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Dental informatics: an emerging biomedical informatics discipline
1Center for Dental Informatics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. titus@pitt.edu
Journal of Dental Education
|December 3, 2003
Summary
Dental informatics is an emerging scientific field distinct from information technology. It shares methods with biomedical informatics but requires novel solutions for unique research questions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical informatics
- Dental informatics
Background:
- Biomedical informatics is a well-established research discipline.
- Dental informatics is an emerging subdiscipline, often confused with information technology (IT).
- Many dental professionals lack familiarity with the scientific principles of dental informatics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate informatics from IT.
- To explain the scientific questions and methods in informatics.
- To position dental informatics within the broader field of biomedical informatics.
Main Methods:
- Delineation of informatics principles from information technology.
- Explanation of scientific inquiry in informatics: model formulation, system development, implementation, and effects.
- Drawing methods from information science, computer science, cognitive science, and telecommunications.
Main Results:
- Informatics is a distinct scientific discipline with established research areas.
- Dental informatics shares research questions and methods with biomedical informatics.
- Specific research in dental informatics may necessitate novel solutions beyond current informatics capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Dental informatics is a developing scientific entity requiring clear definition.
- Understanding the scientific basis of informatics is crucial for dental professionals.
- Future research in dental informatics may drive innovation in informatics fields.