Dr. Aguebor relishes time spent working with and treating youngsters as member of Crest and OralB team. Their “Closing America’s Smile Gap” initiative brings dental care access, oral health products and education to children who need it the most.
At Smile Design Dental Studio, New York City practice he founded, Dr. Aguebor uses X-rays and tooth model in patient education session to explain dental procedures.
A Career Built on Asking ‘Why Not?’
In candid conversation with NYSDA News, Dr. Franklyn Aguebor explains why now is not the time to abandon efforts at diversity and inclusion.
The NYSDA Committee on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, tasked with leading the Association’s observance in February of Black History Month, annually selects a NYSDA member who can speak to the meaning and importance of the observance to profile in the NYSDA News. This year’s designee is Dr. Franklyn Aguebor, D.M.D., founder and CEO of Smile Design Dental Studio in New York City.
Dr. Aguebor is a native of Benin City, Nigeria, who was raised in Atlanta, GA, where he also practiced dentistry before relocating to New York. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and dental degree from Augusta University College of Dental Medicine in 2016. He completed advanced training in general dentistry at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center and holds certification from the American Board of General Dentistry.
Dr. Aguebor describes his approach to the practice of dentistry and offers insight into his philosophy of community service in the conversation that follows.
Hello and Thank You
NYSDA Vice President Amarilis Jacobo catches up with Sen Nathalia Fernandez at January fundraiser for Sen. Fernandez in the Bronx. Dr. Jacobo used the occasion to thank the Bronx Democrat for sponsoring bill to provide greater access to fluoride treatments for pediatric patients by allowing registered dental assistants and licensed practical nurses to apply fluoride varnish. The bill was signed into law and became effective this past November. z
FEBRUARY 2025
Volume 38 • Issue 1
NEWS
EDITOR
Stuart L. Segelnick, D.D.S., M.S.
MANAGING EDITOR
Mary Grates Stoll
ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP MANAGER
Jeanne DeGuire
ART DIRECTOR
Ed Stevens
NYSDA OFFICERS
Prabha Krishnan, President
Maurice Edwards, President-Elect
Amarilis Jacobo, Vice President
Paul Leary, Secretary-Treasurer
William Karp, Speaker of the House
Mike Herrmann, Executive Director
Editorial and advertising offices are at Suite 602, 20 Corporate Woods Boulevard, Albany, NY 12211-2370. Telephone (518) 465-0044. Email info@nysdental.org. Website www.nysdental.org.
The NYSDA News (ISSN 1531684X) is published quarterly, in February, May, October and December by the New York State Dental Association, Suite 602, 20 Corporate Woods Boulevard, Albany, NY 12211-2370. It is available in digital form only and accessible online in the members-only section of the NYSDA website, www.nysdental.org, under publications.
RITA
Dr. Rita Bilello Named Clinical Director NYU Dentistry Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities
BILELLO,
D.D.S., a dentist and former CEO of Metro Community Health Centers, is the new clinical director of the NYU Dentistry Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities. Her appointment became effective in October.
A 1999 graduate of NYU College of Dentistry, Dr. Bilello completed a general practice residency at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and joined Metro Community Health Centers (MCHC) as dental director after nearly 20 years in private practice. Her passion for treating patients with special needs developed over her years of practice and her realization early in her career that many healthcare providers, especially dentists, were not well-prepared to treat people with disabilities.
While in private practice, Dr. Bilello partnered with HeartShare Wellness in Brooklyn to develop a dental clinic that served the general population while also addressing the specific needs of individuals with developmental disabilities,
Rita Bilello
What to Do if Your Dental Practice is Hacked
A Step-by-Step Guide
Gary Salman
CYBERATTACKS are no longer a rare occurrence—they’re part of the reality of running any business that handles sensitive data, including dental practices. If your practice falls victim to a hacker, the situation can be overwhelming, but how you respond in those critical hours and days can make all the difference. This guide will help you understand the immediate steps to take after a breach, your legal obligations as a healthcare provider and how to recover while building a stronger defense for the future.
Step 1. Act Quickly to Contain the Damage
The moment you suspect your dental practice has been hacked; time is of the essence. Quick action can help limit the scope of the breach and prevent further harm. Follow these steps immediately:
• Disconnect from Your Network: If your system has been attacked, disconnect compromised computers and devices from the internet. This prevents the hackers from continuing their access and spreading malware across your network.
• Do Not Turn Off Affected Systems: While it may seem instinctive to shut everything down, don’t do so. Shutoffs can overwrite important forensic data that may help identify how the breach happened.
• Contact IT and Cybersecurity Professionals: Alert your IT provider and a dedicated cybersecurity partner right away. IT specialists can focus on stopping the disruption, while cybersecurity experts use advanced tools to investigate the breach, assess damage and secure your systems.
• Notify Your Cybersecurity Liability Insurance Provider: Report the incident to your cyber insurance provider to ensure compliance with your coverage terms and receive guidance on the necessary next steps. If you do not have cyber insurance, consult a law firm specializing in data privacy and is well-versed in both New York State and federal regulations.
• Check Backup Integrity: Immediately verify whether your data backups are safe. Many hackers target and encrypt backups, so understanding their status is critical. If they are intact, avoid connecting them to your live system until further review by a cybersecurity team.
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Virtual Reality A ‘Flight Simulator’ for Dental Students
NYU College of Dentistry is developing custom VR technology to help dentists-in-training build their skills, including learning to give injections.
It’s no secret that novocaine injections are anxiety-provoking for many dental patients, including the one-in-four adults with a fear of needles. But what those in the chair may not realize is that they can also be stressful for future dentists, who are learning to perform the procedure while putting their patients at ease.
That’s why NYU College of Dentistry is pioneering the use of virtual reality (VR) to give students a realistic way to practice these injections—over and over and over—before they administer local anesthesia in the real-life clinic.
“As dentists, we have to get these skills right—you cannot practice dentistry without anesthetics. That’s why we’re so focused on students being both competent and confident,” says Marci Levine, a clinical associate professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery who has spearheaded the development of VR training at NYU College of Dentistry.
Robert Glickman, professor and chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and associate dean for clinical affairs and hospital relations at NYU Dentistry, likens the use of VR in dental education to pilots training using a flight simulator. “Pilots don’t fly a plane until they’ve completed a certain number of simulations,” he says. “Why should dentistry be different?”
Turning to Technology
Dental students traditionally learn to administer local anesthesia by injecting each other under the supervision of faculty.
“That is how I learned to give injections as a dental student, as did the majority of the faculty nationwide,” Dr. Levine says. “But this approach can present challenges. In the past, students were wrought with anxiety and fear, and their hands would shake. For faculty, it’s a daunting task be-
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Smart Communication Strategies Every Practice Needs to Know
Pay attention to and cultivate your outreach to your patients, lest another practice rushes in to fill the gap.
Ashli Klingaman
After a busy day juggling school drop-offs, a full-time job, cooking for a family of six, and tackling cleanup, bedtime routines and showers, a mother finally sinks onto the couch around 9:30 p.m. to relax and scroll through social media on her mobile phone. Her feed is filled with Amazon products for organizing her pantry, heartwarming family moments from friends and a video from her children’s dental practice on preventing cavities during the holidays. Suddenly reminded that she needs to schedule hygiene appointments, she navigates to the practice’s website and quickly books the next available slot.
This picture highlights successful patient communication, but it doesn’t reveal the time and resources required to create that social post. Consistent and meaningful communication builds trust, loyalty and engagement, but without it, practices risk losing patients to competitors with stronger strategies or missing opportunities to secure appointments with existing patients. By using preplanned communication calendars, ready-made templates and automation tools, practices can save time while delivering impactful content. These approaches not only streamline workflows but also strengthen patient relationships, boost satisfaction and drive higher appointment rates, ensuring long-term success and patient retention.
Why Consistent and Engaging Patient Communications Matter
Patients are inundated with content from all different aspects of their lives. Consistent communication will ensure that your practice doesn’t get lost in all the content that patients consume and will strengthen trust and loyalty with you. Patients need to feel valued and connected with regular updates and consistent communication. Focusing on educating patients and encouraging compliance with oral healthcare plans improves the overall health of patients and the health of their dependents—not to mention building more trust.
As patients trust you with their oral care and stay engaged with your practice, they’re more likely to schedule appointments outside of regular hygiene visits and more likely to recommend your services in a review, or directly to someone in their network.
A Career Built on
Dr. Aguebor travels to where he is needed as volunteer with “Closing America’s Smile Gap,” including to Arkansas, where he met up with Boys and Girls Club members.
continued from page 1 -
Q. Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a dentist and what inspired you to pursue this career?
Dr. A. When I reflect on my journey to becoming a dentist, I think about my why in life. Many people who come from my community, who fall victim to the hardships of life due to socioeconomic disparities ask, “why me?” Instead of adopting this mindset, I decided to think of things differently. Why not strive for excellence? Why not be great? Why not be an educator, mentor and helper to the community? I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to use my academic talents to serve my community on a grand level. Because of this, I chose to pursue a career in healthcare. Given my affinity for the sciences and my artistic nature, dentistry was an obvious fit.
I soon learned that dentistry offered more than I expected. Over the years, I’ve been able to develop a platform that allows me to educate large numbers of people, drive awareness about oral health and its connection to the body and provide mentorship opportunities for up-and-coming doctors. As healthcare providers, we are tasked with not only showing compassion and empathy for all patients, but also with providing care that positively impacts their overall health. Through my craft, whether it’s treating a patient in pain or completing cosmetic work, the feeling of instant gratification fuels my passion. I truly love serving the community and making a difference in my patients’ lives.
Q. How do you see DEI programs evolving within the dental profession, and what challenges do you think they face?
Dr. A. In today’s world, or at least the dynamic of our nation currently, it is unfortunate that DEI programs are being eliminated. Diversity, equity and inclusion directly align with American values. Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another. When we add inclusion, we empower people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different. I feel like DEI programs are being compromised now, but given the opportunity, they could really be a powerful tool within the dental profession.
Q. As a dental professional, how do you promote diversity and inclusion within your practice or community, and what steps can other dental professionals take to contribute to a more inclusive profession?
Dr. A. I actively promote diversity and inclusion within my practice first and foremost by making sure my entire staff is culturally competent. What is cultural competence? It is a very powerful tool in your practice and in life that makes you more culturally aware and helps you tailor not only dental care to the patient’s needs, but human care as well. This means being a genuine individual who treats every patient who walks into your door equally no matter how they look, how they are dressed or how they speak. More so, the team is sensitive to patients’ cultural needs and what hardships each person may face.
My major advice for other dental professionals looking to contribute to a more inclusive profession would be to embrace cultural knowledge, sensitivity and competence. This would improve the quality of care for all patients, especially those who bring so much tradition, diversity and culture to our communities. Other ways to enhance inclusion would be to have your office forms or questionnaires written in different languages. Patients who don’t speak the primary language feel more at ease if they see things in their language. Also, being involved in the community and taking advantage of volunteer opportunities or outreach programs will take us out of our comfort zone and allow us to empathize with people from different communities. Most importantly, have the
A Career Built on
continued from page 12
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office represent what our community looks like. Step away from a homogenous staff and, instead, have people from different walks of life working in your practice.
Q. You receive sponsorship from Crest to conduct free dental screenings for underserved communities. Can you share more about these initiatives and their impact?
Dr. A. Working with the Crest and OralB team fuels my appetite for service to the community. I see joy in so many forms when we provide access to oral care, education and oral health products to those who need it the most. One of our biggest initiatives is called “Closing America’s Smile Gap.” It includes a favorite event of mine, the back-to-school initiative. Kids in underserved areas are evaluated and provided with a dental home. Not only do they receive oral health education and products like toothbrushes and paste, they also receive book bags and school supplies. It is a fun environment that includes face painting and a bounce house. You see the endearing smiles when you interact with the children. You see gratitude on everyone’s face because they actually see that we care. That feeling is second to none and extremely monumental.
Q. If you could implement one major change to enhance the dental profession, what would it be and why?
Dr. A. Mandatory mission trips, national or international. This would allow dentists to experience different cultures and gain insight into how their craft can make a difference on a community level. I vividly remember my first mission trip. It was to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Day one, we were in the village and had a steady flow of people coming for services. By day two, the entire community flooded our chairs. You could see that access to care was a big issue, so they were extremely thankful for any amount of work that could be accomplished. Something about being a servant to the community was entirely fulfilling and gave me instant gratification. Being among so many people who needed me to put on that cape and be their hero meant the world to me. It provided me with an unforgettable, life-changing experience. I feel that if more practitioners in the dental profession experienced something of that caliber, it would ignite more compassion and service to the community in many of them.
Q. Is there any other information or message you would like to add to this interview?
Dr. A. The best life advice I can give is “practice makes permanent.” Everyone typically says practice makes perfect. When you think about it, we are never truly perfect because we are capable of making mistakes. Even people given the title “the greatest of all times” can fail, but the best thing about that is they eventually rise and are still victorious. With dentistry, I have to practice constantly to elevate my skills and make it permanent. Attaining a skill set at a higher level fosters confidence and comfortability, so when I do practice, it is seamless and I know exactly what I am doing. By no means am I perfect, but I do things to the best of my ability and strive for the highest quality. My craft and skill set is permanent. z
Dr. Aguebor says dentistry provides platform for educating large numbers of people about oral health and its connection to the body and mentoring up-and-coming doctors.
Information Security in the Age of the Data Breach
PCI Noncompliance Can Be Costly
Phil Nieto
Every month, it seems like there are more revelations of large-scale data breaches that expose the personal or financial information of millions of Americans. As of Jan. 6, the Office of Civil Rights had received reports of 703 large healthcare data breach incidents in 2024—a 5.9% decrease from 2023—yet the number of individuals affected by these breaches skyrocketed to a record-breaking 184.1 million breached records.1 That accounts for 53% of the U.S. population, making 2024 the worst year yet in terms of breached healthcare records. Additionally, 64 of these breaches were initially reported using placeholder estimates, meaning the true impact could be even greater.
To address these issues, the credit card industry follows a set of guidelines called Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance to ensure that businesses have implemented secure procedures to
Dr Rita Bilello continued from page 4
implementing creative and innovative strategies to accommodate the physical and support needs of this underserved patient population and, thereby, improving their access to care.
As CEO of Metro Community Health Centers, Dr. Bilello was instrumental in facilitating the opening of an MCHC location within NYU College of Dentistry, an initiative designed to coordinate care between dental and general healthcare providers in the interest of supporting the overall health of New Yorkers. She also provided instruction and training to other dentists on caring for people with disabilities. z
continued from page 6
Step 2. Protect Patient Data and Assess the Breach
Dental practices are custodians of highly sensitive patient information, and any data breach creates both ethical and legal concerns. At this stage, you must determine the scale of the breach to understand what data was stolen and who has been affected.
• Conduct a Forensic Investigation: A cybersecurity specialist will perform a thorough investigation to uncover how the breach occurred, which systems were accessed and whether patient data was exposed. This step is vital not only for mitigation but also for compliance with legal reporting requirements.
• Identify Compromised Data: If patient data—such as Social Security numbers, medical histories, insurance details or financial data—was accessed, it’s your responsibility to document exactly what has been compromised. This detailed assessment will allow you to notify the appropriate parties accurately.
• Secure Unaffected Systems: Any systems or network segments that weren’t breached should be further isolated and closely monitored to ensure they remain safe. Cybersecurity tools can scan your environment for vulnerabilities and patch weak points immediately.
Step 3. Notify the Necessary Parties
If patient data is compromised, you are legally obligated to inform the affected individuals, as well as government authorities. Failure to comply could result in legal penalties and reputational damage.
• HIPAA Breach Notification Rules: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires covered entities like dental practices to notify affected individuals if their protected health information (PHI) is stolen. You must:
• Provide written notice to impacted patients within 60 days of discovering the breach.
• Include details on what happened, the data compromised and what steps patients can take to protect themselves.
What to do
• If the breach affects more than 500 individuals, you must also notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and local media outlets. Breaches involving fewer than 500 individuals still require reporting to HHS within an annual submission window.
• Work With Legal Counsel or a HIPAA Consultant: Because breach notification laws can be complex and vary by state, it’s essential to involve legal experts who understand regulatory compliance to guide your communication plan.
• Communicate Thoughtfully: Always be transparent but professional with your patients. Reassure them of your commitment to resolving the situation and safeguarding their data moving forward.
Step 4. Respond to Financial and Reputational Damage
Beyond the immediate technical and legal response, a cybersecurity breach can impact your practice in several ways. Patient trust can waver; operations may grind to a halt; and financial losses—ransom payments, recovery costs and potential lawsuits—can escalate. Here’s how to mitigate the damage:
• Engage Your Cyber Insurance Provider: If you carry cybersecurity insurance, notify your provider right away. Your policy may cover the costs of breach response, legal fees and even patient credit monitoring services.
• Offer Identity Theft Protection: To rebuild trust, consider offering free identity theft monitoring services to affected patients. This proactive measure demonstrates your commitment to their safety and security.
• Handle Public Relations Carefully: A breach can damage your practice’s reputation if not managed properly. Work with public relations professionals to craft clear and reassuring messages for your patients and the community. Avoid assigning blame and focus on steps you’re taking to correct the issue and prevent future incidents.
Step 5. Audit, Learn and Strengthen Your Defenses
Recovering from a cyberattack is more than just returning to business as usual—it’s an opportunity to learn from the breach and build a more resilient practice.
• Review and Revise Your Cybersecurity Policies: Evaluate which vulnerabilities led to the breach and update your practice’s security protocols accordingly. This could involve implementing stricter firewall rules, enforcing stronger passwords or switching to more secure practice management software.
• Train Your Staff: Human error remains a leading cause of cyberattacks. Conduct mandatory cybersecurity training for your team, covering topics like phishing email identification, password hygiene and safe internet use. Training should be continuous and tailored to the threats specific to healthcare.
• Partner With a Dedicated Cybersecurity Firm: The complexity of modern hacking techniques requires expertise that goes beyond typical IT support. Invest in an ongoing partnership with a cybersecurity company to monitor your network for threats, perform regular vulnerability scans and maintain a strong recovery plan.
• Create or Update Your Incident Response Plan: Your dental practice should have a documented incident response (IR) plan in place, outlining exactly what to do during a cyberattack. If you already have one, review the lessons learned during this breach to improve it. Make sure all staff members understand their roles and responsibilities in the event of a future incident.
Remember, Prevention Is the Best Cure
While it’s critical to know how to respond to a cyberattack, prevention should always be your top priority. Regular software updates, multi-factor authentication, daily vulnerability scanning and phishing simulations are just a few steps that can help safeguard your practice. Having both an IT services team and a cybersecurity partner ensures you’re fully protected from all angles.
The reality is that dental practices will continue to face cyber threats due to the valuable data they store. But preparing for the possibility of an attack—and knowing how to respond if one occurs—can minimize the damage and keep your patients’ trust intact. By acting quickly, fulfilling your legal obligations and building a stronger foundation, your dental practice can emerge from a cyberattack more secure than before. z
Gary Salman is CEO and cofounder of Black Talon Security (www.blacktalonsecurity.com). A leader in the cybersecurity field, Gary has a 25-plus year background in law enforcement and healthcare technology. His firm monitors and secures approximately 50K computers and networks worldwide and has trained tens of thousands of dental and other healthcare professionals.
cause you’re using sharp instruments with novice students, and it’s difficult to transfer skills and confidence in a meaningful way. And although rare, complications do happen.”
What’s more, dental school practice injections usually involve real anesthetics. “Students aren’t guinea pigs,” Dr. Levine says. “In medicine, sometimes students will practice inserting IVs on each other, but there’s no administration of a pharmaceutical agent.”
Inspired by colleagues in NYU’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry and the Grossman School of Medicine who were creating interactive learning experiences, Dr. Levine began redesigning the course she teaches on oral surgery for second-year students. Enlisting the knowledge and skills of Elizabeth McAlpin, NYU IT’s director of educational technology research, she overhauled her large-format lecture course by adding multimedia and interactive components, including videos, role-play exercises and web-based simulations of the dental office environment.
Students benefited from these new tools, but wanted more direct engagement, including the ability to practice with their hands in a more interactive and immersive way. VR seemed like the best tool for providing that kind of experience. Cristian Opazo, director of educational technology at NYU Dentistry, assessed the current market for VR simulation technology and saw an opportunity for the college to create its own customized virtual training program from scratch.
What it’s Like for Dental Students
Over the past few years, Dr. Levine, Mr. Opazo and their team have created a simulated dental office modeled after a second-floor clinic at NYU Dentistry. Inside is a mock patient in a dental chair who offers a detailed view of the anatomy of the face and mouth. Using a VR headset and hand controllers, students enter the simulation to set up their equipment, interact with the virtual patient to prepare them for the procedure and give an injection. Along the way, the system provides real-time feedback to guide students through repeated practice.
NYU dental students are introduced to the clinical uses for anesthesia during the spring of their second year of school. After learning about anesthesia in the classroom, they head to the college’s VR lab for a one-on-one instructional session on administering injections in the simulated environment. Then, during their third year of dental school, students are required to check out one of 60 VR headsets, taking it home to practice in the days before they are scheduled to administer injections to patients.
“It helps to not only reaffirm, refine and refresh, but it also mentally gives students a boost. With the VR available on demand, students can take it home, work on it, and do it again and again with feedback,” says Dr. Levine.
Adding a Special Touch
Dr. Levine and her team are continuing to make and test design changes to the VR system. These include, for instance, creating a simulation for injecting children’s smaller mouths and options for students who are left-handed. They also hope to expand beyond anesthesia to build simulations for irreversible dental procedures, such as extractions. At the same time, they’re constantly evaluating the educational effectiveness of this use of VR, with Ms. McAlpin spearheading research to understand the technology’s impact on student satisfaction, confidence and the clinical experience.
Based on student feedback, the team is also working toward a next-generation controller that provides a more realistic tactile experience for students. z
In VR system, students see simulated patient with detailed anatomy of head and mouth.
Image by Cristian Opazo
Smart Communication
Even simple appointment reminders through text message can effectively cut through the noise and minimize no-shows. For example, practices that use PracticeMojo to automate communications (such as appointment reminders) see an average increase of two and a half appointments per day, which could be through retention or filling last-minute slots. Studies show that practices with consistent patient communication see up to a 25% increase in appointment retention rates and higher patient satisfaction scores.
Common Challenges Practices Face
Automated appointment reminders are a common solution that practices have already grown accustomed to and recognize as a valuable time-saving tool. However, even with automated solutions, managing patient communications is a significant challenge for many practices. Common additional challenges attributed include competing priorities and limited time. Balancing high-quality patient care with the demands of planning, creating and managing communications can feel overwhelming, especially for small teams. Many practices struggle to identify the right content that resonates with patients and aligns with their goals, leaving them unsure of what to say or when to say it.
This uncertainty often results in missed opportunities to engage patients, build loyalty and fill appointment schedules. Without a clear plan, communication efforts can become inconsistent or lack the impact needed to make a difference.
Technology and workflow integration add another layer of complexity. Practices must manage multiple communication channels—text, email and social media—while ensuring messages are timely, relevant and consistent. Automated appointment reminders are an example of how technology has already proven its value in saving time and reducing no-shows. By extending automation to broader communication strategies, such as preplanned content calendars and ready-made templates, practices can further streamline efforts, ensuring patients stay informed and engaged without overburdening staff.
Smart Communication
Adopting these solutions not only saves valuable time but also enhances the overall patient experience, contributing to practice efficiency and growth.
Saving Time while Creating Impactful Communications
The best strategy for patient communications is to have one—having a strategy is the most effective way to save time and create impactful content to use in your communications. Use tactics like the ones listed below in your planning.
Leverage Preplanned Communication Calendars
Preplanning your patient communications for the entire year simplifies the whole process, ensuring consistent, timely and relevant outreach throughout the year. With a well-structured calendar, your practice can map out themes, such as seasonal health tips in winter, back-to-school dental checkups in late summer and periodontal disease prevention during Gum Disease Awareness Month. By having a schedule created in advance, your practice can save valuable time and eliminate the stress of last-minute planning.
Use Ready-Made Templates
The ROI of outsourcing is clear: It reduces the burden on your staff, eliminates inefficiencies and allows your team to focus on patient care, all while ensuring consistent, high-quality communication.
Automate Where Possible
With a preplanned calendar, it’s easier to create ready-made templates for text, email and social media campaigns to share your content, saving you time not only on writing but also on design. The templates will provide a clear framework that can be quickly customized to fit your needs. For example, a text reminder like “Don’t forget to book your hygiene appointment!” or a social media post offering “How to Keep Your Smile Bright During the Holiday Season” can be reused year after year with minor updates.
Time is usually the number-one constraint for practices sending out consistent communications to their patients. Use tools like PracticeMojo to schedule recall campaigns through email and Hootsuite or Mailchimp for social media platforms to reduce the manual workload. Tools that integrate seamlessly into your practice workflow will help make your communications go out in a consistent manner without any heavy time commitment from your staff.
Delegate and Outsource
Find a specific team member and delegate patient communications to that person, or find an expert outside of your practice to manage your patient communications, which can significantly enhance efficiency and quality. Assigning tasks ensures accountability within your team, while outsourcing content creation to professionals saves time and delivers polished, engaging materials. The ROI of outsourcing is clear: It reduces the burden on your staff, eliminates inefficiencies and allows your team to focus on patient care, all while ensuring consistent, high-quality communication. Investing in expert support often costs less than the time and resources wasted on inconsistent or ineffective in-house efforts.
Repurpose and Recycle Content
When and where you can, repurpose and recycle content. Taking verbiage from email recall campaigns and repurposing it in a format that works for social media allows your existing content to reach more patients. For example, someone who isn’t as responsive by email will see the same content on social and engage with your practice from that channel. This can be stretched over multiple pieces of content. So, be sure to create a content library for easy access and reuse of material.
Ideas for Engaging Patient Communications
Engaging patient communications start with a mix of content that informs, reminds and connects. Educational posts like “Top 5 Myths About Oral Health” or “How to Protect Your Teeth During the Holidays” empower patients with valuable information, making your practice a trusted resource for oral health. You can also use timely reminders, like sending a text for regular hygiene appointments or posting a friendly nudge on social media about scheduling oral cancer screenings or backto-school dental cleanings.
Being proactive with messages keeps your practice top of mind and encourages timely appointments. Building stronger connections with patients, including birthday greetings and holiday wishes, makes patients feel valued. Community-focused content, like sharing patient success stories or testimonials, builds trust and encourages other patients to schedule appointments with your practice.
Don’t forget behind-the-scenes communications about your practice. Introduce a new team member, showcase upgraded equipment or highlight a milestone, like your practice anniversary. These humanizing touches create a sense of familiarity and connection, making patients feel part of your community.
Conclusion
Patient communications are a major connecting element between patients and your practice. Without them, there are opportunities for other practices to become the trusted resource and, potentially, pull appointments away from your practice. Avoiding challenges like time constraints and uncertainty about what content would be effective and implementing time-saving strategies, such as pre-planned calendars, ready-made templates and automation can simplify the process and make your communication strategy much more effective.
Now is the time to prioritize communication as a core component of your patient engagement strategy, and we’ve started the process for you with a full year of timely social posts and communication ideas to keep patients engaged and coming back to your practice. Download our 2025 Dental Patient Communication Calendar for free today. z
Ashli Klingaman is content marketing manager at ProSites. NYSDA-endorsed ProSites has provided marketing and automation solutions for over two decades and is committed to supporting practices to fill their appointment schedules and treat as many patients as possible in their communities. Plus, NYSDA members receive exclusive discounts on ProSites solutions. Visit prosites. com/NYSDA or call (888) 932-3644 and mention you are a NYSDA member to schedule a free strategy call today.
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protect transmission of card information. PCI compliance is a requirement for any business that accepts credit cards, but the actual requirements that your business must meet are determined by the equipment and the method of communication used in processing.
As part of PCI compliance, every business must complete an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) unique to the processing environment. For example, a standalone credit card terminal that connects over an analog phone line has a very simple SAQ that focuses on in-office procedures to protect credit card data. This is because the terminal encrypts all information at the point of entry and then sends the information over an analog phone line which is much more difficult than IP connections for hackers to actively monitor. If your office uses a credit card processing terminal that connects over the internet or through your computers, not only will you have a more demanding SAQ that will ask about your network security, you will also be required to perform quarterly external PCI network scans to ensure that your network is secure from tampering.
PCI compliance will usually be handled by your credit card processor even if they use an industry-approved PCI subcontractor. However, it is the merchant’s duty to make sure that their business has completed all the required steps to achieve compliance. While some credit card processors are very proactive in helping dental offices attain compliance, many don’t view it as their responsibility. When Best Card reviews statements from dental offices to prepare cost comparisons, more than 70% of dental offices are being charged monthly or quarterly PCI non-compliance fees. Best Card averages 90% PCI compliance for our dental offices and charges approximately 25% of the annual cost other processors do for PCI compliance.
Having worked with thousands of dental offices for their PCI compliance, we have been able to compile the following helpful tips for any dental office to avoid PCI issues, maintain security and identify calls from scammers trying to get information.
• If your office stores physical credit card numbers, be sure to keep all card information locked up when not in use and to shred any card numbers once no longer required for business or legal reasons.
• Change passwords to systems if you have an employee leave. Former employees might log in remotely and run fraudulent refunds to their own credit cards.
• Never store card numbers on a computer unless they are being stored in an encrypted format (where you cannot see full credit card number) by a PCI-approved software/gateway/processor.
• Be very careful when giving access to your passwords or allowing others to remotely log in to your office computers. We have had offices that have contacted us after “Microsoft” called and said that they immediately needed to log in to their computers. This is a common scam used to compromise your network and install malicious programs.
• We have had offices contact us because “PCI” called and demanded to see a copy of their PCI scan report. Any PCI compliance steps would be handled in conjunction with your processor; there are no “PCI police” that would call you by phone. Giving away this information would essentially give a roadmap to hack your office network.
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• There are many unscrupulous credit card processing companies that will call and say your equipment or your network is not PCI-compliant. They may even say they need to do an “update” to your terminal and give you something to sign. Unless this call is coming from your credit card processor and they can provide your merchant number, this is an underhanded solicitation. The caller will have no information on the integrity of your systems unless you give it to them. These companies will try to scare you into signing a new agreement that usually has expensive costs and punitive contract terms.
Data security and PCI compliance are an ever-changing part of the business environment, but with reasonable preparations and updates, they should be very manageable. If you have questions about PCI compliance or the credit card processing industry in general, reach out to Best Card at (877) 739-3952. z
REFERENCE
1. Alder S. The biggest healthcare data breaches of 2024. HIPAA Journal Jan 2025;07.
Phil Nieto is president of Best Card, the endorsed credit card processor of NYSDA and ADA Member Advantage. He works with thousands of dental offices to help minimize the headaches of accepting card payments by focusing on providing what the merchant services industry often lacks: innovation and integrity. Best Card saves the average dental office $6,671 (28% average savings) per year on processing costs. If you have a recent statement from your credit card processor and would like a detailed, no-obligation cost comparison, you can send the statement via email to Compare@ BestCardTeam.com, or fax to (866) 717-7247.
