Blog Category: Dental Practice Tips

The Benefits of Digital Workflows in Your Dental Office

digital workflow in your dental office - Digital Doc

The Benefits of Digital Workflow in Your Office Space

The Many Benefits of Digital Workflows in Your Dental Office

If your dental office hasn’t digitized its workflows, you are missing out on many of the benefits that other dentists are taking advantage of. Here are some of the most notable benefits of digital workflows you may enjoy in your dental office.

The Removal of Time and Space Barriers

Before the advent of digital workflows, everything had to be done manually. As you probably know, filing and retrieving hard copies of patient files is very time-consuming.

That is not the case with digitized workflows. For example, when using the IRIS X80 Dental Camera, images can be instantly sent to the patient’s file.

Visualization of Patient Outcomes is Easy

Digitized workflows also make it easy for your dental team to visualize patient outcomes prior to a dental procedure. For example, your team can pull up digital images of a previous case and use them when planning out treatment.

The same digital records can serve an added role during patient education. For example, “before” and “after” images can be uploaded to your website. New patients will often look into your patient reviews and case studies before coming to the office. It will, therefore, be easier for you to explain a given procedure and what they can expect if the patient comes with some prior information about the treatment they need.

Increased Efficiency

Digital workflows have an immediate impact on efficiency at any dental office. For example, digital x-ray images can be immediately sent to a dental lab so that needed restorations are fabricated quickly. As we mentioned above, you can display the images captured by your intraoral camera on your monitor in real-time. This improved efficiency ultimately brings costs down and improves patient care since the errors inherent in manual processes are eliminated.

Increased Reliability of Products

Digital workflows also make it possible for the information to be processed using a variety of software. For example, the x-ray images captured using the XTG handheld x-ray in your dental office can be used by CAD software to design the customized dental restorations needed by a patient.

Cases of ill-fitting dentures, crowns, and other dental devices are therefore drastically reduced as a result of the digitization of processes at dental offices. As product reliability increases, so does patient satisfaction. Your costs will also reduce because expensive rework is avoided.

Digital Doc has made a name for itself as the best provider of digital dental technology, such as intraoral cameras and handheld x-ray equipment. Give us a call, and we will work with you to upgrade your equipment so that you, too, can enjoy the benefits of digital workflows at your dental office.

Improving Dental Office Productivity

The 3 Steps of Improving Dental Office Productivity

As a dental practice owner, you are fully aware that new competition arises every day. One way to ensure growth is to improve productivity. Our experts at Digital Doc have compiled the following steps to improving dental office productivity dramatically.

Step #1: Take a Look at Your Office’s Materials/Supplies

One of the ways you can increase dental office productivity is by decreasing office supplies. You can weed out which materials and supplies are being used, overused, and not used at all. Here’s why:

It will be easy for you to keep track of the quantities of materials that you are using.
Cost-savings will accrue when you optimize the materials you use. Ultimately, this will decrease your overhead costs.
Less time will be required to order needed supplies.
Your work processes will become standardized.
The risk of errors is minimized when you don’t duplicate materials.

As you assess your materials portfolio, Digital Doc suggests that you give careful thought to materials that can serve multiple purposes since dentistry is moving in that direction.

Step #2: Stick to One (or a few) Brands

When improving dental office productivity, you must narrow down the list of vendors to as few as possible. For example, you can get all your digital dental equipment, such as intraoral cameras and hand-held digital dental x-rays from Digital Doc. The benefits of consolidating your suppliers include the following;

All your materials and processes will match seamlessly. For example, the images captured by the IRIS X80 Liquid Lens intraoral camera will be instantly uploaded to the patient’s file since the intraoral cameras will easily integrate with your office management software.
Quality assurance will be guaranteed
Onboarding new employees are easier
You are likely to spend less money investing in equipment, software, and materials, unlike another dental office that opts to acquire a myriad of standalone equipment, software, and materials.
Greater patient satisfaction since your results will be consistently high, and patients will grow to love and depend on the services that you offer.

Step #3: Create and Nurture Great Partnerships

It isn’t easy for your dental office to do everything and excel at it. For example, while it may be possible for you to fabricate same-day restorations in-house, it may be uneconomical for you to procure the sophisticated equipment needed to make dental implants and other specialty restorations.

You can therefore improve the productivity of your dental office by identifying the core tasks that you really shine at and then outsource the rest. Doing this will bring immediate benefits like;

Increasing the return on investment because your resources and time will be allocated to the services where you outshine the competition.
Beneficial partnerships will make it possible for your dental office to widen the range of services that are offered to your patients.
You can spend more time providing exceptional care to your patients.

Improving Dental Office Productivity with Digi Doc

The future of dental offices is now. If you aren’t actively taking steps to increase the productivity of your practice, then you are falling behind your competitors. Contact Digital Doc today, and we will help you modernize your dental office and improve productivity.

Boosting Profitability in Your Dental Practice in 2020

All You Need to Know About Boosting Profitability in Your Dental Practice in 2020

One of the best goals you can set for your dental practice in 2020 is to boost profitability. Improved profitability will not only mean that you can afford to attract and retain the best staff, but you will also be able to create the dental office of your dreams. Boosting profitability can take two forms. One is to grow your practice by attracting more patients. The second way is to optimize every aspect of the dental practice to get maximum value from all the resources at your disposal. Consider some of the following recommendations on how to boost profitability in your dental practice.

Emphasize Same-Day Treatment

You can increase case acceptance and profitability by making same-day treatment plans available to your patients. For example, seeing a patient who comes in for their routine dental cleaning and then deep cavities. This patient can be given the option of getting a filling that same day.

The advantage of same-day treatment options is that they negate the need to make future appointments. Appointments always come with the possibility of cancellation or postponement. Therefore, profitability will be boosted once patients are presented with the option of having a dental problem dealt with immediately.

Use Pictures, Not Words

Case acceptance can also be boosted by taking the approach of saying fewer words and using more pictures during case presentation. In this regard, the best intraoral camera from Digital DOC can go a long way in providing high-quality images that can be displayed on HD flat screen T.V’s in the office. The crystal-clear images will show the patient the extent of their dental problem. When a patient sees the extent of tooth decay, then the patient will be more willing to accept the treatment plan recommended. Using Digital Doc’s intraoral cameras allows you to See More, Do More.

Give Everyone an Appointment

Profitability can be improved when patients leave the office with their next visit already scheduled. The best way to pull this off, especially when faced with patients who don’t have any specific dental problem, is by having the front desk staff explain why it is important to schedule regular visits to retain peak dental health. The staff member can then proceed to recommend two appointment options from which the patient is encouraged to select the one they prefer. In this way, you will have eased the appointment-setting process while giving the patient autonomy to select the best timing for that appointment. If handled successfully, profitability will start to improve as those appointments kick in.

Improve Your Appointment Confirmation Process

A significant portion of productivity (and potential profitability) is lost to canceled appointments and no-shows. By having an effective appointment confirmation system, a lot of this lost productivity can be avoided.

For example, research has shown that text messaging produces better results than sending voicemail messages. To start, send a message the same day the appointment is made. Then follow up with another message requesting confirmation two weeks before the appointment date. Next, send another message 48 hours before, then 24 hours before and lastly 2 hours before the appointment. This way, any patient who cannot make their appointment will let the office know, and that time slot can be allocated to another patient. This way, profitability will be boosted because the entire workday will be fully utilized.

Provide a Variety of Payment Options

Some people are hesitant to accept recommended treatment plans because of the needed treatment’s price. You can overcome this barrier by providing as many payment options as possible. For example, you could start by accepting all insurance plans in addition to credit and debit cards.

Payment plans (for those without insurance) and payment offers for those who can pay in advance can also increase case acceptance and boost profitability.

Remove Patients’ Fears

A number of patients may be reluctant to accept treatment that you propose because they are apprehensive about the dental procedure. You can forestall these concerns during the case presentation by using simple language to describe the procedure.

For example, use the words basic, simple, or routine when talking about the dental procedure. If the procedure is a complex one, inform the patient that you perform it frequently and that he or she shouldn’t have fears. This way, the patient will be put at ease, and they will be more likely to accept the treatment proposed. With improved case acceptance comes increased profitability for the dental office.

Upgrade Your Equipment

Upgrading your dental equipment is arguably one of the best things that you can do to boost profitability. When you get the best dental camera, the best handheld dental x-ray device, and other digital dental equipment from Digital Doc, you are in a good place to present cases. Presenting this way will put the patient at the center of advocating for treatment. With the best equipment, you will be able to take efficiency to a higher level, which will translate into profitability for the office.

As you can see, there are many things you can do to boost profitability come 2020. Use the tips above to get creative and engage Digital DOC as your partner on matters of dental equipment, especially for the best dental cameras, handheld x-ray devices, transillumination devices, and all their accessories. We are ready to work with you to make 2020 your best year ever, so contact us today to schedule a virtual demonstration of our Digital Doc products.

Fresh Start in the New Year

Get a Fresh Start in the New Year

The new year has officially begun! As we kick off 2020, you may start to think about how you can achieve your dental practice’s new goals. If 2019 wasn’t your strongest, you may take this as an opportunity to start fresh. Either way, we want to help you make 2020 your best year yet. So, how can you make this year top all the rest? We recommend upgrading your dental equipment. There are so many benefits to upgrading to the latest dental technology. Here are some of the key reasons why it is wise for practice owners to set a goal to update their dental equipment this New Year.

Increased Productivity for the New Year

Increased productivity at the dental practice is the first benefit of updating your dental equipment. For example, when you update your intraoral cameras, they will integrate seamlessly with your office management system. The captured images will be sent immediately to the digital files of the patient. Digital Docs IRIS X80, the best intraoral camera on the market, offers plug and play capabilities. You no longer have to worry about how to use your intraoral camera. It’s ready to go when you are. This improved productivity can allow you to grow your dental practice and serve more patients each day as a result of the time freed when most processes are automated. You can work less and have more free time without having to let go of your current patients. New technology truly allows you to See More, and Do More.

Reduced Equipment Failure Risks

Updating your dental equipment eliminates the risk that work will be interrupted by equipment malfunctions or failures. Outdated digital equipment stands a higher chance of failing. This is because its complex operating systems will struggle to cope with the demands placed upon them. In contrast, updated equipment works effortlessly since all its systems are primed to deliver peak performance.

Attract New Patients

A big selling point for new patients is the aesthetics of your dental office. If a patient walks into your office and everything is outdated (including your equipment), they’ll think that your skills are outdated too. When you upgrade your dental technology, your patients will appreciate that you are investing in your business and they’ll also like the fact that you keep up with the latest trends.

As you can see, investing in new dental technology will pay off. Patients will always choose an office that’s updated over an outdated office. Our Digital Doc team is happy to help you in this process. Contact us today and schedule a virtual or an in-office demo!

The Importance of Dental X-Rays

The Importance of Dental X-Rays From Digital Doc

A visual examination of your mouth isn’t enough for dentists to start the necessary treatment. Consequently, dentists utilize an array of diagnostic tools, such as radiographic images. Dentists rely on these x-rays to look at what lies beneath your gum-line, such as the roots of your teeth and the surrounding bone. So, when you see your dentist using the XTG Handheld X-Ray machine from Digital Doc, you’ll know that they’re doing everything they can to provide the best treatment possible. In this article, you’ll learn the importance of dental x-rays, how often you should have them taken, and their level of safety.

X-Rays Are Invaluable During Diagnosis

As already mentioned, dental x-rays allow your dentist to take a look at what is within and between your teeth, something that isn’t possible with just the naked eye.

Dental x-rays aren’t only useful during routine dental checkups to ensure that you don’t have any dental disease; they are also immensely helpful during the diagnosis of various diseases. For example, HD x-rays taken using the XTG X-Ray device can be instrumental in helping your dentist see impacted wisdom teeth, abscesses, cysts, and many other issues.

Many people rarely see their doctor, but they visit the dentist regularly. This situation has made dental x-rays important aids in diagnosing overall health problems, such as osteoporosis. Digital Doc’s handheld digital x-ray will show whether or not you are losing bone dentistry in your jaw or other surrounding areas.

Dental x-rays also play an important role when dentists, orthodontists, and other dental care professionals are creating a treatment plan. For example, when you are due to undergo dental implant surgery, the dentist will use the x-ray images to plan the surgery and select the best placement for the implant.

How Often Should X-Rays Be Taken?

No two patients are alike, so it isn’t easy to make a blanket statement regarding how often you should undergo dental x-rays. For that reason, it is prudent for you to talk to your dentist so that he or she can assess your dental health and recommend how often you may need dental x-rays.

For most patients, several types of dental x-rays, such as panoramic x-rays, periapical x-rays, and bitewing x-rays will be taken if you are a new patient at a dental office so that your first exam can give the dentist a clear picture of where you stand in terms of your dental health. Thereafter, the x-rays will not be as comprehensive as the first set since there will be a baseline upon which future exams and treatment will be based.

Dental X-Ray Safety

Every patient and parent is concerned about x-ray safety. After all, radiation exposure carries some risks, and that is why patients are given lead aprons and lead collars to protect delicate body organs from radiation. Most modern equipment is designed to limit radiation exposure, and dentists only order x-rays when the situation warrants such images, so you should have no worries on those few times when these images are required.

Nevertheless, some dentists have taken patient safety a degree higher by switching to handheld digital x-rays, such as the XTG. This device hugely reduces the radiation to which you are exposed, so you have nothing to fear if your dentist uses this chairside device. The odds of getting the best diagnostic and routine checkup images increase significantly if your dentist is using the XTG Handheld X-Ray from Digital Doc since the images captured will be crystal-clear. So, the next time you visit your dentist, ask him or her to use this digital device for reliable x-rays upon which your dental health can be determined.

How to Successfully Start a Dental Practice

Once you’ve received your licenses to practice dentistry, you can start your own dental practice. Many of us know that being an excellent dentist and being a good business owner are two completely different ball games. Dental school may teach you how to be the best at your job, but it certainly does not teach you how to run a business. However, that does not mean you cannot be good at both! With proper preparation, knowledge, and tools, you can become an excellent dentist and a successful business person at the same time! In this article, we share some tips on how to successfully start a dental practice.

Before Starting Your Dental Practice

Take it easy: Being your own boss isn’t as simple as it sounds. It’s best to have proper planning. Make sure you do an appropriate amount of research and have the right mentors. We recommend finding a successful dental coach to help guide you along the way.
Targeting the right people: When running a business, you have to understand that it’s all about making your customers happy. For instance, if you’re targeting families, you need to make your space more family-friendly with designated areas and activities.

We want you to have a successful practice, which is why we have compiled a list of tips for you:

Do your homework: It is recommended that you connect with existing dental practice owners and ask them about the challenges they faced in the beginning and how they’ve overcome those challenges. This will give you a good idea for what you need to expect.
Have a solid business plan: It is very important to be clear about your goals and how you aim to achieve them. You’ll need to decide who in the market you intend to target and how you aim to achieve that.
Choose the right location: The old saying, “location is key,” couldn’t be truer. It’s so important that you open your dental practice in an area you think will be successful. Do your research on the different demographics and types of businesses in your area.

How to Successfully Start a Dental Practice

Starting your own dental practice is a good idea if it is done carefully and with good preparation. If you really want to differentiate your business from competitors and provide unmatched service and quality for customer satisfaction, you should take a look at Digital Doc‘s intraoral cameras. The crystal clear images you get through their intraoral cameras give patients just what they need to know to start treatment. Any successful practice owner will tell you that investing in new dental technology is worth the return.

Top Reasons You Need Intraoral Cameras

What is an Intraoral Camera?

An intraoral camera is a small-sized camera used by dentists to take images of your teeth and gums. Intraoral cameras have rapidly increased over the years as it is beneficial in diagnosing dental problems like tooth decay and cracked teeth. The intraoral camera transmits real-time imagery for the patient and dentists to see. Intraoral cameras are a very important and powerful tool for dentists to possess. When you use an intraoral camera from Digital Doc, patients will visualize exactly what you’re trying to tell them. Intraoral cameras allow you to SEE MORE and DO MORE.

Benefits of Intraoral Cameras

In today’s high-tech world, patients care about high-quality imagery. Luckily, Digital Doctor offers premium intraoral cameras with high-quality results. We highly recommend making the investment and upgrading to our IRIS X80 Liquid Lens Auto-focus Intraoral Camera, our newest intraoral camera. Here are some of the top reasons you need intraoral cameras in your practice:

Better patient education and dentist-patient communication: With the help of Digital Doc intraoral cameras, patients can see the inside of their mouth like never before. This makes it very easy for doctors to help patients understand what oral health problems they may have. Once they’ve seen the problem first-hand, the patient will be more receptive to starting treatment. Communication between patient and doctor will improve greatly if you upgrade to one of Digital Doc’s intraoral cameras.
Improve diagnoses: Some parts of the teeth, like soft tissue lesions and caries, are challenging to see without the right equipment. Digital Doc’s intraoral cameras allow you to SEE MORE and DO MORE. With the help of advanced intraoral cameras, like the IRIS X80 Liquid Lens Auto-focus intraoral camera, you can accurately diagnose the patient in real-time. At the end of the day, you’ll both save time and money.
Easier insurance claims: Insurance claims can be a complicated process. Sometimes, patients will need evidence to get their treatment covered, and x-rays may not be enough. Without proper evidence, treatment will be postponed. You won’t have this problem when you choose a Digital Doc’s intraoral camera.

What to Look for When Buying an intraoral camera

Digital Doctor provides intraoral cameras suited to all your needs. When you go out to buy an intraoral camera, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:

Excellent image quality: The main purpose of an intraoral camera is to get high-quality images. So, you need to make sure the intraoral camera you choose has the right image resolution you need. You can count on Digital Doc’s intraoral cameras to produce high-quality images that can be displayed on flat screens in your dental office.
A good light source: You need to make sure that the device has a light source that is resistant to scratches and liquids. Make sure you choose an intraoral camera with a light bright enough to get quality images of the patient’s teeth and gums. With the IRIS X80, you won’t have to worry about scratches or low lighting because of its high-performance impact and chemical resistant seamless body mold.
Technical service: It is imperative that you choose the right intraoral camera provider. Look for a company that maintains a high quality of professionalism, after-sales service, and excellent overall experience. Digital Doc has 20 years of experience in the market. We don’t just hand you a camera and say good luck. When you choose an intraoral camera with Digital Doc, you get customer service of a company that answers every phone call live. We will not only provide you with the best intraoral cameras on the market but also provide you with a dedicated tech support team.

Now that you’ve read the top reasons you need intraoral cameras, you can schedule a free virtual demo with our Digital Doc team. For more information, please contact us.

Do HD Cameras Matter to Patients?

Are you putting off investing in HD cameras for your practice because you think that they may not be of great value to your patients? What if you polled the next 100 patients that came into your practice and asked them how big of a television what watched at home? If more than 70% said, HD would it help your decision to upgrade your televisions in your operatories to 55” TV’s and invest in IRIS HD? In this article, you’ll discover how your patients can benefit when you start using HD cameras, such as the IRIS HD Intraoral cameras, at your dental office.

Patient Education is Easier

The superior image quality of HD cameras like the IRIS HD USB 3.0 gives you an important tool to use during patient education. For example, you can print out the HD image and circle the areas showing the cavities in the teeth of the patient. This clarifies to the patient the magnitude of the problem and leads them to accept the treatment that you want to provide.

If the patient cannot make decisions on their own about the treatment, you can let them take the printed images home so they can discuss treatment with their loved ones.

Alternatively, you can beam the images on a video screen inside the operatory. These HD images taken using your IRIS Intraoral Camera for Mac or the IRIS HD USB 3.0 will loom large on the screen and put the point across that immediate treatment is necessary.

Processing Insurance Claims is Easier

Getting insurance claims accepted in a timely manner is another benefit. You can even get reimbursed for Images taken. Use the following: IO Camera code D0350 and D0600 for any transillumination images. We had a dental practice receive over $1,800 in insurance reimbursement for IO camera images alone in five months.

The situation is much different when the insurance claims include HD images taken by IRIS HD 3.0 Dental Camera or the xtg2go handheld x-ray. The images make a strong case and expedite the successful processing of that claim.

They Portray a Positive Image of Your Practice

The dental technology you have in your office can influence whether a patient stays with you or finds dental services elsewhere. For example, when patients see that the equipment you use to conduct diagnostic tests is very old, they may wonder whether it is still safe and they will switch to dental practices or doctors’ offices with newer equipment.

When you upgrade to IRIS Intraoral cameras, your patients see your practice as one which keeps with the times and utilizes the latest technology. This positive impression takes on an even greater role in patient recruitment and retention when you show those patients how that technology helps you to provide better care to them. As you know, happy patients and caregivers translate into benefits on your bottom line.

As you can see, HD cameras do have many patient-side benefits which you shouldn’t fail to harness. Those benefits will then be magnified by the benefits on your side as a dental care provider, such as smoothening workflows and expediting diagnosis. So, what are you waiting for to upgrade to HD cameras?

Adopting Portable X-Rays Into Your Practice

adopting portabl x-rays into your practice - digital doc

Adopting Portable X-Rays Into Your Practice

If you haven’t incorporated portable handheld x-rays into your dental practice, you are missing out on a lot of benefits that these devices bring. In this article, you’ll discover how adopting Digital Doc’s XTG Handheld X-Ray will transform your dental practice.

Employees’ Work Is Eased

Sometimes you don’t realize how much of an asset dental technology can be until you use it. When your employees use the portable XTG Handheld X-Ray frequently, they’ll realize how easy it is to set up and capture images. All that the employees have to do is to power it up, take aim, and start capturing images. No more wasting time walking in and out of the operatory with every shot taken.

As the portable x-ray eases the work of employees, it frees them to be more productive and build rapport with each patient. This increased productively has a direct positive effect on the bottom line of your dental practice.

Patient Experience

The dental industry is more and more competitive today. Are you accepting new patients? Would you like this number to continue to increase? Investing in technology such as XTG hand-held X-ray and communicating this to your patients will improve their experience. Improving patient experience will result in more new patients. People talk about their experiences, both positive and negative. The conversation could go something like this: “Jim, we are always looking for ways to improve your experience. We just invested in hand-held x-ray, which allows us to reduce the time it takes us to take your Xrays by half the time. It is very safe. So much so, I get to stay in the room with you. What do you think?”

Instant Diagnosis is Possible

Traditional x-rays are a time-consuming process for both the patient and the dental care provider. Digital handheld x-rays and intraoral cameras collapse this time because the images captured are beamed onto the screen available in the operatory as soon as the image is taken. Faster diagnosis means treatment can be commenced sooner, and patients can make an informed decision while the image is still vivid in the minds.

Storage of Patient Records is Eased

It is also easier to maintain patients’ records after switching to digital dental technology, such as the LUM sub-enamel illumination device, the xtg2go portable x-ray, and the IRIS HD digital intraoral camera. The images captured using the portable x-ray or the digital intraoral camera can be sent directly to the digital file of each patient. It is therefore easy to retrieve this patient data since it is all stored in one place, and there’s no need for staff to archive records manually.

As you can see, your dental practice can benefit from adopting portable x-ray equipment. Talk to the experts at Digital Doc and learn how you integrate this portable digital x-ray equipment in your practice today. As always, SEE More. DO More.

HD Quality Dental Images with Dr. Delwin Hemingway

HD Quality Dental Images with Dr. Delwin R. Hemingway

We recently spoke with Dr. Delwin R. Hemingway about his experience with intraoral cameras. Dr. Hemingway has been in the dental industry for over forty years now. His experience goes way beyond the average dentist. He started out as a dental lab technician and eventually became the successful dentist he is today. Throughout his journey, Dr. Hemingway was an associate dentist, a partner in a group practice, the owner and CEO of a large practice which employs several dentists, and a Fortune Executive Coach. Dr. Hemingway has earned the “Best Designed Dental Practice of the Year in 2006” and “Best Integration of Technology into a Dental Practice in America in 2006.” What’s his secret? His ability to provide quality care to his patients using the latest dental technology.

The Best Investment For Your Dental Practice

Dr. Hemingway’s best return he’s ever made was on an intraoral camera. He started using his first intraoral camera back in 1988 when DentaCam first came out. Today, Dr. Hemingway says, “The state-of-the-art intraoral camera is the IRIS intraoral camera from Digital Doc. We use it every day on almost every patient. We have eight operatories. We have one of these in every operatory so you don’t have to go find it, you don’t have to wait for it, you can pick up the camera and take your pictures. I find this as one of the best, if not the best, source for showing patients what’s going on. They understand what needs to be done. I couldn’t practice dentistry without an intraoral camera and IRIS gives me the clarity in the image that I’m looking for.” Dr. Hemingway continues to provide the best patient care using Digital Doc’s IRIS intraoral camera. For questions about our IRIS intraoral camera or any other Digi Doc products, contact us today to schedule a FREE demo!