survey on the use of information technology amongst dentists in Islamabad

ABSTRACT

To get a better understanding of the baseline computer skills of the target group, see how dental informatics is helping health professionals and how far behind Pakistan is from the rest of the world in this field. We use the term information technology or IT to refer to an entire industry. In actuality, information technology is the use of computers and software to manage information. In some companies, this is referred to as Management Information Services [MIS] or simply as Information Services [IS]. The term Dental informatics is defined as the application of computer and information sciences to improve dental practice, research, education and management. A questionnaire based survey was conducted consisting of 19 questions relating to dental informatics and randomly distributed amongst dentists of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Results showed that computer usage and access was only limited to storing patient information or email. Practice management systems were a very uncommon feature, in fact nonexistent in dental practices. Only a handful of the target group dentist had ever taken a computer course however the general attitude of young Pakistani dentists towards the adoption of dental informatics in their practice, institutes or hospitals was very positive. A lot of issues have to be addressed before an integrated system can be implemented in to every practice and hospital in our country. Dentists' attitudes are a decisive factor to implementing dental computerization for an ever growing need for advancement in dentistry. The government should try and implement a dental health information system country wide and train dentists in this field of dental education.