The The Henry Schein Guru computer-based interactive patient education library is almost all animation with far fewer sound tracks. However, the animation can be easily stopped and started or moved back and forth. The dentist or team member can narrate the situation in their own words. The user can also draw on the animation image to point out significant features. These personalized pages can be printed or saved to the patient record.

Patient education programs 6 advantages of multimedia presentations Here are six advantages of using a computer-based, multimedia patient education program: 1. It saves time. The doctor or hygienist isn’t stuck repeating the same message over and over again for each patient. 2. Its message is consistent. Whether it’s the dentist, the assistant front desk person or the hygienist presenting the message, it’s always the same. 3. It provides documented informed consent. If you’re ever challenged as to what you told a patient regarding treatment, you have the education program to back you up. 4. Its message is a third-party endorsement. This means that the message isn’t from the dentist or a staff member, but it’s an endorsement of the proposed treatment from an informed third party. 5. The system’s producers have done the work. The producers choose the subjects, write the text, make the videos, find the photos and create the presentations in a professional manner.   6. It enhances your office's general high-tech image.

The major advantage to CAESY and Guru is also a disadvantage—that is, the programs are made by an outside agency. For this reason, the programs are fairly generic and do not cover controversial or cutting edge issues. They also are not your words and philosophy but those of the developers. It’s possible, though, to import some items to the base program, such as patient photos. However, your photos or other items cannot be completely customized on the program with logos, colors, graphics and wording that are unique to your practice.

The newest patient-education feature is to integrate the educational application with the patient chart. For example, the Henry Schein Guru patient education programintegrates into the company’s Dentrix G3 practice management software.

Then, if the dentist’s treatment plan calls for a crown in Dentrix G3 software, the Guru presentation on crowns is automatically loaded into the treatment presenter. It becomes part of a slide show featuring the patient’s chart, photos, treatment plan, and fees. The presentation also is loaded into a printed version of the patient chart, which then can be sent home with the patient.

Linking treatment codes to Guru animations is another way to create case presentations that fit your patient’s needs.

Patterson’s CAESY Enterprise 6.0 server-based patient education software also easily integrates with Patterson EagleSoft clinical and practice management software. For example, if a patient’s chart is open in EagleSoft software, and you click on a tooth getting a crown, the CAESY video on crowns shows up for immediate viewing. You can also document that the patient viewed certain presentations and was informed about the treatment options.