While it's certainly true that no office needs all of these enhancements, it's just as true that virtually every office can benefit from a lot of them. The trick is - much like in PW itself - knowing what's available and how to start using it. That's why we created the Article you're reading now: so you can browse through a list, learn what's available, and hopefully start using anything you see that would be valuable for your office.

You should browse through this whole Article, looking for things of interest to you - I'm sure you'll find something that you didn't know you could do! If you have a particular interest, you can search the Article for a particular word, like "recall" or "A/R". On the main menu at the top of Internet Explorer, click Edit _ Find (on this page), then enter the search word and click [Find next]. It will highlight the first instance of that word in the Article. Keep clicking [Find next] to find all instances of the word. (If you use an Internet browser other than Internet Explorer, use its search function, probably very similar to what I've just described.)

This list is organized by the following categories. Click on one to see the list for that category.

• Systems / Articles That EVERY OFFICE Should Be Using (or have a really good reason for NOT using!)
• Systems / Articles That EVERY OFFICE WITH COMPUTERS IN THE OPS Should Be Using
• Systems / Articles That MOST Offices Should Be Using
• Systems / Articles That MOST Offices Will Benefit From
• Systems / Articles You Might Find Useful If You Have COMPUTERS IN THE OPS
• Systems / Article That Are Specific to Becoming or Being CHARTLESS
• Everything Else - Various and Sundry Stuff You Might Want to Consider Using (including Club Member Requests)

All Lighthouse systems have been written and documented so that an end user (that's YOU!) should be able to install, configure and learn how to use it. However, we know that part of the reason you want these systems is because you're so busy and you want to save some time, so expecting that you'll be able to find the time to do it yourself might not be realistic. So for each item, you can see a time estimate for you to do it, and a time estimate for us to do it for you. (If you want us to do it, just click the "I want help with this, please!" link by the item, and we'll contact you to arrange the remote to make it happen.)

Systems / Articles That EVERY OFFICE Should Be Using (or have a really good reason for NOT using!)

Total Data Backup Solution Article

• If you aren't doing nightly, automated backups that you are truly veryifying every day... are you CRAZY??? There is NOTHING in your practice more valuable than your data. In a way, it IS your practice. (Imagine trying to sell your practice without your data...) Getting several good, totally verified backups is not only easy, it's very inexpensive (less than $300 for everything you need, except your time to set it up). (And no, your current tape backup system doesn't qualify - too unreliable, impossible to truly verify, very difficult to restore to any other computer, etc., etc.)
• Time estimate for you to do it: 10 to 20 minutes per device you backup to (probably 4 or 5 workstations and 2 or 3 portable hard drives)
• Time estimate for us to do it: Sorry, we don't do this anymore - it's too hard to do without physically being there.
• You must have or purchase 2 or 3 portable USB hard drives (about $100 each) and some $30 software.

Article: PW's Various License Issues

• How to avoid, or at least deal with, all the different components of a PracticeWorks system that have licensing limits.
• Nothing to install - just read the Article.

Article: You and Your NPI Number

• Most of what you need to know about this new HIPAA requirement.
• Nothing to install - just read the Article.

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse A/R Management System

• The statement processing part of this alone, which integrates delinquent account management into the statement process, will save most offices a LOT of time.
• Time estimate for you to perform: Not recommended - you will probably want to inactivate several AutoLinks, and the Article doesn't tell you how.
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train you: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse HIPAA Management System

• A totally automated way to ensure you get the HIPAA Acknowledgement Form signed for every patient. Beats the pants off the system that comes with PW.
• Time estimate for you to perform: 10 - 15 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train you: 15 -20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Simple Recall Reminder System

• Have a more effective recall system (translation: no more phone calling!) in 10 - 15 minutes per week. This gets installed in virtually every office that gets an on-site visit. Shouldn't you have it, too?
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 1 - 2 hours
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 60 - 75 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Broken Appointment Management System

• Picks up where the (very limited) PW broken appointment leaves off. Will prevent scheduling appointments for habitual offenders. Optional: automatically send a letter when an appointment is broken.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 10 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 20 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Appointment-Specific Contact Experts

• Just onne of the Contact Experts in this Pack, "LH01 Hygiene Appt Info", will save most hygienists from 5 - 15 minutes EVERY DAY (by making the morning "chart audit" to find last x-ray and exam dates unnecessary).
• Estimate for you to install: 5 minutes
• Estimate for us to install and train: 10 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Make the Pending Page VALUABLE

• Of the hundreds of offices we've worked with, we have worked with ONE SINGLE OFFICE that was using the Pending Page correctly. This feature is worthless in most offices, but it should be one of your most valuable tools for filling holes on short notice.
• Estimate for you to install: 5 minutes (then you have to read the Article to learn how to use it!)
• Estimate for us to install and train: 15 - 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Informed Consent Documents

• Whether you use them for every invasive treatment (our recommendation!), or only for the most invasive treatment, informed consents should be part of every office's protocol. These will get you started.
• Estimate for you to install: 10 minutes
• Estimate for us to install and train: 10 - 20 minutes (You have to edit the documents regardless of who installs them)
• I want help with this, please!

Systems / Articles That EVERY OFFICE WITH COMPUTERS IN THE OPS Should Be Using

Article: Charting Configuration

• Until you've done the two main steps in this Article, you can barely use Charting.
• Time estimate for you to perform: 30-45 minutes
• Time estimate for us to do and train: 30 - 60 minutes (requires about 15 minutes of your time)
• I want help with this, please!

Article: Chart Buttons and AutoLinks Worksheet

• The AutoLinks in this Article make it possible for treatment plans to be created as quickly as writing them on paper, and in our opinion, this is the single greatest benefit of having computers in the ops!
• Time estimate for you to perform: 4 - 6 hours (requires you to fill out the Worksheet first)
• Time estimate for us to perform: 2 - 4 hours (requires you to fill out the Worksheet first)
• Time estimate for us to train 1-3 of your team: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Completed Treatment Note Templates

• A large assortment of Note Templates for documenting what dentistry you perform at each visit.
• Time estimate for you to install and modify to suit you: 1 - 3 hours
• Time estimate for us to install, modify and train: 1.5 - 3 hours, or more (depends greatly on how much you want to customize them) (includes 30-45 minutes with a doctor or experienced assistant, and 30 - 45 minutes with a hygienist)
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Rx Farm and Updated PW Plus Pack Rx's

• Stop hunting for Rx pads! Stop digging through the chart to find out which antibiotic you prescribed last time for a patient! Over 80 Rx's to choose from, and new ones added all the time.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 15 - 20 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 20 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Document Explorer

• What do you do with an e-mail you get from a patient? How about that rare document that you really need to scan and attach to a patient? Or an old printed photograph that shows the patient "before" your beautiful cosmetic work? All these things and a whole lot more can easily be stored for any individual patient with the LH Document Explorer.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 20 - 30 minutes for the first workstation, 5 minutes for each subsequent workstation
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 10 - 20 minutes to install, 10 - ?? minutes to show you how to use it with your e-mail software, your scanner, etc.
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Medical / Dental History System

• A very effective and efficient system for reviewing every patient's health history at every visit, and for thoroughly updating it periodically. Absolutely required for becoming chartless (and a pretty good idea even if "chartlessness" isn't on your agenda!) NOTE: This one requires an extra 1 - 3 minutes at the beginning of every existing patient's appointment the first time you see them after implementing this system, to get their health history into PW.
• Time estimate for you to perform: 10 - 60 minutes (depending on how many changes you feel are necessary)
• Time estimate for us to install and configure: 10 - 40 minutes (ditto)
• Time estimate for us to train ALL members of your team: 20 - 45 minutes (depending on how many questions you have)
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lab Rx Generation (and Tracking if you want it)

• Quickly generate any Lab Rx (document the details and print it), and track outstanding lab cases if you want
• Time estimate for you to perform: 20 - 45 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train: 30 - 60 minutes (depends on how many labs you work with)
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Referred to Specialists System

• Document the details of, then print, every referral to a specialist, and (if you want) track referrals more than XX days old. Every referral document printed by this system has a map to the specialist's office.
• Time estimate for you to perform: 1 hour, PLUS 15 - 20 minutes for EACH SPECIALIST you refer to
• Time estimate for us to install and configure: 30 minutes, PLUS 10 - 12 minutes for EACH SPECIALIST you refer to
• Time estimate for us to train 1-3 members of your team: 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Denture Visit Note Templates (Only if you do dentures)

• A Note Template for each of the visits related to a new denture, from first impression to final adjustment
• Time estimate for you to perform: 10 - 30 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install and configure and train: 15 - 30 minutes (includes 5 - 10 minutes with a doctor or experienced assistant)
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Ortho Visit Note Templates (Only if you do ortho)

• A Note Template for each of the most common ortho visits, from consult to de-banding
• Time estimate for you to perform: 10 - 30 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train: 15 - 30 minutes (includes 5 - 10 minutes with a doctor or experienced assistant)
• I want help with this, please!

Systems / Articles That MOST Offices SHOULD Be Using

Article (and possibly Exchange Pack): Filling Holes in the Schedule on Very Short Notice

• The "Sooner if Possible" feature of the appointment book was NOT created for your patients' benefit - it's for YOUR benefit! Read this Article (and maybe install the Exchange Pack) to make this feature work for you!
• Time estimate for you to read the Article (and install the Exchange Pack if you want it): 30 minutes
• Time estimate for us to train you how to use the Sooner if Possible feature (and install the Pack if you want it): 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Three Hygiene Analysis Experts

• Two of these provide very valuable information about your recall system's effectiveness and your hygiene deparment's production vs. capacity. (The third is just packaged with these other two.)
• Time estimate for you to install: 5 minutes
• Time estimate for us to Run and Interpret these with you: 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Simple Chart Purge System

• In a few minutes per week, identify and make a final attempt at reactivating patients you haven't seen in a long time.
• Time estimate for you to install and configure: 10 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train: 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Inactivation Tracking

• Ever wonder why you lose patients? This (along with the Simple Chart Purge System) will let you find out! Data gathering is automatic, whenever you inactivate a patient. Run the Contact Expert whenever you like.
• Time estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Simple Appointment Confirmation System

• Want to use e-mail to confirm? Want to cut down on your confirmation phone calls by 20 - 50%? This one's for you! (You must be willing to accept an e-mail or a phone call as a "confirmation." If you're going to call 1-2 days before the appointment anyway, don't bother with this system.)
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 30 - 45 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 30 - 45 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you don't have e-mail set up in PW yet)
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Big Case Treatment Proposal Generation and Tracking

• Ever wish you could print out a more professional looking, less detailed treatment plan proposal than the one in PW? This system gives you TWO! One for large cases where cost isn't the issue and details are just a distraction, and another for large cases where cost IS an issue.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 20 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 20 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Insurance Claims Management

• You're using the Oustanding Insurance Claims Contact Expert to manage your delinquent claims, right? (If not, we need to talk!) The Contact Expert in this Exchange Pack is just a better version of that, allowing sorting by claim age and dollar amount. If you don't have your outstanding claims totally under controls, you need this Expert!
• Estimate for you to install: 10 minutes
• Estimate for us to install and train you: 10 - 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: "Pre-D Received" Letter

• You make a treatment plan, you send off a pre-D, you get the pre-D back with the good news... and then what? You send this letter, along with a newly printed treatment plan (with the updated insurance estimate) to get the patient to schedule, that's what!
• Estimate for you to install: 10 minutes
• Estimate for us to install and train you: 10 - 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: "Welcome to the Neighborhood" Letter

• The only external marketing Allen's practice has done for years is sending this letter (and a refrigerator magnet) to every new homeowner in their area every few weeks. Not even a small ad in the Yellow Pages! And they have a very steady stream of new patients.
• Estimate for you or us to install: 10 minutes. Then we have to show you how to use MS Word to merge the letter with the mailing list the company will send you. (Homeowners Marketing - see the Club post for details.) That will take about 30 minutes, and requires that you have MS Word installed.
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Year-End Insurance Benefits Remaining Contact Expert and Letter

• Every fall, you start thinking about all those patients in your practice who need dentistry, have benefits remaining in their benefit plan for the year, but who don't have an appointment. If only you had a good way to locate and contact them all...
• Estimate for you to install: 15 minutes
• Estimate for us to install and train you: 15 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Systems / Articles That Most Offices Will Benefit From

Article: The ScanSnap in the Dental Office

• Especially if you're interested in being chartless, but even if you just want to bring order to the chaos that can be 'paper management', you want a ScanSnap scannner in your office. (Just read the Article - no help on our part should be needed.)

Exchange Pack: Production and Collection Analysis Experts

• Production by day of month for a calendar month; Deposits by day of month for a calendar month (very handy when balancing the checkbook!!); 12 months' production, collection and miscellaneous info; One month's A/R activity by day; Total production by ADA code. (Download it, install it, and run them. No configuration or training required.)
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: E-mail Prompter

• A message that displays at Check-in and Check-out if you don't have an e-mail address for a patient. Very helpful if you're serious about using e-mail for recall reminders and appointment confirmation! (Might be overkill if you're using the Medical / Dental History System, becaue that system's Patient Info Update Document asks for e-mail address.)
• Time estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes.
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Scheduling Warnings

• Three messages that display if you make an appointment for a patient who hasn't been seen in your practice for over XX months (12 is the default, easily changed), or if you make a recall appointment for an existing patient who hasn't had FMX or a comprehensive exam (easily changed to other codes), or if you make a recall appointment that might violate the 'once every 6 months' rule for insurance.
• Time estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes.
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Sealant Warning

• A message that displays if you propose sealants on an insured patient who is less than 6 or older than 12 (simply because many plans don't cover sealants outside that age range).
• Time estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes.
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: "Not a Recall Appointment" Warning

• A message that displays if you make an appointment more than 90 days in the future that is NOT marked as a recall appointment. Since most doctor appointments are scheduled sooner than 90 days, it follows that most appointments more than 90 days out should be marked as recall appointments, and if they're not, it will cause problems with the recall system.
• Time estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: "Multiple Appointments on the Same Day" Warning

• Have you ever cancelled or rescheduled an appointment, and missed the fact that the patient had TWO appointments scheduled on that day? Install this Exchange Pack and you'll never do that again.
• Estimate for you or us to install: 5 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Simple Treatment Tracking System

• Send a series of reminders to patients who were seen recently, still have incomplete treatment, but don't have an appointment with the doctor.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 45 - 60 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 30 - 45 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: New Patient, Financial Policy and CC on File System

• You know you should have a written financial policy, you should mail a letter to a new patient when they schedule their first appointment, and this should happen totally automatically. This system makes that happen. (And if you want to put some TEETH into your policy by collecting "Credit card on file" info, this can do that, too.)
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 45 - 60 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Financial Agreement System

• A Form for documenting the details of the financial agreement you make with a patient; a Document for the patient to review and sign; AutoLinks that make it all work.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 15 - 20 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 15 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Parent Report for Minor Patient

• A Form and related Document for communicating findings to a parent when a minor patient (usually a teenager) show up for an appointment unaccompanied by a parent.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 10 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 15 - 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Birthday Card System

• Take 10 minutes a week to send a NON-dental communication to your patients. This system makes it a snap.
• Estimate for you to install and configure: 20 minutes
• Estimate for us to install, configure and train: 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Clean Up Duplicate Companies

• Click Lists _ Insurance Companies, or Lists _ Employer/Plans: Do you see duplicates? Do you know that means your insurance estimating is probably not very accurate on them? Do you know that this Article and Exchange Pack will help you eliminate the duplicates?
• Estimate for you or us to install: 10 minutes (You have to read and follow the Article in any case.)
• Estimate for us to go through an example or two with you: 10-30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: New Patient Production

• Every wonder how valuable your new patients are? This Contact Expert will tell you.
• Estimate for you or us to install: 10 minutes
• I want help with this!

Article and Exchange Pack: New Patient Tracking System

• You work hard to get new patients and you spend a lot of time doing a thorough exam and treatment plan. Are you doing ANYTHING after they leave to keep in touch with them, in case they didn't schedule anything? This system will help.
• Estimate for you to install: 5 minutes (then you read the Article to learn how to use it)
• Estimate for us to install and train you: 15 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Lighthouse Schedule Hole Filler

• If you use the Pending Page and the Sooner if Possible feature like they're supposed to be used, this Contact Expert will find the BEST candidates to fill holes on short notice.
• Estimate for you to install: 5 minutes (then you read the Article to learn how to use it)
• Estimate for us to install and train you: 10 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Patient Fact Sheets

• 22 Documents that describe, in layman's terms, the dental procedures that we all know and love. Print them along with the treatment plan to help patients understand better, and be more receptive to treatment.
• Estimate for you or us to install: 10 minutes (Then you edit each one to make sure you agree with what they say!)
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Miscellaneous Document Merge Variables

• If you create many Documents in PW, you'll love this one! All kinds of merge variables to make Document writing a whole lot easier, like being able to put "him" or "her" / "his" or "hers" / "he" or "she" into a Document automatically (based on the gender on the Clipboard). Full names, address 1 plus address 2 on the same line, salutations for letters, etc., etc., etc.
• Estimate for you or us to install: 10 minutes. (No configuration or training)
• I want help with this, please!

Systems / Articles You Might Find Useful If You Have COMPUTERS IN THE OPS

Exchange Pack: Proposed Tx Note Templates

• A set of Notes and AutoLinks that allow you to very quickly (practically automatically) document the reason for most proposed treatment, as you're proposing it
• Time estimate for you to install: 10 minutes (then you have to customize them)
• Time estimate for us to install and train you how to customize and use them: 15 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Perio Surgery Note Templates

• A set of Completed Treatment Note Templates for the most common perio surgery procedures
• Time estimate for you to install: 10 minutes (then you have to customize them)
• Time estimate for us to install and train you how to customize and use them: 15 - 30 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Display Note Templates

• A set of Note Templates that take advantage of the "Display character" feature added in version 5.0, so you can have a visual indicator for such conditions as supernumary and unerupted/partially erupted teeth, diastemas, congenitally missing teeth, etc.
• Time estimate for you to install and configure: 20 - 40 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train you: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: TJM Exam Forms (Only if you treat TMJ)

• Two Forms for documenting a great deal of information from a thorough TMJ interview and examination
• Time estimate for you to install and configure: 20 - 40 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train you: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Article and Exchange Pack: Next Appointment Info Forms

• A convenient way to communicate info about what each patient's next appointment needs are, from the operatory to the administrative team. (This is a supplement to the proper creation and sequencing of tx plans - not a replacement for that!)
• Time estimate for you to install and configure: 20 - 60 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train you: 30 - 60 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Vital Signs Recording

• A simple Form to record vital signs at the beginning of the appointment
• Time estimate for you to install: 5 - 10 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install and train you: 10 - 15 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Exchange Pack: Outside X-ray Tracking

• Easily track x-rays received from other offices, and automatically remind clinical staff when they need to be reviewed
• Time estimate for you to install: 5 - 10 minutes
• Time estimate for us to install, configure and train: 10 - 20 minutes
• I want help with this, please!

Systems / Article That Are Specific to Becoming or Being CHARTLESS

Article and Exchange Pack: Chart Retirement Protocol and Checklist

• Once you've stopped making charts for new patients, it's time to start retiring those for existing patients. This Article, and the related Exchange Pack, is everything you need to get started.
• Estimate for you or us to install and train you: 15 - 30 minutes.
• I want help with this, please!

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