Having the right practice management (PM) program in place is key to running a modern practice. So when it became time to choose a program, my staff and I knew we had to select carefully.

We ultimately switched to a program equipped with the features critical to our practice’s efficiency, such as an easy-to-use appointment book, streamlined financial recordkeeping and expanded clinical capabilities. We made the clinical decision to implement a superior digital x-ray system first, making integrating this solution with our practice management program extremely important for us.

Administratively, practice management software is essential. On the clinical side, the electronic charting features also save time and effort. But as with any change in routine, there are several challenges associated with moving from paper to electronic charting. The first is ensuring that your team buys into the benefits. Next comes the decision to go “full steam ahead.” Last, you need to find a way to fit the transition into the daily workflow.

After our first training session, we quickly moved forward with the administrative side of the software, including the appointment book, recall system, reports, insurance claims and financials. We set goals for learning and dates for implementing features. We kept the momentum going, which helped us gain more benefits.

After a few weeks and another training session, we knew how to use the hard- and soft-tissue charting and clinical notes features. We actively began to add these functions into our daily routine. Making a concerted effort to move forward with each patient’s appointment—not just chart when we were in the mood—became our key to success.  

Everyone pitched in. Our administrative team set aside time each day to input data, especially the day before a patient’s recall appointment. The front desk assistant used the x-ray screen that’s integrated into our practice management program to initiate hard tissue charting, while the hygienists or my chairside assistant verified and/or completed the charting.

At this point, we began to notice the time we saved with electronic charting and clinical notes. It only took a few clicks to update the hard-tissue chart and documentation, making it much faster than redundantly drawing and writing on paper charts.

We handled soft-tissue charting a bit differently. We chose not to transfer the information from the patients’ last paper perio sheets and instead created a new e-perio chart at their next visit. My hygienists and assistant practiced to become adept at using this feature. The chart opens with one click and then basically takes just a few keystrokes per tooth—much less effort than manually writing the numbers on paper. The result?  A chart that looks professional, that becomes part of the patient’s entire paperless file and that can be e-mailed to colleagues and insurance companies.

A word of advice: Resist the urge to fill in a paper chart and then complete the e-chart later. This doubles the work. Once your team is proficient in these tasks, choose a start date and don’t look back.

During our transition, our entire team was involved in how to best use our practice management program. We invested time to learn its features and ultimately better the practice. With each little success, our confidence level rose, our daily routine became a little easier and we became even more professional.