August 2021

As summer winds down in August

The July release DQB 1.67 has been a success and we are pleased to see so many of you keeping your systems up to date.  We have a to-do list for the October release underway but are still open to suggestions from you.

We have added to our list of white papers with in-depth topics for you: 

• To Simplify DentaLab Case Entry  

Other recent white paper updates that you can also request be sent via email include: 

• DQB CAD/CAM Workflow Support
• DQB Shipping Cases  
• Preserving Privacy
  

For those who are ready to move up to more capabilities

The upgrades for more software capability we see most frequently have been motivated by two things:  

1. The need for more concurrent users   
2. Wanting to accept, scan, name and record digital files and documents with the case record

Increasing in popularity have been two more: 

1. Offering the many benefits of the DentalRx web portal to their dental offices   
2. Sending email notifications on cases received and cases shipped with tracking information as well as automatically sending internal lab reports to themselves
   

To give a break to those who are ready for more, we are offering 20% discounts until August 27 2021 for:    

• upgrade from DQB Starter to Standard  ($200 reduced to $160)
  
• adding a concurrent DQB user ($300 reduced to $240 each)  
• DQB supplements for Images/Digital Files or Notifications  ($500 reduced to $400 each)  
• DentalRx Direct setup/security fee ($260 reduced to $208)  
• DentalRx Custom for website ($1600 reduced to $1280)   

Note that the fee for ongoing service for DentalRx is included in your service agreements.

Looking ahead to September

Our offices will be closed for the USA Labor Day on Monday, September 6. For many this marks the unofficial end of summer.  

Microsoft Windows 11 is in its beta testing phase and is targeted for general release in October.  We will be making the adjustments to assure compatibility.  

To answer your questions....

Q: We mostly use the batch Invoice Cases option but occasionally need to invoice a single case from the action menu.   Is there a way to reduce the number of alert messages? 

A: Yes, in DQB Options/Invoice Settings, you can make the following choices: 

• You can select a default case setting after invoicing. Finished is the typical selection. 
  
• Do not check the option to change case status when invoicing unless you want this choice. 
• You can check on the indicator to automatically mark the case as Shipped when invoiced.  
• You can choose whether or not to limit invoice overrides to the same day.

In the upcoming DQB 1.68 release, we are adding these additional options:  

• Do not show alert for case items not scheduled.  
• Do not show alert for case items not completed.  
• Mark all case items completed when invoiced with the completed date/time set to the invoiced date/time.

The speediest way to invoice is the batch method.  You can both create invoices and print them in a batch.   In Invoice Settings, you can choose your options for the batch process.   For when you invoice a single case, you continue to have a choice as to which alerts you want to have displayed.  

Q: Can an item be in more than one product group? 

A: Yes, the product groups are very flexible.  You might want to specify that an item is in a very specific group as well as a broad group or one that is viewed from a different angle such as your new products or products from a particular manufacturer.  

It is in sales categories that an item can be in only one.   When generating sales and production reports, be mindful of this difference when selecting your criteria.

Compliance vs. Compatibility

From our support calls we have noticed that compliance is sometimes confused with compatibility.   Essentially, when we are talking about compliance this refers to government mandated regulations.  Here is the list for the USA of the laws requiring compliance by dentists and dental labs.  Those in other countries will typically have similar regulations.

• HIPAA for patient privacy
  
• FDA for materials disclosure, imports, good manufacturing practices (GMP) for quality, safety, sanitation 
• OSHA for occupational safety
  
• Corporate reporting and taxes (State and Federal) 
• Payroll reporting and taxes (Local, State, Federal)  
• Sales tax for specific items in specific states 

Providing evidence through good record keeping and documentation is very important when called upon to show you have been in compliance and to avoid having to pay fines. QuickBooks and DentaLab for QuickBooks work together to provide a strong foundation for this.

When we refer to compatibility, this means that your case management software needs to be technically compatible to work with the surrounding software and hardware.  For DQB, this list includes:  

• Internet Browsers/Security Standards
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft .Net Framework for app development, device control
  
• SQL Database Management 
  

Part of our job is to be continually alert to changes required for both compliance and compatibility and to adjust DQB and DentalRx whenever needed.  These adjustments come to you in the quarterly releases that are included in your service agreements.

Training for yourself and your staff

There are many resources available for training to use the capabilities of DentaLab for QuickBooks with efficiency and accuracy.  Within both DQB and QuickBooks are user guides, available from the Help button.  For in-depth topics, you can request to have these emailed from our library of white papers  You can also find educational materials, the blog and tutorials on our website: www.mainstreetsystems.net

You can also visit websites from the other providers involved in your computer system such as Microsoft and Intuit.   These include tutorials, white papers, newsletters, technical support teams and forums for questions and discussion. This is also true for Microsoft and hardware vendors.   You can enter a topic or even a specific question into one of the Internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing.  For QuickBooks, there are many facilities that offer low-cost training for accounting and financial management.  

For those who learn best from another person, we offer personal interactive webinars as part of your service agreement. 

To assure accuracy and excellent customer service, you will need to add your own principles and methods when training.   Some points definitely worth considering for your list are these:

1) Assuring that data backups are performed at least once daily to secure all information.  These can be set up to be automatic and on your choice of local media and/or web-based services.

2) Keeping a log of significant events, such as upgrades, new releases, issues, and keeping your system up-to-date.

3) Where to turn if questions or problems arise, for your hardware, network, software, operations, accounting and financial management.  If you work with local support for your hardware/network, assure that they coordinate with us.  

4) How to handle customers, requirements for new entries, changed entries, how to distinguish customer accounts by checking location, telephone number, particularly for those with similar names so that each case is aligned with the proper doctor, how to handle group practices and individual doctors, how to change doctors if a case has been improperly assigned.

5) How to setup and monitor for proper taxation and discounting, if in use for your lab.

6) Your standard procedures and their use in building cases, handling multi-stage cases, complex cases, unique doctor requirements, assuring quality control and smooth workflow.

7) Your choices for shipping methods, local pickups and deliveries, generating shipping labels, tracking shipments, inclusion or charging of fees, notifications to customers. 

8) How to use various communications capabilities such as doctor preferences by work center and by item, customer alerts, lab notes, case memos, emails and plans, email notifications, the DentalRx web portal. 

9) Your standards and timings for billing, maintaining privacy, materials disclosure, staying in compliance with government regulations.

If you need training yourself on any of these points, make good use of your service agreement and call us for guidance.

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