What dentists should know about Y2K

Today's FDA - March 1999
What you should know about the Y2K problem
How it will affect dental offices

By Jay Garlitz, DMD
TECHNICAL EDITOR

What is Y2K?

Y2K stands for what is popularly called "Year 2000." The term is commonly used when discussing the Y2K computer bug. Many electronic devices, systems and the software that provides their instructions are unable to recognize years by four digits.

If the equipment involved tracks the date, it can be confused when 2000 starts. If it tracks years only by the last two digits, it will not know 1900 from 2000 and dates in between. This may affect performance, produce erroneous results or render these devices inoperable.

Why did it happen?

The problem started decades ago when early computers had limited memory and storage space. Programmers saved space by storing the absolute minimum data necessary for business functions. One place they saved space was the date, in which years were represented by their last two digits. Reducing years to two digits works well as long as the century does not change!

How big is this problem?

This worldwide problem not only affects mainframe computers and their programs but also personal computers and every piece of hardware that contains a microchip, such as:

Manufacturing control systems

Telecommunication systems

Money transfer and other financial systems (See related story on this page)

Gas, water and electrical utilities controls

Stock markets

Transportation systems

National defense

Home computers, security systems and appliances

Isn't this simple to fix?

This problem can express itself in many ways. You can correct software and hardware with time, money and effort. The problem is identifying the affected products. If there is a problem, it may not be apparent until a failure. Microchips that control functions may be embedded in older hardware and not manufactured or supported anymore.

Examples of systems commonly found in dental offices that could be affected:

Computers. Are your computers Y2K compliant?
Business management software. Is yours Y2K compliant?
Credit-card scanners.
Panorex machines. Does yours record the date?
Time clocks.
Photocopiers that count the number of copies by date may stop working.
Security systems may fail and may allow unauthorized access to your buildings.
Fax machines used to send announcements to your customers may stop working.
Telephone systems, answering machines and voice mail may fail to work or to record messages.
Pagers and cellular phones.
Heating and air conditioning controls.
Burglar and fire alarms.
Preprogrammed money transfers to cover checks to creditors may not take place.
Anything else that may use the date!

Can I prepare?

Test your office devices. (Check with the manufacturer first. You wouldn't want to try this on equipment and render it inoperable.) Set them to Dec. 31, 1999, and see if they operate when the year changes.

Beyond the devices in your own business, there also is the "business supply chain." You buy goods and services from other businesses. If they fail, your cash flow can suffer critically. Can you imagine being unable to obtain dental supplies? Consider stocking a three- to six-month supply of critical items.

When 2000 arrives, monitor your office equipment and systems. Closely check incoming invoices and statements for accuracy. I hope our society will be electronically ready when the true millennium starts in 2001.

Internet help on this issue

The Small Business Administration has a Web site designed for answering small-business owners' questions on this issue. It is located at: www.sba.gov/y2k