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	Practice for Macs MacPractice (macpractice.com) is the leading practice management application for dental offices using Apple’s Mac operating system.

A review of the characteristics of these high-profile computer systems to determine which best meets the needs of most practices.

By Dr. Larry Emmott


Poor old PC; he seems like a nice guy who means well but he is plain, dumpy and just all around klutzy. Mac, on the other hand, is hip, cool and easy going. At least that’s the image the popular Mac vs. PC commercials suggest, and it is in fact the image many consumers have. Is that accurate? Should dentists dump klutzy, old PC for hip, cool Mac?

The Mac/PC debate is not new. For decades, computer users have discussed the relative merits of each system. Unfortunately, the debate is often fueled more by passion than by reason. Mac users tend to be fiercely loyal.

The following is a (hopefully) dispassionate look at how the PC and Mac differ in 10 areas, and a conclusion: which computer is best for dentists.

01 Ease of use: Yes, the rumors are true, Macs are generally easier to use than PCs. This is due in part to the consistent look, feel and functionality across all Mac applications as well as the simple drag-and-drop functions in the Mac operating system. On the other hand, the newest PC operating system, Vista, has received mixed reviews.

02 Media: The common perception is that Mac rules for audio and video content. However, that is not really the case. Mac is generally accepted as the preferred system for professional media production, but with Windows Media Center (WMC), PCs can provide the same capabilities to organize, play and share media files. For most dental office uses, media capabilities are not a priority, but if you want to use your computer to seamlessly show television, connect to game consoles or play Blu-ray DVDs, either system—outfitted with the appropriate hardware—could work.

03 Performance: A Mac will boot up faster than a PC. This is due in part to the Mac operating system being optimized for the Mac-made hardware and Intel chips. This is good. On the other hand, once the system is up and running, the performance, speed, stability and multi-tasking on a computer depends on a number of factors and these can be adjusted by the user. A souped-up PC may well outperform a top-of-the-line Mac Pro depending on how the systems are configured.

04 Hardware: Apple, the only company that provides Mac computers, currently offers just three laptop and three desktop models, all of which run Intel processors. The desktop models are the Mac Mini, the all-in-one iMac, and the high-end Mac Pro. Only the iMac or Mac Pro are commonly used in a dental office. While iMacs are stylish, the all-in-one design means they can be customized at the time of purchase, but add-ons or upgrades like extra memory and multiple monitors can be pricey, complicated and somewhat limited.

With PC hardware there is no limit. Numerous companies make computers designed to run the Windows operating system. Intel processors are common, but others are available and just as powerful. PCs can range from a generic desktop tower for less than $500 to a pricey showpiece designed to match your office décor.

The variety of price points, designs, sizes and other hardware options make PCs a better choice. On the other hand, the quality can vary wildly with a PC depending on the manufacturer. Macs are all made by Apple and quality control tends to be more consistent.

05 Accessories: If all you are planning on plugging into your computer are the basics such as keyboards and mice, then either system will work. However, many innovative dental gadgets are only designed to work with Windows-based PCs.

06 Software: There is one viable Mac practice dental management system, MacPractice (macpractice.com). Dental management software is dominated by three PC-based brands: Dentrix (dentrix.com), EagleSoft (eaglesoft.net) and PracticeWorks (practiceworks.com). There also are many other PC-based dental management products. Despite the ubiquitous ad campaigns, Mac users make up only 3.5% of the worldwide computer market.

Quite simply, there are more programs available for Windows-based PCs than there are for Macs. It’s not just the management systems; many dental applications from digital radiographs to patient education programs are PC specific.

However, Mac users can still make use of these programs by running Windows on a Mac. By purchasing a copy of Windows and using Mac’s Boot Camp software, you can boot up a Mac as a Windows PC.

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