Workflows work best when communication is simple and efficient

 

Communication
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Whether literal or figurative, “heavy lifting” is one of those activities best performed with careful planning. Undertaken alone, it can cause stress and frustration, not to mention (if literal) possible physical injury. Even when a team is involved, communication and alignment are key to preventing confusion and accidents.

The same principle applies to dental practice or dental organization workflows. Effective workflows are built on clear communication and synergy at each step of the process so that even the “heaviest” tasks become lighter work for the team members involved.

And streamlining communication is where AI comes in.

 

Key Takeaways
  • AI enhances team communication around diagnostic findings by providing an objective “second opinion” analysis.
  • AI improves patient communication by highlighting those findings in ways that help patients visualize the problem and better understand treatment plans.
  • AI helps take pressure off team interactions by automatically performing routine activities and surfacing needed information.

 

Is everyone on the same page?

A workflow doesn’t flow unless everyone is in agreement with the process and the goal. Without simple, effective communication to ensure team alignment, every aspect of dental practice can suffer, including:

  • Clinical processes
  • Diagnostic confidence
  • Patient communication around diagnosis and treatment
  • Practice culture and team support

Each of these processes can be improved by utilizing the capabilities of AI technology.

Increase diagnostic objectivity

It’s common for differing opinions to be offered around one set of x-rays. Some of this inconsistency might come from differences in training or preferred treatment approach to certain pathologies—perfectly normal variations in human perspective.

AI can provide a purely objective opinion when presented with differing diagnostic observations. Dental AI technology is “trained” on datasets that exceed the capacity of human memory, enabling it to deliver an unbiased perspective when you and your team need support.

Gain insightful diagnostic confidence

AI’s data-based insights can do more than provide a second opinion of your current diagnostic review. They can also make predictions based on past findings to help you:

  • Pinpoint developing pathologies
  • Make the most of your chair time
  • Establish a more informed patient communication process around case presentations
  • Create confident treatment plans for your patients

And speaking of patient communication…

Enhance patient conversations around their diagnosis and treatment plans

As a healthcare provider, you’re the expert. However, your expertise can be lost in translation when presenting treatment plans.

AI boosts your ability to help patients picture their need for treatment and the outcomes they can expect. By enhancing black-and-white radiographs with color and labels, AI technology provides the visual evidence that patients are often lacking during treatment discussions, potentially leading to:

  • Higher case acceptance rates.
  • Improved patient hand-offs at the front-desk. A more informed/educated patient can carry the case presentation momentum into the next phase of conversations around acceptance, financing, scheduling, follow-up, etc.
  • Better patient follow-through on pending or next-phase treatment.

Renew your dental practice culture and team engagement

An engaged and supported team can provide a more seamless, less stressful patient experience. Even patients who don’t come in already anxious do notice occasional tension between team members, and it can affect their opinion of the practice.

AI stands in those gaps where tension and stress might exist involving a diagnosis. As mentioned above, AI can help foster agreement between team members or provide support in cases where findings are less than definitive.

Also, AI doesn’t need rest. It can stay on task regardless of the pace or intensity of its surroundings, handling routine processes like chart audits so that team focus and energy can be concentrated where they are most critical.

Let innovation do some of the heavy lifting for you

AI-assisted dentistry will continue to evolve with practical benefits for your dental practice routines and workflows. The following resources are helpful for staying aware of where innovation is heading around dental AI:

Dentistry leads the AI revolution (despite its late arrival)

AI in dentistry: a win-win for patients and providers

Allow AI technology from a proven industry leader to help share the load on your dental practice workflows

Pearl is a global dental AI leader assisting dentists across six continents with robust clinical pathology detection.

Get acquainted with Pearl here.

Or…

Curious how AI can benefit your dental practice?

Request a free live demo now.