Dental clinic goes digital

Published June 20, 2008
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Dentists here are saying goodbye - and good riddance - to x-ray film, dark rooms and stinky chemicals.

Peterson's dental clinic has gone digital, swapping out its old x-ray equipment for new state-of-the-art computer technology. Part of an Air Force-wide initiative, the move is making dentists' jobs easier, patients' visits speedier and the base's environment and budget a little healthier.

"It saves us money and time, it's better for the environment and it's a much better tool for the dentists here," said Senior Master Sgt. Richard Vogel, the dental clinic's superintendent.

Dentists here had previously used old-school film for their x-rays. After taking the images, the dentists would then develop them manually in the clinic's dark room, fumbling in the dark to pass the film through various chemicals and wait for it to develop. The process took about 15 minutes, Sergeant Vogel said.

By contrast, the new digital system, which was installed at the end of May, uses digital sensors to take the images, which are then transferred instantly to a computer. From there, the dentist can use the computer to blow up the images, zoom in on potential trouble spots and even adjust the tint, so the x-rays are easier to read.

It makes the dentists' jobs easier, Sergeant Vogel said, but it also adds up to better service for patients. The images will be stored on a central server shared by Peterson, Schriever and Cheyenne Mountain, so patients' x-rays will be available at any clinic they choose to visit. And when a servicemember changes stations and leaves the clinic, the dentist can provide the servicemember with a disk of x-rays, along with the patient's records, to take to the new dentist.

The clinic's nine dentists can also easily send the digital images to dentists throughout the Air Force for advice on rare conditions or treatments - a process that was, previously, almost impossible.

"It's going to network us a lot better," Sergeant Vogel said. "We'll all be able to consult with each other."

The whole process is also helping the base save money and the environment. Eliminating the dark room eliminates the need for hazardous chemicals, such as developer and fixer, and other toxic waste. Additionally, the digital system - which cost $225,000 to install - will end up saving the dental clinic $15,800 each year in film and developing costs.

"We're really happy with the whole thing so far," Sergeant Vogel said. "It just benefits everyone."