The digital world is revolutionizing healthcare, and one area in particular is app development. For orthodontists and dentists who are looking for free educational resources for patients or are interested in ways of helping them do their job more effectively, some of these apps suited to the world of dentistry and orthodontics are worth a look.
Dental Phobia
There are so many people running scared of the dentist who really need treatment. The app Dental Phobia helps with this problem. It explains dental procedures in simple terms, including what to expect as a patient. The app also provides coping strategies for people afraid to go to the dentist or orthodontist with the aim of getting them more relaxed and confident about the process. There is music within the app too aimed at helping people relax while at the dentist.
Orthotown
Orthotown is an online professional community for orthodontic clinicians offering peer support, networking and clinical updates. It includes forums, and the app also has detail on the latest trends and topics in the orthodontic world. Subjects range from 3D printing to dental plans and office design.
Dental Manager
The Dental Manager app enables clinicians to work out dental plans using a smartphone. This helps with financial management and also tracks patient records with contact details so the dentist or orthodontist always has them to hand. Dental Manager also enables coworkers to share records, which helps with planning complex cases.
Orasphere
Explaining complex procedures is all part of the job for an orthodontist. The app Orasphere makes explanations a lot more visual and interactive. It has lots of high-quality videos of different procedures for people to watch. This also reinforces the information being given by the clinician, which contributes towards the informed consent process.
BracesHelp
BracesHelp is an app aimed at people considering having orthodontic work done or who wear a dental brace. It is full of information, including videos on caring for a brace and what to do if there are problems with it.
Dental Expert
Dental Expert is a free app that has a vast amount of information on dental issues, including caring for teeth and what to do in an emergency. It is a great resource for patients and has information on how to find a dentist, as well as some of the clinical issues.
Brush DJ
The Brush DJ app helps educate patients about oral health and brushing teeth to prevent problems. Brush DJ plays music while a person cleans their teeth so they get the timing right, and it livens up the experience. It also has a planner to help patients schedule dental or orthodontic appointments.
Be Food Smart
Prevention is always better than cure, and the free Be Food Smart App from Public Health England enables people to scan a barcode of a food item to establish just how much sugar is in that packet of cookies or pasta sauce. This is a great start at helping minimize sugar intake, which leads to so many orthodontic problems further on in life. For someone on a limited income, staying healthy is crucial to avoid large dental bills.
New orthodontic and dental apps are appearing all the time and bring technology to the dentistry office in a positive way. By showing patients a few of these apps, many of which are free, a dental team will be supporting them to have good oral care and be prepared for orthodontic treatments.
