Is your dental practice taking full advantage of technology — or are you just making do with what you have? From treatment technology to information technology and even the office equipment that your front desk team uses, here are six ways the right type of technology can help grow your dental practice.
1. It makes your practice more efficient. Outdated hardware and software bog your practice down. They're more likely to run slowly, crash or break down altogether. Without current X-ray technology, for example, you may have to redo X-rays over and over to get them right, annoying patients and stressing your staff out. Updating your practice so that all your tech tools work seamlessly together will streamline treatments and help you get patients in and out of chairs faster.
2. It improves your practice's image. If your dental office is using outdated computers or equipment that looks like it hasn't been replaced since the 1980s, how confident will patients be in your expertise? When patients see you're using current technology such as digital X-rays or lasers, they are more likely to feel they are getting quality care.
3. It keeps your staff happier. No one likes to work with equipment that isn't functioning properly or technology that adds unnecessary effort to processes. In addition, if your dental practice staff is still working with outdated technology, they're not keeping their job skills current. Updated technology makes your team's lives easier, and that means a happier workforce.
4. It protects your patients' privacy. Outdated software and poor cybersecurity practices can put your patients' personal health data at risk of being stolen — and put your practice at risk of noncompliance with HIPAA regulations. You should never skimp on technology that provides security for your office's networks, computers and devices.
5. It makes your practice more profitable. You may be leery of investing in expensive new technology for fear it will hurt the bottom line. However, if you run the numbers and consider the increased efficiency that new technology can bring to your office, you will generally see that the return on investment in new technology will happen sooner than you think.
6. It improves patient recall. Up-to-date technology like Lighthouse patient communication software helps ensure that patients never miss an appointment. The Lighthouse patient communication app can track when patients are due for hygiene appointments, send them automatic reminders about upcoming appointments, and even contact dormant patients to get them back in the office. Plus, you can communicate with patients by email, text or voice — however they prefer.
What type of technology update would benefit your practice? Take the time to consider all your options, then make the upgrades that work for you.
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