Why Dental Schools Choose a Hands Free Perio Charting System
A full periodontal examination produces a large number of measurements. Probing depths are recorded at six sites per tooth, so a 28-tooth dentition yields 168 depth readings. Recession, bleeding on probing, furcation involvement and mobility add to that total. In a traditional workflow, a student with a contaminated gloved hand cannot touch a keyboard or mouse. Someone else has to enter each value, or the student has to stop and strip gloves repeatedly.
The Dental R.A.T. removes that dependency. It is a foot-operated mouse designed for periodontal charting. It connects through a USB port and works with the dental software your school already runs. No special software installation is required. Students chart, open X-rays, run intraoral cameras and move through the practice management system with their feet while their hands stay on the instruments.
How the Dental R.A.T. Works in a Student Clinic
The layout is simple, which is why students learn it quickly:
- Toe button: moves the arrow on the screen, just like a regular mouse.
- Four input buttons: enter charting numbers 1 through 8 and perform a right click.
- Heel button: works as the left click.
- Audio feedback: repeats each number aloud through computer speakers or a headset as it is entered.
Because the device behaves as a standard mouse, anything a hand mouse can do in your school's software, the foot mouse can do as well. The Dental R.A.T. 2.0 can be used wireless or wired.
Training Students on Real-World Technology
Many private practices expect hygienists and dentists to run charting and imaging software efficiently during patient exams. A graduate who has already worked with hands free input arrives with a skill that is directly transferable. Dental R.A.T. is dedicated to helping hygiene and dental schools bring their technology up to par, so students gain experience with the perio charting computer technology they will face after graduation. We believe this makes students more employable. It also helps a school present itself as a program with current technology.
Audio Feedback as a Teaching Tool
The audio feedback does more than speed up data entry. As each number is entered, the computer says it aloud. The readback serves three teaching purposes:
- Reinforcing correct measurement entry. Students learning to read a periodontal probe hear every value they commit to the chart.
- Letting instructors verify values. Faculty can confirm numbers without repeatedly looking at the screen.
- Opening patient education. Students practice explaining findings to the patient while charting.
A headset can be used to keep the numbers private. If audio is not wanted in a particular clinic setting, the speakers can simply be turned off.
Infection Control and Ergonomics in the Teaching Environment
Infection control is a foundational lesson in clinical education. A student who must de-glove and re-glove to touch a shared keyboard or mouse is exposed to the very habits instructors try to eliminate. Hands free input lets students keep their hands in the field and avoid touching shared computer surfaces. This supports the chain of asepsis in the operatory. It also reduces cross-contamination risk for students and patients.
Charting with the foot also changes workflow habits. Students spend less time switching between instruments and the computer. That builds time management and documentation skills that carry into professional practice.
What an Instructor Says About Student Adoption
Kathleen Hodges, RDH, MS, Professor and Department Chair at Idaho State University, describes the experience this way: students learn how to incorporate the R.A.T. into clinical care quickly, sometimes more quickly than seasoned faculty members and practitioners. She also notes that using the R.A.T. with dental hardware and software helps student clinicians maintain the chain of asepsis in the operatory.
Low Barriers to Adoption
Many specialized dental technologies require costly software licenses or ongoing subscriptions. The Dental R.A.T. takes a plug-and-play approach with no monthly fees. A school does not need to build new infrastructure or retrain faculty on a new platform. The learning curve is short, so students and faculty can both adopt it quickly. Free support, training videos and a downloadable user manual are available to help programs get started. Software-specific videos cover commonly requested periodontal software brands. The device has been tested with other major dental software packages as well, even where a dedicated video has not yet been produced.
Beyond Perio Charting
Since the Dental R.A.T. is a fully functional foot-operated mouse, students can also open, close and zoom in on digital X-rays and photographs. They can run intraoral cameras, move through the schedule and operate the clinic's practice management software. One device covers charting, imaging and navigation, so students learn a complete hands free workflow.
Bring the Dental R.A.T. to Your Program
We want to help your college improve its technology and get Dental R.A.T. units into your dental clinic. To discuss your program's needs, call us toll-free at 877-278-0061, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, or email bky.logue@gmail.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should a hygiene or dental school add hands free perio charting to its clinic?
It gives students experience with the periodontal charting technology they are likely to encounter in practice. It also keeps their hands in the patient's mouth during data entry, which supports infection-control habits. Dental R.A.T. is dedicated to helping schools bring their technology up to par, and we believe this makes graduates more employable.
What does a full periodontal chart require students to record?
A comprehensive chart typically includes probing depths at six sites per tooth, which is 168 readings for 28 teeth. It also includes bleeding on probing, gingival recession and findings such as furcation involvement and mobility. Hands free entry lets students record this volume of data without interrupting the exam.
Are there recurring fees for a school using the Dental R.A.T.?
No. The Dental R.A.T. is a plug-and-play device with no monthly fees and no subscription. It works with the software your clinic already uses, so a school can add it without a large investment in infrastructure.
How quickly do students adapt compared with faculty?
Kathleen Hodges, RDH, MS, Professor and Department Chair at Idaho State University, reports that students learn to incorporate the R.A.T. into clinical care quickly. She says they sometimes learn faster than seasoned faculty members and practitioners.
How can instructors use the audible readback during clinical sessions?
Each number entered is spoken aloud by the computer. An instructor standing nearby can confirm values without looking at the screen. Students also hear every measurement they enter, which reinforces correct recording and gives them practice explaining findings to patients.
Does the Dental R.A.T. replace manual probing technique?
No. It is an input device, a foot-operated mouse, and not a probe. Students still use a periodontal probe to take measurements. The device only changes how the values reach the computer, so no assistant has to type them in and the student does not have to touch the keyboard.
Where can instructors find training resources for the device?
The Dental R.A.T. offers a downloadable user manual with basic installation and startup instructions. It also provides an introduction video and software-specific training videos. If your software does not have its own video, call us. The device has been tested with other major dental software packages.
What habits does hands free charting build in students?
Using the foot to enter numbers and navigate software lets students focus on patient care and clinical accuracy. It also encourages efficient time management and consistent documentation, which are skills they will rely on in professional practice.
Does hands free charting help graduates in the job market?
We believe it does. Many practices use hands free charting to run perio charting and imaging software during exams. A student who has already practiced that workflow in school arrives more comfortable with it, which makes them more employable.
How can a school get in touch about outfitting its clinic?
Call toll-free at 877-278-0061, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, or email bky.logue@gmail.com. Dental R.A.T. wants to help hygiene and dental schools bring their technology up to date.