Dental Products Report - February 2009 - (Page 102)

PRODUCTS IN PRACTICE EMMOTT ON TECHNOLOGY A TEAM OF experts Divide and conquer to get the most out of your software, with team members becoming experts on the capabilities related to their routine activities. by D R . L A R RY E M M O T T Dr. Larry Emmott, an authority on dental technology, is a speaker, writer and consultant. To ﬁnd out about his high-tech training programs, Technology Guides and other services, visit drlarryemmott.com or call 602-791-7071. Does every team member need to be a mouse master? Should all of your employees know every click and cranny of the software used in the o ce? While that would be great, the realistic answer is no; they just need to understand the capabilities they will use most often. There are four major areas of responsibility in a practice: the dentist, the dental assistant, the hygienist and the front desk business adminis- trator. Each person performs speci c functions and needs to master the speci c aspects of software applications related to those functions. Windows Before moving on to any speci c area of specialized training, both the team and the dentist need to have a good understanding of the basics. For most computer users, this means the Microsoft Windows operating system. One of the frustrations dentists and team members encounter is “cookbook” failure. This happens when a staff member approaches using the computer as if following step-by-step directions from a cookbook. Often, he or she knows just one way to use the software but does not understand what is being done and why. In these situations doing just one thing slightly differently or accidently neglecting one step leads to a failed cookbook recipe. The user is lost and can’t nd the way back. To avoid cookbook failure, users need to have a general understanding of Windows. At the very least, everyone using the system needs to know how to turn on the computer system; how to use a mouse to click and drag; how to open, close and change the size of windows on the computer screen; and how to find a window once it’s been lost. Taking the time to learn Windows basics and to understand the le system will mean fewer hassles when you start to use your practice management system. Practice management There are six separate areas the doctor and staff need to understand to use practice CHARTING correctly is handled by Charting, shown here with DENTRIX (dentrix.com), often the dentist, dental hygienist and assistant. They all need to understand the details of their software’s charting functions. Fig. 1 The dentist and the administrator should be the ofﬁce experts in the software’s administrative and ﬁnancial capabilities such as these OnSchedule production goals in Patterson’s EagleSoft, (eaglesoft.net). DENTALPRODUCTSREPORT.COM | February http://www.drlarryemmott.com http://www.dentrix.com http://www.eaglesoft.net http://www.dentalproductsreport.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Dental Products Report - February 2009

Dental Products Report - February 2009 Contents From the Editor 10 Questions Product Watch Clinical 360° Is This Your Nightmare? Place Predictable Posterior Restorations The New Standard in Caries Diagnosis Veraviewepocs 3De Retreatment Decisions Soft Tissue and Periodontal Diagnosis The Importance of Immunization Products in Practice How to Up Your Caries Detection Game A Team of Experts SurgiTel Oakley Loupes Snap-On Smile Word of Mouth

Dental Products Report - February 2009

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