New Media Technologies in the Office May Lessen Fears of Visiting the Dentist

The digital age is upon us, and new technologies are making their way into every crevice of the professional world. Though the prototypical example may be a businessman with a Bluetooth in his ear and an iPhone in his hands, new media devices are also entering the medical field, and can now be spotted in the often dreaded dentists office. The reasons for the common dislike of the dentist range from anxiety to phobia. Fortunately for some, these new devices being utilized by practitioners may be able to reduce the effects.

Dental apprehension affects millions of people and ranges from anxiety to phobia

If you yourself do not dread the dentist, you may be surprised to learn that between 9 and 15 percent of Americans state they avoid going to the dentist due to anxiety and fear. In fact, statistics show that roughly 45 percent of adults do not visit the dentist unless driven by severe pain. It is explained in “The Psychodynamicsof Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia,” a research study performed by three dentists, that apprehension of the dentist can be broken down into three categories, being dental anxiety, fear, and phobia.       

Dental anxiety is the least severe and most common, usually consisting of uneasiness and intense apprehension. This may be identified by clenched jaws, rigid back, and other common skeletal tensions. The key to understanding dental anxiety is to know that it is involuntary, and the patient may not realize the physical reactions they are having. It does not affect the dental process or interrupt standard procedure.
 
Dental fear is slightly more severe. It is a conscious reaction to a known danger, and can inhibit the procedure being performed. It is more difficult for a dentist to work on a patient with fear, as they may have a tendency to make sudden movements, or frequently question what is being done.The diagram on the left displays the common results of a patient that has dental fear, being delayed visits, more dental problems, and symptom-driven treatment.

Those with dental phobias are the most seriously affected, and are referred to as having odontophobia. These people will go out of their way to avoid going to the dentist, and feel intense anxiety just speaking about it. While being performed on, they may become hysterical and neurotic. Dentists may struggle or refuse to work on phobic patients, and it is estimated that between nine and fifteen percent of Americans are odontophobics, in addition to twenty percent worldwide.These patients are often aware of how unreasonable their fear may be, but are phobic nonetheless.  Oral problems often have to become unbearable for the phobic to seek help. 

 The root cause of dental apprehension cannot be defined, but speculations prove to be consistent

If you were to poll people and ask why they dislike or fear the dentist, there are several answers that will frequent the results. The drill; not many people enjoy the screeching of a drill as it scrapes a tooth or invades a nerve-sensitive area. The mask; there is something eerie about the dentist behind the mask, calmly directing you to open your mouth further or turn your head. The invasive nature; personal space is not respected as the dentist pokes around inside the mouth. The list goes on and on. Though the exact cause of dental anxiety and fear cannot be pinpointed, it is these common themes that leave patients avoiding and dreading theirs visits. 

The graphic on the right displays the results of a study done by the Academy of General Dentistry, and most most importantly shows that 30% of men don't visit the dentist because they are afraid or embarrassed.This further supports how serious of a factor dental apprehension is in avoidance of the dentist. Fun fact; more men avoid the dentists than women, for some reason or another.

Though all signs point towards an inevitable dislike of the dentist, there is a bright side to all of this. Dentists are constantly striving to find ways to make patients more comfortable. Ranging from allowing patient to listen to headphones to sedation dentistry, patients are ideally made to be as relaxed as possible. Not only is it easier to work on a patient who is calm and cooperative, but an overall better dental experience means more business and repeat customers.

 

New media technologies are changing the typical dental experience

The most significant change in dentistry over the years has been technology, and the recent boom in video and audio devices has made its way into the office. In an interview with Anixa Criss, a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) of 20 years and graduate of UMDNJ, I ask what new technologies are being used where she works. Criss speaks of the use of intra-oral cameras as well as video, and emphasizes the concept of patient education.





While pre-recorded videos have been around for a while, cameras of the past struggled to emit light in the dark cavern of the mouth, and photo quality was very low. These cameras were often connected to bulky rolling computer setups and were relatively inconvenient. Today’s intra-oral cameras are of the digital nature, hooking up to a screen via a simple USB hookup. Take a tour of the latest technology in intra-oral cameras by following the directions on the site. The photos taken by these devices are of great quality and easily saved within patient records that have also gone digital, which you can check out an example of here. The monitor behind Criss in the interview is also displaying the new digital record keeping. 

Digital record keeping is groundbreaking for the typical practice, as no longer are shelves and shelves of filed papers necessary for keeping track of patient history. The ability to snap photos of the patients teeth, crowns, fillings, and anything else, and add them to the digital record of that person, is unbelievably convenient. This short video displays both the camera and digital charting advances that are so quickly changing dentistry.

Above is an example of groundbreaking digital record keeping and charting that is finding its way into dentistry practices. Patient name, information, progress notes, and 3D tooth imaging are the key aspects of digital charting.

We know just how useful these new technologies are for the dentist, but what they do for the patient is just as significant.  Intra-oral cameras now perform video, and when directly hooked up to a monitor can display live visuals of the inside of the mouth. Dentists are using this to show patients exactly what certain problems are, and what certain procedures will do. Before and after pictures have become key is achieving customer satisfaction.  In essence, these new media technologies provide patient education.  With education comes understanding, and with understanding comes comfort.
           

New media technologies in the office increase patient understanding and may aid in improving opinions of the dentist

As for now, most of the major causes of dental apprehension are here to stay. The drills, smells, and hands in the mouth aren't going anywhere soon. However, it is often said that we fear what we don’t understand, and there is no doubt that a lack of understanding is what leaves many patients anxious and fearful of the dentist. Nobody likes not knowing what is happening in their mouth, and new media technologies such as intra-oral cameras are allowing patients to see what the dentists have seen all along. I interviewed a few everyday people on the street to hear  their feelings about going to the dentist, and how seeing what was happening during their visits could change their opinions.

I first asked Corey if his dentist used any of the mentioned technologies in the office;

listen to ‘Corey interview’ on Audioboo

I later asked Marc if new media technologies in the office may make him feel more comfortable;

listen to ‘ Marc opinion photo/video’ on Audioboo

All in all, dentistry will still fall into the same category as snakes, heights, and the dark when it comes to common phobias among the population. But to eliminate the factor of the unknown for the patient through the use of oral photo, video, and other digital education, is a step in the right direction for changing the ever so common dislike of visiting the dentist.

                                                       
 

The Developement of Facebook, and the Extinctions Occuring as a Result

Facebook has aided in eliminating what were once natural activities and tendencies

 There is no ignoring that Facebook is currently dominating the world, being the second most visited site worldwide, and sitting atop the social media pyramid. Topping 1 billion users this month, the popularity of Facebook is undeniable. But with one great technological advancement, another tends to die. This is further explained in an article by Style and Tech.

Land-line phones are only found in 75% of U.S. households with the development of cell phones. In this age of instant message transfer via the internet, fax machines are also on the way out. Credit cards are believed to be on their way out as smartphones have developed a technology to swipe in place of a plastic card. DVD players are struggling now that Netflix and other movie playing programs are available on gaming consoles and internet TV. So with the development of the social media powerhouse that is Facebook, it is only realistic that other things will die.
  With the worldwide utilization of Facebook, several activities and tendencies that were once common practice have become nearly extinct.

 

 The need for writing and sending non-professional letters through the mail is nearly extinct

There was a time not so long ago when in order to contact someone far away, you had to address, stamp, and mail a handwritten letter. With the invention of email, this became less necessary, and with the creation of Facebook, it has become nearly extinct. Contacting a peer is as easy as logging on to Facebook, visiting their page, and writing whatever is desired on their wall. They instantly receive it and can read it on their own time. This makes the process of sending a letter a seem as though its a process of the stone age. Not to mention, sending a letter requires paying for a stamp, while Facebook is a free service. An article on Pennlive.com discusses that the USPS is delivering billions and billions less peices of mail each year, and many post offices are closing. It is further explained that this is due to the lack of "friendly" mail. This is the mail people send just to chat with each other. Facebook has completely eradicated this form of communication, and the art of writing a letter of a non-professional nature is declining. Some statistics from USPS point out just how major this decline has become. Total mail volume has decreased by 20 percent since 2006 (awfully close to when Facebook came about). Also since 2006, USPS has been consistently losing money, and finds itself 15 billions dollars in debt. 

 

The use of the yellow pages to look up phones numbers, as well as the memorization of numbers is nearly extinct thanks to Facebook

It is often no longer necessary to flip though those heavy, ugly phones books that were once so prevalent in our households. A quick search on Facebook allows us to pull up the numbers of those we desire to reach, barring they have am account (which we know most do). Phone books used to automatically be delivered, but according to an article from USA Today, Verizon and At&T are starting to stop automatic delivery. AT&T company spokes woman Dawn Benton says, "We all know fewer and fewer people use the phone book each year...It's an antiquated industry." Those of the pre-Facebook and cell phone era were taught to memorize important numbers, and many can still reel off the numbers they have memorized long ago. Now, one may struggle to recall the number of their closest friend off the top of their head. Facebook, as well as other online services, allow people to share their number with other users online and instantly, and this is causing the phone book and memorization of numbers to become extinct.

 

Developing photos in order to create physical albums is longer longer neccesary

The days of taking film to a camera store to get developed are coming to an end. Aside from high end professional photographers, most people are using the computer to store that photos in data form. Facebook has become a go to way for people to save photos albums and share them with others. The "Timeline" layout of Facebook capitalizes on the photo aspect of the site, displaying wall posts and photos in chronological order. Its amazing to view somebodies timeline, seeing photos going all the way back to way to 2004 when Facebook was created. For many, Facebook is the sole safe-keeper for all of their photos of the past decade. User can store thousands of photos, with out a single trip to have them developed.

Physical photo albums are still lingering around, but are becoming more and more of a rarity. The above video shows how easily one can upload and save photos to Facebook.

Facebook continues to cause other technologies to become extinct, and one may wonder when the day will come when Facebook itself gets a dose of its own medicine.

 

Statistical Breakdown of Saturdays Television Viewing (Sept 29th)

Saturday Night College Football Ratings Comparison: NBC Reigns Supreme

Saturday night, Sept 29th 2012, had a plethora of college football games broadcasted between the major networks of ABC (Clemson at Florida State), NBC (Michigan at Notre Dame), and FOX (Kansas State at Oklahoma). First let's break down the viewing of these games in terms of "ratings." Ratings estimate the total estimated TV households in the universe who tune in for the average minute. Basically, this stat is including every estimated TV household there is, and how many tuned into specific programs. NBC's game posted a rating of 1.9 percent, followed by ABC with 1.7, and Fox with .8 percent. This data displays that over the average minute, universal TV household tuned into the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game the most, and the Kansas Sate vs. Oklahoma game the least. This statistic can be attributed to many factors, but all signs point towards the traditional rivalry game of Michigan vs. Notre Dame having the most universal appeal of the major games on Saturday night.

Saturday Night College Football Shares Comparison: Whats the Difference?

The difference between ratings and shares is that shares inlcude only TV's that are on, or being utilized to watch a program. Once again ratings include all TV's households regardless of whether that home is watching TV or not. Shares record only those homes that were watching television. Using shares, 6 percent of home tuned into the NBC Michigan vs. Notre Dame game, 5 percent for the Clemson and Florida State game, and 2 percent for the Kansas St. and Oklahoma game. The order of most popular games in both ratings and shares data remains the same. So why use both statistics? Ratings tells us how many people in the universe that own a TV watched a program. Shares tell us how many people that were watching TV at the time tunes in to a program. The order of popularity in ratings will always be the same as the order of popularity in shares.For more information on Ratings vs. Shares, reference Math in Media.

Other Statistics from Saturday Night: Crime Thrillers Succeed

Two of the three major football games beat out the popular Saturday night shows of CSI, Criminal Minds, and 48 Hours Mystery. However, 48 Hours Mystery and Criminal minds did have higher ratings and shares than the Fox football game, Kansas St. vs. Oklahoma.

 

Are Ratings and Shares Data Truly Representative of Overall Viewing?

While ratings and shares and total viewers give the best idea of overall population viewing, there is one variable that cannot be accounted for. Though someone may be tuned into a program, are they actually watching it? According to Pew Research Data, 38% of cell phone owners use their phone to stay occupied during commercials or breaks. Undoubtedly, whatever they are doing on their phones cuts into viewing time, but this is not a recordable stat as of now.  In addition, 29% of users text during a program, and 20% use their phones to surf the web about the program they are watching. These statistics show that though people may technically be tuning into a show, how much attention they are paying is a different story.

Digital Rights Management; Media Doesn't Grow on Trees

DRM is what restricts you from utilizing digital content in ways the distributor wants to prohibit.

Digital technologies have a nearly infinite amount of possibilities associated with them. Music can be shared with millions via the internet, for example. Digital Rights Management is what makes most of this sharing illegal. Many cases have arisen in which an individual has downloaded thousands of songs, only to be sued by copyrighters for large sums of money. This is because DRM controls the distribution of music and what is done with these files. Digital rights management applies to many forms digital media, such as music and ebooks, and aims to prohibit pirating of this paid material.

How Does Digital Rights Management Operate?

Once a consumer has a particular file, such as music or ebooks, it may seem difficult for a company to monitor what they do with it. Digital Rights Managers have many ways of controlling what is done with this media. For example, many online textbooks are now available online for a price. What is to stop students from sharing this expensive book with others, leaving the distributor out to dry? This is where DRM comes in. Almost all online textbooks now come with an acess code, that when registering the book can only be used once. Once this code is used, nobody else can utilize it, as per the program design. Thus, paid online books cannot be passed through the internet. Similarly, music downloading through paid programs such as iTunes help demonstrate how DRM works. One person cannot simply buy a song and share it via the internet. Paid for songs can only exist within the users library who purchased it. This is an example of DRM prohibiting music sharing and altering the sales of music. Many products have binding agreements built in, such as online movies, explaining that the sharing of these files is punishable by law. Sites such as Limewire used to allow the free downloading of music with a peer-to-peer system. Click the link to see how Digital Rights Management has taken control of the situation.

DRM is Everywhere, And Probably Affects You

The days of free music downloading and sharing via programs like Limewire and Kazaam are quickly coming to an end, as Digital Rights Managers race to prohibit the sharing of media in ways that are not desired by the owners. More and more you will notice your online downloads being of a more secure nature, not to be shared with others on the web. Piracy of music, video, and other media are becoming more easily punishable by law. Downloading files on the web will remain as easy as 1-2-3, but what you do with these files is becoming much more limited.

Digital Media and the Ensuing Attention Span of a Goldfish

In the digital world that consumes us today, it has been suggested that such instant access to media has lead to shorter attention spans amidst users. An article by Vator News suggests that shorter attention spans are the result of the instant age that we live in. Information is truly only a click away, as just about any information can be obtained on Google in seconds. Sports scores, news updates, and just about any type of media is readily available on smartphones and requires little time of effort to acquire. This world of instant poses a strong point supporting shrinking attention spans, but doesn't make it fact.  In a study conducted by Visible Measures, 20% of people abandon an online video within 20 seconds, and nearly half of viewers abandon by the end of the first minute. Could statistics such as these allude to the fact that digital media is causing consumers to have shorter attention spans? Are we destined to bounce from video to article to blog to television faster than a goldfish forgets the glass wall it most recently swam into? I think a study conducted on a college campus could help determine whether or not these claims are true. 

         First, a survey would have to be created and distributed, focusing on whether or not  students are avid users of digital media such as Twitter, Facebook, online blogs, and various other forms of digital media. This way, a population sample could be assembled consisting of those most involved with digital media, as well as those who aren't. Once a survey population of 100 students is created, (50 avid digital media consumers, and 50 non) the study can continue. 

         The next step would be to set up a testing environment that can help produce some statistics on the attention span of these students. All students, regardless of their digital media tendencies, would be subjected to the same tests, all designed to determine attention spans. 

         The first test would be to talk to each of the 100 students about a relatively boring topic (accounting maybe?), and see if the students check their phones mid-conversation. From personal experiences, I notice many people I talk to glance at their phone multiple times throughout the conversation, including myself when others talk to me. Statistics will be recorded to determine if there is any more likelihood that the digital media savvy students check their phones more often, demonstrating a shorter attention span.  

         The second would be an internet browsing test. Each student would be asked to spend 20 minutes on the internet, doing whatever they please. The students would be monitored, and it would be determined how many times each student switched web sites. Statistics would be assembled based on how many times the avid media users switched sites versus the non-users, and this would help to observe the student's attention spans. If the the frequent digital media users are found to switch sites far more often, this may allude to the fact that their attention spans are shorter. 

          Simple tests such as these can help determine whether or not digital media is causing people to have a shorter attention span. In a world where this media is growing exponentially, one can only hope that goldfish never have a longer attention span than humans. 

Feel free to leave any comments, questions, or concerns!

Tyler Kerensky first post

Well, that was a frustrating process. Thank goodness I can finally blog now!