment completed in 6 months? Come register for my webinar on December 6 to find out how you can start providing this excellent treatment option to your patients.

Freetown

2011-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

If 'free' is the magic word when you're shopping for iPhone apps, this essential set of 30 should be on your list.

Easy Does It

2011-11-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

Let’s admit it, for those computer-phobes, a personal computer with a fully featured and robust operating system isn’t right for either them or you. As wonderful as a PC with a real operating system is, there’s maintenance to be done, patches and drivers to be installed, and enough dials, knobs, and gauges that a computer-phobic cyberklutz can really bork things up faster than you can say right-click.

But in a world where not having access to email, Facebook, and the Internet puts you as far off the grid as the Unabomber, is there a way for these folks to have an easy, trouble-free computing lifestyle? There sure is...check it out here.

Time Saver

2011-11-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

Every time you format and reinstall your PC, you have to activate Windows again, which can sometimes be a pain once you’ve done it too many times. Here’s how to backup and then restore the activation status.

Print for Less

2011-11-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, How-to-Geek asked people to share their tips and tricks for minimizing your printing costs and getting more out of your home printer. They responded and here's what they said.

Attached at the Hip

2011-11-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

With so many of us in the dental field using mobile devices, we often want to be able to use those devices to get our laptops online when we travel. Problem is, almost all carriers charge for this service. Here's how to get around that. Of course, do this at your own risk as it may brick your phone and even if it doesn't, it's probably against your cell phone carrier's terms of service.