3 Shortcuts to Avoiding Rookie Mistakes

Welcome to "Rookie Mistakes," where we explore common tasks in Dentrix that new users might have learned to do inefficiently.

Our goal is to help you bring your rookie game up to a pro level, so you can get off the bench and score for the team! We begin with three shortcuts you can start using right now.

Right-Click Option

From the Appointment Book, do you click on an appointment, then go to the toolbar to open the Family File, Ledger, Chart and more? That’s a rookie move.

Instead, hover over an appointment and click on the right-side mouse button. A menu of all the options you want appears—much faster than choosing from the toolbar.

F2 Key to Select Patient

A lot of rookies develop a habit of always returning to the Appointment Book to pick up a new patient (some even create a new appointment to do so). Stop that rookie nonsense!

In every Dentrix module (except Office Manager), there’s a Select Patient button on the toolbar. Even better, use the F2 key to open Select Patient—again, it’s much faster than choosing from the toolbar.

Avoid Duplicate Patient Entries

Only rookies enter a new patient (whether in Family File or Appointment Book) without using the Select Patient search box first. Dentrix pros know that using Select Patient prevents duplicate patient entries.

It’s a lot easier to prevent this mistake than to clean it up. So, before you enter a new patient, employer or insurance carrier, use the Select Patient search box first to make sure they’re not already in your system.

Watch out for similar spellings, initials and nicknames, too. For example, if someone on your team adds a new employer as “Henry Schein” and someone else adds “HSPS” as a new employer, your database now has a two entries for the same employer.

Your team needs a rookie who can score without errors. It’s time to get in the game and shake off your rookie status.

Next up: The Easy Way to Look Like a Pro