Novonee - The Premier Dentrix Community

Your dental schedule should do more than fill appointment times. It should help patients find you, make online booking easier, support your production goals, and keep your day running on time. In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson takes one of her favorite practice management software features from her recent AADOM presentation and applies it specifically to the Dentrix community: Perfect Day Scheduling. She explains how thoughtfully mapping your Dentrix schedule can support online booking, improve patient access, simplify team workflows, and create a more productive day. Pasted text With patients increasingly using AI tools to search for dental practices, convenient access and online scheduling are becoming even more important. Dayna shares how Dentrix Perfect Day Scheduling can help practices prepare for this shift while still maintaining control over where patients can book. ✅ Key Takeaways - Why Dentrix Perfect Day Scheduling is becoming even more important as online booking and AI-powered search evolve. - How patients may use conversational AI tools to search for a dentist based on insurance, family needs, location, and appointment availability. - Why reducing barriers between finding your practice and booking an appointment online can improve the patient experience. - How to use Dentrix Perfect Day blocks to control which appointment times are available for online scheduling. - Why new patient blocks should be strategically positioned alongside procedures where the doctor is less captive. - How mapping your schedule horizontally can help your clinical team work more efficiently. Pasted text - How Perfect Day Scheduling can help new team members understand where specific procedures belong. - Why schedule blocks can support your daily dental production goals and create more consistency across the team. - How strategic scheduling can help protect lunch breaks and keep your team from routinely running late at the end of the day. - Why a well-designed Dentrix schedule can improve both practice productivity and the patient experience.

Your dental membership plan should make life easier for your team, not create inaccurate reports, unnecessary claims, or confusing Dentrix workflows. In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson breaks down her best practices for managing an in-office dental membership plan in Dentrix. Instead of giving every practice the same setup, Dayna explains three different levels, from a simple baseline approach to a fully optimized Dentrix membership plan workflow that tracks revenue, payments, renewals, and reporting. Whether you manage your membership plan internally or use a third-party membership company, this episode will help you decide how much information you want to track and how to build a Dentrix system that supports your dental practice management goals. ✅ Key Takeaways Why there isn't one perfect Dentrix membership plan setup for every dental practice. How to create a simple membership plan adjustment for hygiene procedures included in the plan. When Dayna recommends creating a separate fee schedule for membership plan patients who receive discounts on restorative treatment. Why Dayna does not recommend setting up your dental membership plan as an insurance plan in Dentrix. How treating a membership plan like insurance can inflate your insured patient count and cause Dentrix to try to generate insurance claims. How to create membership plan procedure codes when you want to track membership production and payments. Why membership revenue may be posted to an owner doctor or company provider ID to keep it separate from doctor and hygiene production. How a billing type can help identify membership plan patients and filter Dentrix reports. How to use Continuing Care to help track annual membership renewals. How to account for third-party membership management and processing fees when more detailed reporting is needed. How Future Due Payment Plans can support monthly membership payments and recurring credit card charges in Dentrix.

Use It or Lose It: How to Find Unscheduled Treatment in Dentrix Before Year-End September is the time to start mining for gold in Dentrix, because your patients may have unused dental benefits and unscheduled treatment sitting right in front of you. In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson shares a practical year-end strategy for finding patients with unscheduled dental treatment and remaining insurance benefits. She explains how your entire dental team can create appropriate urgency around treatment, while your admin team uses the Dentrix Treatment Manager and Office Journal to build a consistent follow-up workflow. The goal isn't just to fill the schedule. It's to help patients maximize the benefits they've already paid for, improve case acceptance, and help your dental practice finish the year strong. ✅ Key Takeaways Why September is the ideal time to begin year-end dental insurance benefit conversations. How hygienists can review outstanding treatment during continuing care visits and educate patients about benefits that may expire. How dental assistants can reinforce treatment recommendations with existing and new patients. Why Dayna calls the Dentrix Treatment Manager "mining for gold." How to use Treatment Manager to identify recently diagnosed, unscheduled treatment that is still fresh in the patient's mind. How to filter Treatment Manager by remaining dental insurance benefits, including patients with a specific amount of benefits remaining. Why Dayna recommends focusing administrative follow-up on treatment diagnosed roughly two weeks to five months ago. How exporting Treatment Manager data to Excel may support additional email or text outreach workflows. How third-party patient communication software may help you create a year-end benefits campaign. Why the Dentrix Office Journal should be the centralized hub for documenting treatment follow-up. How Office Journal reminders can create a daily follow-up list for treatment coordinators and other admin team members. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions How do I find patients with unscheduled treatment in Dentrix? Dayna recommends using the Dentrix Treatment Manager to identify patients with recently diagnosed treatment who left without scheduling. For treatment follow-up, she typically focuses on cases diagnosed approximately two weeks to five months ago. Can Dentrix identify patients who still have insurance benefits remaining? Yes. Treatment Manager can be filtered by remaining benefits. For example, your team could look for patients with at least $500 in benefits remaining who also have unscheduled treatment. Where should we document treatment follow-up in Dentrix? Use the Office Journal as your centralized location for treatment follow-up notes. You can also create Office Journal reminders for future calls or texts, helping your team maintain a consistent follow-up workflow.

If your Dentrix Unscheduled List or Continuing Care List is so cluttered that your team has stopped using it, patients may already be falling through the cracks. In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson shares what she has been seeing repeatedly during Dentrix practice assessments: messy scheduling lists, outdated appointments, unnecessary customized lists, and inaccurate Continuing Care data. She walks through practical ways to clean up your Dentrix Unscheduled List and Continuing Care List so your team can fill openings, improve patient retention, and create more reliable scheduling workflows. Your Dentrix practice management software should be your team's central source of accurate, current patient information. When the data is clean, these lists become powerful tools for keeping your schedule full and preventing patients from getting lost in the system. ✅ Key Takeaways Understand exactly what belongs on the Dentrix Unscheduled List, including broken, no-show, canceled, and Wait/Will Call appointments. Document the reason for a broken appointment in the Office Journal so the next team member has the full story. Avoid letting appointments sit on the Unscheduled List indefinitely. Dayna recommends approximately three months for most appointments, with reasonable exceptions. Clean up old customized scheduling lists created by former team members or providers. Simplify your workflow by using the main Unscheduled List and filtering by provider instead of maintaining numerous separate lists. Create useful Continuing Care Lists for overdue hygiene patients, rather than relying on Dentrix default lists for patients who are not yet overdue. Focus your Continuing Care workflow on prophy and periodontal maintenance patients who need to be reactivated. Remove broken or canceled appointments from the Appointment Book so Dentrix and your automated patient communication system don't mistakenly think the patient is still scheduled. Watch for patients incorrectly assigned to both prophy and periodontal maintenance Continuing Care types. Learn what the plus sign in the Continuing Care appointment column can tell you about a patient's existing appointment. Keep your Dentrix data clean so third-party patient engagement and reporting tools are also working from accurate information.

Dental insurance payments don't have to be confusing, time-consuming, or difficult to reconcile. If your dental practice is still relying heavily on paper checks and EOBs, understanding EFTs and ERAs could dramatically streamline your insurance workflow and improve cash flow. In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson sits down with dental insurance expert Colleen Huff to break down EFTs (Electronic Funds Transfers), ERAs (Electronic Remittance Advice), insurance payment reconciliation, and Dentrix insurance workflows. Colleen explains why dental practices are moving toward electronic insurance payments, how to create checks and balances, and how tools like Dentrix Insurance Eligibility Pro can improve efficiency. They also discuss why dental insurance isn't just an administrative responsibility. From accurate clinical notes and diagnostic images to treatment estimates and collections, every member of the dental team plays a role in helping the practice get paid correctly. ✅ Key Takeaways Understand the difference between an EFT and ERA and why your practice may want both. Learn how ERAs can flow directly into Dentrix and reduce manual insurance payment posting. Discover why Colleen recommends a separate bank account for dental insurance EFT deposits to make reconciliation easier. Create a checks-and-balances process so your team verifies that EFT deposits actually reached the bank before posting payments. Learn why ERAs and EFTs can save significant administrative time and help improve dental practice cash flow. Understand how electronic EOB information can be stored within the patient's Dentrix Document Center. Learn why accurate insurance breakdowns directly affect treatment estimates, patient portions, collections, and patient trust. Hear Colleen's experience using Dentrix Insurance Eligibility Pro to sync insurance information and reduce manual data entry. Discover why your entire dental team, including the clinical team, has a role in successful insurance claims and reimbursement. Learn why dental practices need to continually update their insurance workflows as payer requirements and technology change.

Where Should You Make Notes in Dentrix? A Complete Guide to Dental Practice Documentation

Is Your Dentrix Software Really the Problem, or Do Your Systems Need a Cleanup? Thinking about switching from Dentrix Core to Dentrix Ascend because your software feels messy, outdated, or overloaded with bad data? Before you make the leap, there's an important question to ask: Will changing dental software actually solve the problem? In this episode of the High Performing Dental Team Podcast, Dayna Johnson shares a conversation with a dentist who was considering leaving Dentrix Core after 28 years because of messy patient ledgers, duplicate insurance plans, excessive adjustment types, and years of accumulated data. While Dentrix Ascend could provide a clean slate, Dayna explains why switching dental practice management software without fixing the underlying workflows and team habits could eventually recreate the exact same problems. Whether you stay with Dentrix Core, move to Dentrix Ascend, or consider another dental practice management system, the real goal is to build better systems, stronger SOPs, cleaner data, and consistent team workflows. ✅ Key Takeaways Don't switch dental software just to get a clean slate. First identify what is actually creating the problems in your current system. Your workflows matter more than the software. Duplicate insurance plans, inaccurate ledgers, unnecessary adjustment types, and other data problems often come from inconsistent processes. Clean up patient ledger allocations daily. Correct allocations help ensure payments are applied to the appropriate patient and provider in Dentrix Core. Create clear rules for adding insurance plans. Dayna recommends searching by group number, group plan name, and employer before creating a new insurance plan. Limit security rights. Not every dental team member needs permission to add providers, insurance plans, payment types, billing types, or adjustment types. Build standard operating procedures before changing software. Without consistent SOPs, the same problems can follow your practice into a new system. Create recurring Dentrix cleanup workflows. Maintaining clean practice data should be an ongoing process, not a once-a-year project. Optimize the software you already have. Before investing the time and money into a software conversion, determine whether better training and systems could solve your current challenges.

Richard May is the Vice President of Business Development at Mango Voice, where he focuses on helping dental practices improve communication through cloud-based phone systems, AI-powered workflows, and secure practice management integrations. Richard works closely with dental teams across the country to simplify patient communication while enhancing efficiency and the overall patient experience. Learn more about Mango Voice: https://www.mangovoice.com

In case you missed it, this week's podcast is a replay from last year. I chose to bring this episode back because the guidance is still incredibly valuable. Keeping your Dentrix database clean is one of those maintenance tasks that never goes out of style, and if your practice has experienced staffing changes recently, this is the perfect time for a refresher.

⏰ Feeling overwhelmed in your dental practice? You may not need more team members—you may just need better systems. In this episode, Dayna Johnson shares one of the most impactful lessons from her nationwide Dentrix User Meetings: four practical ways dental teams can buy back time, reduce stress, and improve efficiency. Drawing from real conversations with office managers and practice owners, Dayna explains how stronger workflows, automation, and accurate data can transform the way your practice operates. Whether you're using Dentrix or another dental practice management software, these strategies will help your team spend less time scrambling and more time delivering an exceptional patient experience. ✅ Key Takeaways Shift from scramble time to preparation time with better pre-visit workflows. Embrace automation for insurance eligibility, appointment confirmations, online scheduling, and patient forms. Trust and optimize your automation tools instead of creating manual workarounds. Build a team-wide commitment to accurate, complete data entry. Finish every task all the way to the finish line to prevent costly mistakes. Eliminate outdated pop-ups and keep patient records clean and relevant. Use the Office Journal and reminders instead of relying on memory. Apply the KISS Method (Keep It Super Simple) to create workflows that are easier to train, follow, and scale. Strong systems reduce stress, improve patient care, and create high-performing dental teams.

In case you missed it, this is a replayed moment from last year and one of the most listened-to podcast episodes because so many dental practices are making big decisions about insurance participation. If your practice is going out of network with insurance plans, your Dentrix setup needs to change with you.

In case you missed it, this is a replayed moment from last year and one of the most viewed podcast episodes I've ever shared specifically for hygienists. And honestly, this topic is more important than ever because efficient perio charting in Dentrix directly impacts diagnosis, patient care, insurance documentation, and clinical consistency.

Tanner Applegate, Founder and CEO of Unify Dental He is passionate about two things: personal growth and using technology to create greater efficiency and innovation. He believes continuous learning and adaptability are essential for success, both personally and professionally. Tanner is driven by a desire to help others grow, embrace new ideas, and leverage technology to move their businesses and lives forward. ----

In case you missed it, this is a replayed moment from last year and one of the most listened-to episodes in this series. And honestly, this is one of those topics that hasn't changed… if anything, it's become more important as practices try to improve cash flow and reduce accounts receivable.

In case you missed it, this is a replayed moment from last year that quickly became one of my most listened-to podcast episodes. And honestly, it's still just as relevant today because insurance hasn't gotten any simpler… if anything, it's gotten more complicated.

Rita Zamora is the founder of Connect90, an international speaker, the author of Get Found, Get Liked, Get Patients, and one of the smartest voices I know when it comes to dental social media. - www.ritazamora.com - www.connect90.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Claire Dickinson, Operations & Professional Relationships Director Claire has over 22 years of experience in dentistry and a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a master's in Organizational Management and Leadership

Laura Johnston is the founder of My Dental SOP, the software solution that helps dental practices create operational clarity, consistency, and confident teams through proven systems. She specializes in turning everyday chaos into streamlined workflows so practices don't just run, they thrive. If you want to check out MyDentalSOP and their getting-started resources, go to www.mydentalsop.com/resource-library

Claire Dickinson, Operations & Professional Relationships Director Claire has over 22 years of experience in dentistry and a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a master's in Organizational Management and Leadership

Dr. Eric Block is a practicing dentist, educator, speaker, and author focused on helping dental professionals reduce stress, prevent burnout, and build more fulfilling careers. He is the author of The Stress-Free Dentist and Stress-Free Dental Implants, with his work centered on wellness, leadership, and practice growth in dentistry.

✨ Did you know your team says more with their body language than their words? In this episode, Dayna Johnson breaks down the power of nonverbal communication and how dental teams can use it to build trust, reduce misunderstandings, and create stronger, more connected workflows. Nonverbal cues influence everything — from patient interactions to team collaboration — and mastering them can transform the way your practice functions. Dayna shares practical, easy-to-implement strategies you can start using immediately to enhance communication, even when no one is speaking. ✅ Key Takeaways: ~ Nonverbal communication is essential for effective teamwork ~ Teams can improve understanding without relying only on words ~ Body language has a major impact on team dynamics ~ Nonverbal cues can prevent conflict and misunderstandings ~ Practicing nonverbal techniques builds trust within the team ~ Awareness of body language supports a more inclusive culture ~ Nonverbal communication is powerful for both in-office and remote teams ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 The Importance of Treatment Planning 00:26 Effective Documentation Strategies

Transitioning from paper charts to digital records can feel like learning an entirely new language, and many dental professionals are still adjusting. In this episode, Dayna Johnson explores the real-world challenges teams face when moving to digital charting, from maintaining accuracy to finding ways to preserve creativity and detail in documentation. You'll learn why this shift requires more than just new technology, it demands new skills, workflows, and a team mindset focused on accuracy, clarity, and patient care. ✅ Key Takeaways: ~ Transitioning from paper to digital records comes with challenges and a learning curve. ~ Digital charting can feel limiting but offers long-term efficiency and accuracy. ~ The odontogram must always reflect the patient's mouth precisely. ~ Strong team communication improves consistency and accuracy in charting. ~ Training and adaptability are key to a successful digital transition. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Transitioning from Paper to Digital Records 00:43 Charting Techniques for Accurate Representation

Are manual case tracking systems slowing down your dental practice? In this episode, Dayna Johnson dives into the inefficiencies of traditional case tracking and how dental teams can modernize their workflows for better communication, accessibility, and patient outcomes. She explains why manual tracking methods—like whiteboards and spreadsheets—often create chaos instead of clarity and how adopting digital solutions can help your team stay organized and efficient. ✅ Key Takeaways: ~ Manual tracking systems waste valuable time and lead to errors. ~ Centralized, digital tracking improves accessibility and accountability. ~ Clear communication and regular updates keep everyone aligned. ~ Training your team is critical for successful system adoption. ~ Investing in technology enhances patient outcomes and clinical efficiency. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Inefficiencies in Lab Case Management 00:56 Streamlining Lab Case Creation

Want to improve your case acceptance and streamline treatment planning in your dental practice? In this episode, Dayna Johnson breaks down how to master treatment planning in Dentrix, covering everything from case dates and alternate cases to customizing treatment plans for better patient understanding. Drawing insights from a recent Dentrix User Meeting, Dayna shares how small adjustments in your treatment planning process can have a big impact on efficiency, communication, and production. ✅ Key Takeaways: ~ Treatment planning is the foundation of strong case acceptance. ~ Use case dates strategically for tracking expiration timelines. ~ Link alternate cases to present multiple options to patients clearly. ~ Customize treatment plans to focus on what patients really care about—their out-of-pocket costs. ~ Always accept or reject treatment instead of deleting it for accurate tracking. ~ Clear communication is essential for patient trust and workflow harmony. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Treatment Planning 02:44 Understanding Case Dates and Their Importance 05:19 Linking Alternate Cases for Better Patient Options 08:34 Customizing Treatment Plan Estimates 11:21 Accepting and Rejecting Treatment Plans

Are you managing membership plans in your dental practice but not sure if you're doing it efficiently? In this episode, Dayna Johnson breaks down how to manage membership plans inside Dentrix—without creating chaos in your system. She walks you through the levels of membership management—from basic tracking to advanced setups—so you can choose what works best for your team. Whether you're just starting or optimizing your process, you'll get practical, real-world tips to simplify workflows, protect profitability, and keep your data accurate. ✅ Key Takeaways: ~ Understand your practice's unique needs for membership management ~ Learn how to track hygiene and discounts correctly ~ Avoid common Dentrix mistakes (like linking membership to insurance!) ~ Discover how to use fee schedules and custom codes effectively ~ Streamline your operations and save time using built-in Dentrix tools