The document discusses the challenges faced by solo dentistry practices, including economic pressures and the rapid pace of technological change, which hinder their ability to focus on delivering quality patient care. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong technology platform as a foundational element that can streamline processes and enhance patient experiences. Ultimately, the integration of technology, processes, and staff capabilities is positioned as essential for creating a competitive advantage in dental practice.

1. DENTAL TECHNOLOGY AS
A PLATFORM
Layers of the practice

2. THE STATUS QUO ISN’T GREAT
Legacy
Prestige
Belonging
Safety
Threat/survival
• This is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Solo
practice dentistry is right at the bottom of
the pyramid today, worrying about how to
stay in business and fixing stuff when it
breaks.
• All dentists, especially those in business for
themselves, want to make it to the top of the
pyramid. Worrying about what legacy they
will leave behind and how they can make
that patient experience unique is what they
dream about doing.

3. THE PRESSURES OF A SINGLE
PRACTICE OWNER
• Corporate dentistry
• Patient consumerism
• Rate of technology change
• Economic pressures

4. CONFUSION, INDECISION AND
DISTRACTION
• All these factors together make it hard
to focus on the business of dentistry
and just practice dentistry the way you
imagined you would when you came
out of dental school.
• Lack of focus and strategy compound
across all levels of the practice to
paralyze us into inaction, or micro-
focus us on a point of distraction.

5. UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR
PROBLEMS LOOK LIKE
Your technology
Your business and
clinical processes
Your staff
Your patients
• Each practice has several layers that
operate simultaneously. Each has its
own issues and requirements and
builds on the next layer.
• Without understanding how they fit,
problems seem to come from
everywhere without rhyme or reason.

6. UNDERSTAND THEY ARE ALL
CONNECTED
• While we often focus on issues
surrounding our people first (staff and
patients are the center of any
practice), other issues in other layers
of our business are often at the root
of what frustrates you, your staff and
your patients.
Your technology
Your business and
clinical processes
Your staff
Your patients

7. YOUR TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM IS
YOUR FOUNDATION
• If you build a solid foundation to your
house, that house will last longer.
• Your technology is no different. It is
the starting point of all you do to serve
your patients and practice dentistry.
You must have a vision for what your
technology will enable you to do.
• And what sits at the center of that
technology platform? Your practice
management system.

8. BUILD YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR
DENTISTRY ON THAT FOUNDATION
• If you have a solid technology platform
that automates some of these
processes for you, your practice will
gain efficiencies it would not otherwise
have. These two layers working
together can provide your practice a
real competitive advantage.

9. YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE THE
REAL DIFFERENTIATORS
• If your previous layers of processes and
technology have been well planned and
executed, you will exert less stress on
your staff as they strive to do better,
more innovative things like marketing
your practice or serving your patients.
• Automate mundane and repetitive
tasks to free your people up to do
more.

10. IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE PATIENT
EXPERIENCE
• Your patients want to know you care,
and know you have expertise. These
other layers working together will
enable you to craft a unique and
satisfying experience for your patients
that cannot be duplicated. People
make that difference, and your
technology and processes empower
your people!