People are as important as programmes.

The introduction of a clinical management computer system into a dental practice involves more than selecting and installing a suitable software package. The computer system introduces a new set of dynamics within the dental practice and a new set of demands on the practice staff. Research conducted in South African practices has identified practice staff as being crucial to the success of the system. This article identifies some of the major human-computer interaction problems that can occur when a clinical management computer system is installed into a dental practice. Recommendations for preventing and solving these problems are made.