Before we get into the specifics of using the Treatment Plan functionality in DDS GP, it’s important to understand why you would do this in the first place.

A treatment plan should not be just about finances. That may seem obvious, but in many offices, the financial side of treatment dominates the conversation, and the actual value of the care gets lost.  Sit in on a few treatment plans in your office. You might be surprised what you hear: more talk about money and insurance than about dental health.

A true treatment plan focuses on the patient’s needs: the diagnosis, the steps required to resolve the problem, and a clear understanding of what may happen if it’s left untreated. Yet too often, our practice management software produces a printout that’s purely a financial summary and calls it a “treatment plan.” This printout becomes the basis of our consultation with the patient. That's bad.

DDS GP was designed to change that.  First, it creates a basis for discussion of your diagnosis and treatment with your patient. This is an extremely powerful functionality that you will learn about in the next few sections of the instructions. After your discussion with the patient, DDS GP creates a printout or shareable document that uses the same images and illustrations used throughout the app so patients remember their conversation with your team.  DDS GP treatment plans are meant to inform, educate, and guide patients, improving their understanding, increasing engagement, and adding real value to every consultation.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t discuss the financials of dental treatment with our patients... of course we should! For this, we’ve created a separate section of the app called the Ttreatment Plan Financial Worksheet, which provides clear, easy-to-understand calculations so patients can see exactly how the financials work out for the recommended treatment. We suggesr presenting this together with the treatment plan as a complete package.

Many of our offices have completely eliminated the printouts from their practice management software and now rely solely on those from DDS GP. There’s much more information on using the Treatment Plan Financial Worksheet later in these instructions.

This is another area where you’ll need to think outside the box. You’ve probably handed out thousands of PMS-generated printouts. This approach will feel new and different. As always, we recommend giving it the appropriate time to become a habit in your office. Many practices are initially hesitant to embrace this new mindset, but once they do, they’re thrilled with the results.