Terri Lively

Dr. Mark Hyman of Greensboro, N.C., became aware of tooth whitening 30-some years ago. Here is his take on the Philips Zoom! family of products:

	 During a study done in 1981 of proxy gel for periodontic treatment, the researchers learned one of the negative side effects of the gel was their teeth turned white. Aha! Today, whitening is the No. 1 requested procedure in dentistry. The results of using the 

 have been outstanding, and we have used the Zoom! formulation for more than 15 years.

Why did you start using Philips’ Zoom! Professional Whitening products?


	There are many wonderful whitening products. From the packaging to the choice of the strength of the material, from the daytime to the nighttime options to the quick 15-minute version, Philips provides wonderful choices.

What have been the results and/or patient responses?


	When we talk about whitening, we talk about good, better, best-whatever is appropriate for patients at this time in their lives. Maybe it’s the technology where you use whitening strip; however, I find compliance, particularly among men, is low. The take-home whitening trays are a great option whether you use them 

at night with the NiteWhite product or the day with DayWhite

, which is the power tooth whitening aided by the Zoom! lamp. It’s a great kickstarter to get people’s teeth white. We can see six to eight shade changes at the completion of the procedure. And they have a great maintenance option with the 

	All these things contribute to the patient’s appreciation of what we do in dentistry. It leads to more satisfaction for the patients for the quality of their care and more joy for the dental team and docs.

More on Philips: Philips introduces latest innovations at IDS 2015

What benefits to your practice have you seen since using the Zoom! line?


	If someone joining your practice is uncertain about going forward with veneers or orthodontics or changing out old composite fillings on the front teeth, you whiten them and it kickstarts that decision process. It’s not a large financial commitment, and there are no shots, no drilling and minimum, if any, discomfort in brightening up a smile. Whitening is a noninvasive way to get people interested in cosmetic dentistry.

Why would you recommend this product to your colleagues?


	Whitening is a fabulous way for people to look healthier and perhaps inspire them to take better care of their teeth. From teens that have finished orthodontics to folks that drink a lot of coffee or red wine or choose to smoke to seniors who want to look or feel younger, you almost can’t find a patient that whitening isn’t appropriate for.

	Your smile is your first impression. Everybody wants to make a good first impression. The Philips folks make it easy to do so.


	Philips Zoom! Professional Whitening line allows dental professionals to customize whitening solutions for patients based on their unique case. With many options to choose from, there’s reportedly  a fit for every patient that enters your practice. From the darkest stains treated with the Zoom! Ultimate Protocol to medium stains with the Zoom! DayWhite or NiteWhite option, to light stains with the Zoom Quick Pro, Philips gives you a name you can trust to deliver results your patients deserve. The full line of maintenance products help patients maintain their enhanced, brighter smile. Best of all, the Philips Zoom! Professional Whitening line can open patients’ minds to the possibilities your full suite of cosmetic treatments offers. Philips makes sure clinicians and patients alike all have a reason to smile.

Watch the video below to learn if Philips Zoom! is right for your practice:

Cateogry cruncher: In-office whitening products

Articles

Dr. Mark Hyman of Greensboro, N.C., became aware of tooth whitening 30-some years ago. Here is his take on the Philips Zoom! family of products:
During a study done in 1981 of proxy gel for periodontic treatment, the researchers learned one of the negative side effects of the gel was their teeth turned white.

Double Take - Philips Zoom!

	State inspectors discovered that 329 general dentists and six orthodontists in California charged $117 million in questionable billing for 2012 Medicaid pediatric dental services. 

 recommended these dentists undergo further scrutiny to determine whether they are committing fraud or if disciplinary action is warranted.

	“Our findings raise concerns that certain providers may be billing for services that are not medically necessary or were never provided. They also raise concerns about the quality of care provided to children with Medicaid,” the report stated.

RELATED: 5 things every dental practice needs to know now about Medicare

	The OIG, whose mission is to protect the integrity of the 

, identified the dentists by auditing Medicaid billing for the year 2012. Using a series of measures to compare the billing for offices, the identified providers whose billing and services numbers were far higher than the average office. They determined these dentists, who represented about 8% of the dentists in the state, required further investigation.

	The OIG report is part of a series of reports investigating dental providers that charge Medicaid for services either unnecessary or fictional. Similar investigations occurred in New York, Louisiana, and Indiana. These investigations began following the discovery that many dental providers and large dental chains nationwide provided unnecessary dental procedures to children with Medicaid.

RELATED: The top 5 weirdest dental crimes of 2015

Unnecessary, harmful, and possibly fraudulent procedures

	The three most common questionable procedures include pulpotomies, also known as “baby root canals,” stainless steel crowns, and extractions. The OIG expresses in their report concerns that they might not only be unnecessary, but also might have caused harm to the children.

	The report details some of the severe examples of excessive procedures on young children they uncovered in their investigation. One examination regarding some dentist’s billing for stainless steel crowns showed nine dentists provided more than 15 stainless steel crowns per visit to ten children, aging in range from two- to five-years-old. In one case, a dentist claims to have provided 19 pulpotomies and 15 other services to a 3-year-old child. In another case, a dentist reported providing 19 pulpotomies and 21 other services on a 5-year-old child. The audit also revealed that seven dentists performed extractions on 80% of the children they treated, and one dentist’s billing history revealed he performed extractions on 98% of the children he treated.

	The six orthodontists identified in the audit showed Medicaid treatment activities inconsistent with those of their peers. Medicaid covers orthodontic care only for children with severe dental problems, including those with cleft palates or suffering malocclusion. But these six dentists provided care to over 584 children, and one of them claimed to provide services to 1,079 children. The OIG wondered how these doctors could provide care adhering to the standards required by their profession.

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	In addition to large numbers of particular treatments, the audit also revealed that 229 general dentists provided large numbers of service per day. The average dentist performed 24 services per day to children with Medicaid. However, the 229 dentists identified by the OIG showed they performed 76 services a day. Two dentists in this group averaged 500 services per day. One particularly dentist claimed to have performed 1,658 services in one day.

	Regarding this last example, the report goes on to explain, “If this dentist spent only five minutes performing each service, it would have taken over 138 hours to complete all of these services.” The report goes on to explain that numbers like these indicated the services never happened.

	The OIG notes in their report that half of these providers (166 in total) worked for chains, which they suggest indicates the chains encourage their providers to participate in the practice of performing the unnecessary procedures to boost profits.

	In their conclusion, the report stated the following: “Our findings raise concerns that certain dental providers may be billing for service that are no medically necessary or were never provided. They also raise concerns about quality of care and whether children treated by these providers were harmed by these procedures.”

HOT READ: 5 products making pediatric dentistry easier

	The OIG submitted the report to the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which recommended four recommendations to fix the problems. The DHCS agreed and has begun implementation of each of the following:

Increase its monitoring of dental providers to identify patterns of questionable billing. 

The DHCS will update their criteria for monitoring the billing to resemble that of the OIG’s audit by the end of 2015.

Closely monitor billing by providers in dental chains. 

The DHCS will further monitor billing by the dental chains within its authority.

Review its payment processes for orthodontic services. 

Using the OIG report as a basis, their intention is to revise the way claims are processed for orthodontia.

Take appropriate action against dental providers with questionable billing. 

The DHCS will pursue appropriate disciplinary action against providers identified in the report that reside within their authority. They have set a deadline for these actions for December 2015.

	To read the full report of the OIG to the California Department of Health Care Services, please 

State inspectors discovered that 329 general dentists and six orthodontists in California charged $117 million in questionable billing for 2012 Medicaid pediatric dental services.

329 California dentists suspected of profiting from unnecessary dental treatments on kids

	In this installment of “I Use That,” we asked Dr. Michael Davila and Dr. Andreea Mada-Davila, as well as Dr. Tauseel Khan of Philipse Manor Dental Associates, about their use of 

 in their practice. They share how converting to DentiMax’s Dream Sensors benefitted their practice efficiencies, front-desk employees and bottom line.

What Dr. Michael Davila and Dr. Andreea Mada-Davila say about the DentiMax Dream Sensor


	Drs. Michael Davila and Andreea Mada-Davila have a practice serving the Hartford, Conn., area as a husband and wife dental partnership team. They converted to a digital office two years ago. When choosing a new digital sensor for the practice, their research revealed the digital sensor from DentiMax was a “dream” come true.

The Davilas chose the DentiMax Dream Sensor for several reasons. First, they liked the instant results they enjoyed with a digital sensor. Also, they were impressed with the detail the sensor captured. In addition, they were pleased with how easy it was to send everything electronically.

Incorporating the sensor into the practice management software also proved to be easy and well supported for the practice.

Review: Two dentists give DentiMax Dream Sensors high praise with 5 star reviews

“Customer care support from when we installed the sensor, it was awesome,” Dr. Mada-Davila said. “They responded immediately when we had questions.”
	Both doctors agree there are numerous benefits to patients. Naming the rounded corners and thin design specifically, patients are more comfortable than with previous sensors. Also, the sensor image detail and ability to put it on the large monitor helps patients understand their diagnosis and accept the treatment plan more easily.

“I can’t put a number on it, but I would say that since we went digital, the improvement on treatment plan acceptance is almost 100 percent,” Dr. Davila said. “Patients like technology. They appreciate it. They value it. They will tell other patients about it by word of mouth and tell them to come here. You can’t replace that. It’s better than an ad on radio or TV.”

Financially, the digital sensor benefitted the practice, as well. They get insurance payments quicker. The front office staff can track and follow payments more effectively, making them happier and more productive. Both of the doctors agree they have a more productive staff because of moving from digital to traditional film.

Both doctors would recommend the DentiMax system to their colleagues.

DentiMax Dream Sensor: 3 exclusive features of designing for patient comfort

“You are adding procedures, and there’s growth in the practice. Every health care provider wants that. After so many years, we keep growing and improving,” Dr. Davila said. “That’s why we recommend it to our colleagues … and we have.”

“Of all the things we’ve done,” agreed Dr. Mada-Davila, “it’s very quick, accurate and efficient. It makes your life a thousand times easier as a practitioner.”

“The future of dentistry is digital technology. You have to go forward. You can’t go backward. It improves everything,” Dr. Davila agreed.

What Dr. Tauseel Khan says about the DentiMax Dream Sensor


	Dr. Tauseel Khan practices in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. under the practice name Philipse Manor Dental. He converted to DentiMax’s Dream Sensor, a digital solution for his practice, to integrate with the DentiMax practice management software he invested in more than five years ago. His experience proved to him that DentiMax was an efficient and cost-effective solution that offered a lot of excellent support.  

“The way their sensors integrate with the practice management software is seamless,” Dr. Khan said.  

Dr. Khan enjoys the Dream Sensor for many reasons. He appreciates the instant results on the screen, quicker diagnosis and patient education. It is also easier to explain treatment options now that patients see an excellent radiographic visual of their teeth on the monitor. On the efficiency side, the digital sensor is more time efficient than processing film. He values that the radiation is significantly lower. Plus, he was glad to get away from chemicals.

“What bothered me most about film was the fixer and developer. You are supposed to have a well ventilated area where you process the film, and we did, but I was always concerned about myself and my staff,” he explained.  

Dr. Khan also noticed his front office staff was happier with the addition of the Dream Sensor interface. Sending electronic attachments is easier, and payments happen faster. Things don’t get “lost in the mail.”  

“The staff is happier and I am happier. Significant amount of extra(time) is made available to us with going digital. That time is utilized in practice building and making the business end more efficient,” he said.  

There are many design features Dr. Khan values, as well. The cord goes right into the USB port, and with one click, you have the image. Dr. Khan also likes how the Dream Sensor has a larger active area, resulting in a larger “footprint” in the image returned. He especially likes that the sensors are boxless, reducing another hurdle in the capture and an additional contraption to mount.

Webinar: Why you should be part of the new era of dental imaging

Dr. Khan would recommend the sensor to his colleagues for a number of reasons. The quality and the resolution are great, he said. You can also calibrate measurements for root canals and implants much more precisely than for film. There is a “wow” factor, impressing upon the patients that you offer the best to them.  

“Time, in every business, is of the essence. I just feel going from film to digital radiography in my practice has improved the practice model. It also increases our referral base,” he said. “I was nervous initially because it’s a big expense, but it was so worth it.”

What is the DentiMax Digital or Dream Sensor?


	The DentiMax Dream Sensors are designed to produce the best digital images possible in the industry. Using the latest in digital sensor technology, the DentiMax digital sensors are often referred to as “Dream Sensors” for the image quality they provide, durability they contain and patient comfort they facilitate. The sensors are boxless and use the latest in super CMOS chip technology combined with fiber optic plate and highly sensitive scintillator. Furthermore, the sensors feature rounded, beveled corners, two sizes for the sensor, a built-in circuit board and watertight housing connected to tungsten-reinforced cable, with a protective Kevlar Mesh. Built to last, this design makes it the tightest sensor cord and cable the industry offers. DentiMax Digital Sensors are part of the full complement of DentiMax’s digital software solutions for today’s clinician.

Related reading: Dr. Flucke talks about "how digital dentistry works"

 In this installment of “I Use That,” we asked Dr. Michael Davila and Dr. Andreea Mada-Davila, as well as Dr. Tauseel Khan of Philipse Manor Dental Associates, about their use of DentiMax’s Dream Sensor in their practice. They share how converting to DentiMax’s Dream Sensors benefitted their practice efficiencies, front-desk employees and bottom line.

I Use That: DentiMax Dream intraoral sensors

	It was a fantastic gizmo when the sales representative showed it to you. You could hardly wait to bring it online. Everyone was excited in the office. But after a few months, excitement waned, and the gizmo touted to be the next best thing became 

the next big expensive thing collecting dust in the corner of your practice

So what happened? Why aren’t you getting the 

 spoke to a few industry experts about this issue. What we learned is if you feel like this about your technology purchases, you are not alone. Getting the most out of your technology is one of the biggest challenges related to technology for today’s dental professionals.

“It turns into the vicious circle of underutilization,” explained Dr. Lorne Lavine, DMD and owner of 

. “They [clinicians] purchase it hoping it would change the way that they practice, and thought they were going to see increased revenues, increased efficiencies and decreased costs. But because it wasn’t really being used to its maximum, it became an albatross-it hung around their necks. Now it is a monthly payment they couldn’t afford that wasn’t producing what they want. They didn’t keep up with the technology, so they were finding it difficult to use. A lot of times, those things end up becoming coat hangers.”

More from Terri Lively: Emerging trends is practice management software solutions for dental practices

The Future for Dentistry is Pixels not Paper

. From practice management to digital radiography to the more advanced and specialized technologies of cone beam and 

, the future of the dental practice is getting away from paper and moving into pixels, explained Jenny Allen, regional technology advisor for 

“We already see electronic services used for everything from insurance verification and patient statements on the front end. Clinically, we see digital X-rays, digital impressions and more. Everything is going toward technology,” she said. “The term 

 is going to be a reality. Technology should allow offices to focus on their patients and not their software. For that reason, technology will be everywhere. We can look at every task and assume technology will be used to help complete that task. Somehow, someway, technology is going to touch it, and technology is going to change everything.”

“Technology is critical,” Dr. Lavine said. “We are continuing to see a shift towards high-tech offices. We see the price points come down on a lot of the high-tech items that were previously not very affordable, things like CAD/CAM, cone beam and digital impressions. They are becoming more mainstream. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are standards of care, but as the price drops down, as people find it more affordable, then we are going to see a larger adoption of that in practice.”

Free e-book: A how-to guide to a paperless practice the right way

John Cox, vice president of technology sales for 

, explained most dentists understand the importance of embracing the change technology can make for their business.

“In today’s environment, with insurance and the PPOs reducing some of the payments for procedures, practices need to become more efficient. Dentists are well aware of the fact if they are going to run a successful dental practice in today’s environment, they need to have a powerful business dashboard to run their business effectively,” he said. “They can’t just be great clinical dentists. They have to be that, of course, but they also need to be CEOs. They need to run their practices effectively.”

Allen believes dentists resisting change to digital technology in the practice could be in for difficult times if they don’t make the transition in the near future.

“They cannot run from digital technology. The technology is coming to them,” she said. “They should get in front of that technology. They should embrace it and learn how to use it before they are trampled by it. Then, they are left in the dark, and the time has come and no one in the office knows what to do. They are going to be left behind if they don’t embrace that change.”

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What Makes Up the ROI? It’s Not as Simple as You Think


	Most clinicians realize technology is important, but they also know moving to a new technology can be a big investment of time and money. Many of them make the initial investment and attend the first training sessions. With the high price tag of the system and loss of production during the initial implementation, much of their zeal to adopt the technology wanes. Over time, they only feel the pain of the investment of time and money but haven’t looked at the return they will get on their investment after going through the pain.  

An ROI can be determined several ways. The most common is to figure all the monthly costs associated with the technology and then trace the direct production it supplies and subtract the costs from the income it generates. This concept is basic business and common sense.

In some cases, however, this basic approach misses some of the ROI benefits the technology provides. Dr. Lavine said he believes there is more than the direct production that results from the technology to consider when determining ROI. These are things that are harder to determine and measure.

“Are you getting new patients because of that technology? Are those patients telling other people? Are your patients not leaving your practice because you are perceived as high tech? It’s hard to measure what you would have lost if you didn’t have that equipment in place,” he said.

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Cox agrees that some benefits are harder to measure in dollars and cents, in particular, 

“I think a lot of technology is purchased on the ‘WOW’ factor that it can deliver, or it could be the clinical efficiency it provides, but I think the patient experience sometimes gets overlooked. So if the patient can receive the treatment in a shorter time frame with fewer visits without compromising the quality, and more comfortably and conveniently, that’s a huge win. And that will translate to a positive financial ROI for the practice. It might not be evident up front but it will certainly result in that in the end.”

Allen believes that if dentists have realistic expectations from what the technology is going to be able to do for their practice, they are going to see the best results from it. Too many offices blame technology for problems that aren’t the technology’s fault. If they ignore the cause of the problem in their practice, Allen believes a practice will just continue to work harder not smarter.

“Technology can’t come in and fix what’s wrong with a practice. It can only enhance what’s already working well. For that reason, the maximum return on investment comes when the technology is used to improve and streamline processes that they already have in place,” she said. “On the contrary, the offices that have embraced the technology have learned how to implement it. They take time to learn new things continually and adapt to the technology-led processes. They get the most out of their technology. They see that ROI tenfold.”

Video: How to create an unforgettable new patient experience

Cox said he believes that a firm ROI on the technology is the result of its ability to automate systems that affect productivity and efficiency in the practice. He encourages clinicians to consider whether the technology is going to enhance the patient experience and reduce chair time appointments by eliminating steps in the clinical workflow.

“Less chair time means more profitability in that procedure, which obviously leads to a higher level of profitability,” he said. “When you have a 20- to 25-percent reduction in payment from PPO, you have to introduce efficiencies in your business. You can’t afford to have open chair time. You can’t afford for scheduling not to be effective and efficient.”

Cox also thinks clinicians should consider the impact on the staff. New technology affects staff attitude and the culture of the practice. Will they be excited to be a part of the leading edge of dental technology? Excitement breeds a more productive and happier culture at the office, which improves the employee experience, as well.
	“It’s more than just the bottom line,” he said. “ROI can be measured on many fronts. More and more dentists realize it’s not just based on the financial numbers.”

Where Does it Go Wrong with Dental Practice Technology?


	The obvious question becomes where did it go wrong with the technology purchase? The answer relates to 

“When it comes to technology, one of the biggest mistakes practices make is not getting ongoing training,” Dr. Lavine said. “We’re talking all technology. You forget stuff. The software comes out with new features that you might not be aware of. For something like practice management software, the typical office uses 5 to 10 percent of its capabilities. That’s it. It’s because they never got the training and refreshed themselves on what they did know.”

Video: 7 ways to cross train your dental team

All three of our experts agree the problem results from the implementation process. From poor planning to not enough investment in training and even staff resistance, there are many reasons why technology doesn’t have the ROI it could for a clinician.

“The most surprising thing for me was the poor planning. A lot of times, I had assumed that the practice had planned for the change, planned for this implementation, and they hadn’t. Nobody likes change. We know change disrupts habit, and anytime someone adopts new technology that means they have to embrace that change, they have to do things in a very different way,” Allen said.  

"Change is never easy. It’s got to be managed. Like anyone else, we are creatures of habit. Anytime we try and do something different, there’s a process of education that we have to go through,” Cox said. “I think that’s the single biggest reason technology sits in the corner. There’s not a great change plan or adoption plan.”

Related reading: How one dentist believes technology has set her dental practice apart

Cox considers implementation as the key to the process and sees that it’s a ball that gets dropped a lot by clinicians. When a technology purchase occurs, the organization behind it should have a solid program for training and transitioning the practice. It’s incumbent on the vendor to stay close for the first 100 days to make sure the practice understands the patient and the practice benefits.

“At Henry Schein, we follow this blueprint of success when we sell a technology to a practice, making sure it’s the right one, and then stay close to make sure the implementation goes smoothly. At the end of it, it’s not sitting in the corner collecting dust,” he said.

Allen agrees that training needs to be a priority for clinicians, but it often isn’t. She describes the sentiment that “working on anything other than dentistry is often perceived as a waste of time and money.” Like Cox, Allen deems it the responsibility of the company providing the technology to take the lead in the training endeavors.

“From the beginning, the training has to come from the distributor you are working with to get an idea realistically how much time is it going to take me to learn this. They know better than you. They have trained hundreds of offices, so they know how much time is going to be involved in training,” she said.  

E-book: The dentists' guide to attracting and retaining new patients with technology

Dr. Lavine agrees that training is an ongoing investment and one that many clinicians aren’t willing to make.

“The typical practice, once they get the bill for all this technology, there is a fair amount of sticker shock, and you do everything in your power not to spend any money in the next five years. It doesn’t work like that. You have to look at maintenance and support and ongoing training as part of the equation. That has to factor in when you are doing that five-year ROI study,” he said.

Staff resistance is another reason that technology isn’t used to its full capacity. Some staffers don’t care for changes in their day-to-day activities. Allen describes it as a fear factor but thinks positioning the point of the technology here is the key.

THE LIST: Top 3 ways to motivate your staff

“If I take that piece away and automate it, I have to help that person understand that I’m doing so to improve their lifestyle and to give them more time to focus on quality patient care,” she said. “Let’s use technology to take care of that busy work and improve the time that they have to spend with patients and make their experience better.”

How You Get the Best ROI on Your Technology Investment


	Getting the best ROI for your technology has a few different key actions. The first action starts before the investment. Dr. Lavine encourages doctors to enlist the help of experts to navigate the various technology products to find the ones that benefit their practice the most. The Digital Dentist works with practices all across the country to help them establish the right technology for their practice.

“Work with someone like myself or a practice management consultant, an accountant, anyone that can say, ‘Okay let’s look at this from a business standpoint,’” he said.

Cox agrees that clinicians should partner with an expert. His team regularly does a practice analysis. The reps spend a lot of time getting to know the practice so they can get an idea of what technology meets those needs. Having a great partner and a plan for implementation will help clinicians get more from their investment.

Video: How to succeed with implementation of dental practice management software

“Technology will continue to change at light speed. In dentistry, technology is starting to change at a fast pace. You need a great partner to help you navigate. A great partner will help understand the needs of your practice and give good vision and direction as far as introducing technology as it can have a positive impact on the ultimate goal: To deliver quality dentistry faster,” he said.

Allen advises doctors to involve their team. Overcoming staff resistance to technology is easiest when they are involved in the decision from the beginning. Most of all, the doctor needs to communicate with the team their desired outcome and the plan to get there.

"They have to share their vision and their goals with the team to make sure everyone is on the same page, involve everyone from the beginning and make sure they have the right team attitude. I think that is so important because without that attitude, nobody takes the time or the energy to invest in learning a new technology,” she said.

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Allen also cautions doctors to invest their time in training, either in office or using another option. Patterson has webinars, online tools and numerous training videos available for use after hours if closing the office isn’t a desirable option. Whatever option for training they choose, however, she emphasizes the importance of training on the product.

“What they have to see is that training has got to be considered as part of their technology investment. It’s not an optional expense. They should plan for that. They should expect it. And they should take the time to learn it,” she said.

Dr. Lavine wants clinicians to look at their technology investment like any other investment.

“Don’t buy it for technology’s sake. Invest in it. Like any investment, you have to reevaluate it on a regular basis. You have update it. Just like a stock or a mutual fund, you have constantly nurture it. Make sure the equipment is up-to-date. Service it. Make sure that you are getting training and getting the support that you need because it is a long-term investment if you use it correctly.”

E-book: Find out how outdated technology is costing you money

 It was a fantastic gizmo when the sales representative showed it to you. You could hardly wait to bring it online. Everyone was excited in the office. But after a few months, excitement waned, and the gizmo touted to be the next best thing became the next big expensive thing collecting dust in the corner of your practice.

Focus on ROI: Is your technology delivering?

 is a great investment for your practice as long as you use it. Using it, however, sometimes proves to be a tougher prospect than one would think. Too many times today’s excellent investment becomes tomorrow’s dusty clutter in the corner.

Technology experts in the dental industry see this happen time and again in working with clinicians from all different types of practices. 

“We have a ton of offices that we worked with over the years. They have, and I use the term very loosely, invested in technology,” he said.  “They bought it but it ended up being a coat hanger. We see that way too many times. It’s not because those dentists are not intelligent. It’s not because they can’t figure the technology out. It’s because they didn’t think it through enough in the beginning, and it became a burden.”

, vice president of technology sales for 

, also agrees that technology could be used more effectively. He sees the problem stemming from the pain of change.

“What’s wrapped around technology is change. The challenge for a practice is any time they adopt new technology, they have to change the way they do things. They have to change the way they deliver a procedure or a clinical workflow in the practice. Change is never easy. The practice leader, the dentist, has to manage that change with their dental team and staff,” he said.

Jenny Allen, regional technology advisor at Patterson Dental, agrees change is difficult, and the pain of learning a new one can get in the way of optimal usage of a technology. She said most offices are barely skimming the surface of what their software can do because they didn’t train enough. She said she believes “you can’t learn something if you are not aware of what it can do.” Her advice to overcome this challenge is to keep trying.

“You’ve got to use it,” she said. “Practices get a new piece of technology implemented, and they try it, but they don’t love it. Maybe they don’t really know how to use it entirely, so they don’t use it. So continue to use it so you continue to learn about it. Continue to ask questions about it so you continue to evolve as an office,” she said.

The three most underused technologies, according to our experts

Whatever the reason the technology isn’t getting used, three innovations in the last decade are routinely underutilized by most practices. According to our experts, these include practice management software, intraoral cameras and digital impressions. 

Cox asserts that most practices don’t use all the functions of their practice management software effectively. He estimates that most clinicians use 10 to 20 percent of what their software can do. They miss the benefit of much of the data they have at their fingertips that would improve practice efficiencies and reduce the chair time per patient. As a result, some of the patients and treatments fall away from the practice. The key to overcoming this is to use the reports practice management software provides.

“You have to be more productive. The only way you can be more productive is either to increase your hours-which a lot of dentists aren’t signing up for that-or to be able to deliver that same treatment in a shorter amount of time without compromising quality. The only way to do that is to use some of the technologies,” he said. 

Related reading: Why dental practices need annual practice management software training

Dr. Lavine agrees most practices don’t maximize the potential for their practice management software.

“The typical practice uses it as a fancy version of 

. They use it for scheduling. They use it for treatment planning, running monthly reports, billing…that’s basically it. They are using five to 10 percent of what the software can do. This is always due to a lack of training,” he said.

Allen said that training options have changed for most practices. Patterson has a robust online training program for its Eaglesoft practice management software. These online options were designed to give dental professionals the flexibility to learn in a way that works best for them, even if that’s at home on the couch in their free time. What’s important, she said, is to take the time to learn it well.

“If they don’t invest that time to learn it, it’s not going to improve their practice,” Allen said. 

Related reading: Emerging trends in practice management software solutions for dental practices

Dr. Lavine said he believes clinicians overlook the 

 can provide to the practice. Popular in the ’90s and early 2000s, he explains they have fallen out of favor, even though there is no technology out there with a quicker return on investment. He said he believes they are critical to helping patients understand their treatment plans.

“Patients don’t understand what we are saying. When the camera image is on an 19- or 22-inch monitor, and it’s right in front of their face, they can see the big black spot on it. Now we’ve involved the patient in the process. Now they understand it. Now they can see the things that we see. They can see cracks. They can see bleeding points. They can see calculus. They can see what we see, so they are going to be far more accepting of our treatment plans,” Dr. Lavine said. “We have never found an office that had a decline in treatment plan acceptance once they use the intraoral camera.”

Related reading: Top 3 ways to maximize your intraoral camera

Cox agrees that with as much penetration as they see with the Digital Doc and 

Schein delivers to dentists, they are not used as they should be. They should be used on every patient to facilitate better understanding of treatment plans for patients.

“Any patient is a visual learner. Educate and inform them about what’s going on in the oral cavity. There’s nothing better for that patient education than the intraoral camera,” Cox explained. 

Cox thinks digital impressions are a technology with many patient and practice management benefits that are never realized because they aren’t used enough. The patient benefit by eliminating trays is incredible. Also, digital impressions 

 associated with conventional impressions, a great benefit to patients and clinicians alike. In addition, the capturing of a digital record stored in the cloud that can communicate to the lab faster and at a higher level improves efficiencies.

“Digital impressions allow the lab almost to be in the practice. They have a vision of what dentists are doing. They see the information immediately. It gives the lab greater visibility into the practice,” he said. “It’s a technology just emerging that’s very exciting for both the dentists and the labs today.”

Related reading: Navigating digital impressions and CAD/CAM in the real world

Technology is always evolving, and that is true for digital impressions as well. The 3Shape digital impression line is continually adding new features designed to integrate into the patient record. Moving forward, Cox sees a future where a three-dimensional dental record will integrate with practice management software, like those available on the 

“As technology continues to evolve, I think you are going to see technology captured in the practice management software, an integrated 3D patient record, utilized for diagnostics or patient communication. To integrate this into a 3D software is going to be very important moving forward,” he said.

Allen encounters the same kind of thinking about her CAD/CAM digital impressioning products.

“I think many doctors have a belief that CAD/CAM technology is clinically inferior or that it’s one size fits all. The reality is that CEREC restorations are clinically superior and the technology has evolved dramatically. We have many solutions, each tailored to best fit the needs of the individual practice,” she explained.

Related reading: CAD/CAM: Having it all ... your way

So, how do we use these technologies better? 

Technology is always changing. However, one thing that isn’t changing is its presence in the dental practice. Dr. Lavine agrees that moving forward technology is the key to the office and managing a practice.

“Technology is critical. We are continuing to see a shift toward high tech offices. I don’t see that going down anytime in the next little while,” he said.

Dr. Lavine founded his technology consulting business for dental professionals to help his clients navigate the ever-changing technology landscape. He works with practices falling into three general categories. The new builds out of dental schools ready to adopt technology, those dentists in the middle of their careers needing a major overhaul to outdated technology and dentists late in their career that don’t use technology but need to adopt it to be more attractive when they sell the practice. He recommends the following advice to all these types of practices.

“We certainly recommend to an office, no matter what system we are talking about, to bring a trainer in once or twice a year for a lunch and learn. Sit down and see if there are ways they can be more efficient or if there are features you are not aware of that can be more efficient. Constantly keep up with the training, and you won’t run into the issues we might see,” he said.

Trending article: 7 ways to cross train your dental team

 Allen touts the importance of using all the training resources available to get the most out of your technology, from in-office training to webinars and training videos. She also says to have realistic expectations of what technology can do.

“When I do Schick 33 Digital X-Rays training to offices, I say, ‘I am going to show you how to use tools that enhance a good image. These software tools are not going to fix a bad X-ray.’  We have to have that foundation in place. We have to start with a good X-ray,” she said.

Cox had a different take on using technology better. He explains his three keys to incorporating new technology into your practice.

“So the keys are choosing a great partner, understanding what technologies are right and having a plan to implement the technology. If clinicians do that, I think they are going to be successful and not buy technology they are not going to use. The clinicians will only buy the products that make sense but will also have a partner that helps them implement it at the highest level. Then the revenue and the success of the practice take care of itself.

 Technology is a great investment for your practice as long as you use it. Using it, however, sometimes proves to be a tougher prospect than one would think. Too many times today’s excellent investment becomes tomorrow’s dusty clutter in the corner.

The three most underused technologies in your practice

 that revealed 93 percent of buyers want software solutions that do it all.

“The key takeaway,” explained Gaby Loria, market research associate with Software Advice, “is dentists want a ‘buy one and done’ solution. In other words, they are looking for software that encompasses various dental practice management application options. From charting to billing to scheduling, they want all the data fully integrated, so it’s not necessary to retype pertinent information once it’s in the system.

 Dentists know any successful practice management solution is going to be a digital one.