Dental photography: Why? What? How? Part 1 Why? The role of dental photography in daily practice.

Abstract Digital Dental Photography (DDP) represents a must-have instrument for all dentists in their daily activities. Nowadays, DDP represents a tool that is no longer reserved for a select small number of dentists but is accessible to every practitioner. Although the number of dentists who use DDP daily is increasing, there is much hesitance, many questions, and resistance regarding the introduction of dental photography in daily practice. This series of articles aims to demystify all the misconceptions related to the DDP and offer readers a transparent image of how DDP can become the most powerful tool for their offices. All the “mysterious” terms related to the DDP will be explained, and simple protocols that can be easily incorporated in any dental office in daily practice will be presented. This article is the first in a five-part series dedicated to DDP. Part 1 defines the role of DDP in daily practice covering the four significant indications: documentation, communication, education, and marketing.