What are the most common quality control issues in dental practice management?

I am not in this field at all. I suggest LinkedIn refine its algorithms. (OK, error message says I have to offer at least 125 characters, so here are a few more.)

Our team finds repeated issues with reprocessing/sterilization of instruments and reusable devices and lack of monitoring as a form of quality control. The biggest issue is failure to follow manufacturer's instructions and nationally recognized guidelines, including CDC.

Too many practices consider maintenance and quality equipment as optional. They walk over dollars to pick up dimes. This philosophy results in a lesser quality of care to the patient.

? I'm not in this field either. Luck of the algorithm draw? My guess is A pair of pliers A rusty pocket knife A dirty rag And one large bottle of whiskey?

I believe we forgot sometimes the crossing infection with dental devices, like for example the tip of the light curator or the composite filler. Also, what is eye protection, in patients and dental assistants. The cleaning of the waterlines is another issue with mycobacterium and the use of a mouthwash before doing a procedure, especially if you suspect any respiratory symptom. Cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash has evidence in relation to that topic.

I recommend incorporating some fixed question in the EHR: Allergy to latex and drugs consumption. That are easier to forget to ask but are a must. Normally the patient will tell the others easily.

I would also recommend doing frequent record audits to ensure all information is entered correctly. Example, does the treatment plan line up with the treatment. Does the CDT codes line up with the procedure. Was all information entered - example: blood pressure, medical history, etc.

Audits are essential. Even weekly, having the practice administrator pull a handful of random patient accounts to ensure documentation was done correctly and to standards.

Electronic records is the solution as it documents last minute changes. End of day checklist insures all documentation was made.

I recommend ensuring an EHR that would specify for this field. Dental practice EHR have templates that specify and help with these misunderstanding and errors.

Using your supplier will help with this. They have protocols to ensure equipment is maintained with a proactive approach. It is also helpful to have a designated team member to oversee this aspect of the practice to maintain accountability.

Too often dentists (practice owners) focus on the cost of things like maintenance. But as they tell their patients daily - prevention is better than the cure. Using a contractor who is certified to work in your brand equipment, and even asking them to do service calls more often than is “mandatory” can save you downtime (which ultimately costs you much more in lost income).

Ein gutes QM integriert auch solche Vorg?nge wie die Wartung von Ger?ten in den t?glichen Praxisalltag ein. Generell darf QM nicht als ein separates Thema (vertaubtes Handbuch) angesehen werden. Es muss in die t?glichen Routinen und Dienstpl?nen des Praxispersonals eingebunden sein. Dann ist es auch jederzeit aktuell und bringt so die Praxis weiter, indem es dafür sorgt das Prozesse und Abl?ufe optimiert werden.

I firmly believe that the ethos of creating a patient-centric approach is essential for dental practice success, drawing and retaining patients, and encouraging referrals. The key is seeking and responding to feedback. In Australia, accredited practices conduct patient surveys, crucial for tailoring services and addressing needs. A strong online presence, particularly through Google reviews, is vital. These reviews build credibility and influence new patients. Encouraging reviews boosts reputation. Responding to feedback, positive or negative, demonstrates a commitment to improvement and patient satisfaction, turning challenges into opportunities. A responsive practice effectively manages its reputation.

Patient surveys are essential. When a dental practice announces they provide quality patient care, that does not just mean the actual procedure; this also includes that patient experience. If you do not survey your patients, how do you know if you are provide the care they expect? Quality is tangible to a patient measured by their experience.

In my opinion, the best way to gather patient satisfaction scores is to read online reviews. Patients are very candid with their opinions of the dental practice, the staff, and the dentist himself/herself. It’s important that someone (ideally, the dentist-owner) reviews these frequently and answers them appropriately. Most importantly, the dentist and his/her team must be open about the feedback and learn from it.

Yes, but the surveys must be separated: One thing is to measure the subjective aspect, the other the objective one. As satisfaction is subjective, I suggest making a especial survey for dental care, related only for the dental attention, then separate the rest of the process, sometimes patients tend to evaluate attention, based only in what happened before in the reception or int the waiting area. I think that this has to be more differentiated, to get to the dissatisfaction and the root of the problem.

In addition to what's been shared about surveys, a practice can also tell if their patient's are satisfied by the number of referrals (which needs to be tracked). If patient's are not referring their friends or family, or are reluctant when asked, that is an indication they are not a raving fan and are staying for another reason.

Staff training is the most essential tool to ensuring you are providing quality patient care and providing it in a consistent way. When I was working at Mayo Clinic, they were committed to ensuring each employee came in understanding the organization and the core values and goals of the organization. From there you are provided department training, assigned a mentor and required to take organizational developed continuing education. In my opinion, this is one of the ways Mayo has incredible staff retention and is consistently recognized as a world renowned organization.

Humanization in healthcare, more than training, starts with this, then comes the rest. A team will only collaborate if is in a nice environment, training only is efficient if the team understand where the goal is going and why is important to have a person-centered culture not only focus on the patients, also the own team.

Staff training yields the greatest reward in the long term, and yet, it's often undervalued by practices. Here's the thing: staff are the most patient-facing resource, and they are often managing your workflows, from RevCy to documentation management. Investing in staff development builds scaffolding around operations. From building trust with patients to ensuring regulatory requirements are achieved, staff needs to be continuously supported and developed. When a staff lacks competency due to an underinvestment in training and development, cracks will develop in the foundation of the practice. This, too, will impact the practice, but negatively and forever.

Training is a must in any business including a dental practice. Everything must be documented, reviewed, and evaluated on a periodic basis. Training is of upmost important because it not only sets expectations, but it also produces consistent results.

Wie sollen wir Weiterbildung durchführen wenn wir den Praxisalltag noch nicht einmal gestemmt bekommen? Und deshalb setzt ein professionelles QM System ganz vorne an. 1. digitale Zeiterfassung 2. digitale Erfassung und Erstellung von Dienstpl?nen 3. überprüfen und Auditieren der Prozesse anhand der Dienstpl?ne. 4. Abweichungen Analysieren und Verbesserungen umsetzen Wir k?nnen sagen, dass in unserer Arbeit mit den Praxen bis zu 25% Zeitressourcen eingespart werden. Diese Zeit wird dann für Aus- und Weitebildung genutzt. So wird ein Schuh draus!

Feedback, surveys, etc. are critical and having someone within the organization dedicated specifically to QA will help. There needs to be accountability and ownership otherwise things fall through the cracks and someone thinks "someone else is doing it."

Unser Ansatz liegt in einer digitalen Dienstplangestaltung inkl. Zeiterfassung. Alle anfallenden T?tigkeiten in der Praxis werden systematisch erfasst, beschrieben, und in einer integralen Dienstplanung dargestellt. Dann kontrollieren wir via Zeiterfassung die geplanten Zeiten vs der tats?chlich gebrauchten Zeiten. Abweichungen davon werden Auditiert und in der QM Beschreibung angepasst / verbessert. Damit integrieren wir das QM in den t?glichen Praxisalltag und garantieren eine Aktualit?t der Prozesse die eine Auditierung jederzeit erm?glichen.

Inadequate Infection Control: Failure to maintain proper infection control measures can lead to the spread of infections within the dental office. Strict adherence to sterilization protocols for instruments and proper disinfection of surfaces and equipment is essential.

To start with medical dental integration an a more preventive dentistry approach, with focus on the minimalistic intervention and holistic treatment. To see more than the mouth, do proper referrals and interact actively with the other medical fields.

My experience with Dental/Oral Surgery practices is minimal. But what I've seen lacking, is true administrative/operational oversight. A few highlights: (1) Clinic managers tend to come from the ranks and have minimal management training, (2) Policies and procedures are generalized and rarely updated, (3) and strategic vision and the needed commitment are lacking. This is not to say the head surgeon/dentist (or any of the staff) is doing a poor job. But rather, the lack of admin/ops input and/or oversight is putting an unnecessary risk on the firm.

Keiner will es, fast alle brauchen es! Es geht um das Thema MDR (Medical Device Regulation). Es geh?rt aus meiner Sicht zwingend zu einem professionellen QM System hinzu. Insbesonder dann, wenn es um Medizinprodukte geht, die dauerhaft im K?rper des Menschen bleiben. Dort ist eine lückenlose Nachverfolgbarkeit Pflicht. Leider scheuen sich viele Zahnlabore und Praxen davor es umzusetzen. Doch es kann so einfach sein. Mit dem passenden Tool ist es im Handumdrehen implementiert. Zu guter letzt ist es sogar ein Alleinstellungsmerkmal im Markt.