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Dental Practice Management Tips

Dental Practice Management Tips 2022

Managing a dental office generally entails juggling staff and patient happiness. If you own or manage a dental office, this is a problem that you will undoubtedly be familiar with. How can you maintain a high level of the patient experience while also managing your employees and scaling and developing your dental practice?

Fortunately, technological advancements allow for a more simplified and automated procedure. This allows your employees to focus on what is most important—your patients.

Today on the blog, our team at Digital Doc, creators of the best intraoral camera, discuss how dentistry is evolving in 2022.

Patient-Centric Values and a Strong Company Culture

First, strong company culture with patient-centric values is everything. Your whole staff should be on board and share the same ideals when it comes to workplace ethics and patient interaction. Our advanced dental technology experts explain that this creates a sense of belonging in a firm. Thus, this is critical for reducing employee turnover.

The COVID-19 epidemic had a significant impact on labor management. Most significantly, it revealed a need to delegate greater authority to your employees. Employers are realizing that they aren’t paying for seat warmers, but for a job well done.

Daily Operations That Have Been Automated and Digitized

Our first recommendation for keeping your employees happy is to stay up to date on the newest workforce management tools. There are several technologies available to help your employees focus on patient care by automating monotonous administrative activities.

The objective behind workforce management automation and digitalization is to limit the chance of human mistakes and create a more agile and efficient dental office where your team can focus on providing excellent patient care rather than paperwork.

Next, rather than filling outpatient registration forms in person, you may implement digital forms that your patients can fill out and submit on your website before coming in for their appointment. This will cut down on reception wait time and keep the waiting room from becoming congested.

You may also automate appointment reminders and follow-up emails or text messages. These reminders will assist you in avoiding no-shows, but sending them out is a time-consuming chore best left to technology.

Invest in the Dental Technology

Investing in the right dental technology not only improves your employee’s jobs but also your patient’s experience. At Digital Doc, we offer:

Ongoing Staff & Patient Education

Don’t underestimate the value of lifelong learning. Investing in your employees through seminars and training will enhance employee satisfaction and decrease job turnover. As a result, your recruitment and onboarding expenditures will be reduced, saving you money in the long term.

Emergency dentist Easton PA, College Hill Dental, explains that quality personnel will desire to grow not only vertically within your dental office, but also in terms of their talents and future prospects. Give them the opportunity to do so.

However, it is not only staff education that is important. It is also critical for your dental business to educate people in a language that is approachable and easy to grasp. Patient education is one of the most effective strategies to remove fear from the “going to the dentist” experience. Creating useful material is the best approach to provide value to your patients.

Conclusion

Given these considerations, we believe it is necessary to discuss patient and staff safety as an issue that is not new but should be emphasized today more than ever.

The health and safety of your patients and personnel should always be your top focus, from following COVID-19 guidelines to sterilization and completing patient histories.

Hopefully, you can now discover that sweet spot and design your dental business in such a manner that you get the best of both worlds—happy employees and delighted consumers.

Get Patients to Use Dental Benefits

Get Patients to Use Dental Benefits Before Expire

Getting Patients to Use Their Dental Benefits: Tips From Our Intraoral Camera Team

A new year offers us a fresh start and limitless potential for transformation. For dental clinics that have contracts with dental insurance, the new year means that patients’ benefits have been reset. Thus, they are ready to face dental procedures that they either postponed or couldn’t afford last year. As the year comes to a close, many dentists are faced with the issue of convincing patients to accept and finish dental treatment in a use it or lose it fashion. Today on the blog, Digital Doc, creators of the best intraoral camera, discuss how to get patients to use their dental benefits before they expire.

Education of the Patient

Your team should be educated to educate patients on the dangers of postponing treatment. Additionally, it’s great to educate your patients about their dental insurance. Because dental problems seldom improve with time, we should encourage patients to undergo treatment as soon as possible. This is in order to avoid additional painful, lengthy, and costly therapy.

As a result, when patients are taken to the front desk to check out, the front desk must be informed of each patient’s treatment plan, coverage information, and remaining yearly limit. Our handheld dental X-Ray team suggests that each person at your front desk is educated enough so that they can:

1) First discuss their insurance benefits with patients and explain what happens if they don’t utilize them.

2) Then, they can describe what might happen if dental care is delayed.

3) Finally, they can schedule the appointment on the spot.

Use It Or Lose It Communication

Also, sending a newsletter to patients keeps them up to date on the basics of their dental insurance.

This allows you to reach out to a wide number of patients and educate them about the benefits of finishing treatment as soon as possible. Additionally, it allows you to encourage them to use their benefits before they expire. Most patients are unaware of their dental insurance advantages. Thus, it is the obligation of dental clinics to inform them that if they do not use them, they will lose them.

FSA/HASA Accounts

Reminding patients that they may utilize their unused FSA benefits is important. They can use these for treatment in addition to their dental insurance benefits is key. This is a terrific method to motivate patients to complete pending treatment. Make your patients know that they will lose their flex spending dollars if they do not utilize them, just as they would lose their dental insurance benefits. This is essential in convincing patients to accept pending treatment regimens.

Offer Same-Day Treatment

Dr. Ben Kacos, Shreveport dentist, implements offering same-day treatment to encourage patients to use their dental benefits. During his team’s morning huddle, he focuses on patients with unused dental benefits and ongoing treatment plans. We agree with this strategy. Make this known to your patients and urge them to stay. One strategy to persuade them to remain is to tell them that doing the therapy now would not only save them an extra visit, but will also allow them to use their insurance benefits before they expire.

Also, inform people who have reached their yearly deductible and still have treatment to finish that this deductible will be applied to treatment next year because it will reset with their coverage. This information will be useful to your patients. Also, utilizing top-quality dental technology like our transilluminator can be a helpful tool to show patients the dental work they need.

Maximize All Communication

Prepare to communicate the benefits of having the therapy done this year to patients who have long treatment plans. They will be able to use the unused benefits and save even more money the following year when they resume their treatments. Maximizing communication in your office by effectively discussing this with patients is key to getting them to use their benefits.

The Evolution Of Caries Detection Technology

The Evolution of Caries Dental Detection Technology 2021

The evolution of caries dental detection technology has made it possible for dentists to employ more than one method of detection. Today’s dentists must be able to detect both obvious and undetectable deterioration. Cavity detection is substantially easier as a result of this. Dentists are uniquely qualified to detect even the tiniest cavities and treat them effectively and promptly.

The Evolution of Dental Technology And Cavity Prevention

If you have ever had a case where cavity detection was questionable, just think of the dentists decades before you who did not have the clean, clear technology we have today. Here’s a look at some of the different methods and types of technology from the earliest to the latest ones used to diagnose cavities:

The Trusted Old Visual Inspection

Looking for changes in the enamel surface of the tooth is a traditional, tried-and-tested cavity detection method. The dentist will look for brown, black, gray, and white stains on a patient’s teeth.

This is also when dentists look for any stains around the edges of existing fillings or crowns you have. Since they sometimes can be an indication that decay is starting or will be developing soon in these areas. While the visual inspection is likely part of your current diagnostic exam, we know dentists have to rely on more than a visual inspection these days.

Exploration

Exploration is another traditional and commonly used method for detecting dental caries. The dentist will run a metal instrument over the tops of your teeth. If the fine-tipped explorer gets caught in the pits of soft enamel, your dentist will immediately know the tooth has a cavity. Not always the most accurate diagnostic tool but still a common practice today.

Caries Detector Dyes

Another old and effective method of detecting cavities is using caries detector or disclosing dyes. The dye is used to provide the dentist with a visual of the location of the cavities. It was applied directly to the tooth or teeth that the patient and dentist suspect of having dental caries. We wrote about this in a previous post in more detail. While this is not a method patients prefer or dentists use regularly it is still a technique taught in dental school today.

Intraoral Camera

Intraoral cameras are small, pen-like tools dentists use to take a closer look at the inside of your mouth and locate decay before it can destroy the tooth surface.

When your dentist uses an intraoral camera, patients won’t feel any pain or discomfort. Dr. Ben Kacos, dentist in Shreveport LA, says this is the best dental technology he’s added to his practice. He simply hovers the tip of the camera around the inside of the patient’s mouth to take images. These images will then be projected onto a nearby screen which you and your patient can see together.

The best and latest intraoral cameras bring the smallest details into vivid full-screen high-resolution focus. These images will help dentists have an easier time detecting even the smallest dental cavity.

Sub-enamel Illumination

Lastly, sub-enamel illumination is the preferred way for dentists to diagnose hard-to-see cavities. These devices are handheld wand-like tools used to detect interproximal dental caries.

The LUM device applies a high-intensity light source to the tooth. If the tooth is unhealthy or has impurities such as cavities or fractures, the light is dispersed and will show up clearly in X-ray-like images.

Sub-enamel illumination is one of the best dental caries detection technologies today.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2018 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Hygiene and Treatment Presentation

Hygiene and Treatment Presentation 2021

Understanding Hygiene and Treatment Presentation

Periodontal disease and dental caries are bacterial diseases of the gums and teeth that are infectious. Although these illnesses are distinct, they have a common source: mouth biofilms. Both are classified as inflammatory disorders. Similarly, inflammatory illnesses have an influence on our overall health and contribute to the aging process. The frequency of dental caries and periodontal disease is growing, yet it can be difficult to persuade individuals to seek treatment for painless pathologies. Clinicians can gain from using more methods to detect, expose, and persuade patients to seek treatment.

Although disclosing dyes is conventionally used for revealing biofilm accumulation, it is a messy and an archaic process. Various new technologies have surfaced in the market, improving our ability to detect biofilm, inflammation and, dental caries. Digital Doc has a high-performance intraoral camera, which can show dental plaque, gingival inflammation, and is helpful in enamel-dentinal caries detection. This camera is friendly to use for the dentist and hygienist, and can also connect to any image management program. Intraoral cameras have proved to be useful in various clinical situations for years. We have been using this transillumination camera for years to evaluate biofilm, caries, and gingival information.

Through this article, we will describe the protocol for the routine use of dental technology during the prophylaxis appointment.

The Basis

We now live in the digital age. This affects the way people behave and also changes their decision-making when considering treatment. Deciding to take the treatment is no longer only reliant on relationship building. Our friends over at College Hill Dental, Easton PA dentist, explain that they see this, too. Many patients appreciate a trusting relationship with dental offices and undertake prophylactic “check-up” visits to ensure prevention. However, their behavior has changed according to their changing culture. Fifty-seven percent of people claim they prefer talking online than they do in real-life (in higher-earning households). Online research now determines decisions regarding service providers and purchasing for people despite getting personal recommendations.

To serve patients in the best possible manner, it is important to develop an integrated, comprehensive, and user-friendly platform to allow communication and cater to patient preferences. The intraoral camera provides visual communication to fit neatly in this digital consciousness.

Implementing Dental Technologies

Begin with a supplementary (non-threatening) approach:

Directions should be given to patients informing them of the process. We recommend reassuring them of their involvement in their own dental health decisions,
Next, use the Digital Doc intraoral camera.

Move to Doctors examination.

Do not begin by asking the patient about their problem.
Greet the patient first.
Ask hygienist/assistant to update you on the preliminary assessment.

Hygienist/Assistant should inform Doctor about patients medical. history/blood pressure
Recommend when the patient should visit next or follow up at home
Review the information you have gathered

After consistently using this standard process, you will find it to be a reliable, comprehensive and efficient method which supports oral-systemic health, preventative health, and early disease detection.

Application

Communication: Intraoral cameras facilitate fast and effective communication of the treatment process to the patients. Projection of the intraoral images to a large screen allows patients to co-discover the treatment process. It helps both patients and doctors in the treatment decision process.
Homecare evaluation: Prophylaxis appointments are the gateway to patient motivation and education. Dental teams need to descriptively portray the existing problems to the patients. The intraoral camera allows clinicians to highlight the existing problems to the patients and encourages them to be proactive in treatment and homecare.

Early Lesion Detection and Evaluation

Early caries lesion detection and prevention of subsequent invasive treatment is made possible by light-induced transillumination. Color-coded guide to risk assessment allows patients to identify caries marked in red through the Digital Doc device. Preventative measures can be taken for suspicious grooves rather than resorting to invasive methods. Cervical lesions can be assessed to decide on appropriate treatment (preparation versus fluoride varnish, remineralizing pastes, etc.). Presence of active caries can be detected by observing proximal fractures in real time.

In conclusion of Hygiene and Treatment Presentation

Digital Doc’s leading IRIS LUM camera help show patients their oral health status. They facilitate the co-discovery process, suitable for today’s digitally aware patients. It allows for efficient detection of carries and inflammation and also streamlines doctor-patient communication.

Implementing this latest dental technology can also be used to boost reputation online through social media.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

The Ultimate Dentist’s Guide to Selecting Intraoral Cameras

Ultimate Guide to Selecting Intraoral Cameras

The Ultimate Dentist’s Guide to Selecting Intraoral Cameras 2021

The Benefits of Intraoral Cameras

Intraoral cameras were once only employed in a small number of dental practices. This form of dental equipment was first introduced in the 1990s. It was once seen as an unnecessary investment and luxury.

Back then, the initial outlay was high, with relatively more sophisticated models priced as high as $40,000. As follows, very few dental practitioners actually bothered to explore the benefits intraoral cameras offered.

These days, however, more dentists have come to embrace the importance of having an intraoral camera in their practice for effective caries detection.

Here is the ultimate dentist’s guide to selecting intraoral cameras.

The Benefits of Intraoral Cameras

If you are currently still on the fence when it comes to intraoral cameras, consider the following benefits of having one per chair at a minimum, per provider:

Factor in who is sitting in your chair. Today, it is the most educated consumer on imaging in history, thanks to cell phones. Your patients today can tell the difference between SD (standard definition) and HD in a second.
It’s an important diagnostic tool that enables you to show the extent of, say, damage in the teeth and/or gums even when there is no pain.

In terms of restorative dentistry, you can show and compare the state of the teeth prior to and after treatment
Validation: Your patient can see the state of his/her oral health in real-time as you explain what treatment is required to address problems. These include plaque, corroded fillings, bleeding gums, hairline fractures, etc.
Aside from being lightweight and ergonomically designed, intraoral camera wands are made to rotate from 0 to 90 degrees and use LED lighting technology for clear images, and they come with powerful magnification features.
Because of the way it is designed, even hard-to-reach areas have become highly accessible so that the availability of sharp, high-resolution images would be helpful in settling insurance claims and in ensuring your patient understands his/her dental situation and appreciate the therapy recommended.
Instead of relying on written records for patient dental files, you can make use of typical or cloud-based storage, including actual images that detail patient histories.

Essential Considerations When Buying an Intraoral Camera

Although intraoral cameras have become relatively more affordable in recent years, there are some important factors to consider. They include the following:

Imaging software integration – Whether you are investing in a high-end intraoral wand or a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, you need to ensure the unit you buy can seamlessly work with current imaging and practice management software.
Image resolution and other image enhancement features (auto white balance, contrast, auto illumination)
Camera focus and exposure
Camera capture button – Must be conveniently located for unhampered operation
Build or material used. Your device needs to be lightweight enough for ease of use and accuracy but should also be sturdy and durable.
Installation, support, and warranty.

Contact Digital Doc Today

There are excellent models to choose from currently out in the market, including the IRIS series. The IRIS HD USB 3.0 dental camera, for example, is guaranteed to produce razor-sharp images of even the minutest details.

So if you’re ready to scale up your practice and develop stronger relationships with your patients, do your research and partner with a company that is focused on seeing this technology significantly impact your practice.

We look forward to hearing from you! Keep up with us today on our Facebook and Instagram.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2018 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Accessories You Need for Your Intraoral Camera

Accessories You Need for Your Intraoral Camera in 2021

Digital Doc Accessories You Need for Your Intraoral Camera in 2021

Did you just purchase your first intraoral camera? You might be wondering how you can fully maximize this new dental technology in your pratice. In this article, you’ll discover some of the most helpful accessories that you can use with your new IRIS X80 Intraoral Camera.

DIGI Wipes

With the year we just had, properly disinfecting surfaces are more important than ever. Not all disinfectants are made equal, and that is why you need to select the best disinfectant for your new intraoral camera. Don’t look any further than DIGI Wipes if you want a disinfectant that you can rely on. DIGI Wipes contain ethyl alcohol, an ingredient that has been proven to kill some of the most resilient germs (the poliovirus and the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, for example). You will then rest assured that no cross-contamination will occur as you use the intraoral camera to capture images in the mouths of different patients.

The Chair Installation Kit

Another useful accessory that you would be well advised to acquire is the IRIS Chair Installation Kit. This kit is ideal if you would like to extend the USB signal from your camera beyond its design specifications. For example, you may want to beam the images captured onto a monitor that is beyond the range of the signal from your IRIS camera. The chair installation kit will extend that signal to the required distance. Additionally, the IRIS Chair Installation Kit increases the speed at which data can be transferred from your intraoral camera to anywhere you need that data, such as while you upload the images captured to the digital files of your patients. The kit provides a superior broadband width for this swift transfer of data. This kit is highly recommended for applications where you intend to use a USB cable over a distance that exceeds 15 feet.

The GLO Extra-Oral Illumination Ring

Your IRIS Intraoral Camera is an ideal device to use if you want to capture images of the exterior oral or facial features of your patients, such as the appearance of the full smile. The GLO Extra-Oral Illumination Ring is the best accessory for such an application. This ring fits right around the lens of your camera so that any image that you capture will be clearer due to the additional illumination provided by the illumination ring. The illumination ring is operated using an on/off switch and you can use any USB port to recharge it once its power runs out. You can learn everything you need to know about using the GLO illumination ring.

Camera Sheaths

Intraoral camera sheaths shield your camera from any damage that they may sustain from getting in contact with the oral fluids of a patient. Digital DOC has camera sheaths that come in packs of 500 so that you can protect your IRIS Intraoral Camera for several months before you need to buy additional supplies of sheaths. Note that the sheath should only be used when you are capturing intraoral images. Otherwise, the images you capture may look foggy.

The IRIS Wall Cradle

It can be hard to keep your operatory organized and free from clutter if every tool and device that you need has to lie on the dental chair or on a table nearby. Don’t let your brand new IRIS Intraoral Camera add to that clutter. Get the IRIS Wall Cradle and use it as a resting place for your intraoral camera when it isn’t in use. This will save you from having to walk on eggshells whenever you are within the operatory because you fear that you will accidentally drop something. The wall cradle keeps your intraoral camera within reach yet out of the way.

Contact Digital Doc

There are so many incredible Digital Doc accessories you need for your intraoral camera. If you’re interested in any of the accessories above, contact Digital Doc today to learn more. Take advantage and schedule a virtual demonstration with your Digital Doc rep today! Also, follow us on Instagram or Facebook to keep up with our latest offers.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

How to Maximize the Use of Intraoral Cameras

H2 Different from title but including focus keywords

How to Maximize the Use of Intraoral Cameras

It is one thing to acquire intraoral cameras like the IRIS X80 Intraoral Camera for your dental practice and another to maximize its benefits. In this article, our Digital Doc team discusses how to maximize the use of intraoral cameras in your practice. Doctors worldwide have seen astonishing results using advanced dental technology.

Optimize the Installation

Some dental practitioners often wonder about which intraoral camera would be suitable for their needs. Without getting into the details of the different leading intraoral cameras available, the first thing is to ensure that you can actually use whatever camera you have. One way to use your intraoral camera is to install it where it is easy to access during any stage of the treatment process. Make sure that the intraoral camera is within reach in your operatory. In this way, you or your staff will not find it bothersome to access and use that equipment. The good thing about IRIS HD intraoral cameras is that they are portable and come with rechargeable batteries, so it is easy to integrate them in the routines at your dental office.

Let Your Assistant Use the Intraoral Camera Before You Assess the Patient

One of the best ways to maximize the value that you get from the IRIS USB Dental Camera for Windows is by asking your dental assistant to take several images during the hygiene visit. Your dental assistant can take close-ups of the areas before you come to examine the patient.

In this way, you will be able to reduce the time needed to diagnose the patient since the dental assistant has already provided you with what you need to diagnosis your patient.

Make It Facilitate Co-diagnosis

Another way to maximize the use of intraoral cameras like the IRIS Intraoral Camera for MAC is by giving your patients a ringside seat during their examination and treatment. Beam each image that you take on a large monitor so that the patient can see what you see. Next, discuss any problem areas that you have observed and ask the patient for their input regarding the specific images showing what you are referring to.

This collaborative effort will increase case acceptance because there will be no doubt in the mind of your patient regarding the issues that need to be fixed. A bonus of this approach is that patients will be more likely to take greater care of their dental health because they’ve witnessed the severity firsthand.

Let the Camera Make the Case for Follow-Up Visits

As already mentioned, the images taken using an intraoral camera can transform your case acceptance rates a great deal. In addition to that, those same images can address the issue of patients not returning for follow-up visits due to a misconception that such visits can wait.

Your patients will start coming for follow-up visits if you use your IRIS X80 Intraoral Camera to capture images of developing or suspected problems that require monitoring before a decision is made regarding what can be done. The progressive images will show how the suspected problem is developing, and those images will give the patient motivation to come for those follow-up visits as advised.

Use Them When Filing Insurance Claims

Many dental care treatments and procedures are covered by insurance. Therefore, your administrative staff will file claims for payment once patients with dental care insurance policies visit the practice.

The images taken using intraoral cameras should be sent together with the documentation submitted to the insurance company. Those images will expedite the processing of your payment claims because the insurance company will see the proof of the issues or the treatment received by a policyholder. Consequently, you will save the time and effort that would have been lost in back and forth communication with the insurance company over pending claims.

As you can see, we have just touched on a few aspects of the treatment process where the intraoral camera can be instrumental to your dental office. Use the suggestions above as guidelines for implementing dental cameras into your practice. Soon, you will see results in your patients’ treatments and your practice. Contact Digital Doc today to schedule a virtual demonstration and learn everything you need to know about our products.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

National Dental Hygiene Month

Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month

October is National Dental Hygiene Month. This entire month dedicated to our dependable and caring hygienists. National Dental Hygiene Month is sponsored by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and Colgate, aims to express gratitude to all hygienists and recognize their dedication to keeping patients healthy. To help celebrate, our Digital Doc team would like to highlight some of the things dental hygienists perform. Also, we share a few ways you can make them feel appreciated this month. Join us in celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month!

What Are the Duties of Dental Hygienists?

Many patients believe that hygienists are simply responsible for cleaning teeth. The truth is that they do a lot more. In fact, it is not uncommon for patients to see and spend more time with their hygienists than with their dentists. While laws and rules vary by state, and a hygienist’s specific duties may differ accordingly, there are some common things that many hygienists do on a daily basis, such as:

Personalization – When you initially begin seeing a new dentist, the hygienist will normally begin by examining some paperwork that contains the patient’s dental health history and overall health history. They will update this information at each appointment to ensure that you are receiving the finest care possible for their mouth and body.
Cleaning Teeth – We all know that a dental hygienist’s primary responsibility is to clean teeth and remove any plaque or tartar buildup. Many hygienists will also screen you for oral cancer, efficiently take x-rays using the XTG Handheld X-ray device, and measure the patient’s gum pockets to check for gum disease.
Preventative Dentistry — While cleaning the patient’s teeth, the hygienist is also paying particular attention to any regions of their mouth that may require a closer examination by the dentist. Dental hygienists may also apply fluoride or sealants to teeth to prevent acids and germs from causing tooth damage or to alleviate tooth discomfort.
Educating Points – During the cleaning, the hygienist will use advanced dental technology to explain more of the state of the patient’s oral health. This is an ideal time to talk to your patient about the state of their oral health. Many patients will say yes to treatment because they can physically see the problem when using the IRIS X80 Intraoral Camera.

How Can We Make Dental Hygienists Feel Appreciated?

As you know, dental hygienists are the glue that holds dental practices together. All team members will go the extra mile for a dental clinic that values their work, attitude, and involvement. Recognize their contributions to the practice’s success. Below are a few ways you can make your dental hygienists feel appreciated for National Dental Hygiene Month!

Personal Note – Each team member should write a thank you card recognizing the dental hygienist’s (or hygienists’) superpower.

Decorate the office – Patients are invited to participate in the festivities.

Appreciation post on social – Posting a sweet appreciation post highlighting your RDH team is something that any practice can do.
Sweet Treats – A yummy breakfast or lunch for the RDH team. So, bring lunch into the office to celebrate with the entire crew.
Gifts – If you’re feeling generous, National Dental Hygiene Month is the perfect time to give gift cards, flowers, or even a new toy for the office.

Advanced dental technology. – So, if you have an outdated intraoral camera, dental sensor, or x-ray device, you should schedule a virtual demonstration. Simply to see if your RDH team could benefit from new equipment. So, contact us today to schedule!

Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month All Year Round!

Throughout the year, recognize your team members and pay special attention to each specialty’s daily, weekly, or monthly recognition. Inform everyone about their impact on your dental practice, your patients, vendors, and referrals. Everyone contributes to the bottom line of the dental practice. So, take time this month, and every month, to appreciate your dental hygienist for everything they do to keep your practice up and running.

Before Starting a New Dental Practice

before starting a dental practice - Digital doc llc

Before Starting a New Dental Practice

Tips Before Starting a New Dental Practice

Starting your first dental practice is an exciting chapter in your career. Creating a successful dental practice requires dedication and the right team. Most will tell you that it’s harder than it looks. Below, our Digital Doc team has gathered some tips to consider before starting a new dental practice. Finding the perfect space for your new startup can be difficult. You’ll want to consider a few things before signing a new lease on your office.

Office Size & Shape

You’ll want to ensure that your new dental practice has enough space for your patients and staff. Something to consider is the shape of the office. The more oddly shaped it is, the harder it will be to furnish. Give yourself room to grow as well. Avoid signing a lease on something that is too small.

Parking

A landlord will typically allocate three parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of office space in leased buildings. However, this is insufficient for a dental practice. A minimum of five parking places per 1,000 square feet of office space is usually sufficient to accommodate patients and workers.

Utilities

Before signing a lease, ensure that the space has adequate utilities, particularly adequate power service. The average dentist practice requires 400-500 amps of power. Many new buildings require solar power now, so if you’d like to save money on electricity, consider finding a newer building.

Floor Space and Columns

Examine the quantity and location of columns that will be installed in the leased space. This information is crucial for your architect to have when drawing up floor plans so that columns don’t interfere with the positioning of dental chairs or other equipment, or otherwise disrupt the flow of the room. Remember that older buildings have even more columns in a multi-story arrangement, so keep that in mind. Furthermore, columns in the clinical zone must be spaced appropriately apart from the outside walls to allow for proper depth for the operatory and clinical corridor. As a general rule, for each column in your leasing space, add 50 square feet to your floor design space requirements.

Irregular Permiters

Asymmetrical areas can be difficult to work with. If the perimeter is uneven, it will be impossible to put all dental chairs equidistant from the wall, resulting in a staggered configuration. The alternative would be to arrange seats in a treatment hallway, but this would require some room to be sacrificed. As a general rule, add 50 to 75 square feet to the area required for each irregularity.

Building Regulations

Choose an architect who is familiar with local building codes, particularly fire standards. Ensuring code compliance when planning the floor layout will aid in obtaining permits to expand out the area. For example, fire codes mandate a separate auxiliary exit from the patient entrance. Some fire regulations include extra criteria such as the use of specific building materials and/or the installation of a fire sprinkler system.

Signage Is Available

It is advantageous to have your leasing agent negotiate the inclusion of outdoor signage in the lease to help boost exposure for your business. A seasoned leasing agent is worth his or her weight in gold. They can review the entire agreement and negotiate on your behalf.

Local Competitors

A common mistake new dentists make is not doing research on local competitors. The last thing you want to do is sign a 5-year lease next to your biggest competitor in town. Dental offices are everywhere, so do your due diligence before saying yes to a contract. If there are other buildings or offices available near you, find out if anyone plans on moving in soon.

Technology

The logistics of a new dental practice can be overwhelming if you do not have the right tools. Advanced dental technology is one aspect of your dental practice that can help bring revenue to your practice. In fact, doctors who use Digital Doc products see anywhere from a 10-40% increase in revenue. Our products are an investment, but they do get patients to say yes to treatment. Interested? Schedule a virtual demo with one of our Digital Doc representatives. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to hear from real doctors using our Digital Doc products.

Scaling Your Dental Practice

4 Things You Should Keep in Mind When Scaling Your Dental Practice

A time comes when every dentist has to scale his or her practice. This may be because the patient load has increased and you can no longer handle it on your own. Scaling your dental practice may also be necessary when you notice that fixed costs like rent and salaries are growing rapidly, so you need to scale up in order to stay profitable. Keep the following factors in mind when scaling your dental practice.

Attract and Retain Key Employees

You cannot scale your dental practice if you are short on the human resource side of your practice. Scaling can also be hard if you keep losing the employees that you hire. Your first task in scaling the dental practice should begin with mapping out how you will get and retain A-team members.

One way to do this is by offering them an ownership stake in the practice. Clear standards should be established regarding the processes/deliverables that can earn the employee an equity stake in the practice. Such measures will get those performers invested in the dental practice and they will no longer feel the urge to leave and start their own dental practice.

Systemize Your Operations

Another challenge will emerge once you start hiring extra dentists or related professionals to work in your dental practice. How do you get rid of that uneasiness that they will not do things in the exact way that you would like them to?

The answer to this lies in systemizing your practice. Create systems that make it possible for the practice to stay functional and profitable even without you.

For example, you can start by recording how you perform each procedure so that the new hires can follow those same steps to perform those tasks. Mentor them and answer all their questions so that a point is reached when you no longer have to go over what they have done to confirm that it was done correctly.

Another way to systemize is by rethinking how patient appointments are scheduled. A clever way to get more done within a typical day is by scheduling similar procedures close to each other. For example, you can schedule dental fillings in the morning hours then root canals or other complex procedures in the afternoon.

Get the Right Technology

The third key component of scaling your dental practice is by acquiring technology that will enable the practice to become more efficient and profitable.

For example, the XTG Handheld X-ray machine can reduce the time needed to move a patient to another room in order to have diagnostic tests done. Similarly, the IRIS HD USB 3.0 dental camera can allow you to take detailed images of the dental structures of the patient when that patient is sitting in the dental chair.

Such technologies can make your staff more productive since less time will be spent attending to each patient. The patients will also greatly appreciate that all their dental work can be completed in one short visit.

Know Your Numbers

Two key metrics need to be considered by anyone attempting to scale a dental practice. First, at what rate is your revenue growing? Uncontrolled growth can kill! For example, you may choke on payroll costs if the rate of revenue growth doesn’t match or exceed the rate at which your fixed costs are growing.

Secondly, you need to know the rate at which your income is growing. Always aim at income growth rates that are higher than revenue growth rates. The acquisition of the cutting-edge dental technologies discussed above is one way to increase the profitability of each employee since more patients will be attended to each day. Scale your dental practice once you are sure that your income is growing at a rate that surpasses the rate at which revenues are growing.

Scaling a dental practice can be a challenging process since it entails giving up some of the control you have always had. However, the process can be rewarding once you have the right team in place and work together to realize the shared vision of the dental practice.