A. Check that you have not installed a new version of dsp to the same directory as an older version without first uninstalling it. Try reinstalling the application to a new directory and deleting the old install (ensure you keep backups of all your work). For example if you used the default install path c:\dsp2\ delete this folder and install a new copy to c:\dsp2NEW\.

A. No, you can download and install copies on up to 5 PCs at one location (including the use of laptops which can be taken into the field) using the same name/company name/serial number provided during registration.

A. The 'free' version and the 'full' version are actually the same thing. The 'free' version has all of the functionality of the full version BUT, unless you buy registration details, it has a limitation on what you can actually do with it (no more than 20 records can be added to each survey). See the next question for details on how to register

A. From the help menu select 'about'. Select 'Click here to register...' and enter your licence details

A. Unfortunately the software is only available online however you can burn a CD copy yourself once you have downloaded it.

A. DSP2 will run on windows 3.1 and later (including windows 95,98,2000 NT and XP)

A. Ensure that when the application was initially installed it was done by an administrator. Also make sure you have enough free disk space to save the file and that you have write access to the hard disk.

A. To conduct a merge:

1. Ensure that the files you want to merge have the same format. i.e. both should have the same survey fields in them in the same order. Unfortunately, the Merge feature is fairly simple and limited in scope, and is quite strict about what types of files can be merged.

2. Open the first survey file, select the File->Merge Data... menu option. You will be asked to specify the name and location of the file you want to merge into it. Locate and specify the second file. The merge should take place with the contents of the second data file being added onto the end of the first. If the merge doesn't work it may complain that the two surveys don't have the same format. As mentioned, the Merge feature can be very strict. Even on surveys which appear to be the same, it may even complain due to subtle differences in the survey format.

If the Merge feature doesn't work then another way of trying to get data from one survey file into another could be to use the Import and Export process. This is a bit more advanced and requires a bit of effort. You will find information about these features in the online help file. Go into the 'Help' menu and select the 'Using' option.

Once the online help is open:

1. For help on 'Export'. Select the 'Contents' option/button near the top of the help screen to make sure you are placed at the Contents section within the Help. Browse down the list of topics until you find 'Exporting data'. Click on this topic for further information

2. For help on 'importing' select the 'Index' option/button near the top of the help screen. A new screen should appear which lists all of the various sections within the online help. Browse down the list of topics until you find the one named 'Import data from any text formatted file'. Select this topic and click 'Display' to view.

A. Unfortunately, no, there are currently no other charts provided by DSP2 other than the standard caries chart. It is possible to have more than one caries chart in a single survey, therefore the addition of another chart in the survey, below the standard examination one, would allow you to collect for example periodontal information. However, you would be stuck using the same codes as available for the standard examination.

A. You can completely customise the default contents of the caries chart, e.g. for each new examination, as a starting point, which teeth should be recorded permanent or deciduous, which teeth should be recorded as unerupted, sound, missing, etc..

You can do this in the Survey Formatter, having added a caries chart into your survey, move the mouse anywhere over the chart and click the RIGHT mouse button and choose 'Set Format' from the popup menu which should appear. A new screen will appear showing your chart and allowing you to customise its default content. Click on any tooth codes as usual to change them from permanent to deciduous and enter any surface codes as per normal, e.g.type code '8' into teeth 7 and 8 in each quadrant to set them to be unerupted by default. When finished arranging the default content of the chart click the 'Update' button on the screen. You will then be returned to the format you are designing within the Survey Formatter and you should see the changes you have made taking effect.

A. Assuming you have collected some data and currently have the DSP2 data collection module open you can use 'File->Export->Comma-separated (.csv)'. You will be asked to provide the name of a file which will be created to receive the exported records. Having done this, a screen will then popup showing all of the fields in the survey and asking which ones you would like to export data for. At this stage, select the 'Add All->' button and all of the survey fields will be added into the fields-I-want-to-export list. However, some fields, such as the caries chart and also date fields with age calculations provide subsets of their data which can be exported in isolation. If you select the 'Add All->' button, ALL of these subsets are automatically included in the export list. However, if you were to individually select the fields to add into the export list (instead of using 'Add All->' to get them all at once) you will be able to access the subsets. For example, let's say you have a caries chart field in a survey named 'Chart 1'. In order to add this singular field into the export list you would:

(a) double-click on it within the 'Fields available for export' list
or
(b) select it and click the 'Add' button.

Because this field has subsets of data available for export, you should see another screen popping up listing these subsets and allowing you to select those of specific interest. You should see the contents of the quadrants (UL8-UL1, etc.), Tooth Codes (e.g. whether each tooth 1-5 was recorded as permanent or deciduous), and then a list of the calculations available. Just select those portions of the data that you would like to export (by adding them into list on the right hand side of the screen) and then click 'OK' to return to the main export screen. The caries chart will have been added to the overall export list, but only those portions of it which were required will actually be exported.

A. The short answer is 'Yes', if you want to do any larger scale survey with Dental SurveyPlus 2.

Version 2.1 of the Dental SurveyPlus 2 software is available as a free, shareware program from this web site. This means you can download, install and use a fully-working version of the software for an unlimited time at no cost. However, there is a limit placed on the number of records which can be collected and analysed - a limit of 20.

The intention is that the shareware version of the software can be used for evaluation purposes. Giving you an opportunity to determine if Dental SurveyPlus 2 is going to be suitable for the work you had in mind. If it isn't, great, you didn't have to spend any money to find this out. If it is what you want then you will probably want to continue using the software, and for larger surveys.

If you want to use the software to conduct larger surveys (larger than the shareware limitation of 20) then you will have to purchase a licence for the software. This allows you to register as a user of the product, for a modest payment, and receive your software licence details. The licence details can be entered into the shareware version of Dental SurveyPlus 2 version 2.1 in order to 'unlock' the shareware limitation of 20 data records.

A. If you are operating within a UK based health organisation, a single licence of Dental SurveyPlus 2 allows you to install up to 5 copies of the software within your department, this includes laptops.

Otherwise, a single licence of Dental SurveyPlus 2 allows you to install the software on a single computer.

A. Dental SurveyPlus 2 is a relatively small going concern, with modest income and a small, infrequent support team. Therefore it is imperative that the administrative overheads of Dental SurveyPlus 2 are kept to a minimum so that any effort and funding can be applied where it is most critical, e.g. critical updates to the software, technical support.

Distribution of the product can be one of the largest administrative overheads in such a small concern. Therefore we wished to identify a distribution mechanism which would require as little administrative support as possible but which would still provide us with an excellent rate of return on any purchases made (all proceeds from Dental SurveyPlus 2 sales are directed back into the product to fund further development, training and support, therefore we wish to maximize this).

We identified DigiBuy as providing just such a low overhead, high return mechanism. DigiBuy is an (almost) entirely automated distribution process. All payment handling and distribution are handled online via their web site and through email. This means there is less administrative cost

A. Dental SurveyPlus 2 licences can be purchased through our distributor DigiBuy in the following ways:

• Using a credit card online, by phone or by FAX
• Faxing a purchase order

A. Dental SurveyPlus 2 is available for purchase at two levels of pricing depending on whether:

1. You are a member of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD). In which case you will qualify for a special BASCD member price.
2. You are not a member of BASCD. In which case you will have to pay the full standard price for the software.

A. Yes, but you will have to part-complete your order through the DigiBuy web site first.

The typical steps involved:

A. Our distributor (DigiBuy) is a US based organisation, selected for the advantages they provide in minimizing administrative cost and maximizing the value of the Dental SurveyPlus 2 product for you. As a US based organisation, they quote prices in US dollars.

A. Dental SurveyPlus 2 is a non-profit making concern

All proceeds from Dental SurveyPlus 2 sales are fed directly back into the product either in the form of funding for further development, training and/or support.