Image F/X Photograph Manipulation Software for Better Patient Communication

Example of a before and after presentation in the CosmetiX module of Image F/X.

Most dentists understand the multiple benefits of using cosmetic imaging software, such as better communication with patients, labs and specialists, but often find implementing the technology into their practice time-consuming and at times quite intimidating.

SciCan has recognized the fact that many dentists would like to take advantage of the enormous benefits of using cosmetic imaging software and it has developed Image F/X, an easy-to-use system that works with virtually any digital image file.

In its simplest form, Image F/X is a patient database that holds pictures, x-ray images and notes. Photographic images may be brought into the system via the PMC-4000 Olympus digital camera, any intraoral camera, any flat-bed scanner or simply "by importing" them from another file in a computer. Once the images are in the program, you can display them in a contact sheet or show them in a slide-show format. Image F/X allows you to print the images in any arrangement comfortable for you and with the great printers on the market today, the images are stunning when using a good, quality paper.

Show and Tell
You can take a patient who comes into the office complaining about the color or shape of their smile to a "before and after" case presentation session with the CosmetiX module of Image F/X. Procedures like bleaching, insertion of library smiles, closing spaces between teeth and reshaping can be viewed. A picture can be a very powerful tool for patient understanding and acceptance, especially when you are comparing what the patient looks like now to how he or she would look after your prescribed treatment is completed.

The PMC-4000 Olympus digital camera		Image F/X software packge

Be like John Madden
SciCan has an annotation module that allows you to draw and write on images for further clarification, similar to the way John Madden explains football plays on television. The x-ray module gives the operator a wide variety of "digital tools" to deal with x-rays that are acquired from sensors, scanned in on a flat-bed scanner, brought in from phosphor plate scanners like DenOptix and ScanX or even imported direct from digital x-ray units.

For those offices that wish to purchase a phosphor plate scanner, SciCan offers a specific product that does not contain the CosmetiX module. At any time in the future, it can be upgraded to a full CosmetiX program.

"Tutorial training" is offered by SciCan as part of the Image F/X program and it is available from any screen. If a staff member gets stumped, he or she can simply click on the yellow question mark and select the topic he or she would like to view and hear. Image F/X walks you though all of the tools and even some procedures like printing, bleaching, closing a space and more. There is a free 800-support line for customers and a SciCan representative will train the doctor and staff members after they purchase the program from their SciCan dealer.

SciCan looks to the Image F/X product as a "Digital Hub" for the modern dental office. As current technologies and new "toys" come onto the dental market, we are freestanding software that will allow the dental office to work with any PC based management system.

For more information on SciCan's Image F/X imaging software contact them at 1-800-572-1211 or visit them on the Web at www.scican.com/.