Evident Dental Lab New Years Resolution Guide for 2011

Dental lab equipment, more technicians and other staff, more dentists; these are all very obvious targets that will tend to rise to the top of the wish list for 2011. They may be solid goals but sometimes changes from within can be the most effective changes of all. Consider looking for adjustments and activities that improve the dental lab environment and even the environment beyond the lab.

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Dental Lab Software

(Vocus/PRWEB) January 21, 2011

It’s 2011 and no matter how you feel about New Year’s resolutions, the concept of attempting to do things better over the next twelve months is certainly not a bad idea. Here are some Evident resolutions for lab owners and managers to consider:

Empower staff
Seriously, how many technicians over time have left the dental lab to start a competing lab? Expressed as a percentage it’s probably very, low. And yet labs punish loyal dental technicians by withholding information when most technicians just want to do a good job and enjoy their work. Give technicians the information they need, the opportunity to innovate, access to training, credit when they succeed and understanding and encouragement when they fail. Yes, there are bad apples and there must be consequences when things go wrong but, given a challenge, most will rise to it. Accurate and current production statistics from lab management software will help to both evaluate production more fairly and establish production goals with employees to help chart the course for the coming year.

Use less paper
Evident has the ability to text drivers, email statements, use the computer monitor or iPad to manage production, use an invoice that gives you 2 copies, quality evaluation, and label on a single page, fax dentists directly from the lab management system, send daily reports to email, sign up for fax to email so incoming faxes are electronic, integrate an electronic Dentist Gateway, attach photos to cases electronically and give technicians access rather than printing the photos, provide the lab’s price list online, and use the messaging capability of lab management software instead of sticky notes.

Switch to electronic scheduling
It’s 2011 and even for the single technician lab there are benefits to electronic scheduling. Putting information into the computer once means things run smoother forever. Electronic scheduling also puts information in everyone’s hand, where it belongs. Most systems will allow for a simple scheduling setup to get started.

Backup your computer
Some software is installed on the computer; some is run over the Internet. What is installed on the computer must be backed up. This includes documents and spreadsheets. The software that is run over the Internet is backed up automatically as a rule. Make sure accounting data, letters, and everything else of value is backed up. External drives are inexpensive and resolving to “not lose everything” in 2011 is a solid goal.

Volunteer
Within the dental industry or outside it, supporting a worthy cause will bring pride and a sense of accomplishment as well as the betterment of all. Involving staff in a charitable goal pulls everyone together. It feels good to make a difference and it’s really not that hard. Volunteer efforts do not go unnoticed in the community and may result in surprising benefits...

Take time every day to think
It’s so easy to spend all day responding and reacting to the people and situations in the dental lab. Taking some time every day to contemplate past, present, and future can result in clarity, purpose and a great deal of satisfaction. It is easy to see the problems but a little uninterrupted time for clear thought tends to bring the solutions into focus.

Get involved
The dental lab industry is an exciting place to be right now. All kinds of changes are taking place and the best way to set a path through that change is to be knowledgeable about what’s out there. Take the opportunity to spend time with peers, attend association meetings, check out lectures, trade shows, and educational opportunities and make plans to take advantage of some of them. Also, if taking the time to think every day is not enough, chances are someone else shares the same problems and is at least part way to a solution. Taking issues to lab meetings and dental lab trade shows really can help. Dental lab blogs are another venue for exploring how others navigate through the business.

Be healthy
Lab owners and managers have a lot of people relying on them; family, friends and the employees and families who depend on the dental lab for their living. Now is always a good time to not only explore ways to improve health and fitness but to act on them.

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