A digital butler at the service of dentists

The future of healthcare and dentistry depends on sharing information and data among professionals and with patients. Here's how the industry will change with cloud-based software that can assist professionals step by step, real-world evidence, and advanced medical records.

In March, the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, spoke about the new directions of healthcare and its future, introducing the concept of Data-driven healthcare , that is, healthcare driven by data and information. Data and its processing represent the future of every sector, not just healthcare, as they enable the introduction of new management tools and the development of predictive capabilities: consider, for example, those resulting from the ability to access epidemiological databases fed in real time.

Information of this kind can clearly never replace traditional clinical research. However, access to this data—which represents what is now commonly called real-world evidence—and the analysis of its clinical significance allows for the objectification of clinical decisions through access to extensive databases. For example, a dentist evaluating and deciding on implant placement for a patient could know, in real time, the success rate of other dentists' patients, based on age, gender, and bone density. Furthermore, this digitally organized data can be used to create an advanced medical record, useful not only for the dentist but also for the patient in monitoring the implant's status.

Dental practices today have a variety of technologies capable of processing data: photographs, X-rays, impressions. Indeed, there are many technologies, but the use of cloud-based software has not yet become widespread. The ability to access real-world evidence data thanks to a cloud-based software This shared understanding is particularly important in implantology: it is well known that implant success and survival rates, as well as the success of entire prosthetic rehabilitations on implants, are attributable to both the patient and the surgeon, as well as the materials and techniques used. It is precisely when multiple factors are present that statistical analysis of a significant amount of data, especially when performed using advanced algorithms, can further objectify clinical protocols and, naturally, guide the implementation of new research protocols.

It is in this context that IDI Evolution created Alfred : an advanced digital system capable of applying sophisticated calculation algorithms to a database of implant placements that is fed in real time by the same clinicians participating in the project, as they perform the implant placement surgery. This database allows Alfred, thanks to the application of specific predictive algorithms, to provide the surgeon—even during the planning stage—with precise guidance on what to expect during the procedure and how to best perform it, avoiding unpleasant surprises for the clinician or the patient.