12 Wishes on Every Orthodontist's List (& How to Grant Them)

3. Faster Patient Communication  

Today's generations of patients prefer to be contacted through text or email, so when orthodontic practices reach out to patients over the phone, it's usually a waste of time. With Tops' Patient Engagement, offices can send HIPAA-compliant texts and emails.  

Messaging meets patients' preferences and rescues office staff from the dreaded phone duty—saving them hours of valuable time.  

4. Patients That Actually Show Up  

If patients don't show up, orthodontists wind up spending too much money on staff and resources for patients that aren't even there; it can add up and be a significant loss. Since calling patients to remind them of their appointments may not be practical or effective, Tops offers fully customizable Appointment Reminders that offices can send via text. Reminders allow patients to respond easily and adjust their appointment times if needed.  

5. Instant Insurance Processing  

Insurance processing can be a complicated undertaking for an orthodontic office. Many practices still use snail mail to process claims, which can sit unprocessed for weeks and take even longer if the claims are rejected.  

For US-based practices, Tops automatically generates insurance claims. With electronic filing, offices know within 24 hours whether a claim has been accepted—speeding up the process and paying them faster.  

6. Easier Lab Management Software  

Working with labs and prescriptions is central to running an orthodontic practice. If STL files take up too much space on their computers, systems can run slowly. Slow computers may bog down the entire file submission process to labs, holding up prescriptions. Likewise, once files are submitted, practices need a way to track prescriptions to synchronize appointments with their arrival.  

Tops' Lab Management allows practices to submit and track prescriptions globally. It also saves space on their computers since STL files can be attached, trimmed, and based—all within the same system.  

7. Patients That Do Their Part  

Patient compliance is a significant factor in how the orthodontic treatment process ultimately plays out. To get patients to adhere to a treatment plan, Tops' Patient Compliance offers orthodontists insight into patients' actions (or lack thereof) in the treatment process.  

With access to whether patients are watching their instructional videos and a Patient Rewards Hub to give them incentives, orthodontists can catch a lack of compliance early before it extends treatment times.  

8. Shiny New Apple Products  

You heard us right: It wouldn't really be a holiday wish list without Apple. If the orthodontist in your life uses multiple browser-based programs that run slowly, lose information, or crash, then their business and reputation are liable to suffer.  

Tops runs on Apple Hardware, which is widely familiar and well-respected for many reasons. With the Lightning Cloud, Tops is 100% cloud-based, so storage and data security aren't an issue (in fact, Tops has never had a data breach). Moreover, orthodontists save thousands because they don't have to invest in IT or cybersecurity.  

For the reception area, the iPads' one-touch check-in keeps patient flow easy. Plus, when patients check in and see up-to-date technology, they know they're using an orthodontist that cares about quality. Millennials and Gen Z-ers tend to respond better to and appreciate Apple products.  

9. Fuss-free Tech Upgrades

When businesses put excessive mileage on the same computers, there are potential hardware failures and security risks. Along with implementing Apple’s top-of-the-line hardware, Tops ensures that all necessary upgrades are easily attainable by offering TopsTotalPackage. This subscription service is the ultimate safety net for practices, allowing them to update their Apple products every three years.  

Tops is an authorized Apple reseller, eliminating the need to seek new MacBooks or iPads elsewhere. With fewer barriers to tech upgrades, practices can operate faster and keep data secure.    

10. Automated Reconciliation  

End-of-month reconciliation reports drain time and resources in any business, often causing employees to stay late working on repetitive administrative tasks. When annual reconciliations are done manually, human error or fraud is possible. Mistakes can harm business decisions or even lead to bankruptcy.  

By automating end-of-month reconciliation reports, Tops allows orthodontic practices to save time and avoid taking potentially destructive risks.  

11. Imaging That's Easy to Use  

Accessing images is a critical part of building a treatment plan, so when imaging software is slow or difficult to use, it can slow down the whole practice and even prolong treatments. With Tops' Orthodontic Imaging Software, practices can open multiple images without crashing the entire system. However, if orthodontists have a preferred imaging module, they can easily use that tool while taking advantage of Tops' many other features. As a result, doctors and treatment coordinators can customize their entire treatment plan workflow to best fit their needs.  

12. A Way to See How Business Is Really Doing  

Finally, orthodontists need to set targeted goals in this last month of the year. But they need access to critical metrics to know what improvements to make. Tops' Practice Growth, partnered with Gaidge, allows orthodontists fast insight into the health of their practices with thousands of data points.  

Practice Growth helps tremendously with annual planning, making numbers (like patient starts and overhead) easier to visualize, and allowing practices to aim for specific goals in the new year.  

The Orthodontist's Wish Is Tops' Command  

There you have it: the 12 wishes on every orthodontist's list this year.

From convenient patient communication to easier payment processing, Tops bundles everything your busy orthodontist wants into one neatly wrapped package (complete with a shiny Apple logo).  

Tops' software solutions give orthodontic practices a reason to smile through the holiday season—and maybe even during the awkward family dinners and long checkout lines.

References

Chambers, B. (2022, January 22). Apple @ Work: Here’s how an annual Mac upgrade program benefits Apple, enterprises, and employees. 9to5Mac. https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/22/annual-mac-upgrade-program-benefits-apple-and-enterprises-as-employees-the-most-productive-and-reliable-hardware/

Holliday, S. (2017, April 13). Compliance In Orthodontic Treatment. The Ortho Cosmos. https://theorthocosmos.com/compliance-orthodontic-treatment/

Malhotra, S. (2022, August 17). 3 Reasons Why Month-end Reconciliation Automation Is Key for Businesses |. Spiceworks. https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/innovation/guest-article/3-reasons-why-month-end-reconciliation-automation-is-key-for-businesses/

Zallman, L., Bearse, A., West, C., Bor, D., & McCormick, D. (2016). Patient preferences and access to text messaging for health care reminders in a safety-net setting. Informatics for Health and Social Care, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.3109/17538157.2015.1113177