Justin Moody, DDS
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If the national economy seems like a complicated subject, it’s even harder to juggle priorities in the microcosm of my office. Maintaining a high level of technology for the practice, paying attention to the environment, and saving time for my busy staff must all be achieved in the light of sound fiscal practices. Having a paperless office surely has helped set me on the road to efficiency, but I also needed a practice management program that seamlessly integrated with my imaging. I have achieved this cost-effective balance through integration of my practice-management program (DENTRIX®) in conjunction with my digital radiography system (DEXIS®).
Imaging technologies are the backbone of my diagnosis, treatment planning, and teamwork with my referring doctors. So, connecting my imaging with patient charts easily and seamlessly is imperative. Digital radiography makes taking X-rays a more organized process.
For every operatory computer, we have a customizable, preselected order for bitewings, full-mouth series, and other necessary series. The assistant just selects the desired series with one click, and then progresses from image to image without touching the keyboard. For long-term patients — since the X-rays are also automatically stored in chronological order — I can see the patient’s progression over time, and even view images taken on different dates on the same screen.
Within digital practice management software, my staff and I don’t have to rustle through file folders to access patient information. X-rays are automatically synchronized with the patient record, and thumbnails of all available radiographic and photographic images are displayed on the digital chart. I don’t need to click back and forth between programs. If I want a larger size of the image, it immediately enlarges when I click on the thumbnail. I can adjust the contrast and ClearVu™ images. While on the chart, I can view different image types, intraoral and extraoral X-rays, and photographs, or click again to open the X-ray program and use the full program.
For my associates who have the task of working with insurance companies, practice management and imaging integration has alleviated more headaches than a bottle of pain relievers! Sending medical records electronically gets them there faster, and the software allows for the forms and images to be sent together, also speeding up the process. There are no more excuses, such as the form got lost in the mail or the X-rays didn’t arrive yet. They are delivered all together, in one neat, electronic package.
Digital records and radiography is a responsible environmental, as well as economical, choice. Digital radiography does not involve hazardous chemicals that waste space to store or cost to dispose of. And my staff definitely appreciates not having to touch or breathe these chemicals, or take apart and put together the developing equipment.
We save trees by not wasting paper, envelopes, folders, or any of the other office supplies we needed before going paperless. We also save energy by just clicking a button to send information to referring dentists and insurance companies. No more copying files and films, or doing all the chores needed to mail them.
While DEXIS has added to my ability to diagnose and treat patients, its integration with DENTRIX keeps all of that information organized, and helps the office to effectively use the information for the benefit of patient care and office efficiency. These systems make it easier for my staff and me to concentrate on patients, not paperwork.
Dr. Justin Moody is a diplomate with the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and an associate fellow with the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He also holds mastership and fellow status at the Misch International Implant Institute. He can be reached at [email protected].
