Version 4.2.4, February 24, 2014,
CDT Code Upgrade This version will update a TCE Version 4.2.1 or higher system running the CDT2013 code list to run the CDT2014 code list. Any custom codes you have created in the past will be preserved in the new 2014 list.

Version 4.2.3, February 16, 2013,
Maintenance Upgrade This version is a maintenance upgrade to fix a problem with the failure to display patient icons in the patient search listing on a Windows XP computer plus a couple of other minor generally un-noticed bugs. Otherwise, this update does exactly the same things as the 4.2.1 version below. The problem with the display of patient icons was created by our use of the newest Microsoft Compilers we are now using in order to make sure our programs are fully compatible with the newest Microsoft Windows systems.

Version 4.2.1, December 27, 2012,
2013 Codes plus Images upgrade This version updates our Images module to allow the user to designate up to six types or categories of images. After assigning types to images, the Images tab allows the user to select a type or types to filter the listing and thumbnails to display only that (those) type(s) of images. This feature makes it much easier to find the image you want to see when there are lots of different types of images stored in a particular patient's chart. In addition to a couple of bug fixes, this version also provides the 2013 codes for those dentists using the program that have a "license" to use the codes from the ADA. That includes almost every dentist in the U.S., especially those who have purchased the latest code book from the ADA.
This new version also corrects the incorrect e-mail destination for our crash reports, support requests, and registration by e-mail. Those functions should all work correctly with this new version.

Versions 4.1.6.1 through 4.1.8.1, various dates throughout 2012,
Small updates, bug fixes, and enhancements for cloud users. These versions contained numerous small updates and bug fixes, but no new modules or features except the addition of new fields in the patient information tab of a patient's chart. These new fields were put in to meet some of the requirements for certification of the software as a medical EHR product. We are awaiting the designation of requirements for certification of dental EHR software, currently being worked on by CMS and the ADA. Of the sixty or so proposed requirements, The Complete Exam can meet all of them at this time in the fall of 2012. As soon as dental standards are finalized, we will make sure we support all of them and will apply for certification.

Version 4.1.5.1, September 13, 2011,
TCE in the Cloud! This version updates our integration with QuickBooks Pro 2011 to make it work properly when running TCE in the cloud. This version is our first to be offered for cloud operation. TCE began offering cloud operation on December 1, 2011. Call us (866-THE EXAM) if you are interested in knowing more about our cloud offering.

Version 4.1.1, June 23, 2011,
In addition to enabling the new codes for 2011/2012, this version fixes a problem with the coordination of the Appointment Scheduler and Treatment Planning. A couple of graphical display issues with charting a couple of rarely used procedures has also been fixed.

Version 3.9.4, August 20, 2009,
This version has some reporting fixes for problems created when we moved to the newer Microsoft compiler last year. Also, three extra buttons have been added to the perio charting input screen to allow totally hands free single pass perio charting using a Dental R.A.T. or other non-hand operated mouse alternative input method. This also makes it possible to use a tablet PC and its stylus without the need for a keyboard emulator on screen.

Version 3.9.1, January 6, 2009,
2009 U.S. dental insurance codes are implemented with this version.

Smart Docs now puts up a button during the creation of a new Smart Doc for a patient that will "Copy to Admin Notes" an automatic notation indicating the creation of that "document" on that date and time. This functions similarly to our "Copy to Clinical Notes" feature in Smart Docs.

periodontal charting - has a new feature called "copy prior periodontal charting" when beginning charting of a new exam. Clicking this button shows a warning dialog requiring Yes/No answer. Yes will copy the Pocket Depth and Margin entries from whatever exam is in the 2nd position. By default, this would be the last perio exam. Bleeding, mobility, and furcation markings are not copied. A note is added to Clinical Notes indicating that Perio entries have been copied from a prior charting session.

Pt info tab - The selection boxes for "Referred by" and "Other Provider" have an "add new" option so that new referral sources and other providers can be added within the patient information editing screen. When using this feature, upon completion of the addition of the new source, that new entry will be the selected item in the box.

Report Writer - Two new search criteria have been added to the search options. You may now search for patients who have been assigned a specific insurance reimbursement schedule as well as a specific fee schedule.

Version 3.8.0, August 28, 2008,
Admin Notes - This new tab in the patient record works like clinical notes except that it is for non-clinical, administrative notes such as notes relative to collection calls or other such patient information you wish to keep track of.

Treatment Planning - A button has been added to "Copy to Windows Clipboard" any selected appointment, phase, or TxPlan. Ctrl-C does not work well for this purpose, so this special function was implemented to allow a user to copy any plan, phase or appointment to clipboard to be pasted into a Treatment Acceptance and/or financial arrangement form of your liking. Such form could also be set up as a Smart Doc, by the way. This function copies the formatted selection so it can be pasted with little if any clean up work to generate a usable document. It can not be used to copy more than one plan at a time.

Version 3.7.9, March 6, 2008,
Maintenance release tweaking several features.

Version 3.7.5, June 13, 2007,
Perio - Single Pass perio charting has been enhanced to allow users to select one or three entries per tooth side when charting Recession (Gingival Margin) and Gingival Width. See Single Pass Perio Charting for detailed instructions on using these new features.

Insurance claim filing module has been rewritten and enhanced to allow filing of NPI numbers simultaneously with EIN or SS numbers as now required by HIPAA. Previously, we could only file one at a time and not both. Additionally, we can now file standard fees instead of the actual fees charged for procedures on claim forms filed electronically as well as on paper for those idiot insurers that want this previously illegal method.

Version 3.7.2, March 2, 2007,
Added Feature: Added e-mail address field to the Referral Source setup, allowing automating e-mail to referral providers. This e-mail address is now available as a column in Report Writer reports. Also, if the Referral Source or Other Provider has an e-mail address, the name will be displayed in blue and underlined on the Pt Info page, and clicking on this underlined name will launch the user's default e-mail program with the provider's address as the To: field and the patient's name as the Subject: field.

Perio - Quadrant View - improved graphics quality while in quadrant zoom mode to match our normal standards, and fixed a couple of bugs in charting paths.

Fixed: Clinical notes for an active charting session were overwritten if the session was closed then a new session is opened immediately without closing the patient chart completely first.

Fixed: Chart screen occasionally does not display teeth until manually refreshed when TCE is launched from another practice management system.

Fixed: Changed the formatting of total lines in ECF batch file to conform with NC Medicaid's new requirements. Electronic filing of claims for other payers remains unchanged and working as usual.

Version 3.7.0, January 1, 2007, adds one more new perio enhancement for single entries per tooth for recession and gingival margin, and adds the capability to set a beginning month for insurance coverages. It also enables the new CDT-2007 codes to be used.

Version 3.6.2 November 4, 2006, finalizes the new perio enhancements, and updates a couple of our external links to other programs. Most notably, it adds a new link to provide charted information to the office management services of First Pacific Corp, a well established outsourced office management services provider.

Adds a preview of some new perio charting enhancements for testing. In addition to a magnified quadrant view option, available when either viewing past charting, or during current charting input, we now have implemented a single-pass complete charting capability to greatly enhance efficiency in perio charting.

Version 3.6.1 August 28, 2006 This version introduces the ability to store images in files external to the TCE SQL database. This is necessary for those offices that use imaging extensively within TCE and do not want to upgrade to the full purchased version of Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Heavy image storage, particularly of large high-resolution files, will exceed the 4GB database size limit with the Express version of SQL 2005. Even though the images are stored outside the actual SQL database, TCE is still able to absolutely verify whether an image file has been altered or edited since it was originally saved, so legal integrity is still preserved if this option is used.
     Also added in this version is the ability to alter the brightness and contrast of images, either when acquiring (importing) them and initially saving them as well as viewing them later.

Version 3.5.0 February 9, 2006 It accomplishes a shift to a new, better SDK (Software Developer's Kit) version 5.0 from Intuit for our integration with QuickBooks Pro. This provides better support for QB Pro versions 2005 and especially 2006. QB Pro 2006 marks a complete revision of Intuit's multi-user networking configuration, and this new version of TCE is designed to accommodate it better. Once you update to TCE version 3.5.0.14, you must also update the QuickBooks interface or it will not work. It is not necessary to uninstall QBFC3 before installing QBFC5.

Beginning with Version 3.5.0, we made a serious upgrade to our Scheduler program by adding QuickSet templates to make it very simple to set up appointment scenarios for multiple procedures in one visit. We also added Goals to the appointment book, and enhanced our report writer to enable searching on wild card characters. This definitely expands the usability of the Report Writer by enabling better control over search criteria.

Major upgrade to using the new Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express engine instead of the older MSDE 2000 engine: Beginning with version 3.5, we are now distributing and using the new Microsoft SQL 2005 engine. This new engine, in addition to being more capable than the older MSDE engine, allows users twice as much space in the database and eliminates the built-in throttling used in the MSDE product. The distribution CD will install SQL Express in a new installation, and will also offer existing users a chance to upgrade from MSDE to that new SQL Express edition. There is no additional charge for this new engine.

For networked installations, some additions to the normal rules for security and permissions are necessary when using the SQL 2005 Express engine. For details, see the documentation on the distribution CD. In addition, your Windows XP Pro must be upgraded to SP2 with the latest security patches to use this engine. SP1 or less will not work. Also required is the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, also provided on the distribution CD if you don't want to download and install it from Microsoft's upgrade site. .NET Framework 1.1 will not work for SQL 2005, but if you have it installed to support other programs (Schick CDR, for example), it may be left in place and it coexists nicely with .NET 2.0.

Beginning with Version 3.4.1 (Sep 2005), we added the ability to format fonts, colors, sizes, etc., in clinical notes, as well as the capability to filter clinical notes to notes that were hygiene only, or notes with a particular word or phrase in them.

In addition, we altered the location of the merge information file, which requires a re-configuration of any merge documents, such as prescriptions, that you may have created and placed into Smart Docs. For information about this and specific instructions for implementation, please see the documentation on the new distribution CD. Version 3.4.2.0, October 25, 2005, was the last of the 3.4 versions before moving on to version 3.5.

06/27/2005 - Build 3.3.1

E-Mail links - After an e-mail address is entered for a patient, there are now three ways to create a message for the patient using your default e-mail program: By selecting the patient and clicking on the "Mail" button at the bottom of the Search screen, by opening the chart and clicking the e-mail address on the Pt-Info screen, or by right-clicking an appointment in the schedule and selecting "Send E-Mail" from the pop-up menu.  In the Practice Information screen (Settings - Practice Setup - Practice Info) you can create templates for regular messages (sent from Search / Chart) and appointment messages (sent from the schedule).  Each template can specify the subject line and the body text for the message.

In most screens that allow entry of free-form notes, there is now a button with a "lightning bolt" icon.  This button is for the "Quick Note" entry function. It will display the list of common categories and phrases that can be selected with a mouse-click for easy entry into the note.  This feature is available in the Pt Info screen and in Smart Chart for entering Medical Alerts, follow-up notes, and the "By Report" section of procedures and conditions.

Supernumerary teeth - The "Supernumerary" condition now displays a letter "S" on the Smart Chart to indicate that a supernumerary tooth has been charted. In the screen for the "Extraction" procedures, there is a "Supernumerary" check-box that is used to indicate a supernumerary extraction instead of a normal tooth extraction.  When this box is checked, the tooth number will be displayed and listed on the insurance forms in the range of 51 - 82 (or AS - TS for primary), according to the ADA numbering system.

Condition "Missing" - Many users have been confused when charting a patient that presents with teeth missing.  Charting these teeth as "extraction" with a status of "existing" shows an ADA procedure code for an extraction, and a status of "existing" for a tooth that doesn't exist.  Of course, the tooth may not have been extracted by another provider.  It may have been congenitally missing, or lost due to trauma.  There is now a condition of "Missing" available through the "Condition" button. The previous method of "existing extraction" is still available, or you can use the "Missing" condition.  Either way, the tooth will not be shown on the graphical chart, but will be listed in the procedure/condition list to the right, and will be marked as missing on insurance forms.  The free-form note box may be used to enter any further explanation.

Under the Practice Info section of Practice Setup, there is a place to set the default city, state, zip for new patients.  When a new patient is added, these defaults will be used for any of the information not entered.

User-defined Patient Icons - In addition to the 7 Patient Icons supplied with TCE, you may now change the icons or add new ones specifically for your practice.  The option is available under (Settings - Practice Setup - Patient Icons).  The program will create icons by importing .bmp files, which can be created with Microsoft Paint or other image software.  The icons should be 16 x 16, and 256 colors or less.  Once imported, these custom icons will be stored in the database, so the .bmp file does not need to be installed on each computer.

Practice-Specific screens and logos - The program splash screen (what you see when TCE starts up, before opening the Pt Search screen or schedule) can be customized to show your practice logo or other image.  To display your own image, save the image file of your choice as "screen.bmp" in the program directory.  Typically, this will be "C:\Program Files\The Complete Exam\screen.bmp".  JPG, PNG, and other formats are not supported.  You must first convert those images to a .bmp format.  Any size image is acceptable.  Smaller images will be centered in a white background, and larger images will be scaled down to fit the screen.  A small "The Complete Exam" logo will always be displayed in the lower right corner.  This .bmp file is set individually for each workstation, so it is possible for different computers to be configured with different screen images.  The TCE "tooth" picture that prints in the lower right corner of all reports can also be customized.  Place a small .bmp image (from 48 x 48 up to 150 x 150) in the program directory as "C:\Program Files\The Complete Exam\logo.bmp".  The image will be scaled to about 1/2" x 1/2" for printing.   For consistency, the same image should be installed for each computer.  To return to the default TCE images, just delete the screen.bmp or logo.bmp files from the program directory.

03/21/2005 -Build 3.3.0

CDT2005 Codes

Major enhancements to Appointment Scheduler including pre-blocking and provider "in appt" time.

Updated help file

Numerous performance improvements

Before installing this update use "Help - Registration" to verify that  your "Support and Updates" registration has not expired.

1) All users must be out of TCE and QuickBooks

2) Use TCE SQL Manager to create a backup of the TCE database

3) Copy the tce.bak file to another network drive or removable media

4) Copy the tcesql.exe file from Program Files to another folder/file name in case you want to go back to the prior version.

5) Download the .msi files upgrade and the updated help and save them to the TCEDATA\UPDATES folder on the server.

6) Double click each of the .msi files to install the updated program and help files.

7) Start TCE  - you will be notified of an update to the database structure

8) Once TCE starts, go to Settings-Procedure Codes-Procedure Codes.  Change the CodeSet to CDT-5 if desired.  You may also want to update your fee schedules with fees for the new codes added to CDT-5. For any codes that existed in CDT-4 and custom codes you have created, the fees will automatically be carried forward.

9) After verifying that TCE is working correctly, update all other workstations with the two .msi files.

10) Use F1 for help to view information about the new scheduling features.  Your schedule will continue to work as before unless you choose to set up the options for pre-blocking and the other  new features.

11/4/2004 - Build 3.2.6

4/9/04 - Build 2.22.7 
Minor change to the way payments are posted to QuickBooks and displayed.