Top free iPhone dental apps

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As part of our 2011 Top 100 issue last December, we published what we thought were the top 5 dental apps from 2011 from a clinician's perspective.

The apps in the following list are geared more towards helping your patients prevent cavities, gum disease, seek information on things like braces, and to teaching kids to brush their teeth properly.

1. iBrush (Free – for iPhone)

Brushing your teeth seems like a no-brainer to adults, but for kids it might be a bit of convincing. The iBrush app guides kids through the proper brushing techniques with a game. The app gives them a 60-second challenge to clean as many dirty spots from the teeth on screen (by brushing their own) as many times as possible. And as they brush, the dirty spots on the teeth on screen will turn from yellow to white. This gets kids in the habit of brushing for the proper amount of time and teaches them about the importance of maintaining proper dental hygiene.

2. Dental Expert (Free – for iPhone)

The Dental Expert app is a patient’s guide to dentistry terms and procedures. Dental Expert features a FAQ on the most commonly asked dental questions answered by professionals in each field-including cosmetic dentistry, dentures, braces, dental surgery, and more. Plus, expert advice on general dental topics-such as teeth whitening, long-term dental health, advice on what to do during a dental emergency, and even tips for cutting down on family dental costs.

3. iBraces Help (Free – for iPhone)

The iBraces app will keep you smiling even if you dread getting braces. Think of this app as a source of information for patients who have braces or for those who are about to get orthodontic treatment and have braces fit. iBraces will guide patents through all steps of the treatment, using pictures and video examples, to help shed insight into the procedure and ease anxiety-ridden dental patients.

4. Mouth & Teeth (Free – for iPhone)

The Mouth & Teeth app covers the gamut of dental-related topics for curious patients-including things like general dental health, gum disease, oral cancer, braces and denture fittings, and tooth decay and disorders.

5. Brushy Time (Free – for iPhone)

And because there are not enough ways to protect your kids’ dental health-and convince them that brushing is vital at a young age-there’s the BrushyTime app. Like the name say, this app helps kids maintain the proper duration of tooth brushing with a fun, animated game! Simply choose your theme, e.g., from Pirate to Traditional Brush and tap “go”. The app will count out your brushing time via a digital clock display, and, for example, the Pirate Theme will move a pirate ship depending on how long the brushing lasts. A friendly parrot will guide you as you brush, notifying the half-way mark and when you’re about to reach the end.

Jane Johnson is a writer for GoingCellular, a popular site that provides cell phone related news, commentary, reviews on popular providers like T-Mobile.