Setting up a Local Users Group

Virtually every survey done on computer use in dentistry indicates that most dentists are using only a small fraction of the potential of their software. One suggested method to help offices use more of their computer capacity is a local users group.

Benefits: A local users group is a marvelous method to learn more about how a computer software program works. A users group calls upon the experiences of other members to learn what does and doesn't work, how to implement new procedures, how to overcome problems and most importantly how to get the most out of your computer capacity. Showing and doing, with an actual computer, as you can do at a local users meeting is a far better way to learn how to use a computer system than reading a manual.

Danja Petrovic, Lisa Lueck, Rich Alverson, Bob Brown and Rick Holley Having too much fun at an Arizona Dentrix Users Meeting

Dentrix is a complex and highly sophisticated program. To get the most out of it requires a sophisticated management process and the determination to learn all that you can. A users group will help you to get the most out of your computer investment and even more importantly it will help you provide a superior service to your patients and ultimately to make more money.

Membership in a local users group allows you to keep training costs to a minimum, train new people quickly on the system and gives you a greater voice when dealing with suppliers, including Dentrix.

Network: The members of a local users group become a network. Each member can call on the others for help not only with software or computer questions but with financial, management and patient relations questions. Many offices will visit other users to see how they are set up and using the Dentrix system.

 

Here is some info on our local Dentrix users group.

We started by sending a mailing to all current users in the state. The names were provided by Dentrix. Now each new office is invited to join the group and is put on the mailing list (s-mail) when they buy Dentrix.

Meetings: We meet once a month from 6:30 to 8:30 in the evening at the office of a dentist using the system. The office needs to be pretty large and have multiple computers for the group to use. In this way we get to see how other offices are set up. The host also provides (at their expense) snacks and refreshments. The meetings have ranged in size from 12 to 25 people. The attendees are mostly office staff some dentists and the local reps come to most but not all meetings.

The meetings start with introductions (Hi, I'm Larry and I'm a user) We then spend about 30 minutes discussing various problems or ideas from the group. We may also have a presentation by a computer related vendor. Then the group breaks up into smaller units three to five people who aggregate around a computer and actually work together showing each other how to do things. This separates the beginners from the veterans.

Newsletter: I have also written a newsletter which is sent to every Dentrix office in the state each month. It takes a fair amount of time, about four hours a month, and this internet group has grown out of the original newsletters. Writing it it forces me to keep current with computer things and to actually pay attention. If other groups decide to write local newsletters I believe it would be a great idea to exchange them between groups. If your group decides not to do a regular newsletter some form of regular communication such as a fax broadcast or phone list will still be needed to inform members of upcoming meetings etc.

Cost: The biggest cost in running the group is printing and mailing a newsletter. So far I have paid for this myself with some help from Dentrix. Dentrix does not have a regular mechanism to fund users groups and if you set up your own group you may want to have dues or some other mechanism to pay for the group. Up to now we have not charged dues.

The group has been a tremendous success. I have learned a get deal. Every meeting I pick up at least one gem. The sales of Dentrix in this area have skyrocketed since we started as well.

 

Topics: Following are some of the topics we had discussed at our meetings:

  • Getting Started
  • Advanced Use of Dentrix
  • Getting Staff to use the Complete System
  • New Upgrades
  • Return on Investment
  • Problem Solving
    • Members Lists
    • Software Glitches
  • Using each Module
  • Hardware Options
  • Room Layout and Hardware Placement
  • Future Developments
  • Additional Software Options
    • Dentrix Modules
    • Other Windows Programs
    • Quicken etc.
    • Drug Programs
  • Integrating with Word, Excel or Others
  • Accessing the System via Modem
  • Training New People
  • Integrating with Other Systems
    • Cameras,
    • Imaging Systems,
    • Digital X-Ray
  • Using and Integration with Information Systems
    • Trojan,
    • Internet
  • Buyers Co-Op
  • E-mail and the Internet