Dental practice-management software like DENTRIX® and Easy Dental are excellent solutions for a general dentist. A dental specialist’s needs, however, cannot be met with typical practice-management software created for general dentists. Specialists need a solution created with their specialty’s specific needs in mind.
The general dentist’s customer is the patient; the specialist’s customer is the general dentist. Thus, specialists need software with robust referral tracking—to know where past business originated and where potential business will come from in the future. Referral management and communication is key to building and operating a successful specialty practice. The ability to generate reports and rank referrers is a key element in growing a practice.
Specialty practices–periodontists, endodontists, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons–continue to have sophisticated technology needs. The use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology affords the specialty practice with comprehensive tools to create a truly efficient, comprehensive, and digital chairside experience as well as outcomes tool. An EMR in a dental specialty practice is the central point of all patient information. It dynamically documents all aspects of a patient’s treatment and medical/dental history in a standard SOAP format. With a patient’s entire history accessible with just the click of a button, a dental specialist can create step-bystep treatment plans and check the records for tests and exam data. EMR stores images from both the referring dentist, or taken in the office along with documentation related to the patient’s case. With EMR, a dental specialist has an efficient, digitally organized, and easily searchable database that is far more efficient than traditional paper charts.
A single patient’s visit consists of many different parts: procedures, prescriptions, diagnosis codes, and more. An electronic routing system gives a dental specialty practice one-screen access to the entire visit. This system facilitates, through the use of digital forms, an efficient communications mechanism in the treatment operatory and the front desk and, therefore, affords the practice completely paperless transactions.
Although there are many needs that every dental specialist has, the needs also vary from specialty to specialty.
For an Endodontist: An endodontic practice requires a software solution specifically designed for endodontists. Endodontists need to be able to record and trace very specific tooth or teeth findings. These include: clinical and radiograph exams and tests, canal depths, trial lengths, and actual lengths. In addition, an endodontic software application will need to store photos, X-rays and images, track medications and prescriptions, and monitor and record vital signs.
For an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have very unique needs. An OMS practice needs a software solution that allows it to manage both medical and dental data, including medical and dental insurance claims, and has advanced clinical tools including an Electronic Medical Record and single-solution posting. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons look to the AAOMS for guidance on practice-management software through its education, research, and advocacy programs. A partnership between the AAOMS and an OMS software application results in the continued enhancement of the specialty software to meet the continuing needs of an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.
Although it may seem that all dental specialty software is alike, only a specialty practice-management system like PerioVision, EndoVision, and OMSVision, can truly meet the unique needs of a specialty practice.
Easy Dental is not available in Canada.
