Posted by Amy Carbone on Jul 19, 2023 9:00:00 AM
When utilized efficiently, dental software for practice automation can make a positive impact on your team. Learn more about this type of software might benefit your office.
Do I Need Dental Software Programs for My Practice?
Practice automation in dentistry is software developed specifically to streamline processes within the average dental practice. It’s designed to automate tasks that have traditionally been done by staff members.
For example, training your staff on the software can allow dental practices to quickly check insurance eligibility online, instead of calling the insurance company to verify coverage. Or, it can be used to send appointment reminders via text messages to patients, versus having an employee call patients individually to confirm their appointment.
Running an efficient and effective dental practice is key to growing your bottom line. Automation helps dentists achieve this by saving time, money, and effort for everyone in the practice.
4 Benefits of Using Dental Software
There are a number of different ways that your dental practice can benefit from automation, even beyond reducing paperwork and enabling immediate insurance verification. Different software programs may help you achieve different goals within a dental practice, including but not limited to:
1. Use Dental Software To Go Paperless
Paper files are truly a thing of the past for most dental practices, but if your office is lagging behind the times, you may want to consider employing software that allows you to chart information on the computer instead of in a physical file.
Electronic records can be a great way to keep patient data safe, organized, and secure. Finding patient health history, appointment notes, and other important information is much easier with digital files versus paper ones, which helps speed up the time it takes to access patient records.
Instead of sifting through stacks of paper, you can click a few buttons and see complete patient records from multiple appointments. Some dental software programs may allow you to scan your existing paper records, so you can archive them into your new system.
2. See More Patients Through Dental Office Automation
With the right software programs, you can potentially see more patients. Automatic reminders can help patients remember their appointment times, reducing your no-show and late patient rates. Recall cards can also remind patients to book their semi-annual exam or follow-up appointment, so fewer patients slip through the cracks before they've completed treatment.
You can establish a process that sends recall cards to patients as needed, without involvement from your staff. In the past, sending recall cards amounted to handwriting patient names and addresses on postcards and mailing them. With today's advancements in dental software, this becomes completely unnecessary.
3. Use Dental Software to Process Claims Faster
Cloud-based software allows practices to have access to real-time insurance eligibility, so front desk staff can easily verify dental benefits before patients are taken back. This is most helpful in cases where the patient's insurance has changed or when there's a dental emergency and insurance must be verified quickly.
In some cases, dental software also enables your office to submit insurance claims electronically, with electronic remittance for your billing operations’ automatic payment posting.
4. Streamline Processes With Dental Practice Management Software
Your practice can also use automation to streamline other business practices like onsite and offsite data backup, patient statements, surveys, e-newsletters, and more. Be sure to follow best practices for ensuring dental patient information is secure. This helps to save you and your staff both time and hassle and keeps records safe.
The more basic processes that you can automate effectively, the more time your staff will have to dedicate to higher-level processes, like diagnostic testing and one-on-one interactions with patients.
Boost Your Dental Practice Productivity With Automation
Automation can transform the way your practice does business and it's a big step forward into the digital age of dentistry. The right software automation program simplifies numerous processes, boosts your office productivity and efficiency, improves cash flow, and automates critical tasks.
Although utilizing dental software programs can help streamline your operations and improve the efficiency of your team, you need the right culture to keep your office environment running smoothly. To learn the best practices for creating a strong office culture and impactful dental practice, download your free “People Management 101 Guide.”
About Treloar & Heisel
Treloar & Heisel, an EPIC Company, is a premier financial services provider to dental and medical professionals across the country. We assist thousands of clients from residency to practice and through retirement with a comprehensive suite of financial services, custom-tailored advice, and a strong national network focused on delivering the highest level of service.
