Adopting new technology is a piece of cake, right? After all, everyone loves change, especially when it means moving an entire practice and your team's tasks to new software. Ba dum tss. Because that is not how anything goes, especially for busy dental teams, let’s explore ways to help your staff rapidly adopt and take advantage of new tools. Once they get past the initial shock of learning new software, they'll feel relieved knowing it will save time spent on tech frustrations, redos, and manual processes. This change will help them work more effectively and benefit not only them but also you, your patients, and your practice.
Implementing new technology is a common goal and challenge across many industries. Studies show that managers consider “digital transformation” essential for their organizations, but most feel the adoption of new technology is either moving too slowly or too quickly.
So, how can you encourage acceptance in your dental practice? Here are some helpful tips to get your staff on board and excited about the changes.
Clunky, confusing technology often faces resistance. So when you're choosing new tools, try to see things from your staff’s perspective. If the technology feels overwhelming, it can make the whole process much harder. That's why intuitive, user-friendly technology tends to be adopted more quickly. In fact, our customers often tell us how much they appreciate how easy our PMS is to learn and use. This makes staff training smoother and onboarding new or temporary team members much easier, as they tend to pick up the software quickly.
Monique Eastman, Operations Manager at Town Dentistry in Atlanta, GA, recently shared her experience using Curve. Before joining Town Dentistry, Monique had 21 years in the dental industry, working primarily with Dentrix software.
To encourage your staff to embrace the new technology, it's more effective to share its benefits than to say, “I’m the boss, we’re using this.” When team members feel they’re part of the decision, they’re more likely to feel committed to its success. Take the time to explain why the decision was made and how it will positively impact the entire practice.
Present it as a new tool that will help them and make their jobs easier and better. Reassure them that the new technology is not replacing them, but rather supporting them. When you connect the technology to their needs rather than yours, they’ll see how it will affect their tasks and productivity, and they will be more open to adoption. Let staff get acquainted with the software and observe as they learn what life is like on the “other side.” Dr. Chris Salierno, owner of Broadhollow Dentistry in Melville, NY, and a Curve customer, noted that his staff began referring to Curve as “Clever Curve” when they discovered all the software could do. That’s when Chris realized his choice to move from Dentrix to Curve Hero was the right one.
The success of any new technology brought into a practice should be evaluated based on its return on investment (ROI). Too often, a dentist invests in new systems but doesn’t learn how to use them or train their staff properly. This makes it challenging to adopt the new technology and realize the full ROI.
Staff may feel they don’t have time to learn new technology when they’re already managing a busy practice. That’s why Curve’s training process is designed to make adoption manageable. Virtual training is broken into focused sessions so team members can build confidence without stepping away from the practice for long stretches of time.
And support doesn’t end after training. Teams have ongoing access to Curve’s online resource hub, where they can find helpful articles, training resources, and answers when they need them. Ask CurveAI also gives users an easy way to get answers to questions about Curve directly within the software, helping them find the information they need without interrupting their flow. Training focuses on the processes your team uses every day, making what they learn practical and easier to apply.
Simple-to-learn technology doesn’t mean that it isn’t powerful. Most people learn just enough to handle core tasks. But when you take the time to dig deep, you can better take advantage of what the technology provides. Curve’s Business Intelligence feature is a prime example.
One Curve customer told us he initially viewed reports as an afterthought until he made time to learn what was available. Once he dug in, he gained a much better grasp of the business side of his practice and what to focus on given his limited non-clinical time. Another Curve customer used the reports to identify claims that hadn't been sent, patients who weren't properly set up for recare, and other potential lost revenue opportunities. This exercise uncovered a large number of revenue opportunities that would have otherwise been overlooked. The moral of the story? In addition to ensuring your staff learns the new technology, make the time to learn it yourself!
Getting your staff on board with new technology is an exciting journey that begins with their initial interest and enthusiasm. When you share how it benefits everyone—your team, your patients, and the practice—it makes the process even more rewarding. Providing clear, well-organized training that’s easy to follow and supported along the way helps ensure everyone transitions smoothly into new workflows. At Curve, we truly appreciate how busy schedules are, so we design our training to be flexible and efficient, helping your team start using the software quickly and confidently. The faster they see the positive impact, the sooner your practice can enjoy the benefits!
To learn more about how Curve can help transform your practice and schedule a demo, click here.