Looking forward to 2021!

Through all of the challenges and changes of 2020, I look forward to 2021 as a year of renewal and rejuvenation. 2020 changed our perspectives on patient care and the way we run our businesses. Sanitizing and masking have become part of daily routines, and new methods of communicating with patients and sharing information with colleagues have brought new efficiencies to dental practices.

Our November/December issue’s editorial focus is on practice management systems. 2020 also has taught us that managing our offices efficiently can navigate us through hard times and make the good times even better. This year dentists discovered that teledentistry can keep them clinically connected with patients as well as keeping information flowing. The American TeleDentistry Association notes that teledentistry can:

• Improve dental hygiene of patients
• Reduce the cost of care and increase efficiency through reduced travel times, shared professional staffing, and fewer in-person appointments
• Be an innovative solution for the mainstream healthcare industry
• Improve access to care for patients
• Reduce the amount of time patients need to spend away from their offices
• Make in-office appointment times more accessible
• Make in-office appointment times more accessible to patients who really need them

In addition, PPE and aerosol containment policies and other safety precautions will allow you to make future plans to expand your skills and techniques. 

Orthodontic Practice US continues to be a trusted source for introspection, invention, implementation, and innovation for your dental practice. Your strength and dedication to your craft and your teams is truly inspirational.

In this issue, we feature two CEs on practice management efficiencies to ease your team’s workload: JoAn Majors focuses on technology and outsourcing, and Lea Chatham centers on how two-way text messaging can solve many patient engagement challenges. Dr. Alfred Griffin III takes a look at how digital technologies can create a smooth and effective clinical and business workflow, and Dr. Jeffrey Miller offers his insights into how orthodontists can emphasize the “special” aspects of their specialty. Dr. Regina Blevins notes how moving from analog to digital can keep treatment on track during the COVID-19 crisis.

The November/December issue is our last issue for 2020, and I think I am joined by all of you in saying that 2021 can’t get here fast enough! We look forward to starting the next year with healing, hope, and vision for a profitable future. As I have said before, stay positive, stay focused, and stay with us as you have over the years. We appreciate and value you, and invite you to contact us regarding submitting articles in 2021.

All the best,

Lisa Moler
Founder/Publisher
MedMark Media