Technology has indeed come long way. It has affected the way we live in so many ways. We can't actually imagine now not having a mobile phone...I know I can't. It has touched and changed so many things that dental practice has not remain unscathed with this development. It is so fast that some practitioners are not yet equipped to handle the growth of all these technology and how it changes the way we practice our craft as a dentist. In all honesty, technology may make our lives easier but in order for it to be so, we need to learn first how to use them. And, this part of learning sometimes doesn't hold truth that technology make our lives easier. Most dentists can probably afford to partake in this part of investment but very few are willing to undergo the true process of learning. As most who can afford came from an era where computers and applications are not a part of the curriculum when they are studying. So, it becomes a matter of preference whether to invest or learn. However, there are a minimum of 5 good reasons why dentists need to shift to digital technology when it comes to x-rays.

(1) Clarity- Radiography is like photography except it uses a different equipment to take a shot and the photo delves more on the inner structures rather than the outer ones. Although, like photography, the photos on the point and shoot camera still take good pictures especially if edited in an application; in x-ray, the image produced is not allowed to be edited and the resolution has be crystal clear as it is the most critical part of being able to diagnose condition of ones patient. Unlike photos if not clear you only lost the remembrance of that moment; in x-ray if not clear you may lose or affect a patient's health or life.

(2) Convenience- Due to the equipment used, it becomes a lot convenient for the operator or technician or dentist to take x-ray especially if CBCT is being used. It simply process the entire thing at a much convenient and efficient way rather than the old style of taking x-rays.

(3) Communication- As a practitioner, we all know that sometimes we need help from our colleagues or we need to send our x-rays to our patients or being able to explain it to them the x-ray result as the basis of your diagnosis for your treatment plan, the "Show, Tell, Do" technique. Digital Imaging allows us to do it in an easier manner and in a much effective way to communicate either to our colleagues regarding our cases via e-mail, FB, Twitter, etc.; discussing diagnosis and treatment plan to our patients via a LCD monitor or by simply making it possible for dentists on the same clinic have access to the x-ray result at the same time via a network set-up.

(4) Storage- Patient's records are sacred and that includes the x-rays. Going digital means you are now able to store your images in USB, external hard drives, in your computers even in your phone and, now in the cloud. It doesn't deteriorate like film, although, it may get erased. That's why creating a back-up is a must when going digital. However, this can't be done in a film, once it gets deteriorated in time, that's it. Storage of digital x-rays also doesn't take up much space as well in your clinic because all is stored in your computer and back-up hard drive that has a size of a phablet.

(5) Safety- Radiation is a very big issue when it comes to taking x-rays for it can cause harm to the patient if overexposed to it. Going digital imaging lowers down the radiation some says at 80%-90%. As we need much time exposed to radiation for better image resolution, this will not be as safe. So, going digital imaging technology allows us to take an image at a shorter period of time at a higher image resolution.

There's a principle called "ALARA", meaning "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" that everyone tries to abide by when it comes to radiography. In as much we want to have great resolution to the image we need, patient's safety comes first. And. going digital will allow you to achieve just that. The choice is truly yours.

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