Chris Grahln e w s l e t t e r

t H e

As your Patterson Dentalrepresentative I appreciatethe opportunity to help with dental supplies, elite technology such as CereC and eaglesoft, office supplies, dental equipmentand creating a more enjoyablepractice. I hope you find somehelpful tips and ideas in thisedition of the newsletter! -Chris Grahl

On the inside...

Fun Trivia on oral healTh: DiD You Know?

• 83% of people believe teeth are more important to appearance than their hair or eyes.

• On average, women smile approx. 62 times a day, while men smile about 8…children, on the other hand, smile up to 400 times a day!

• An athlete is 60 times more likely to experience damage to their teeth/oral cavity if not wearing a mouthguard.

• People who drink 3+ sodas a day have up to 62% more tooth decay than those who don’t.

• The U.S. population buys approx. 3 million miles of dental floss every year.

• One in every 2,000 babies is born with a tooth.

• 90% of systemic diseases have oral manifestations.

• 73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss.

• The Statue of Liberty’s mouth is 3 feet wide.

• The mouth of a snail is no bigger than the head of a pin, but contains over 25,000 teeth.

• Over 1.7 billion dollars is spent annu-ally on tooth whitening products.

• Saliva reflects the body’s level of hor-monal, immunological, toxicological, and infectious disease makers—mak-ing it an excellent tool for monitoring oral and systemic health.

• 1 in 5 adults will experience acute or long-term dry mouth.

• Enamel becomes harder as we age, thanks to the constant coating of saliva.

• The average person only brushes for 45-70 seconds a day, while the recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes.

• 40% of iPhone users admit they would rather give up their toothbrush for a week than be without their phones.

• In addition to being a mouthwash, Listerine can effectively soothe a sore throat and reduce the irritation from psoriasis.

- Compliments of Plak smacker

2 CliniCal TiPs From DenTal exPerTs

Dentistry today must include patient op-tions not only for prevention, but also for a way to create optimal overall health. To-day’s dental hygiene department needs to include a wellness program with products to promote overall health and wellness. this will give your dental practice a 10% to 15% boost in your profitability. When you care enough to include this in your daily practice, patients will trust you – and they appreciate the convenience of having all this accessible to them in one place. Your job today is to unleash the power of total health!- Debra seidel-Bittke, Dental Practice solutions

I have found one of the best ways to help my practice is to think like a patient. Let’s do the same with your office, and think like your staff. For example, ask your team to list concerns that patients have about smile makeovers and ways to over-come those concerns. Write them down. Next, have your team fill out a smile enhancement form and then do their veneers. Remember: sincerity and enthu-siasm sell. However, your team will never

2 CliniCal TiPs From DenTal exPerTs — Pg 1-2

Contact informationChris Grahl, Patterson Dental | (706) 461-4588 w.grahl@pattersondental.com

www.PattersonDental.com

whY we Claim You shoulD Claim - wiTh eClaims — Pg 2

GeTTinG sTarTeD wiTh exerCise

3m CemenT seleCTion

— Pg 3-4

— Pg 4

Fun Trivia on oral healTh: DiD You Know? — Pg 1

A U g U S T 2 0 1 6

Chris Grahln e w s l e t t e r

t H e

2Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | (706) 461-4588 w.grahl@pattersondental.comwww.PattersonDental.com

sell – only inform, power educate, and motivate. Finally, learn how to create gorgeous chairside veneers in minutes. Once you do, you’ll do many elective cosmetic veneers – even in today’s economy!-Dr. harvey silverman

every dental office manager has to go through the tedi-ous and time-consuming process of submitting insurance claims. While we can’t alleviate the less savory demands of cooks and starlets, thankfully we can offer relief to dental professionals! We offer a solution which makes the process of handling insurance claims quicker, easier, and more ef-ficient, transforming it from “necessary evil” to just plain…necessary.

eaGlesoFT eClaimseClaims is a service available to customers who useEaglesoft, Patterson’s comprehensive practice manage-ment software. This service is designed to help you effi-ciently create, review, and submit claims electronically toinsurance companies. The advantages of using one trusted portal for the entire process are plentiful. eClaims custom-ers experience faster turnaround time on insurance pay-ments, as well as a reduction in the number of rejected claims. In fact, several insurance companies — an updated list of which you can view here at any time — will now process your claims in real-time, which allows you to know precisely what will be paid within a matter of seconds!

The benefits of eClaims don’t just end once you send in a claim. In an effort to mirror the seamless shoppingexperience we’ve all grown accustom to with major online retailers, eClaims includes a feature which allows you to track each of your claim submissions. It also generates status reports for each submission, notifying you both when your claim has been received, and when it is being processed.

unrivaleD suPPorTOne of the scariest aspects of a more traditional insur-ance claim submission process is the feeling that you’re alone on an island…one office manager adrift in a sea of

paperwork and processes. This is far from the case with Eaglesoft eClaims! Not only will you gain access to “eClaim connect,” an online portal which provides added insight into eClaims submissions, you also have the Patterson Technology Center team on your side.

The Patterson Technology Center, a 100,000 square-foot-facility in Effingham, Illinois.The Patterson Technology Center (PtC) was launched to ensure that you get the most from all Patterson computer-related technologies. The PTC team provides prompt, professional issue resolu-tion via real people that are real experts…no robots here!

Patterson customers have 24/7 access to a robust FAQ site, with over 60 detailed articles on eClaims alone. In addition to written resources, there are animated Eaglesoft video tutorials aplenty.

The BiGGer PiCTure

eServices including eAttachments, eReminders, ePrescrip-tions, and more, will provide your staff with additional time so they can focus more on patient care! When you can cut down the stress and hassle of making phone calls, print-ing claims, printing statements, and processing paperwork, the workflow of your practice will improve, and your time is freed up to identifyadditional revenue opportunity.

GeTTinG sTarTeD wiTh exerCise

We all have need of some exercise to keep our minds and bodies prepared for the rigors of life. This article fromDennis Thompson Jr. and Cynthia Haines MD has some great tips!

Every journey begins with a single step, and that’sespecially true of a fitness program. Experts recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week — activity that is strenuous enough to bring your heart rate up and cause you to break a sweat. You also should perform strength training at least two days a week.

That sounds like a lot, but you don’t have to do that

Even the best jobs have aspects that aren’t particularly glamorous. Movie stars have to memorize lines, chefs have to chop onions, and famous musicians have to practice their scales. Dental office managers are no exception to the rule:

eaglesoft was created to be a complete dental soft-ware solution for dental practices of any size, and as such, eClaims is just one feature of eaglesoft’s suite of offerings. Taking advantage of other

Chris Grahln e w s l e t t e r

t H e

3Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | (706) 461-4588 w.grahl@pattersondental.comwww.PattersonDental.com

exercise all at once or even in two or three or four workout sessions. Fitness experts say it’s perfectly fine to break up your exercise program into sessions as short as 10 minutes each, as long as they add up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity by the end of the week. In fact, some research has found that it’s better to spread out exercise throughout your week and even throughout each day.

Also keep in mind aerobic activity doesn’t have to highvelocity running; there are many low-impact exercise choices and some even no-impact exercises that can help you get fit without taxing your system.

TaKinG Your FirsT FiTness sTePsHere are guidelines for getting started:• Ease into exercise to get your body used to your new

level of activity.

• Set an achievable short-term goal, like walking 10 minutes a day on three days a week, and build up from there until you are getting the recommended amount of exercise.

• Consult with your doctor or a personal trainer if you have specific health concerns. get advice on what ex-ercise programs would best fit your lifestyle and level of fitness. A personal trainer can work directly with you to craft a fitness plan that will start out slowly and build as you become more physically active.

• Remember to warm up before exercise and cool down afterward.

• Don’t overexert yourself, even after you’ve been on an exercise program for a while. Pay attention to your body for signs of injury or fatigue.

• Make sure that the exercises you choose are appropri-ate to your age and fitness level.

• Know the right way to exercise — ask a fitness instruc-tor or personal trainer to teach you the correct form for every aerobic exercise and strength training movement you do.

overCominG oBsTaCles To FiTnessEveryone has reasons why they can’t exercise. Findsolutions to keep them from becoming permanent excuses: “i’m worried about hurting myself.” People who are overweight or older may find that some forms of exercise place too much strain on their joints. The answer is to avoid or limit weight-bearing exercises like running,jogging, or step aerobics classes. Instead, start out by

participating in no-impact exercises or low-impactexercises.

No-impact exercise places no weight on your joints. It will work the muscles of your cardiovascular system, but will not create stress in bones or joints. Examples include:• Water aerobics

• Swimming

Low-impact exercise places some weight on your joints, but does not create the sort of impact stress caused by more high-energy workouts. Examples include:• Walking

• Yoga or tai chi

• Pushing a lawn mower

• Gardening

• Ballroom or line dancing

A physical therapist will help you find activities that over-come your limitations.

“i can’t get motivated.” It’s hard to stick with a fitness plan if you don’t stay interested in it. Ways to motivate yourself include:• getting a workout buddy to exercise with you

• Pursuing exercise activities that you find fun and en-joyable and will look forward to doing

• Joining an exercise class or group of people who work out together

• Asking friends and family members to support your efforts

• Setting an achievable short-term fitness goal with the emphasis on achievable — if you set the bar too high, you could end up discouraged

“I can’t fit a workout into my day.” Everyone is time-crunched, but you should be able to work physical fitness into your busy schedule:• Keep a diary of your daily activities for one or two

weeks, then go over it. Pinpoint at least three 30-minute time slots into which you could squeeze a workout. Not possible? Look for nine 10-minute slots over the course of each week and build up to 15 ses-sions from there.

4Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | (706) 461-4588 w.grahl@pattersondental.comwww.PattersonDental.com

“At Patterson Dental we often talk about creating a great “patient experience” and why this is so important in your practice. I think we can all agree that patient’s purchasing habits have changed over the last few years. The question is have we adapted to our patients? Are we creating more value for our services and building stronger relation-ships? I want to do this in my business and also want to help you do this in your prac-tice. I believe we have great ideas to share and help implement in your practice. Let’s work together and reach our potential and have some fun in dentistry!”

Chris Grahln e w s l e t t e r

t H e

• Make physical activity a part of everyday life. Walk or ride your bike to work. Park farther away from your destination. Take the stairs rather than the elevator.

• Pick exercises that require less prepa-ration andment, like walking or stair climbing.

It’s easy to get out of shape when you have trouble just getting around, but you can become more physicallyactive. Create an exercise plan around an activity you like, ease into the exercise, and congratulate yourself as you’re able to meet your fitness goals.

3m CemenT seleCTion

3M posted this on our offthecusp blog at Patterson Dental and I thought this would be a helpful tool for you.

Hot coffee or iced coffee? Sandals or loaf-ers? Bring lunch or buy lunch? Happy hour or home? As working professionals our weekdays are filled with choices, and for dental industry professional those choices can swiftly multiply! Which file, which bur, which fluoride…the list goes on.

Choosing a cement is no exception. The best cement for a crown may not be the best cement for a bridge, which may not be the best cement for veneers, etc. Is your head spinning yet?? Well take a moment to enjoy a long, relaxing exhale: we’ve created an illustrated guide to help you quickly and eas-ily determine precisely which cement is “the best” for your procedure!