Back to Manual Table of Contents
There are currently two simple components to allow sending communicating between the different computers in the office. The first is a text feature that is accessed at the top of the Staff module. You simply enter the text you want to send, and click send. The message pops up on all computers in a separate window, along with a chime sound. It is suggested to minimize use of this feature since it can be annoying.
The main part of the messaging feature is the 2 x 6 grid at the bottom of the Main Toolbar. It has clickable buttons and can send light and sound messages. It is meant for calling the doctor or assistant to the operatories. You can use this feature no matter which module you are currently in. The left column is intended to be the signal that the doctor is needed in Ops 1 through 6. When one of those buttons is pushed, it toggles to red, and a female voice is played that says, for instance, "Op 1". A moment later, the same button toggles to red in all the other computers in the office, and the same voice is heard on those computers. The button can similarly be untoggled from any computer, and no corresponding voice is heard.
The right column works a little differently. It is intended to be used by the doctor to request assistance in Ops 1 through 6. The button only shows red while the voice is being played, and then returns to white. The voice is a male voice to make it distinct from the left column. Again, the voice will be played on all computers a few moments after being pushed from any computer.
There is very little customization available for this version, although there are plans for significant improvements. Currently, the only way to customize is to change the sound files. For instance, if you only have 5 operatories, then the sixth button could say, "Reception", or "Phone". All sound files are kept in the OpenDentalData folder in Sounds\. Windows (at least XP) comes with a sound recorder that you can use to record your own sounds and substitute them for the included ones. It can be found in Programs, Accessories, Entertainment.
After you record your sound, be sure to edit it and carefully trim off the silence at the beginning and end of the clip. You can do this from the Edit menu. Then, save your sound into the Sounds folder. You have to restart each copy of DentOffice on each workstation. When DentOffice starts up, it will copy all the sound files from the main folder into the local folder on each machine, typically C:\Program Files\OpenDental\Sounds\. That way, the sound file is kept as a local copy to make it very fast and not use up network bandwidth.
Future plans for this module are limitless. Obviously customization is a high priority, and preferences can all be stored in the database. Also, the main program icon will be adapted for use. That is the small 3x3 grid that shows in the taskbar in Windows. It would be useful to have some lights show there in case the DentOffice window is covered up. Colors, layout, and text could all be customized. This module has a very large area where various button layouts could be placed. Multiple sounds will also be allowed for one button press. For instance, "Melissa" , "Family", "On Line 1" is a combination of 3 sounds. There will be customization of which computers the message will be targeted for. For instance, the front desk does not necessarily need to hear when the doctor pages an assistant. Text messages will be archived, allowing for a sort of in-office e-mail system. Messages could have an acknowledgment feature, for instance "OK", "Busy", or "Please take a message".
In the not so distant future are even more exciting possibilities. The most interesting feature will be when we make the transition to touch screens. Touch screens are very fast, and it might be reasonable to have a dedicated secondary screen approximately 6" square that could be set up with dynamic buttons for messaging. Button arrangement could change depending on your needs. A larger screen, of course would allow more commands to be visible at once.
There are many other possible features that might be added over the years.