The next generation of patient education: multilingual Dental Explorer 3D

The A3 Imperative (Anything, Anywhere, Anytime) that has left its mark on our information and knowledge society also characterizes the healthcare sector: we see "informed patients" who always consult the Web prior to their visit to the physician or dentist. The problem is that the knowledge concerning their suspected disease is often superficial. It is the task of the treatment provider to make factual information available and to discuss diagnostic aspects and therapeutic concepts with the patient, competently and based on the merits of the individual case. Dentistry is particularly affected by the online information trend, because the available restorative options cover a broad therapeutic spectrum with many conceivable alternatives that present a highly complex picture. Against this background, a dedicated three-dimensional multimedia software program was developed that visualizes all relevant individual dental treatment options in 3D as appropriate to the patient's oral status, actively supporting chairside communication. A 2D and 3D database containing more than 20,000 image and video files was created that visualizes--in several languages--the status of the individual patient and the planned restorative treatment. With this far-ranging concept, the process of patient-shared or participatory decision-making has been raised to new qualitative levels.