The computer-based oral health record: exploring a new paradigm.

The paper-based clinical chart, adequate for the days of primarily acute dental care, falls short in today's era of chronic dental care. The computer-based oral health record has the potential for active function in patient management, decision support and quality evaluation. This article discusses the use of the computer in information management, including risk management, search and query, data manipulation, automated data input and patient education; and decision support through knowledge couplers.