Say Cheese

With digital cameras part of everyday life, many dental practices are realizing that they need to be part of a practice's life as well. But, how do you choose? Here's a great primer on the different types of cameras and how to choose the best one for your needs.

Goliath vs. Goilath

Google is gunning for Facebook.

The search giant recently launched Google+, a social networking site that aims to rectify the company's failed social media efforts, such as Google Buzz and Wave, and put a dent in Facebook's business.

So does Google+ stand a chance against Facebook, which is now over 750 million users strong and has been valued at $100 billion? Google isn't giving up without a fight: the behemoth needs a hit in the social space and one Google executive called Google+ a bet-the-company effort. To help you decide, here's a look at six features Google+ has that Facebook doesn't.

Hide in Plain Sight

There are lots of people who prefer to browse the internet using a proxy. There are many reasons behind it. One of the most important reasons include your private information which you may just leave on a public computer.

When you browse the internet through hidden proxies, websites do not send you the request directly but to the proxy server and it shows the information of the proxy server rather than your personal information. They are also used to unblock websites on different organizations and school networks like Facebook, Twitter etc.

For that purpose, here's a list of 10 excellent free proxy services which you can use to browse the internet anonymously.

Get the Boot

If there's one thing everyone dreads, it's rebooting their computer. It may only take a minute or two, but it can seem like forever. Here are the top 10 tweaks that'll make your computer boot a little faster.

Roll Your Own

File syncing is a godsend when you work on multiple computers or devices and want to make sure you have the most up-to-date files wherever you log in. While online services like Dropbox may be the most convenient options, there are plenty of reasons you may want to "roll your own cloud" and sync your files to your own web server or just on your local network. Here's how to set up a Dropbox clone, complete with instantaneous, encrypted syncs, cloud backups, and file versioning.

Be True to Your School

3M Donation Advances Digital Dentistry at U.S. Dental Schools

Schools that meet established criteria to receive Lava Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S. Systems

ST. PAUL, Minn. - (August 1, 2011) - By the end of 2011, dental programs from selected schools across the nation will be able to offer hands-on training with some of the most advanced technology in the industry. 3M Community Giving, the charitable giving arm of 3M, announced that it will donate Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S. impression-taking systems as part of its goal to advance academic excellence in higher education. The donation includes support from 3M’s dental division, 3M ESPE, to successfully integrate the technology into dental schools. Dental schools selected will meet several criteria, including number of students, proximity to 3M facilities and demonstrated capability to integrate digital dentistry into their curriculums.

“Digital-related products are expected to revolutionize the next generation of dentistry, making it essential that students receive training to ensure that they are properly prepared to enter the marketplace,:” said Ian Hardgrove, senior vice president of marketing and sales and president of the 3M Corporate Giving Committee. “Connecting universities with the desire to offer cutting edge technologies with the worldwide leader of dental innovations was a natural fit given our organizational goal of preparing students for future opportunities and 3M ESPE’s commitment to transform the dental industry. The Lava C.O.S. system will provide the basis for assisting universities to enter the digital age of dentistry.”

The Lava C.O.S. is a powerful teaching tool to advance the learning techniques between students and teachers. It is an innovative digital impression-taking system that allows dentists to view continuous 3D video images captured in a patient’s mouth in real-time on a touch-screen monitor. This real-time visibility allows dentists to confidently and immediately assess the data capture before a patient leaves the office. The technology also allows dentists and labs to have the same advanced tools to review cases knowing that they are seeing exactly the same images. Dentists using the Lava C.O.S. report increased productivity‚ lower remake rates‚ better patient satisfaction and more reliable communication with their labs. Having hands-on experience with the system prior to graduation will help graduates transition their pre-clinical experiences to the patient clinic.

3M ESPE will help facilitate the donations to schools that meet the required criteria in order to ensure that the technology is used to its fullest advantage. “Embracing new technology is a challenge for any organization,” said Larry Lair, president and general manager of 3M ESPE. “3M ESPE is committed to helping 3M Community Giving ensure that selected universities successfully integrate this into their curricula. We are thrilled that they are committed to supporting education and supplying these schools with leading technology.”

3M Community Giving donates cash and products to education and nonprofit organizations to strengthen communities in the United States where the company has facilities. Investments are primarily in technical, engineering, and business schools and efforts that further teaching and learning.

How to Succeed with New Patients Without Really Trying

As any dentist is well aware, new patients are the lifeblood of any practice. The question is, what's the most effective (and cost-effective) way to do this? My friend, Dr. Gary Sanchez, has figured all of this out for you and is holding a webinar tomorrow evening at 9PM EST. I urge all of you to register to watch this fantastic presentation. You can get the details here.