Automation Redefines the Way You Work — But Only If You Implement It Intentionally

Over the past year, I worked with a 12-office dental group that made the decision to standardize its practice management system (PMS) and connected technology stack. The project spanned six months. All offices went live. Disruption was limited. Doctors rated the transition highly. On paper, it was a successful implementation. 

 

But the real story wasn’t about going live. 

 

When I first met with their leadership team, one comment stood out. Their CFO described month-end close as a process involving nearly 30 manual waterfall calculations just to determine net production. He estimated that standardizing systems could save four to five days on month-end close.  

 

That wasn’t a software problem. It was a visibility problem. 

 

After implementation, reporting became standardized. Data was accessible across locations. Administrative time decreased significantly. But those gains didn’t happen because software was purchased. They happened because automation was intentionally embedded into a standardized operating model. 

 

Many privately-owned 5–20 location groups believe they are “automated.” They have digital forms. They send automated reminders. They can run reports. But few have fully operationalized automation consistently across every location. 

 

In my experience, four implementation mistakes prevent automation from redefining the way a multi-location dental group actually works. 

 

The four automation mistakes I see most often 

 

1. Buying before mapping 

Groups often purchase new technology without fully understanding their current tech stack and software limitations. 

 

Before adding another tool, leaders should be able to answer: 

• What systems are currently in use across all locations? 
• Where has the team created workarounds due to software gaps? 
• Where are the opportunities to save team time?  
• Which processes are standardized — and which vary by office? 

 

Without that clarity, new technology layers onto existing inefficiencies rather than solving them. 

 

2. Failing to create custom SOPs and playbooks 

Software does not replace process. 

 

One of the most significant drivers of success in the 12-office example was the creation of custom, standardized SOPs and change management materials. Each office understood how they were going to use the system, not just how the system functioned. 

 

When leaders assume that a tool will naturally create alignment, they’re disappointed. Automation only delivers value when workflows are documented, trained, and reinforced. 

 

3. Confusing “integration” with operational visibility 

Vendors frequently advertise that their tools “integrate.” But integration is not the same as visibility. 

 

True operational visibility means: 

• Consistent data definitions across locations 
• Standardized reporting structures 
• Leadership able to compare apples to apples 

 

In the group I referenced earlier, the ability to move from fragmented reporting to standardized data was transformative. It allowed leadership to stop massaging excel and start making data-driven decisions. 

 

Integration should support clarity — not just connectivity. 

 

4. Declaring victory at go-live 

This is the most common mistake. 

 

Groups go live, confirm that the system works, and move on. But “working” is not the same as optimized. 

 

In many organizations, I still see: 

• Office managers emailing end-of-day report summaries 
• Treatment plans printed instead of signed digitally 
• Insurance verification done manually despite automated tools 
• Schedule templates and online booking not enabled  

 

Automation doesn’t redefine the way you work unless you redesign workflows around it. 

Going live is the first step. Optimization is the outcome. 

 

A leadership-level automation audit 

If you operate a 5–20 location group, I recommend conducting a simple executive audit across your locations. Not an IT audit. Not a vendor demo. An automation diagnostic. 

 

The checklist below is drawn directly from real multi-location implementation experiences. 

 

Front office automation 

Across every location, ask: 

• Is automated insurance verification fully activated and used? 
• Are digital new patient forms deployed consistently? 
• Are confirmations and recare automated? 
• Is online booking enabled? 
• Is text-to-pay active? 
• Are patient reviews systematically managed? 

 

If adoption varies by location, you are not standardized. 

 

Clinical & case acceptance 

• Are clinical notes visible and consistent? 
• Can you see which providers are using eRx? 
• Are treatment plans signed digitally? 
• Are financial arrangements captured electronically? 
• Is AI imaging deployed where appropriate? 

 

Many of these features already exist within connected software ecosystems. They often require no additional purchase — only workflow alignment. 

 

Financial & operational controls 

• Is automated insurance payment posting enabled? 
• Can leadership run standardized reports across all locations? 
• Have manual report aggregation processes been eliminated? 

 

If office managers are still compiling spreadsheets, automation has not yet been embedded into your operating model. 

 

Automation as an operating strategy 

For privately owned groups in the 5–20 location range, automation should not feel out of reach. The tools exist. Modern, connected platforms provide the capabilities. 

 

But buying technology alone is not the strategy. 

 

The strategy is: 

1. Standardize workflows. 
2. Document expectations. 
3. Train intentionally. 
4. Audit adoption across locations. 
5. Optimize before adding new tools. 

 

The 12-office group I referenced didn’t unlock value simply because they moved to a cloud-based software platform. They unlocked value because they committed to consistent implementation per location and monitored results. 

 

That discipline, not the purchase itself, is what redefined how they worked. 

 

If you’re evaluating your next technology investment, pause first. 

 

Before adding another platform, ask: 

Have we fully implemented the software capabilities we already own? 

 

Automation can absolutely transform a growing dental organization. But only when it’s implemented intentionally — and managed as an operating decision, not just a technology upgrade.