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Staying on the leading edge with Dentrix and DEXIS
As a cosmetic dentist for more than 30 years, I know that a good image goes hand-in-hand with leading-edge technology. Your patients see that you keep up with the latest techniques and technology, and they instantly trust you’re the best at what you do. I’ve been using Dentrix practice management software since 1989, and I recently upgraded to Dentrix G6. I use the DEXIS Digital Imaging Suite because it integrates so well with Dentrix. Companies offer other products but I’ve learned the biggest challenge with technology is integration. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way because I spent nearly $25,000 in technical write-arounds for my previous digital imaging
Wi-Fi and Security are Better Together for Dental Offices
You may be considering or already offering Wi-Fi as a courtesy to your patients. That’s a great idea. Many of them want to be virtually connected wherever they go, so give them what they want. WHY WI-FI? Your practice likely has Internet connectivity — maybe even Wi-Fi—so why not add a guest network? Consider these benefits: * Show patients you value their time by helping them stay productive while they wait. * Reduce magazine subscriptions and clutter in your waiting room. * Create goodwill for prospective customers, especially friends or relatives waiting for patients. * Gain a competitive advantage over other
i-CAT FLX V8–Expanding Options for General Dentists
3D CBCT imaging can play an essential role in many procedures that often need specialty treatment outside my office. That is why I recently invested in an i-CAT™ FLX V8 3D imaging system. For precise diagnosis, 3D offers me a view of anatomical landmarks such as nerves, sinuses, and bone. However, not all 3D systems are the same. I invested in i-CAT when I became frustrated after sending patients to an imaging center that gave inconsistent results. Additionally, not having an in-house scanner delayed my patients’ treatment. Sometimes an infection not visible on a 2D X-ray was left untreated for longer than necessary. With my fast and comprehensive diagnostics,
A Successful Dental Practice Starts with Centralization
You’re a dentist, but you’re also an entrepreneur; motivated, driven, and future-oriented, which is probably why you successfully started your first dental practice and now have two, three, or even more profitable practices. But once you reach the three-plus location mark, managing and running your dental practice isn’t as easy as it was. It’s time to ask yourself these questions. * Am I really as profitable as I could be? * Is my staff at each location as efficient as they should be? * Do my offices coordinate with each other? If your answers are “no,” then it’s likely you’re running a decentralized organization. You have hit
Coastal-Themed Practice Delivers Serene, Yet High-Tech Patient Experience
SURF CITY DENTAL - SURF CITY, NORTH CAROLINA | MATTHEW PARR, DDS Surf City Dental Surf City Dental in Surf City, North Carolina, is an office that truly embraces its name. Set in a town on the headwaters of a coastal estuary, the practice envelops patients in soothing colors and artwork that draws on its airy, seaside surroundings. Patients enjoy coming into the modern 4,600 square-foot full-service practice—an impressive achievement for any dentist! Dr. Matthew Parr’s story follows a plot line common to many dentists today. In 2013, he purchased an existing dental practice with four operatories in an older 1,300 square-foot office. However, what was workable for him as a single dentist with a
Stop Flushing CE Dollars Down the Drain
Dentists spend thousands of dollars on continuing education each year. Education should be a priority for the dentist and the dental team; you can pick up tips and suggestions that can have a significant impact on your practice, if they are actually implemented. But too often, the team returns from a CE program with pages of notes that get filed away. If you want to put your new information into practice and make those changes permanent, you have to create accountability. ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIRES SYSTEMS. You can’t hold team members accountable if they don’t know what you want them to do, when you want them to do it, and
Westport Dental Finds Inspiration and Productivity in New Office
WESTPORT DENTAL ASSOCIATES - WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT | ADAM FREEMAN, DDS The newly opened office of Westport Dental Associates is a study in contrasts, with rustic design elements like century-old reclaimed barn wood sourced from Massachusetts sharing space with sleek, cutting-edge equipment and technology. Although opposite in their look and feel, they work remarkably well together, creating an environment that communicates excellence in dentistry while also welcoming people to a comfortable yet upscale atmosphere. Dr. Adam Freeman, owner and president of Westport Dental, is a second-generation dentist who works alongside his father, practice founder Dr. Stanley Freeman. When it comes to contrasts, Dr. Adam himself is a striking example: he practices two very different types of
This Doctor Built His Practice from the Ground Up
MIRAGE DENTAL ASSOCIATES - CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO | MICHAEL MORONI, DDS It took nearly 15 years, but in September of 2016, Dr. Michael Moroni moved into the dream dental practice he always wanted. Mirage Dental Associates in Castle Rock, Colorado, just outside of Denver, was a project three years in the making, and it was built to achieve some big goals. Dr. Moroni—a general dentist and much sought-after speaker on CAD/CAM techniques—had long envisioned a dental practice with very specific attributes. First off, he wanted to offer a variety of dental specialties under one roof so that patients could receive care in a setting they were already comfortable with. Secondly, he needed a large
San Diego Dental Center Provides Integrated Model of Dental, Health, and Wellness Care for Older Adults
GARY AND MARY WEST SENIOR DENTAL CENTER - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA | KAREN BECERRA, DDS, MPH, CEO, AND DENTAL DIRECTOR The Gary and Mary West Senior Dental Center in downtown San Diego, California, is a one-of-a-kind community clinic that provides affordable, high-quality oral health care for seniors. Poor oral health care in seniors is a significant and overlooked public health issue, largely due to limited or no access to dental care. To address this critical need, the Senior Dental Center was created and opened in 2016 to offer comprehensive education, clinical, and wellness services for seniors who have suffered from years of neglect. To provide holistic care coordination for its senior patients, the Senior
The Secrets to Stress-Free Scheduling
Poor scheduling can be a major source of stress in your dental practice. If your appointment book is full but office tension is high, your scheduling process may be broken. How do you know if it is your schedule (and not something else) that is broken? Ask the following diagnostic questions: * Are cancelled appointments and no-shows an epidemic in your practice? * Does your office consistently run behind schedule? * Are you rushing one appointment so you can get to the next? * Does it take weeks before you can fit a new patient into your schedule? * Does your schedule allow you to perform
Exiting From Practice Ownership: Planning One of the Pivotal Transactions of a Lifetime
Why is it important to plan our exit? How much do we need? For most, our practices represent a large percentage of our wealth and income. When the practice is gone, will we have the finances to pursue the lifestyle we want? At what price do we need to sell our practices to replace income and estate planning needs? THE PRACTICE VALUATION GAP Discussions with practice brokers and valuation professionals help us understand the intrinsic valuation of our practices and comparable valuations in our marketplaces. High valuations result from practices with strong sustained growth and great profitability. If our practices cannot generate the required funds, we have a value gap, and
Are You All In?
Planmeca Romexis® Brings Together the Best of Digital Dentistry Into One Solution. In an industry that is evolving and innovating as quickly as dentistry, ensuring new technologies are compatible and synergistic is vital to creating an effective workflow. Planmeca delivers cutting-edge dental solutions, but one of its greatest examples is the behind-the-scenes software that powers those technologies, enabling them to communicate and work cohesively. Planmeca Romexis® open architecture software networks all of its technology together, combining 2D and 3D imaging and the CAD/CAM workflow, from intraoral scanning to designing and milling, into its software. A number of the benefits of Planmeca Romexis can be described in a word: one. One easy-to-use interface
Accurate, Objective, and Safe Diagnostics
The DEXIS™ CariVu™ caries detection device helps me diagnose caries with great accuracy and without exposing patients to ionizing radiation. It uses transillumination technology – the image on the screen is similar to that of an X-ray, and the enamel appears transparent while porous lesions appear as dark areas. This is especially helpful for the identification of occlusal, interproximal, and recurrent carious lesions and cracks not visible on other imaging methods. CariVu fulfills four very important niches in my dental practice. IMAGING WITHOUT IONIZING RADIATION. Some patients are reluctant or unable to be exposed to radiation: pregnant patients, young children, people with medical conditions for which they have already been exposed
Steps to Selling a Dental Practice
So, you have started to think about transitioning your practice or are ready to bring in an associate. Perhaps, it’s because your practice is too big for one dentist? Maybe you want to be prepared to transition the practice to a partner in the future? It might be that you need to sell for a personal reason, so you need to get your plan started immediately! Whatever the reason or timing, you are overwhelmed by the thought of transitioning your practice. You don’t know where to start or how to make your transition successfully. Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions has effectively completed thousands of successful transitions for practice
Ohio Office Increases Square Footage and Receivables With New Office Build
BEECHER CROSSING DENTAL GROUP - GAHANNA, OHIO | JON RUNION, DDS & JESSICA RUNION, DDS Beecher Crossing Dental Group is a thriving general dentistry practice near Columbus, Ohio. Over the past four years, it has expanded three times, while never having to close the doors during the office’s six-day work week! Leading this remarkable success story are owners and husband/wife dental team, Drs. Jon and Jessica Runion. Their build-out experience proves that renovating an existing dental office while continuing to provide excellent patient care is possible when the process is well planned. The expansion was done in phases, with parts of the office rotating into new spaces so that patient care could continue uninterrupted
Fully Digital Dental Practice Maximizes Patient Experience
INTEGRATEDDENTAL - WOODBURY, NEW YORK | ALAN JURIM, DDS & BARBARA JURIM, DDS When your father is a master ceramicist—and the inventor/ U.S. patent holder of the etched porcelain veneer—it’s safe to say that dentistry runs in your family. Drs. Alan and Barbara Jurim grew up observing their dad, Adrian Jurim, practice his craft with skill and artistry. That early education led the siblings to their own careers in dentistry, and to their own practice, integratedDENTAL in Woodbury, New York, which they opened in 2011. “Growing up in the dental laboratory setting provided us with extensive education on how dental restorations are fabricated and a rare appreciation of what is required of a clinician
New Practice Built In Up-and-Coming Area Leads to Rapid Growth
JONES & ZIRKER FAMILY DENTISTRY - IOWA CITY, IOWA | GARRIK JONES, DDS & DARRICK ZIRKER, DDS For more than a year, Dr. Garrik Jones and Dr. Darrick Zirker, owners of Jones & Zirker Family Dentistry in Iowa City, Iowa, have watched their general dentistry practice grow dramatically. Referrals are up, patient volume has increased, and staff and patient satisfaction have been outstanding. All of these positive developments can be attributed to the construction of a new office in November 2015. This beautiful office occupies 4,900 square-feet in a brand new, stand-alone building the doctors constructed in the upscale housing and commercial development known as Blackstone. It was built to remedy specific challenges that previously
Texas Practice Achieves Success with Total Health Dentistry Vision
WINNING SMILES FAMILY DENTISTRY - ALVIN, TEXAS | CHRISTOPHER HOFFPAUIR, DDS Dr. Christopher Hoffpauir became a dentist because of an experience he had as a patient 15 years ago. As a young man about to be married, he visited a dentist for lingering tooth pain. The tooth was ultimately pulled, but what he discovered in the aftermath was the ongoing pain had negatively affected his daily life without him even realizing it. When he finally found relief, the difference was so dramatic, he decided at that moment to return to school and become a dentist himself! That inspiring story is why Dr. Hoffpauir opened his own practice, Winning Smiles Family Dentistry in Alvin,
Bay Area Dentist Opens Second Practice in City Poised for Explosive Growth
LAS POSITAS FAMILY DENTAL - LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA | THI HOANG, DDS Dr. Thi Hoang had a five-year plan: she wanted to expand her general dentistry practice by opening a second office when her sister graduated from dental school. However, sometimes, when opportunity knocks, you have to answer sooner than expected, and that was what happened with Dr. Hoang. Her new office, Las Positas Family Dental, opened in September 2016, about four years ahead of schedule! “I started my first practice in 2010 in Fremont, California, with a partner,” explained Dr. Hoang. “In 2012, my partner left, and I brought in a full-time hygienist. Almost immediately, I hired three additional part-time hygienists because of
Young Doctor Fulfills Childhood Dream With Opening of Miami Practice
SOMI DENTAL GROUP - SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA | ARNALDO LOPEZ, DDS SOMI Dental Group is the culmination of a dream Dr. Arnaldo Lopez had from the time he was just five years old. While other kids were playing outside, he was inside his uncle’s dental practice in Puerto Rico, watching intently. This early interest grew into a passion to pursue the same career, and today, at 29 years old, Dr. Lopez is the proud owner of his own general dentistry practice in South Miami. The 1,500-square-foot office, which opened in the summer of 2016, has four state-of-the-art operatories, a lab, a consultation room, and an arsenal of the latest technology many practices
Diode Laser Brings Functionality and Superior Results to Practice
As a restorative dentist, one of the keys to providing precise, accurate, comfortable, predictable, and efficient care is the use of advanced technologies during clinical procedures. The goal of any technological advancement is to make the procedure faster, better, and more cost effective. Rarely do modern technologies meet all of these characteristics. As a result, I first look for technologies that make me better. Next, I consider if it will be more efficient. Will it provide ROI or at least make financial sense? Finally, can I use this technology with other technologies to amplify my efficiency and further improve the results? I have owned diode lasers in the past,
Creating a Productive Digital Dental Practice
Over the past seven years, digital technologies have been flooding the dental profession. Glittering excitement and endless promises from manufacturers have made it confusing for the dental professional to make a decision about which product to choose. Although many deliver what they claim, making those products work productively and efficiently is another story. BASIC PLANNING Digital dental techniques and software can save time and money and enhance the patient experience. Start with office software solutions. Within any dental office, the workflow must function in a seamless way to coordinate and actually help the staff and doctor perform at their best, always keeping the patient’s experience as the top priority. Once
i-CAT™ FLX V-Series — Dentists Talked, and i-CAT Listened
As a 3D Systems Product Specialist, one of my most interesting roles is watching our products evolve to fit today’s modern dental practice. The team at i-CAT doesn’t just talk about i-CAT 3D systems; we listen to dental professionals and discover what features they need and want. These conversations have resulted in a new i-CAT FLX V-Series. Here is what dentists have asked for: AN UPGRADEABLE SYSTEM Dentists want a seamless and straightforward upgrade to their 3D system as their practices grow. The i-CAT FLX V-Series does just that — it offers a technology foundation with upgradable options for dentists who are learning, evolving, and expanding to do more for patients. Now,
Three Top HR Traps to Avoid
Human Resources and Employment Compliance, while not as exciting as clinical dentistry, are critically important. Problems can come in various forms, including employee pay, benefits, leave of absence, pregnancy, hiring, and termination. As a result, practitioners are finding themselves trying to defend against employee-related issues that become emotionally and financially draining. If not managed correctly, you can find yourself jeopardizing all you have worked so hard to create. Here are three human resources traps to avoid: 1) OVERTIME: Many dentists misunderstand overtime – their thinking is that by paying an employee a salary, overtime does not have to be paid. However, overtime determination relates to duties, authority, and supervision, not method