Scaling Sustainably with the Cloud

With almost 11 ADA recognized dental specialties and having a burgeoning market share, the specialty dental business is here to make significant gains in the coming years as we take a cursory glance on the latest trends of the dental industry.

Listen to Ryan Arnold, Principal, Wisdom Teeth Guys as he explains the possibilities that lie ahead for Dental Specialty business and how he has paid attention on patient care,technology adoption and brand management to further sustainable practice growth for his specialty.

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Creating Sustainable Specialty Dental Businesses

Dentistry's Inner Circle Podcast

A series of podcasts from practice owners on how they navigated the change and successfully transitioned to CareStack. 

Enabling Technology to Connect Better with Your Patients

How Dr. Williams' Practice Optimized Growth with CareStack

Case Study: How Dr. Williams' Practice Optimized Growth with CareStack

Expanding Dental Care beyond the Clinic

Expanding Dental Care Beyond the Clinic

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Embracing Change To Grow Your Group

Enable Dental Completes Its Migration To CareStack

Enable Dental Completes Its Migration To Industry Leading Cloud Based Dental Software

 Penny Filipe

Beatrice

Ishtiaq Rouf

Dana Veach

Dr. Himesh Kana, DDS

Himesh Kana

Promoted to Manager, Now What

Promoted to Manager, Now What?

Top Trends in Dental Software for 2025

Top Trends in Dental Software for 2025: What Practices Should Prepare For

Brand Guidelines for Dental Offices to Attract and Retain Gen-Z Patients

Reducing patient no-shows and cancellations begins by accepting that 

it’s impossible to guarantee that your patients will always keep their appointments

. Once you accept that this falls outside your control, you can pool your efforts on the aspects that are within your control, and which help reduce no-shows and cancellations.

missed appointments cause a ripple effect

 that impacts your schedules, revenues, and the effectiveness of treatments. It strikes a serious blow to your bottom line. But with that said, there are 

effective safeguards you can put in place

 to address this issue. Before we explore these safeguards, let’s examine the key reasons behind no-shows and cancellations. 

Typically, patients miss their appointments when they:

Don’t understand the importance of keeping their appointments

Misunderstand when their appointment is scheduled

Self diagnose and decide to skip their appointments

Worry about bad news and try to avoid the situation

Have a shallow relationship with the provider

There is a wide range of reasons for patients to miss their appointments, but most can be mitigated with improved patient-provider communication and by implementing the following safeguards.

It became widely accepted as a care delivery method after the 2020 pandemic, but thanks to the convenience offered to patients, 

 is here to stay. Outside the initial check-up and actual treatment, consultations and routine post-op visits can be performed remotely. The virtual interactions offer patients the opportunity to 

receive treatment in the comfort of their living room

 or office. The added benefit of leveraging teledentistry is it adds one less reason for patients to rethink or opt out of their dental appointments. 

Another approach that has gained traction is using 

 to collect vital patient information. E-forms are a key feature of modern practice management software (PMS). This feature is now used widely to stay in line with the COVID-19 safety protocols. With this new norm, practices have completely replaced the clipboard and embraced digitization. Another fact that supports this approach is that 

98% of patients who take time to fill out online forms commit to their appointments

COVID-19 has added fuel to the fire of dental anxiety among patients. The risk of exposure is a valid fear. The best way for you to 

 is with communication and education. Ensure you convey the safety protocols and measures followed at your practice to reduce the risks from COVID-19. Launching targeted email campaigns, and updating relevant information on your practice website and 

convey your commitment to patient care and safety

 and encourage patients to follow through with their appointments.

When you provide your patients with the option to make payments in advance, it reduces the instances of no-shows and benefits your collections and accounts receivable. Get paid upfront instead of having to wait for 2-3 months. Paying cash in advance leads to 

. You can provide this option during patient checkout, especially when both you and your patient agree with the importance of scheduling the next appointment.

Offering upfront payment at this stage is apt, as the patient is likelier to take action and commit to their oral health. Another way to make it easy for them to pay is by providing an 

. Make sure that you inform your patient about your prepaid payment options. Market it through your campaigns, newsletters, and phone scripts.

Reminders are an effective way to reduce patient no-shows. Plan your 

and decide on a frequency that works best for your target clientele. Start off with a postcard, followed by email and text reminders. Add a phone reminder a few days before the scheduled appointment. Ensure that you cut down on reminders once you receive confirmation from your patients. Practice management software aids you to launch, coordinate and track your recall campaigns effectively.

reward patients who keep their appointments

. The reward initiatives can include discounts or gift cards. The benefits of such an approach are twofold. You encourage your patients to follow through on your appointments and 

convey how much you value their participation

. Moreover, curating such experiences helps you retain your customers.

Sometimes, patients simply forget an appointment. Send 

 that can include a “We missed you at the practice” message. Follow this up with a phone call to encourage them to reschedule immediately.

It is crucial that your patients know the impact of your treatments on their oral health. If your patients are not invested in the outcomes of your treatment plan, it is unlikely that they will uphold their commitments. 

 before every appointment. Remind them of the benefits of the procedure and the progress they’ve made so far. 

 of the scheduled appointment and ensure that they are fully onboard. A phone reminder before the appointment will help refresh what they already know about the 

Patients skip appointments because they owe your practice money or are worried the procedure will be too expensive. When this happens, it’s time to 

. It’s important that payments never come as a surprise to the patient. This causes anxiety in the patient, especially when they expect hidden expenses from each visit. When 

 and benefits are discussed upfront and agreed upon, patient no-shows due to financial concerns can be avoided. 

 allows you to effectively educate and communicate with your patients. Automating tasks like appointment reminders or confirmation/cancellation emails, filling last-minute openings, and sending online forms and other notifications to engage patients, practices can drastically cut revenue loss and staff workload while reducing patient no-shows and cancellations.

Eliminating No-Shows and Cancellations at Dental Office

For a dental practice, revenue cycle management is the equivalent of the body’s circulatory system and the heart of a practice’s financial success. The revenue cycle incorporates data capture, claims and denials management, and the collection of payments from both patient and insurance receivables. A healthy system works in concert with industry best practices and technical solutions to optimize efficiencies, identify “leaks” and improve operational workflows. As every practice is unique, it is difficult to prescribe a “one size fits all” approach. However, there are key performance indicators, which can and should be followed to measure practice performance. There are several potential KPIs which provide valuable insight into the collection’s performance and financial health of practice including, but not limited to: Collections percentage, Production growth, Aging accounts receivable, Days sales outstanding, Adjustments percentage, and Credit balances. 

Since 2011, the dental industry has experienced a steady and upward trend in aging receivables, with the majority of balances aged greater than 90 days. The good news is that CareStack offers a solution that combines modern technology, effective processes, and industry expertise to kick start the heart and breathe life back into the revenue cycle.

Revenue Cycle Playbook for Dental Professional

Revenue Cycle Playbook for Dental Professionals

From small, solo practices to large, multi-location clinics, these case studies demonstrate the versatility and value of CareStack in improving the patient experience and driving practice . 

In this webinar, Dr. Eric Roman provides valuable insights on helping your dental team build a positive work culture on how to connect with millennial employees and align them with your shared vision.

How to Engage Millennial Team Members

In this webinar, Dr. Etchison will share his tried and tested system for creating the kind of patient experience that will grow a practice organically through referrals. Learn about the importance of branding and touchpoints, how to create your script for your “play”, and how to use little strategies that get big results to generate 5-star reviews, referrals, and better case acceptance.

Systemize Your Patient Experience with Dr. Paul Etchison

Managing overdue payments can be a huge challenge for dental practices. Patients often require more than three statements before they pay their bills. So it’s important for dental providers to 

have an effective patient payment collection strategy

 to reduce bad debt and protect their practice’s financial well-being. An effective way to drive timely patient payments is to 

send reminders via automated text communications

, also known as an SMS payment, is a payment solution that allows consumers to pay via texting on their smartphones. With this payment method, you can 

 with a payment link and the option to respond to complete the transaction.

The practices will have their patient’s payment information on file, so they don’t have to worry about typing in their credit card information each time. 

This process creates a seamless experience

 for both your practice as well as for your patients.

Empower your patients to pay quickly with Text 2 Pay so that your dental practice will collect more and spend less time on collections.

How Dental Providers Use Automated Patient Communication to Drive Payments

There is a huge opportunity for dental providers to start incorporating 

 into their patient payment collection strategy.

The same automated technology dental providers use to send 

 can help practices connect with patients to pay their balance. It takes little effort to activate patient payments by sending a reminder text, helping practices 

Before appointments, send text messages that explain out-of-pocket costs.

Help patients understand what they will be required to pay for every dental or orthodontic service scheduled. The majority of 

patients say they usually don’t know the cost of a healthcare service

 until they receive the bill, but most Americans say they want to receive 

 to help them understand what is and is not covered by their insurance.

 during the payment process, send pre-appointment messages that give patients advance notice that insurance may only cover a portion of the service being provided. Doing so helps 

patients know their financial obligations before their appointment

 and that they should expect to receive an online or mailed bill following the visit. Before their scheduled appointment, send patients a text stating the date and time of the appointment, as well as a reminder to be prepared to pay their copay upon arrival. The message may also 

encourage patients to discuss payment concerns

 with their dentist during the appointment.

Send texts notifying patients of approaching payment due dates.

Using your practice management system, your staff can pull a list of patients who have an approaching payment due date and then schedule an automated text reminder for anyone whose payment has not yet been received.

These text messages alert patients to approaching payment due dates and provide instructions for making an immediate one-time payment to avoid being late. Whether you want to provide a call-back number or direct them to your patient portal, patient payment reminders can communicate payment instructions in every outbound text message.

Dental practices can send text messages with specific patient balance information and instructions for making a payment immediately.

Include links that allow patients to easily access your 

 or call the practice directly to make a payment or discuss 

Immediately engage patients with overdue accounts.

When patients don’t pay their bills on time—or at all—dental providers can experience cash flow problems and risks to their practice’s financial well-being. Automated text message communications are an easier and more effective way to encourage patients to make payments, helping dental practices collect more payments sooner, and reduce bad debt.

The major benefits of virtual payment systems are:

Research suggests that most Americans owning mobile phones accept text messages as one of the most convenient channels for customer communication. Delivering this convenience to the bill payment process can 

encourage on-time and hassle-free transactions

, bill-ready notifications are sent directly to the mobile number they have provided. From there, the customer can reply with a text to initiate a bill payment from the funding source they established in their account.

A confirmation is texted back to the device, and the transaction is complete. Eliminating the need to open a browser or log in to a user account means a 

Customers must sign up for Pay by Text and provide information, including their mobile numbers, communication preferences, and payment funding methods, to complete the enrollment process. In doing so, a personalized experience can be delivered to them.

For example, customers can select how many days in advance they want to receive bill-ready alerts. Also, allowing customers to select when, where, and how these interactions take place can deliver an experience custom-tailored to their needs and preferences.

 system. Because of the real-time flow of information, the practice with a digital platform can operate more efficiently with quick delivery of processes and a higher level of productivity.

For example, with practice management software and digital imaging, you can 

 among multiple team members. Updates made by one staff member can be immediately accessed, which can reduce redundant tasks. 

 and files can be instantly transferred to laboratories for a quick review in developing tooth replacements and dental apparatuses.

While the maximum capabilities of the digital office are still being explored, what is clear is that having the proper foundation in place is critical to ensuring the optimal functioning of the digital practice. These basics include dental chairs, dental furniture, integrated delivery systems, lights, and efficient sterilization systems, all in a clutter-free space that allows easy access and enhanced usability by staff members. When technology is implemented, you create 

a smooth environment where everything works together

 effortlessly to improve comfort for the patient and productivity for the practice.

While a technology-based practice can provide many benefits on the business side, it’s just as important to 

Before making a major investment in new equipment, consider whether the technology will improve the patient experience. Will it require less chair time and enable shorter appointments?

Technology can also bring flexibility to the office 

, helping doctors better accommodate their patients with extra hours.

With faster dental processes, it becomes much easier to squeeze in the patients who are available only during off-hours in the morning or evening or perhaps continue to meet the needs of existing patients while cutting back practice hours and creating more personal time for the doctor and staff.

Healthcare has long struggled to transform its patient experience into a consumer-friendly model. While trends like contactless payments and text-to-pay have been on the horizon even before the pandemic, we now know how important it is to adopt new ways that health systems can operate more efficiently.

Text 2 Pay Drive Patient Payments Securely With Automated Texts

Text 2 Pay: Drive Patient Payments Securely With Automated Texts

Retaining patients within your dental practice may not be going as well as you have expected in the middle of the drawn-out period of the economic downturn. The growth of your dental practice might depend on the number of new patients your practice acquires. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. 

Patients are cutting corners and spending less on everything

, including dental care, causing a direct decrease in patient flow. In this scenario, attracting new patients is quite difficult compared to getting your regular ones to attend your practice for treatment and other procedures. Therefore, an improved rate of 

patient retention is of utmost importance

 for the growth of your dental practice right now.

Even though an effective marketing strategy might bring patients to your dental practice, it would be useless if they leave as quickly as they come. Patient retention is a task that entails trust and ensures that the services offered by the practice are up to the mark. Thus stopping patient drain requires 

If you think your practice is undertaking its journey to retain patients and improve the practice revenue, here are some strategies inline post-pandemic.

In this ultra-digital age, carrying around books and papers is a hassle on its own. Making appointment letters, claim forms, and other billings digitally, ensure a safe and hassle-free method that is helpful to retain the safety of your patients, staff, and practice. Maintain a 

 so that they can check in for appointments and fill out intake information from the safety of their vehicles.

 can keep your patients more engaged with your practice without compromising safety. Through online scheduling, you can set your own office hours, which will allow patients to schedule their appointments by themselves. And then, you can consult patients face-to-face through high-quality video conferencing. Going virtual is a perfect way to 

It’s not enough that a patient books a slot, you should actively 

 till the visit and treatment are completed. At a time when patients’ safety is at stake, such engagement gives confidence to your patients, and they feel connected to your practice. And then, you could try to sign them up for regular hygiene check-ups at your practice.

. They will consider it a service rather than your marketing. Apart from reducing no-shows, it also 

Ensuring patient satisfaction with a smooth workflow

 is safe, smooth, and transparent, more customers tend to stay and revisit. Imagine a super busy entrepreneur making time for a speedy dental check-up even at this critical time only to be left to wait at the receptionist, then at the doctor’s, and unfortunately end up with an error in their treatment plan. It is very unlikely that this patient would return to your practice. 

 at the practice will be a huge relief and an appealing factor for the incoming patient. A proper 

 can ensure minimal waiting time for the patient and increased staff productivity.

Many patients claim they would pay more for a better and safe experience than an affordable one. 

Customized patient engagement by providing undivided attention

 rather than a number in a queue to see the dentist. When the patient reaches the doctor’s chairside, he/she must be given undivided attention and must be followed up from their last visit. An efficient 

 will ensure that the doctor is up-to-date with the patient’s history and make sure that double bookings don’t occur.

Communication is the essence of the doctor-patient relationship. The best way to 

 between the practice and patients is by using adequate 

 has a much higher response rate. Try and collect mobile number databases from your patients so that you can communicate with them regularly and 

 like birthdays and public holidays. Maintaining a good rapport with the patient will go a long way in 

 regularly can connect you directly with your patient base. However, most practices miss out on regularly staying in touch and actively promoting their social media presence in these troubled times.

It is a good idea to take the help of practice management systems that let you integrate with your social profile and allow you to respond to all your patients regularly. Ensure your practice management system supports 

2-way communication with various channels

 your patients can engage you on. This is where consumers determine whether a business is worth their time. And they’re basing their choices increasingly on engagement and 

. In fact, 70% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendations.

Enough emphasis can not be given to marketing. But it is one crucial element that should be continuous. Simple marketing methods like branded merchandise, contact cards, and online forums can draw patients to your practice. However, this alone is never sufficient to grow your practice. Your patients need to know that you are with them to navigate through these critical times. Set apart your branding methods; be empathetic. Make them feel that you are not exploiting their vulnerability rather than being with them, giving them the right care they wanted at this point in time. 

, and that would make sure that your patients retain their loyalty to the practice.

In the coming quarters, regular cash flow will be depended more on your existing patients than on a regular flow of new patients. At the same time, a passive strategy is not going to work. Take the proper action, communicate with your patients, and let them be confident enough not to delay the dental treatments, or to look for somewhere else that is more economical and safe.

Increasing Patient Retention In A Post-Pandemic Marketplace

 has been used by many dentists across the world to spread out the 

, reducing the oral health disparities between urban and rural communities.

Fast-forwarding to 2020, teledentistry has made the entire dental care delivery model more 

, along with lowering the overall cost of dentistry. Therefore, this ‘new normal’ brings a different facet to the industry through its multiple 

 that could become key driving factors for dental practices in the coming times.

 Teledentistry is the use of electronic information, imaging and communication technologies, including interactive audio, video, data communications as well as store and forward technologies, to provide and support dental care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of dental information and education. 

Teledentistry is, therefore, the combination of telecommunications and dentistry to initiate the 

 between patients and dentists for a dental consultation and treatment planning remotely.

Leveraging teledentistry in the right way can 

solve the rising concerns of patients and practices

With the outbreak of COVID-19, dentistry has realized the importance of 

addressing the disparities within the dental care system

, resolving the oral health gaps, and rising patient concerns.

. With patients getting increasingly concerned about being infected from unnecessary exposure and traveling to dental practices, consulting with a dentist from the comfort of their home has become desirable.

Teledentistry is a remarkable solution to this concern, 

 devoted to travel and the unnecessary exposure and hassle of sharing common waiting areas to meet dental needs.

Through this, dental practices can not only maintain their appointment volume but also decentralize their access to a broad target market. Because in the end, it’s not merely the number of new patients that matters, it’s the 

In this context, providing the desired patient experience and 

 immediately will keep them turning in more for their appointments.

In addition to the above benefits, the rise of 

 facilities at urgent care centers and hospitals ensures that patients receive 

, instead of being treated by an emergency room dentist.

How Dentists Leverage Teledentistry

, teledentistry has unlocked a broader, innovative landscape for patients and dental practices alike. With teledentistry, dentists are now able to:

Teledentistry helps dentists to keep their practice afloat in times of the pandemic by providing 

 and telehealth consultation can keep your patients engaged with your practice without compromising their safety. Convenient access to care boosts patient compliance with the treatment offered by your practice. Thus, teledentistry helps to 

 by eliminating the need for patients to take extra time off from their daily hustles to see their provider, only to sit in a crowded waiting room until their name is called.

evaluating each patient’s needs before their appointment

, utilizing the best of teledentistry, dentists can check in with patients who don’t need an in-person visit. Checkups and treatment follow-ups are thus easier for dentists, as they can remotely communicate with the patients. The patients can also send their dentist information on how they are progressing after the operation or treatment taken. Thereby 

dentists can then focus on providing treatment

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