But is early oral cancer detection beneficial to your practice? Dr. Emmott says yes.

Less that 2% of dentists use ViziLite or VELscope, which means, if you implement this new techology into your practice, it will set you apart. To the patient, you appear more technologically advanced, more concerned about total oral health and wellness, and more informed.

Dr. Emmott outlines profitability in his DPR article, and you will be astonished once you see the numbers. In addition  to potentially saving lives, which no monetary reward could compare to, there are true profits associated with ViziLite and VELscope exams. If you examine 1200 patients per year with either technology, profits exceed $50K .

Visit Dr. Emmott’s blog here.

Visit Dr. Emmott’s website here.

Visit VELscope online here.

Visit ViziLite online here.

Read the DPR article, “Screenings Make Dollars + Sense” here.

As for the Internet, it’s obviously here to stay! And as technology advances, more devices will be Internet-enabled. For instance, your phone, alarm clock, car, and even your dental supply cabinet might be linked to the Internet. In regards to synchronization, one current example is that you can watch TV on your cell phone (if you opt in to the service). Moving forward, you will begin to see this joining of technologies in the dental office.

Don’t be scared of these innovations! Embrace them! Dr. Emmott will continue to keep you informed on the latest and greatest state-of-the-art developments that affect you personally and professionally. If you need technology training for your dental team, or you want to put your practice on the path to digital everything, call Dr. Emmott to discuss consulting. He’s helped hundreds of dentists just like you move from dinosaurs to digital!

Join Dr. Larry Emmott, our DentalBlogs columnist and the nation’s top dental technology expert, on a three-day, high intensity continuing education vacation program. Each day, Dr. Emmott will lead a mountain biking group in the morning and a seminar in the afternoon.

At the detnal technology seminar, Dr. Emmott will give you the tools you need to make wise choices for your dental practice – choices that will save you time and thousands of dollars. Plus, you’ll learn in one of the West’s most beautiful places – Sedona, Arizona. For non bikers, Sedona offers fabulous shopping, tours of ancient cliff dwellings, and golf or jeep rides to explore the area’s natural splendor. Local bike rental is available, as well. Visit Emmott on Technology to learn more, or email Dr. Emmott at larryemmott@drlarryemmott.com.

Motivate: If your team is not on board with the change, your new venture is doomed. Prepare your team for the new technology before you bring it into the office. Explain how the time and money you invest in learning new systems now will pay off with big returns in the future. The office will run more smoothly, which means everyone’s job – as will practice growth – will be easier. Focus on how the changes will benefit the team members, then the patients, then the practice as a whole.

Educate: If you want to make the most of your new, innovative tools, prioritize training. Oftentimes a manufacturer will provide training either on site or at group classes. Online tutorials and guides may also be available, which make learning economical and easy. If you prefer a more one-on-one approach, consider hiring a technology consultant. Schedule time for your team members to learn how to use the new technology. On-the-job training is great, but some off-the-job training may also be necessary. Remember, you’re making a big financial investment. Don’t skimp on the training, but rather take full advantage of the technology you purchased!

Practice: Dr. Emmott says that frustration will pass as skills are developed. So, practice, practice, practice using those new systems. Don’t give up and revert to old ways just to save time today. In the long run, the new systems will be more efficient and effective. For more on this topic, visit EmmottOnTechnology.com.

• 1) USE – How to open the software, find a patient, and find procedures or appointments
• 2) CHARTING – How to enter treatment, create treatment plans, enter procedure notes, link to diagnostic aids
• 3) FINANCE – How to make an estimate, submit insurance claims, bill, and enter payments
• 4) SCHEDULING – How to create and locate appointments
• 5) COMMUNICATION – maintaining patient contact and insurance information; sending correspondence for insurance, recall, confirmations
• 6) ADMINISTRATION – compiling numbers, running reports, maintaining security

If you gain a comprehensive understanding of these six elements, your new software may be everything you hoped. Each person in your office should have a general understanding of the entire system and will also have special areas to master. For guidance on how to use your software, check into training options from the manufacturer, such as sending your team to classes or scheduling an in-office trainer, or hiring a technology consultant.

Dr. Larry Emmott is our resident dental technology guru. In addition to speaking and consulting, Dr. Emmott has authored a series of Technology Guides for dentists, available online, and he is a monthly columnist for Dental Products Report. See his blog here.

Dr. Larry Emmott

Video Surveillance
Here is an off the wall idea (or maybe it is a mounted on the wall idea) I got at CES. Video surveillance cameras have changed dramatically. They are now cheap and easy to set up with wireless technology. It is now cheap and easy to record months of activity off the cameras with digital recording and high capacity hard drives. These systems are designed to be used to record activity after hours or to be monitored by a security guard in a room somewhere. But we could use the same technology in a completely different manner. How about a camera in each treatment room focused on the chair. We could monitor who was in each room. If they were ready for treatment. How the staff was functioning. We would have liability protection from some types of claims. We could monitor the reception (waiting) room to see who arrived, when and what they were doing. In other words, now that this technology is inexpensive and easy to set up and use it could be used for a lot of things we would never have imagined. It doesn’t have to be used just to catch bad guys, it can be used and an everyday extension of our eyes to see what is happening in the office.

DisplayLink Monitors
I have long been a fan of multiple displays (monitors) when using computers in the dental office. It increases productivity everywhere it is used. Two in the treatment rooms, at least two up front and I have four at my desk. (I’m a geek.) Multiple monitors were never hard to set up but now it is even easier with new technology from DisplayLink. This product connects to standard USB connection to add on additional monitors. Visit DisplayLink online here.

Eye-Fi
Another sweet new tool from CES. With Eye-Fi you can take a digital photo and it will instantly download to the computer wirelessly. You don’t even have to take out the memory card and put it in a reader. It is only available for SD. Visit Eye-Fi online here.

Powermat
This could be the most revolutionary new technology at CES in 2009. The technology allows for a direct transfer of power without wires. The first product is a simple mat that can be used to charge all the mobile devices we use, such as phone, iPods, and even laptops. However, the really amazing idea is that this same energy transfer process could be used to replace power outlets in the walls or on counters. You would simply need to position an appliance over the induction source and the power would flow from the counter to the appliance. If the science is interesting, visit Powermat online here.

Intel Health Guide
This new use of technology does not have an immediate dental application but the concept will be very significant in the future. The product as it is now has some important but limited uses monitoring patients with certain chronic illnesses. However, the idea, which is that medical (dental) conditions can be monitored and dealt with using a remote system, smart software, and paraprofessional level providers has huge potential. A patient can receive care immediately with no drive to an office, no wait to see a doctor, no doctor time used unless it is required. The provider can review and help many, many more people each day. This is the kind of innovative technology that improves the patient experience and reduces costs. It can totally change an industry. Visit the Intel Health Guide website here.

Visit www.emmottontechnology to learn more about Dr. Emmott’s exciting new finds at the CES! Learn more about Dr. Larry Emmott here.