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Staying with a practice staple
Dr. Collins used Patterson EagleSoft software in his other office, but now benefits from seamless integration with a top industry recommendation, Schick digital X-ray, as well as CAESY Patient Education. Every operatory also features a 37" monitor, which Dr. Collins wanted from day one, positioned for optimal patient viewing of Schick X-rays and CAESY presentations. (See more on Dr. Collins’ transition to digital on pages 52-53.)

Besides plugging into EagleSoft’s powerful functionality as the heart of today’s ultra-productive office, added efficiencies have resulted from eServices like electronic claims service and real-time patient eligibility – which provides a quick, online breakdown of benefits. "EagleSoft has all the capabilities to fit where we were, but also to expand to fulfill our needs for the future," Dr. Collins noted.

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For his equipment, Dr. Collins desired the security he had always known with A-dec, combined with a high-end furniture presence that aligned with the office esthetically. A-dec’s semi-custom Stelte cabinetry and walnut ultraleather chair upgrades met both requirements. Two A-dec Preference ICC Sterilization centers meet the needs of all 16 operatories. One unit services the east operatories; the second, placed opposite the other, streamlines sterilization for north operatories. "In our goal to be the dentist for patients who want the latest equipment and technology," Dr. Collins declared, "we don’t take second – whether it’s lab work, equipment or technology – because we feel in the long run, that’s what is best for patients."

Just months after opening, the sheer number of new patients suggests they may feel the same way. New-patient visits have increased well beyond the impact of adding two associates. Yet, in the midst of this success, the words that roll off the doctor’s tongue remain patient-centered: "Just as my dental supply and building teams have my best interests at heart, I have my patients’ best interests at heart. To do this, you really need to be up to date, in my opinion. The older clientele may not demand technology now, but the practices of tomorrow need to stay current and to change. People are leaning more and more that way. As you attract a younger clientele, technology is what they demand."

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Collins Dental Group P.C., Sycamore, Ill.  –  Square feet: 10,500
Dr. Dennis Collins
Dr. Collins and Patterson Equipment Specialist Jim Plescia have worked together in different capacities since 1982.
Dr. Collins opened his 10,500-square-feet Collins Dental Group in Sycamore, Ill., on the prime lot of a professional park he developed. The doctor imported 25 semi-truck loads of Colorado red rock to dress up his office location – a connection that stems from his days at the University of Colorado, where he completed undergraduate studies.
Collins Dental Group P.C., Sycamore, Ill. - Square feet: 10,500
Martha Collins, the doctor's wife, oversaw the interior design, keeping in mind the relationship between function and utmost patient comfort. Original artwork from local artists, all of whom are art professors at Northern Illinois University and patients of Dr. Collins, hangs throughout the building and helps to underscore the relationship between visual beauty and the artistic components of creating a beautiful, healthy smile.
The office is moving in the direction of a full-scale lab, with four ergonomically designed Dental-Arte workstations furnished with vacuums and electric handpieces.
A-dec chairs and A-dec Stelte semi-custom cabinetry furnish every operatory. Integrated technologies include Schick digital X-ray, Progeny Preva Intraoral X-ray, EagleSoft software and CAESY Patient Education and the Planmeca ProMax Digital Pan. And 37
Kiosks with Patterson EagleSoft's Fast CheckIn program enable patients to fill out required forms and information electronically.