With this quick video, you'll learn how to use Google Spreadsheets and Typeform to get your dental budget and ordering under control: [embedpress]https://www.loom.com/embed/67e5327e35b949a6969b95a0a9c9f2a0[/embedpress] Step 1: Gather all vendors in one place. Start with gathering all vendors in one place. This is probably the most daunting and the most important step. You need to know everyone you are buying from and have the information at your fingertips. We recommend using this template (download here, or make a copy and add to your google drive). When you add all the information, please check for accuracy, most importantly usernames and passwords, make sure it’s accurate. I also recommend using Keeper for password protection. A lot of offices write down passwords into the spreadsheet and share with their team. Then if you need to let the person go, you are probably not going to reset all passwords which is an opportunity for someone to use your credentials for something not good. Save yourself time and headaches and get a password manager. Using the template you can add all the vendors and skip username/password if you decide to use the Keeper for password management. You will notice the first tab is “Vendors” and we reckoned using the columns to fill out all that you can: 1.“Account Numbers'' - most vendors will have your Customer Number, if not a big deal, as long as you have a username to log in. 2. Shipping Terms - you can find this information in your invoice or call your sales rep. a) Min order amount for free shipping; b) Shipping cost, Fuel Cost, Handling Cost. With some vendors shipping is free, but then there is a fuel charge of $15.99. Please ask and add it all into a spreadsheet. 3. How to Order - online is the best way to order supplies, add to card and be done. However, some vendors do not have a robust or easy-to-use site, so quite often you will need to call the right person. And finding the right person is key. With Top 4 suppliers, it’s easy, you have a sales rep that would love to talk to you. But when it comes to specialty products, ortho, implants, bone graft or membrane, or my favorite, sutures, you need a person to call that can answer even the most difficult question within minutes. So once you get a person like that, please add to the “How to Order section.” Step 2: Enter orders with TypeForm This is where TypeForm becomes very handy, simple to set up, and a tool that gives you access from any phone. You can even send the link to TypeForm to your sales rep to fill out the order information if they place orders on your behalf (even though I don’t recommend doing this). Go to their website, create a account, and click “Create Typeform''. Here are the steps and how to create a form: 1. Start from Scratch 2. Give it a Name “Ordering Form” 3. Fill out the questions: a) Starting with 1st Question “Date Purchased” and the Type select “Date” b) Next Question is to type “Vendor Name” and choose Dropdown. Then enter the list of vendors from your spreadsheet from the tab “Vendors”, just the names. You can literally copy-paste to Typeform to save yourself time. c) Next Question - Order Total - Short Text d) Next Question - Order Sales Tax - Short Text e) Next Question - Order Shipping Charge- Short Text f) Next Question - What did you Order - select Long Text g) Next Question - Expected Delivery - Select Date in the “Type” h) This is my favorite - Create a question “Type of Expense “, choose “Dropdown” in the type and copy-paste the following categories i. Dental Supplies ii. Lab Supplies ( Ex: Stone material, Aligners, Vacuform, Cerec) iii. Office Supplies iv. ReSale v. Marketing vi. Parts & Equipment vii. Service i) Last Question - Who Ordered - also drop-down so it’s easy to track who placed the orders. If you plan to share this with your rep (or multiple reps) please include their name in the drop-down so they can identify themselves when placing orders on your behalf. 4. Publish the Typeform and Download the QR code. Also, send yourself a link to this form so you can access it from your phone. 5. 6. Last step is to connect Typeform with your Ordering spreadsheet. Select the button Connect - all the way at the top and choose “Google Sheet” Option. 7. Follow the steps (most likely you will need to copy the link to your spreadsheet and paste it in the Typeform). Now you have connected Typeform to Google Sheets. Why did we do it this way? I’m sure there are ways of getting information to Google where you do not need to use TypeForm, but I find it very easy to use and reliable. Now with a link or QR code, I can add any order into a main spreadsheet or have my team do it. With the link or QR code, after you scan or click on the link, you can save a webpage to your homepage on the phone so it’s easy to find on an ongoing basis. Step 3 Balancing the Budget Now all of your transactions are in one place with proper labels. Dental supplies are properly tracked and are not mixed together with service/ parts or CEREC blocks. Now we need to add the totals for Supplies expenses into the Monthly Spreadsheet that calculates Monthly Budget and how much is left. I recommended using 3 Month Average for Collections and multiplying by 4% to get your real monthly budget. Then add the date and amount for each vendor each time you place an order, total only. But make sure this total is what reflects on the credit card statement. There are times when you order 50 items and the supplier could ship all 50 items in 2-3 shipments, meaning 2-3 tracking numbers and separate invoices for each shipment. You need to then track it starting the PO Number, please refer to the example below, where one PO contains 3 invoices and 3 separate charges on the credit card. Once you add it all up, the spreadsheet tells you how much is left for the month. We recommend that you always look at how much is left before placing any order. We’ve seen offices get below 5 or even 4% on supplies by simply cutting out of the order items that can be purchased next month and are not urgent at all. This will take 40-60 min at the most and save you at least a couple of thousand dollars. If you need help with any of the above steps, please reach out and I’ll be happy to help. We are exploring other ways to incorporate type form to optimize back-office operations and make things easier. For example, we are testing Spore test automation and the ability to track other Infection Control related issues in one place. Tiger Safarov Book the time with me here Google Sheet Template
There are thousands, maybe even millions of container options to choose from as a part of dental supply inventory management. When it comes to organizing in the dental office, it’s a little bit different from organizing your kitchen pantry. In this article we will help provide you with research and information on which dental carts may be the best for your office space. What to look for and keep in mind when shopping for containers to make it easier on you and less time consuming. One of the first things you will want to look for is the mobility of the cart itself. You will want something that is easy to move around from room to room. This cart or container should be able to be positioned close to the dental chair to be easily accessible during the entire procedure. For example, look for a cart with wheels that can lock to keep in place when needed, but easy to move around once it’s needed someplace else. You will also want to look for multiple tiers and enclosed bins so aerosols are unable to reach the items and supplies you have in your cart. We recommend something like the infinity 4-drawer rolling cart for this. Recommended use for dental carts like the example given can be for root canals or crown preparation appointments. https://www.containerstore.com/s/infinity-4_drawer-rolling-cart/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11011129 Next is to consider the size of the dental cart or container and whether it will fit properly in the space available in your operatory or lab space. You'll want to make sure that it's not too bulky or too small for the supplies or small equipment that will occupy the space. Every office will be different in this category as each room, lab, and reception are different sizes everywhere you go. When looking for the size of your container, take note of everything that will need to go inside of it, this way you don’t run into ordering something too big or too small and have to go through an exchange process. Here we can provide you with two examples of similar carts, but at a different size and price to compare with that you are looking for. If you need something of larger capacity we recommend the Elfa mesh kitchen cart in a dark color. https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-white-mesh-kitchen-cart/d?q=large%20dental%20cart%20on%20wheels&productId=10014854 If you are interested in something of a smaller capacity, we recommend the Sterilite 3-drawer chest with wheels. https://www.containerstore.com/s/sterilite-3_drawer-chest-with-wheels/d?q=small%20skinny%20cart%20on%20wheels%20&productId=11010361 When purchasing the right organization carts that will work within your office, consider the ergonomic design of the dental cart, such as the height of the work surface and the positioning of the drawers and shelves. Will it be easy to reach for something during a procedure should you need it? Will you have to dig around to look for what you need or will it be properly placed in a specific spot that it returns to each time you are done with said supply or item? This may take some trial and error, and that’s okay, you will eventually get to a place where you find the perfect cart that fits all of your needs. If you are able to have one of these containers or carts stay in the room, we would recommend a few clear drawers where you can easily see what’s inside before reaching in, and also able to easily disinfect the outside of it. Here is an option that may work for you. The Luxe 3-Drawer Acrylic Accessory Box is a great option for small items such as burs, anesthetic, and small restorative supplies like bond and micro brushes. https://www.containerstore.com/s/3_drawer-premium-acrylic-accessory-box/d?q=clear%20drawer%20organizer&productId=11003653 Features and Material Look for additional features that may be useful, such as built-in power outlets, adjustable lighting, and easy-to-clean surfaces. Look for a dental cart that has sufficient storage space for the instruments and materials that you need during procedures. It should also have compartments for storing sterile and non-sterile items separately. Dental carts can be made of different materials, such as plastic, metal, or wood. Consider the durability, ease of cleaning, and aesthetics of the material. Check and see which ones are OSHA compliant and fall into a category that will work for the dental office should you see one you think will work best for you. Let’s say you wanted something that was open and easy to get to, make sure that this cart does not enter a room where aerosols will be present. One we recommend would be the 3-tier rolling cart. https://www.containerstore.com/s/3_tier-rolling-cart/d?q=dental%20carts&productId=11018298 Consider the cost of the dental cart and whether it fits within your budget. It's important to balance cost with quality and functionality to ensure that you get the best value for your money. Whether your budget is $50.00 or $500.00, the container store will have what you are looking for when it comes to staying organized and being durable enough. The wide variety of options and price range really set this site apart from the rest. We guarantee you can find what you are looking for within your price point. Here you will find a final few options at different prices for you to choose from and compare as needed. Option 1- https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-mesh-rolling-cart-with-drawers/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11018972 Option 2- https://www.containerstore.com/s/clear-3_tier-rolling-cart-reversible-organizer-lid/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11011322 Option 3- https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-mesh-laundry-sorter/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11019544 In conclusion, you will want to take all of these tips into consideration when purchasing an organization for your dental office. What works best for you, may not work for someone else. That’s why there are so many options to choose from! Hopefully, with the examples we provided for you, you can make these purchases with ease and find the right one for you. Mobility- https://www.containerstore.com/s/infinity-4_drawer-rolling-cart/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11011129 Size- bigger cart: https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-white-mesh-kitchen-cart/d?q=large%20dental%20cart%20on%20wheels&productId=10014854 Smaller cart: https://www.containerstore.com/s/sterilite-3_drawer-chest-with-wheels/d?q=small%20skinny%20cart%20on%20wheels%20&productId=11010361 Ergonomics- https://www.containerstore.com/s/3_drawer-premium-acrylic-accessory-box/d?q=clear%20drawer%20organizer&productId=11003653 Features and Material- https://www.containerstore.com/s/3_tier-rolling-cart/d?q=dental%20carts&productId=11018298 Cost- https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-mesh-rolling-cart-with-drawers/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11018972 https://www.containerstore.com/s/clear-3_tier-rolling-cart-reversible-organizer-lid/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11011322 https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-mesh-laundry-sorter/d?q=dental%20cart&productId=11019544
Dental events can be slightly different from the next. You can make an educated guess on how the event may play out from experience, but once you’re there everyone has their own way of how the schedule will run. Here is everything you need to know about what to expect, what took place, and maybe get ideas of your own if you host these kinds of dental events. Place of the event This specific dental event we attended took place in Durham, North Carolina. It was held at the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club. Lightwave Dental put on and organized a great event for their members and vendors. They ensured we had a large space with comfortable seating to converse with others during the time we were there. There were name tags on lanyards provided with the full weekends schedule posted on the back. Big win right there! When there were breaks that allowed offices to come and speak with us, there was a good amount of time to do so. This way no one felt rushed and we were able to really get to know each person coming up to our table. Raffle as an important part of dental events Lightwave made talking with us vendors fun by including a raffle into their weekend where members who attended could win some really great prizes. We got to hand out tons of tickets to people who participated in some friendly competition. One of the vendors present stood out to us. Her name is Celeste Izquierdo. She is a multimedia artist with outstanding paintings. She even created the design for the T-shirts that were up for sale at the event. If you have the chance to take a look at her work, you certainly won't be disappointed. We gave away a green Yeti cooler, and everyone seemed stoked to enter in to win. It was a great way to kick start conversation and introduce everyone to each other around the table. Our winner at the end of the weekend is from Pleasant Plains Dental. Kayla is a lead Hygienist for this office and was extremely excited to win this cooler for the summer! It was great to be a part of such a big dental event with so many in attendance. From the kind faces we met during the day to seeing the band play in the evening, it made the experience unforgettable. Overall, the dental event was extremely successful. We got to connect with people you may only see through a camera or screen, or meet new faces that were interested to learn more about what ZenSupplies has to offer. We look forward to partaking in more of these events in the near future! Links https://www.lightwavedental.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7060327296305434625/?actorCompanyId=15261567
Selecting appropriate surface disinfectants for equipment and other surfaces in the dental treatment room can be confusing. Practices frequently receive marketing information about new products, existing products with new features, as well as product recommendations for the use of “natural” disinfectants from internet sources. This article will examine the agencies that determine the efficacy of disinfectants and why those regulations must be followed. It will also discuss recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for products appropriate for dental settings, and other characteristics to consider when selecting the product(s) that are used in a dental practice. Regulatory Framework: It is important to know what to use for disinfecting surfaces and equipment, but even more important is why is that product acceptable. The overall authority for approval of chemical germicides comes from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Under this set of rules any substance or mixture of substances indented to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest (including microorganisms but excluding those in or on living humans or animals) must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before sale or distribution. Specific data about the safety and effectiveness of each product must be submitted to the EPA in order to obtain a registration. Prior to submitting the data to the EPA, manufacturers must test their formulations for activity, stability, and toxicity to animals and humans, along with proposed labeling for the products. Once the EPA concludes that the data shows that the product can be used without causing “unreasonable adverse effects”, the product and its labeling are registered with the EPA and manufacturers can sell and distribute their product(s) within the U.S. The EPA labeling must also include “directions for use”, such as any dilution needed, contact time for specific microorganisms, method of application (spray or wipe) and other information that may be conditions for misuse of the product., Although not as commonly used currently, liquid chemical sterilants (cold sterile solutions), now referred to as high level disinfectants (HLDs) used for medical and dental devices, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, OSHA requires the use of EPA-registered disinfectants. This requirement is for the use of a tuberculocidal disinfectant, to ensure that not only hepatitis B and HIV will be controlled, but other microorganisms more resistant microorganisms as well. More about this later… The CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health Care Settings – 2003 state that “when the item is visibly contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), and EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with a tuberculocidal claim (i.e., intermediate-level disinfectant) should be used. Some confusion occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the EPA was advising healthcare facilities to use a disinfectant that was proven to kill the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) virus. If a product was registered with the EPA and proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 (emerging pathogens), but did not include a label claim as tuberculocidal, dental practices did not meet the OSHA requirements or CDC recommendations. How do dental teams know if their products are tuberculocidal or capable of killing COVID-19? The answer is in the EPA’s listing of registered disinfectants. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/selected-epa-registered-disinfectants . The products that are registered with the EPA for claims against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) are included on list B: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-b-antimicrobial-products-registered-epa-claims-against-mycobacterium . Products that are registered with the EPA for claims against SARS-CoV-2 are included on list N: https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/about-list-n-disinfectants-coronavirus-covid-19-0 . Tuberculocidal products with the label claim against SARS-CoV-2 will be included on both lists. Again, to be OSHA compliant and follow CDC guidelines, a product must be included on list B. Reading the product label can also be helpful in making the determination about whether the product is acceptable for use in a dental practice. If the product is registered as tuberculocidal, it will be listed on the label. Many dental professionals were concerned about using a product that did not claim to kill COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic. Because SARS-CoV-2 was then an emerging pathogen, product manufacturers were required to submit testing and other documentation to the EPA in order to make this claim. Some manufacturers were very quick to do this, and others took longer. The manufacturers of some products that were approved to make this claim in some cases led dental professionals to believe that the products that that were currently using were unacceptable. The reality was that the current products, registered as tuberculocidal capable of killing COVID-19, since they have been proven to kill tb, which is much more difficult to kill than SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are not highly resistant to antimicrobials or disinfectants but tb bacteria are. In dentistry, we use the tuberculocidal kill claim as the benchmark for the efficacy of disinfectants against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. Narrowing the selection of appropriate surface disinfectants: Armed with the knowledge of what category of product(s) to use to meet regulatory requirements, dental professionals then need to determine a number of other characteristics to select the disinfectant that best meets the needs of their practice. Contact time: Contact time is defined as the length of time that a surface needs to stay wet with the disinfectant to kill the microorganisms. This will vary by product and some products may list several contact times that are required for specific microorganisms. For example, a 1- minute contact time may be required for HIV or SARS-CoV-2, while a 3- minute contact time may be required for tb. Which contact time to use? Always use the contact time for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Obviously shorter contact times are desired for efficiency, but users must always check the label and/or product instructions for use to determine the tuberculocidal contact time. Again, this is not because of the prevalence of tb bacteria, but has to do the ability of a tuberculocidal disinfectant to kill more types of microorganisms and more resistant microorganisms. Product Delivery and Application System: Disinfectants come in several forms, the most common being a spray formula in a spray bottle. These products are applied to surfaces or equipment using a spray-wipe-spray technique. This means that the surface is applied by spraying and then wiping the surface with a paper towel or gauze (3x3” or 4x4”). Once cleaned, the surface is sprayed again to re-wet the surface and allowed to sit for the required contact time. Pre-saturated, disinfectant wipes are becoming more popular in dental practices because of the convenience and safety. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the CDC; and OSHA have published information regarding the use of spray cleaners and disinfectants and the incidence of asthma among health care workers. iv In addition, several states, including MA have developed educational materials regarding spraying of cleaning/disinfecting products at work. In addition, the CDC advises against pouring disinfecting solutions over gauze in a container to pre-wet them for use, which is described by the EPA as an “off label use” of the product. This practice can inactivate the active ingredients in the disinfectant, rendering it ineffective. Compatibility with materials and equipment when selecting appropriate surface disinfectants: An important consideration in selecting appropriate surface disinfectants after making sure it meets the effectiveness criteria, is whether the product will be compatible with the surfaces and equipment that the product will be utilized on in the practice. Many products contain varying levels of alcohol, which can produce drying on some treatment room surfaces. This is especially true of chair and stool upholstery. Always check the equipment manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfecting. Most manufacturers make specific recommendations regarding the disinfectant formula or brand. Other equipment, such as bracket trays, x-ray heads, and other plastics or metals will also list recommendations for the use of disinfectants or covering with barriers to avoid contamination. Some dental teams find that some disinfectants stain or leave a film build-up on surfaces, and others cite the strong scent of the product as negative characteristics. When switching from one disinfectant product to another, always clean all surfaces with warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well) prior to using the new product. This will prevent staining and odors from mixing of different chemicals in the products. The EPA states that disinfectants of two different types should not be mixed together – as some dental professionals believe that it enhances effectiveness. This can create a chemical hazard for the users. Also keep in mind that even though a product may come in a spray and a wipe form, the chemistries for those two like-branded products are actually different and should not be mixed on the same surfaces. For example, some dental professionals use a wipe for cleaning surfaces and then use a spray for the disinfecting process. This is not recommended by the EPA or the product manufacturers. Another issue that dental teams contend with is the cost of the disinfecting products that they purchase. In some cases, it may save some money to utilize one of the house brands while selecting appropriate surface disinfectants. In some cases, the product may actually be a brand name product that has been privately labeled for the distributor. One can determine if the products are the same by the EPA registration number on the product label. The Bottom Line: Selecting appropriate surface disinfectants is an important component of a practice’s infection prevention and control program. Always consult the product manufacturer’s instructions for use and read the product label to determine whether the product is suitable for consideration for use in your practice. 1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – The Regulatory Framework for Disinfectants and Sterilants (2008), 2) Environmental Protection Agency – Pesticide Registration Manual Accessed 4/14/2023. 3) OSHA Standard Interpretations, September 4, 1996. Accessed 4/14/2023. 4) OSHA and NIOSH Infosheet – Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals - Accessed 4/14/2023 5) MA Dept. of Public Health Occupational Health Surveillance Program https://www.mass.gov/doc/asthma-and-cleaning-products-at-work-english-0/download Accessed 4/14/2023. 6) Occupational Health Branch CA Dept. of Public Health – Cleaning Products and Work-Related Asthma Accessed 4/14/2023. 7) CDC Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008) Updated (2020
Have you ever been getting ready for the workday, or even on the way to work when you get a message that the Doctor will be out of the office at the last minute for a certain reason or another. Maybe you already clocked in for the day and are wondering what to do now? Well, a lot of people don’t have the luxury of just taking the day off. Sometimes just because the Doctor is out of the office, doesn’t mean you can have the day off anyways. This all depends on how busy the office is, what the manager has in mind, what hours you are needing to work, common dental assistant duties, etc. With all of these factors in play, for whatever reason, here is a list of ten things you can do around the office to help make the day go by quicker! 1. Deep cleaning Unless your office has a hired cleaning crew, cleaning the office space is one of the dental assistant duties. It can be office members taking turns, going off of a checklist, designated space to certain people to clean, etc. However your office does it, this is one of the top ways to take advantage of downtime. When you’re working in a very busy dental office, there typically is limited time for cleaning bathrooms, reception area, dusting, scrubbing, the list goes on. Tackling these projects in downtime will keep your office patient friendly, and OSHA compliant as well. You can also keep better track of your dental inventory system by getting rid of expired supplies or items you no longer need in the office. 2. Organizing Who doesn’t love to be organized? It makes the day flow a lot easier, so take advantage of the downtime by organizing your space! Using this time to go through everything and label cabinets, put things in their rightful place again, get rid of old models, cases that are no longer needed, etc. will give you more space for other equipment, make you time efficient, and allow you to feel stress free when looking for something during those busy days. It will also ensure you have everything needed in your inventory. Tiger Safarov, owner of ZenSupplies writes: "The organization of your dental supplies is the key to being able to utilize the software to its true potential": https://www.zensupplies.com/blog/dental-inventory-management-in-a-private-startup-dental-practice-guest-post/. 3. Help your Hygienists In most cases, Hygienists are busy bees with hardly ever any downtime. If you are wondering what to do after your dental assistant duties are completed, they greatly appreciate any help you can provide! For example, you can help them by taking x-rays for their patients, help them perio chart patients, keep up on the sterilization, and help clean and flip their rooms for the next patient. These tasks may seem simple or small, but in the grand scheme of things, it helps them out more than you know. So next time you aren’t sure what to do in downtime don’t hesitate to lend a helping hand to your hygienist(s). 4. Help front office Most dental assistants are cross trained to help up front when needed. This can include anything from scheduling appointments, doing care calls, to checking patients out by taking payments, updating forms, insurance, etc. When there is downtime and you see the reception area flooding with patients, this is a good time to hop in and help keep the flow of the office smooth. Betty Hayden Consulting wrote an entire article on this one topic to really get into all of the details for future dental assistants: https://bettyhaydenconsulting.com/tag/what-to-do-during-dental-office-downtime/#:~:text=During%20downtime%3A&text=Make%20calls%2C%20send%20emails%2C%20postcards,or%20almost%20due%20in%20hygiene. 5. Practice new techniques on each other you need to work on You know what they say, practice makes perfect! This is one of the best ways to continue perfecting your craft as a dental assistant. If the Doctor is out unexpectedly, you can use this time to brush up on skills you are not normally able to do, due to it being busy on the normal day to day. You can grab your other dental assistant friends and practice with each other. Examples of this can be new technology in the office, taking radiographs or intraoral photos, practicing impressions or pouring up models. There are a lot of duties a dental assistant must achieve, and this is a great time to practice some you may need extra help on. 6. Stocking the treatment rooms Making sure all rooms are properly stocked each week is one of the essential dental assistant duties which will prevent you from having to get up and leave the room during an appointment with a patient. You should always keep a list on you of how much you are stocking and of what in each treatment room. Doing this will help keep your lead assistant organized with dental inventory and know when to place an order. Stocking the treatment rooms regularly and when the Doctor happens to be out of the office, will make the flow of the schedule a lot more efficient for you and your team. 7. Prepare for the following work day Assuming the Doctors are going to be back by the next working day, you can prepare by setting up rooms with proper instruments and supplies you’ll need for that day's appointments. An easy way to do this is creating a checklist of what should be done before leaving the office at the end of the day. The Dentaltown has a great post to reference if you’re needing ideas on what should be included into this checklist. They provide opening procedures, daily routine, end of the day, week ending, and end of the month checklists for you: https://www.dentaltown.com/blog/post/6576/dental-assistant-checklists 8. Coronal polishing/sealants Depending on how long the Doctor will be out of the office, this downtime can be another great way to work on expanding your techniques, knowledge, and certifications! If you are already certified in this area, you can help out by taking these patients during the day so they do not have to be rescheduled. It’s quite easy to be certified in this area, all you have to do is research local colleges or dental schools near you that offer this type of training. 9. Social media content This project is a great way to promote your office in downtime when all other jobs have been completed. Everyone loves Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Using these platforms as a way to show your office and team off is a great way to make patients feel like they can relate to you. This makes it a bit more personal and can set the tone for the type of vibe you want your office to have. Taking photos for birthdays, creating funny videos, coming up with and posting a giveaway, (big or small) can take up quite a bit of time, but also be very rewarding. Especially in this day and age where social media is a huge part of almost everyone's life. 10. Decorating for the seasons Having an aesthetically pleasing office really does benefit you when patients are coming in. You can decorate the office for the time of year to give it a more ‘homey’ feel. It’s going to make patients feel a lot more comfortable walking into the office rather than if it was plain, bland, and uninviting. This should be the last priority on the list if everything else above is completed. Often times people will make judgement off of what they see as soon as they walk in the door, so if you have a few extra minutes to hang some paintings, add some throw pillows, or seasonal decorations, this will go a long way in making the patients feel like they aren’t at the dentist so much. ZenSupplies.com - https://www.zensupplies.com/blog/dental-inventory-management-in-a-private-startup-dental-practice-guest-post/ Bettyhaydenconsulting blog post for #4- https://bettyhaydenconsulting.com/tag/what-to-do-during-dental-office-downtime/#:~:text=During%20downtime%3A&text=Make%20calls%2C%20send%20emails%2C%20postcards,or%20almost%20due%20in%20hygiene. Dental assistant checklist #7- https://www.dentaltown.com/blog/post/6576/dental-assistant-checklists
During 2 weeks working 9-5 (most days later than 5pm) at the dental practice in Austin, Texas, I did everything I could and was allowed to do. From cleaning instruments, taking the trash, ordering supplies, and other important things. Here is my quick breakdown of each day: - 6 fully working Ops and 2 empty for now - 3 DAs - Open Dental Day 1 of working at a dental practice: Learned Sterilization techniques and how to turn over the rooms. So Far I have come up with 2 competitions: - How fast DA can turn the room - How far you can spill water from the syringe - How fast DA can go from dirty to clean Bottle Necks: Learning instruments and how it needs to be washed Day 2 of working at a dental practice: Getting dirty - literally! - Today I can do a lot of things myself, cleaning dirty areas, rinsing instruments, packing into dishwasher and then pouching to use autoclave Being able to time things. Since they only have one dishwasher and 1 dry heat sterile, both large capacity, I need to be able to time when to load each. Ideally I need to see the schedule and be able to know what procedure ends soon. - Rooms are not assigned. This is shocking, I don't know what column in OD represents what room. Hard to Navigate - Learned how to clean and lubricate handpieces, however they have the Morita machine and perhaps not every office has it - After I figured out the cassettes and how to wash things, next is loading the sterilizer. Again maybe it's this office, but they have to stamp with the date each dry heat indicator that goes in each pouch. Drives me nuts. - Today was a long day, last patient at 5 pm ended up being a long process of saving a failing implant. We finished at 8pm. What do I do in the meantime, one DA is assisting, I'm waiting to help clean the room. So in the meantime I cleaned rooms - garbage, I could've worked on orders? This doc is amazing! Bottle Necks: Timing - knowing what procedure ends and when. Assign rooms in OD, so someone new like me can understand and anticipate what will need to get washed and what rooms to turn over Day 3 of working at a dental practice: Things are real - I really need to know where instruments go after the sterile cycle is completed. Things are not organized so I have no idea what to do and I'm staring at the pile of sterilized things - Also need to know how people like things, Ask DA how does she want me to hang the bib around the chair so it's easy for her to grab and unfold when the patient is seated Ordering: - People gave me boxes and said to order this. It's really hard, even finding items and what that is. Ideally Zen should provide global search, even if the product is not sold through Zen. People call items different names, Ex: Bleach vs Solution both are the same but have different price. - When products already in the shopping cart, and I continue to search, for example I have air-water syringes and I need to see if chipper options are available, would be great to see products on the search page (or on the right side) that are same category and already in the shopping cart - All together I spent about 2 hours, OM was trying to find the email or something to remember how many last time they purchased, also where to order. It's not an easy process Bottle Necks: Organization of the office - where does each instrument go after autoclave? Ordering - it’s all over the place, online, spreadsheet, call the supplier. Most people don’t know what needs to be ordered Day 4 of working at a dental practice: Ideas Day - I need a place to sell unopened supplies back to others. It's too much time to try to remember where did I ordered it the first time - What if “What if, based on the schedule, cassettes show up in the morning and leaving at night or being replaced each morning? ” Day 5 of working at a dental practice: More Ideas: - Spending lots of time researching Sutures. Would be great to go on Zen, since all vendors are there and talk to an expert in Sutures. - Lots of supplies that need to be returned are not being used any more. Ideally setup a way for an office to return everything unneeded, for a refund or a credit Day 6 Missed the Spore Test 🙁 This was on me and I missed to do it. How is it possible that there is no reminder/notification? Day 7 More Ordering - Need to order composite A2 they order Dentsply and it's $85. Didn't fill right, so started looking for cheaper alternatives. Venus is $44 for the same and there is an option in syringe for $22. - When trying to compare products, I really need to see per use. For example composite comes in 0.25 g capsules or 1.8 syringe. If we take 0.25g as a baseline, would be great to see composite rate that way. Dentasply 15/pk at 0.25 g at $85 vs Venus 1.8g syringe at $22.40. Per use Dentsply is $5.6 and Venus $3 - ADD CR review - CR Conclusion into product Card - Fun Idea - Custom tray cover paper with reminder, funny, inspiration quotes, etc! Day 8 Spore Test Changes - New Lab and New Process - Challenges - Process Day 9 Getting handle of things - Less items on the white board - where is Alexa - Need to rebuild a page where I can see products that are arriving today (not a list of all products or orders). No just the products that are arriving today - Tracking all orders in the spreadsheet - Salving, Garrison, Osteogenics, etc Day 10 Let’s Organize your Physical Space - Count all of the supplies - Min QTY for each room - Restocking Process - Tip Out Bins - Shelves in the main storage - Burs and Composites - We have a full tale of supplies we need to give away or throw away - It’s a hard job - Organize physical space - it's not a choice, it's a discipline that leads to happiness and Zen state of the office - Treatment rooms - stocking process, with checklist and QTYs - Establish Ordering Day
The success of any dental office depends on the effectiveness of the team working together to achieve a common goal. Dental assistants are one of the most important members of a dental clinic who play a vital role by providing support to the dentist and ensuring the smooth running of the office. However, the dynamics between dental assistants and other team members can be complex and challenging. In this post, we will explore the relationship between dental assistants and other team members in the workplace. We will also touch base on 5 different positions that you may be able to relate to in your workplace. There is a hierarchy in every Dental office and the DentalTown states the order in which this goes is and the dynamics between dental assistants and team: Dentist, Office manager, Hygienists, and assistants with seniority. 1. Lead assistant and assistant. The lead assistant is someone who has more experience and responsibilities around the office. They help take charge of the ordering, staying under budget, making sure inventory is stocked, assistants are contributing to the set up and take down duties, (the list goes on). Although there is a power shift in this dynamic, at the end of the day if you’re doing what you were hired for, the lead assistant is there to help guide you and answer any questions you may not know the answer to! Most lead assistants would prefer to be your friend, and not your enemy. The lead assistant helps the office manager in decision making for the back office staff sometimes. 2. Assistant that’s been there 5 years and the assistant who was hired a week ago. This Senior assistant knows the ins and outs of Dentistry by now. If they aren’t already the lead assistant, you will notice they still hold power around the office. They may even help the office manager on certain tasks as well. For example, training the new assistant that just got hired so that they pick up on all of the correct procedures and habits the Doctor is looking for. 3. Office Manager and assistant The office manager is in charge of making sure everyone and everything is running smoothly. They often help with the entire hiring process…and the firing. The office manager's role in a Dental office is extremely important. If you’ve had multiple jobs you can probably recall a manager you really liked, and one you would never work for again. They are going to be helping the Doctor in certain decision making or problem solving. This role takes a lot of work and dedication to keeping your team happy and hopefully a very low turnover rate. 4. Dental Hygienist and assistant The Dental Hygienist carries a huge responsibility in the office. They are usually running around all day long with minimal free time in between patients. The assistants are responsible for helping the Hygienists out during this time. Helping probe chart, taking X-rays, cleaning and setting up their rooms, and even being able to do coronal polishings or sealants on patients if certified. Hygienists know how important the assistant is to the office and you’ll usually receive a lot of gratitude for taking the extra time in your busy schedule to help them out too. 5. Doctor and assistant This is probably the most important duo in any office. The Doctor is with their assistants day in and day out. With every patient and procedure. As an assistant to the Doctor, you need to know what they need next without even being told. This comes with time and training, but should eventually be an easy task. If you’re constantly having to get up and leave the room, or have appointments set up wrong, this may cause some tension throughout the day. Dental assistants have an important role especially during procedures. The doctor is usually going from room to room so you need to know details like where the anesthetic will go, what tooth or teeth are being worked on, does the patient have any medical concerns before getting started, etc. Also, communication is key in this relationship. The assistant must be able to effectively communicate with the doctor about any concerns or changes in the schedule, and the doctor must be able to communicate clearly about what they need during procedures. Trust is also important, as the doctor must trust that their assistant is competent and capable of handling their responsibilities. So, which one are you? Every job in the Dental office is important and wouldn’t function properly if one role was missing. There are many dynamics between dental assistants and team members and they can be complex and challenging. throughout and the list could go on. If you’re contemplating on which role in the Dental office you think would fit you best, don’t hesitate to ask your local dentist(s) if you can shadow their office for a day! Going into dental, or any schooling pertaining to the dental field, a lot of times offices don’t mind when you shadow them for a day.
Dental office organization is often seen as a prerequisite for success, especially the dental industry. Dental assistants in particular, are expected to be highly organized individuals as their job requires them to perform a wide range of tasks, from scheduling appointments to sterilizing equipment and working with dental inventory software. But is being organized a rule or a myth? Is it something that happens by accident or is it planned? And do dental assistants hope for success or plan for success? Firstly, it's important to acknowledge that some people are naturally more organized than others. However, being organized is not just about being born with the right personality traits, it's also a skill that can be developed and honed over time. In fact, being organized is often the result of intentional planning and deliberate actions. Dental assistants can benefit greatly from being organized. In a dental practice, there are many moving parts that need to work together in harmony to ensure a successful outcome of dental office organization. An unorganized dental assistant can lead to missed appointments, mismanaged schedules, and poor patient care. On the other hand, an organized dental assistant can help to create a smooth and efficient practice, which can lead to increased patient satisfaction and better overall outcomes. We asked a long-time dental assistant what her opinion is on this matter and here is what she had to say. “Being organized is without a doubt the rule. Being a dental assistant for 6 years means you see a lot of what does and doesn’t work in an office. Organization is one of them, and it is key to have! If you are not organized, everything else will start to fall apart and create this domino effect of one big messy disaster. Being prepared for the next day should always be done prior to the following morning, this means you were organized enough that it should make your morning a breeze instead of running around everywhere before the day starts.” So, how can dental assistants become more organized? One of the key ways is to plan ahead. This means creating a schedule for each day, week, and month, and sticking to it as much as possible. It also means anticipating potential issues or challenges and having a plan in place to deal with them. Samantha, who has been a dental assistant for seven years, gave us some insight on office organization as well. After asking her if she thinks this is a rule or a myth here is what she had to say, “Being organized should be a general requirement of all dental assistants. The reason being is because without any organization in the office, it creates chaos and can lower productivity. If a DA is busy running around trying to find misplaced supplies, this takes away from Dr’s time with patients by making procedures fall behind. This can also lead to other issues such as compliance failure and overspending on supplies you may already have but just misplaced.” Another important aspect of being organized is having a system in place for managing paperwork and other administrative tasks. This can include creating digital files for patient records, setting up a filing system for physical documents, and using software to manage appointments and other tasks. In addition to these practical steps, it's also important for dental assistants to cultivate a mindset of organization. This means being proactive, taking ownership of tasks, and being willing to learn and adapt as needed. Ultimately, success in dental office organization requires a combination of hope and planning. While hope can be a powerful motivator, it's not enough on its own. Dental assistants need to take intentional steps to plan and prepare for success, and being organized is a critical part of that process. We asked our friend Jillian on this matter, who has been in the dental field herself for quite some time. She responded “I think this can honestly depend on the individual and how they function, as well as circumstance. For me, being organized was a rule because it caused less stress and anxiety in my day to day. Not only that, if someone had to step in for me, in my mind if things were organized that person could find items easier. However, the big picture if someone did step-in assisting for me I still got texts asking where this or that was because the way I organize might not make sense to someone else. Organizing inventory or even your day by pre-setting up trays can be subjective to the person and might not always mean success. For example a patient can cancel or be added to your day that might throw your pre-set trays totally off, but if the DA working is flexible the success will carry over and does not matter whether they planned for it or not.” In conclusion, being organized is not a myth but a skill and a rule that can be developed with intentional planning and deliberate actions. Dental assistants can benefit greatly from being organized, as it can lead to increased patient satisfaction and better overall outcomes. By planning ahead, creating systems for managing tasks and paperwork, and cultivating a mindset of organization, dental assistants can set themselves up for success in the sphere of dental office organization.
Welcome to our blog post featuring an interview of Jillian Gomez, Vendor Manager & Customer Success Representative at ZenSupplies, with Diana Arnaldo, Clinical Manager at Irving Park Family Dentistry. In this interview, we will explore Diana's background and her decision to work in the dental field. We will also discuss her current role as a clinical manager and how she streamlines inventory and orders supplies for multiple locations. Still, the main focus of our conversation will be on the career path of dental assistants, and the question on many people's minds - can a dental assistant make $45 an hour? Diana will share her insights on the role of a dental assistant, the necessary qualifications, and how one can grow in their career. Also, she will shed light on industry trends, fair compensation, and budget management for dental offices. You can watch full interview here: Another conversation about dental career growth - https://www.zensupplies.com/blog/41-elizabeth-bueno-clinical-director-of-river-run-dental-exciting-story-of-growth-focus-and-team-work/ Read on to discover what Diana had to say about this important topic. All right, Diana, thank you so much for meeting with me today and agreeing to do this interview. I just wanted to start out with a little bit of background. Can you tell us what your role currently is in your dental office and what was your the career path of a dental assistant? I am the clinical manager for Irving Park Family Dentist. We are a corporation of 10 plus offices, including here in Illinois and in Wisconsin. I got into the dental field when I was really young. Actually. I have been studying since I was in eighth grade. Wow. Yeah. I know I got a lot. Then I accidentally chipped a front tooth and I was really uncomfortable. I was 16 where appearances are pretty much everything and pathetic. It was a really tiny chip, but I just didn't feel comfortable. So when I went and he put a filling, it completely changed me. I got my confidence back and it was that assertion that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to give people that confidence with their smiles as well. That's amazing. Thank you You didn't really have a fear of the dentist, like most kids at a young age. I actually enjoyed it. The only thing I did not like was the fluoride but I did not fear going in at all. When you first went into the dental field, how did you start? What was your first position or job? It was just dental assisting. I did go to school prior so I kind of got annoyed a little bit. So it was just, you know, the basic dental assisting, assisting the doctor sterilizing and then I moved my way up throughout the years. So you are proof you can grow within a dental? Of course. Yes. Yes! Awesome. So what does your day typically look like now? And like how do you help your office stay organized with inventory of products and everything? It varies but it usually starts with checking my texts. I do manage about 10 assistants. If anybody calls off, I have to see how my day is gonna go now because I have a pretty busy schedule. I do have to make sure that we're still able to work throughout the day depending on how many assistants call off. Once I have managed that, I do answer my work email, which includes talking to a couple labs. We work with around five labs. So I have to make sure I have answered all their emails or their questions regarding our cases and follow up on our cases as well. I enter cases once they come in and we have around 10 to 20 cases come in every single day. I check my schedule for the next day, make sure everything is how it's supposed to be. Then I have everything prepared for the patients coming in. And if by any chance we are short staffed back there, I do get to assist sometimes back there as well. Do you enjoy going back to that a little bit? Yeah, I do. There are days I miss it. I'm sitting in the chair and I'm like I need to go back there at least just to feel like I'm on the floor. And you get that I'm sure. And it is also like you get that patient interaction. Kind of that inspired you in the beginning to get into dentistry. Yeah. I was on the floor a little bit more in the beginning here and I did establish a lot of really nice relationships with a lot of patients where they still see me walk by and they come say hi, or even I'm in the office and I see them on the schedule, I'll go say hi to them and we're like, catching up and ask me about my family. And it's just really nice to have those kinds of relationships with your patients. Of course. And it makes their experience so much better. I still have patients that still ask my provider that they want me to assist them and I'll put it on and I'll go back there and help 'em out if they feel comfortable with me. I, you know, I wanna give them that comfort cuz I know it could be a scary chair. Yeah. I will admit, I worked in a dental office for a while and I still get nervous. Even now going to the dentist, it's something I think you just can't really help but you put things into place like knowing a familiar face. Yeah. Makes the difference. Yeah, exactly. That's so cool. So, your offices obviously have ZenSupplies. Most of them have it, yeah. If not all of them. Do you help manage that at all or for the most part are your assistants like taking the lead? No, I do all the ordering. I actually have a master list that was created actually on your website. I was able to share with all of our other offices that master list. So everybody has the same material cuz we do have providers that do travel to other locations. So they do like some materials that we use here. That's what's really helpful about your website. So has it helped you keep track of inventory? Right. So that's really helpful. I do use it and it is nice to have a little warning like, hey, you're kind of running low but I also do have a list as well that I take with me around the office when I'm doing inventory just to double check. And we do have the system, like if we see we're running low, we'll go ahead and put it on a board and then I compare it to what Zen says. So it is a very helpful system. Do you have any advice for other offices? I know some offices struggle with getting some compliance as far as like zening an item out or marking that they took something from their inventory. Do you have any advice on that aspect? I think you just have to be aware of how much your office is using at all times. And there's not every month it's gonna be the same. I mean, I've had months where I'm doing more root canals and I know if I'm doing more root canals, that means in a couple weeks I'm gonna be doing more crowns. So I know I have to stick up a little bit extra on that as like, on that procedure, like impression materials, impression trays. That way I think, this has helped me to never really run out of stuff. I do order just a tiny bit more extra just because I know when I'm ordered, depending on the company I'm ordering from, it might take a little bit while for us to get it in the office. So I do have my assistants as well who let me know when I'm about to hit that. Hey, we're down to three. They know that once we're down to three we have to write it on the board and they have to inform me so I can keep a closer eye on it. Yes. Just to make sure we're gonna make it to the rest of the schedule without having to order before our actual orders do. It's awesome that you're able to analyze and look down the road and know you're gonna need more of a product because like you said, you just did a ton of root canal so you know that crown is coming. So make sure you have those supplies for those patients and there's no delay. That's part of why your office is so … Great:) Thank you! Yeah, of course. Okay. So I wanna get back to a little bit of your role when you first got into dentistry and assisting. So we've kind of been thinking of this idea like how can dental assistants move forward and really grow within the dental office and is it possible for assistants to make, like $45 an hour? What skills do they need to get that pay? Like how can they show their, I don't wanna say worth, but show like, hey, like, I deserve this money because like, I'm doing X, Y, and Z within your office. I'm a real asset. Right. Getting a dental assisting certificate or going to school, do you feel like this really helps push you a little bit further in the career path of a dental assistant? It does. I feel like it, I went through an intensive course where I was certified. It did help me in the fact that when I went into an actual job, I already knew how to take x-rays. I already knew how to take impressions. I knew at least some of the material, but I knew the steps. Because everybody uses different things. Every office is gonna use different materials from different brands, but at least I knew the steps for every procedure. So that's what helped me. And then you never know when every office is different. You might go in where you might be the only dental assistant and if you're not prepared to at least note the basics, it's gonna put you back a little bit. So, it just depends on the person as well, on how fast they learn. I've had assistants here that we've had to train from scratch. Like literally explaining to them the tooth anatomy, the tooth surfaces and I've had assistants that picked up really fast and about three months they're good to go. And then there are assistants that I, they're like, you know what? I can't work like this. I prefer to be in a classroom where somebody's showing me and you know, I'm taking my time and it, and it just depends. I feel like certifications do help you out. There's a certification for sealants and prophylaxis that, you know, gives you an extra step to be, Hey, I'm certified in this. I can do this extra for the office where the doctor can go do something else to produce something else. And you're helping 'em make that production with just the assistant being there? Yeah. So the more they, they, you know, the assistant prepares themselves . The more certifications they have, the more knowledge they have in their field, the more valuable they are and the more they can produce by themselves and have the doctor go on and do something else to work on a different procedure. On average, do you know how long was that dental assistant certificate program? How long were you in? Mine was eight weeks. It was an intense course of eight weeks. It was a Saturday. I remember from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It was all day. It was an all day course. But that was years ago. Yeah. Do you think that offices should invest in their dental assistants career paths and maybe like, do certain certificate programs? Maybe using technology, like sending an assistant to learn the CAD/CAM, how to scan a tooth so that you guys can make crowns within the office? Do you think there's value in dental offices putting that time and like money into their dental assistance? Of course. Because if, you know, if you invest in your assistant, you're also investing in your office because they'll be doing that for you. Yeah. Okay. And do you think dental assistants can get maybe not like that $45 an hour or at least more to be more sustainable and more again, like I don't like saying the word value or like worth, but you know, being seen as a producer, kind of like hygienists are. Right? Like, do you think that dental assistants can make that 45 an hour? I feel like if a dental assistant, just as a dental assistant, you can't. Just because you know, we have to take our minimum wage to $17. But I feel just as a dental assistant, we can, especially in Illinois, we're very restricted in what we can do to help out in our office. I know we just had a couple of certifications that were passed but I still feel that we can't reach where a hygienist is still gonna be able to make that amount of money. As a dental assistant, you can definitely work your way up in the ladder and learn as much as you can. Not only about dental assisting, maybe be cross trained with the front and you know, you can let your provider know like, I'm doing the job of two people. I'm helping you with two people and you are only paying one, so they might be able to pump up your salary a little bit more. But I don't think we'll be as dental assistants at $45 . I think it's a little high. Do you think there are different levels to dental assisting? So like, I know some offices, like you mentioned, most private practices maybe have one dental assistant, right? Maybe two depending on how many doctors there are. But then you look at like corporate dentistry who maybe have like five dental assistants because they have more doctors there, whatever it might be. Do you think there are different levels to dental assisting where maybe you could argue like the higher pay because you are now managing assistants lower than you or you're teaching them the skills? Yeah, there are different levels. Like I said, when I first started I was a dental assistant, which all I did was pretty much what I was taught in school. Take x-rays, bring the patients in, set up charts, sterilize sterilized instruments, and that was my whole day in the beginning of my career path of a dental assistant. Every single day. I moved up to the main dental assistance where you have a little bit more responsibilities, you're responsible for ordering, you're responsible for maintenance for the whole office. And then I became a clinical manager where now I'm in charge of other assistants. I'm still in charge of the whole office, making sure it's running properly. If something breaks down, I'm responsible for calling the company, making sure I schedule something for them to come in. So there, there are levels to that. And with more responsibilities you have, you do have that argument and you deserve more. I mean it comes to, I think, like your drive and your work ethic, like that gets you there. Of course. But did you also have a mentor in the office that kind of took you under the wing to teach you more? Or was it maybe the doctor? I did have great doctors that taught me a lot of things. You do need those providers with you because they're the ones that are gonna show you and teach you as you know, you start moving up for clinical manager when it comes to ordering and try to maintain everything. I had some great assistants help me out. You know, as they were moving on they would show me, this is what you need to do. And I also learned on my own sometimes if I'm making mistakes or you know, trying out things you have to, you learn as you go sometimes. And then there's always people if you're lucky enough, like I was to have people help you out as well. I think it takes a combination, obviously like you're driving your work ethic but also those people who are there to help you learn and grow. Definitely key. How does the hourly rate wage of a dental assistant do you think compare to other positions within the dental office? I think it's definitely changed from when I started. At least the minimum wage has gone double from when I started. You mind sharing where it was when you started? It was $8. I started at $8. Yeah, that was a minimum wage back I think in 2006 I think. Wow. So it has grown It has grown. Went, you know, we had a couple interviews and you know, we were looking at the minimum wage and yeah, it's, and I mean I'm happy because it's a very demanding job to be a dental assistant. We're always on our feet, we're always running around. I'm glad it has gone up but I still feel like we're still not up there compared to the rest of the positions. Like you have said hygienist. I feel like there's still more room for our position to grow and I'm just glad we are giving the opportunity because there's a lot of things now as a dental assistant you can do that. We didn't have that opportunity when I started. Pretty much back then it was just polishing and sealants and now we have, we can do scanning, we can fabricate night guards, we can make retainers and that also helps the career path of a dental assistant get bumped up a little bit as well. Yeah, absolutely. And I wanna say too, like you hit on a great note. Dental assistants are, you are on your feet all day, you are in and out of like dental ops going from one to another, maybe handling two patients almost at once. Yeah. What advice do you have for dental assistance? For one, I guess I wanna start with managing their day, but also two, managing the stress and the toll it might take on their bodies a little bit, right? Yeah. I always try to look at my schedule the day prior just to make sure how it's gonna go and start planning out not only with my staff but also as well with my providers. I think that's a major thing and it also helps with your providers. I was lucky enough here that we have a lot of providers that understand that sometimes we do have to be running around and they're willing to work by themselves and they'll be, okay, I got this. You go get the other patient and come meet me when you're done. Like don't take your time. So I think that's also very important when you do have your providers supporting you and helping you out on that, on that aspect as for stress and you can’t let it get to you, right? It's like I told the rest of my assistants, you guys have to come here. I understand there's a lot of stress going on outside of home and it's best if we don't bring it here because we spend most of the days at work. Yeah. More than we do at our houses. Sometimes I tell 'em I spend more time with you guys than I spend with my family and I don't wanna bring anything. Like it's already stressful enough, sometimes here you have a lot of personalities with your patients, you have a lot of personalities with your providers, with your front desk, with your staff and the back, your assistants and it just makes it easier for us to be happy. We're always trying to joke around back there just to lighten up the day. Yeah. And I think that's what really helps us get through the day and you know, we always try to joke around, try to make somebody smile. We're like goofing around back there as well sometimes. And it just helps our day just go by so much smoother. Right. Because it, it kind of goes back to like you could plan your day but you know, in the dental office, like you never know either. Yeah, exactly. You could try and plan but it might not go as you planned. And you might have a patient cancel last minute or an emergency case and you just, I think having a good office camaraderie and like support system where you can joke and be playful like with your staff makes a huge difference for like those unknowns that come up during your day. Yeah, of course. And I think also what has helped us is we try to get together out of work as well because being in the office is one thing. But going out and actually losing up and getting to know somebody else a little bit more has really helped us come together a little bit more back here. Yeah. I think that's a great point too. You get to know people outside of work, what their lives are actually like, what they maybe go through, what their family dynamics are and getting to know someone can make working with them easier, I guess. Makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's awesome. Let's see. Is there a difference in pay, do you think with dental assistance from like a private practice to corporate or like a government clinic office? I do. Yeah. I've actually worked for both a couple private offices and I work for a couple corporation offices as well. Okay. And I do feel that private offices can offer a little bit more. If not they can kind of balance that out with benefits sometimes, you know, they're able to give a little bit more cuz maybe they don't have as much staff. As a corporate office, like you said here I have 10 girls, just 10 dental assistants cause we still have a front desk and we have providers and we have a call center. So, it's a little bit harder to give everybody the amount they want compared to a private office where maybe it's just one provider and they don't have to distribute that salary as much or stretch it out as much as a corporate office has to. Makes sense. What does downtime look like for them? Or is there like never any downtime? Downtime does happen. It's rare, but it does happen. They already know. We do have a list back there. A reminder when you know there's downtime we have to take advantage because it doesn't happen very often. We have to make sure our rooms are stocked up. We have to make sure we're checking lab cases. We're checking the next day, pulling out lab cases for the next day. So we're not rushing at the last minute trying to find our cases. So they already know that we're supposed to clean the office, reorganize, and make it tidy. They do a great job. I go, I don't have to be behind my staff the whole time. They already know, okay, we're downtime, let's start organizing the composite tray. When we do get busy, we're not running in and out of our rooms cuz we don't have what we need. Right. I like that idea of having that list. So, if there is a patient that cancels and they have an hour, they can look at the list and see what needs to be done. Yes. Great. And then as far as cleaning, because we had talked about this, I think we may have tried to write some type of article or questionnaire for our dental assistants if they clean their office, like what that looks like. Are they cleaning the floors or like, do most offices do you think have a cleaning service for that? Or is it left up to the assistants? No, we do have a cleaning service. She comes three days out of the week. The rest is we have to do it. So we, it does involve, we wipe the whole room down. We broom, we draw garbage. We try to tidy up everything back there. We do try to mop every single day, especially because there's, there's, you know, stuff flying all over us. We do try to mop as much as we can and we have a lot of us, we do have a big office. It's a 10 top office, so we try to maintain everything clean even in between, not even at the end of the day in between patients. If, you know, if we're taking impressions and impression materials, you know, when you take it out there's stuff lying over it. We grab the broom and we clean out and have it as clean as we can for the next patient. That's awesome. With assistants like doing all of that do you have, do you see any industry trends that are changing with dental assistants? I feel like you did touch on this with saying they're able to do a lot more than obviously like when you started when it was more like polishing and like chairside for the doctor, you're able to now help make like retainers or night guards. Do you see the future of dental assistants going up as far as responsibility and the more that they can do within like the app? Yeah, of course. Like I said, I have doctors here and like I said, it just depends on the state you're in. I know here in Illinois we're very restricted still. And hopefully it changes cuz they will open up a field and there're a lot of assistants out there that know how to do a lot of things they wanna learn to do a lot of things and we're very limited. Like I said cad/cam, scanning I know in some states they can let you, they don't let you drill but they let you fill and a lot of states let you cement permanent crowns that we're not allowed here. But I hope that in the future Illinois changes and allows us to do a lot of things and I do feel like this field can grow a lot and we can be a lot more useful than we already are in the office. Yeah. I honestly didn't realize that the laws and rules depend on the state that you're in. Have you worked in a different state besides Illinois? I haven't, no. I do have a lot of providers that come from a lot of states. Okay, so lastly I just wanted to ask if you have any steps that a dental practice can take to ensure they are paying their dental assistance fairly while also obviously managing the budget they have to pay for their dental assistants. Yeah, I mean they just have to make sure you know, look at the minimum wage. They're looking at where their area is located because depending on the area, it also depends on how much an assistanе should be getting paid experience. You have to value the experience that assistants bring into your office. That knowledge that it can also help you out as well. You have to look into the benefits, what you're providing, if it's gonna be maybe you're not able to give that assistant what she wants, but you might be able to help her out with benefits that maybe another office might not be able to offer her. You have to look into your production, see if your production it wants, you've established and separated everything that you know you need to, your office wants to pay. If you're able to give that to assistants, like you said, her worth will be worth it. Yeah. You know, she is gonna be of value to your office at the end. She is gonna help you make money as well if she knows what she's doing. So that's something they have to take into consideration as well. You're just not paying somebody for their job but you're paying them for their knowledge and how they're gonna help you produce as well. And just make sure that the rest of your staff, you have more staff, they're helping you keep that cost down, they're working according to standard procedures established by the practice in order to avoid mis-usage of material as well. Resources and time to maximize the production of your office as well. I think that that's very important. Yeah. Any other last minute advice you wanna give? Dental assistants? Good shoes for them to wear? I wear Converse. Yeah. I feel like and it's changed a lot too cause I remember I used to wear them when I first started and a lot of providers didn't allow that, but now I think it's, oh really? It's changed. It just works. Whatever you're comfortable with, wear it. So just try to wear anything comfortable and my advice to all the dental assistants would be don't stay stuck, you're in there not just assisting, you're in there to learn and help out and always try to be not only one step ahead of your provider, but two. Don't be afraid to ask your provider out the room, why did you do this? Or could have we done something else? I always try to learn something every single day from my provider or from the office, something new all the time just to help me get that step higher. The more you know the better and it's gonna help you out more in the future. Absolutely. Great! Thank you so much for taking this time. I really appreciate it. And I'm sure our dental assistants who listen to this are going to appreciate it too. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me! Links: ZenSupplies Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4I-NnQ8VfQ73hQS80gDB4Q Linkedin Profile of Diana - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-arnaldo-7545951a3/ Linkedin profile of ZenSupplies - https://www.linkedin.com/company/zensupplies/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true
As we collectively let out a sigh of relief that the COVID-19 pandemic is nearing it’s end in May, it may be tempting to think about infection prevention and control as returning to the pre-pandemic practices and levels of awareness about infectious disease outbreaks. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that dental professionals are more vulnerable than we previously acknowledged. In the U.S., we are currently experiencing several significant infectious disease outbreaks that should be of concern to dental professionals. This article will explore the three most current infectious disease issues in dentistry and how they affect the field. MEASLES: On March 7, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert regarding a measles outbreak in Kentucky. According to this report, a confirmed case if measles was identified in an unvaccinated individual who attended a large religious gathering at a university in KY, with an estimated 20,000 people in attendance. An undetermined number of people may have been exposed, who attended the gathering from other states in the U.S, as well as other countries. Measles can cause serious or severe health complications in both children and adults. These can include pneumonia, and encephalitis and even death. Since there are large numbers if individuals who are unvaccinated for measles, or whose immune status may not be adequate to prevent infection, the CDC has issued this alert to inform anyone in attendance that they may be at risk of exposure. Measles is very easily spread through respiratory droplets, and infected individuals may be infectious to others for 2-4 days before the onset of the rash which is most characteristic of measles. Fever and respiratory symptoms and conjunctivitis typically precede the rash, and might be mistaken for other respiratory illness. Since measles could easily spread in dental practices, it is critical to remember that screening patients for respiratory symptoms and fevers needs to be a continuing infection prevention protocol, even after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information about measles infections is available on the CDC website. The CDC lists the measles vaccine (MMR), or Measles, Mumps, and Rubella; as a recommended vaccine for health care workers. An intraoral sign of measles, known as Koplik Spots, may be present in individuals who are infected, but do not yet present with the typical Measles rash. These tiny white spots in the mouth may appear 2-3 days after respiratory symptoms appear. They may detected in patients during treatment, and clinicians should be aware of the potential for this patient to be infectious for measles. If the patient indicates that they have experienced respiratory symptoms, fever or itchy watery eyes in the 2-3 days prior to their dental visit, clinicians should postpone treatment, especially any treatment that includes aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). Any members of the dental team who may have been exposed and are experiencing symptoms should not be permitted to work until a diagnosis has been obtained and/or their symptoms have subsided and a medical professional has cleared them to return to work. The CDC has several resources available for healthcare professionals to help guide the decision-making process if a measles exposure is suspected. Fig. 1 is an excerpt from the CDC Infection Control Guidelines for Dental Healthcare Settings 2003, pgs. 8 and 9. This chart lists work restrictions for infectious diseases and current infectious disease issues in dentistry (except COVID-19). It is available from the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5217.pdf NOROVIRUS as one of the Current Infectious Disease Issues in Dentistry: Norovirus infections are commonly referred to as “the stomach flu” or a “stomach bug”. The CDC describes it as a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea and that people infected with norovirus can shed billions of norovirus particles. It is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis among people of all ages in the U.S. Norovirus can be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water, or touching contaminated surfaces and putting unwashed hands in the mouth. The most recent norovirus outbreak is a multi-state outbreak traced to consumption of raw oysters. A recent study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discovered that norovirus and other enteric/gastrointestinal viruses can be spread through saliva. Therefore, contact with an infected patient’s saliva is a potential risk of exposure for dental clinicians. While most patients would not present for treatment when they are in the acute phase of the illness, those patients remain infectious for 2-3 days after their symptoms subside. The study indicates that these viruses can spread from coughing, and sneezing and other activities that include exposure to an infected patient’s saliva. This reinforces the need for always following standard precautions, assuming that all patients are potentially infectious. SHIGELLA/SHIGELLOSIS among Current Infectious Disease Issues in Dentistry: Shigella is a bacterium that causes an infection called Shigellosis, causing diarrhea, and which can easily spread from person to person. On Feb. 24, 2023, the CDC issued an alert through its Health Alert Network (HAN) warning that increased reports of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) cases of Shigellosis are occurring in the U.S. According to the CDC, it takes only a small number of bacteria to cause and infection, with symptoms starting 1-2 days after exposure and lasting for 7 days. Infected patients can spread the bacteria through their feces for several weeks after their symptoms are resolved. The infection is caused by swallowing the bacteria. This happens from touching contaminated surfaces with hands and touching the mouth, changing diapers of children with Shigella, eating food prepared by a individual with a Shigella infection, swallowing water when swimming, swallowing contaminated drinking water and it can also be transmitted through exposure to feces through sexual contact. While a Shigella infection is most likely to occur outside of a dental facility, both patients and team members can be potentially infectious in the office if proper attention is not paid to handwashing, wearing appropriate PPE, and cleaning and disinfecting of restroom facilities in the dental office. So, what does all this mean for dental practices? First, we need to continue to screen patients for respiratory symptoms and be prepared to reappoint patients for non-emergency treatment. This screening can be easily accomplished electronically when confirming patients. Although the recommendation from the CDC in the height of the pandemic was to take patient temperatures upon arrival at the office, taking temperatures should still take place in the treatment room, as part of routine collection of vital signs. If a patient’s temperature is above 100°F, additional screening should take place prior to treatment, since a low grade fever is often the first sign of an infection. The risk of exposure to aerosols in dentistry is not going away with the COVID-19 pandemic. Wearing N95 respirators or higher ASTM level masks that have fewer gaps on the face continues to be an important infection prevention protocol for dental clinicians. Cleaning and disinfecting treatment rooms as well as public areas of the facility, such as restrooms, is also of critical importance. An excellent tool for reviewing the amount of cross-contamination that occurs in dental treatment rooms is the newly update video “If Saliva Were Red”, from the Organization for Safety Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP). This video is available to any dental professional at no cost, and can be viewed on You Tube at: The bottom line Dental practices must also ensure that all team members are appropriately trained to understand the principles of infection prevention and control, as well as the reasons why certain protocols must be followed. As an increasing number of dental assistants, both clinical and administrative, are being hired into practices with no prior experience in dentistry or healthcare, this becomes more important than ever. In addition, dental practices must be aware of local and state public health regulations and recommendations, based on diseases that may be spreading in a given area. Since many state dental boards are now requiring compliance with CDC guidelines, every practice needs to be aware of these requirements. OSHA uses CDC guidelines for enforcement of infection control regulations and OSHA is instituting changes to their enforcement guidelines that will “hold employers to greater account for safety, health failures”. Creating the safest environment for patient care and for employees that deliver the patient care should be a priority in every dental practice, from both a legal and ethical perspective. It should be viewed as a very positive way to attract and retain patients and employees. CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Measles Exposure at a Large Gathering in Kentucky February 2023 and Global Measles Outbreaks CDC Measles (Rubeola) CDC Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers NIH Scientists Discover Norovirus and Other “Stomach Viruses” Can Spread Through Saliva CDC Shigella-Shigellosis CDC HAN Increase in Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigellosis in the United States OSHA News Release Jan. 26, 2023, https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/01262023- 0
In this exciting podcast episode, Melissa Widner, CEO of Lighter Capital, sits down with Tiger Safarov, the founder of ZenSupplies, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the valuable lessons he's learned with his Dental Tech Startup. ZenSupplies is a dental management system designed to streamline the day-to-day operations of dental practices, and Tiger's story of how he started the company from scratch is truly inspiring. In recent years, dental tech startups have been on the rise, revolutionizing the way dental practices operate and improving patient care. One such startup making waves in the industry is ZenSupplies, a dental management system designed to streamline the day-to-day operations of dental practices. By leveraging technology, ZenSupplies helps dentists manage inventory, automate ordering, and simplify the process of running a dental practice. Throughout the conversation, Tiger shares his insights into the challenges of raising capital and the importance of choosing the right funding model. He explains why he opted for non-dilutive funding, which allowed him to maintain control of his company while still securing the resources he needed to grow. Listeners will gain valuable insights from Tiger's experience as an entrepreneur, learning about the strategies he used to overcome obstacles and achieve success. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey, this podcast is sure to provide valuable insights and inspiration. So sit back, relax, and tune in to hear Tiger's inspiring story and learn valuable tips for building a thriving Dental Tech Startup in today's ever-changing landscape. Listen to the full episode here:
Do you have new dental technology in your office collecting dust? Not sure how to use it? Afraid of the change? Fear no more, because in this article we have listed and explained the places you can go for all of this information and start using your technology in the Dental office a lot sooner. As a dental software company ourselves, we feel it necessary to help give you an organized list of where to find this information easily. Let’s start with The Millennial Dentist. His podcast titled ‘New Dental Technology with Shea Tolbert and Tony Mennito. Covers a ton of information on innovative Technology in the Dental world. One subject that really stuck out to us is how much they love “digital everything”. Since technology is always evolving, there is always something new to learn! The advantage to this is that it’s supposed to make your life at work easier, more efficient and keep more procedures in-house. For example, the importance of having multiple cameras in your office. They say in the podcast if you’re going to start off with any new technology, start with a chairside intraoral or DSLR camera. It’s one of the easiest technologies to learn within your office before branching off into other technologies. -Online Dental Magazine For those who like to read versus listen to a podcast, Dental Products Report provides an extensive list of publications that cover the latest dental products and technologies, as well as industry news and trends and various dental management solutions. A specific topic Dr. Marty Jablow wrote about was: Why 3D CBCT Diagnostics Are Needed in Today’s Practice CBCT is short for Cone Beam Computed Tomography. It’s a specific scan that provides greater imaging accuracy and detail for a better prognosis to the area of concern. The reason this type of dental office system is better than a traditional radiograph is because those are just a 2D image. CBCT scans give you an entire 3D view of everything to allow for better treatment planning to the patient. It’s a great investment for the health of your patients. When deciding what to upgrade in your office, a CBCT scanner is the way to go, since this will also prevent you from having to refer the patient to another office that has one of these for the imaging process and prognosis to take place. It saves the patient from another trip and visit to another office, and keeps it in-house for you. -Youtube Channel For those that prefer to watch videos when learning something new, Digital Enamel offers feature videos about the latest digital dental technologies, including 3D printing, intraoral scanning, and CAD/CAM systems. One video that stands out to us on this dental platform is where Dr. Todd Ehrlich discusses CEREC cameras. For those just now hearing of what this is, it’s a digital scanner that allows you to create 3D images of the mouth. Dr. is knowledgeable on each camera he has ever used to guide you in the right direction of which one will be the best for you. To simplify, he covers red cameras, blue cameras, the Galalios, and the Omnicam. He also briefly mentions the overall evolution of materials used for patients too and their improvements throughout the years. For more reading, we recommend checking out This website covers a variety of dental topics, including technology, materials, and techniques. One post we recommend is called Confronting the Great Resignation: How technology can help retain and attract practice staff by: Arman Samani. The post states how practices can help reduce task-driven anxiety using healthcare-specific technology and applications. We have all been there before with being understaffed at one time or another, and the use of technology equipment in your dental practice will help by keeping things organized and on time for that day or days. In conclusion, purchasing dental technology equipment for your office is a big decision. Luckily there are a ton of reliable sources out there for you to find information on and what is trending each year. Digital dentistry is going to be the future of dentistry so it’s important to be open minded to this constant change that can be guaranteed in your Dental office for better efficiency. Links to information on article see below: Podcast: https://millennialdentist.com/100-new-dental-technology-with-shay-tolbert-and-tony-minito/ Online Dental Magazine: https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/why-3d-cbct-diagnostics-are-needed-in-today-s-practice Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBsnNWwfHPg Website: https://www.dentistryiq.com/practice-management/article/14233710/confronting-the-great-resignation-how-technology-can-help-retain-and-attract-dental-practice-staff
An efficient dental inventory system is a key for managing any dental practice, but it is especially important for orthodontic clinics. These types of offices have a higher volume of specialized equipment and dental supplies and require a more effective inventory tracking process due to the multiple appointments and longer treatment time of orthodontic treatment. Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with amazing ortho dental assistants about their experience, how they manage dental supplies to ensure enough product levels are on hand, and some key takeaways of adopting ZenSupplies as an efficient dental inventory system in less than 30 days to continue to thrive and keep the inventory up to date. Delaney Barber, a former dental assistant at Kanning Orthodontics: “In my office, we had an efficient dental inventory system in place for keeping things organized. There was one major storage space, a few smaller storage areas, and working products in the operatory. However, there was one area that needed improvement - ordering. We had multiple people responsible for ordering different items and it was difficult to keep track of what had been ordered and when it was expected to arrive. Additionally, we were not always getting the best prices because we were not consolidating our orders and taking advantage of bulk discounts. In addition, having to track and manage multiple invoices can be a frustrating and time-consuming task, especially for a clinic with limited resources. Overall, it took from 4-5 hours weekly to do the ordering, and that is why the management decided to sign up with ZenSupplies. One of the main challenges I faced with implementing Zen was making the time to enter required and on hand quantities. To make the on boarding experience more efficient and less stressful, I would advise new offices to lean on their team to help with data entry. This way, it can be done faster and more accurately. In terms of inventory optimization, my advice would be to give software solutions a try. Using software can save a lot of time and frustration, as well as make it easier to track orders and received items. This eliminates the need for writing down information on paper, which can easily be lost or overlooked.” Lori Clendenen, Controller at Llon H. Clendenen DDS, MS: Ortho offices have unique needs when it comes to inventory and ordering due to the specific supplies we use. To maximize efficiency in our physical space at the office, we utilize lots of labels and make sure everything has a specific place. Before using ZenSupplies, we organized our inventory using an excel spreadsheet and a tag system. However, we faced numerous challenges with the spreadsheets not being updated and assistants ignoring the tag system. The most frustrating thing for us was running out of supplies. We spent 2-3 hours daily on our inventory and ordering before Zen. When implementing ZenSupplies, we encountered challenges too such as various items not being in the Zen inventory and items being named differently. Our advice to new offices would be to make sure you have all your items in the Zen inventory and that they are named correctly to avoid confusion. Our inventory organization process still includes some struggles with consistency when items are taken out of inventory. But now we place orders 3-4 times a month and do a full inventory check up once a month which helps us stay ahead of the curve with our supplies.” Courtney Heller, Lead Assistant at Bubon Orthodontics: “What makes Bubon Ortho offices unique when it comes to inventory and ordering is that we have multiple offices we need to order for and not just one. Each office has different ordering needs depending on the size or the practice, and demographics of the office we are located in. For example, some of our patients have a higher interest in gold brackets vs. silver or we see more patients want Invisalign vs traditional brackets. This requires us to have a more complex ordering system in place to ensure that each office has the necessary inventory to meet the needs of their patients. Before using ZenSupplies, we organized our inventory have now an an efficient dental inventory system using a paper binder where we handwrote the inventory and wrote a list of items that needed to be ordered. The challenges we faced with this system were that not everyone filled out the inventory/ordering binder and people would verbally state what we needed to have ordered and it would get forgotten about when ordering. The benefits of this system were that we didn't need to login to a website to see what was ordered and it was readily available to all staff. However, the thing that frustrated us the most was that it seemed like we were always running out of or running low on products we used regularly. The first challenge with implementing Zen was finding a responsible teammate to oversee each office we work in. Since it was a new system introduced to us and ordering does take a good amount of time from our day, I feel few people were interested. The next step was setting aside time in our busy schedule to get inventory on every product we have in the office. It took awhile to get the right quantity of items in. After all inventory and products, we in Zen it was just a matter of breaking old ordering habits and using Zen properly with the restock options. Advice I would have for other offices is to make sure there is enough time set aside each week for your ordering team to get ordering done. Ordering is super important to keep the office running efficiently and even though it is a behind the scenes task, it should not be looked over! Our inventory organization process now looks like we have split it into easy to find categories in Zen which helped us find a new way to physically organize our supplies as well, instead of having everything wherever we could fit it. We place orders at least once a week or every other week for two offices and maybe once a month or every other month for one office. We do a full inventory check once a month in each office as some products we don’t use daily, and some products don’t have expiration dates either, so we don’t need to check those products as often. If you're a dental practice that struggles with inventory optimization, my best advice would be to take advantage of all the tools you have access to. We implemented Zen at our practice and it has made our ordering to be an efficient dental inventory system. We no longer have to spend hours on the phone with reps trying to track down items that are on backorder or searching for new products. Everything is just a click away. Don't be afraid to try new technology - it may seem daunting at first, but it will save you so much time and effort in the long run. Give it a chance and you'll realize it is a time saver in the office!”
Dr. Daryl Brito has an intriguing story to tell related to dental entrepreneurship. He started his career as a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. Completing dental school and eventually opening up his own practice. However, he did not stop there. In a short period of time, he ventured into the distribution of dental products, achieving what many dentists aspire to accomplish over the course of their entire professional careers. Undoubtedly, he has more aspirations in his mind that he hopes to achieve. Watch the full interview with Tiger, owner of Zen Supplies and Dr. Brito here: https://youtu.be/oHo9UAWCHNI Listen to the interview: https://share.transistor.fm/s/71885638 Dr. Daryl Brito's journey to becoming a dentist began when he was still in high school. He had the opportunity to shadow his local dentist and was drawn to the stress-free, easy-going atmosphere in the office. The experience inspired him to pursue a career in dentistry. In 2015, Dr. Brito graduated from Nova Southeastern University and relocated to Florida. He grew up in New Jersey, but was ready for a change in lifestyle. The quality of life in Florida was much better than what he experienced in New Jersey. He was particularly drawn to the beautiful winters and warm climate. He recalls how during his dental school days, he adopted a student-like lifestyle to save as much money as possible. Despite this, he managed to live comfortably, take yearly vacations, and even travel internationally a few times. However, his primary focus was always on aggressively paying off his student loans. One of the ways in which Dr. Brito managed his finances was by conducting a 90-day analysis of his expenses. He wanted to understand exactly how much he was spending and where his money was going. By doing this, he was able to establish a baseline and identify areas where he could cut back. One of the things he found was that eating out was costing him a significant amount of money, so he made a conscious effort to reduce his dining expenses. Dr. Brito's disciplined approach to finance has served him well, and he believes that it is essential for everyone, regardless of their profession, to have a good understanding of their financial situation. By being mindful of his spending and prioritizing his debt payments, he has been able to build a stable financial foundation that has allowed him to focus on growing his career as a dentist. Dr. Brito initially believed that his job as a dentist would be stress-free, but he quickly realized that healthcare in general, especially dentistry, is far from stress-free. He found that opening his own office made a significant difference. He had previously worked in a corporate setting, where he was treated like a robot and saw over 30 patients a day, with little care for patient well-being or staff. In his private office, he now sees 8-10 patients a day, allowing him to go at his own pace and build better relationships with his patients and team. The quality of life has significantly improved, and he no longer experiences burnout. The change has been amazing for Dr. Brito, and he is grateful for the opportunity to provide better care for his patients, but he didn't just stop there. Dr. Brito knew that he needed a second source of income to help pay off his student debt even faster, so he started his own business. Through his business, Dr. Brito also made a connection that many doctors face - the "doctor tax" where companies and reps charge an exorbitant amount simply because they know he is a doctor. Luckily, he found a way to beat this system by getting equipment for other dentists at a fraction of the cost that other companies would charge. When it comes to sourcing the equipment, Dr. Brito prefers to buy used equipment from retiring doctors or those looking to trade in for newer models. He meticulously tests the equipment and gathers information about its history, just like one would when buying a used car. This has proven to be a profitable venture, as many retiring doctors give away expensive equipment for pennies on the dollar. Dr. Brito's friend and fellow dentist, Dr. Lynn, was also able to save a significant amount on equipment by buying from various companies rather than purchasing everything from one large supplier. Dr. Brito believes that one can easily save 50% on the cost of equipment by shopping around and comparing prices before you buy. Basically, right at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, he decided to start selling Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in addition to dental equipment. This proved to be successful and helped to sustain his business during the tough times. Though PPE sales have tapered off since then, it remains a part of his business. When asked about his yearly sales volume, Dr. Brito revealed that it currently stands at around 1.2 million. He recently started his own dental practice with a friend, Dr. Ashley Natty, after a six-month gap where he focused on his dental equipment business. However, when they tried to secure a loan, the banks were hesitant to approve them as they were not currently practicing as dentists. After being advised to find a job, Dr. Brito found a part-time position at a practice, which he worked at for six months until the previous owner sadly passed away. The wife of the deceased owner had to sell the practice, and it just so happened that Dr. Brito and Dr. Natty were in the process of looking for a location to start their own practice. They purchased the practice in January 2022 and renamed it West Tampa Dental. Despite having more bargaining chips, Dr. Brito and Dr. Natty wanted to be fair to the previous owner's wife and kept her on as their office manager while also adding new services such as Invisalign and implants to grow the practice. Asking about the challenges he faces with running two businesses simultaneously, Dr. Brito admits that his work doesn't end at five and often requires him to work on weekends and attend continuing education courses. Although, he sees it as a natural part of being a business owner and enjoys the flexibility that comes with it. The only weakness he identifies with is his difficulty with delegation, which he is actively trying to improve. When asked about expanding his product offerings, Dr. Brito expresses a desire to do so gradually, but acknowledges that he will eventually need a warehouse to accommodate the growing inventory. He prefers to keep it in-house for now, but he knows that he will have to move to a bigger space soon. While he is hesitant to commit to a location too far from his home in South Tampa, he recognizes that it may be more affordable to do so in the suburbs of Lakeland, albeit with a longer commute. Overall, Dr. Brito is focused on steady growth and finding the right balance between work and personal life. Dr. Brito believes that 2023 could be a very interesting year for the economy and the dental industry. While sales have been strong in the first few months of the year, Dr. Brito is concerned about the potential for a recession. With layoffs occurring in various industries, he worries that this could negatively affect dentistry and dental equipment sales. He is interested to see if dentists will turn to purchasing more used equipment if budgets become tighter during a recession. Dr. Brito's strategy for growing his businesses during the recession is to focus on the fundamentals. For his dental practice, the key is to get new patients through the door, and he is using marketing tools such as Bird Eye to help achieve this goal. Dr. Brito also emphasizes the importance of keeping patients in-house during a recession, and recommends having a three to six month emergency fund to weather the storm. Dr. Brito recommends saving money on supplies and equipment in 2023 by opting for smaller third party companies. According to him, these smaller vendors offer miles exempt supplies at a much lower price compared to bigger companies. The price difference can be significant and can quickly add up, making it an effective way to save money on supplies and equipment.
Amanda’s Background Amanda is the facility and supply manager at Bubon Orthodontics, where she also handles treatment coordination remotely. She began her journey in the dental field after participating in a high school co-op program, which led to a job as a sterilization technician in a dental office. Amanda initially pursued massage therapy after graduation but returned to dentistry as a dental assistant to pay her bills. She later landed a job at Bubon Orthodontics as an assistant in the clinic, where she has worked for over 15 years. Amanda's role has evolved over time, and she now manages the facility and supplies while taking consultations remotely. Her experience in various roles within the dental field has provided her with an understanding of how practices operate and the skills needed to perform a variety of tasks to be successful in the dental office. Challenges with ordering from multiple vendors Amanda Kaminski had been responsible for ordering supplies for her workplace for over a decade, dealing with multiple vendors and different methods of ordering. It was a task that required time and effort, but she managed to keep up with it. However, when the pandemic hit and her workplace had to adapt to new protocols, Amanda began to feel the strain of her job even more. Around that time, Amanda learned about ZenSupplies, a platform designed to simplify the ordering process by consolidating all vendors in one place. She discussed it with her boss, Dr. Bubon, who initially hesitated but eventually gave in to Amanda's persistent request to try ZenSupplies.Once they implemented the platform, Amanda immediately noticed the efficiency it brought to her job. With ZenSupplies, she no longer had to juggle multiple vendors and different ordering methods. The platform streamlined everything, making it easier and faster to place orders. Moreover, with other members of their team now onboard, it helped improve communication and ensured everyone was on the same page. Now, several months later, Amanda and her team have increased the number of locations they had from twelve to fifteen. Overall, Amanda says ZenSupplies has become an essential tool in their workflow, helping them save time and effort. Watch full interview with Amanda, where she shares her insights and experiences in managing inventory for a dental practice here: https://youtu.be/Z7_V8cDImMg Listen to the podcast: https://share.transistor.fm/s/0a55328c Read the full transcript from the interview with Tiger and Amanda: Tiger: Do you remember the first time you had to negotiate with a vendor? Were you nervous? Amanda: A little bit. Negotiating fees and seeing my grandparents do it every weekend during their rummages helped me grow up with it. However, you don't want to be rude by asking for something as it's the value of a thing. The best approach is to navigate slowly and ask questions, especially if it's a newer relationship. Keep respect in mind and ask if they ever negotiate prices or create a formulary. It's a partnership, and you're both looking out for each other's best interests. Opening a communication and seeing how they respond is often helpful. Tiger: Interesting. Why do you think people are intimidated to ask for a discount? Amanda: Financials are sensitive, and money is always a motivating factor in people's way of going about things, especially in business. It's important to approach the topic respectfully. Tiger: Can you share how you manage the relationship with your vendor? Amanda: My Dynaflex rep and I have known each other for at least a decade now. We talk about our private lives and email things, but it's essential to keep in mind that they have something you need, and you have something they need. It's a partnership, and you're both looking out for each other's best interests. I try to be responsible with what I have and ask for some sort of agreement where we can do a flat discounted rate or negotiate part for part. They often have some sort of internal setup, like if you have this many practices, this is the discount you get. It's often already set up, and you just need to open the door. It's always an interesting conversation because it's happened to us a couple of times with Zen. I constantly watch expenses and never let a credit card statement go without looking at it. Occasionally, when I switch services, I look into the rep's eyes and say, "I think I know what you're thinking," and they nod. We work with each office individually, but we've seen how it happens with DSOs since it's that model. When Amanda signed up with 12 offices, I trusted her and made sure with support we were onboarding all 12 at the same time. Amanda, how did you get the team on board with the implementation? I did a big training session with all of them, and I gave them a few months to get their feet wet before using the required and on-hand amounts. It's a really nice software, and I found it simple to say what we need. I did a lot of the initial organization and then showed the staff how to use it, gave them different suggestions, and expected them to meet my standards. Our staff is set up for changes a lot, and we just roll with it and learn. People don't like change, and that's especially true in dentistry, where offices can be behind the times. That's interesting. We try to have relationships with general dentists and referring doctors, but we see offices stuck in the same couple of decades, still doing a good job but a little bit behind the times.I could teach a course on this topic alone. I've noticed that ortho offices are slightly different from GPS offices in that they are accustomed to change and the fast-paced nature of the office. When I speak to dental assistants who have worked in ortho, they tend to have a different mentality. I'm not saying it's better or worse, it's just different. This ability to adapt to change is unique to ortho offices because it doesn't happen often enough. Many people still use Eaglesoft, Dentrix, or GPS simply because they don't see a reason to change. However, I believe in constantly changing and trying new things. Recently, I was pleased when a new team member joined Zen after an interview with one of our oldest staff members. The candidate was told that the only constant at Zen is change, and she was ready for it. We've had employees who have criticized me for changing things and changing my mind during exit interviews. However, looking back over the past seven years, I believe that constant change has kept us alive. I give credit to Dr. Bubon for having the courage to embrace change, as well as a solid team by our side. Amanda: I agree. Dr. Bubon has learned a lot over the years about what to bring to the table for discussion and what to implement regardless of the response. He's usually good about his delivery, and he has a great team. He knows how to pick his battles and get things done. He values employee retention and works to keep staff members around. Tiger: Employee retention is an important topic. If the average time for employees to stay with a team is seven or eight years when the business is ten years old, it's not just luck. It's important to have conversations with each team member about their growth, challenges, and salaries to ensure they feel valued and are encouraged to stay. It's not just luck that they love working at the company, but rather constant conversations and efforts to keep them. Do you agree? Amanda: In my opinion, I believe it's crucial to have a certain level of stimulation and engagement ещ be successful in the dental office. I enjoy being busy and having a diverse range of responsibilities. This is what has worked for me and kept me here. Although, I don't want to speak for everyone because different people may have different needs. However, I think it's important to be willing to adapt and create positions or infrastructure when needed. This is particularly important in smaller companies or teams where it's easier to stay personal. As for larger companies, it's important for leadership to be more engaging with their staff and create an internal organization of support and organization in general. I think it's a balance between taking pride in what you do, having a good fit of responsibility, and being appreciative of your staff's hard work in keeping the practice thriving and growing. It's a challenging position to be in as a boss, but listening to staff and meeting their employment needs as well as salary is crucial. Tiger: I believe that when it comes to the question of how much to pay an employee, it ultimately depends on the problem you're trying to solve and the size of your business. As someone who runs a business myself, I often hear my friends who also run businesses asking this question. However, I think it's important to consider what responsibilities and tasks the employee will be taking on and how they will contribute to the success of the business. In my opinion, the dental assistant is a critical role in the success of any dental office. While you can open an office without an office manager or hygienist, you cannot do so without a doctor and a dental assistant. That's why I'm passionate about creating a growth track for dental assistants so that they can become even more valuable to the business. Ideally, there should be a path for dental assistants to grow, whether that means becoming a highly skilled individual contributor or a people manager. This would allow them to take on more responsibilities, become more efficient, and ultimately help the business succeed. I understand that it takes an open-minded individual to bring in another set of eyes to their job, but I believe the benefits of having a highly skilled dental assistant are undeniable. Amanda: I believe that having a dynamic where another mini provider is brought in to help with efficiency and productivity requires an open-minded individual. In my opinion, there is a huge value in this approach as it allows for more productivity, helping more people, and increasing production. From my perspective, I can only see positives, but I also acknowledge that it takes a person who is relational and willing to collaborate with another set of eyes to their job. It's something that I think is right and good, but it requires a specific mindset. Tiger: I think it's important to recognize the different strengths and skill sets of your team members, and not just promote someone based on their current job title or position. As you mentioned, someone may be an amazing dental assistant but may not necessarily excel at managing people. And that's okay. It's important to identify those individuals who have the potential to be great people managers and provide them with the necessary training and support to develop those skills. In terms of compensation, I believe that it's important to pay your top performers what they're worth. If you have a true leader assistant who is instrumental in running the office and managing the team, then it's worth investing in that person and compensating them accordingly. However, I can see how having a single office can pose challenges in terms of career growth and advancement opportunities for your team members. One possible solution could be to provide additional training and development opportunities, such as attending conferences or workshops, or taking on additional responsibilities within the office to help them continue to grow and develop their skills. Additionally, cross-training your team members in different areas can also be beneficial for both the individual and the office as a whole. Amanda: I think it's really valid to consider how to keep staff engaged and growing in their roles. In my experience, hiring a consultant to do personality training and identify each staff member's strengths was really helpful in finding the right fit for each position. It's important to remember that people can improve their mindset and way of relating with others if they have the right support and tools. However, if someone isn't suited for a certain role, it's important to recognize that and find a position that better aligns with their strengths. When it comes to staff retention, it's important to be proactive and ask them what they need to stay happy and engaged in their job. Life changes happen, and sometimes a job may need to change with it. It's interesting to see how different doctors in our practice have different ways of relating with staff, but ultimately, it's about finding what works for each individual. While I haven't been in a position where a veteran staff member has left due to life changes, I think it's important to approach each situation with empathy and a willingness to adapt. Tiger: People have kids. Amanda: I've noticed a significant shift in mindset with the younger generation staff that are joining the team. They've been exposed to different experiences and have a different perception compared to the previous generations. The world has changed dramatically in the last five to ten years, and this has influenced their perspectives. As a result, there seems to be a breakdown in perception between the younger staff and the doctors, practice owners, and managers who have been in the industry for longer. I can understand how there may be some conflict when it comes to salary or hourly wage negotiations, as the younger staff may request what some owners perceive as an audacious amount. However, I believe that if an employee is bringing value to the practice and is an asset, they deserve fair compensation. To ensure we get the best candidates, we have implemented an intensive vetting process that includes a thorough background check and a rigorous interview process. We aim to attract employees who take pride in their work and are willing to work collaboratively as part of a team. I think the onboarding process is changing rapidly, and we need to adapt to stay current. While it's challenging to determine what you're getting before seeing someone in action, we believe that our hiring process is the best way to ensure we hire the right candidates. Ultimately, it's a complicated issue, but we are constantly working to improve our process and find the best staff to join our team. Tiger: I agree with your point about the importance of having a diverse mix of generations in the workplace. In my opinion, a work environment where everyone is about to retire is not ideal and may be challenging to sell. Instead, having a representation of different generations can create a melting pot of ideas that can benefit the upcoming and retiring employees. I believe that as long as everyone gets along and works together as a team to reach the common goal, it can lead to a successful work environment. However, I do think it's crucial to maintain a professional relationship with team members and avoid calling them "family." Although some people may use this term to express their appreciation for their team, it can lead to a sense of entitlement and can make it challenging to make difficult decisions like firing an employee. In my opinion, it's better to show respect for team members and express appreciation for their hard work without blurring the lines between professional and personal relationships. Amanda: I agree that different people may have different understandings of what "family" means, and it could be related to their level of vulnerability. In my view, being part of a family is about having a mindset of caring for each other, being loyal, and working together as a close-knit team. However, I can see how some people may see their family and a work or team environment as two different things. I think the difference in our perspectives on this topic may be related to our generational differences. For example, I know someone in dentistry who considers his son to be his best friend, but personally, I value having other friends as well. I believe that being a parent is about being responsible for my child and providing guidance, rather than relying on them as my main source of emotional support. However, I acknowledge that my perspective may not be the only valid one, and I am open to exploring different viewpoints on the matter. Amanda: Personally, I agree that a business and a family are two vastly different things, even though they may share some similarities in terms of dynamics. From my perspective, having a warm and caring dynamic within a work team is important, but it's important to acknowledge the complexities that come with a family dynamic. I can understand why some people may prioritize accuracy and precision in their language, while others may use language more loosely. However, I have noticed a trend towards using the term "family atmosphere" in the workplace, and while it may work for some, I personally find it cringey and uncomfortable. Ultimately, there are different perspectives on how to view this topic, but I believe it's important to recognize the differences between a business and a family. Tiger: Did Zen affect your relationship with vendors in any way, good or bad? Amanda: I understand that there has been a change in the level of personal interaction with the one representative from Dynaflex, Lori. However, I have found that our business relationship has improved as we have been able to maintain regular check-ins and address any specific situations that arise. While we don't interact as frequently as before, I appreciate that Lori is always available when needed and that ordering is now more streamlined. Overall, our business relationship is where it needs to be. Tiger: What would you recommend to offices that are on board with Zen? Amanda: In my experience, it's a relief to have specific products that we know we like and can get every time, rather than constantly trying new things. However, it's important to be patient when getting your inventory set up, as it can take some time to organize and keep track of everything. In my situation, with multiple providers using different materials, it can be more challenging, but I'm always open to learning and improving. I personally have experience with searching for items, but I understand that not everyone on my staff may have that experience. It's important to train and support your staff, and vendors can also be helpful in recommending products. I must say, your staff, particularly Lana, Anastasia, and Delaney, have been amazing in managing my account and providing excellent customer service. It's clear that Zen staff and customer service are top priorities, and it shows in the quality of support I receive.