[Technology and progress in the use of information systems in the dental office]

The numerous DP systems used in dental offices are designed for administrative work. Data storage and management is limited to accountancy applications, and the advantages of the flow of information are restricted to operational purposes. Data of medical use are available only to a moderate extent. It should be possible, however, to use these information systems for processing purely medical data, for the structured input of comprehensive diagnostic information, and to have these data available for specific decisions. The use of a "decision-supporting system" has been tested in the documentation of dental diagnostic findings.