Many new feature enhancements and three bug fixes are included in the product update released in June 2025. The major enhancements in this release include the following:

• Clinical

  • Plaque and Calculus Charting in Perio Exams: New Toggle and Modification Rules

  • Plaque and Calculus Charting Enhancements in Perio Exam

  • Updated Help Icon

• Settings

  • New Plaque and Calculus Levels Section

• Administrative

  • Exclude Simulation Patients from Image Retake Control

• Financials

  • Day Sheet Report Improvements

Three Ascend Academic bug fixes are included in this release.

Clinical

Plaque and Calculus Charting in Perio Exams: New Toggle and Modification Rules

To streamline periodontal charting, a new feature has been introduced in the New Perio Exam window. A new toggle option, Include Plaque and Calculus charting (Patient > Clinical > Perio > New Perio Exam) has been added. This toggle is enabled by default. When turned on, it activates the corresponding Plaque and Calculus scripts, allowing users to chart related data.

When modifying an existing Perio exam, users cannot change the Include Plaque and Calculus charting toggle. The setting remains fixed as it was during the original exam creation.

• If the toggle was off in the original exam, the Plaque and Calculus charting fields will remain unavailable during modification.

• Conversely, if the toggle was on, the Plaque and Calculus charting options will continue to be accessible while editing.

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Plaque and Calculus Charting Enhancements in Perio Exam

We've enhanced the functionality of Perio exams by adding new field/s for Plaque and Calculus charting, enabling more detailed and accurate periodontal assessments (Patient > Clinical > Perio > Tooth Navigation Script). Faculty users can chart Plaque and Calculus values on the tablet, consistent with how other charting features were previously supported.

(a) Plaque Charting

A new Plaque (PLQ) line has been added to the Perio chart, positioned below the Mucogingival Junction (MGJ) and above Supragingival Calculus (SPGC).

To chart Plaque (PLQ) in a Perio exam, go to the patient's clinical record and select the Perio tab. You can either create a new exam or open an existing one.

In the Tooth navigation script dropdown, select Plaque and enter plaque values using the number pad. If needed, apply skip conditions. Adjust the BOP (Bleeding on Probing) and SUP (Suppuration) settings as necessary. The chart will follow these settings, allowing you to easily skip teeth that don’t require charting or focus on specific areas like the mid-buccal surface.

(b) Calculus Charting

Users can now chart Supragingival Calculus (SPGC) and Subgingival Calculus (SBGC).

To chart the new fields in a Perio exam, go to the patient's clinical record and select the Perio tab. You can either create a new exam or open an existing one.

In the Tooth Navigation Script dropdown, choose from Supragingival Calculus, Subgingival Calculus, or Supragingival and Subgingival Calculus. Once selected, you can begin entering values using the number pad. Set BOP (Bleeding on Probing) and SUP (Suppuration) options as needed.

While charting, the cursor intelligently moves between Supragingival and Subgingival entries (e.g., 1D SPGC → 1D SBGC → 1B SPGC → 1B SBGC) only when the Supra & Subgingival Calculus is selected from the dropdown. If the user selects only Supragingival Calculus or Subgingival Calculus, the cursor follows the general navigation pattern (e.g., 1D → 1B → 1M).

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Updated Help Icon

Ascend Academic users can now take advantage of enhanced Calculus and Plaque charting capabilities, supported by an improved Help icon within the Perio chart (Patient > Clinical > Perio). This enhancement makes it easier to interpret new charting fields and abbreviations directly from the Help resource.

(a) Updated Abbreviations & Symbols section

This section now also includes:

• PLQ – Plaque

• SPGC – Supragingival Calculus

• SBGC – Subgingival Calculus

(b) Updated Plaque and Calculus Levels section

A new Plaque & Calculus Levels tab has been added to the Help icon. This tab displays information configured under Settings > Plaque & Calculus Levels.

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Settings

New Plaque and Calculus Levels Section

Ascend Academic users can now customize the Plaque and Calculus level ranges. A dedicated section has been added allowing users to customize and define the ranges for Calculus and Plaque Levels (Settings > PATIENT CARE > Plaque and Calculus Levels) for accurate reference and alignment with their teaching methods.

Users can add, modify, or delete Plaque and Calculus levels. Each category comes with 4 default levels, but users can add up to a maximum of 10 levels for each. Additionally, users can edit the default levels and rearrange the order of all levels to suit their preferences.

• Plaque Levels (0-3): Ranges from no plaque (0) to heavy plaque covering the gumline and between teeth (3).

• Calculus Levels (0-3): Ranges from no debris or stains (0) to soft debris covering over two-thirds of the tooth surface (3).

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Administrative

Exclude Simulation Patients from Image Retake Control

In this Ascend Academic release, we have implemented the ability to exempt simulation patients from the radiograph retake limits, allowing students unrestricted retakes when practicing on simulation patients in the Radiography lab. This ensures that retake limits only apply to real patients, while still tracking retake activity for all patients.

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Financials

Day Sheet Report Improvements

Ascend Academic users can now run the Day Sheet report much faster even with complex filters. Reports generate quickly and consistently across different filter combinations. This improvement helps users access their data efficiently and supports better workflow.

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Bug Fixes

Error on Server when Running Day Sheet Report

Issue: Day Sheet report fails to run when using the Modified date setting.

Solution: Fixed so that the Day Sheet report now runs correctly when using Modified date setting.

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Incorrect Procedures Count in Analysis Evaluations Report

Issue: Procedure Counts field in the Analysis Evaluations Report is incorrect when a procedure code is modified in a completed evaluation.

Solution: Fixed so that the Procedure Counts field in the Analysis Evaluations Report is accurately updated when a procedure code is modified in a completed evaluation.

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Specific procedures required mandatory Tooth Range

Issue: For specific procedures D0220, D0230 and D707, tooth range was incorrectly mandatory in the Ledger when it should be optional, requiring users to enter a tooth range to add or edit these procedures.

Solution: Fixed so users can now add or modify procedures D0220, D0230 and D707 in the Ledger without being required to enter a tooth range.

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