5 Areas Where Cloud-Based Technology Supports Dental Office Managers

“Busy.”

That’s likely an accurate description of daily life in your dental practice and the life of your dental office manager. The good news: cloud-based technology solutions for dental office managers can help tame the busyness.

A day in the “busy” life

Dental office managers carry a load of responsibility. Aside from helping form and guide your practice culture, their routine workflow is essential to practice operations and the patient experience, including:

• Team efficiency, from front desk to clinical
• Patient data management
• Scheduling, treatment planning and treatment presentations
• Billing, insurance and collections
• Patient engagement and communication
• Team dynamics and practice culture

That scope of responsibility has a variety of layers. And how well it’s managed has much to do with available tools, such as your practice management platform, and how you apply best practices.

Five areas where cloud-based technology supports dental office managers

1. Team morale

The positive vibe felt by a team doesn’t happen by default. The morale stoked by productivity, role and task fulfillment and overall efficiency is the result of an intentional dental office manager.

Schedule awareness

Dental office managers juggle their schedule, the dentist’s schedule, team member schedules and the overall practice schedule. Their awareness helps keep operations running smooth and patients satisfied.

Patient awareness

On a given day, scheduled patients are at different locations in the treatment process. Add to that the unique engagement required for new patients.

Wait times, chair time, treatment consultations, case presentations and checkout procedures require varying levels of attention.

Data awareness

Patient records and treatment documentation, like those below, require accuracy:

• Billing attachments
• Tracking treatment acceptance
• Thorough clinical notes

Dental office managers using capable cloud-based technology can assist team members with these vital responsibilities and create positive morale in each department.

2. Administrative efficiency

Automation is key here! The more administrative tasks you can automate, the greater your practice efficiency will be.

Digitize your forms

To digitize your forms:

• Transition to a paperless system and eliminate your “scan pile.”
• Implement electronic patient records (e.g., health history/records, insurance forms, etc.).

Digitize data input

To digitize data input:

• Provide patients a secure, online option to complete their required paperwork (e.g., health history, insurance, etc.).
• Replace the check-in clipboard with a smart device (tablet), an app or a text message link via patients’ smartphones.

Cloud-based dental practice management solutions support going digital instead of relying on paper-based processes. An equipped dental office manager can streamline practice efficiency with the right tools.

3. Collections and insurance tracking

High collections rates are possible. But it requires that your dental office manager benchmark their tracking systems.

Again, it pays to apply some intentional awareness in this area.

Awareness of claim status

Overview capability can offer a glimpse into all things claims:

• Claims to be created
• Claims to be sent
• Claims value

Awareness of team financial functions

These are the specific workflows that align with your patient-centric financials:

• Scheduled re-care
• Patient communication (e.g., email and phone contacts)
• Copayments collected

Awareness of statements sent

Consistent collections rely on a consistent delivery (and follow-up) of statements. To create delivery consistency:

• Automate statement creation and delivery.
• Automate follow-up payment reminders using email and text messages.

4. Scheduling

More specific to this area is keeping the schedule full. Empty chairs equate to less production and profitability.

Compel patients towards re-care

According to Jill Nesbitt, MBA, “Re-care visits are essential to the health of every dental practice because they make up about 75 percent of restorative work.” To encourage re-care:

• Create messages customized based on time since previous appointment.
• Create an emotional connection (for patients) to treatment and save time (for team members) through customized messages.

Compel patients with convenience

For example, an online patient portal gives patients a convenient option for scheduling, asking questions or keeping their health information updated. An online solution also acknowledges your relevance to how they’re accustomed to accessing services (e.g., ride share, shopping, dining, etc.).

5. Performance measurement

It’s worth repeating: “What’s measured is improved!” And your team will perform at higher levels as your dental office manager engages with them around their goals and performance metrics. To measure performance:

• Track and measure active patients in hygiene compared to scheduled re-care.
• Track and measure team members relative to treatment presentations compared to treatment acceptance.
• Track and measure treatment presented and accepted compared with what’s scheduled and produced.

Use these measurements to engage with and train team members. Let the metrics motivate you and them to see the value of their individual roles to overall practice success.

These areas cover the gamut of what’s possible when your dental office manager is equipped with a cloud-based practice management solution.

Go a bit deeper into how a cloud solution can streamline your dental practice and/or DSO’s workflows and overall operations:

Using Technology To Thrive As a Dental Office Manager-The Five Best Practices For Successful Dental Office Management

Use a proven cloud-based software provider when you’re ready to switch or upgrade your practice management platform

Dentrix Ascend from Henry Schein One centralizes data, supports the structure of your practice and/or DSO and provides scalability as your practice or organization grows.

Learn what makes Dentrix Ascend the right solution for your dental practice or DSO.

Request a demo today.