tab32 Blog

Have you seen a fake iPhone? Imitation iPhones look real until you use it and find its function is nowhere near a real iPhone. 

Why bring this up? Over the years, many legacy dental practice management vendors have started hosting their existing antiquated software using legacy products like Citrix, and tricking customers that they are receiving a "cloud solution". Like the fake iPhone, these antiquated cloud-hosted practice management systems fall short in user experience and accessibility compared to true cloud based systems.

What cell phone are you using now? While there may be a few of us clinging to the simplicity of flip phones, most have moved on from that dated technology. Are you using the flip phone of dental office software?

Running your practice is no different. You need the right tools (and people) to ensure each task is completed efficiently. When you have the right tools at your disposal, your practice is productive and profitable.

We know you have a lot of questions when it comes to investing in technology for your practice:

• Is this the right solution for us?
• How much will this cost in the long run?
• Will this make us more productive and profitable?
• Does technology make *that* much of a difference?
• What will the staff think?

What does it take for a practice to be ready for cloud-based software? Let's review list of pre-requisites for getting on a cloud dental software. We will review internet requirements, scheduling and clinical documentation needs, insurance and claims, patient and online reputation management.

If you're just starting out with your practice, you're probably not even considering paper charts. But are you thinking about the reality and impact of having a paperless office? When you have the right software, you eliminate the need for paper anywhere in your office. No more forms, mailed bills, or insurance claims. Let's take a closer look:

In our last post, we talked about the importance of having a clearly defined mission, vision, and values for your practice. Even if you've been in business for several years, your practice will benefit from this exercise. Practices with an overall vision that is shared by the staff are more successful than those without overarching goals. This is true for any business, dentistry is no different.

But what happens when you share the mission and vision with your staff, but things aren't working? And how can you tell if your practice is straying (minorly or majorly) from these overarching, driving principles? You must be able to identify that your practice is getting off track. Here are a few symptoms:

The size of your practice doesn't matter when it comes to your staff. They are the keystone of your practice and will be the make it or break it  point  for your success. When it comes to staffing, you can't take anything for granted: from hiring to exit interviews, there's work to do to ensure the people your patients interface with are those who will grow your practice.

How can you ensure your staff carries out your vision for the practice? What are the best ways to empower them to do so? Here's a quick look at each phase of the staffing process and the key takeaways:

When you are starting out to launch your new practice, banks will be there offering you LOTS of money. The average cost (according to Bank of America) of a new dental practice is upwards of $450,000! They know that dental practices are a great investment and that they will make more money if they can get you to take a bigger loan. What they don't know is that you're smarter than that! You want to be profitable sooner, and spend less money paying the interest on your loan. While you can't completely eliminate your startup costs, you can be mindful of how and where you spend your money. Being frugal in your startup costs means less money paid to the bank and more in your pocket or to reinvest in the practice.

What's the most important KPI for your dental practice? What are the numbers and figures you should be tracking to grow your practice and your bottom line? Let's be honest, you didn't get into dentistry to give all that hard work away for free. You're here to build a business, create jobs, and give back to the community. You can't do those things if your business isn't succeeding. At tab32, we've created a dashboard to help you track your KPIs from anywhere you are. Let's take a look: