Preliminary Automated Dental Health Interviewing

Ronald J. Bognore · Naval Dental Research Institute (U.S.)

Jan 1971 · Naval Dental Research Institute

About this ebook

Non-optimal dental histories are prevalent today, even though histories have long been regarded as essential to informed and thorough patient care. A preliminary automated dental history interview was devised incorporating a minicomputer, a cathode-ray screen, magnetic tape storage, and a teletype keyboard. Questions were displayed on the cathode-ray screen, and responses were entered by the patient via the teletype keyboard. Answers were stored on magnetic tape for future reference and research. The sequence and amount of questions were dependant on the responses made by the patient; the program branched for further detail whenever necessary. A printed, syntatical summary was typed out by the teletype upon completion of the interview. Patient and doctor reaction was favorable and enthusiastic about the man-machine interface. Completion time ranged from twelve to twenty-five minutes. Average time was seventeen minutes. Automated dental health interviewing in this preliminary study proved suitable in eliminating the faults of the old systems, such as non-standardized recording techniques, illegible records, and inaccessibility of histories for statistical research purposes. (Author).