Stan Goff is a Managing Editor with MJH Life Sciences, which includes Dental Products Report, Dental Practice Management, Dental Lab Products, Modern Hygienist, and Dentist's Money Digest. He has covered the dental industry since 1999 and can be reached at sgoff@mjhlifesciences.com.  

Panthera Dental Introduces New Panthera Fusion Bar | Image Credit: © Panthera Dental 

The new Panthera Fusion BarTM is the first splitting protocol on the market that allows in-lab milling of the overlay while Panthera manufactures the implant bar. It is designed to deliver unrivaled strength and durability for restorations in zirconia, PMMA, or any other material.

Featuring an engineered shape, form and function based on dental science, the Panthera Fusion Bar is a fusion of a unique low-profile implant bar with a seamless, synchronized workflow. While Panthera mills the bar, you can simultaneously mill the superstructure in zirconia or any other material. The result is the PFBTM effect, states Panthera Dental.

The solution’s benefits include implant compatibilities (700+ analog / 130+ digital workflow) and splitting files made easy—ready to mill .STL overlay.


Guarantee a perfect seating position with all the hygiene benefits.


Design of the bar will always follow your soft tissues, setup and implant position; precisely designed to replicate to your patients’ planned intaglio contours.


Cement gap is always constant and within the bar profile.


The implant bar and overlay splitting protocol ensures a straight milling line without undercut that facilitate your production and insertion. The cement gap is controlled on the bar and not on the overlay.


Panthera’s proprietary technology ensures that every detail of your final setup (physical or digital) is preserved for an exact copy.


Temporary or final prosthesis. Users can choose zirconia or printed or milled PMMA. There’s even an option to have Panthera mill it for you.

Cantilever tests showed that the fracture resistance of the zirconia supported by a titanium implant bar was 30% higher than that of unsupported zirconia, according to Panthera Dental.

Providing a synchronized workflow, the Panthera Fusion Baris designed for less time on overall production and more time for the art of the restoration.

Articles

Designed to deliver unrivaled strength and durability for restorations, the splitting protocol means less time on overall production and more time for the art of the restoration.

Panthera Dental Introduces New Panthera Fusion Bar

Bruce Bryen is a certified public accountant with over 45 years of experience and is a part of Baratz & Associates CPAs. He specializes in deferred compensation, such as retirement planning design; income and estate tax planning; determination of the proper organizational business structure; asset protection and structuring loan packages for presentation to financial institutions. He is experienced in providing litigation support services to dentists with Valuation and Expert Witness testimony in matrimonial and partnership dispute cases. He is also a financial writer for several dental journals. You may contact him at 609-502-0691 or at 

There Are Ways to Reduce Taxes to the Seller and Payer When a Dental Practice is Sold | Image Credit: © BritCats Studio - stock.adobe.com

Typically, when a dental practice is sold, the seller does whatever he or she can to affect a capital gain on the seller’s side of the ledger. When that occurs, the buyer then has created a situation where he or she has ordinary income from the principal payments that are allocated to the loan used to finance the acquisition of the dental practice. If this is the arrangement in the sales agreement negotiated by the parties, there is little that can be done to plan after the fact that the agreements have been signed.

Before the signatures have been put to paper, the advisors to the selling and buying dentists have time for using their experience and creativity to make some or all the taxes go away. The dental CPA, and sometimes the attorney, can arrange to have the documents include allocations to equipment, management services and other items that can assist the buyer in changing the long term write off, into a shorter term.

This type of amendment gives the buyer the ability to quicken the time of the write offs but it also takes away some of the seller’s capital gains treatment and forces him or her to report these items as ordinary income. That is going to make the seller unhappy. This jockeying for advantage to the buyer or seller takes place throughout the negotiations before the final agreement is put to paper.

Is there a method to secure an advantage to both the seller and the buyer?

The answer to the above question is that there is and the parties and their advisors may not have heard of this before the idea is offered to them. In the event the concept is beyond the expertise of their advisors, they should retain a dental financial expert who understands this.

It could mean thousands of dollars to each party to the transaction. It could also assist in securing the future of the buyer and seller as well as that of their heirs. An explanation follows in this paragraph, but the most important thing is that the advisors to the selling and buying dentist understand and if not, that they let their clients know that they need to hire an expert in these matters. Conceptually, the concept that is to be applied is that the seller and the buyer each achieve at first, an ordinary income and expense designation and not one of a capital gains format. Once this approach is achieved, the rest of the plan can be carried out to make each side of the transaction happy.

The following is the explanation that everyone has been waiting for that saves thousands of dollars for the seller and the buyer:

All the advisors and the selling and buying dentists need to understand qualified employer sponsored defined benefit plans in a summary form. This explanation should be able to be summarized by the advisors to the dentists. The power of this type of retirement plan is what will allow the idea of little or no tax to be implemented. The way the defined benefit plan works is that it defers thousands of dollars, that are tax deductible to the employer, into an employer sponsored qualified retirement account. The theory of writing off thousands of dollars each year by the buyer and having the seller defer the reporting of the income is what will be described. The thought of the seller reporting little or no income for years and the buyer writing off those amounts is the purpose of the implementation of the defined benefit plan. It works in the following manner and the older the buyer or seller is, the better off it is for the purpose of increasing the deductible amount to the buyer and deferring more to the seller.

A defined contribution plan such as a 401k, is regulated as to the maximum allowed as a deduction based on congressional action. The defined benefit plan contribution has almost no limit as to the maximum deduction based on the formula written into the plan. Part of its formula is based on age, compensation and the number of years of service. The method to deduct the payments as if they were for the acquisition of the practice is to employ the seller at a modest salary. Then allow the defined benefit formula to kick in to let the employer receive the large deductible contribution benefits. Instead of reporting the sale proceeds and immediately paying a federal and state tax of up to 35% or more in some states, the payments for the defined benefit plan will go into a tax deferred retirement plan. An example of the results of what this means follows in the next paragraph.

Comparisons of an outright sale for cash compared to the use of a defined benefit plan and its use:

Using a hypothetical example of a sale for $1,000,000 and the seller receiving capital gains treatment in a high state income tax environment, the following would occur. The seller receives the $1,000,000 and the assumption is that he or she has withdrawn all the profits over the years as most dentists do. With a zero basis, the seller will pay federal and state taxes of approximately $350,000 leaving $650,000 for him or her to live off and to invest. Using a simple 5% return and not touching the principal, the seller would have $32,500 a year as income not counting anything else and would pay a tax of about $5,000. ($32,500 minus $5,000 would leave $27,500, which would be spent).

If the defined benefit plan was to be adopted by the employer, on a $50,000 salary to the seller and a federal and state tax of 35% or, $17,500, leaving $32,500 which would be spent. No investments would be made since about $200,000 per year would be deducted from the employer’s income and paid into the retirement plan. At a 5% deferred taxable income in the retirement plan, it would have $210,000 at the end of year one. At the end of year four there would be approximately $900,000 in the retirement plan plus the net of $32,500 each year to spend for 4 years, or an additional $130,000. There are plenty of questions to be discussed with the dental advisors but those knowledgeable with defined benefit plans can massage the amounts based on actual ages and the formula for retirement so that hypotheticals need not be used. The funds are not taxable until withdrawn. They are also immune from creditors. If the money is needed, based on current laws, it can be withdrawn based on the principal’s age, without penalty.

For more columns from the author, visit 

https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/practice-management

In this month’s column, the author shares opportunities to secure an advantage to both the seller and the buyer.

There Are Ways to Reduce Taxes to the Seller and Payer When a Dental Practice is Sold

Spear Education’s 2025 Summit Headed to the East Coast in March | Image Credit: © Spear Education

, a 3-day clinical learning event open to dentists and their team members in Orlando, Florida March 20-22, 2025.

Spear Education, a leading provider of advanced dental education and practice management solutions, will host the event at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. For the first time, the 3-day summit is open to all dentists—and their team members—seeking to learn cutting-edge dental techniques and strategies from leading experts worldwide. Previously, the event was only open to Spear members.

With a theme of “Recharge”, the Spear Summit will focus on reigniting passion, building meaningful connections, and equipping dental teams with the latest tools to elevate their practices.

“Spear Summit 2025 is for all dentists, whether highly experienced or brand-new to the profession,” Steve Ratcliff, DDS, chief dental officer at Spear Education, says in a press release. “Our goal is for attendees to walk away with valuable new skills they can put into practice Monday morning, along with a renewed sense of purpose to reinvigorate their practice.”

An international lineup of renowned dental professionals is confirmed to take the stage at Spear Summit 2025, including Bill Robbins, DDS, MA; Van Haywood, DMD; Mariam Margvelashvili-Malament, DMD, MSc, PhD, FACP; and other clinical leaders.

Actionable learning topics at the event include but are not limited to:

Digital workflows from Spear's faculty innovators

Methods for managing enamel defects to optimize esthetics and conserve tooth structure

Insights into using composite bonding to assist your orthodontist in achieving ideal tooth position

New approaches to orthodontic anchorage and aligner therapy

How to manage practice and personal finances for growth

Prioritizing time and energy with Frank Spear, DDS

“Spear Summit isn’t just another conference; it’s a place where we come together to collaborate and inspire real growth,” adds Dr Spear, founder and director of Spear Education. “We can’t wait to share insights and techniques that attendees can start using right away to improve patient care and elevate their whole approach to dentistry.”

In addition to immersive learning experiences and interactive networking opportunities, attendees can expect fun-filled special events throughout the 3-day agenda, including wellness activities, vendor exhibits highlighting the latest technology, and a gala.

Spear Education uses a combination of innovative learning platforms, seminars, and workshops, to inspire continuous learning and growth within the dental community.

All dentists and team members are invited to join industry experts in Orlando, Florida, with world-class clinical learning and actionable strategies planned for March 20-22,2025.

Spear Education’s 2025 Summit Headed to the East Coast in March

The new VITA VACUMAT 6100 M furnace is a fully-automatic, microprocessor-controlled firing unit.

VITA VACUMAT 6100 M from VITA North America

The AntiSplatr® Flex Slim and AntiSplatr® Flex Ergo Slim disposable prophy angles are designed to improve the polishing experience with several key improvements.

AntiSplatr® Flex Slim and AntiSplatr® Flex Ergo Slim from Pac-Dent

PepCare strives to transform the way orthodontists and other healthcare providers and patients interact, making patient referrals seamless and enhancing communication across healthcare teams. 

PepCare Patient Referral Platform

Lexa Mini is a versatile Class B rapid sterilizer that offers several advantages with its wide range of applications.

Lexa Mini from W&H

All the latest product launches from the week of November 11-15, 2024.


New Dental Products – November 11-15, 2024 

REVEAL Fluorescence Guided Dentistry System Helps Defend Against Peri-Implantitis | Image Credit: © Designs for Vision

The REVEAL headlight from Designs for Vision is described as a ground breaking system that utilizes a blue excitation headlight with specially filtered eyewear to provide hands-free vibrant fluorescence visualization in real time.

REVEAL excites the byproducts of dental pathogens causing them to auto-fluoresce (no dyes or imaging agents needed), and the REVEAL loupes filter out the excitation wavelengths so the fluorescence can be visualized in real-time.

This is the first wearable fluorescence visualization system. Prior technology relied on handheld devices, which while could be used in documentation, were limited in their use for clinical treatment, Designs for Vision states. REVEAL can differentiate between active and arrested carries, can detect mature biofilm, and can detect peri-implantitis.

 Fluorescence Guided Dentistry system allows you to visualize the byproducts of bacteria associated with caries, calculus and peri-implantitis without the use of any pharmaceutical, chemical or dye, control and confirm the complete removal of mature biofilm during prophylaxis; identify and differentiate between active and arrested caries lesions to preserve more tooth structure, and diagnose and manage peri-implantitis and confirm successful treatment.

This image illustrates what REVEAL does in action. | Image Credit: © Designs for Vision

The REVEAL system includes the REVEAL headlight and REVEAL Eyewear.The headlight uses a narrow spectrum excitation light to stimulate the byproducts of bacteria associated with carries, calculus, and peri-implantitis, causing them to emit endogenous fluorescence. The eyewear filters out the excitation wavelengths to allow clear, vibrant visualization of the resulting fluorescence.

Using the system is said to allow clinicians to easily detect red fluorescence emitted by porphyrin metabolized by oral bacteria in real-time with the wearable REVEAL fluorescence guided dentistry system to defend against peri-implantitis.

Additionally, it provides the visual information to support decision making and facilitate proper treatment options in cariology, oral hygiene, periodontology, implantology, and restorative dentistry.

Designs for Vision’s system can differentiate between active and arrested carries, can detect mature biofilm, and detects peri-implantitis.

REVEAL Fluorescence Guided Dentistry System Helps Defend Against Peri-Implantitis

W&H’s Latest Innovation in Sterilization is the Compact Lexa Mini | Image Credit: © W&H

W&H’s newest sterilizer for the North American market, Lexa Mini, is a versatile Class B rapid sterilizer that offers several advantages with its wide range of applications. The unit can be used as a complimentary device for fast sterilization of handpieces and as an emergency back-up to tabletop sterilizers.

The Lexa Mini sterilizer focuses on what matters most to a busy practice—reliability, efficiency in sterilization, and safety, W&H states. Utilizing the same cutting-edge technology as their award-winning full size Lexa sterilizers, this compact version is designed to fit perfectly into a dental practice’s workflow. It offers the same innovative features of fresh water for every cycle and closed-door drying, ensuring completely dry and sterile loads.

The company’s primary goal is to create advanced technology and equipment that continuously improve safety, efficiency, and patient experience in dental practices, and the new sterilizer was designed with this in mind.

Lexa Mini offers EliTrace providing enhanced traceability with an advanced documentation system that offers full traceability down to a single instrument. Cycle documentation is automatically saved to a USB stick that results in a higher level of safety for both a practice and its patients, according to the company.

Efficient Sterilization to Enhance the Patient Experience


Streamlining sterilization enhances efficiency and patient experience. Lexa Mini is more than just a sterilizer, it’s designed to be the heartbeat of a dental practice, keeping every operation running smoothly and efficiently while integrating seamlessly into a sterilization area by optimizing a workflow.

“We're excited to introduce the Lexa Mini as part of our ongoing efforts to transform and innovate the sterilization market. Similar to our other Lexa models, it features state-of-the-art technology that uses fresh water for every cycle and the essential closed-door drying, ensuring every load is completely dry and ready to use,” Rick Pinero, general manager of the dental equipment business unit for W&H, says in a press release. “These important features are becoming increasingly crucial for infection prevention and are what truly differentiate us in the market.”

The new sterilizer’s features deliver speed, versatility and enhanced convenience.

This rapid sterilizer has faster cycle times compared to other compact sterilizers in its class and can achieve complete sterilization in as little as 23 minutes, including drying time for maximum efficiency. The closed-door drying technology delivers bone dry loads, ready for immediate use at the end of every cycle, minimizing the risk of cross contamination, according to W&H.

Additionally, it is designed to meet diverse practice needs with cycles for wrapped, unwrapped, cassette, and low-temperature loads. It offers 2 or 3 rack options for additional load flexibility, comes in both 5 liter and 3 liter models, and features both a vacuum pump for setups without an air line and an air ejector for those with an air line.

Auto drain and auto fill are standard features of Lexa Mini. Auto fill adds convenience by ensuring fresh water delivery for every cycle, while auto drain saves time for staff, making the manual process of emptying dirty water bottles a thing of the past, streamlining the sterilization process.

The newest addition to the company’s sterilizer lineup, available exclusively in the US and Canada, is this Class B rapid sterilizer designed for busy practices.

W&H’s Latest Innovation in Sterilization is the Compact Lexa Mini

Dental AI Company Pearl Expands Executive Team | Image Credit: © Pearl 

Dental artificial intelligence (AI) solutions company Pearl has announced the appointment of Brian Kim as Chief Product Officer and Bobby Cooper as Vice President of Customer Success. Pearl offers a wide array of AI detection capabilities, clinical annotation and measurement tools, plus AI-powered image enhancement.

In their roles, Kim will oversee development and expansion of Pearl's radiologic AI product line for dental clinics, universities, labs and insurance carriers. Cooper will head efforts to maximize the value and benefits of the dental AI experience for the company's global user base.

“Brian and Bobby are 2 of the most tenacious and curious leaders I’ve met. From the earliest days at our prior company together, I’ve admired Brian’s belief in the big vision of our ideas,” Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl, says in a press release announcing the hirings. “And Bobby’s experience with not just building and scaling a customer success organization, but also understanding the critical importance of customer retention and expansion is vital as Pearl matures and serves larger and more complex multi-site dental practices.”

announced that it had raised $58 million in Series B funding

 to accelerate its mission to elevate patient care in dentistry.

Kim brings more than 15 years of experience spearheading transformative product development initiatives to Pearl. Most recently, he was the CEO of Relo Metrics, a spinoff from parent company GumGum Inc, where he instituted and led a team of employees to evolve, shape, and manage an AI-driven audience measurement solution. At Pearl, Kim will direct high-performance product teams to uncover potential opportunities, ship industry-leading products and features, and align initiatives with the evolving needs of the dental market, the press release states.

“I’ve always been passionate about using transformative technology to solve seemingly simple problems with profound implications,” adds Kim. “The opportunity to create products that enhance the patient experience while empowering dental professionals to embrace tools that modernize their businesses is not just exciting—it's a chance to make a meaningful impact in a field that directly affects people's lives. Working at Pearl will enable me to leave a legacy of which I’m immensely proud.”

Cooper joins Pearl after customer success leadership positions at Tapcart, a leading mobile commerce platform for the fastest-growing ecommerce brands, and Weave, an all-in-one experience platform for small- and medium-sized healthcare businesses. At Pearl, he will lead the teams responsible for fostering customer loyalty, driving engagement, and ensuring that customers derive maximum value from Pearl’s offerings.

“AI is omnipresent today, impacting all industries, long-held processes, and customer needs,” says Cooper. “The changes being brought about by AI have only just begun and I’m excited to be a part of this nascent opportunity. Pearl uniquely taps AI to modernize dental care and improve patient outcomes; it’s an honor to contribute to the success, depth, and growth of every Pearl implementation.”

For more information about Pearl, visit 

The company brings on Chief Product Officer Brian Kim and Vice President of Customer Success Bobby Cooper as the platform adoption surges among DSOs, dental providers, educators, and payors.

Dental AI Company Pearl Expands Executive Team

PepCare’s Digital Referral Application Designed to Enhance Interaction Between Clinicians, Patients | Image Credit: © PepCare

In the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, efficient communication and streamlined patient management are paramount. PepCare, an innovative digital referral application, strives to transform the way orthodontists and other healthcare providers and patients interact, making patient referrals seamless and enhancing communication across healthcare teams. By offering secure, efficient, and comprehensive solutions, this digital referral app is designed to meet the diverse needs of both providers and patients.

Modern healthcare emphasizes patient-centered care, necessitating effective communication and comprehensive care coordination. PepCare addresses these needs by offering a centralized platform that facilitates patient referrals, virtual evaluations, and interdisciplinary collaboration, all while expanding professional networks for healthcare providers.

 PepCare provides a HIPAA-compliant platform, ensuring that all interactions between clinicians and patients are secure and confidential. This security allows healthcare providers to share patient information, medical records, and care plans with confidence, knowing that stringent measures are in place to protect sensitive data.

 Managing patient referrals can be time-consuming and prone to errors. PepCare simplifies this process with an intuitive referral management system, enabling providers to initiate, track, and manage referrals efficiently, the company states. This streamlining is designed to reduce administrative burdens and accelerates the referral process, enhancing patient outcomes and optimizing the referral experience for healthcare teams.

 Effective patient care relies on engagement and timely communication. PepCare's direct messaging feature facilitates seamless communication between patients and healthcare providers. Whether for follow-up questions, appointment reminders, or updates on care plans, this functionality is said to ensure prompt and effective communication, fostering stronger patient-provider relationships and improving care continuity.

 Accessibility is a significant concern in healthcare, especially for patients facing barriers to in-person consultations. PepCare addresses this by offering a comprehensive virtual care suite that includes remote consultations and virtual follow-ups. This feature enables healthcare providers to deliver care to patients regardless of location, without compromising quality. More patients today seek the convenience of virtual visits. This solution enhances patient satisfaction and expands access to care, particularly for those in remote or underserved areas.

 Modern healthcare often involves teams of specialists working together to provide holistic patient care. PepCare's platform facilitates efficient interdisciplinary collaboration, allowing doctors, specialists, and other healthcare professionals to communicate and coordinate seamlessly. By providing a unified space for sharing insights and treatment plans, teams can work together more effectively to deliver optimal patient care.

The shift toward patient-centered care highlights the importance of quality communication and care coordination, according to PepCare. This digital referral application addresses these demands by creating a platform that bridges gaps between clinicians and patients and among healthcare teams. The app offers tools that simplify complex workflows and promote efficient communication.

“PepCare is more than just a patient engagement platform," Bryon Kozak, DDS, MS, founder of PepCare, says in a press release

"It’s a full-service solution that allows dental practices to connect with patients as well as other dental practices and specialists. By creating a collaborative platform that streamlines the referral process, virtual care, and interdisciplinary planning, we empower teams to focus more on care and less on coordination.

Imagine a scenario where doctors can initiate a referral with a few clicks, specialists can access patient information in real time, and patients can message their providers instantly—all on a secure, user-friendly platform, Dr Kozak adds. PepCare can deliver this today, he says.

The platform offers secure, efficient, and comprehensive solutions to meet the diverse needs of providers and patients, including seamless patient referrals.

PepCare’s Digital Referral Application Designed to Enhance Interaction Between Clinicians, Patients

Pac-Dent,Inc has launched a pair of new disposable prophy angles designed to enhance the polishing experience in the operatory.

Flex Slim and AntiSplatr® Flex Ergo Slim 

disposable prophy angles expand Pac-Dent’s growing preventive portfolio as the company maintains its role as a leading provider of innovative products in the dental industry.

The AntiSplatr Flex Slim and Flex Ergo Slim prophy angles are designed to improve the polishing experience with several key improvements.The flex cup effortlessly adapts to the contours of any tooth, reducing excessive wrist movement and improving overall comfort, according to Pac-Dent. This design minimizes slipping during procedures while optimizing paste spread and retention. Additionally, an upgraded cup lip and flare provide optimal access to subgingival areas, and external ridges enhance interproximal polishing for a more efficient and comfortable experience. The prophy angles feature a 42% smaller body for improved access and visibility, the company states.

Each angle includes Pac-Dent’s renowned AntiSplatr® fender, designed to effectively prevent saliva, blood, and prophy paste from accumulating on the cup’s exterior. The fender’s compact design and strategic positioning ensure optimal reach and visibility. The Ergo configuration further reduces micro-traumas during use and does not contain natural latex rubber.

Additional information on the new prophy angles can be found on the company’s 

The AntiSplatr® Flex Slim and AntiSplatr® Flex Ergo Slim disposable prophy angles equipped with new features designed to enhance polishing.

Pac-Dent Expands Its Line of Prophy Angles with 2 New Launches

, a dental technology company specializing in cloud-based practice management systems, digital imaging, and dental marketing services. Previously, Gaddis was the marketing director for two large dental service organizations. Prior to entering the dental industry, Gaddis was a journalist for 16 years in a variety of roles, including as a TV news producer at the CBS affiliate in Boston. You can connect with Beth Gaddis on 

The pressure is on dental practices to streamline operations, enhance patient care, and maintain profitability. Dental groups that used to drive growth through mergers and acquisitions found themselves unable to close deals this year and pivoted to focus on same-store growth.

That’s led to a strategic approach to integrating financial services – such as insurance claim processing, financing, and payments – directly into the practice management system to simplify operations and increase revenue.

Integrating Financial Services to Streamline Operations

Traditionally, dental practices relied on multiple software systems to manage clinical functions and financial transactions. This disjoined approach led to inefficiencies, data silos, and increased operational costs. By embedding financial services within the practice management software, we can create a seamless ecosystem that enhances productivity and patient satisfaction.

Creating a Cohesive Dental Operating System

Imagine a patient visiting a dental office where they can schedule appointments, receive reminders, complete forms, upload their insurance card, sign their treatment plan, and manage payments all online. That’s now feasible through APIs, which enable disparate computer systems to securely share data without the need for manual data entry or logging into different computer systems.

It creates a cohesive dental operating system where actions can trigger an automated workflow that used to take people hours to accomplish manually.

For example, when the patient uploads a picture of their insurance card, it can automatically start the process of verifying their insurance benefits, receiving back the data from the insurance carrier, and automatically uploading the details into the patient chart. It eliminates the need for dental team members to call the insurance carrier or log into a separate portal to access the information and then manually enter it into the patient’s file.

Automated insurance verification is just the beginning. Integrating financial services simplifies the entire collection process.

Insurance payments can be automatically received and accurately applied to patient ledgers. If the carrier pays less than expected, it can trigger an automated text message or email to the patient to let them know there is a balance due and provide a link to make payment that then is automatically applied to their account.

Typically, though, integrated financial services help create accurate out-of-pocket cost estimates, and that gives the dental practice the opportunity to discuss different options to help their patients afford the care they need.

Dental practices can offer flexible payment options, such as financing plans with a fully integrated third-party lender. Team members no longer need to log into a lender’s website to run a credit check or receive financing approval; it can all be done from within the practice management system.

Integrations also make it easier to offer card-on-file technology and automated monthly payment plans. Practices also can send out automated text-to-pay reminders, making it easier for patients to pay their bills online and enabling practices to receive payment faster.

By centralizing financial services within the practice management software, dental practices can access data analytics to drive better decision-making. The data can reveal trends in patient spending, insurance reimbursements, and operational costs, enabling practices to optimize pricing strategies and improve cash flow management.

Integrating Financial Services is Essential

The future of dental practice management software depends on developing technology that unifies clinical and financial operations. The dental industry has lagged behind other industries in adopting the technologies that automate processes and make it easy for our patients to receive the care they need. Integrating financial services is one way we can make an immediate difference.

, a leading provider of cloud-enabled dental software solutions, serving more than 13,000 practices in the United States. The company delivers a complete platform of solutions for dental practices, including Denticon practice management, Cloud 9 ortho practice management, Apteryx digital imaging with AI, and Legwork practice marketing and patient engagement. With built-in solutions including online scheduling, digital forms, DentalXChange RCM automation, text-to-pay reminders, patient referrals, and a vast API platform, Planet DDS helps dental practices and groups achieve their goals.

A shift to integrating financial services directly into the dental PM system has taken place this year and here’s what you need to know.