Ways To Boost Your Profitability Through An Effective Supply Chain Strategy

Brian Heyndrickx, Independent Dental Solutions Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Prior to launching Independent Dental Solutions (IDS), a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) for private dental practices, I worked in medical distribution for more than 20 years. Like many other industries, medical offices, surgery centers and hospitals rely on an effective supply chain and procurement strategy to manage their operating expenses and stay competitive within the market (I define supply chain and procurement as everything a dental practice needs to run […] Read More...

What You Should Know About GPO’s

Although group purchasing organizations (GPOs) have been around for over a century and are common in the medical industry (98% of hospitals in the US are belong to a GPO), they have only begun to gain traction with dentists over the last few years. With many private dental practices looking for ways to reduce overhead costs and stay competitive in an increasingly DSO/corporate dental market, GPO’s can provide significant savings opportunities and practice support. Below are answers to common questions […] Read More...

Providing (Affordable) Employee Benefits

  Open enrollment is upon us again, and for many private dental practices, it can be challenging to find a balance between offering competitive employee benefits that are also affordable. In fact, employee benefits are often one of the biggest annual expenses for practices, so it’s important to have a benefits strategy in place help guide you as you evaluate and select your employee benefits package for the year.   To help get you started, EmPower HR shares some tips […] Read More...

IDS & The Wolverine Dental Society Partner to Advance & Unite Dentistry in Michigan

Independent Dental Solutions Receives an Offical Endorsement from the Wolverine Dental Society   Independent Dental Solutions (IDS) and the Wolverine Dental Society (WDS) are proud to announce their new partnership.The two Midwest organizations share not only a humble but impassioned start, they both were formed from a desire to advance and unite the dental industry.   The Wolverine Dental Society was founded in Detroit in 1934 by a small group of African  American dentists who wanted to overcome the exclusion experienced […] Read More...

COVID-19’s Impact on Your Practice’s Six-Month Schedule Cycle

How to Minimize Scheduling Lulls for the Remainder of the Year Traditionally dentists could rely on a steady stream of patients and keep their schedules full by establishing recurring appointments for patients at set intervals throughout the year – most often, returning every six months for routine hygiene visits. Patients seen in January would return in June, those seen in February return in July, and so on. This provides dentists with more predictable schedules and revenue streams, while enabling them to provide optimal care […] Read More...

Looking for Ways to Boost Your Practice Profitability Following COVID-19 Closures?

Take Advantage of a Free Practice Optimization Analysis Surveys conducted by the American Dental Association and other national agencies over the last several months have closely monitored the impact COVID-19 has had on dental practices across the country. While most have resumed “business-as-usual”, the upward recovery trends have slowed, and many dentists are reporting their schedules have stalled at about 70% capacity. Operating at lower than normal patient volumes for most of the year continues to weigh heavy on the […] Read More...

IndepenDENT Dental Solutions Launches Dental Discussions Podcast

Providing Practice Management Support for Private Dental Practices October 8, 2020 In the spirit of continuing their mission to further support all the business needs of their members, as well as the independent dental market as a whole, Independent Dental Solutions (IDS) is excited to announce the launch of  their new podcast, Dental Discussions. The first episode was released on Wednesday, October 7th and new episodes will be posted bi-weekly on Wednesdays moving forward. Topics will include operational best practices, […] Read More...

The Path Forward Following COVID-19: Where Do We Go From Here?

This year has been unique to say the least, and the impact of COVID-19 varies for each dental practice – not just when comparing practices by state or region, but for practices within the same community.  With continued uncertainty and mounting financial pressures, some practitioners may be considering changing careers or transitioning into retirement. On the other hand, some practices may be busier than ever and are struggling to keep up with the demand from the backlog of patients needing […] Read More...

Successful Recruiting and Retention – Even Amid a Crisis

Successful Recruiting and Retention – Even Amid a Crisis Jessica Young, Associate HR Business Power, EmPowerHR   The way we work has changed significantly since the unexpected arrival of COVID-19, and as a result, so have the concepts of recruitment and retention. With unemployment rates high, many employers assume finding (and retaining) top talent should be easy, however, businesses are facing a whole new set of challenges when it comes to staffing. If you’re finding it difficult to sift through […] Read More...

Employee Burn-Out: The Hidden Health Risks of 2020

COVID-19 has made us all hyper-aware of our physical health this year, however, it also has had a significant impact on our mental health as well.  The rapidly evolving and unpredictable nature of the pandemic has led to increased stress and anxiety for many of us, and if left unchecked, can lead to mental burn-out, especially at work. Throughout this turbulent time, several new stressors have emerged and can contribute to employee burn-out, such as: Increased Workload: Like many industries, […] Read More...

Keeping Your Office Morale High During High-Stress Times

This year has been filled with unique challenges and uncertainty, which can lead to increased stress and employee burnout. Now more than ever, strong leadership is needed to keep staff morale up. To guide your team through this tumultuous time: Lead by Example Your staff has always looked to you to set the tone for the office. If you come into your practice feeling stressed, they’ll pick up on it and likely feel more stressed as well. Similarly, if you […] Read More...

My Journey Back to the Office

A Glimpse Into My First Month Back Dr. Michael Romenesko, Co-Founder, Independent Dental Solutions As Covid-19 began its path of destruction through the country over the last few months, we as dentists were faced with many unique obstacles. How we responded to what seemed like daily changes to our industry and how we utilized the available resources to navigate through the uncertainty, was crucial to maintain not only our sanity, but our long-term success as well. Now that I have […] Read More...

3 Things Dental Practices Can Do To Prepare For a Possible Second Wave of COVID-19

As states across the country have begun to ease restrictions and many businesses have reopened, many have experienced an increase in new COVID-19 cases.  Although other countries are reporting a decline in new cases, the US continues to set records for the number of new cases over the last few weeks. Due to this recent upward trend, it’s essential that businesses, including dental and health care providers, continue to keep safety and PPE inventory levels top of mind.  Below are […] Read More...

Midway Dental KN95 Masks Are Now EUA Approved

We are pleased to announce that Midway Dental’s KN95 masks are now EUA approved. Under the guidance of the FDA, the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is tasked with evaluating products that may be able to quickly and effectively address a need during a health emergency. All products submitted for EUA approval must provide a summary of the scientific evidence to support its safety and effectiveness. IDS recognized early on that its members needed additional guidance and support during the COVID-19 […] Read More...

ADA Supports Proposed PPE Tax Credit

On June 24th, the ADA announced their support of a new bill that would provide a tax credit of up to $25,000 for small businesses, including dental practices, to use towards the purchase of personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This would include items such as gloves, masks and/or respirators, eye protection, gowns, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies and other equipment. ADA President Chad P. Gehani and Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin indicated this bill would provide much-needed […] Read More...