Better the data you know – turn information into growth for your practice
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 2nd August 2023
Any organisation, in any field, should have comprehensive oversight of its important data and use it effectively to further its own improvement and growth. A thriving dental practice is one that gathers, organises and analyses data from all aspects of its operation, from patient attendance to staff training to stocked equipment. Strategies can then be put into place, using the relevant data, to address any issues that have been identified.
The big issues – key performance indicators
Key performance indicators (KPIs) are measurable goals set by an organisation to monitor its own progression using relevant data. Certain KPI categories tend to be universal, such as net profit, customer satisfaction levels and workflow efficiency, particularly when compared to competitor data.[i] KPIs can vary across professions and industries. Important KPIs for dental practices include chair occupancy rates, patient waiting times and conversion of new patients to treatment plans.[ii] Establishing KPIs can help you to ‘zoom out’ and gauge the bigger picture of your practice. Once quantified, KPI data can help to shape strategies, set targets and track progress in accordance with your practice’s priorities.[iii]
Information overload?
Whilst data is undoubtedly a useful tool that can be used in multiple ways, it can also arrive from so many sources and at such frequency that it becomes a hindrance rather than an aid to clear-minded plans for growth. For information to be a functional instrument in strategic planning it needs to be indexed and mapped appropriately, then presented in meaningful ways to relevant parties.[iv] Context is crucial. The pinpointing of facts, figures, patterns and trends is only helpful within a wider frame of reference.[v] A dentist discovering, via reported data, the extent to which their day is increasingly spent carrying out hygiene work might be persuaded that recruiting a dedicated dental hygienist would be a positive investment, for example.[vi]
The patient is your priority
The ultimate aim of any practice’s assessment of its own data and subsequent improvement strategy should be to enhance the overall patient experience. KPIs are most valuable when they are used in a way that has this as their ultimate objective.[vii] General Dental Council (GDC) Standards for the Dental Team state that dental professionals must work effectively with their practice colleagues in the interests of the patient, as a core expectation of patients is that all members of the dental team will work effectively together.[viii] Studies show that software displaying data in various different ways to make it meaningful and helpful to different team members and departments helps to promote accountability and sense of responsibility.[ix]
Collecting and sharing data
Physical data storage is often combined with technology in many practices. Hard copies of documents scanned to in-house content management systems, for instance, and shared with authorised 
third parties via file transfer programmes. This can lead to several separate software platforms being used for different purposes within one practice.[x] This can obfuscate the monitoring process, making it harder to pick up on trends, patterns or causes for concern that may be emerging within the data. Bringing all streams of practice data together into a centralised ‘dashboard’ software system enables a comprehensive overview of patient records, appointment schedules, dentistry production, marketing plans and financial information. Relevant information can then be easily shared between different departments within the practice, freeing up time that was previously encumbered with more drawn-out, less joined-up data management.[xi]
Measure and act upon data
Cloud-based data systems are hosted and managed remotely and can offer significant advantages over in-house systems, including real-time access to data updates, user-friendly visualisation charts and analysis tools to monitor, compare and drill down into information across clinical, financial and operational areas. This means a dental practice team can see trends and forecasts at a glance and make fully informed decisions as quickly as required.
The Sensei Cloud practice management platform from Sensei, the software portfolio of global technological innovator Carestream Dental, is designed specifically for dental practices of all sizes, with live metrics, built-in dashboards and easy-to use analytic tools to streamline complex workflows, measure vital KPIs and drive practice productivity. Sensei Cloud empowers you with up-to-the-minute overviews and insights, whilst liberating you and your team from the burden of unnecessary admin work. The comprehensive platform features real-time chairside patient care functionality for a smooth patient experience, with integrated image storage, history and treatment records at your fingertips.
Knowledge is power
Data is the great enabler in today’s dental environment. Monitored, measured and used in the right way, it can help to track trends, identify problems, spot gaps and inform decisions, driving the healthy growth of the practice and accordingly improving the patient experience.
For more information on Sensei Cloud visit gosensei.co.uk
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[i] Twin, A. Investopedia.com article: Key Performance Indicator (KPI): Definition, Types, and Examples. Updated 22 March 2023. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/kpi.asp. Accessed 4 May 2023.
[ii] O’Neill L. Dentistry.co.uk article: Do you know your numbers? 7 September 2018. Available at: https://dentistry.co.uk/2018/09/07/do-you-know-your-numbers/ Accessed 5 May 2023.
[iii] Kpi.org article: What is a key performance indicator (KPI)? Available at: https://www.kpi.org/kpi-basics/. Accessed 4 May 2023.
[iv] Woods D, Patterson E, Roth E. Can we ever escape from data overload? A cognitive systems diagnosis. Cognition, Technology & Work. (2002). 4. 22-36. 10.1007/s101110200002. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225705546_Can_We_Ever_Escape_from_Data_Overload_A_Cognitive_Systems_Diagnosis. Accessed 4 May 2023.
[v] Woods D, Patterson E, Roth E. Can we ever escape from data overload? A cognitive systems diagnosis. Cognition, Technology & Work. (2002). 4. 22-36. 10.1007/s101110200002. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225705546_Can_We_Ever_Escape_from_Data_Overload_A_Cognitive_Systems_Diagnosis. Accessed 4 May 2023.
[vi] Hocken S. NowBreathe.com article: The only number that matters in a dental practice
https://www.nowbreathe.co.uk/2016/08/number-matters-dental-practice/
[vii] Mills I, Batchelor P. Quality indicators: the rationale behind their use in NHS dentistry. Br Dent J 211, 11–15 (2011). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.521 8 July 2011. Accessed 5 May 2023.
[viii] General Dental Council (GDC): Focus on Standards Principle Six: Work with colleagues in a way that serves the interests of patients. Available at: https://standards.gdc-uk.org/pages/principle6/principle6.aspx. Accessed 5 May 2023.
[ix] Weiner J, Balijepally V, Tanniru M. Integrating strategic and operational decision making using data-driven dashboards: The Case of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital. Journal of Healthcare Management 60(5):p 319-330, September 2015. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26554142/. Accessed 5 May 2023.
[x] Gosensei.com. The importance of monitoring your dental practice data article. Available at: https://gosensei.com/blogs/news/the-importance-of-monitoring-your-dental-practice-data. Accessed 5 May 2023.
[xi] Gosensei.com. The importance of monitoring your dental practice data article. Available at: https://gosensei.com/blogs/news/the-importance-of-monitoring-your-dental-practice-data. Accessed 5 May 2023.
