86% of dentists have internet access to the front desk – DIAC 2012

Posted on May 15, 2012 by admin

If you have ever seen the Evident Dentist Gateway, your standard initial resistance to adopt the ability for dentists to look up their account info online, reprint statements, log cases and track case production will be “Of my dentists, who would use this function?”.

According to a piece of data from DIAC, 86% of dentists have internet access at the front desk of their practice. There are two assumptions with the resistance toward the Dentist Gateway. The first is that dentists are technologically illiterate and the second is that it’s the dentists that will be filing the online case submission or reviewing the dental practice account information with your lab.

Old generations of dentists retire and new tech savvy dentists graduate each year. It’s just as important to establish new relationships with new younger dentists as it is to maintain the relationships that have taken years of working together to establish. But dentists won’t be the one’s logging cases through your dentist gateway, the receptionist will be the elected ‘case submission specialist’. Dentists want to be at the chair earning money, that’s why they have receptionists and those people are highly proficient when it comes to technology – not that you need to be a computer specialist to log a case through the dentist gateway!

So for dental labs that believe that dentists will always be using hand written paper prescriptions and that their current client base will source the dental labs work until the end of time, Evident has features that can help with administration, organization and marketing. But for those labs that can see that their competition, dental lab associations, dental associations and other industries are integrating technology for incomparable ease of access for their clients – Evident dental lab software is ready to give you the tools yo need to promote your lab.

 

Posted in Cost cutting, Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab internet marketing, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Management Software, Dental Lab Marketing, Dental Lab Resources, Dental Lab Software, Dental Labs, Internet marketing, marketing: traditional vs internet | 1 Comment

Dental Lab Says No to an Offer to Outsource all of its Work to China – Press Release – Digital Journal

Posted on May 4, 2012 by admin

Dental Lab Says No to an Offer to Outsource all of its Work to China – Press Release – Digital Journal.

Posted in Cost cutting, Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion | Leave a comment

How to get Paid – Azar & Associates

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

How to get Paid – Azar & Associates.

This is a fantastic article from Nick Azar outlining some of the techniques and habits that can reduce your bad debt. Just as a summary, here are the sub-headings to give you an idea of the topics covered:

- The need to focus on your collection

- The need to pay attention to individual accounts

- Itemized Billings

- Cash Discounts

- Personal Contacts

- Telephone Contacts

- Standardized Collection Letters

- When to get Tough

- Credit Insurance

- Our Perspective (Summary)

Each section goes over real applicable examples of how to approach owing accounts. This is only one example of the valuable information provided by Azar & Associates.

But it wouldn’t be a Dental Lab Industry Blog post if I didn’t offer a new way of making a process in the lab easier with technology.

Evident dental laboratory management software has dental labs offering a web case submission process called the Dentist Gateway, just recently Evident has also added the ability for dentists to pay for cases with their credit card through the Evident payment portal. Now it is as easy as buying a book online for your dentists to purchase work from your dental lab.

This is just one way that Evident has streamlined the administrative process for dental labs. Now you may say, I already have credit card processing, what is so good about the Evident payment portal? The Evident payment portal can process all your credit card transactions with the click of a button! Saving hours of repetitive administration/accounting work saving the dental lab money and time and making it easier on the dentist to speed up the purchasing process. All synced with your accounts receivable in the Evident management system.

Interested? I recommend you call Evident to ask them how much money and time they can save you with the Evident payment portal! Evident – 877 909 7770

 

Posted in Cost cutting, Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Management Software, Dental Lab Resources, Dental Lab Software, Dental Labs | Leave a comment

The Art Of Getting People To Show Up | JDT Unbound

Posted on March 27, 2012 by admin

The Art Of Getting People To Show Up | JDT Unbound.

I know it has been a while since I reported on an article. Due to the schedule of trade show meetings and product releases in Australia I have let the blog priority fall a bit.

I thought I would start off the next wave of blog articles on this article in JDT by Marsha Egan. It is true that 10 – 15 years ago it was easier to schedule meeting times with a group and they would attend. So what has changed? The demands on our time, the way we communicate, our attention spans? Whatever the reason, there are ways of appealing to dentists to attend your educational lectures on the new techniques and products you are offering.

I have seen dental labs fashion rooms within their dental lab especially for dentist seminars. Wine and cheese seem to be synonymous with these sort of events. Some dental labs really go that extra mile and get a specialty chef in to cook and interact with everyone.

Now if I were a dental lab owner/manager and read that last paragraph I would think I had lost sight of the monetary costs of setting up such a seminar. Not only that but if the seminar does turn into a 4-5 star experience, imagine how much it will cost if the dentists tell other dentists and the seminar grows in popularity. How terrible if a one off cost turned into repeat business and better relations with your dentists…. oh wait. Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.

I’m not saying take out a loan for your educational seminars and product launches, but if you ask the question “Would I want to go to my seminar?” and the answer is maybe instead of an enthusiastic “Heck yeah!”. You know you have some work to do.

What about the people that can’t physically make it? Technology has the ability to bridge the geographical gap. Webinars, podcasts, youtube videos can all mean dentists can attend or replay seminars. You might go another step and release your seminars on the web only, attracting the waves of tech savvy new dentists.

Whatever your solution, make it fun and enjoy yourself. When you stand behind your product/service and your enjoying providing that product/service you create relationships with your customers that will go beyond a business to business relationship.

What have you done to attract dentists to your seminars?

Posted in Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab internet marketing, Dental Lab Marketing, Dental Labs | Comments Off

Dental lab registration: what does it mean? – American Dental Association – ADA.org

Posted on March 14, 2012 by admin

Dental lab registration: what does it mean? – American Dental Association – ADA.org.

Article from the ADA on why dental labs register and the reasons behind the pending legislation to encourage domestic dental laboratories to register with the FDA.

What do you think? Should dental laboratories need to register with the FDA?

Posted in Compliance, Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion | 1 Comment

The fall and rise of dental technology – DentistryIQ

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

The fall and rise of dental technology – DentistryIQ.

Here is an interesting article. The second piece of doom and gloom to cross my desk this week. To summarize, Steven Pigliacelli, CDT, MDT from Marotta Dental Studio is talking about the transitions in the dental lab industry. The reduction in dental technicians, outsourcing to other countries and the approach to cases that have less quality due to mass manufacturing.

The solution Steven gave us is dental technicians with better education driven by industry standards and working closer with dentists to build relationships and combine competencies to provide the patient with the best result.

I couldn’t agree more. Getting someone else to do your work will always result in you being weaker for it. Creating dependencies results in you becoming a slave rather than a contributor.

Also remember that there is a positive to what is being said in this article. If you reduce the number of suppliers but still have the same demand, what happens? Demand is increased on the remaining suppliers. Dental laboratories should be gearing up for the big game. Consider this period (say 2012-2013 ) as time for you to get everything in order. Your competition has been reduced and the industry is about to peak due to the baby boomers coming ‘of age’ for restorative work. An independent study has forecast the North American dental lab industry to be worth over 14 billion dollars in 2015. So get ready people, we’re about to get busy!

If you are looking for info on ways to improve your laboratory please view the resources we have under the ‘Dental Lab & Technician Resource’ menu. If you require a management system that can integrate the latest technology with your everyday activities then check out Evident dental laboratory management software, the demos are obligation free and it’s quickly growing in popularity.

Don’t sit there fretting about what is happening now. Make the changes you need to make to improve your business for the future. You’re not alone and there are a great deal of people in the industry that will help.

If you have anything to contribute, tell us how you are preparing your business, difficulties you’ve faced or anything you feel is relevant, please leave a comment below.

Posted in Cost cutting, Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Management Software, Dental Labs, Dental Technicians | Comments Off

How Do I Get New Clients? | JDT Unbound

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

How Do I Get New Clients? | JDT Unbound.

This is really interesting, and great value for small to medium labs. Can you imagine if a large size lab did this strategy? Would cost a bit, but the loyalty would be astronomical.

I encourage you to take a look at the strategy from Dena Lanier. The whole time I was reading this article I picture all these happy people slowly growing more and more rapport as the visits continued and building business relationships that make running a business that much more rewarding.

 

Dena Lanier

 

It is very important for you to call Dena if you are planning to use this approach so they can give you the details on how this works. Call Dena Lanier at (800) 239-3947 .

Posted in Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Marketing, Dental Lab Resources, Dental Labs | Comments Off

Evident Dental Laboratory Management Software to Exhibit at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2012

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

February 24th and 25th, 2012 LMT Magazine is hosting its annual LMT Lab Day Chicago meeting, a dental laboratory trade show that attracts exhibitors and participants from around the globe. LMT Lab Day Chicago is the largest dental laboratory trade show in North America. Boasting over 3000 attendees and over 180 suppliers, it is referred to as the industry’s most prestigious event of the year. On Friday, February 24, clinics run from 8 am to 8 pm while the exhibit hall is open from 2 pm to 6 pm. On Saturday, February 25, there are clinics from 7:30 am to 5:45 pm; the exhibit hall is open from 8 am to 5 pm.

A new registration system for the trade show is being tested through LMT’s new social network – the bridge. Integrated into the LMT site, electronic registration is expected to streamline the registration process and integrate all of the attendee and exhibitor details. while connecting the participants before, during and after the trade show. This is another example of how the dental lab industry is moving, as a whole, into the technological age and starting to adopt cloud level technologies like social networking and management systems like Evident.

For exhibitors, the LMT Lab Day Chicago is an opportunity to see old friends and connect with lab staff, dentists, and all manner or participants in the North American and international dental laboratory industry. Attendees share their curiosity and enthusiasm with exhibitors as they discover what’s new and where to find it. Evident dental laboratory management software can be found at booth #219, so come down to the booth, say hello, and see the dental laboratory management system that is revolutionizing the North American dental laboratory industry.

Evident dental lab management software has been in the North American market for almost 3 years and has piqued the interest of a great many dental laboratory owners and managers. Its growing popularity has placed Evident at #1 on a Google search for dental lab management software. Friendly, pro-active support, powerful features and input from customers who help to direct the development of the software has placed Evident in a strategic position to deliver exactly what labs need and want. As the dental lab industry is adopting new technologies, Evident is already leading the way in managing the dental lab from the cloud.

Dental Laboratory Management Software

 

Posted in Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Software, Dental Labs | Comments Off

8 Easy Ways to Make Your Customers Adore You | LinkedIn

Posted on February 2, 2012 by admin

8 Easy Ways to Make Your Customers Adore You | LinkedIn.

This article should be called “How the dental lab industry works”. Every point in the article can be directly related to how we interact with the dentist to provide the best product/service to the patient, making us all look good. These points were so important I thought I’d include them on the post instead of have you navigate to them:

1. Have a sales philosophy that emphasizes relationship building.

2. Define a unique niche and become the customer’s expert on it.

3. Help the customer build the customer’s own business.

4. Translate what you offer into the customer’s business results.

5. Value the relationship more than making your quota.

6. Think end-of-time friendships, not end-of-month totals.

7. Achieve a perfect job of delivering what you’ve promised.

8. Provide absolutely impeccable service after the sale.

If that isn’t exactly what every lab should be doing then please tell us what you think should be added below.

Coincidentally, the features in Evident dental laboratory software are all targeted to help you provide these 8 points to your dentists. If you’d like to know what those features are and how you can have them in your lab, book a demo today!

Posted in Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab Management, Dental Lab Management Software, Dental Lab Resources | Comments Off

Culture Eats Strategy For Lunch | LinkedIn

Posted on February 2, 2012 by admin

Culture Eats Strategy For Lunch | LinkedIn.

Interesting article on the benefits of a good culture and  how a poor culture reflects on the balance sheet.

Are you and your employees happy and driven coming into the lab? If not, this article could help out. Click the link above to navigate to the article.

Posted in Dental Lab Blog, Dental Lab Discussion, Dental Lab Resources | Comments Off