Dental Software and The Modern Practice

Dental software plays an essential role in a modern practice’s success. This is because there is a shift from manual to electronic medical records. Various programs have been developed over the years to make it easy for dental practices to record patient information. However, all dental practices need to consider various factors when selecting software. 

Call Today for Information on our Dental Software | (800) 704-8494

Dental Software For Your Practice: What You Must Know

Factors for picking the right dental software include:

Software and Hardware Platform Compatability

This should be one of the first considerations when choosing software for a dental practice. It is advisable to choose a program whose software and hardware platform allows for expansion in the future. A dental practice may expand its operations in a few years and this makes it necessary to acquire a program that can accommodate the changes. It is also important to note that today’s dental practices apply a variety of technology and for this reason, it is better to purchase software that can easily integrate them.

Features

Once you have identified a few dental software options, it is essential to explore the features offered by each. The variety of programs available can actually be overwhelming. There is no perfect software and you will have to consider your needs and determine if the features provided meet them fully.

Most programs come with several features but most dental practices only use a limited number for their electronic medical records. There are certain critical features that you should look for including:

• Insurance estimation
• Insurance processing
• Patient management
• Practice parameters
• Scheduling
• Treatment planning
• Patient registration

Good dental software programs offer both clinical and administrative features. Look for a program that easily fits with your processes and practice in general. A well-designed program will not force you to make changes to accommodate it.  On that subject there are other things to consider when you're looking for a program for your practice.

Dental Practice Management Software:  Ease of Use

Any well-written dental practice management software program should also have some other features  before you install it.  For one thing it should either have the ability to communicate with any legacy systems that your practice may still be running, or if it cannot communicate with them, it should replace them as seamlessly as possible.  Above all else, your software should be easy to use with a clean and uncluttered interface.  Even with training and support, if the program is too complicated, you are likely going to stress out and freeze when you need to do any practice related tasks.

So, remember, not all software is the same.  Some are too complicated to use, others simple, but they don't have any features.  Ultimately, whichever program you decide on, make sure that it is the right dental software for your practice.

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com

The Five “Hidden” Costs of Digital Sensors (Contd)

Read the first part of this article about digital sensors...

Welcome to the Digital Age| Try our Digital Sensors |(800) 704-8494

As we covered previously, sometimes digital sensors have hidden costs..

Digital Sensors and Their Hidden Costs

#4 –Bridging Software

Practice management compatibility can be a confusing aspect of digital sensors and their corresponding imaging software.  Most imaging programs can link, bridge, or integrate with your practice management software.  This may be an additional cost that is buried in your sensor quote.  Or, worse, it is sometimes omitted completely.  In addition, make sure that you understand how the bridge works, as well as which “side” is responsible for “bridging” the systems.  The last thing you want is finger pointing when the bridge stops working.  If yours is a new practice and you are not already “married” to practice management software, consider purchasing  sensors and practice management software from the same company.  Companies like DentiMax offer both systems, which completely removes the possibility of this type of finger pointing.

Imaging Software and Final Points

#5 – Imaging Software

The imaging software that comes with your sensor more than likely will not work with a competitor’s sensor.  Unfortunately, your new sensors will not last forever, and when the time comes to purchase a new sensor, if your software only works with one manufacturer’s sensor, you will be forced to purchase their sensors at their prices – no other option.  The deal you are now getting to purchase their initial system may not be the deal you get down the road.  In addition, the company that has the best sensor today may not be the company that will have the best sensor in five or ten years.  Choose a company that provides software that gives you the freedom to use any sensor, digital pan, and/or digital camera.   Fortunately, DentiMax and a few other companies offer “universal” imaging software that works with most sensors on the market.   Locking yourself into a closed software program may make you feel a bit trapped and claustrophobic when it comes time to shop for a new sensor – a real, unfortunate opportunity cost.

Summary

Make sure you figure all fees into the total price of your digital sensor purchase.  By looking at the individual costs for support/maintenance, warranties, updates, bridges, and imaging software, you will know your sensor system’s true price.  And armed with this knowledge, you will be able to  cut through sales “talk” and make the best, most informed decision possible.

This concludes our two part series on digital sensors

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
dentimax.com

The Five “Hidden” Costs of Digital Sensors

There are a lot of purchases you can make for your practice. Some like dental software are a needed asset and require very little thought. With digital sensors, however, you have to be ready for more...

The Five “Hidden” Costs of Digital Sensors

By Jim Ramey

The sensor itself is just one component of your total digital imaging system’s cost.

When shopping for a new digital sensor, become familiar with the various costs associated with the sensor, other than simply the cost of the sensor itself.  Some of these costs are fairly obvious, such as the extended warranty cost, and others are not so obvious, such as monthly recurring fees and opportunity costs.  Applying my five cost factors will help you determine a sensor’s true cost and provide you the information you need to make accurate cost comparisons between today’s sensor market offerings.

#1  – Monthly Fees

Monthly fees can add up fast and are something that you may pay as long as you own your sensors.  Find out what these fees are before you make your purchase decision.  Monthly fees can show up as software support agreements, warranty fees, or maintenance fees.  These fees can run as much as several hundred dollars each month.  I have heard many practices make the complaint, “we can’t even talk to a real person until they make sure our support fees are current.”   Make sure that you know what these total monthly fees are, and multiply that figure by how many years you plan to keep your practice.  You may be surprised how much monthly fees can add to the true cost of the sensor.

#2 – Warranties

Most companies automatically include a limited manufacturer’s warranty with their sensors and offer an extended warranty for an additional fee.  Extended warranties vary greatly as to what they cover, how long they last, and how much they cost.  It usually is a good idea to get an extended warranty on your sensor – especially if you only purchase one sensor.  But the terms and costs, as well as the conditions of these warranties, vary widely.  Not only do you need to include the total warranty cost in your total price of the sensor (some warranties are paid monthly for the life of your practice), but you need to be aware of the terms and conditions so you know how and when you can get a replacement sensor or a loaner sensor while your sensor is being repaired.

#3 – Updates

Many companies charge fees to get updates and bug fixes for their imaging software.  Make sure that you ask about software update fees, the frequency of these updates, and then add these amounts to the cost of your imaging system.  Better to ask now than to be surprised later.

Digital Sensors and Smart Buying

As you probably see, purchasing digital sensors may be more complicated than you might think.

More about digital sensors...

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
dentimax.com

DIGITAL X-RAY VIRGINS Contd

Call Today for Information on our Digital X-Rays and Dental  Software | (800) 704-8494

Digital X-Rays?

After doing a good deal of research, the system I finally chose was DentiMax. There were several reasons I choose that company’s Dream Sensor. The first was that I found the quality to be amazing and the price was the lowest I had seen anywhere. This made me skeptical, but further research with CRA and other literature helped convince me that this sensor—and its low price—was not too good to be true. I was delighted to find the sensor was very highly rated. This, of course, made them an incredible value.

Another reason I chose this system is the open architecture software. This lets me use my current wireless RF Systems intraoral camera in conjunction with the x-ray imaging software and keep my patient photos organized in the same place as the digital x-rays. Another nice feature is that the Dream Sensor is thinner than most other sensors I looked at, and it has rounded corners. These details helped curb my concerns about patient discomfort.

My final concern, of course, was the diagnostic quality of the digital sensor in my own office. I had seen the studies and the comparisons, which were all favorable, but what would the x-rays look like on my monitor? DentiMax was especially helpful in extinguishing this concern and let me test the Dream Sensor in my office before I bought it.  They also provided all the support I needed to achieve stunningly clear images, which had me diagnosing carious lesions I had missed on previous film x-rays.

I am still in my first year of losing my digital x-ray virginity, and it has been fun to see that my patients have responded favorably to the new technology. They have been much more prompt in scheduling appointments because I can now show them exactly what is wrong and they clearly understand the need for the proposed treatment.

I have zero regrets about the transition to digital x-rays, and I still haven’t seen a better system out there with a better value.  If you still exist in the realm of Digital X-Ray Virginity, I hope my experience will ignite a desire in you to take the plunge. You’ll never regret making the move.

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com

DIGITAL X-RAY VIRGINS

Digital XRays Are the Future | (800) 704-8494

For some unidentified reason, my wife and I have gotten hooked on all those real estate reality shows on HGTV. One of these shows, "Property Virgins," features first-time homebuyers trying to decide if they want to own a home and, if so, what they should buy. Watching this show feels a bit familiar to me because a few short months ago you could have called me a Digital X-Ray Virgin.

For the last 13 years, I have shared a 12-operatory building and an old x-ray processor with two other Digital X-Ray Virgins. We all thought we were doing pretty well with our film and our chemicals and our temperamental x-ray processor. I am now happy to report that my partners and I made our decision and we are now immensely enjoying the wonderful world of digital imaging.

So why did I wait so long to go digital with my x-rays? I’ve asked myself this question many times, because I have enjoyed this technology so much since adding it to my practice last August. But as I think about it, I had several reasons that kept me from pulling the plug on my old x-ray processor. Some of the major concerns were:

• The sensors I had tried didn’t seem to be as diagnostic as film and I figured I would just wait for the technology to improve;
• I also was hoping costs would come down over time; and
• I was concerned I would need better computers with more data storage, and additional monitors, which would mean an even larger price to implement digital x-rays.
• My patients, who were used to film x-rays, might not like those bulky sensors.

Another roadblock was that my aforementioned partners—with whom I shared a darkroom and x-ray film processor—weren’t ready to make the move yet either. The list seemed to go on and on.

To read more about this subject, click here

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com

Going Paperless: One Step at a Time (Contd)

Call Today for Information on our Dental Software | (800) 704-8494

It really is a beautiful thing to watch the smooth flow of information  between the back and front office as treatment plan, perio, clinical notes and other data is shared to create claims, statements and new appointments.

 

Go Digital with X-rays

Now, for a real productivity boost, combine your practice management software with a digital x-ray system.  Using these two systems together lets you view digital x-rays while treatment planning – at the same time.  And the advantages of digital x-rays over traditional film are well documented.  With a digital x-ray system, you gain these benefits: save time by not waiting for film to develop, use less radiation on your patients, send your x-rays electronically for faster payment, use software tools to educate patients, and eliminate your film and chemical developing solutions.  If you haven’t already gone digital, now is a good time to shop.  Like everything electronic, prices have come down and the technology has only gotten better.  Companies like DentiMax, DEXIS, Kodak, Schick and others offer high-end digital sensors that take incredibly clear x-rays;you might want to check out their latest product offerings. 

Adopt Digital Document Software

If your front desk is cluttered and overrun with paper, it may be time to add document software to your computer.  Digital document software helps your office organize, capture and store: patient insurance cards, driver’s licenses, signatures on your financial/privacy release forms, and printed documents.  The beauty is that, once your patient’s paperwork is entered into the computer, it’s always in the computer, making it easily accessible from any of your computer workstations.  Many practice management systems now offer this kind of software.  You may even find that you already own document software but just haven’t used it.

Throwing your paper and manual systems out the window one day and switching “cold turkey” the next to a completely paperless system could be a bit too much for any office.  Fortunately, going paperless is not an all-or-nothing proposition.  From using your software’s existing treatment plan to digital x-rays and digital documents, you can go paperless one step at a time, at your own pace.  What are you waiting for?

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
http://www.dentimax.com

Going Paperless: One Step at a Time

By Ryan S. Brown, DDS

Throw out your progress notes, x-ray film and the other systems that you have used for years and try going into work the next day with an all new paperless system that you and your staff have neither seen nor used – and did I mention that your day is packed full of patients?  This kind of nightmare would make any dental team anxious and would prove a recipe for disaster.  Fortunately, offices that want to go paperless don’t have to do it all at once, but can take it one step at a time.  Let me suggest three initial steps to going paperless: (1) create treatment plans from within your software, (2) go digital with your x-rays, and (3) use some type of digital document software.

 

Use Your Software to Create Treatment Plans

Computerized perio measurements means instant access to patients’ perio charts from any office computer.

Many offices still use paper to record patient treatment plans.  They may feel that the computer is too slow, be adverse to change, or see no real value to creating treatment plans on the computer.  The truth is, with today’s practice management systems like DentiMax, Dentrix, Eaglesoft and others, treatment planning from the computer within your operatory is always faster.  But beyond increasing your treatment plan recording speed, electronically captured information is easier to access and will lend itself to a better office workflow.

How Dental Software Can Help

The right dental software can help. Going paperless is easy then.  You can print things as you need them, not just because you have to.

To read more on this subject click here.

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
http://www.dentimax.com

Dental Practice Management Software: Embezzlement Contd

 How can a dental practice prevent embezzlement?  Obviously, the first line of defense against embezzlement is to hire honest people.  But beyond reviewing work history and calling references, no one can guarantee that their staff will never steal from them.  Bluntly stated, without good software, you cannot properly protect yourself from employee theft.  I would not have pursued my suspicion and caught this office manager without the detailed information provided by my software program.  I shudder to think about the amount of money that she could have stolen had I not caught her early on.

Where Dental Practice Management Software Fits In

A good software system will allow you to set up customized security and provide the reports you need to monitor your staff.

My office uses DentiMax but Dentrix, Eaglesoft, SoftDent and other software systems also have the ability to set up customized security and provide the reports you need to monitor your staff.  This type of functionality allows you to define the areas of the software your staff members have access to and to what degree they get this access.  If you don’t want your front desk to delete ledger items without your consent, like cash payments, limit their access rights to the ledger.  You could set up the ledger so your front desk can add and edit items but not delete items.  You should also be able to print an audit report by employee.  This report will tell you what your employees have deleted or added to your software.  For example, you might run an audit report by your office manager’s name to see if cash payments have been deleted.

During the Cold War, Ronald Reagan quoted an old Russian maxim to Mikhail Gorbechev, “Trust but verify.”  Do the best you can in hiring trustworthy employees, but use your software’s capabilities to verify their honesty.  By routinely verifying that your employees are honest, your trust and appreciation for them will increase.  But, per chance you find something wrong, you will be able to take immediate corrective action before a possible problem has a chance to balloon into something large scale or is allowed to continue unabated.

Dental Practice Software and Fraud Prevention

As a practice you want to make sure that your finances are in control.  One thing that you have to consider is that in some cases, there may be fraud going on.  With the right dental practice management software, however, you can help prevent this.

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com

Dental Practice Software: Prevent Embezzlement

One thing that no dental practice wants to face is the possibility of employee theft or fraud.

A Dental Office also Needs Fraud Prevention

In our last article, we covered the importance of financial records.  One other reason for these records is to track the problem with embezzlement.

How Big of a Threat is Embezzlement to Dental Practices?

When it comes to theft and embezzlement, no one is totally immune.  "Susan Gunn, a national speaker and certified fraud examiner, told embezzlement course attendees at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, that three out of five professional practices are currently being embezzled.  After the meeting, Susan stated that upwards of 80% of her course attendees currently suspect embezzlement or had recently been embezzled.  'Simply stated,' she said, 'we are in a crisis.'”  If you have ever suspected that something wasn’t quite right with your office finances, there was a good chance that you were right.

Several years ago, I became suspicious of an office manager who worked in one of my satellite offices.  The office’s collections were way down and I was concerned.  After reviewing the software’s appointment book, it appeared that the office manager was under collecting for my associate’s work.  I noticed that completed procedures that appeared on the appointments were, in some instances, missing from the ledger.  This was especially true for the “cash” patients.  I then pulled my associate dentist’s progress notes and verified my suspicion.  There was a huge discrepancy between the work my associate had recorded in his progress notes and the work the office manager had recorded in the ledger.  I next printed an audit report which informed me that my office manager was also deleting cash payments and then reentering these payments at lower amounts.  Hoping that she would make a voluntary confession, I asked why she had failed to enter certain procedures and why she had deleted cash payments from the software.  She then surprised me by providing a very detailed and lengthy explanation, addressing all of my questions.  I wanted to believe her, but I could not ignore the information the software provided.  And so, I called the patient and informed her we were auditing our books – the patient confirmed all of my suspicions...

READ MORE

DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com