July 13, 2023
Dentistry is often distinguished from other medical practices: it is taught separately, has unique standards and regulations, and falls under its own type of insurance. Naturally, dentists require highly specialized healthcare software, which includes electronic health records.
of dentists used EHR in their practice in 2021
Maryland Healthcare Commission
CAGR of the dental practice management software market from 2021-2027
Global Market Insights
projected dental practice management software market size in 2027
Statista
There are multiple dentistry-specific EHRs on the market, and practitioners can buy a license for a proprietary system or install an open-source EHR. Regardless of the cost, an effective EDR usually comprises the following features:
Healthcare organizations are digitizing most clinical operations, not only medical history records. Thus, for dental EHR software to bring the most advantages to a practice, it should streamline as many routine workflows as possible. Organizations can achieve this by flawlessly integrating dentistry-specific systems with other software they use every day.
Streamline admin tasks such as patient check-in while distributing resources more effectively according to the current clinical situation reflected in the EHR by connecting it to dental PMS.
Improve health management for patients with complex health conditions by enabling secure data exchange between dental and general care providers.
Improve patient experiences by enabling them to manage their dental records, schedule appointments, receive reminders, view educational materials, and communicate with dental professionals via connected patient engagement tools.
Boost revenue by automating billing, insurance claim management, and reimbursement tracking with the help of integrated RCM software.
Request and receive accurate lab test results faster via the connection of dental EHR and LIS.
Analyze X-rays, CT scans, and other dental images stored in the EHR to diagnose, predict, treat, and monitor dental conditions more effectively.
Reduce errors in medication management and streamline orders by sending electronic prescriptions directly from EHRs to pharmacy software.
Facilitate virtual dental consultations and remote patient monitoring by giving clinicians access to accurate patient information via the EHR-connected telehealth platform.
Dental care providers adopting EHR choose between two modes of software solution deployment: on-premises or cloud. Each type has its own advantages and limitations, and the choice depends on the particular dental practice’s requirements.
Cloud
On-premise
Doesn’t require profound hardware and infrastructure changes: easier and faster to set up
Takes time and requires hardware, workflows, and infrastructure changes
Cloud
On-premise
Lower upfront fees but higher lifetime costs
Higher initial payment but lower lifetime costs
Cloud
On-premise
Patient health data is accessible from anywhere via the internet
Patient health data is accessible online and offline from the dental practice’s facilities
Cloud
On-premise
Targeted by cyber attacks more frequently and needs more security measures
Usually more protected from internet cyber attacks but sensitive to internal security threats
Cloud
On-premise
Data is backed up on servers outside the facility and protected by vendors
Dental care providers are responsible for backups and data recovery
Cloud
On-premise
Can be customized quickly but with limited options
Takes longer to customize but can be tuned more accurately to the particular organization’s needs
With so many systems to track dental records, deciding which works best for your practice can be challenging. To sort this out, consider the following:
Ensure compliance with healthcare regulations
Map out the workflows
Create a comprehensive roadmap
Make improvements after users’ feedback
Train your personnel
Migrate data accurately and securely
Ensure data safety and security
Involve dental specialists
Some practitioners are happy with out-of-the-box solutions, while others need specialized orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, and prosthodontics modules. If this is your case, think about a custom EHR solution. Discuss the future solution’s compliance with the development team to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Our experts support dental care professionals throughout all stages of dental EHR adoption, providing consultation, development, tuning, integration, data migration, and post-deployment support services.
Preparation
Implementation
Post-deployment
Open Dental is the largest open-source practice management solution that includes dental EMR, e-Prescribing (e-Rx), imaging, and financial imaging modules. This software is highly customizable, reasonably low-cost, and has powerful charting, treatment planning, and patient engagement capabilities.
Image title: Open Dental system screenshot
Data source: emrsystems.net — Open Dental Software, 2023
Electronic health records software brings very tangible benefits to both clinicians and their patients.
Every medical specialist should know a patient's full health history (possible allergies, medication adherence, and chronic conditions) to prescribe an optimal treatment course. Therefore, EHR interoperability is crucial in healthcare. A study conducted among medical and dental professionals representing U.S. dental schools and a foreign university hospital showed that 68.5% of providers had at least one case when access to corresponding health information could have improved diagnostic accuracy and treatment.
Scheme title: Medical information that the physician (MD) would want the patient's dentist (DMD) to access versus medical information that the dentist would like to access in an integrated EHR.
Data source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov—Improving Oral–Systemic Healthcare through the Interoperability of Electronic Medical and Dental Records: An Exploratory Study, 29 May 2019.
A dentistry-specific system implementation can go differently than one would hope. Going into this journey without a proper understanding of the process could be challenging for a dental care provider. However, experts recommend a few tricks to ensure successful EHR implementation.
Â
Challenge
Solution
One of the main reasons the EHR adoption rate in dentistry is low is not enough motivation for personnel to use it. Dentists might not want to change their usual workflows and adapt to new software.
Prepare the ground for change beforehand. First, the leader should state why the change is needed and what the updated workflows will look like. Then, personnel should be able to ask questions and make suggestions regarding future changes, which makes them invested in the process. Dedicated training must clear up any remaining doubts.
Challenge
Solution
Some dental service providers, especially small or solo practitioners, can’t afford the most popular electronic health records solutions if they require payment upfront.
There are a lot of differently-priced systems, including free software that is monetized by showing ads, open-source solutions, or EHR platforms that charge patients for using the service instead of practitioners.
Challenge
Solution
Many specialists worry that the EHR system will add to their workload, requiring them to fill out more fields or work overtime.
The EHR system adoption depends on its usability. The system, which fits the dental practice's clinical needs, improves workflows, has a user-friendly interface, and is integrated with other software, will be more likely welcomed.
Dentists and oral surgeons need specialized EHRs to increase revenue, enhance practice efficiency, and better health outcomes. If you want to get ahead of the competitors and provide enhanced services to your patients with the help of a dental EHR, the Itransition team will help you choose the optimal solution that fits your practice or develop a custom one.
Our experienced EHR consultants and developers will ensure its compliance with all regulations, integrate it with the existing systems, migrate the data from your current system, and conduct personnel training for you to get the most benefits out of your software.