Clinical computing in general dentistry.

Objective: Measure the adoption and utilization of, opinions about, and attitudes toward clinical computing among general dentists in the United States.

Design: Telephone survey of a random sample of 256 general dentists in active practice in the United States.

Measurements: A 39-item telephone interview measuring practice characteristics and information technology infrastructure; clinical information storage; data entry and access; attitudes toward and opinions about clinical computing (features of practice management systems, barriers, advantages, disadvantages, and potential improvements); clinical Internet use; and attitudes toward the National Health Information Infrastructure.