Most of us have seen photos of the new high-tech computer glasses, or at least heard of the term ‘Google Glass.’ Wikipedia defines Google Glass as “a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display.” To us, it looks like a hands-free iPhone that is worn like a pair of glasses:
If you do in fact wear glasses, Google has partnered with eyewear brands Luxottica, Oakley, and Ray-Ban so eyeglass wearers can too incorporate Google Glass into their lifestyle. When worn, the Google Glass display looks like this to the viewer:
Google Glass became available to the public on May 15, 2014 for a hefty price tag of $1500. You might be thinking, is this really necessary? Who actually needs Google Glass?
The short answer is, nobody needs it. But that doesn’t mean that the Glass isn’t full of untapped potential, especially in today’s society. Remember when the iPhone first came out? It was something of a novelty, even a wonder to some. Now? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry has one. And the latest iPhone not only looks different from the first model, it does loads more. To be fair, Google Glass has the potential to provide entertainment to not just your average Joe, but to different industries as well. So what can Google Glass do for dentists?
Google Glass can do a whole lot for dental education, as a few dental students discovered from University of Michigan. The students partnered with Surgitel and created a company called Dentyzion. According to an article in from DentalCompare.com, the students created “an insert that attaches to the Google Glass frame. The insert has through the lens loupes attached to it, giving you the benefit of the Google Glass wearable computer technology, along with magnification.”
Check out the Dentyzion video demonstration below:
Beyond dental education, Google Glass can have massive benefits in private practices as well. The high-tech gadget can be used by clinicians in many ways as mentioned by Dr. Jeff Rohde, DDS, MS in his article on Dental Compare to “visualize digital radiographs or other imaging without having to bend around to look at the screen.” Dr. Rohde mentions Google Glass could make case documentations easier as a dentist could simply wear the glass to take images and video recordings of procedures.
Google Glass could also be used for in-office communication in a dental (or any medical office) if used by other staff members. A quicker way for a hygienist to let a dentist know a patient is ready for an exam could be sending a quick message via Google Glass. That way less time is wasted and productivity will increase as a result in your practice.
The options sound very beneficial to us. What do you think? How else could Google Glass improve efficiency and productivity in the workplace?
Dr. Mike Malone and his team practice expert cosmetic dentistry in Lafayette, LA. Dr. Malone is the former president and current accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also the official Cosmetic Dentist of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants. Check out his website for more information.