How Digital Dental Ecosystems Will Change Our World
There is so much noise surrounding the dental practice today .
Digital this and milling that , going paperless , HIPAA compliance , 3D imaging , virtual models are just a few of the buzz words of our dental publications today . Do you find yourself frustrated trying to keep up ? Do you sometimes feel the world is passing you by ? Everything these days costs so much ! What equipment should I invest in to keep my practice up to date ?
P R O F I L E
Let me put your mind at ease and attempt to bring some clarity to the things you might be feeling with the world of digital everything . First of all , let ’ s look at why we might be feeling a little confused . We can begin by trying to understand a new nomenclature like … Digital Workflow . Really , we should begin with Digital Business Ecosystems – which describes businesses that rely on information technology ( IT ) to achieve common objectives . Then , the DBE Process – a combination of all the relevant information to a described end point , the people that need to interact , and the business processes and the technology environment that support both . Now , Digital Workflow which is actually a catchphrase in dentistry . The more accurate term would be Digitally Enabled Workflow because the patient needs a treatment outcome that is not digital . I ’ m sure you are feeling much better by now !
Stay with me now , as we look at how the business world is seeing opportunity . In a August 2015 article in Digital Magazine by Susan Walker , Susan helps
us see what today ’ s businesses are facing and why dentistry should be excited as well . “ A new level of connectivity , between machines , sensors , people , and businesses is providing enhanced customer experiences and levels of service . Businesses are driving to digitize their products and services . Companies are starting to realize that by integrating with this huge network of connections they can shape experiences and outcomes in a way that would have been impossible operating as a single entity .”
Hopefully you are starting to get the picture that indeed the world is changing – and rapidly – but that you are not alone in your feelings . However , once we begin to ponder the opportunities to become more accurate , more efficient and more profitable , we should start asking some important questions :
“ How do I become more engaged in this new way of doing business ?”
“ If I invest in new technology , what is the learning curve and what kind of return on investment can I expect ?”
“ Where do I even start ?”
The last question is the easiest . Building a digital workflow in your office begins with a computerized office and an integrated practice management system . After that you ’ ll need a digital imaging system – one that best suits the scope of your practice . Digital impressions come next with a pathway directly to the laboratory . All of these pieces together create a flow of information and processes that make up a digital workflow .
Here ’ s an example of the workflow for an average dental office today :
Using available digital technologies , the workflow in a dental office today might look like this :
1 New Patient Information … health history , examination , x-rays , diagnostic models , photos
2 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 3 Dental Treatment 4 Laboratory Design and Fabrication 5 Delivery of Final Treatment
As we walk back through the steps above , let ’ s take a look at where we can utilize digital technology to make the process more efficient and profitable .
We can utilize HIPAA compliant software to gather the patient ’ s health information saving valuable time and focus on developing the new patient relationship .
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