Method for forming and distributing a composite file including a dental image and associated diagnosis

1. A method of providing dental-related imaging data of a patient to a dental practitioner, the dental-related imaging data being obtained by a third party imaging provider at a third-party imaging provider site using a three-dimensional digital imaging device, said method comprising:

obtaining three-dimensional image data of at least a portion of a maxillofacial complex of the patient with the imaging device by the third party imaging provider;

analyzing, by the third party imaging provider, the three-dimensional image data so as to form a diagnosis;

forming, by the third party imaging provider, a two-dimensional image from the three-dimensional image data, the two-dimensional image being associated with the diagnosis;

combining, by the third party imaging provider, the two-dimensional image and the diagnosis, as described and prepared in textual form by the third party imaging provider, to form a composite file, the dental-related imaging data of the patient including the composite file;

storing the dental-related imaging data at the third-party imaging provider site, in read-only format executable by a standard commercially-available Flash multi-media player;

making the dental-related imaging data, in encrypted read-only format, available to the dental practitioner in a secure arrangement by publishing the dental-related imaging data on the Internet in encrypted secure read-only format so as to be selectively executable on-line by the dental provider with the standard commercially-available Flash multi-media player, the composite file of the dental-related imaging data thereby being selectively viewable by the dental practitioner via the Flash multi-media player so as to allow the dental practitioner to determine an appropriate treatment for the patient; and

displaying the composite file to the dental practitioner in a Flash multimedia presentation, the Flash multimedia presentation comprising a diagnosis display for displaying the textual diagnosis to the dental practitioner and an image display for selectively displaying, concurrently with the textual diagnosis, the two-dimensional image associated with the textual diagnosis to the dental practitioner, the image display being further configured to display, concurrently with the textual diagnosis and the two-dimensional image, a series of thumbnail images associated with the three-dimensional image data, each thumbnail image being selectively viewable as the two-dimensional image.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising making the dental-related imaging data available to the dental practitioner in a secure arrangement by saving the dental-related imaging data in encrypted secure read-only format on a portable media element and delivering the portable media element to the dental practitioner for selective execution of the dental-related imaging data by the dental practitioner on a local dental provider computer device with the standard commercially-available multi-media player.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising allowing the dental provider to selectively display the two-dimensional image associated with the diagnosis on the image display by selecting at least one executable link from the diagnosis display, the two-dimensional image being associated with the at least one executable link such that the two-dimensional image is accessible to the dental provider from the diagnosis display.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the Flash multimedia presentation comprises a tutorial display for directing the dental practitioner to the diagnosis and the two-dimensional image associated therewith.