Recently I was using a dental client’s computer and noticed that it was running really slow. On a hunch, I installed anti-spyware software. Spyware, for those of you who don’t know, is computer software that is installed secretly on your computer to intercept or take partial control over your computer without your OK. Commonly this is done when you or one of your dental staff download something from a web site. The download could be something as innocent as a solitaire game. The key point is that something was downloaded to your computer by you or one of your staff.  What...

For example, questions regarding dental insurance, accounts, collections would go to the Accounts Manager if you have one. When a patient calls the office and is in pain, the receptionist should fill out some kind of Emergency Call-In Sheet. The following are some of the questions that should be asked: 1. “When was the last time you saw Dr. [name]?” This response will tell you if you are dealing with a new patient, an old patient who has been inactive, or an active patient. If the patient already has a chart, pull it. Also, be sure to check the patient's account....

UNSCHEDULED TREATMENT The first step. If the patient cannot schedule, for example, because the patient needs to review finances with their spouse, whoever did the consult needs to get the patient’s agreement to follow up with a call the next day if at all possible. Get a specific time and the phone number the patient can be reached at.  In the situation where the patient needs to talk to a spouse but, after doing so, the patient still does not schedule, suggest to the patient that the spouse come in so that the treatment plan can be explained and why the...