DPR Supplement - September 2011 - (Page 24)

PRODUCTS IN PRACTICE ADVERTISEMENT PRACTICE AUTOMATION AND WEBSITE INTEGRATION eCentral Website Manager for Dentrix helps dental practices create websites that save staff and patients time. by S TA N T O N MEHR From the dental practice’s perspective, it can seem like managing a website is a full-time job. Though not really a daunting task, the websites are often less useful than they could (or should) be. Most dental practice websites do not allow patients to request appointment rescheduling. Many do not allow patients to pay for their dental services online. Even fewer allow patients to ll in information that they would be asked to do by hand at the time of the o ce visit. their Dentrix practice management system to give patients the ability to interact with your o ce, provide patient information, and make payments—all online. A practice management platform as marketing tool When Sligting travels around the country with Henry Schein reps to individual practices, the dentists’ most common complaint is that they are not able to generate expected revenue from each patient. Sligting commented, “We have seen the average value of a patient decrease from $800 to $500 per patient over the last 5 years. The dentists say they are working harder for less money.” He believes that the website, when designed correctly, “can lter out potential patients who are not ideal for the practice.” This is critical, because of the average 200 to 300 visits each month to a dental practice’s website, fully half of those visitors are potential new patients. Potential patients should be driven rst to the “Meet the Dentist” page to learn about the staff and what makes their dental practice di erent. From a marketing perspective, Dental Branding has found that one of the most important functions of the website is to add value to the patient’s experience. This may include checking bills online, checking appointments without having to call the office, or watching patient education videos from their own laptop. An important consideration today on the crowded Web is whether the practice’s website will be seen. eCentral’s website manager has “search optimization engine” tools to help ensure that the practice’s website will not be lost in the crowd. Another key is to be sure t hat a l l of t he pract ices’ m a rket i ng tool s tel l t he Functionality is key Damon Graves, Product Marketing Manager for eServices, commented that the website should allow patients to interact with the dental practice on a 24/7 basis. “Patients can pay their bills online, using Dentrix’s encrypted merchant processing software,” stated Graves, and it allows patients to complete forms online and press “submit” (that is, not simply printing out a PDF form on which the patient can write in the information). “O ce sta can review the information, edit it, and download it into Dentrix with the touch of a button,” he said. “The software even includes kiosk functionality, so forms can be completed in the dental reception area. Since it even noti es the operatory when the patient has completed his or her forms, eCentral functions as a complete patient check-in tool.” same story (including the website and printed materials). The other marketing materials should drive new patients to the website, where the practice’s fuller story can be told. The key though is to tell the dentist’s story that differentiates them from the competition. “When Dental Branding views or designs a website, we are seeking to tell a compelling story,” said Sligting. Plugging in and turning on Graves believes that website development through eCentral is a great t for any type of practice. “It has a simple, intuitive website editor, and it is easy to start from scratch for someone building a website for the rst time,” he said. “Practices with existing websites are not left out. A plugin is available to turn any website into a Dentrix-integrated website.” Ca ll 800-734-5561, visit w w w. dentrix.com, or speak with your Henry Schein sales consultant about turning the website into a highly functional e ciency engine and marketing tool. A website that is more than a storefront A surprising number of businesses (of all types) are still mired in marketing with “ rst-generation” websites. Typically, it does little more than introduce members of the dental team and offer location, office hours, and a contact phone or E-mail. Dental websites tend to tell similar stories, but with di erent designs. Overall, they can create the perception that all dentists are basically the same. “New patients then start choosing dentists based on location or price, which is not the answer,” stated Doug Sligting, President of Dental Branding, a partner of Henry Schein Practice Solutions. The capabilities of these websites are so much greater, but few take advantage of their fullest potential. That means serving as a major marketing platform for the practice, automating as many administrative processes as possible, and maximizing the amount of time the dental practice has for actual dental care. However, these bene ts are available to Dentrix users who take their practice website to the next level using eCentral Website Manager. This helpful tool allows practices to integrate their website into Take it to the next level eCentral provides useful website templates, but through Dentrix and Henry Schein’s Dental Branding, a practice website can not only be fully integrated, but o er more customization. The key though is to o er utility that patients (and importantly, prospective patients) want to see. These modules, or advanced functionality, help increase practice e ciency by allowing patients to perform many tasks on line, rather than with a phone call to the o ce or manual completion of forms upon arrival, according to Sligting. DENTALPRODUCTSREPORT.COM | September Supplement http://www.dentrix.com http://www.dentrix.com http://twitter.com/HScheinDental http://twitter.com/HScheinDental http://www.henryscheindental.com http://www.DENTALPRODUCTSREPORT.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DPR Supplement - September 2011

DPR Supplement - September 2011
Table of Contents
Product Watch
Improving inventory management
10 Questions
Clinical 360°
Ceramir Crown & Bridge
Soft-tissue infection and periodontal disease
Products in Practice
Service + Support = Success
The Camlog Implant System
Practice automation and website integration
Intelligent design
Precise LTM Laser
Byte-by-Byte

DPR Supplement - September 2011