Do you want to know how to increase the operational efficiency of your dental practice? If so, this blog post is for you. There are many things that a dental office can do in order to become more efficient and productive. In this article, we will discuss 5 ways that have been proven to work time and time again.
Implement a new dental office management system. A lot of practices still use paper charts which means there’s a high chance they’re missing critical information. About their patients’ treatment plans or insurance coverage status. Implementing an electronic medical records system is something every practice should do!
Efficiency at a glance
Use this table to choose your first move. Pick one improvement, apply the quick win, then build the deeper habit to increase operational efficiency of a dental practice.
| Area to improve | Quick win this week | Tool or template | Primary KPI | Owner | Time to impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule and chair time | Create two protected blocks per day for same day dentistry | Block schedule template with color coding | Doctor production per hour, on time starts | Scheduling lead | Two weeks |
| Clinical workflow and turnover | Move to procedure tubs and instrument cassettes for your top five procedures | Setup checklist on a laminated card in each operatory | Room turnover time, setup errors | Lead assistant | One month |
| Revenue cycle and collections | Submit all claims within twenty four hours with required photos and narratives | End of day claim checklist and batch submit | Days in accounts receivable, collection rate | Financial coordinator | Two weeks |
| Patient communication and admin | Turn on two way text for confirmations, forms, and payments | Patient messaging playbook and templates | No show rate, form completion before arrival | Front office lead | Two weeks |
| Team rhythm and continuous improvement | Run a ten minute morning huddle and a thirty minute weekly improvement huddle | Huddle agenda and scoreboard | Wait time, rework, staff overtime | Practice manager | One week |
Sterilization process for efficiency of a dental practice
Create a sterilization process for all instruments and equipment. One way to reduce the risk of infection with any patient is to have a sterilization process for all instruments and equipment. This means that you’ll need to have a design area for sanitizing everything and staff who are properly working in the process. An important factor of any dental practice is its ability to operate efficiently and smoothly from day to day. In this blog post, we will discuss five ways to increase the operational efficiency of your dental practice.
One way that you can improve upon is by implementing an electronic medical records system (EMR). Many practices still use paper charts and keep track of any patient’s treatment plan. Or insurance coverage status becomes very difficult when all information isn’t in one location.
If you’re looking for learning more about EMR systems. Check out our blog post on the top ten reasons to implement an EMR system. Even if you don’t want or need a complete electronic medical records system. So, using online patient portals can make life easier for your patients and help reduce any anxiety they may have knowledge. That their information is always up-to-date.
Instruments and equipment for dental practice
Another way to make your dental practice more efficient is by having a designated area for sterilizing instruments and equipment. This means that you’ll need staff who are properly in the process. Along with all of the necessary tools needed for this step (e.g., autoclave machine). It’s important that every instrument and piece of equipment goes through a sterilization process. In addition, to help reduce the risk of infection for any patient.
Getting rid of paper charts and records in favor of electronic medical records (EMR). Not only does this make your office more environmentally friendly. So, It also makes life easier for staff as they can access information from any location. EMR systems also have the ability to generate reports, which can help you track patient history, treatment plans, and more.
Reducing the number of patients seen in a day is another way to increase operational efficiency. This gives staff more time to spend with each patient and ensures that everyone receives the quality care they deserve. You may need to hire additional staff members in order to make this possible. But it will be worth it in the long run.
Finally, evaluating your practice workflow is a great way to find areas where you can streamline or eliminate certain tasks. For example, paperwork or lab work are two tasks that can often be streamlined without much difficulty.
Bonus: Automate patient communication and the front desk
Many phone calls are predictable. A message that arrives at the right time saves your team from dialing and saves your patients from hold music.
Turn on digital forms and e signatures
Send forms with a secure link right after booking. Keep the set short. Demographics, medical history, medications, dental concerns, and consent. When patients arrive, they go straight to a ready chair. The front desk stops typing names and dates.
Use two way text as your default
Patients answer texts faster than phone calls. Confirm appointments, share pre op instructions, send a photo of a chipped tooth for triage, and text a payment link after treatment. Keep a list of approved templates so messages stay friendly and compliant.
Offer online booking for selected visits for dental practice
Allow new patient exams and hygiene to book online within protected blocks. Keep doctor time under front desk control. Publish clear intake rules and confirmation steps so no one feels lost.
Create a short call list
When a gap appears, send a text to patients who want to be seen sooner. Offer two specific times. Keep the list fresh and rotate the offers so you do not oversend.
Measure and manage
Watch call abandonment, average response time to texts, form completion before arrival, and no show rate. If no shows remain high, rewrite your reminders with a friendly promise and a simple reschedule link.
Message template to copy
Hi Ana. We are excited to see you Tuesday at two. Your forms are here. They take five minutes. Reply one to confirm or two to see other times. We keep two short notice options every day if you prefer sooner.
Efficiency of a dental practice: Final words
Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to increasing operational efficiency; you’ll need to tailor these tips to fit the specific needs of your dental practice. But, by using these five tips as a starting point, you’re on your way to becoming more efficient and productive!
