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Wired for Success: New Patient Workflow in the Digital “Paperless” Office by Alan A. Curtis, DDS, MS, Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine

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New Patient Workflow in the Digital
"Paperless" Office

by Alan A. Curtis, DDS, MS, Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine

In the era of paper charting, there was a flow of the patient's chart through the office from initial phone call to debond. Now that a majority of offices are paperless, the digital workflow of the orthodontic patient is of paramount importance. While there are many different ways to document the patient's journey through the orthodontic office, I'd like to tell you about how this is done in my office in hopes that it stimulates a lively online discussion.

The Initial Phone Call

Our office records every inbound and outbound phone call to document the quality of phone skills and the proper use of scripts. Pertinent information is entered into the practice management software and the patient is scheduled for a new patient examination. Patients are invited to fill out forms (health history, informed consent and HIPAA) electronically on our website prior to coming in for their exam.

The Exam

At the exam, free digital photographs and digital X-rays are taken (2D and 3D records) for a proper diagnosis and preliminary treatment plan. The family is quoted a fee where various financial arrangements are offered to "close the deal" and get the case started. The patient is immediately bonded or scheduled to start if the treatment plan and financial arrangements are satisfactory. If the dreaded "I need to go home and talk to my spouse" line pushes the patient to "pending," the treatment coordinator changes the patient's status to pending in the office's Google Drive tracking spreadsheet. These patients are contacted weekly until the status changes to dismissed or start scheduled. The office's Google Drive tracking sheet allows the doctor and the office manager the ability to see the work performed by the sales staff moving leads through the sales funnel.

Treatment Planning and the Start

Once the case has been accepted and the contract has been successfully "closed," the digital records are reviewed and a treatment plan is finalized.

Treatment Phase

During the active treatment phase, a patient's digital ledger of charges and payments is kept current through a financial policy that requires monthly auto-drafts from a checking account or a credit card. This allows a separation of the monthly payment and a treatment interval that might be as frequent as every two weeks or as long as every three months.

Frequent practice database searches by administrative staff keep a close eye on those patients who lack a next appointment. Practice management software also allows clear tracking of case progress relative to the estimated treatment length.

Regular analysis of practice statistics allows for smart decision making regarding referral patterns and marketing return on investment. Frequent automated patient surveys allow you, as the orthodontist, to have a pulse on how patients perceive your practice's level of customer service.

With systems in place to handle the essential daily tasks, the doctor and clinical staff are free to do what matters most of all: change the lives of patients by creating healthy beautiful smiles.

Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
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