Digitalization in the dental practice: tools for a modern practice

Dentistry has changed a lot over the past 20 years. Binders full of paper records are making way for electronic patient records, and orders that used to go by fax now run through modern webshops. Digitalization has long stopped being a luxury: healthcare keeps looking for more efficient ways to work.

Patient portals

For many patients, booking and managing appointments online has become a must. It doesn't only make it clearer for your patients when they are expected where, it also helps prevent no-shows. Patients notice sooner that an appointment no longer fits their schedule and can report it at any time through online platforms like Doctena, DentAdmin or Progenda.

Inventory and purchasing

Practices also have to work more and more efficiently when it comes to inventory and purchasing. Supplies that sit on the shelf for months, appointments that have to wait because there isn't enough material, and other logistical challenges push many practices toward smarter ways of buying.

A platform like Swyp makes it easy for your practice to manage your inventory and plan better which products to buy and when.

Collaboration

A modern dental practice has long stopped revolving around the dentist alone. The whole team, from the dentist to the assistants and the receptionists, has to be on the same page to help patients as well as possible.

With collaboration software like Microsoft 365 or Slack you make it easy to share information quickly without having to be in the same room. These platforms often have a task module too, which you can use within your practice to follow up on tasks. From buying goods to following up on your patients, keeping it digital makes sure nothing gets lost.

Read more about the purchasing side in our guides to inventory management and comparing prices.

Challenges and points of attention

Digitalizing your practice is a big challenge, and there are a few points you should not lose sight of.

Privacy

When you work with medical or financial data, it is important to pay close attention to privacy. This data is protected by the GDPR in the European Union. If you work with an external provider, ask them the critical questions about where and how they store data.

Implementation and costs

Rolling out new software in your practice is no small challenge. The cost is often underestimated, and the implementation process is something practices pay little attention to. New software also means training your staff and adapting your processes.

Dependency

A new application in your practice can also mean a certain kind of dependency. For each application, it is important to decide whether you want to accept that dependency or not.

It can also help to have a backup plan for when the software stops working. If you use a digital check-in kiosk and it goes down one day, your colleagues at the front desk will be grateful if they can also easily register patients with pen and paper.