Technology Applications
July 2008

Don’t Just Plug In

Help your front staff get the most out of your dental software

By David J. Arnett, co-founder of Dentimax

Do you expect your staff to somehow innately understand how to use practice management software? As a practicing dentist, did you wake up one day and decide to cut your first crown or start a root canal? No. It took years of schooling and training before you attempted these types of procedures. Your front staff can also benefit from training. When properly trained and educated on the use of your practice’s software, your front desk will be better equipped to increase your production and collect your hard earned money.

Now, may I be so bold as to say that there is no iron clad correct answer to training your staff on software! With varying job experience and skill levels, each employee has unique and specific training needs. You wouldn’t provide the same training to someone who has used dental software for the past 10 years as you would to someone who is using software for the very first time. Offer training and support tools that are specific to the needs of your employees.

Based on both personal experience and the experiences of others, let me share three points on what will effectively raise your front desk’s software competency levels:

1.    Start with good employees
2.    Provide the right training tools, and
3.    Network with other offices


Good Employees

The first and foremost thing you can do—before starting any training—is to hire the right employees and, conversely, be prepared to fire the wrong ones. Hire honest, loyal, hard-working individuals who are eager to learn as well as look after your practice. Make sure that this standard is met by all of your employees, but especially with your front desk. A bad employee can have a tremendously negative impact on your practice and, with access to your financials, a dishonest employee will do even more damage.

A common front desk issue arises when one individual has too much control. If your office manager has taken complete control of all aspects of your front desk software and has pushed you and your employees away, you have a problem. At best, this creates a bottleneck in your office with a system that includes only the office manager. What happens when he or she gets sick, goes on vacation, or quits? Does your office come to a screeching halt? To quote ABC’s Super Nanny, “This behavior is totally unacceptable.” Don’t be an accomplice by putting up with it. You’re the boss. Make the necessary changes and provide the training so that more than one of your employees is capable of working the front desk. This type of cross-training will protect you in the event of employee absence, and it will provide a check against employee theft and embezzlement.

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