blog

Choosing Software for Your Dental Practice

Posted November 6, 2020 by Beth

XLDent_choice

 

When it comes to selecting the software your dental practice will use for practice management, charting, or otherwise, dentists are often looking for just the right product to increase their practice’s efficiency, productivity, and revenue. This is no small task given the vast array of vendor options and features to select. We propose four key variables that can help you find out if a software is right for your practice: support, innovation, scalability, and integration. 

 

Support

Some software vendors offer little customer support or onboarding process for their products. Especially with your first software, a lot of time, money, and effort will go to setting up, installing, and learning to use the software. Your practice will need support to adapt quickly and realize the software’s productivity benefits as soon as possible. 

You’ll also need professional technical support on hand to make the most of your investment and avoid downtime.

 

Whether you have an existing practice or are starting a new practice, XLDent is here to guide you in managing or establishing a successful dental practice with our software. We not only understand the importance of the software selection process, but we also take pride in the experience and knowledge our XLDent Certified professionals will offer you during the process and long after you decide to move forward with the XLDent Suite of products.

 

The XLDent Software Assurance and Business Care Plan protects your investment. We are here to help long after your initial training is complete. Our knowledgeable and friendly Implementation Specialists genuinely care about your happiness and success with the XLDent Suite. We will consistently go the extra mile to answer your questions and help you reach your software implementation goals.

 

Innovation

A software product that does not evolve cannot grow with your practice. Not only does your vendor need to be able to invest in the growth of their company to keep up with regulations, but they also need to keep up with the challenges and opportunities created by new dental technologies.

 

XLDent is committed to innovation. We use current and updated development tools for the continual enhancement of the XLDent Software Suite. At XLDent, we dedicate ourselves to providing software features and solutions focused on our clients’ success, and we work with them to define those goals. We express that dedication in our commitment to the continual enhancement and redevelopment of the tools we create. We are continually re-evaluating the current development landscape with a strong emphasis on using proven, secure technologies and features to the advantage of the dental practices that partner with us. 

 

Scalability 

The needs of dental practices are continually evolving. So is technology. A software product that gets you started today may not serve your practice in the long run as you continue to grow. Before you adopt any technology, make sure that you understand how technology can adapt and scale to align with your future goals as a business. 

 

XLDent Cloud offers a scalable cloud solution that can meet your practice where you are now and scale with you as you grow. With XLDent, all of your clinical documents, charts, patient contact information, and other practice management data can be accessed at any time by any authorized user. XLDent Cloud allows you to work in a secure environment without complicated network connections to retrieve your data. 

 

Integration

The right software for your dental practice will integrate with as many of the tools and services you need for success as possible. Always look for software solutions that offer a complete suite, or at least integrate Real-Time Insurance Eligibility, Electronic Remittance Advice, Patient and Doctor Portals, Encrypted Email, and more. 

 

XLDent has already integrated the eSolutions you need to stay competitive and maximize the efficiency of your practice. By partnering with an elite group of market leaders in the healthcare industry, we can offer you a comprehensive, fully integrated Electronic Services solution. All eSolutions are seamlessly integrated with your XLDent Suite to improve workflow processes, accuracy, patient experiences, and patient outcomes. XLDent has it all: electronic prescribing, patient and doctor portals, appointment reminders, credit card processing, electronic statement processing, electronic claim processing and claim status, real-time eligibility and benefits verification, electronic remittance advice, dental claim attachments, custom websites, marketing, offsite backup storage, Practice Booster for coding strategies, HIPAA-compliant email, cloud-based phone system through Mango Voice, and more. 

 

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Software, Dental Technology, Dental Web-based Solutions, Electronic Dental Records, IT Services, Perio Chart, XLDent Cloud, XLDent Company, XLDent Patient Experience, XLDent Referrals, XLDent Website, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
Tagged : ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Fall Clean-up: What to do when the kids go back to school

Posted October 8, 2018 by Angela S.

It’s that time of the year again… Back to School! Parents are trying to get kids out of bed and on the bus, fall sports replace beach fun, and teachers are back in full swing. After a busy summer, you may start to experience more down time during the back to school craze, but don’t worry – there are many ways for you to keep your practice busy. Here are 3 ideas to remain productive:pending list dragged tplan

1. Review your treatment plans! Now is a great time to go through treatment plans that were created this year and get them scheduled. Your patients may have simply forgotten about them. A quick call, or email, reminding them to schedule that treatment may be just what they need. Don’t let that revenue, and top-notch customer care, fall through the cracks. XLDent makes it easy to see all your treatment plans within the software and easily drag-and-drop planned treatments right into the appointment book as they schedule.

2. Utilize the XLDent data and KPI Dashboard. There are several ways for you to understand your practice even better. While it may seem overwhelming to review reports when the schedule is full, slower periods are a great time to analyze key metrics which can assist in improving your practice’s numbers. You can determine anything from how much new patients spend on average, types of services being performed, and who has outstanding balances, in order to boost your business. KPI-Dashboard2And our KPI Dashboard service takes those reports one step further! With a real-time view of Key Performance Indicators, the KPI Dashboard can be accessed from any computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access to give you an overall or detailed look at your practice health.

3. Training, Training, Training! Take this time to boost your skills and take advantage of the plethora of XLDent software webinars. From appointment scheduler, to patient communication, core business systems and clinical charting, webinars can be as short as just a few minutes to longer, more in-depth ones. There are topics, tips, and features for everyone in the practice! The more your staff knows, the better your practice will run overall. We are also here to help. If you have area’s in your workflow that need a little TLC, our expertise is practice management. Contact us for additional training, which can be in your office or on-line.

We understand that every business will experience slow times and the team at XLDent is here to assist. If you want to review any of the topics covered above, don’t hesitate to call our support team to get additional information. Don’t let the fall season get you down. Instead, take charge and get those items taken care of that will benefit your practice in the long run.

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Electronic Dental Records, XLDent Patient Experience, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
Tagged : ,,,,

3 Things Every Office Manager Should Automate Today

Posted September 16, 2018 by Angela S.

Managing a dental office can be stressful and time consuming! What if there were 3 easy ways you could lower your daily stress, and also increase productivity, while saving you time? By simply automating a few daily tasks, you’ll give yourself some breathing room and see positive results for your practice.

Insurance Payments 

How much time during the day are you spending processing insurance payments: opening, reviewing, entering information, filing, and depositing?

Pay Insurance_ERA

Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) is a quick and easy way to process your EOBs electronically. Claims submitted electronically are processed and adjudicated. Instead of sending you a paper EOB, an electronic remittance is sent to your office. Once received, it comes directly into your XLDent software and links to the associated claim automatically. Payment and adjustment (for contracted plans) values auto-populate from the ERA. Payments are typically sent electronically, in the form of an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer), saving you the work of opening checks, preparing the deposit, and a trip to the bank. A huge benefit is ERAs are stored on each patient record so looking up a past remittance is just a click away.

All of this affords you cash flow increases, greater accuracy and speed, and quick, easy access. This simple solution will easily save you hours each week freeing you up to focus your time on other responsibilities, such as acquiring new patients.

Appointment Confirmations 

Just think of how many hours you could save each week if you had something that would do the confirming and reminders for upcoming appointments. Text messaging is the MOST used data service in the world, so why not take advantage of XLDent’s automated messaging service. People greatly value their time and taking that time to answer a phone call, or calling you back, may not be high on their priority list. By offering patient’s a convenient way to respond, via email or text message, shows that you value their time while also saving you time along the way. It’s very likely you’ll see a decrease in cancellations and no shows too!

Treatment Plans 

Open spots in the schedule are one of the most frustrating parts of the day. After a plan for treatment is recommended, a patient might easily get busy and forget to schedule it. You can quickly see all treatment plans laid out by the Doctor in XLDent’s Pending and Early List. This list allows you to view the patient, value, length of treatment, and date the treatment plan was presented, giving you all the information, you need to easily fill those open spots. Plus, you’re providing your patients great service knowing you care for their well-being. Have a one-hour spot to fill, or a specific type of treatment that would work best? Filters allow you to see just that. Simply drag the planned treatment off the list into the appointment column to schedule it!

Pending and Early ListWe understand your day is filled with a laundry list of things to do, and that list never seems to shrink. These are three easy and affordable ways that XLDent helps you focus your time so you are able to answer a new patients’ phone call, attend to the patient in front of you, budget office expenses, manage emails, handle payroll, and the many other duties you take care of on a daily basis.

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Software, Electronic Dental Records, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
Tagged : ,,,,,

Understanding Risk from a Clinical Perspective

Posted January 24, 2017 by Dawn

Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned vet, every dentist has heard the phrase “If it’s not in the chart, it didn’t happen.” And, even though we’ve all heard it before, many dentists continue to repeat the bad habits of their predecessors, leaving themselves at risk for malpractice lawsuits and fraud. In today’s blog, we’ll explore the clinical aspects to risk management in the dental office.

The Dental Chart

In order for the dental chart, or electronic dental record, to be defensible in a court of law, it needs to provide a consistent and detailed account of events. Let’s look more closely at some of the key components to the dental chart and ways to safeguard your practice.

Health History

While most practices are good about obtaining health history information at the time of a patient’s initial visit, many fail to maintain consistency when it comes to updating information. With a lot of dentists counting on hygienists and assistants to update health history information, it’s easy to get lazy with your review of this information. Never assume that your hygienist or assistant will tell you about important changes. Make it a habit to review the information in your electronic dental record prior to each patient encounter and document this in your clinical progress note. The recent addition of the Medical Tab in the XLDent chart helps clinicians view and update medical conditions and medications easily.

Pre-Treatment Diagnosis

Failure to document a definitive diagnosis is a common weakness to the electronic dental record in many practices. The clinical progress note should reflect your diagnosis and the findings that led to your diagnosis. Supporting items, like radiographs and treatment plans, will also help strengthen and validate your progress note. Additionally, your documentation must reflect the treatment options that were recommended and alternatives that were discussed with the patient.

Informed Consent

ink form consentPrior to treatment, the dentist bears the responsibility of obtaining informed consent from the patient to perform the procedures that were diagnosed. For most, the process to obtain consent involves a conversation with the patient that results in patient understanding and acceptance of the treatment that will be provided. When it comes to malpractice claims, lack of consent is frequently cited. At a minimum, the clinical progress note should reference the process used to obtain consent and that the patient consented to the treatment provided. For riskier procedures, consider obtaining consent in writing to help support your clinical note. One such method is clinical consent forms that are signed on the tablet pc when using XLDent’s Ink Forms.

Medications

ePrescribeEven in 2017, many prescribers will be the victim of prescription theft or tampering. Sending prescriptions to the pharmacy electronically offers greater protection for the prescriber, reducing the risk of fraud. Additionally, ePrescribing software offers safety measures for the patient. When creating a prescription electronically, ePrescribing software will alert you of drug interactions caused by allergies or other medications.

 

 

 

We hope these recommendations will help you minimize the risk of fraud or error in your clinical settings. If you found this information helpful, be sure to check out Part II of our risk management series next week as we look at the role infrastructure technology plays in managing risk.

 

Posted in: Dental Technology, Electronic Dental Records, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
Tagged : ,,,,

Minnesota User Meeting

Posted March 21, 2013 by DeWayne O

XLDent hosted the MN User Meeting in Medina, MN on Friday March 15th and the attendance was great! The nasty weather didn’t stop many of our users and those who were able to make it were able to see a number of items that will help their workflows and how to incorporate mobile technologies into their practice. They also saw some exiting new features coming in the next version of XLDent Dental Practice Management Software. As a thank you to all that attended and as part of our continued focus on new technologies, we gave away a new Kindle Fire HD. The lucky winner, Jodi T. from Plymouth was excited to begin using her new tablet. Be sure to watch for more User Group Meetings coming to your area in the future. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Web-based Solutions, Electronic Dental Records, XLDent Company,
Tagged : ,,,,,,