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A New Way To Look at Your Business Credit Card
If your practice is like many, you consider your business credit card a convenient tool for making day-to-day purchases and tracking your costs. Using this card for every expense—and capturing them all in one place—makes recordkeeping much easier. When you clearly know where your money is going, you are better able to assess your practice’s fiscal health. From simplifying tax preparation and keeping your personal and practice expenses separate to providing practice-specific perks and rewards, the advantages of using your card are many. But there may be additional benefits you have not considered. YOUR BUSINESS CREDIT CARD AS A LIFELINE Your practice’s cash flow can be threatened by any number
CBCT Delivers Precision for Practitioners, Confidence and Delight for Patients
When my wife and I were naming my dental practice, we wanted it to represent our desire to reach beyond the physical smiles of clinical dentistry because a person is more than their physical appearance. A Smiling Heart Dentistry was born to bring “Smiles from Your Heart.” To comprehensively treat the person, we utilize many technologies, including 3D imaging. To place implants responsibly and confidently, I need precise information about my patient. When I started offering implants, I would send patients next door for a 3D CBCT scan. When we moved, the technology plan for my new office included an in-house 3D imaging system, an i-CAT FLX. 3D imaging
You Bought It...Now Promote It!
You have made the wise decision to invest in technology for the enhanced care of your patients. That is very telling about what kind of dentist you are — one who wants to raise the standard level of care. But do your patients know this and how it benefits them? Telling patients about a new piece of technology one time may not resonate with them. Each time you add technology to your practice, deploy this seven-step process... 1. INTERNAL VERBAL SKILLS. Make your team aware of the technology you’ve acquired and the benefits patients will receive. Encourage them to mention it in conversation. For example, if the patient asks
Doctors Open The First Dental Practice in Up-and-Coming Nashville Neighborhood
GULCH DENTAL STUDIO - NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | CLINT NEWMAN, DDS & JEFF TREMBLEY, DDS Many dentists either construct a new office or complete a remodel at some point in their careers, but few build two new practices in the same year! That is exactly what owner Dr. Clint Newman did—he moved his practice in Hillsboro Pike to Green Hills in Nashville, while concurrently building his satellite location, Gulch Dental Studio, in a trendy area of downtown Nashville called “The Gulch”. The Gulch—one of the hottest areas in the city—is named after an actual ravine that runs through it. In the past two decades, The Gulch’s resurgence has made it “the place to be”
Barnyard Fun Drives Growth At Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics
PEDIATRIC DENTAL ASSOCIATES & ORTHODONTICS - BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS | TONYA TRIPLETT, DDS It's not hard to find the new office of Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics in Bentonville, Arkansas. Just look for the tractor driven by farm animals bursting through a huge red “barn” wall or the pickup truck filled with a collection of cows, horses, and other critters that’s parked outside! This spectacular, barnyard-themed pediatric office is the second location for Dr. Tonya Triplett and her partners, Dr. Jerry Sanders, Dr. Will Tompkins, Dr. Courtney Smith, and Dr. Jason Landers. It’s a colorful and playful office like nothing you’ve ever seen, and it’s all about making children happy and comfortable so that their
Luxurious Practice Dedicated to High-End Care and Patient Experience
EAGLE FALLS DENTISTRY - BLOOMINGDALE, ILLINOIS | ADAM SZATKOWSKI, DDS When Dr. Adam Szatkowski decided to build a second dental practice in Bloomingdale, a suburb just west of Chicago, he chose to name it after his late father, Dr. Frank Szatkowski who founded the original practice, Associated Dental Care, in 1972. Dr. Frank Szatkowski, whose practice was the first one in the city, was an avid fisherman and took his sons on regular trips to Canada, where they would often see a bald eagle circling serenely overhead. That majestic bird was a touching memory of times with their father, and the practice name was chosen as a way to pay tribute to
CAD/CAM Means More Possibilities for the Patient
Digital dentistry utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to take three-dimensional scans of a tooth preparation. A restoration can then be created in one of two ways: using design software and then milled in an office milling system or sent to a lab to finish the tooth. Although dental laboratories were the early adopters of digital dentistry, dental offices are now moving in that direction as well. While I was skeptical of this new technology at first, I heard from peers how beneficial CAD/CAM could be and knew it could potentially be a step to take my practice to the next level. With two complete CAD/CAM
New Office Becomes Key Marketing Tool for Integrity Dental
INTEGRITY DENTAL - PUEBLO, COLORADO | JEREMY THOMAS, DDS The evolution of Dr. Jeremy Thomas’ dental practice is a classic example of how young dentists are advancing patient care by introducing technology integration into existing practices. In Dr. Thomas’ case, he moved to Pueblo, Colorado, and purchased a general-dentistry practice from a retiring doctor who had practiced there for more than 50 years. As Dr. Thomas introduced digital imaging and same-day restorations to his patients, they responded, and Integrity Dental grew. In fact, it outgrew the equipment and the space! Dr. Thomas had updated some of the technology when he bought the practice in 2012, switching to digital X-rays and adding the Planmeca FIT
Kaye Dentistry's Success Is Directly Tied to Technology
KAYE DENTISTRY - NEW YORK, NEW YORK | GARY KAYE, DDS, FAGD Dr. Gary Kaye’s busy reconstructive, cosmetic, and implant dentistry practice is located on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York, home to the world’s most well-known ad agencies. That is fitting because Kaye Dentistry is itself a powerful advertisement for how technology can lead a dental practice to monumental success. “I began my practice in a single 550-square-foot room with one hygienist,” remembered Dr. Kaye as he spoke about his first office, located in New York City’s MetLife Building. “Now I have multiple locations and associates, we are fully digital, and we are enjoying greater success than I could have dreamed of. For
New Office Enhances Lake Park Dental's Use of Digital Technology
LAKE PARK DENTAL - MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN | MEGGIE GRAHAM, DDS Dr. Meggie Graham described her original Lake Park Dental office as “quaint.” The compact 750-square-feet space was located on a vibrant corner on the east side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, above a busy national drugstore. It was a very visible location with a lot of foot traffic, but space was tight. After maximizing the efficiency of that office through the use of various technologies, it became clear she needed additional operatories to continue growing the practice and caring for more patients. In December 2015, she completed building her new office, which is nearly four times the size of her first office! The journey
You Don’t Need a Plan to Have a Business
By: Henry Schein Business Solutions, Henry Schein Dental -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are many things you need to start a business and even more to sustain one, but you don’t need a plan. Seems counterintuitive, right? Maybe the more accurate thing to say is that you aren’t required to have a plan. However, to have a meaningful conversation with a financial institution, you absolutely need a plan, and to have a predictable business, you need a carefully thought-out plan with a timeline for what is to happen and when. A leader’s job is to establish, operationalize, and sustain the values and vision by which the organization will thrive; that is the
CariVu, A Game-Changing Technology
As a practicing dentist for more than 20 years, I have become a great believer in the power of technology. With the myriad types of equipment in the marketplace, it is difficult to single out one to recommend to my colleagues who are starting their careers or adding new technology to an existing practice. In my experience, the DEXIS™ CariVu caries detection device is a relatively inexpensive investment that has a big return. CariVu helps to improve my diagnostic capability, increases patient understanding and trust, and offers an extra level of imaging without ionizing radiation. When patients are reluctant to have imaging that emits radiation, CariVu is the perfect
Umbrellas and PPOs: Making the Most of a Rainy Day
Participation optimization can potentially increase PPO reimbursements, and sometimes, it can positively impact PPO revenue more than contract negotiations. What is it, and why is it important? To expand in-network access for members, PPO insurance carriers enter into shared-network agreements with one or more insurance carriers. Also called “leased provider panel” agreements, it gives their members (patients) access to more in-network dental providers. Another way they expand in-network access is through umbrella network companies, in which multiple PPO insurance carriers and insurance plans fall under or use the umbrella network’s provider network. In some states, the only way some PPOs can provide in-network access is through an umbrella network company.
Security Steps To Protect PHI – And Secure the Success of Your Practice
The entire dental industry is, increasingly, in the crosshairs of regulators and lawyers focused on safeguarding protected health information (PHI). The “bad guys” want to steal your customers’ data, and regulators want to punish you if the bad guys succeed. The dental industry suffers the same trends and penalties as the rest of health care, including an uptick in cyber-attacks, social engineering, malware, and cyber ransom that can cost millions of dollars for response, credit monitoring, and fines. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is taking a closer look at how PHI is protected—across all forms of healthcare, including dentistry. NO. 1 CAUSE OF BREACHES: THEFT It may be surprising,
Profitable Practice Grows to Provide Improved Care for Patients in Paradise
KAUA‘I DENTAL CARE Lıhu‘e, Hawaii On Kaua‘i, the northernmost Hawaiian island nicknamed the “Garden Isle,” Dr. Alan Ing has built a brand new dental office that provides general dentistry to all who live in the tropical paradise. Kaua‘i Dental Care, which is 2,700 square feet with seven operatories, was completed in April 2015 and is home to Dr. Ing and his associate, Dr. Kyle Dumpert, along with several hygienists and staff. Positioned in a growing region of the island, it strikes a perfect balance, immediately communicating a high level of care, but in a professional, subtle way. Dr. Ing relocated from his previous office a few miles away, which he had
Cone Beam CT and CAD/CAM for Optimal Digital Workflow
Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging is becoming the new standard of care for complete patient information. These images provide multifaceted views of teeth and everything below the gum line, including the mandibular nerve canal, making them invaluable tools for planning implant cases and other restorative treatments. The Planmeca PlanMill 40 is just one component of the Planmeca FIT CAD/CAM technology, expanding a practice’s ability to offer same-day dentistry, an in-demand service valued by a growing number of patients. Now, consider combining this detailed information below the gum line with images from an intraoral scan, capable of capturing the highest resolution of data above the gum line. This combination of
Four Codes that are Costing You Money
By: Jim Philhower, Director Of Sales And Leadership Development, Henry Schein Dental -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Philhower As dental benefits shift to PPOs and reimbursement rates continue to shrink, many offices are struggling with increasing overhead and decreasing cash flow and profit margins. Coding correctly is critical for maximizing reimbursement, increasing cash flow, and minimizing errors that could result in fines or worse. A thorough coding review should be conducted each year. Here are four places to start. 1. FLUORIDE CODES D1208 AND D1206 Fluoride codes D1203 and D1204 for child and adult fluoride treatments were replaced with code D1208, which is used for child and adult applications. Many offices reporting the old codes are,
You’re Backing Up, But Are You Backing Up Often Enough?
By: Martin McCarthy, Henry Schein TechCentral -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Encryption ransomware. Data corruption. Accidental deletion. Hardware failure. Fire, flood, and other natural disasters. The causes of data loss are numerous, and anyone who has experienced it knows the importance of backups. One of the most common reasons to restore from a backup is encryption ransomware or a crypto virus. This malicious software typically infects a workstation through an email attachment and encrypts all of the data it can find on the local system and across your network, including servers. Once encrypted, it is impossible to decrypt the files without purchasing the encryption key. Your only options are to restore from backup or
CAD/CAM Proves Its Versatility and Influence in LVI Classroom
When dentists are in the final years of dental school, they have many opportunities to sharpen the skills and knowledge they have learned in lectures and simulations by performing procedures on real patients. Once they are established in their careers, however, they have fewer opportunities to fine-tune their skills or gain expertise with new equipment by test-driving them on actual people. That fact will change once dentists attend the Core III: Mastering Dynamic Adhesion in Complex Reconstructive Cases course at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Studies (LVI), an international organization formed in 1994. The Institute’s goal is to elevate the dental profession by arming doctors with contemporary technology and
CariVu — No-Dose Imaging for Patient Needs
Formulating the most comprehensive diagnosis for patients is a challenging goal. Digital imaging plays a very important part in achieving that objective. My digital imaging system (DEXIS) emits a lower radiation dose than traditional film X-rays and many other systems, but there are still patients who are reluctant to have any radiation exposure. Images from DEXIS’ CariVu™ caries detection device helps me diagnose and treat patients according to their individual needs and to support the identification of occlusal, interproximal and recurrent carious lesions and cracks — all without ionizing radiation. Patients who can benefit from no-dose imaging span different ages and medical factors. For patients who are not comfortable with
Why Embrace Laser Technology?
By Michael Koceja, DDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As dentists, we can become comfortable in our practices, but every January, I contemplate the challenges of a New Year: practice growth, office equipment and remodeling costs, staff, and of course, new technologies. One of those technologies is diode laser technology. It’s not new, but many offices don’t see the advantages diode lasers have to offer. If you only used one for troughing prior to crown and bridge impressions, you would greatly enhance the productivity of your practice and obtain better visibility, which leads to better crown impressions and better fitting restorations. That one advantage can change your practice, but there are numerous other applications. Gingival
Why Every Dental Practice Needs a Current Valuation
When you purchased or became an associate at your practice, chances are that a practice appraisal was done. You needed to know how much the practice was worth at the time you were making the purchase or investing your future. If you are part of the group that is thinking, “I’m not expanding my practice, bringing on an associate, or selling a practice,” you’re also thinking — “this doesn’t apply to me.” But it does apply to you. There are other important reasons to have a current practice valuation. Many people depend on the success and continuity of your practice. Your associates, staff, patients, and most importantly—your family—depend
Updating Practice Management Software to Stay Current and Compliant
Staying current is a challenge that places additional pressure on dentists and their teams. One of the most important but often underutilized technologies in the practice is the existing practice management software. If appropriately configured and leveraged to its maximum, practice management software can streamline the flow in the dental office, increase legitimate reimbursement and provide invaluable information about the office’s operations. Invest in ongoing training for the entire team; statistics show the average dental practice only utilizes 20% of its practice management software’s capabilities. In addition, be aware of the importance of entering data accurately so reports, claims, and management information from the software are also accurate. Upcoming changes in the
Louisiana Practice Grows New Location with Powerful Technology
PEACHTREE DENTAL - MONROE, LOUISIANA | JESSE H. ROBERTS III, DDS; JAY HOWELL, DDS PeachTree Dental in Monroe, Louisiana is a thriving practice that had to fit a lot of dentistry into a small space. In just 1,800 square feet, the office was home to four dentists, related staff, a growing patient load, and an on-site dental assisting school. This general dentistry office was building an impressive reputation as a market leader and had expanded from its single-doctor practice in Ruston to a second location in Monroe. The office was very successful and was outgrowing the infrastructure in its compact space. In fact, as the doctors and patients tried to work around each other in