This is a guest post by Richard Keane.

Over the past year and a half, major advances have been made in mobile computing technology. Arguably, one of the most exciting new offerings has cropped up in a niche that didn’t exist in the consumer market prior to 2010. The tablet – and more specifically, the Apple iPad – has fundamentally altered the way in which information producers conceptualise data dissemination, as well as the way in which consumers take it in. 

With such a tremendous range of potential applications, it is also easy to understand why industries and businesses of all types have been able to revolutionise many aspects of their operations with the iPad. The medical industry, in particular, has been quick to adopt the iPad and integrate it into its business processes. And within the medical industry, dental facilities specifically have been employing the iPad in a number of new and unique ways to streamline and modernise their practices.

To better understand how iPads are being used by dental practices, an end-to-end visit should be viewed from the perspective of a patient. It is likely not unreasonable to say that most people do not find a trip to the dentist enjoyable; for this reason, many dental offices around the country have begun to offer iPads to patients in the waiting room in addition to the standard magazines, newspapers and television. Because of its highly engaging and interactive nature, the iPad offers a welcome distraction from the phobias that one might otherwise find cropping up. This device can be especially effective at distracting children, with interactive books, games and videos.

But the waiting room is not the only dental office location in which an iPad might exist; they can be even more useful for the patient in the chair as well as the dentist. For example, in conjunction with a digital x-ray system, iPads can actually help reduce a patient’s exposure to radiation. Since digital systems are more sensitive than analogue, a smaller radiation dosage can be administered. The resulting image can subsequently be displayed to the patient on an iPad while they remain in the chair, allowing them to see what the dentist sees.

The iPad is also quickly becoming an indispensable teaching and demonstration tool for dentists who want to efficiently educate their patients about proper dental care or to help them better understand a certain procedure to allay their concerns.

Lastly, the iPad can greatly reduce the need for paper and, providing that the appropriate back-end IT infrastructure is in place, it can allow for consolidation and simpler, virtually instantaneous retrieval of a patient’s records. Because of the iPad’s highly portable nature, the information can then be reviewed by the dentist and patient together.