My Journey to a Paperless Office

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I wasn’t always the biggest fan of going paperless. In fact, there was a time when my desk was basically a sea of Post-it notes. Every reminder, every to-do, every thought had a little sticky square attached to it.

And trust me, I understand why offices do it. It feels familiar and quick—until it’s not. Until you’re drowning in paper, missing a note, or spending way too much time sorting through yesterday’s scribbles.

A Story of Cringing at Paper

Now, when I walk into an office and see stacks of paper where it doesn’t need to be, I’ll admit—I cringe a little. Not because I don’t understand it, but because I’ve seen how much easier life can be once you embrace the tools that are already in Open Dental.

There’s a Better Way

Instead of jotting down insurance verification details on paper, use the Insurance Verification List in Open Dental. It keeps everything tied to the patient, gives you a clear view of what’s completed, and helps prevent anything from slipping through the cracks.

Still printing out paper recall lists? Open Dental can automate that process too. The Recall List and automated reminder systems let you manage your overdue and upcoming patients without sifting through printouts or manually checking off names.

And for internal communication (including those notes to yourself), Tasking is one of my favorite underused features. It eliminates the need for sticky notes or chasing someone down to deliver a message. You can send a task directly to another team member, attach it to a patient or appointment, and keep communication tracked and centralized.

The Relief of Going Digital

I used to stress about losing my little notes. Now, I can’t imagine going back. Moving these processes into Open Dental won't just help you stay organized; it has helped entire teams I’ve worked with communicate better, save time, and reduce the chaos.

So if you’re still surrounded by paper, I promise: there’s a better (and much calmer) way. And it’s waiting for you right inside Open Dental.