I have just returned from the AADPA meeting in Las Vegas where I spent several days talking to dental practices about the digital technologies that are available to them. A common question I heard was, “How do I get started?” or “What do I do next?” My answer to these questions is to start by evaluating the foundation upon which you are building your digital practice. Core to that foundation is your practice management software.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does my software company update my software and keep up with trends in dentistry?
- Is my software flexible enough to allow my practice to run the way I want it to run?
- Is my software powerful enough to do what I want it to do?
- How is support? Do I get answers to my questions in a timely manner?
- Is my software comprehensive enough to include all my patient records in one database, or will I need to work with two patient records, two software products, and two support fees just to acquire and store patient images?
- How stable is the company that develops and supports the software? Will my software undergo ownership changes and maybe stop being supported or developed completely?
The right practice management software provides all this and more and is key to a successful digital practice.