DENTRIX BY HENRY SCHEIN ONE
The Power of One Connected Practice
With practice management, marketing, and patient engagement solutions working together as a single system, the patient experience is improved and simplified
Take a look at the tools and equipment that you use on a daily basis. They probably look a little different than they did on the day you started practicing. Just as digital sensors and cameras have taken over where film x-rays and explorers fell short, the practice management system has transformed from a digital filing cabinet into the glue that holds the entire practice together.Every time a patient finds your practice online, gets a digital x-ray, signs off on a treatment plan, or receives a recall reminder, they’re leaving digital footprints. Your practice management software should be tracking these footprints. But how is it possible for one platform to support your entire practice, including every stop on a patient’s journey through the office?
By bringing together some of the world’s top dental solutions, Henry Schein One now connects every piece of the patient experience in a single system.
As a leader in the dental technology space and a longtime user of Henry Schein One’s Dentrix practice management software, Dr. Marty Jablow understands the importance of having an integrated platform, especially when it comes to maintaining a profitable practice. “We’ve automated our practice as much as possible,” he said. “That means that all of our patients’ footprints are either living inside Dentrix or linked to it.”
The Patient’s First Step—Your Website
A patient’s journey begins before he or she walks through the door. The first step is landing on your website and learning about the dental services you provide. But marketing your practice to acquire patients means more than just having a website—it means creating a mobile-friendly and engaging window into your practice world.
“Like any new customer, when patients visit your practice website, they’re trying to decide if your office will be a fit for their needs,” Dr. Jablow said. “Think of your website as the business card for your practice— it’s a great opportunity for patients to learn about you and your dental team, and see what the operatories and technology look like.”
In addition to having a website that incorporates sound SEO strategies to ensure a top listing on patients’ web searches, it’s important for practices to make it easy for patients to book appointments online. New and recare patients should receive custom text messages to confirm their appointments and be able to fill out forms digitally to speed up check-in.
REDEFINING THE DIGITAL WORKFLOW
Dr. Marty Jablow discusses what a digital workflow should mean to your practice.When it comes to defining what a digital workflow means, it’s helpful to break it down into what “going digital” means to both the front and back office. For the front office, it means there is no contact until the patient shows up for their appointment. After finding your practice through a mobilefriendly and engaging website, the patient makes an appointment online and fills out medical, demographic, and insurance forms electronically. When it’s time for a recall or follow-up appointment, a digital reminder system sends a secure text message—freeing up valuable time for front-desk staff. While in the operatory, a great example of the digital workflow is the way we can capture and use digital images. We’ve progressed from film x-rays, which, in addition to being less diagnostic, were difficult to archive and ran the risk of being misplaced. Now, using Dentrix Smart Image within the platform, we can store 2D and 3D images, x-rays, and digital impressions directly into patients’ files, where they can be tied to treatment plans or easily shared with patients and colleagues. Although “digital workflow” may mean something different to the front and back office, and even to individual members of the dental team, the information it captures drives back to one central place—the practice management system. So, instead of being afraid of or confused by the digital workflow, embrace it and all the ways that it leads to better accuracy in information, diagnosis, and treatment.
During the appointment, with just a click of a button, Dr. Jablow can launch his imaging solution software and bring it up directly into the patient’s Dentrix Chart, where 2D and 3D images are saved automatically, along with their correct CDT codes. This makes capturing clinical data quick and accurate with no dual input.
“Once we acquire diagnostic images, we can chart them and place them directly into the treatment plan,” he said. “At the front desk, a treatment coordinator can print it and go through the details with the patient to obtain treatment acceptance.”
For the clinician, templates can be set up in the patient’s chart to capture notes and treatment data at the time of treatment.
Wrapping up the appointment, electronic patient prescriptions can be crosschecked against a patient’s medical history for drug interactions or allergies. Use saved credit or debit cards to process a single payment or apply them to recurring payment agreements. After patients sign a digital receipt, the payment is auto-saved to the ledger and patient’s chart.
While the patient’s journey may be over, your reimbursement journey has just begun. Reduce reimbursement time by electronically submitting and tracking insurance claims and attachments, including diagnostic images and x-rays.
Building a Strong Reputation
Dr. Jablow is not alone in feeling that today’s tech-savvy patients respond to text messages more than voicemail. That’s why most patient communication in his office is done digitally and followed up with a phone call, if necessary. Once the patient wraps up the appointment, there’s an automated reminder system in place to ping them for a follow-up visit. If the patient doesn’t need a follow-up, they’re placed on an active recall list.
“Automating the reminder process has given our office greater efficiency. Our front desk is no longer wasting time trying to contact patients,” he said.
Now that your patients are satisfied with their experience, encourage them to write positive reviews about your practice, and ensure those reviews are visible across multiple channels. When it comes to ongoing practice marketing, an effective strategy is multifaceted. Having a great website isn’t enough…neither is posting on Facebook or gathering online reviews. Your practice visibility relies on a combination of website, search engine, and social media marketing.
Smarter Practice, Satisfied Patients
It can be a challenge to juggle the busy demands of owning a practice—filling chairs, paying bills, adopting new technology, and keeping patients and employees happy. There will always be challenges within dentistry, but building one connected practice helps remove them.
