Open Dental Review

Allow Patients To Schedule Appointments Online

Open Dental Software has a feature called Web Sched which makes patient scheduling a breeze. Web Sched lets patients schedule appointments online, and it is comprised of three components: recall appointment scheduling, new patient scheduling, and ASAP scheduling.

Schedule Recall Appointments

Web Sched makes it easy for patients to schedule recall appointments. In the dental practice and industry, recall refers to the visit that aims to provide a patient with an ongoing preventive care to maintain oral health and hygiene. The other terms for recall are continuing care, recare, and cleaning. Text or email reminders are automatically sent to patients when they need to make recall visits. By clicking a link, patients will be able to select an available appointment schedule time and date.

ASAP Scheduling

ASAP scheduling is another component of Open Dental Software’s Web Sched. ASAP scheduling involves those patients who already have scheduled appointments but prefer earlier schedules. These patients are organized in a list called ASAP list, wherein their scheduled appointments are marked “ASAP.” When appointments become available, patients on the ASAP list receive notifications about the available openings via text or email messages. Likewise, each message contains a clickable link which allows patients to view the available openings and reschedule appointments.

Appointment Scheduling For New Patients

Web Sched also permits news patients to schedule their first appointment online. Open Dental Software generates a URL that providers can link to their own website. When patients click the link, the Web Sched New Patient user interface opens up. From this interface, they will be able to select an available appointment, enter contact information, and schedule an appointment.

Appointment Reminders And Electronic Confirmations

Open Dental Software provides users with the capability to send automated appointment reminders to patients via text and email messages to remind them of their upcoming appointments. There are actually two types of appointment reminders that providers and their staff can send to patients: eReminders and eConfirmations.

eReminders are automated appointment reminders that are set to be sent a short time before an appointment. On the other hand, eConfirmations are those reminders that patients can confirm electronically – patients can confirm appointments via text message or URL link. When patients confirm their appointments, the appointment confirmation status is automatically updated.

In Open Dental Software, appointment reminders can be configured, and this applies for both eReminders and eConfirmations. Through the aid of reminder rules, users will be able to set when the reminders will be sent. For instance, they can set reminders to be sent a few hours before the scheduled appointment or 1-5 days before the appointment. They can also specify how the reminders will be sent (text messages or email messages). In addition, they will be able to customize reminder messages for both text and email reminders.

Patient Portal

Open Dental Software is equipped with a patient portal which enables patients to access information instantly which includes appointments, treatment plans, and billing statements. Sending of payments through the patient portal is also made possible. Furthermore, it lets providers and patients exchange webmail messages with each other privately and securely.

Graphical Tooth Chart

There is a very interesting feature available in Open Dental Software which can be accessed from its chart module. Located in the upper left corner of the chart module is the graphical tooth chart which displays a visual representation of the patient’s teeth. The graphical tooth chart also shows when a procedure has been performed or completed, planned, or referred to. It uses procedure codes to label the procedures and color codes to indicate their statuses.

In addition, the tooth chart also has a vertical slider bar; and by dragging it, providers can see how procedure changes over time. As providers chart procedures, they will be able to select one or more teeth in the tooth chart. They can highlight multiple teeth by simply clicking and dragging. For items that don’t have corresponding graphics to represent them, they can draw on the tooth chart to indicate those items.

Mobile Web App

Summing it up, Open Dental Software offers a mobile web app that enables providers to connect to the software and access its features from any place and at any time. All they need is a mobile device with a supported Internet browser. Thus, they will be able to view appointment schedules, change them, or create new ones. Likewise, they can access information such as allergies, prescriptions, and patients’ contact information. They can even email or call their patients directly from the app.