Most dental practices have come to realize how quickly technology has become part of everyday life in the practice. Nowhere is this more evident than with practices that are trying to become completely paperless.The challenge for most offices is to develop the best plan on how to evaluate their current and future purchases to ensure … Read more
Do you remember fire drills in school? Compliance with the Ministry of Labour’s Health and Safety Standards includes having an evacuation plan and it must be practiced. Hopefully an emergency situation won’t occur in your office, but you need to be prepared if one does. Dental office teams need to know what to do if … Read more
As anyone who has to use technology daily knows (and that applies to everyone reading this article!), technology is a quickly moving target. Technologies that seemed so fresh and new just a few short years ago now seem passé and outdated as newer technologies are emerging. One technology that has emerged recently, which is likely … Read more
Did you ever wonder why treatment recommendations falls between the cracks? Is it because there isn’t effective follow-up? When a doctor reaches a diagnosis and prescribes treatment it is because the patient has a visible clinical condition that requires treatment. Dental office staff have said to me, “I don’t want to ‘pester’ the patient. … Read more
Accounting systems and financial statements provide you with valuable information about the financial health of your practice. It is important to know what the numbers mean, how they affect your practice and what you can do to make improvements .Numbers with context, meaning and action plans are the keys to long term sustainable success. Erosion … Read more
Is Your Website Really Working? The world of websites and online marketing can be confusing. Dentists and their staff often feel like their website could be doing more for them, but aren’t quite sure how to determine this or what to do about it. The goal of this article is to provide some clear, easy … Read more
Remote Access There is little doubt that dentists find their professional lives very busy in the modern world. With the advent of many new technology systems, there is more and more information that needs to be processed on a daily basis. While many of these systems were designed to make our lives easier and more … Read more
STAFF BONUSES VS. BENEFITS Hiring “the right people” can be tough, but it is arguably the most important function you will ever perform. You must have a top performing team in place to give you the peace of mind that your patients are being well taken care of and that you are able to do … Read more
Hiring and Firing is Risky Business! Human resources management should be a mandatory subject that is taught in dental school. After all, it is the staff that really controls the practice while the dentist is busy doing what he/she does best, being a dentist. I have found that many dentists do not have employment agreements … Read more
Three Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing a Digital X-Ray System While many practices have made the leap to digital x-rays over the past decade, over 50% are still not using digital systems. With Government regulations looming, and many referring offices using digital x-rays, many practices will find that it is prudent to get … Read more
There’s Something Fishy in Customer Service in Dentistry Whenever I teach Transformational Customer Service in Dentistry, I show a video called Fish! Fish is about a fish market where the energy is so infectious, business people spend their lunch hour just watching the action and absorbing the energy. The purpose of including this is to … Read more
In my last blog post, we explored the features of a server and how to choose one for a dental office. When it comes to the operatory, in recent years, many companies are recommending laptops as an alternative to the typical operatory computer, touting both the increased mobility and smaller space required as the primary benefits. In … Read more
Avoiding No Shows and Short Notice Cancellations Do you know why patients cancel at short notice or simply not show up for appointments? Because they can! It is much too easy for them to cancel or not show up. Do they do the same with medical offices? Not usually because there are consequences to missing … Read more
The modern dental office continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Many dentists are building or upgrading their practices to achieve their goal of a paperless or chartless system. There are many components to this, which includes electronic chart notes, digital charting, intraoral camera images, digital x-rays, and digital camera photos. As practices move towards … Read more
I hope that everyone enjoyed this wonderful weekend. I spent the weekend in my garden, pulling weeds, cleaning out dead plants and conditioning the soil to make sure that the flowers had room to grow and reach their full potential. The time and effort that I invest in my garden each year always yields glorious … Read more
Innovative universal composite saves the smile of a Tulane University student SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – Heraeus Kulzer, LLC, the worldwide leader in dental esthetics, recently launched a new initiative entitled TLC: Transforming Lives Chronicles. The campaign involves a series of news releases about dental professionals nationwide who have used the company’s materials to create a … Read more
Source: University of Maryland Newswise — Scientists using nanotechology at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry have created the first cavity-filling composite that kills harmful bacteria and regenerates tooth structure lost to bacterial decay. Rather than just limiting decay with conventional fillings, the new composite is a revolutionary dental weapon to control harmful bacteria, … Read more
MAKING CONNECTIONS Making a genuine connection and establishing trust is critical to your success at work. We all have the capacity to create an immediate human connection that results in trust and rapport, which in the competitive healthcare business can help you maximize every opportunity for success. Patients want to connect with your personal … Read more
Close to 50% of all dentists in North America are using digital x-rays, either hard sensors or phosphor plate systems. While we tend to spend a lot of time agonizing over the choice of which systems to get, many dentists fail to recognize the importance of making sure they have the proper infrastructure in place first…and that … Read more
Not a Laughing Matter What you need to know about the Ministry of Labour Occupational Health and Safety Inspections 1. They are going to happen! 2. You need to be prepared! 3. The requirements may seem daunting, but you likely have many systems in place, so relax…it … Read more