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The Heart and Soul of Practice Management - Software! Wm. Randol Womack, DDS, Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine

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The Heart and Soul of Practice Management – Software!
by Wm. Randol Womack, DDS,
Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine

Today's orthodontic practice has many toys and gadgets and widgets but the heart and soul of the practice lies in the management software that is the foundation of success.

The modern practice management software package includes a foundation surrounded by optional enhancements. And the "add-ons" can grow the package as large as your budget allows or your practice volume demands.

For the new orthodontist, just starting his own practice he can conserve expense by purchasing a "basic package" that encompasses control of patient appointments, accounting and treatment procedures. As the practice grows, the software enhancements can begin to include as many options as you can think of.
"The modern practice management software package includes a foundation surrounded by optional enhancements. And the ‘add-ons' can
grow the package as
large as your budget allows or your practice volume demands."		 The latest in management technology expands every basic function of the office into a multitude of options. Patient information can include the basics and then can be expanded to include appointment history, insurance, siblings, letters, etc. Accounting information can be expanded to include automatic insurance filing, auto-debit, track multiple parties or multiple contracts and a variety of expanded reports. Patient details such as past and future appointments, age, birthday, treatment status, alerts, missed appointments, broken appliances, emergencies and comments among many other items can be checked with the stroke of a key.

Treatment status can be as basic as clinic activities and then can be expanded to include custom treatment plans (templates) treatment progress monitors, links to photographs and radiographs, progress reports, extraction requests, referral communications, alerts, etc.

Front office packages can offer simple appointment control and can be expanded to include patient check-in, patient location monitors, and the time a patient spends in each location in the office from check-in to on-deck to chairtime to check-out. Reports can be generated to reflect the efficiency of patient flow, efficiency of clinical assistant in relation to procedure time scheduled. Appointment history and financial status can be tracked and alerts can be placed regarding these items.

Scheduling modules can be expanded to track and control doctor time, colorcoding can control procedure times and chair locations in template form, enabling a customized perfect day for efficiency and effectiveness. This lets you set up a schedule that works best for your office.

When combined with digital imaging programs, the software can become a comprehensive "paperless" system. The initial exam and records can become a complete diagnosis and treatment plan with automatic letters generated to reflect the results of the exam, the diagnosis and the proposed treatment program. These letters can be in professional verbiage for a dental referral or in layman's terms for parents or adult patients.

Last, but not least, a communication record (or Notepad) can record all the details of any communication important to a patient's treatment. It might be conversations at the chair with patients about issues or cooperation. It would probably include similar conversations with parents or comments the parents make about the patient, the treatment, cooperation, progress, problems or other issues. It can record vacations or special activities that the patient is involved with, achievements and other items that can be recalled and discussed at future appointments to personalize the office/patient relationship. Any phone calls to, about or from patients, parents, referring doctors, outside specialists, etc. are kept here for future reference. This communication record could be one of the most important sources of documentation regarding any conflicts that may arise during or after treatment.

So the scope of practice management software technology has evolved to cover almost all previously written or printed records. There is a wide variety of suppliers who offer these features and even newer enhancements that I haven't discussed here. As an older practitioner, the move to a "paperless" or just a "chartless" office involved a learning curve experience, but it was really easier than I expected.

Of course, as with any technology, the "half-life" is not all that long and our digital Pan/Ceph is already being overshadowed by CBCT scans. So there is no sitting still or being satisfied in this hyperlinked world in which we practice. But that is really the exciting thing about orthodontics today. About the time you feel comfortable — BAM — something new and better comes across your desk in some magazine. When will it ever stop? Not in my lifetime, that's for sure — and that's GOOD!
Orthotown Magazine
November 2025
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