Everybody loves a shortcut . . .

One thing I love about Dentrix is that there are several ways to accomplish the same thing. What do I mean? Every Dentrix module has a toolbar at the top with icons (I know you might not be able to tell exactly what some of the icons are, but you eventually memorize them). For every icon, there is also a dropdown menu where you can find what you are looking for (just in case you prefer dropdown menus). If you’re a person who prefers “right clicking,” you can get the same dropdown menu in many places within Dentrix. Maybe you knew all of this … but did you know that there is a list of keyboard stroke shortcuts in Dentrix? Many people don’t know about this valuable time-saving “secret.”

Sometimes when I am training an office that is converting from a different software, they are comfortable using the keyboard and they get frustrated with Dentrix because it is so icon-driven. I usually send those offices the info sheet I have on using the keyboard strokes in Dentrix and they are happy once again. Seeing how happy these offices are with the shortcut info sheet, I wanted to share it with all of you just in case you like using the keyboard instead of icons.

In the Family File, Patient Chart, and Ledger modules, the following keyboard strokes work:

·         F1 – Help

·         F2 – Select Patient (in Appointment Book use SHIFT+F2)

In the Appointment Book, you can use the following:

·         F1, F2, F3, etc., switch between views you have setup on your workstation

·         SHIFT+F2 will select a patient

·         CTRL+W – changes to the Week View

·         CTRL+D – changes to the Day View

·         CTRL+U – with an appointment selected will open the Patient Picture

In the Office Manager:

·         F1 – Help

·         SPACEBAR – Selects and deselects highlighted items in the batch processor

·         SHIFT+END – Goes to the end of the print preview for multiple page documents – Yeah!!

In the Patient Chart (G2 or higher):

·         F1 – Help

·         F2 – Select Patient

·         F3 – Print Dental Chart

·         F5 – Refresh

Perio Chart

• "B" on the keyboard for bleeding
• "S" on the keyboard for Supperation (Pus)
• "M" on the keyboard for Mobility, then select the correct grade
• 0-4 using the keyboard
• "P" on the keyboard for Plaque, then select the correct grade
• 0 = None
• 1 = Light
• 2 = Moderate
• 3 = Heavy
• "L" on the keyboard for Bone Loss, then select the correct grade
• 0 = None
• 1 = Mild
• 2 = Moderate
• 3 = Severe
• "F" on the keyboard for Furcation, then select the correct grade
• 0 = No furcation involvement
• 1 = Probe root indentation
• 2 = Probe into furcation
• 3 = Through furcation - soft tissue
• 4 = Furcation open - void of soft tissue 
• 
  

Happy Keyboard Pecking!

Dayna Johnson, Certified Dentrix Trainer

Dayna loves her work. She has over 25 years of experience in the dental industry, and she’s passionate about building efficient, consistent, and secure practice management systems. Dayna knows that your entire day revolves around your practice management software—the better you learn to use it, the more productive and stress-free your office will be. In 2016, Dayna founded Novonee ™, The Premier Dentrix Community, to help cultivate Dentrix super-users all over the country. Learn more from Dayna at www.novonee.com and contact Dayna at dayna@novonee.com.

A lifeline to your patient info

Doctor, picture this scenario . . . You’ve just teed off on the second hole of your favorite golf course on a beautiful Saturday morning. Shortly after sending the ball 250 yards down the middle, you receive a phone call from the guy you opened up #31 on last week and he is now asking for a refill on his pain med. What would you do?

I don’t know about you, but most of the doctors I work with don’t keep an entire history of patient allergies, medications, or past appointments in the back of their minds that they can recall at any given moment. However, if you had your smartphone or iPad, you could get that information very easily and quickly, allowing you to phone in a refill for your ailing patient and get back to your golf game as soon as possible (and make a birdie after that nice drive). With the Dentrix Mobile app, you can log in and get the information you need to take care of your patient (who will be very grateful).

Providing optimal patient care and easily and quickly accessing patient information is what EHRs are all about. I was recently teaching a Dentrix seminar in Spokane and had a doctor sitting in the back of the room. At the break, he pulled me aside and asked me about Dentrix mobile. Since I have it on my phone, I was able to give him a little demo and show him how it could benefit him and his practice. It surprises me how many doctors don’t know about this amazing feature (and the best part . . . it costs you nothing extra if you are on a customer support plan)!

Dentrix mobile can also be a savior if your office has snow days or suffers from power outages (something to think about with winter weather approaching). You can log into your practice, see who is on your schedule, and let them know your office is not open and you will call them back when you return to the office. This prevents patients from braving the elements to make their appointment only to find out your practice is closed. Also, with the holidays right around the corner, many offices will be closed for vacations. Having that lifeline with Dentrix mobile can save you from having to go in to the office just to look up patient information. I know I would much rather spend my time with that turkey sandwich watching football than driving into the office to find out my patient’s prescription history and allergies.

For more information on Dentrix mobile, call (800) 734-5561 or click here to go straight to the Dentrix website.

Dayna Johnson, Certified Dentrix Trainer

Dayna loves her work. She has over 25 years of experience in the dental industry, and she’s passionate about building efficient, consistent, and secure practice management systems. Dayna knows that your entire day revolves around your practice management software—the better you learn to use it, the more productive and stress-free your office will be. In 2016, Dayna founded Novonee ™, The Premier Dentrix Community, to help cultivate Dentrix super-users all over the country. Learn more from Dayna at www.novonee.com and contact Dayna at dayna@novonee.com.

This Halloween help "Stop Zombie Mouth"

Quick ... which do you think your pediatric patients would choose ... a piece of candy or a free video game? The folks at Seattle's PopCap Games already know the answer, and they are ready to help your patients avoid "zombie mouth" as we draw ever closer to Halloween.
 

I recently had the chance to visit PopCap Games and hear first-hand about this great promotion. PopCap has teamed up with the American Dental Association to give out 1 million packs of "Plants vs. Zombies" trading cards, and each pack has a code for a free video game. Your dental office can be a part of the promotion, and it costs your practice nothing. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO. Just think how you could be "the coolest dental practice on the block" by giving your pediatric patients a free video game while not handing out another sticky, sugary treat to your customers.

If you are attending the ADA convention this week in San Francisco look for their booth and order your free kits for your office.  I ordered 4 boxes for my office and invited all kids to stop by and pick up their Halloween treat . . . no appointment necessary. 

Dayna Johnson, Certified Dentrix Trainer

Dayna loves her work. She has over 25 years of experience in the dental industry, and she’s passionate about building efficient, consistent, and secure practice management systems. Dayna knows that your entire day revolves around your practice management software—the better you learn to use it, the more productive and stress-free your office will be. In 2016, Dayna founded Novonee ™, The Premier Dentrix Community, to help cultivate Dentrix super-users all over the country. Learn more from Dayna at www.novonee.com and contact Dayna at dayna@novonee.com.

Fee Schedules - your questions answered

I have received the same questions from several different dental offices lately on the use of Fee Schedules so I thought I would put this video together to show you the answers to the questions I have received.  If you are looking for more detailed information on using fee schedules in your office, refer back to the blog I wrote "Fee Schedules - The Method of Choice for PPO Plans" or "Fee Schedules or Write Off's - that is the question".

 



CLICK HERE to check out the PPO Analyzer report for Dentrix

 

Dayna Johnson, Certified Dentrix Trainer

Dayna loves her work. She has over 25 years of experience in the dental industry, and she’s passionate about building efficient, consistent, and secure practice management systems. Dayna knows that your entire day revolves around your practice management software—the better you learn to use it, the more productive and stress-free your office will be. In 2016, Dayna founded Novonee ™, The Premier Dentrix Community, to help cultivate Dentrix super-users all over the country. Learn more from Dayna at www.novonee.com and contact Dayna at dayna@novonee.com.