Distance proves no challenge with dental4windows multi-practice install

Dr Leon Loftus has a business model that was not possible without dental4windows. Dr Loftus is not a dentist but does hold a PhD, MBA and LLB.

In 2004, together his wife who is a dentist, Dr Loftus purchased a dental surgery in central Victoria, which like months using MYOB after which they purchased what at the time, they believed to be the best available purpose built dental practice management system (PMS).

In 2008, Dr Loftus and his wife purchased two practices in Northern NSW after being told that their existing PMS would operate efficiently over any distance using Terminal Services. He realised very quickly he had been mislead and found he was unable to access the remote practices using Terminal Services making his need for managing them remotely much harder and for Dr Loftus, unacceptable. At this time, Dr Loftus was also at the time recognising the future for any dental practice was to become more efficient with digital imaging certainly inevitable. At the time, dental4windows were publicising their upcoming digital imaging module, Mediasuite.

Dr Loftus contacted Wayne Millard from dental4windows explaining his predicament and asking confirmation that the dental4windows system would operate efficiently via Terminal Services. Mr Millard confirmed this, with Dr Loftus doing further research via other industry contacts and colleagues about dental4windows functionality and the support provided. With all reports offering very positive feedback, Dr Loftus went ahead and purchased the system for the original practice.

Dr Loftus says, "Centaur Software arranged to do a data transfer from his existing practice management system into the newly installed dental4windows with most details including all patient demographics coming across. This process alone saved many hours of laborious re-entering of data, which really is necessary for the practice to continue on efficiently without paying a high price for inconvenience to say the very least."

The installation and training were both booked in advance with both going very smoothly and according to plan. Once training was completed, the central Victorian practice slotted in to the change almost instantly. Although the workflow and use of dental4windows is certainly quite different to the original system, Dr Loftus said that all staff agreed the system's design and workflow was intuitive and therefore easy to pick-up.

Dr Loftus explained with considerable frankness, "I am extremely particular about efficiencies within the practices and am extremely happy with the efficiencies dental4windows delivers from the appointment book operation through to the SMS functionality, treatment notes and even bank reconciliations. For us, many patients can be up to two hours away, making the SMS system a must for reminders. The reports are excellent and extremely accurate as apposed to what was found when using the other product.

"I run a team of dentists and in most cases, they already knew the system or found it very easy to pick up and with its reporting easily operated via Terminal Services, I have the confidence we are always running according to plan and in control. With the Victorian practice now trading at three times 2004 volume and with the total of all 3 practices now, three times Victoria's turnover, we are demonstrating revenue growth at projected and expected levels.

"I advertise in all the areas we have practices with each practice open in excess of 300 days per annum with our dentists seeing patients often during times when most other practices are closed or on holidays. The business turns over eight times what it did when we first started. Yes I am very focussed on business success but this system is just as much about patient care as it is about efficiencies and management. We have invested heavily in digital x-ray technology and plan to continue our expansion. Dental4windows provides management tools and capability beyond anything else I have seen or even heard of.

"For me, patient care is the most important aspect to the business and I am continually aiming to deliver the best patient care possible with a focus also on understanding the importance of our individual community contribution. Many would appreciate this is not unusual for those communities outside the main cities of Australia.

"For any practice considering what practice management system to purchase, my advice is that dental4windows has the capacity to better manage and expand the practice but is clearly the easiest to use for those just starting out."