The Dental Branch EPR made a successful debut on Wednesday, April 5 at the GPR. The program’s clinic, located in the UT Professional Building, is now “paperless” with patient records and images (radiographs, photo’s, etc.). This is the first pilot clinic for the EPR as the school continues to move towards full implementation this summer (see more info below).

GPR Clinic Tours

Formal opportunities to tour the GPR clinic will be scheduled in April, May and June. However, any interested faculty, staff or students who would like to visit the clinic and see the EPR in action can do so by contacting Dr. Joel Napenas, program director, at x5816 or joel.napenas@uth.tmc.edu. Or feel free to contact Dr. Valenza at x4021.

Ready to Test Drive the EPR?

Watch for upcoming information about EPR preview sessions in the Clinical Simulation & Learning Center where you’ll be able to see and touch the EPR, including the electronic chart and digital radiographs! While formal training sessions for the EPR will be scheduled in the simulation center close to when the EPR goes live at the DB, this is a chance to get a feel for the new system.

Watch for EPR Web Site

The EPR will soon have its on web site. Available at the site will be informational and training videos, documents and other tools to assist faculty, staff and students. Useful links to other resource information, such as using digital radiographs, will also be included.

Go Live Schedule

The “go live” schedule for the EPR for the remainder of the Dental Branch clinics is as follows:

• June 2006 – Faculty Practice (exact date dependent upon opening of new clinic)
• May/June – Oral Surgery clinic @ Smith Tower
• July 5, 2006 – All in-house graduate clinics and Radiology
• August 7, 2006 – All DDS and DH clinics
• Late fall (tentative) – Graduate Pediatric Dentistry clinic @ HMC

FACULTY PRACTICE (DSRDP)

The new clinical facility for Faculty Practice is now under construction. The clinic, located on the first floor of the school where the former “Room 101” Faculty Clinic used to be, is scheduled to open sometime in June. Faculty and staff interested in touring the construction site, or who have questions about the Faculty Practice, should contact Dr. Thomas Servos, interim executive director, at x4273 or Thomas.a.servos@uth.tmc.edu.

Board Adopts Operating Name

The Faculty Practice Board of Directors has met twice over the last month as it continues to formulate overall operational procedures and policies. At its meeting on April 5th, the Board adopted the term “UT Dentists” as its operational name. While still officially the “DSRDP” (Dental Service, Research & Development Plan), UT Dentists will be the public name used for our Faculty Practice.