I’ve been using the free Voice Memo app that comes with my iPhone to perio chart alone when a dental assistant is not available.  This app, or a similar voice recording app, should be available on most smart phones.  My apple earbuds (with mic) work very well even when there is a lot of noise around me.  I basically record myself as I perio chart (including any patient notes I may want to add at the end) and then when I have free time between patients, or at the end of the day, I play the recording back to myself and complete the perio chart and any patient notes.  I work with mostly Medicaid patients so we overbook and often have high and low show rates throughout the day, which gives me free time during the day to enter the info without utilizing the patient’s time.  The whole process (perio charting while recording and playing back while entering the info in the computer) has taken less than 10 minutes so far.  I record probing depths, missing teeth, recession, bleeding and mobility.