Dental Informatics tool “SOFPRO” for the study of oral submucous fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Dental informatics is an evolving branch widely used in dental education and practice. Numerous applications that support clinical care, education and research have been developed. However, very few such applications are developed and utilized in the epidemiological studies of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) which is affecting a significant population of Asian countries. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To design and develop an user friendly software for the descriptive epidemiological study of OSF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With the help of a software engineer a computer program SOFPRO was designed and developed by using, Ms-Visual Basic 6.0 (VB), Ms-Access 2000, Crystal Report 7.0 and Ms-Paint in operating system XP. For the analysis purpose the available OSF data from the departmental precancer registry was fed into the SOFPRO. RESULTS: Known data, not known and null data are successfully accepted in data entry and represented in data analysis of OSF. Smooth working of SOFPRO and its correct data flow was tested against real-time data of OSF. CONCLUSION: SOFPRO was found to be a user friendly automated tool for easy data collection, retrieval, management and analysis of OSF patients.