At Intiveo, we care about your dentistry practice. We want you to have that personal connection with your patients. We want your practice to thrive. While our specialization is in patient communication software, we also do know dental software pretty well! It’s our pleasure to share this knowledge with dentistry practices across North America. That’s why we focused the four most recent Intiveo blogs on discussing the best dental software for your dentistry practice.
It can be difficult to know where to start with dental software. We try to give you a sense of where to begin! We invite you to explore the Intiveo blogs to find out more about dental software. There are many benefits to your practice. The last twenty years have seen many changes at the dentist’s office. This is true not just for patients. It’s also true for staff! Systems based on paper, folders, and phone call reminders are all but gone.
Of course, a dentistry practice must provide exemplary dental care. But now, in addition, the modern dentistry office must also provide a good consumer experience. This is where dentistry software comes in. The fast-paced world we live in craves immediate connections. This is especially true in our lives as consumers. But it is also true of our lives as the patient of a dentist. What dental software provides is a higher level of immediacy for your patients. It is so important for your patients to have pertinent information as soon as possible!
Let us guide you through many facets of dental software. And then, make the right choice for your practice!
Dental Software in the Age of Immediacy
Within the context of dental software, dental management software and patient communication software are key aspects of this change. Dental management software has a far-reaching effect on streamlining your staff’s workday. One great feature is that dental management software allows you to go paperless. Replacing an old file folder system with an electronic database keeps information more secure. Plus, it’s more accessible! With dental software apps, that information is available from any approved device. Dental management software has improved work life for dentistry staff in many other ways, including:
- more immediacy in communicating with patients through text and messaging apps
- attaching important documents to software claims electronically (we’ll say more on this later!)
- streamlining appointment scheduling
- and much more!
Another key element of dental software is customization. The ability to get specific is integral to providing your patients with that user-friendly experience. We see the benefit of customization in particular with patient communication software. Recall the old system of calling to book, confirm, and give preparatory instruction for an appointment. Patient communication software instead streamlines and customizes this process. Sending an appointment reminder as a text is an especially great way to retain younger clients. Patient communication software keeps patients informed. This is particularly useful when sending fasting reminders for an upcoming appointment.
At Intiveo, patient communication software is something we know well! Our two-way chat allows dentistry staff to maintain up-to-date communiqués with patients. This immediacy of information means fewer missed appointments. Patients also come better prepared for appointments than they used to because text-based communication is more accessible to the patient as well!
During the Covid-19 pandemic, dental software has also provided an easy option for those pre-appointment screening surveys. This is just one example of how dental software keeps your dentistry practice as up-to-date as possible.
Keeping It Efficient for Your Patients
Of course, for your dentistry practice to thrive, a secure and user-friendly electronic payment system must be in place. Manual reconciliation is a day-end activity that any dentistry staff veteran will be familiar with. Now, we streamline! Electronic payment processing and electronic claims have made this process more efficient. Electronic statements are easily accessible for both the dentistry practice and the patient. This means that everyone stays on the same page about what the patient owes. An electronic payment software also ensures the security of the document and other pertinent information.
Electronic dental claims are an essential shift in modern dental software. Many dentistry practices will remember the time-consuming process of the dental clearinghouse. Now, it is much easier to attach pertinent documents to an electronic claim through attachment services. This has many benefits. Namely, it saves staff time. But, it also reduces errors in the dental claim itself.
In addition, with an electronic dental clearinghouse system, you can check patient eligibility quickly and efficiently. This can be done right at the desk. Your patient leaves the dentistry practice completely appraised of payment expectations.
Dental imaging is one of the major innovations in contemporary dentistry. While x-ray and modern dentistry are about the same age, dental imaging software allows dentists to go deeper. The innovations of dental imaging software include:
- being able to give the patient a clearer image – quite literally – of their dental health
- electronically transmitting pertinent x-rays to a dental clearinghouse
- integration with other software that your dentistry practice
- quick training, allowing your staff to get started on using this software quickly
Bear in mind that this is a rapidly evolving field. It’s wise to purchase an ‘open’ software that can adapt to changes! It’s an exciting time to be selecting dental software.
Dental Software: The Essential Items
Let us explore the essential aspects of dental software for your practice. An essential part of any business, your dentistry practice included, is building your reputation. This is where the right dental software has a part to play. At Intiveo, our patient communication software is centered around the idea of the right message at the right time. Customizing the messaging in your patient communication software can take many forms, including:
- collecting feedback about your patients’ experience with their dentist
- asking for a review – and asking your patients to share their experiences on social!
- reminding patients to book follow-up appointments, serve their dental health needs, and grow your business
This software also facilitates building those solid communication relationships with patients. This is an important part of maintaining patient loyalty to your dentistry practice.
In our blog post about essential dental software, we explore two case studies where patient communication software improved outcomes for two different dentistry practices.
Another case study we examine is how dental management software improved outcomes for a dentistry practice in the US. Dental management software is so essential for your dentistry practice because it is the core of your software. Integrating other software with dental management software helps to streamline your business. It’s this software that allows your staff to do it all! What is so great about dental management software is that it is useful for a practice of any size. Whether you have a larger, multi-office practice or a single office, dental management software offers you so many opportunities to save time for your staff.
But how can you know if you’re buying the right software for your practice? We expand further on recommended tech stacks and buyer guides later in this post. The right software is out there!
Tools to Streamline Your Dentistry Practice
We’ve talked a bit about how dental imaging has evolved over the years – but what are the specifics of how this software benefits your practice? When it comes to providing quality care, dental imaging software is an important piece of the puzzle. Studies show that digital radiography, for example, reduces radiation exposure by a very high percentage. This makes it particularly appealing to pediatric dentists, who want to reassure parents about radiation exposure for their children. Of course, this is a benefit to patients of every age. With dental imaging tools, you can highlight certain areas of an image to educate your patient about their dental health. This is also a useful diagnostic tool.
Another essential for the dentistry practice is electronic prescription services. Software for this purpose saves your dentistry practice a lot of time. Wait times are significantly reduced, something that is appreciated by both staff and patients. We can eliminate several steps between when the prescription is made and the patient receives their medication. Many electronic prescription services allow you to look up a pharmacist that is convenient for your client. This is something that patients truly value!
We cannot stress enough how much time and revenue is saved through shifting to dental software that facilitates the following:
- electronic payment services – keep your end-of-day reconciliation short!
- electronic statements – accessible, clear, immediate
- electronic clearinghouse claims – your dentistry practice, your patients, and the insurance company all stay on the
What these tools give your dentistry practice’s staff is a far more streamlined workday. Keeping the workday flowing smoothly! This allows your staff to do what they do best: providing excellent dental care to your patients.
Get started on the dental software essentials for your practice!
What We Recommend for Your Dental Practice
In one of our March blog posts, we offered recommendations on what kind of tech stack you may want to choose for your dentistry practice. We begin with dental management software – the core of your tech stack. There are several things you would hope for in good dental management software. These include dental imaging, electronic prescription services, and claims services. Integration with your other dental software is an important consideration as well. Finding an all-in-one solution, where possible, is a boon for your practice. Among our recommended dental software companies were Modento and Curve Dental.
When it comes to patient communication software, Intiveo is with your patient at every step of their journey. We follow automatic reminders for upcoming appointments with pre-visit reminders and surveys. So long as we are in the global pandemic, that pre-visit symptom survey is important for the safety of both patients and staff. You can also customize your messaging to the kind of appointment your patient is coming in for. The two-way chat feature allows you to give live updates if you’re running late.
Next, you can follow up with a request for feedback after the appointment is over. Again, the right message at the right time is key here. And again, you can customize that message. Request feedback or a review at the moment your patient is most likely to respond. Intiveo’s cloud-based software is stored securely. It is also easily accessible to your staff. This all allows your staff to maintain high-level communication with your patients.
One of the things we strive for at Intiveo is user-friendliness. We want your dentistry practice to thrive as soon as possible. Check out our tech stack for patient communication software and see it in a demo today!
A Tech Stack That Works for You
One of the ways that a dentistry practice can excel in serving its patients is with dental imaging software. This dental software is truly at the cutting edge. As we have noted, it’s important to choose an ‘open’ system for any dental imaging software. Why is this so important? The answer is simple. Dental imaging is one of the most quickly evolving fields in dental software. An open software system allows you to integrate innovations into your current software. Don’t be caught off-guard by a sudden innovation, especially if it allows you to administer better care to your patients!
In addition to an ‘open’ system, a solid tech stack matters. As many dentistry practices are aware, this is a highly technical part of the dental software you choose. It’s important to get it right. Among our recommendations for a good tech stack were:
- radiographs
- ceph tracing
- immediate uploads of dental x-rays
- user-friendliness
- good customer service
In researching dental imaging software, many brands had strong consumer reviews. Our highlighted brands included:
- Dolphin Imaging, for their comprehensive dental management software that includes excellent dental imaging
- Dexis Imaging Suite, for their detailed set of software tools – also highly-rated among dentists!
- Dovetail Software, for their cloud-based system that works for any size of dentistry practice
Dental imaging software is a fascinating part of dentistry software. With the right choice, your practice can be ready for any innovations that come along. Get started on choosing the right dental imaging software for your practice today!
Software That Serves Patients and Practice
We know that choosing an electronic payment system is a great way to streamline your dentistry practice’s workday. When patients come to the desk, they want this part of the process to be smooth and quick. And so does your staff! But what are the important things to look for in electronic payment software? Or indeed, software that will issue electronic statements and claims? What about electronic prescription services?
The most important aspect of this is keeping information secure. A key element in any tech stack is ensuring that the software adheres to industry standards of information security. Full HIPAA compliance is a must. If you are interested in knowing more about compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), it can be great to read through what that looks like.
For electronic prescription services, we recommended e-Rx, offered by RXNT. This software works well on a number of different mobile devices. eVisit, in addition to its virtual waiting room, is also a great option for electronic prescription software.
A great addition to any dentistry practice is tab32. This secure software offers the dentistry practice solid options for issuing electronic statements and claim attachment services. You can serve your patients quickly and efficiently with this great software.
These different types of software allow your dentistry practice to streamline many processes in your staff’s workday! Now is a great time to begin exploring a buyer’s guide to make a selection.
Making the Right Choice for Your Dentistry Practice
So. Now you know what is necessary for good dental software. You know how these tools can benefit your practice. Your staff’s workday is streamlined. They have more time to focus on what every dentistry practice wants to focus on: providing your patients with excellent dental care.
But other considerations do you need to take into account? You will need to evaluate your practice’s needs before choosing dental software. Think about the difference between:
- a specialty office that might require highly specific messaging, such as an OMS practice
- a general practice with four or five offices
The size and scope of your practice are essential considerations.
There are other things to consider as well. Before you sit down in front of the buyer’s guide, do you have a sense of how much your practice wants to spend on dental software? In one of our March blog posts, we review the two most common types of pricing models for dental software:
- subscription license
- perpetual license
Both types of licensing have benefits. With a subscription license, the user pays a monthly fee to the service provider, who manages and maintains both servers and data security. With a perpetual license, you pay a one-time fee to use the software, with some lower annual or monthly fees for support, maintenance, or upgrades.
These different types of licenses are generally associated with two different types of servers. A perpetual license is associated, the majority of the time, with an onsite server. On the other hand, a subscription license is associated, usually, with a cloud-based server. We have noticed a significant trend towards cloud-based servers in the dental software world.
No matter which type of licensing you to choose, dental software is an excellent way to create an efficient workplace!
What Do We Know About Trends?
Like any industry, dental software experiences trends. And, like many industries, we have noted that dental software is trending towards cloud-based systems. This system comes with many advantages, including the ability to access information from anywhere. This secure process is very convenient for the dentistry practice.
Another trend in dental software is the use of a mobile app. This trend allows the patient greater access to the dentistry practice.
While trends can be temporary, they do give a good indication of where the market can be headed. It is worth taking into account these trends when choosing the right dental software for your business. It can also be a useful tool in navigating an online buyers guide.
We wish you luck in choosing the right dental software for your dentistry practice!
Imagine Your Office with Dental Software
This is an exciting time to be choosing dental software for your dentistry practice. Many amazing companies are producing a truly broad range of software. Dentistry practices don’t look the way they did ten to twenty years ago. Dental management software provides you with a digital filing system, reducing clutter in the office. That centralized data allows dentists to check that information from many different devices. This accessibility allows a dentistry practice’s staff to serve their clients more efficiently.
Meanwhile, staff saves time on phoning patients with appointment reminders through patient communication software. The key to good patient communication software is customization! At Intiveo, our software is designed to be with the patient at every step of the journey. We begin with a free trial so you can see what it’s all about.
As we have outlined, there are many important factors to keep in mind when choosing dental software. You should consider what exactly your dental practice needs. These factors include but are not limited to:
- the size and scope of your practice
- whether you are a general dentistry practice or a specialized one, such as OMS
- whether you would prefer a cloud-based system or an onsite server
In the Intiveo blogs, we are excited to guide you through the many different ways that dental software can benefit you.
It’s time to get started on bringing your dentistry practice into the modern era!
