Patent ID: 7970628

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving a first set of one or more dentition conditions of a patient; retrieving a second set of one or more dentition conditions from a database wherein each of the second set of conditions has a predetermined level of difficulty based on at least one of expert opinion, computational algorithm, and historical case content and is associated with a corresponding treatment goal; comparing the first set of conditions with the second set of conditions; estimating a case difficulty assessment level for each of the first set of conditions based on the comparison and associating a respective minimum recommended certification or experience level of a treatment provider with each assessment level; generating with the computer a first treatment goal of the patient based on the first set of conditions; generating with the computer, at a particular stage in a treatment of the patient, a first treatment plan based on the first set of conditions and the first treatment goal of the patient; calculating and displaying a case difficulty assessment level and associated minimum recommended certification or experience level for the first treatment plan; receiving a request for at least one of a modified case difficulty assessment level and an associated minimum recommended certification or experience level; and generating with the computer, at the particular stage in treatment, a second treatment plan based on at least one of the first set of conditions and the received request, the second treatment plan having the modified case difficulty assessment level, and the associated minimum recommended certification or experience.