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...

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

Dental Practice Management: Take Control of Your Financials Contd

Once you’ve identified your collection problems, you’ll want to put your staff to work.  In your next morning huddle, use a highlighter to identify large outstanding patient and insurance balances.  Then direct your front desk to call these patients and insurance companies.  Your staff may need to resubmit claims, and even send patients to collections.

 

A dental practice works best with the right practice management tools

Use an Effective Appointment Reminder and Recall System

A good patient reminder and recall system is the lifeblood of most successful practices.  Fortunately, just like your patient collection needs, your computer software system should provide an effective system to help your staff ensure high patient appointment compliance.

 

Recall Appointments

I find that the best time to create the next recall appointments for patients is while they are still in the office.  Be sure your staff does everything they can to make your patients’ next check-up appointments before the patients leave.   Sure, patients might forget the exact day of an appointment six months out, but the mere fact that they have made an appointment will serve to commit them to coming back.  Your software should provide an easy way to print recall appointment cards and lists so that, well before the scheduled recall appointment, you can remind patients of their recall appointments.

 

Appointment Reminders

There is nothing quite like experiencing a no show on a three-unit bridge appointment.  We’ve all had them, and, to some degree, it goes with the territory, but there are new tools available that will help minimize missed appointments.  To be sure, your front desk staff should make personal confirmation calls to all large cases; however, this type of personal follow-up drains a staff’s time and may be overkill for smaller cases, especially for offices running a lean staff.  Some software systems now offer the ability to e-mail customized appointment reminders directly from the appointment book screen.  If your system doesn’t have this capability, you may want to look into a third-party add-on service that can send e-mail and/or text message reminders to patients.  Don’t overlook your appointment reminder system because anything you can do to help your patients keep their appointments will have a direct impact on your bottom line.

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

Dental Practice Management: Take Control of Your Financials

Part of running a dental practice involves keeping track of finances, particularly where your practice is concerned.

As I read the morning paper, my eyes were drawn to the headline “NO ANSWER FOR STOCK FREEFALL!”  The article went on to report that the Dow Jones Industrial had plunged below 7,000 to a level not seen since 1997.  Clearly, from Wall Street to Main Street, we are in troubling times; and, unfortunately, our corner of the healthcare market is not immune to the effects of this economy.  From patients reluctant to accept treatment plans to recently-laid-off patients not keeping their appointments, we are being affected.  So, what is the economic situation of your practice?  And, more importantly, what are you doing about it?

Run your Dental Practice with Financial Good Sense

Take Control

Yes, as the owner of a dental practice, there are many things that you control and should do to enhance your practice’s financial performance, even during an economic meltdown.  Understanding what these things are and implementing them in your practice will determine how well you weather this economic storm.

To increase your practice’s financial performance, you’ll want to address three financial questions:

1. Are my collections where they need to be?
2. Am I effectively minimizing missed appointments?, and
3. Do I set and track my financial goals?

Maximize your Collections

A number of years ago, one of my colleagues became increasingly frustrated with his practice’s financial performance.  He complained that no matter how many additional crowns he cut or veneers he cemented, his cash flow remained stagnant.  Curiously, his increased efforts didn’t seem to have any effect on his practice’s overall financial performance.  So he did what many of us have done – he opened his practice to a consultant.  After just a few hours, the consultant found a glaring problem – his collections were at a pathetic 79%.

When times get tough, undercollecting or simply not collecting your hard-earned money is a mistake you cannot afford to make.  Most likely, you have paid thousands of dollars for computer software that was specifically designed to help you monitor your collections.  Software like Dentrix, DentiMax, EagleSoft, and SoftDent include great collection features.  If you have not been using your software’s financial tools, now is the time to start.  Familiarize yourself with your patient aging report and insurance aging reports.  With the proper aging reports, it won’t take a consultant to identify problems with your practice’s collections.

To read more on this topic, please click here.

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