In part two of our practice strategy series, we examine how a SWOT analysis might look through the lens of COVID-19, how to apply the learnings of your SWOT analysis and how a TOWS matrix can help you further connect the dots.
Dental practice strategy, Pt. 1: SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis allows you to look at four key areas of your business environment: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Here’s how to complete a comprehensive analysis so you can see what’s going well at your practice and what needs to be addressed.
Preventing, diagnosing and treating periodontal disease
A big part of identifying and ultimately treating periodontitis is explaining to patients just how serious the implications can be, not only for their oral health, but also for their overall health. Here are some key talking points.
How dental practices can protect themselves from cyberattacks
Keeping your practice and patient information safe requires layers of protection and ongoing vigilance. Here are several steps dental practices should take to protect their business from cyberattacks, plus common misconceptions debunked.
Green dentistry: 3 high-tech solutions for a sustainable practice
Investing in quality equipment that will stand the test of time can greatly reduce dental waste and deliver long-term savings. Here are three high-tech solutions to support green dentistry initiatives.
Endodontic case selection: Know when to treat, know when to refer
Being able to confidently assess the difficulty of any given endodontic case is essential to making the right decision of when to treat and when to refer to a specialist. Here’s what you need to know.
The importance of safe dental instrument processing
Proper instrument processing not only extends the lifespan of your valuable investments but also helps ensure the safety of your patients and staff.
How do CEREC Tessera blocks optimize single-visit dentistry?
Advanced materials science is changing single-visit dentistry. CEREC Tessera blocks, made of high-performance ceramic material, are the latest example.
Pediatric Safety: Protecting Both Oral and Overall Health
Almost a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced public awareness of PPE, disinfection practices and social distancing, even those who were previously compliant with biannual dental visits may think that unless something is noticeably wrong, in-office dental care can be postponed indefinitely. But reassuring adults is only one challenge, another highly important task is conveying to parents what efforts your practice is making to maintain a child-safe environment.
A Week of Tech Insights: Getting Dental Practices Equipped to Advance
For our ‘Tech Insights’ week, we reached out to experts in digital dentistry, shared some of our best advice and celebrated a few customers who have made the most of their relationship with Patterson. Keep reading for a recap of some of the content we shared throughout the past week.
Keeping up With Demand: A New Practice Faces Questions About the Future
For many new and longtime dental practices, the thought of expansion can be daunting. Questions persist about how to take on more patients in an existing space and whether the adoption of newer technology will help dentists deliver services faster. But with the help of Patterson Dental educator Kathy Brodal, a new practice in North Dakota reached its goals in less than six years.
Dentistry Beyond 2020: Looking Forward to the Future
To say that 2020 was a year of rapid change is an understatement. After a brief shutdown of practices across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dental industry reopened with the adoption of new technologies, stricter infection control guidelines and a renewed focus on personal and team wellness. Linda Harvey, MS, RDH, HRM, shares her thoughts on what’s in store for 2021.
Turbo-Charge Your Dental Practice with Data-Driven Decisions
Practice management software can generate all kinds of metrics on your practice, but which ones are the most important, and how do you improve those figures and, by extension, your business?
A Conservative and Esthetic Approach to Anterior Restorations
A break in the “normal” routine has presented clinicians with an opportunity to revisit common elective procedures that patients will request upon their return. If there’s a less invasive way to achieve highly esthetic results in the anterior, now is an ideal time to explore those techniques and revamp your material armamentarium.
8 Ways to Improve Your Dental Practice’s Organization
Integrating these tools and strategies will improve practice efficiency and impress upon your patients how important their comfort and safety are to you.
The WHO Just Recommended the Delay of Routine Dental Care due to COVID-19. Now What?
The WHO recently recommended the delay of routine dental care in certain situations due to COVID-19. In a written response, the ADA said it “respectfully yet strongly disagrees” with the WHO’s recommendation. Roger P. Levin, DDS, shared a video outlining a scripted response dental practices can use to address patient concerns. Dr. Levin also offers three signs that may signal patients are opting out of routine dental care due to this news.
Simplify Restorations with SimpliShade from Kerr
As dental practices get comfortable operating in the “new normal,” the burden of wearing—and storing—extra PPE and time spent disinfecting operatories between patients continues to be a challenge. To meet these challenges, dentists are looking for new ways to save valuable chair time and streamline inventory management.
OnTarget Highlight: The Pediatric Prophy Appointment
Oral healthcare is essential at any age, but for children, maintaining a healthy mouth holds special importance. Dental caries is the most common chronic childhood infectious disease. As of 2015, approximately 573 million children worldwide had at least one untreated cavity.
Failure to replace: Who pays the ultimate price?
The current recommendation for when to replace a scaler is when 20% of the instrument blade width or length is reduced or no longer the original design. But how long it takes for each instrument to reach this threshold is dependent on several factors. Deb (Hume) Brown, RDH, shares some of these factors and how a failure to replace instruments can affect the clinician and the patient.
Boost Patient Confidence with Sterilization Solutions from A-dec
As dental practices continue to examine infection control guidelines to meet the demands of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to consider how patients will feel as they walk into your office. A-dec has many solutions to not only improve the safety of your office, but also to visually show patients you’re keeping their health at the forefront.
Patient Messaging During COVID-19: Digital Communication Tools from Solutionreach
As part of its webinar series on supporting a new digital patient journey, Solutionreach recently shared some of the key areas of focus when communicating with patients during COVID-19. As patients look for a variety of up-to-date information, their healthcare provider could likely be their best source of trusted information.
Provide a Touch-Free Patient Experience with OperaDDS
Social distancing massively effects the dental industry, forcing us to change what our standard procedures are. In this new reality, we can’t just go paperless, we must go touchless. Continue reading for steps dental practices can take to provide a touch-free dental experience.
How to Construct a Curbside Waiting Room
Curbside waiting rooms and curbside check-in have become a necessity for dental practices. The experts at RevenueWell share how to successfully communicate, and create, this new reality to patients.
Wiz Guys Support Customers During COVID-19 and Beyond
Todd Wizner and Ben Wizner, also known as the “Wiz Dental Guys,” are a father-son duo of Patterson reps with knowledge spanning almost 35 years. Their unwavering commitment to their customers has especially shone through as the COVID-19 crisis has hit the nation. They knew this was going to have a big impact not only on their personal day-to-day jobs, but also on their core customers’ businesses.
A New Normal in Dentistry: The Touch-Free Patient Experience
As dental offices re-open and face the challenges created by COVID-19, how can a practice maintain the patient experience that patients have come to expect yet create reduced contact points within the practice? Ann-Marie DePalma, RDH, shares several ways to create a touchless patient experience.
4 Ways to Reduce Aerosols During Dental Treatment
As we reenter the practice world, one question dominates every conversation. How do we best reduce the aerosol generated during dental treatment? David Rice, DDS, shares four ways you can keep you, your team and your patients safe.
8 Expert Business Tips for Reopening Your Dental Office Amid a Pandemic
Whether you’re handling emergencies only, entirely shut down, or taking initial steps to reopen, you’re no doubt focused on the near-term future of your practice. Kathy Brodal, a Patterson Dental business educator, offers eight ways to plan, prepare and pull off a strategy for propelling your business forward effectively.
Patients, Team and Office – What to Think About as You Look to Reopen Your Dental Practice
After being closed for a few weeks, reopening your dental practice can be a stressful task that may not be well rehearsed among your staff. Creating a task list, communicating with your staff and patients, and ensuring a safe office space will help assure a smooth reopening transition.
Social Distancing in Dentistry: HIPAA Compliance and Teledentistry Partners
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many dentists have turned to teledentistry to stay connected with patients while practicing social distancing; providing consultation, evaluation and next step actions. But as with any new technology, teledentistry brings about new questions. Healthcare risk management and compliance expert, Linda Harvey, RDH, shares her expertise in assuring the teledentistry technology you choose for your practice is compliant with HIPAA rules and keeps the privacy and security of your patients intact.
Preventing the Spread of COVID-19: Infection Control in Dental Practices
Although every patient who enters a dental office should be treated as if they could have an infectious disease; times like these help us pause, take a step back and make sure we’re compliant with current guidelines set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Here are some ways to make sure your dental office is OSHA compliant.