Dentaltown June 2018 - 64

office
visit

TOP PRODUCTS
1.

CS 3600 Intraoral Scanner-Carestream Dental
I've been doing digital impressions since 2008 and would
recommend that all providers make this transition. The fact
you can zoom in on your dental work gives you immediate
quality control. You can quickly see undercuts or insufficient
clearance and correct at time of impression.
The digital impression is automatically attached to the
patient's record, which is a documentation requirement in
most states.

2.

CS 8100 3D-Carestream Dental
In my office, more than 90 percent of implants are placed
fully guided. I use BlueSkyBio planning software with a
Xayav Model V printer to produce surgical guides for even
single-unit implants. This technology makes implant
treatment faster and predictable, and less expensive for
the patient.

3.

The Wand-Milestone Scientific
We all have experience coming into a dental treatment
room and having your patient say, "I like you, but I hate
getting the injection." The Wand has been a practice
builder and a stress reducer. Invest in this technology,
talk to your patient about this technology, and the word
of mouth will pay for this technology.

4.

EndoSequence File system with
EndoSequence BC Sealer
I think this is the perfect system for a general dentist who
does endodontic therapy. It's easy for a dental assistant
to set up and maintain organization. The gutta-percha
cones are coated with bioceramic nanoparticles that bond
with BC Sealer for a gap-free seal. Since the gutta-percha
is only coated, versus cross-linked gutta-percha used in
other single-cone obturation systems, it allows me to utilize
warm vertical obturation when appropriate.

5.

64

Weave Patient Communication System
Patient communication is key for the practice success.
Weave integrated perfectly with my practice management
software to allow the business team to know key
information as soon as a patient calls. When the phone
rings, Weave notes if the patient is overdue for hygiene
recall, or has outstanding balances or unscheduled
treatment for the whole family. It's like supercharged caller
ID for the dental office.

JUNE 2018 // dentaltown.com

Obviously, the other big expenses are cabinetry and chairs,
but like a car, a dental chair doesn't maintain its value once it's off
the showroom floor. Luckily for me, several companies specialize
in bank repossession and refurbishing of equipment. Sunrise
Dental Equipment and Planet Dental provided five matching A-dec
operatory packages that complemented my existing stuff. After
another ministroke when I checked prices from some major dental
suppliers, I found another company, Woodway Dental Cabinets,
which has a competitively priced quality product and some of the
most attentive customer service I've ever experienced.
What's the average day like at your practice?
How does it compare to when you first started practicing?
They are literally two different practices! We've increased the
number of providers, patients, parking spaces and procedures. (We
even have a picnic table for lunch during the summer.) We also moved
through the growing pains of changing mindsets and workflows
without casualties. Scheduling has evolved from the vertical "squeeze
in anything that fits" approach to dovetailing and block booking
for production. This means I have a good variety of procedures to
keep the day interesting, rather than the 30-minute, back-to-back
onesy-twosy stuff ... and my assistants still like me by 5 o'clock.
One of the most important and measurable changes as far as
treatment acceptance is that all new patients are initially scheduled
in the doctor's chair. Assembly-line dentistry has never been my goal,
and I find there is far more value in spending an hour getting to
know patients, increasing their dental IQ and reviewing treatment
options. And if there's any time left over, we can talk conspiracy
theories and '80s wrestling. When new patients understand the
benefits of completing their treatment, and that I'm a nice guy who
just occasionally pokes at them with a needle, my schedule stays full.
You're a self-proclaimed CE junkie who loves reading
books on business and practice management. What are
some of your favorite titles, and what has investing time
in CE and reading done for your practice?
The biggest ROI has been a combination of working with the
coaches at Jameson Management and sending my business team to
the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM)
national conference. The fi rst contact a patient has with us is
online, when they call the office or walk in the front door. Invest
in your administrative team because they don't just answer phones
and collect money; they are a special breed of multitasking human
who must be kind yet firm and able to de-escalate grumpy patients,
explain the difference between a crown and a filling, deliver the bad
news when insurance doesn't cover a procedure, and keep up with
everyone's vacations, grandchildren or new puppies. While there is
no mandatory CE to maintain a license to run the front desk, you
don't want someone up there who has no clue how to drive. The
business team may not be "producers," but they are the ones who
make it happen so the rest of us can be.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown June 2018
